OPEN | prompt one | RAIN

[wrens]

prompt one | R A I N I have been one acquainted with the night. I have walked out in rain - and back in rain. I have outwalked the furthest city light. I have looked down the saddest city lane.

 

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jessica stanesfeld | CONSTANTINOPLE | pre-Event

[concealable]

[The rain doesn't bother Jessica too much, but that's still no reason to stand in it unnecessarily. She stays in the doorway of the apartment building she's just come out of - questioning the super regarding a couple of seemingly ex-residents. There's a shopkeeper across the street that she needs to speak to, but she waits for a moment, checking her phone for any missed calls or messages.]

[woke]

[ Not a message, but as she's scrolling through what her inbox has to offer, the phone rings.

Normally calls from violet-level numbers are not identified to other phones, but given that this is a call between colleagues, Mason's identification number as well as a badge from the Office of the Seat of the Magistrate displays on the screen of her mobile.

He has, as usual, impeccable timing. ]

[concealable]

[Never one to let a call ring to voicemail, especially while she's working, she doesn't need to see Mason's number or the badge to compel her to answer promptly.]

Stanesfeld.

[woke]

Any chance— [ Mason's voice is bright and charming and tinged with the sort of pre-apology that comes when asking for something he knows he probably won't get. ] —I can convince you bring back coffee?

[concealable]

[She huffs out a soft laugh, something like familiar resignation in the sound. The request and the way it's delivered aren't surprising in the slightest.]

There's a chance. But you've got this rain to contend with.

[Not being bothered by it didn't mean she wanted to spend more time than she needed to out in it.]

[woke]

If you want to get technical about it— [ He guesses she doesn't. ] I'm good to go, here in the office. You're the one who's got to deal with the rain.

[ Mason makes a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat. ] Something tells me I could've sold that better.

[concealable]

A lot better. [There's still something softly amused in her tone, though. Maybe if she disliked rain more than she did, she'd be more annoyed by his reminder that he was warm and dry, and she still needed to get back.] That's possibly the least convincing reason to get someone coffee I've ever heard.

[In fact, it was more likely to get herself coffee and flaunt the drinking of it in front of him, coffeeless.]

[aynasiz]

[ the rain has washed the gel from noah's hair, a rare occurance. it's curling just slightly, still slicked back from the rain, but give him a few minutes inside where it's dry, and soon noah will be saddled with a mess of curls. it's irritating, but he isn't thinking about that just yet. he offers up a brief smile to jessica, just wide enough that dimples flash, before clearing his throat to speak. ]

Got room in your doorway for one more?

[concealable]

[She looks up from her phone, mildly surprised to see him, but takes a step sideways with a small smile. If there's a reason beyond coincidence that he's here, she's sure he'll explain in a moment.]

No umbrella? Bad day to forget it.

[Not that she ever carried one herself.]

[aynasiz]

It's just not my lucky day.

[ he edges in next to her, shaking the rain from the folds of his coat and running a self-concious hand back through his hair. ]

Making the rounds?

[concealable]

Running a case. [A slight tilt of her head, a touch self-deprecating.] Still trying to track those two green-levels down.

[A young couple suspected of clearance fraud. Not big enough targets to end up on the desk of the secret police, yet, not until Jessica had put together a proper report on them. But they'd been evading her for over a week now, frustrating even as she tried to keep a level-head over it.]

[aynasiz]

Need a second set of eyes?

[ his tone is mild, unassuming. jessica was one of the few coworkers he actually enjoyed speaking with for any length of time. and it was a distraction from his own case, which he was in no real hurry to make progress with. ]

[concealable]

[She isn't too proud to ask for help - or to accept it when it's offered - but there is something for having her own accomplishments. Still, she doesn't turn directly him down.]

Don't you have your own work to be doing?