Work Text:
For perhaps the hundredth time you run the pad of your thumb over the magnet in your pocket; You realize now you haven't really thought this through, and this too would have to be made up as you went along. Your hip aches where that Weeping Eye woman shot you as you walk towards the primary facility. There's a lonely stone bench close to the door, so you settle it as best you can on the cold stone.
Since you are "forgiven" you don't need to report to the Freezer anymore, but you'll likely be waiting awhile for a new assignment. Or for the Opera to decide if the cleanup from your mission was worth it, but hey, you got the guy at least. The real guy and his double too. All it cost was a bomb, a few bullets, a tram full of innocents and one of your assets.
Ramses…
Dopplegang [Failure] You don't deserve a gang…
You shake your head in an effort to exorcise memories of your most recent mission.It's nearly 8pm, you don't exactly know the schedule of the controllers and other miscellaneous facility workers—You could be waiting awhile, but you brought reading material at least.
You imagine the Melita on the phone, telling you that this was a bad idea, some things best left to fantasy. But it feels a bit unfair, that she knows so much about you, and you know so little of her; All you have is her name and her voice, the way it sounds when she's trying to get you to focus, or when she lets just the smallest amount of approval bleed through…
Grey Matter [Failure]Yes! Let the imagining take on a entirely new form!
You aren't absorbing what you're reading at all, its just something you grabbed from your flat without much forethought. You're too busy thinking about Melita; Your mind filling in the blanks, rearranging them, crossing them out over and over. You've done this for years in your idle moments, but now the process is moving in double time, accelerated.
Finally, after what felt like ages, you catch sight of a rush of motion inside the brightly lit lobby area; Several pairs of legs descending the stairs. You stand up quickly and hide yourself in a recess next to the door, since she knows what you look like you have to remain as inconspicuous as possible. You'll bring up the rear of this group of people.
Fuck, what if she's not one of them?
Anx +1
Grey Matter [Success] It's alright, you may have to wait a little longer tonight. Or try another night when you feel more certain.
After what seemed to be the end of the group of nine people you rock to your feet and attach yourself to the back of the group; Not so close that you're hovering over the group, but not too far either.It's five women and four men, so you can rule the men out, probably.
Among the chatter you strain your ears to isolate which one is Melita, tugging your hood further over your head. If anyone looks back you'll look like a textbook weirdo.
Personalism [Success]You area weirdo.
Thankfully, they all seem blissfully unaware of your presence, chatting amongst themselves on the walk to the train station. Maybe you unintentionally engaged your functional invisibility. It's A little worrying for them to be this relaxed. But this is just another day for them, you suppose.
"Oh Mel, won't you join us for drinks tonight?" One of the ladies asks. Another controller presumably.
You go rigid, this is it.
"Hmm, not tonight. I'm exhausted " An all too familiar voice responds, sans the digital grain. But it's her.
Melita.
Finally.
Her voice floats up from the right side of the pack, somewhere towards the front. You try to distract yourself from what her voice does to you by scanning the crowd and honing in on one woman in particular.
She's shorter than you ( A lot of people are), a woman with deep, chestnut brown hair that just brushes past her shoulders. You desperately want to get closer for a look at her face, but you have to hold it together for now. Your hip is really aching from ensuring you keep pace, but you don't care.
You hardly notice when you arrive at the train station, you've been so laser-focused on Melita, or who you think is Melita with about 85% certainty. Your hand dives into your pocket for reassurance again, thumbing the magnet with frantic energy.
Anx +1
People start crowding onto the train, you need to stick close to her, ideally she'll sit alone. You've devolved from weirdo to pervert now.
Personalism[Failure]What girl doesn't love being followed anyways?
Perhaps there's a legion of women following you, too. Gang-stalking style.
Del +1
Legion? There's not even one.
You snap back to reality, honing in once again on Melita. You still haven't caught a good glimpse of her face, but that's ok. If it somehow isn't her you can probably play it off. She sits alone, letting her head rest against the cold windows. It's now or never.
You slide into the seat next to her, still allowing her some space . You see her startle a bit, likely not expecting company. And then she looks, in the same moment the train lurches into motion.
Sad, soft brown eyes fill with surprise as she registers a presence, and then who you are. Your heart stutters in your chest. She's perfect.
She inhales sharply, snapping her gaze away and to the seat right in front of her.
"CASCADE…" She murmers, barely audible. But you always hear her.
She licks her lips, furrows her brow, still looking ahead.
"You shouldn't be here…"
Personalism [Success] There's a "but" in there…
"But I wanted to be" You say.
She makes a delightful sound between a laugh and a sigh. She glances at the window again.
"You're infuriating" She huffs, trying to sound annoyed.
You laugh a little "I know. But maybe I can make it up to you?"
She looks at you quizzically.
You pull out the magnet that's been burning a hole in your pocket, she takes it gingerly, your fingers brushing in the process.
Instincts [Success] Soooooft…
She studies it for a moment and smirks "Questionable taste in souvenirs too."
"There wasn't much on offer, unless you wanted a wolf cup." You say, suave as you can muster.
She laughs again. The blood rushing to your face.
The train begins to slow, you know this is your stop. This is enough, for today. You rise unsteadily to your feet, she's watching you now.
"This is my stop. See you, sometime…?"
A faint smile tugs at her lips
" With luck and skill" She says.