[Late at night (or perhaps so late that it's actually early morning), Grell will receive a text from Ardyn. It's seemingly out of the blue, but perhaps even more exceedingly random is what it says.]
I was told by an expert [read: his nephew] to ask you this. And so:
Would you like to get married?
[who fucking texts stuff like this at like 3 am. Oh, that's right, it's Ardyn, who hasn't even gone to bed yet despite his class in the morning.]
I was told by an expert [read: his nephew] to ask you this. And so:
Would you like to get married?
[who fucking texts stuff like this at like 3 am. Oh, that's right, it's Ardyn, who hasn't even gone to bed yet despite his class in the morning.]
[if her phone goes off in the middle of the night, she's expecting it to be either someone needing something desperately important, or work calling her in because something's happened. so she's not automatically suspicious.
time to see what this says.]
time to see what this says.]
she's adorable! but why do you think she's hateful?
if you're taking drugs this may be on the line of things i don't tell your parents or dave about, there's only so much my conscience can take
but let me check to see if there's any reports on something with those psychological effects
but let me check to see if there's any reports on something with those psychological effects
Do you know what's the skeleton's favourite musical instrument? 💀 ❓ 🎶
[ someone stop ainsley. please. ]
[ someone stop ainsley. please. ]
[Sometimes Anya's phone runs out of battery.
Which really isn't a problem, normally - she knows the city like the back of her hand and doesn't need it for GPS and thinks her texts can wait - except for one thing: she can't tell her mother where she is like this. So she's with Grell when her phone goes out and her auntie was nice enough to let her borrow her phone to text her mother where she was and who she was with and that she'd be going back home ASAP.
Except.
There's a text conversation open? And the first message is asking "Would you like to get married?"
Anya gasps.
No way around it. She gasps and sits up straighter and leans in.]
Auntie!
Congratulations on your engagement?! You kept a secret from me...?!
Which really isn't a problem, normally - she knows the city like the back of her hand and doesn't need it for GPS and thinks her texts can wait - except for one thing: she can't tell her mother where she is like this. So she's with Grell when her phone goes out and her auntie was nice enough to let her borrow her phone to text her mother where she was and who she was with and that she'd be going back home ASAP.
Except.
There's a text conversation open? And the first message is asking "Would you like to get married?"
Anya gasps.
No way around it. She gasps and sits up straighter and leans in.]
Auntie!
Congratulations on your engagement?! You kept a secret from me...?!
[she hadn't thought about anything when she'd handed her phone to Anya - that her messages were open to where she was rereading that ludicrous conversation to laugh at it wasn't in her head, for she'd long ago gone to the home screen and used the phone to make calls and all. that she'd ran into Anya and taken advantage of being out at a reasonable time to spend time with her, all the better.
so her reaction when Anya speaks is quite genuine. her head whips around to see what on earth she means and-
oh. oh no. ohhhhhhh no.]
I'm not engaged!
[that came out more forceful than intended. try again.]
I mean it's not what you think it is, Anya. It's just his idea of a joke.
so her reaction when Anya speaks is quite genuine. her head whips around to see what on earth she means and-
oh. oh no. ohhhhhhh no.]
I'm not engaged!
[that came out more forceful than intended. try again.]
I mean it's not what you think it is, Anya. It's just his idea of a joke.
text; sometime after souji’s blind date post. what are timelines. rip
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
daemonized
2017-02-07 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)
[So about that text thread from a few days ago. Ardyn must have been drunk, right? Surely he’s woken up and realized his embarrassing mistake by now, one would think.
Here comes a text. At least it’s in the afternoon this time.]
Have you given thought to the “when” and “where” on the 14th?
[His nephew had put him in the running for yet another “date” (a blind one), and it seems like Ardyn will have a full schedule on that day. One might as well start planning now. As far as he’s concerned, Grell’s gets priority since he technically made plans with her first.
How overly complicated this holiday is, he muses to himself.]
Here comes a text. At least it’s in the afternoon this time.]
Have you given thought to the “when” and “where” on the 14th?
[His nephew had put him in the running for yet another “date” (a blind one), and it seems like Ardyn will have a full schedule on that day. One might as well start planning now. As far as he’s concerned, Grell’s gets priority since he technically made plans with her first.
How overly complicated this holiday is, he muses to himself.]
[so he's committing to this. how strange. either he wants to fulfill this promise, or he's amusing himself further. the latter is more likely, and carries the risk of being stood up, but if he did it would then give her more fuel to be rightfully bitter on Valentine's. one had to indulge in such emotions, not live them halfheartedly.]
a little. when are you free? it's a tuesday, after all.
a little. when are you free? it's a tuesday, after all.
i have a very importnt question
anya says youre her aunt right
if youre the aunt and im the uncle then whats that make us
are we fake married?? or what
[someone is very drunk, SORRY GRELL...]
anya says youre her aunt right
if youre the aunt and im the uncle then whats that make us
are we fake married?? or what
[someone is very drunk, SORRY GRELL...]
[...does she have a magnet attached to her destiny that makes men talk about marriage at late hours now? is this what Retrospec has done for her?]
not necessarily. we could be from two different sides of the family - mother's sister and father's brother.
is the question of marriage weighing heavy on you?
not necessarily. we could be from two different sides of the family - mother's sister and father's brother.
is the question of marriage weighing heavy on you?
[It's February 14th! Early enough before the blind dates have started, Anya was busy.
Delivered by Anya's mother, Grell's gift is waiting for her at the hospital. She'll find a little pouch filled with heart-shaped macarons, about 6 or 7. There's a neat little card written in Anya's neat and short hand-writing:]
Happy Valentine's Day!
Please know that I adore you too.
- Anya ♡
[The macarons have their own little messages instead of the classic Sweetheart Conversations, customized based on whoever Anya's giving them to. This batch reads:]
AUNTIE
LOVE
FAMILY
THANK YOU
Delivered by Anya's mother, Grell's gift is waiting for her at the hospital. She'll find a little pouch filled with heart-shaped macarons, about 6 or 7. There's a neat little card written in Anya's neat and short hand-writing:]
Happy Valentine's Day!
Please know that I adore you too.
- Anya ♡
[The macarons have their own little messages instead of the classic Sweetheart Conversations, customized based on whoever Anya's giving them to. This batch reads:]
AUNTIE
LOVE
FAMILY
THANK YOU
[so she definitely showed these off to her coworkers and took pictures
and then Anya around noon will get a text consisting of:]
you're so thoughtful, katzi, thank you so much! happy valentine's day to you!
💌💌💌
and then Anya around noon will get a text consisting of:]
you're so thoughtful, katzi, thank you so much! happy valentine's day to you!
💌💌💌
[why would anyone let anya stay up and try making decisions - okay no, her mom's not home so she doesn't realize that Anya's being restless after a dream
there's admittedly some worry that Grell won't be honest with her, but she also can't help but feel like some reassurance can't hurt]
auntie? have you had any weird dreams lately?
there's admittedly some worry that Grell won't be honest with her, but she also can't help but feel like some reassurance can't hurt]
auntie? have you had any weird dreams lately?
[like normal, Grell wakes easily, attuned to the sound of a text and grabbing her phone in case it's work. it's not. it's Anya, and her brow furrows a little while she turns on the light and texts back.]
that depends on what you call weird. but i'd say yes.
[the entirety of Retrospec had that info, after all. and yes she's texting back at 2 am.]
that depends on what you call weird. but i'd say yes.
[the entirety of Retrospec had that info, after all. and yes she's texting back at 2 am.]
[Remember when he had implied that he'd avoid texting her in the dead of the night? That 3 AM might have been too late, because she was probably asleep?
Right. About that.
It's 2:50 AM this time, at least. But to be fair, this is a thing that just happened.]
You remember our date? (I hope you haven't already forgotten.) Our conversation about snowstorms and the cold?
Right. About that.
It's 2:50 AM this time, at least. But to be fair, this is a thing that just happened.]
You remember our date? (I hope you haven't already forgotten.) Our conversation about snowstorms and the cold?
[the response, like before, comes without much delay.]
of course. did you remember something you wanted to say about them?
of course. did you remember something you wanted to say about them?
[ It was like any other night. Bigby wouldn't end up in bed until close to four smelling like cigarettes and fatigue. The night shifts were getting old, even if Bigby was a creature of the night technically.
It started like a shooting pain, snapping her awake around 2am from her dream. It wasn't constant, an ache like a muscle pain but when she finally reached back between her shoulders there was an odd hollow feeling. A dip in her flesh, if you would.
Upon discovering the mark around 3 inches in diameter with a 1 inch hole that barely had skin covering it — Elizabeth was frightened.
Jade mentions dead boyfriends and she remembers songs from a time she never knew.
She's waiting 30 minutes before texting someone — someone she trusts. ]
Grell. Are you awake? I need to talk with you. It's an emergency.
It started like a shooting pain, snapping her awake around 2am from her dream. It wasn't constant, an ache like a muscle pain but when she finally reached back between her shoulders there was an odd hollow feeling. A dip in her flesh, if you would.
Upon discovering the mark around 3 inches in diameter with a 1 inch hole that barely had skin covering it — Elizabeth was frightened.
Jade mentions dead boyfriends and she remembers songs from a time she never knew.
She's waiting 30 minutes before texting someone — someone she trusts. ]
Grell. Are you awake? I need to talk with you. It's an emergency.
[the response is swift, as soon as Grell had grabbed her phone and muttered something about being on call before processing the words. shoving her glasses on, she turns on the light, texting as she sits up.]
i'm here liz. what's going on?
i'm here liz. what's going on?
What are the chances you can help me fake a doctor's note for Dave that says he has to wear shades all the time for medical reasons? We're currently turning over the prospect of saying it's chronic migraines and therefore light sensitivity.
My baby brother just suddenly got weird candy apple red irises and a pair of shades in the mail from Retrospec, by the way.
My baby brother just suddenly got weird candy apple red irises and a pair of shades in the mail from Retrospec, by the way.
he got what
i can make up something official to be given to his school of course if you're serious but what
i can make up something official to be given to his school of course if you're serious but what
dirk, i don't like to swear.
but what the fuck?
but what the fuck?
[ By the time Gabranth makes his way to Grell's office, he's had such a wild roller coaster of a day that he sincerely considers just calling the whole thing off and going home to sleep for 48 hours straight. But he is an adult, a responsible adult at that, and he knows that the responsible thing to do — for his own peace of mind, if nothing else — will be to talk about what's been weighing him down for the past few days or so.
Not that the realization makes dealing with it any easier, of course. Still, here he is, knocking on her door... ]
You busy?
Not that the realization makes dealing with it any easier, of course. Still, here he is, knocking on her door... ]
You busy?
Come in, come in.
[her door's unlocked, and there's another chair in front of her desk. Grell herself is behind it, laptop open though her gaze is more towards Noah. the coffee she'd been drinking sits quietly in a mug, and the usual white coat she wears while practicing is hung up on a hook.]
Noah! They finally went and freed you, hm?
[her door's unlocked, and there's another chair in front of her desk. Grell herself is behind it, laptop open though her gaze is more towards Noah. the coffee she'd been drinking sits quietly in a mug, and the usual white coat she wears while practicing is hung up on a hook.]
Noah! They finally went and freed you, hm?
[ordinarily she'd respond with some sarcasm, going too literal and telling him that she's reading news articles, but the words we need to talk inspire a stroke of reflexive obedience in her. there's a few things she can think of that would inspire Bigby to ask this, and the biggest one, well...]
i'm here, bigby. call me if that works better for you.
[it might be easier to get furious over a call as well.]
i'm here, bigby. call me if that works better for you.
[it might be easier to get furious over a call as well.]
[The video Grell receives is damaged and glitchy, but she'll still be able to make out the subject: a short, youthful-faced police officer with dark hair and a Japanese accent. Officer Kuzuryu, if she remembers him, a beat cop. The video seems to have been shot in the precinct's interrogation room.]
Yeah, my parents were both--. [The audio skips and buzzes with static, cutting off the rest of his sentence as the picture pixellates oddly.] My old man was really determined to have me follow in his footsteps. He expected me to grow up to be a strong man who'd-- [More static and buzzing, though the video doesn't actually stop.] further than he ever got, even. And then I ended up doing the exact opposite of what he wanted. Heh, funny how shit works out sometimes, isn't it? [The image and audio break, completely distorting the start of his final sentence.] --who could've seen that coming?
[There's a fake, forced sort of amusement to his tone throughout the video. One that's clearly trying to make it sound like it's not really that big a deal.]
Yeah, my parents were both--. [The audio skips and buzzes with static, cutting off the rest of his sentence as the picture pixellates oddly.] My old man was really determined to have me follow in his footsteps. He expected me to grow up to be a strong man who'd-- [More static and buzzing, though the video doesn't actually stop.] further than he ever got, even. And then I ended up doing the exact opposite of what he wanted. Heh, funny how shit works out sometimes, isn't it? [The image and audio break, completely distorting the start of his final sentence.] --who could've seen that coming?
[There's a fake, forced sort of amusement to his tone throughout the video. One that's clearly trying to make it sound like it's not really that big a deal.]
[ It's taken him a few days to work up the nerve for this - he'd normally opt for a call to sound more respectable, but he's not sure his voice wouldn't give him away. ]
Dr. Sutcliffe? I'm Jack, a friend of Elizabeth's. She's told me about the... spinal tap? The injury. She's also mentioned coming to you after it happened.
I might have something similar to show you, if you're interested.
Dr. Sutcliffe? I'm Jack, a friend of Elizabeth's. She's told me about the... spinal tap? The injury. She's also mentioned coming to you after it happened.
I might have something similar to show you, if you're interested.
[she reads this, and she realizes that at this point, her knowledge of medicine is going to need to be bolstered if people keep coming to her for advice or examinations. it happens when your work is centered on the dead instead of the living.
she does hope Liz told him what her job really is.]
a friend of a friend is someone i won't turn away. i can certainly take a look at it, if you like. do you have a time you'd like us to meet? most days i'm usually available after four in the afternoon.
she does hope Liz told him what her job really is.]
a friend of a friend is someone i won't turn away. i can certainly take a look at it, if you like. do you have a time you'd like us to meet? most days i'm usually available after four in the afternoon.
[at this point, it's strange enough that Grell's learned to check the sender before anything else. Arlene isn't someone she's talked to recently - but that doesn't mean she can't end up having her own private amusement about this.]
and just what do you know about love, huh?
and just what do you know about love, huh?
[this sure was supposed to be anya's text to her mother]
yuratchka is still too comfortable with picking me up
i know that i like to hold his hand and it is fun to play with him
but he did not even hesitate to carry me this time
too
what is the word?
bold?
yuratchka is still too comfortable with picking me up
i know that i like to hold his hand and it is fun to play with him
but he did not even hesitate to carry me this time
too
what is the word?
bold?
who is yuratchka?
[Anya. what sort of things are you getting yourself into now?]
[Anya. what sort of things are you getting yourself into now?]
We really must find other things to text about, you know.
[He starts off, naturally, with a joke.]
Regardless, now that I’ve had some time to parse this new information of mine, shall we continue our memory-sharing?
[Implying that he’s indeed experienced another one recently.]
[He starts off, naturally, with a joke.]
Regardless, now that I’ve had some time to parse this new information of mine, shall we continue our memory-sharing?
[Implying that he’s indeed experienced another one recently.]
color me curious. how should we begin with our recollections?
[could it only have been two months ago that none of this was bothering their lives? but she's interested - more to the story, as it were.]
[could it only have been two months ago that none of this was bothering their lives? but she's interested - more to the story, as it were.]
[Early afternoon comes (yet another) text from Ardyn. It has nothing to do with memories this time, though.]
Relish this moment, because you'll not be experiencing it again.
You have issues where my wardrobe is concerned, don't you? [Her and everyone else in Recolle.] Care to help remedy that? If you've the time, I mean.
Relish this moment, because you'll not be experiencing it again.
You have issues where my wardrobe is concerned, don't you? [Her and everyone else in Recolle.] Care to help remedy that? If you've the time, I mean.
if you're actually coming and asking me for assistance, something's up. confess what it is.
[Ardyn texting her out of the blue to ask for fashion advice? what world has she stumbled into?]
[Ardyn texting her out of the blue to ask for fashion advice? what world has she stumbled into?]
hidden weapons as an aesthetic
thoughts?
[He's... he's not actually considering this seriously BUT LOOK. He's trying to inject a little humor, trying to seem a little less unnerved by his most recent "gifts" from Retrospec than he actually is. Playing it off like it's something to laugh at is about the best he can do right now...
The serious questions will follow soon, probably. He's just feeling the situation out first, and Grell seemed like the kind of person who he'd be able to talk about this with either jokingly or seriously, however things turned out in the end.]
thoughts?
[He's... he's not actually considering this seriously BUT LOOK. He's trying to inject a little humor, trying to seem a little less unnerved by his most recent "gifts" from Retrospec than he actually is. Playing it off like it's something to laugh at is about the best he can do right now...
The serious questions will follow soon, probably. He's just feeling the situation out first, and Grell seemed like the kind of person who he'd be able to talk about this with either jokingly or seriously, however things turned out in the end.]
an aesthetic i can get behind. if they're hidden, they can't infringe on your style, and safety's always a good look on people.
plus there's something so striking about a concealed weapon suddenly revealed.
plus there's something so striking about a concealed weapon suddenly revealed.
[This isn't the first time he's done this. It probably won't be the last time either. Instead, Luke finds himself at Grell's office with a thermos tucked into a backpack and he makes his way through, not at all bothered by one of her coworkers telling him to stay put until Grell's available. He remembers the first time he ever broke into this place and it's still something that amuses him.
It's nice when things are amusing and not confusing. He's content to lean against the wall but the moment Grell appears he gives her an exasperated yet fond look.]
Pop quiz, when's the last time you took a break today?
It's nice when things are amusing and not confusing. He's content to lean against the wall but the moment Grell appears he gives her an exasperated yet fond look.]
Pop quiz, when's the last time you took a break today?
[the autopsy's complete, her share of the cleaning done before the entire thing would get sanitized, and she's ready to attend to the last hour or so of time she has to spend here. the last thing she's expecting to see going towards her office is a face that isn't the usual ones in these walls, but she brightens, looking a little sheepish when he mentions a break.]
Define "break."
[opening the familiar office door, she knows he'll follow. a new addition to her desk, apart from the usual papers and other things, is a stack of two books - one a beginner's introduction to neurological issues, the other a book with font bold enough to obviously be a horror novel. library acquisitions, the both of them.]
Besides, I was covering Petra's shift, it's fair for how she covered my work when I had to call out last month. [a pause.] God, it doesn't feel like April's already here.
Define "break."
[opening the familiar office door, she knows he'll follow. a new addition to her desk, apart from the usual papers and other things, is a stack of two books - one a beginner's introduction to neurological issues, the other a book with font bold enough to obviously be a horror novel. library acquisitions, the both of them.]
Besides, I was covering Petra's shift, it's fair for how she covered my work when I had to call out last month. [a pause.] God, it doesn't feel like April's already here.
[ just kinda...
like, texts her immediately after this?? ]
Thank you again for offering your services. ... my uncle also asked that I talk to you, anyway.
It's really not an emergency, but I would like to make sure I'm alright.
like, texts her immediately after this?? ]
Thank you again for offering your services. ... my uncle also asked that I talk to you, anyway.
It's really not an emergency, but I would like to make sure I'm alright.
if your uncle saw the post, i'm not surprised.
but of course. changes like this are unsettling, to say the least. i know that personally.
[in private, she doesn't mind saying that. that she knows exactly how it feels to wake up and have something different.]
are you free in the later afternoon? i can see you tomorrow, if you are.
but of course. changes like this are unsettling, to say the least. i know that personally.
[in private, she doesn't mind saying that. that she knows exactly how it feels to wake up and have something different.]
are you free in the later afternoon? i can see you tomorrow, if you are.
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