prof-jim-moriarty:

Although Call was hesitant, and glanced up and down between Jim’s smile and his outstretched hand, she eventually gave in and shook it lightly with a bemused frown. He couldn’t just be being nice. People don’t just start being nice. Especially not self professed psychopaths, of all folks.

“Why are you doing this?” she replied, blatantly frowning in annoyance and hunching her shoulders over to keep to herself. Her eyes darted around the room a few times before settling back on Jim, fingers curling tighter around her own arms. “If this is all just some kind of, of experiment or whatever, just cut the shit, tell me now.”

“I feel bad. I honestly do. I sometimes do and say things. Terrible things and I don’t know why. I am a terrible excuse for a human being. All I know is that I hurt you and probably angered your friend. When I tell my husband it will probably anger and hurt him too. But I can’t lie to him. I just can’t. Not to him.”

Jim was glad she accepted his handshake but slightly saddened at her hostility. But he understood. He had done something terrible and now he was paying for it.

Call had not expected that. Call had genuinely not expected that. And how could she reply? It’s fine? All better now? It wasn’t. He had still messed up, badly, and a sorry wouldn’t undo that, would it. What about Neo? He said he’d apologize to him… But it wouldn’t just go away after that.

“What do you think is the problem here, Jim? Why do you think I’m pissed off? What are you actually apologizing for?”

“I didn’t think. It has swiftly come to my attention that I never think. I always jut think about myself and what benefits me. I have possibly harmed the relationship between you and your friend. I know that.. Well, I get the impression that it is difficult for you to get close to people. I just made that ten times more difficult. I invaded your private business and made a mockery of it. Although I must assure you that was not my intention. However finding a more suitable photo would have been prudent. But it was the first thing on my phone and I just sent it.”

He raised his hands in surrender and his eyes widened a little.

“Please note that these are not excuses. I know what I did was wrong. I suppose I am just trying to explain myself. I just want to make things right for you again. I’m not the issue here. I don’t matter. You were happy and I ruined that.”

Call hesitated before answering. At least he knew what the problem was, and that’s what she wanted to know. He knew what he’d done. And that did give her some sense of satisfaction. So maybe he wasn’t aware of the big picture, but what was she supposed to say to that? Actually, he was the first person on Earth I ever liked. Like that would help, if he even believed it.

“There’s nothing you can do,” she stated plainly, glancing out the window as she spoke. “I talked to Neo already. You can’t fix anything. But you’re welcome to suggest an… an alternative, or whatever.”

theshieldtech:

annalee-call:

theshieldtech started following you

Oh, hey- you look kind of, familiar? But I don’t think we’ve met, I’m, hi, what’s your name?

“Ahoy there. I’m Murphy, tech support extraordinaire. Who’re you?”

Murphy? Is that uh, a nickname? I mean it’s a nice first name, if it is your first name, but it sounds like a surname, I think, but never mind if I’m wrong. Uh, my name’s Call. But that is my surname. It’s Annalee, really.

theshieldtech started following you

Oh, hey- you look kind of, familiar? But I don’t think we’ve met, I’m, hi, what’s your name?