inbox;

[stressors]

● "Hey, it's Shiro." ●

"Sorry you missed me. Leave me one and I'll call you right back. Thanks."

☏ call. ✉ text. ⌨ video. ☄ action.

code over at pagans

Comments

[impulsors]

[ ??? ]

Yeah?

[stressors]

. . . where are we going?

[impulsors]

[ . . . ]

I thought you went this way on your rounds last week.

[ are they into the shameless stalking phase of their acquaintanceship now?? apparently. ]

[stressors]

[ . . . yeah, that's -- what he figured. but letting it cement in reality through spoken word just - ]

You kept that close of an eye on me, huh.

I should watch myself around you.

[impulsors]

You mean, in case I find out where you live?

[stressors]

What do I do if you know where I sleep at night?

[impulsors]

You could hope you don't snore.

[stressors]

[ i feel like that icon's gotten a lot of traction in this thread ]

Still going to stick around if I do?

[impulsors]

[ i've only used it three times in the last sixty comments, leave me alone!! ]

I'm not gonna sit around and watch you sleep.

[ . . . ]

I can come back. In the morning.

[stressors]

I appreciate it.

[ well, seeing as this is going to be such a charming working relationship - ]

. . . how's the neighborhood where you're stationed at?

[impulsors]

It's old. It's got a lot of backways. So far, the mobs've been sticking to main streets. Places with a lot of big shops and Company clients. Buildings where they know Company supervisors live.

I'll be fine, Shiro.

[ - which is only half-reflex, the excuse to curve lip and tongue into an echo, a familiar name. ]

[stressors]

It's not that I'm incredibly worried.

[ because keith? looks like he can take care of himself. he wouldn't be in his line of work if he didn't know his way around the streets.

there's also the inexplicable feeling of trust between them, but that could also be their last kiss talking.

. . .

or something like that. ]

For you, I mean. The mob's a different story, although hopefully you won't have to break an altercation up in the future.

[impulsors]

I don't think anyone's gonna pay me for that anytime soon.

[ a little ironic, but a little sharp too -- there's too much truth to it. ]

. . . how many riots have there been in the last couple weeks?

1/2

[stressors]

On a major scale? Three or so have required intervention from higher ranking Enforcers.

If we count the smaller riots that have still resulted in damages to local businesses, we'd be here for a while.

[stressors]

. . . either way, this can't sustain itself.

They've stopped logging body counts altogether back at the Company. Besides a handful of people that would like to see a peaceful resolution back at headquarters, I don't think we're going to see any mediation otherwise.

[impulsors]

So, what?

[ snapping each word. his fingers tighten along the wheel; one heel grinds down. ]

Is the Company gonna keep going until they run out of people? What else does can't sustain mean?

[stressors]

Easy, Keith.

I'm just as upset as you are, but let's think this through.

[impulsors]

[ silence cracks open between them, all its pieces jutting sharp -

but the line of his shoulders unravels just a little. ]

The mobs do a lot of damage -- but the Company's the side that's sending people out to kill. If there's any way to finish this, it has to start with the Company.

[stressors]

. . . you're not the first person to think that.

[impulsors]

What's that supposed to mean.

[stressors]

You know about the Resistance.

Don't you?

[impulsors]

Did they make a statement?

[ a blink, reassessing, and his eyes drag from the road to shiro's face, flickering beneath a reel of passing streetlamps. ]

Hold on. Are you - ?

[ i can't believe they're so stupid that they're talking about this in a likely bugged car. ]

[stressors]

[ he has too much faith in his hacked tech to make wiser decisions, alas ]

. . . we'll talk about it in my apartment.

For now, make a right at the next light.

[impulsors]

What? Oh -

[ look, he's been distracted -- it's forty miles per hour, now. reflex jerks the car into an abrupt ninety-degree turn.

this isn't, of course, the greatest experience for passenger necks, but who cares about that. ]

[stressors]

[ HE'S WEARING HIS SEATBELT BUT HE STILL GOES SLAMMING UP AGAINST THE WINDOW ANYWAY ]

Keith.