drear | i try but i get overwhelmed

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i try but i get overwhelmed

[ Loading money into offshore accounts may not be strictly illegal, but embezzling money from various investors and selling user information certainly is. Noiz wrapped all that information up into a presentation with sources and citations, eye-searingly bright green text, and dropped it off in a drive at the IT office. They'll understand it best.

They'll also have access to the tech itself. Noiz leaves an address he can be contacted at, as long as the message comes through sanitized and untainted, and waits until he gets a text. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You're working hard, huh?

[ Noiz puts his long fingers against the side of his glass, holding it loosely. ]

Nothing's changed since my visit?

Usually.

[ He shrugs, and takes a sip from his glass before tapping it absently. Sure, the place isn't especially full, and it's got that kind of feel that everyone would just as soon mind their own business. It's probably safe enough to talk about it in more specific terms, but he still feels weird about it. So he looks around the place before answering, probably shiftier than he should but he's still new at this. ]

Everything's working the way it's supposed to, and I'm still okay with the extra workload, now I've had some time to think about it.

[ One more step towards Noiz's goals. Scott's agreeable, surprisingly so with all things considered, and with that settled Noiz takes a drink from his glass. His eyelids lower slightly at the burn of alcohol. ]

Good. [ He slides partially off of his seat to better stick his feet between Scott's and get into his space. Their business arrangement settled, he's here to play. ] So we're friends now.

[ He's honestly not sure if it was the right answer or not, but it seems to at least be an acceptable one, so he'll take that for the moment.

Granted, the shift in the seat next to him catches him off-guard. He'd been expecting more of a business-type of relationship, and here's a guy pushing into his space and okay, so he's not really mad about it. The guy's hot, in a If-Lisbeth-Salander-Was-A-Guy kind of way, so he's more than a little worried about what might happen to his dick if he makes a wrong move, but it's not really as big a concern as it probably should be. So he clears his throat and tries not to think about it too hard, instead taking another sip of his drink to buy some time while he tries to come up with something smart to say.

He predictably comes up empty. ]

Yeah, I guess we are. So. Hi.

[ Noiz can definitely see that drink for what it is (stalling), but this time, just this once, he doesn't call him on it. ]

So we should get to know each other. [ He slides his foot along Scott's shoe, somewhat gracelessly since he doesn't have the sensory feedback. He hasn't, ever, except for his tongue, and it's only because he's grown up with the fact that he doesn't have more problems day-to-day.

His personality and ability to talk to people, though, that can't be helped. ]

I already know where you live. You don't know a lot of people here, do you?

[ Scott practically jumps in his seat at the brush of a foot against his shoe; it might be a graceless gesture but it's still a plenty deliberate gesture, one that doesn't have a whole lot of varied meanings. He takes another sip because there's no way this is happening right now. ]

Wow. Um, here, specifically? No, it's not really my usual speed.

You know where I live? I feel like I shouldn't be surprised, but still. Wow.

Not in this bar. [ There's an unspoken, but heavily implied insult that follows Noiz's reply. ]

Property records aren't hard to access. [ Noiz brushes Scott's concern off just as easily as he did before. To him it really isn't unexpected or that strange. He has other priorities. ]

So anyone who's going to miss you other than your boss, if you don't show up for work on Monday?

[ Priorities like being even more creepy, because that's how he gauges people and figures out how far he can get. ]

Especially not for somebody like you. Easy as pie, I bet. Stalker.

[ There's a teasing smirk to accompany it, like he's joking, but it's only halfway, really; considering the next question, it takes on a bit of a different spin. ]

Okay, creepy. I'd like to think somebody would miss me, yeah.

[ But it's not a dismissal, or an argument; Scott typically keeps to himself, and it's not unusual for him to drop off the radar for a few days other than showing up for work. Outside of a small handful of people there wouldn't be a big search party, which at the moment doesn't exactly make him feel great. ]

Why, are you gonna spike my drink and ax murder me?

Wasn't planning on it.

[ Noiz is kind of a stalker, he's not protesting that. No murder in the works, though.

But anyway. ]

I haven't seen the inside of your apartment. [ No CCTV. ]

...no, you haven't, and thanks for not trying to hijack my laptop to do it. Is that...are you trying to invite yourself over or something?

[ No murder, that's good, but he's still more than a little uneasy. So he takes a bigger sip from his drink. ]

Yeah.

[ Because Noiz is aggressively forward and doesn't know any other way. ]

Thought we could get to know each other better that way. You haven't asked a lot of questions for someone agreeing to get involved.

[ Questions about Noiz, anyway. He watches him intently, still not yet drinking. ]

...oh. Okay. That's cool.

[ Trying so hard to be suave about it and failing so badly, but he honestly wasn't expecting that to actually be the case, so it stops him in his tracks for a moment. Okay then. ]

Well, I mean I figure if I keep the questions to a minimum it'll help me sleep better? I don't know what you're gonna do with everything, could be something better, could be something worse, but the shittiness of life in general says it's probably not the first one.

[ 'Cool'. Noiz isn't convinced he actually feels that way, but... not his problem. ]

Why not look at the brighter side? You're getting paid and I told you—I'm interested in you. You'll get something out of that too.

Because that requires turning my brain off, and that doesn't happen.

[ Just saying. But yes, he heard the whole thing, and the second part gets a long exhale as a response. ]

Wait, what? I figured that was more business stuff.

[ Tech appreciation stuff. But then he did try to rub his leg under the table, even if it was half-assed. Huh. ]

I mean, not that I'm not flattered. Because I am.

[ And okay, kind of interested, but that doesn't make it not a catastrophically bad idea. ]

[ Well, that's good. It's usually better to deal with someone with some brains. Noiz shifts again on his stool, humming for a moment in response before he picks up his glass and takes a drink. ]

It can be both. [ Not like they have a real working relationship. Putting his drink back down, Noiz smirks, resting his chin on his hand. ]

Or are you satisfied with whatever random one-night stands you're having? Or not having.

You tell me, mister stalker.

[ He takes another long drink from his glass and gives him a challenging smirk in return. It's probably a bad game to play, but then he's already made a bunch of bad decisions, what's one more?

It's not like the nervous tapping on the countertop is a giveaway or anything. It's an awkward conversation to be having in public, no matter how little people seem to be paying attention, let alone the vaguely disparaging comments about his sex life, or lack thereof. ]

[ Noiz tilts his head slightly, gaze only intensifying. He hasn't been following Scott to understand his life, more to gauge his position in the company, but he can make a few educated guesses. ]

You spend most of your time at work. And you're not with anyone, so no bedroom action there. [ Though Scott hadn't defended his employers, the way he sat in his office suggested familiarity and comfort. ]

You like being at work more than doing nothing at home. So, you're probably bored and pent up.

[ The stare is more than a little unsettling, but he endures it. He asked for it, after all, too late to tell him to cut it out now. But he waits, and drinks, shakes the glass when all that's left is ice, and signals for another. If he's paying for them anyway he might as well try to enjoy himself. ]

Good guessing. Makes me sound kind of pathetic, but at least I don't live in my parents' basement, right?

Edited (Come on phone I wasn't readyyyy) 2019-06-14 22:06 (UTC)

[ This time, Noiz is the one who leans back, taking his turn to drink—though much more slowly. ]

Yeah, I wouldn't be trying to invite myself into that situation.

[ A pause. ]

Unless you're into being heard.

[ The alcohol sits, warm in his bones, and okay, some of the heat has less to do with that and more to do with the guy next to him. He clears his throat at the comments, and taps on his glass, doing another reflexive sweep of the room before answering. ]

Not by my parents, anyway.

[ Stupid. Stop flirting, Scott. ]

[ All the avoidance piques Noiz's interest rather than discouraging him. It makes him want to beat the challenge.

And that last statement, it's just the cherry on top. ]

What about strangers?

[ Scott shifts in his seat, and focuses most of his attention on the glass in front of him as his heart jackhammers in his chest. It's only hypothetical, right? Has to be. There's no way there's going to be any follow-through, just something to save up for later when there's nobody else around. ]

Uh. Pretty hot?

[ Duly noted, and though Noiz doesn't say anything about future plans, he's definitely keeping that in mind. ]

You ever had someone suck you off under your desk?

Jeez, dude.

[ He shoots a look at Noiz sidelong, trying to decide if he's just screwing with him, but the guy's damn Fort Knox. ]

No, can't say I have.

[ Scott hadn't really been forthcoming about the possible voyeurism kink, so Noiz presses even more. ]

Well. Are you interested?

[ He's grinning a bit, still smug and teasing. ]

You know I know where you work.

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