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

[ 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.

Fuck.

[ It's at least half breath, although at least he doesn't embarrass himself any more about it. ]

I'll get FIRED if they find out. Or worse.

And you'll get fired if they find out why I visited last week.

[ So, it's not so bad, right? Noiz laughs shortly under his breath and throws back the rest of his drink. ]

But I'll compromise if you want an audience that can't get you in trouble. Because I'm sure I can get you loud enough for someone to hear.

That doesn't really make it better.

[This was a really bad idea no matter how you looked at it, but he sucked in a breath at the alternative. It was really tempting, maybe BECAUSE it was such a bad idea. ]

I'm not saying I want an audience, I'm just saying the risk makes it better sometimes.

[ He eyes his drink and takes another large gulp from it, and laughs under his breath, more at himself than anything else. ]

It's such a bad idea. The worst idea.

Sometimes.

[ Noiz echoes the word, but he wants this enough to not scare Scott off as quickly as he could. ]

Fine. Do you want another drink? Or do you want to head home?

[ To Scott's apartment, that is... ]

[ Okay, all the time, but it's not like he's that kind of a freak.

He eyes his drink, and weighs his options before shrugging. The 'fine' sounds a lot like disappointment, or maybe that's all in his head. Either way, it doesn't change his answer.]

I could be good to go.

[ He downs the rest of his drink in one go because why not, and looks Noiz' way. ]

You?

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