[voice]

[unmakeme_tlv]

Sokolov has... taken ill. [Yep, that's what she's going to call it. Taken ill. Not "randomly passed the fuck out in the hallway outside her door" or anything. Taken ill sounds less ridiculous.]

If you had any plans with him for the immediate future, they will need to be rescheduled.

This includes the self defense class I have scheduled this week.

[She gets the feeling this message should be longer. But there's really nothing else to say, is there? So she doesn't.]

Comments

[unmakeme]

[He might say it dismissively, but Natasha catches it.]

You think it's a good thing that no one noticed you weren't around?

[themissingpiece]

Don't want people hovering while I'm out.

[unmakeme]

Why not? You think it's better to be entirely alone and defenseless?

[themissingpiece]

It's safer. I don't do well waking up.

[unmakeme]

All the more reason to have someone there.

[themissingpiece]

If it's someone I trust.

[unmakeme]

So it's not that you don't want anyone. It's just that you think everyone here would do more harm than good.

[She gets that. It's a good reason to want to be on your own. It's the mentality she would have had, a decade ago. Other people are liabilities, complications. Trouble.]

[themissingpiece]

Not everyone but, yeah, most people. If I wake up crowded or feeling trapped things can go wrong.

[unmakeme]

I know the feeling. Well, if you ever go missing, I'll check the trunk. But if I find you in a heap on your floor, I'll just leave you there.

[themissingpiece]

Or roll me into my cabin and shut the door. Wouldn't want anyone to trip. [sorta a joke, he's smiling anyway.]

[unmakeme]

[She obliges him with a little chuckle.]

Anything else? Stick your wallet in your mouth? Towel under your ass?

[themissingpiece]

Yeah, something like that. Strip me down, toss me in the shower, I'll be fine.

[unmakeme]

When men go for the tragic past angle, the objective is usually to get me out of my clothes. I think you're coming at this one sideways.