( He eyes her as she leaves, swallowing the urge to shake his head at that pitch-perfect customer service tone she's taken up. He gets it, he does, it's a defense mechanism against every customer she's forced to interact with but especially against him. Easy to fall back on for lack of any better idea of how to react to serving a murderer. Impressive that she's holding it together as well as she is, frankly.
But then she rolls back in and starts giving him the spiel, and he can not for the life of him help the way his lips twist up a little on one side, or the pure, unadulterated amusement that flashes through his eyes.
She can't guarantee his safety, huh?
He'd laugh outright if the concept weren't disturbing on a deeper level. If it's so bad she's obligated to give a disclaimer about her god damn work parking lot, what must it be like to walk to her car after her shift? Or, god forbid, walk home by herself if she didn't drive? This city really is filthy, absolutely lousy with scumbag shitheads chomping at the bit to stick anything they can into a woman, whether or not it's made of metal. It makes him god damn sick to his stomach.
That sideways smirk dissolves quickly. )
Appreciate the lecture, ma'am, but I think I'll be just fine. ( He doesn't plan on sticking around that late anyway. He's almost forty years old. Sticking it out in bars until one in the morning is for a younger crowd than him. He chews his cheek for a moment, and eventually caves into the urge to ask: ) What about you? You got a safe way to get home that doesn't involve a trunk full of short ribs?
no subject
But then she rolls back in and starts giving him the spiel, and he can not for the life of him help the way his lips twist up a little on one side, or the pure, unadulterated amusement that flashes through his eyes.
She can't guarantee his safety, huh?
He'd laugh outright if the concept weren't disturbing on a deeper level. If it's so bad she's obligated to give a disclaimer about her god damn work parking lot, what must it be like to walk to her car after her shift? Or, god forbid, walk home by herself if she didn't drive? This city really is filthy, absolutely lousy with scumbag shitheads chomping at the bit to stick anything they can into a woman, whether or not it's made of metal. It makes him god damn sick to his stomach.
That sideways smirk dissolves quickly. )
Appreciate the lecture, ma'am, but I think I'll be just fine. ( He doesn't plan on sticking around that late anyway. He's almost forty years old. Sticking it out in bars until one in the morning is for a younger crowd than him. He chews his cheek for a moment, and eventually caves into the urge to ask: ) What about you? You got a safe way to get home that doesn't involve a trunk full of short ribs?