IC INBOX FOR DAYBREAK

[hatesdeerstalkers]

James Moriarty
UN: 128nemesis

STATUS: Mathematics Professor ACCOLADES: PhD In Mathematics, Bachelors in Astronomy, Criminal Mastermind

BIO: Tutoring is available, though I do ask that you set it up with me to make sure that there will be no schedule conflicts for the both of us.

© TESSISAMESS

Comments

[strings_theory]

How the fuck does that matter? What?

I GUESS LIKE IF YOU CALL A CHICK THAT OR SOMETHING?????

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Yes, but it could be incredibly insulting if you said it to, say, a woman of noble birth, but a mere title to an actual prostitute back in the day.

Whereas today, it is mostly an insult towards any woman.

[strings_theory]

I.

What.

Jesus fucking shit dude, what the hell.

Goddammit.

OKAY SO, LIKE. Good to know, I guess???? Fuck.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

...Who called you it, and do I have to repremand them?

[strings_theory]

I mean, then I'd be getting my own self into trouble.

So not worth it.

Forget I said anything.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

...No, now I'm curious.

...Did you call yourself a whore to Jonathan?

[strings_theory]

Nnnno.

No, I did absolutely fucking not.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM, ACTUALLY.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Oh, good. Because honestly, I'd suspect he'd have a tiny bat heart attack if you called yourself one in front of him. He is from the same time period as myself, after all.

[Yeeeep.]

If that's the case, then unless you wish to tell me, I won't pry.

[strings_theory]

Yeah, well. He's really only a year older than me, in some weird time bullshit shenanigans.

...

Goddammit. Look.

It's not. That important.

But I might be having some Thoughts and they aren't Great. Or more like situations that are gonna get real awkward, real fucking fast. Or something like that.

I don't fucking know anymore, it's all a fucking mess.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Not that important? But it's clearly bothering you, so it is important.

[He's not letting her get away with putting herself down so easily, okay.]

I'm not in my office, but if you'd like to come over to my apartment, we can talk. Though you'll have to give me a moment to shut down my Stream.

[...Moriarty streams????]

[strings_theory]

It's dumb stupid bullshit!!!

[Goddammit, Moriarty. Why do you have to be like this.]

I fucking guess.

...

The fuck you streaming?

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Ah? Speedrunning.

[He pauses for a bit before the next response.]

Alright, the stream is over. What do you want to drink when you come over?

[strings_theory]

You know what, I'm not going to fucking question that.

... Uh.

Honestly, I'm not picky?

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Speedrunning games is a perfectly acceptable hobby, Jolyne.

[Look. Let him have this.]

And if that is the case...then how do you feel about Sprite?

[strings_theory]

Just not what I expected, didn't say there's anything wrong with that.

[It's just weird when you're that old, man!]

Thaaaat's fine? Honestly, I don't care that much. Look, I'm on my way or whatever, shouldn't be long?

[Hey, when she says not long, she means not long. Even if that means ignoring literally everyone on her way and making sure to knock before anything else.

She can be polite.

Rarely.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

I'll be waiting!

[And as soon as she gets there and knocks on the door, a familiar british voice pops up -]

Come in!

[When she does, she'll find Moriarty on the couch, a cup of tea set out for himself and a bottle of Sprite for her.]

Take a seat anywhere you'd like!

[strings_theory]

[God, this is absolutely insane to her for some reason she can't quite place, but she'll just take the first seat she can find after casually snatching that bottle.

This is fine.

At least it's not goddamned tea again.]

... So. [Good job.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[Well, it looks like he'll have to be the one to start this - and after a sip (and waiting to see if she had anything else to say), he clears his throat.]

...Everything's a bit of a mess for you, yes?

['Start from there.']

[strings_theory]

[Every time she loses her nerve to talk in person until pushed, it's a bit of a bothersome thing sometimes. But she's rubbing at her face for a moment at the question, trying to figure out where to even start at this point.]

"A bit" is an understatement, honestly. [Even on the best of days.]

I just. I don't really know. I pretty much gave up on ever having any sort of relationship that was actually... good in whatever way you define good? Which didn't really bother me at the time, I guess, safer to keep everyone at arm's length and just have some... fun? Sure, fun. If the opportunity kind of came up, but it's gotten real fuckin' awkward lately when things kinda seemed to snap while not really in the best of states at the end of the month and I don't know if they remember what happened, I barely remember what happened, but something absolutely did happen and fuck if I know how to really handle this shit as this is the one person that was or is, I don't know, with someone so now I guess I'm dealing with some homewrecker bullshit now too?

[Damn, this is some word salad and she's aware of it.]

God, fuck it, it's stupid.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[...Ah, youth. He bites back his first impulse ('This is why romance is something that I don't bother with'), and, instead, mulls it over for a second before speaking.]

...It may be stupid, but life itself is a muddled, complicated mess.

...So, do you regret this...fun that you had? Does your partner also regret it?

[strings_theory]

[He wouldn't really be wrong and that's why she was just screwing around before and now it's somehow even more complicated than the relationship bullshit!

She's sucking in a breath through her teeth, not entirely sure how to answer that just yet.]

I don't... I don't know. I don't know either way, actually. We were talking just fine the other day, so I guess... not? But I don't know if he remembers much about it, either. [It's one of Those Things.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

...I'm sorry, you're not sure he remembers? Were you both intoxicated at the time?

[Was this a drunken booty call?]

[strings_theory]

[HAHAH.

About that.]

... Y-yes, we were. [God, she's just going to bury her face in her hands with a soft whine.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[...Time to reach out and pat her back.]

Honestly, if that's the case - if neither of you wish to pursue anything, just say that it was a one-time thing brought on by the haze of alcohol.

[strings_theory]

[She's visibly flinching as she's touched, but she soothes quick enough afterward. Oof.]

I... guess so. I dunno, it feels like a shitty fucking thing to just kind of shrug it all off. But it's not like... we ever really seemed to want anything to begin with, and fuck knows with my record it wouldn't work out anyway.