[ she does hurry. as much as she can, anyway, when she's in a haze like this. when she does finally show up — late, much later than expected, even with the reminder — she looks red around the eyes, slow to move. groggy.
she doesn't go to jessica right away. instead, she goes to the guards to buy her out, getting in an argument with someone who had just been in the process of it. it's an ugly interaction, one that sees alina baring her teeth, and she is subsequently reserved when jessica is escorted to her. ]
[ It's only the thirty minute mark when Jess writes a message to Logan, asking him to come back and purchase another hour. She'd pay him back herself. She saves the draft and waits another ten minutes with her device pocketed. She sends it once they pass, paces while she awaits a response.
Sick of wearing circles in the concrete, she's hunched over on the bench with her head in her hands as footsteps approach. Jess looks up, her frustration and anticipation muddling her attempt at a placid mask. She gives up on that subterfuge as soon as she sights Alina.
If you want speedy service, try not fucking up in the first place.
[ alina rubs her knuckles across her forehead. it's sharp and mean, even for her. as much as she hates this place, she knows it's worse for jessica to have been in here. despite this, alina doesn't let her eyes linger on jessica as she's brought out of the cell. ]
[ That's not entirely unlike Alina. She has a harsher side to her and passive aggressiveness is often how it's expressed. But it also tends to be hard and cold, while that felt raw.
Still, all it provokes from Jess is a glare. She's too pissed to wonder what kind of day Alina's having. She shirks the guard's loose grip on her upper arm as she exits the cell. ]
No. Thanks. [ There's her harsher side, expressed through sarcasm. And a snide tilt of her head. ]
[ alina's mouth tugs into a flat line. like echoes in a canyon, their sourness feeds off each other's. alina shoves the release paperwork into jessica's chest. ]
Do you have somewhere to stay that isn't going to put us right back in this position in a few days?
Do you? [ Catching the papers, she gives Alina an extremely pointed once-over. Alina looks as bad as Jess has ever seen her and in those cases she was seeing her after some pretty bad shit. ]
[ that's the last thing she wants to hear — it hits too close to home. her cage feels worse, in some ways. better that she'd been locked up than what had really happened.
she turns away from jess in a huff and starts walking. ]
[ The silence between them is weighted and stiff and yet no barrier against the sounds escaping the cells at their backs. Jess cuts a step ahead of Alina at the Zoo's entrance, shoving the door ajar. The street noise washes over her like a wave full of flotsam. She shields her eyes from the sun pouring down from above and glinting off the muddied ice.
She looks over at Alina as her eyes adjust. The clearer her vision gets, the more rundown Alina looks. She's not dirty or clammy, her hair's in a fine enough state, but her eyes appear tender at the edges, as if she's had too little or too much sleep. ]
You headed home? [ Her attempt to sound neutral is exaggerated to compensate for the frustration she's still feeling. It comes off as annoyed even though that frustration's been successfully sublimated. She's annoyed at herself for caring. ]
[ something ashen falls over her face. she can't muster even the bite of anger in her own defense. all she can think of is how reggie's eyes had looked. that's what's waiting for her at home.
[ Well that's a red flag. Alina had refused her invitation of refuge after the Darkling had taken advantage of her, so whatever "whatever" is, it has to be worse than that.
She tries to be softer. With a dry throat, it just comes out rougher. To her ears, at least. ]
[ Unless Alina has other business in the Up, or makes some up on the spot. Jess wouldn't blame her. The air between them is charged at best. Granted, it would be the first confrontation between them Alina has elected to slink away from. ]
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Just hurry up
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she doesn't go to jessica right away. instead, she goes to the guards to buy her out, getting in an argument with someone who had just been in the process of it. it's an ugly interaction, one that sees alina baring her teeth, and she is subsequently reserved when jessica is escorted to her. ]
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Sick of wearing circles in the concrete, she's hunched over on the bench with her head in her hands as footsteps approach. Jess looks up, her frustration and anticipation muddling her attempt at a placid mask. She gives up on that subterfuge as soon as she sights Alina.
Rising to her feet, ] About damn time.
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[ alina rubs her knuckles across her forehead. it's sharp and mean, even for her. as much as she hates this place, she knows it's worse for jessica to have been in here. despite this, alina doesn't let her eyes linger on jessica as she's brought out of the cell. ]
Are you going to need somewhere to stay?
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Still, all it provokes from Jess is a glare. She's too pissed to wonder what kind of day Alina's having. She shirks the guard's loose grip on her upper arm as she exits the cell. ]
No. Thanks. [ There's her harsher side, expressed through sarcasm. And a snide tilt of her head. ]
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Do you have somewhere to stay that isn't going to put us right back in this position in a few days?
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I'm not the one locked up.
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We're all locked up, starshine.
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she turns away from jess in a huff and starts walking. ]
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She looks over at Alina as her eyes adjust. The clearer her vision gets, the more rundown Alina looks. She's not dirty or clammy, her hair's in a fine enough state, but her eyes appear tender at the edges, as if she's had too little or too much sleep. ]
You headed home? [ Her attempt to sound neutral is exaggerated to compensate for the frustration she's still feeling. It comes off as annoyed even though that frustration's been successfully sublimated. She's annoyed at herself for caring. ]
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[ something ashen falls over her face. she can't muster even the bite of anger in her own defense. all she can think of is how reggie's eyes had looked. that's what's waiting for her at home.
she wets her lips. swallows. ]
I'm staying somewhere else. For a few days.
take 2
She tries to be softer. With a dry throat, it just comes out rougher. To her ears, at least. ]
Up or Down?
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Down.
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[ Unless Alina has other business in the Up, or makes some up on the spot. Jess wouldn't blame her. The air between them is charged at best. Granted, it would be the first confrontation between them Alina has elected to slink away from. ]
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[ alina grimaces. ]
Don't you have ... errands? Someone to see?
[ she's been in here a while, hasn't she? ]
I know I'm not the person you want to be with right now.