flavour of the day and blueberry cheesecake with malt, fresh pineapple and a cherry
Story: Timeless { backstory | index }
Title: Yes Or No
Rating: PG (language)
Challenge: FOTD: praxis, Blueberry Cheesecake #29: close, but no cigar
Toppings/Extras: malt, cherry, fresh pineapple
Wordcount: 602
Summary: Bradley Dekeynel and Adele Merritt discuss Robyn Walshe and Victor Blackledge.
Notes: Brad needs more page-time! And cherry for present tense. Praxis: convention, habit or custom. BtS PFAH: Bradley : and whoever had been sleeping isn’t sleeping any more. Pineapple: You’re unbelievable/ Ah, so unbelievable/ Ah, you ruin everything.-“Planetary (GO!)”, My Chemical Romance.
It’s on the way back from a briefing that Adele Merritt hops up to him suddenly. She gives him her most scary crocodile smile. Bradley casts her a wary glance and then keeps on walking.
“What do you want?”
“Charming,” she responds, voice clipped as always, nose turned up. She’s looking at him. Hard. “Are those two a couple?” she asks.
For a moment Bradley wonders what the hell she’s talking about. Then he looks to her and she jerks her head towards Robyn and Victor, who are some way in front of them in the corridor. They’re talking to each other-well, Robyn is talking mostly, but Victor seems pretty happy to listen.
“They’re a pair,” Bradley replies after pausing for thought.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s supposed to mean what the bloody fuck does it matter to you?”
One of Adele’s finely plucked brows rises. There’s something frighteningly robotic and efficient about her. The skin of her face looks too smooth to be real, the dark lipstick applied without so much as the slightest smudge. Her dark blue eyes look like the last drops of poison in a crystal decanter.
“Please,” she purrs, “I’m hardly the type to disapprove of workplace affairs. You of all people should know that.”
Bradley rolls his eyes.
“You may have noticed that Robyn and Victor are very different to you.”
“Blackledge is different to everyone.”
“Jesus, Merritt, leave him alone.” Bradley sounds annoyed and a look of faint surprise crosses Adele’s face, though only for a moment.
“Funny that you’re standing up for him,” she says. She suddenly steps in front of him, whirling around, stopping him in his tracks. Her arms are folded in front of her. “I was always under the impression that you didn’t like him.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Oh, I don’t know…” Adele bares her pearly white fangs at him in an attempt at a sweet smile. It doesn’t work. “Because he stole the girl of your dreams from you?”
After staring at her in bewilderment for a moment, Bradley actually laughs.
“Are you mad?”
“OK, then, your best friend.” Adele takes a step towards him, one of her spiky-heeled shoes landing sharply in front of the other. She has a prowl like a wildcat. Bradley finds himself taking a step back. “You’ve known Walshe for far longer than the clone has. Look at them now! They’re inseparable and you’re out of the loop.”
“I cannot believe you.”
“What’s not to believe?”
Bradley pushes past her and carries on walking. Of course, she follows.
“That anyone can be such a huge bitch?” He opens his arms, his dark, curly hair shaking as he tosses his head. “I mean, why? Is it for fun? Do you actually enjoy it? Insofar as you can enjoy anything, I mean. Though that assumes you actually have feelings.” He rolls his head aside to look at her. She doesn’t look impressed. “Or maybe you’re just so used to being downright awful to everyone you ever meet that you just can’t break the habit…”
“Somebody save me,” Adele says derisively. “I’m being internally cross-examined by world-renowned psychologist Bradley Dekeynel, dissecting my mind with scalpel-point precision.”
“Please don’t tell me you think it’s normal to be the way you are.”
“I was only asking a question.” Adele rolls her eyes under her thick wings of mascara as though he is being immensely childish. “All you had to say was yes or no.”
Bradley shakes his head slightly as he walks, knowing Adele Merritt couldn’t possibly understand.
“Some questions don’t have ‘yes or no’ answers.”
Title: Yes Or No
Rating: PG (language)
Challenge: FOTD: praxis, Blueberry Cheesecake #29: close, but no cigar
Toppings/Extras: malt, cherry, fresh pineapple
Wordcount: 602
Summary: Bradley Dekeynel and Adele Merritt discuss Robyn Walshe and Victor Blackledge.
Notes: Brad needs more page-time! And cherry for present tense. Praxis: convention, habit or custom. BtS PFAH: Bradley : and whoever had been sleeping isn’t sleeping any more. Pineapple: You’re unbelievable/ Ah, so unbelievable/ Ah, you ruin everything.-“Planetary (GO!)”, My Chemical Romance.
It’s on the way back from a briefing that Adele Merritt hops up to him suddenly. She gives him her most scary crocodile smile. Bradley casts her a wary glance and then keeps on walking.
“What do you want?”
“Charming,” she responds, voice clipped as always, nose turned up. She’s looking at him. Hard. “Are those two a couple?” she asks.
For a moment Bradley wonders what the hell she’s talking about. Then he looks to her and she jerks her head towards Robyn and Victor, who are some way in front of them in the corridor. They’re talking to each other-well, Robyn is talking mostly, but Victor seems pretty happy to listen.
“They’re a pair,” Bradley replies after pausing for thought.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s supposed to mean what the bloody fuck does it matter to you?”
One of Adele’s finely plucked brows rises. There’s something frighteningly robotic and efficient about her. The skin of her face looks too smooth to be real, the dark lipstick applied without so much as the slightest smudge. Her dark blue eyes look like the last drops of poison in a crystal decanter.
“Please,” she purrs, “I’m hardly the type to disapprove of workplace affairs. You of all people should know that.”
Bradley rolls his eyes.
“You may have noticed that Robyn and Victor are very different to you.”
“Blackledge is different to everyone.”
“Jesus, Merritt, leave him alone.” Bradley sounds annoyed and a look of faint surprise crosses Adele’s face, though only for a moment.
“Funny that you’re standing up for him,” she says. She suddenly steps in front of him, whirling around, stopping him in his tracks. Her arms are folded in front of her. “I was always under the impression that you didn’t like him.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Oh, I don’t know…” Adele bares her pearly white fangs at him in an attempt at a sweet smile. It doesn’t work. “Because he stole the girl of your dreams from you?”
After staring at her in bewilderment for a moment, Bradley actually laughs.
“Are you mad?”
“OK, then, your best friend.” Adele takes a step towards him, one of her spiky-heeled shoes landing sharply in front of the other. She has a prowl like a wildcat. Bradley finds himself taking a step back. “You’ve known Walshe for far longer than the clone has. Look at them now! They’re inseparable and you’re out of the loop.”
“I cannot believe you.”
“What’s not to believe?”
Bradley pushes past her and carries on walking. Of course, she follows.
“That anyone can be such a huge bitch?” He opens his arms, his dark, curly hair shaking as he tosses his head. “I mean, why? Is it for fun? Do you actually enjoy it? Insofar as you can enjoy anything, I mean. Though that assumes you actually have feelings.” He rolls his head aside to look at her. She doesn’t look impressed. “Or maybe you’re just so used to being downright awful to everyone you ever meet that you just can’t break the habit…”
“Somebody save me,” Adele says derisively. “I’m being internally cross-examined by world-renowned psychologist Bradley Dekeynel, dissecting my mind with scalpel-point precision.”
“Please don’t tell me you think it’s normal to be the way you are.”
“I was only asking a question.” Adele rolls her eyes under her thick wings of mascara as though he is being immensely childish. “All you had to say was yes or no.”
Bradley shakes his head slightly as he walks, knowing Adele Merritt couldn’t possibly understand.
“Some questions don’t have ‘yes or no’ answers.”