the wind began to blow and the water got tall

[justsookie]

Whenever there's a surge in crime, Sookie's mind always wanders towards whether or not she and her own might be affected by the pattern. It's a selfish impulse, she knows. Hearing about violence should make her more concerned about the people who have already been hurt, or sometimes lost altogether, and the way that their families must be grieving. Wanting. Reeling from the vacancies suddenly present in their lives. But Sookie's been through a hell of a lot already in her own life, and maybe it's being jaded that constantly has her holding out and wary of when she'll be hit next.

This time, the string of crimes is among women. Almost solely women. It's a pattern that she's observed in the news that the city reports on, dating back to even well before her own arrival in Darrow. The ladies always make the headlines — and usually they're pretty and young. Sookie isn't sure whether the pattern is due to them just being the best to present on the news, or if there really is some kind of disproportionate pressure on people such as herself.

Maybe it's a bit of both.

Whatever the driver is, Sookie finds herself taking a lot more care whenever she walks to and from work. She usually doesn't head there alone anymore, even though she knows that in all likelihood, Robin's keeping a closer eye on her than he'd admit to. It just feels more gracious to take that precaution on herself, rather than relying on Robin to help.

Today, it means waiting for Lafayette to finish his shift, which stretches a little longer than her own. Not having bothered to change out of her uniform, Sookie hovers uncertainly by the side of the bar, briefly considering a beer. Even though she shouldn't, really. What she has at home is cheaper, and she shouldn't want to get buzzed right before trying to make it back.

She pours herself a glass of ice water instead, looking slightly discontent as she hops onto the nearest stool.

Comments

[manwithaplan]

It usually takes a special occasion to drag Steve out to Semele's. His metabolism renders drinking pointless, and as much as he enjoys the food, he needs a good reason to eat out. He could afford it now, he knows that, but spending habits are hard to break, and his were forged during the worst period of economic decline in recent history. When he does stop in, he does so for the company. The restaurant is only a few blocks from the gym, and some evenings after class, he doesn't see the point in heading straight home to be alone.

Sometimes he drives by and doesn't recognize anyone inside, but tonight, he spots Sookie right away. He parks on the street and heads inside, cutting a straight line toward the bar. The closer he gets, the clearer her expression becomes. His brow furrows. "Long shift?" he guesses.

[justsookie]

Seeing Steve Rogers is always an event. Like running into a wall and rendered stunned by how darned handsome the guy is. For a couple of seconds, Sookie blinks, unsure where her thoughts exactly were before he swept in. (It's terrible, she knows, to be so gobsmacked by someone's appearance alone, but she hasn't yet found a solution to the problem.)

"Hey," she says, straightening up and offering a slowly relaxing smile. Sookie rubs at a shoulder, trying to work out the tension. "Actually, I'm off my shift right now, so no. Waiting for Lafayette's shift to end so that we can walk home together. I never used to be nervous about walking on my own, but with the recent string of crimes, I thought I should opt for being careful."

She waves to the empty seat next to her. "But if I can tug you into keeping me company, I am so not above begging," she admits with a soft laugh. "It's been a while. How've you been, Steve?"

[manwithaplan]

"You don't have to beg for my company," Steve says, shaking his head as he takes the seat next to her. He runs a hand through his hair, still damp with sweat, and wonders idly if he needs a haircut.

"As for how I've been, I can't complain. It's been quiet, thankfully." After a beat, he points through the window to where his Harley is parked and adds, "You know, if you don't want to wait for your friend's shift to end, I'd be happy to give you a ride home."