SHIT HAPPENS.

          The pitter of his footsteps scuff to a halt at the face of a stranger  ( or rather, another stranger )  with so many new arrivals, it’s difficult to gauge seniority by the minutes between the sound of more wheeling luggage through the hiccup of the doorstep at the main entrance. At her sudden exclamation, his nose twitches, chest rising and falling to take deep breaths only to catch the scent of freshly painted walls and the varnish of the hardwood flooring. Another whiff feels the ginger and lemon on his fingers and a final huff brings rise to the eagle oil on his wrists ; it’s nothing that he can say that he particularly despises.

     “ If you’re saying that so soon, I cannot begin to imagine what you’ll call it once we’ve all gotten comfortable and broken the house in.  ”

Her head tilts, eyes taking a gander at the stranger; not one she has seen in passing already whilst exploring the halls. She observes his movement, calculating, a force of habit from years upon years of practice. Already, she knows a dozen ways that she can take him out, and this is something she regrettably cannot shake just yet. She refrains from commenting at first, only stews on the times when doctors crowded her, injected her with chemicals that made her skin burn, made her eyes water, but ultimately made her nose stronger. She doesn’t comment on the fact that she can smell sewage from a good distance away.

Ah, really? I am from Austria. 

As long as I don’t have to make you eat those words, I think we’ll be just fine. [She laughs, smoothing a few pieces of stubborn hair away from her face.] Mm, admittedly, outside of my masked activities, I attempt to be somewhat tame. Music, dancing, movies. It’s a tad boring. 

If you’re sure… [he’s still Shook]

…[wait] Oh– your accent… are you perhaps Germanic?

[better hope she’s not going] [batty]

I… I see. …… You’re sure you’re alright? [you gave him a Frighten]

[better hope she’s not going] [batty]

I… I see. …… You’re sure you’re alright? [you gave him a Frighten]

Well, you’re only my issue if you get into legal trouble. If you lay low, I’m sure that things will be fine. [ She just wants to be reelected, don’t ruin this for her, Legion. ] Mm, you’re welcome to keep me busy then, Maria. I don’t have many grand plans in this place so far. Existing, most likely. 

[holy fucc]

…Um– …are you okay, miss…? [??????]

I’m making it a point to try and learn all of the names I can here. [A small smile, before she stuffs the pen back into her ponytail.] Though, unless you get into major trouble, I don’t know how much of me you’ll see officially. You’re welcome to seek me out though, of course. [This laugh is a little bashful.]

Maria, Maria. Delightful.

[She yanks a pen from some part of her cloud of hair, striking out the error and writing in the correct name.] You deserve to be called by the name you like, dear, I’d rather get it right now, instead of figuring it out next month. 

I’m Anneliese.

@mctamorphose

Dear, can you come here? I know this is you, but the name of this paperwork can’t be correct.

[Waves the other over, where she’s holding a few sets of documents.] Ah, is your name Maria, or Marla? There was an error in transcription.

Lips purse into the slightest frown as she occupies one corner of the couch. Piercing eyes scan every single crevice of the room, searching for something out of the ordinary; a stray wire, a hidden camera, anything that could compromise her. And though they do not come across anything, she knows she will never truly let her guard down. Not even across an ocean can she be safe. A heavy exhale blows her bangs askew, and the room falls into silence before she finally deigns to speak.

Hopefully, that doesn’t make a mess out of the trash. [Shakes her head, looking unamused by the idea.] Bitte. Is something bothering you?