every day is a faded sign.

"See, Syd? This is exactly why you shouldn't have gone into veterinary work and stayed my partner. They threw me to the wolves," he teased. As much as he would have loved to still have her as his partner, he couldn't help but be proud as he watched her bravely transition careers over the years. "Because she's got no shame and even less of a filter." Was it jealousy he was hearing in her tone and behind her questions? Will knew Sydney through and through as she did him, which made it almost impossible for either of them to mask emotions. "She's very happily married...started last week. She's kind of motherly, actually. I might've told her about you and she ragged on me for not making a move."

"Maybe you should have followed me into veterinary work," Sydney challenged, brow raised. It had taken her some time to figure out what she had wanted to be but she did miss being partners with Will. Not just because of her feelings and that she got to work with him daily. She just liked being around him. "What would you have done if I had spoken about those things with you?" Brow remained raised but Sydney would admit the question was a little unfair. She was absolutely being jealous and even though she had no right, she couldn't help it. The fact that he now had a female partner just made her uncomfortable, which again, was not fair. Maybe it was because things were unclear between them. The fact that Will had spoken to his new partner about her and she ragged on him for not making a move did make her smile. And Sydney maybe disliked her a little less now. "Did you tell her that she'll never live up to my level of greatness as a partner? What was your response to not making a move?"

— open starter ( @vancitystarters ) at cobblestones, early morning

Even though Sydney was lowest on the totem pole at Halo Animal Hospital she was still a veterinarian and was able to set her own schedule for the days that she would be in and the hours she'd take appointments. From the start she had determined to keep a five-day week work schedule, deciding that she would work Sunday through Thursday so that the hospital would not only have a doctor on staff on Sunday but something that would be easier for her client base as well as it built. Most couldn't do routine appointments during the week, unless those visits were some level of emergency, so Sydney did her best to be thoughtful and accommodating. It was also kind of nice to have Fridays and Saturdays off.

status: closed for @sydneyzello location: at sanem's place

Where: Anywhere! Who: Open (capping at four replies) "So my partner at work hasn't stopped talking about how her and her husband have taken up tantric yoga." A half smirk stretched across his features, despite the awkward conversations he had been involved in all week. " During last night's shift she brought up tantric sex. Do we think this is funny or do I need to put in a request to switch partners?"

"Your partner what...?" Sydney's brow raised and a flare of jealousy heated her. "If she's married why is she talking to you about tantric sex?" If it had been anybody but Will she might have laughed it off and understood that as paramedics they were with each other for long hours and had a unique closeness to it, but it was Will. "How long has she been your partner?" Was she attractive? Did he think she was funny and cool? A million things played under a hopefully placid surface.

I think sometimes too much is asked of us; I think sometimes our consolations are the costliest thing.