#tresp4ssing

the   deck   of   cards   is   thoroughly   shuffled   and   yet,   she   continutes.   the   cards   fly   through   her   fingers   like   a   magic   trick,   fold   into   each   other   like   a   game   of   blackjack.   it's   safe   to   say—   hana   is   stalling.   pieces   of   her   worry   that   her   anxiousness   will   bleed   into   her   readings,   that   the   thing   that   plagues   red   creek   will   find   itself   here   too.   she   gathers   the   deck   into   a   neat   stack   and   presses   it   to   the   table.     ❝   are   you   sure   you   wanna   do   a   whole   spread   ?   i   mean,   we   could   be   like,   'who   has   a   crush   on   you'   to   the   deck   &   call   it   a   day.   ❞     she   blinks   down   at   the   cards,   running   a   hand   through   her   hair.   ❝   the   spread   we   were   talking   about—   it's   all   making   choices   &   clarifying   the   unknown.   and   it's   like,   who   needs to know   all   that from a bunch of cards,   you   know   ?   ❞

          she's a little surprised that he came to this appointment,  but she won't voice that thought.  jaya waits a beat for the electric kettle to go off and pours hot water over the tea bag in her mug.     "any for you?"     a hollow offer as she's already pouring another mug.  she rests both on the little table separating patient from doctor and settles into the armchair.     "been a day,  hasn't it?"     it's as lighthearted as she can bear to make it — small talk and a warm drink to help ease things open for the hour that they'll be here.     "tell me what you've been up to since our last session.  anything—"     interesting,  she wants to say,  though it seems indelicate considering current events     "—that you would like to share about your job or relationship?"

            there are very few ways to approach someone that's been acting suspiciously without acting suspiciously yourself.  zakir has very little time to research such methods,  so when he walks up to his roommate at their stand in the market,  it's less tactful than he'd like it to be.  every inconspicuous bone in his body evaporates in an instant.  he doesn't even like fish — there's absolutely no reason,  real or make-believe,  for him to be here.     "busy day?"     nice.  real fucking nice.     "feels like i never see you around anymore.  especially lately."     he pours a touch of concern into his voice.     "is it the...  you know?  are you doing alright?"