➹BEEPER

[intheblanks]

"It had better be an emergency."
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[intheblanks]

[When she wants to be. Chase generally tries not to get caught when breaking in to other people's living space.

He clears his throat and replaces the frame.]

Hello.

[synanthrope]

What do you think of the photograph?

[intheblanks]

It's-

[Wait while he parses that there are two, and only one that she's aware he's looked at.]

That's your brother?

[synanthrope]

Yes. I found it the other day on my bed.

[Like a good dream]

[intheblanks]

I was trying to guess the beach, too, but I reckon that one's beyond me.

[synanthrope]

Sunset Beach.

[She takes a moment and tilts her head]

But you didn't come up here to look at my photos, did you?

[intheblanks]

I came up here to leave you another.

[Anonymously, if she takes anything from the plainness of the envelope he hands over - although he's not a fool around her, he knows she'd know.]

[synanthrope]

[She takes it in her hands and opens the envelope, and takes out the photo. She looks at it for a long moment]

Thank you.

Are you sure you wouldn't rather keep it?

[intheblanks]

You know the reasons someone would keep that picture, despite having no memory of when it was taken?

[synanthrope]

You can't blackmail me with a nude photo.

[She's tucking it back in the envelope]

[intheblanks]

[Saya this is the second time he's had to clear his throat in five minutes.]

That's... not the reason I meant.

[synanthrope]

[She's going to put it away in her dresser]

No?

[intheblanks]

You look at photos to remember a moment you liked enough to record. [He doesn't need to look at the one she's mounted.] You look at photos of anonymous moments to impose your own ideas of what you'd like them to involve.

[And yes, he's had a few thoughts.]

[synanthrope]

[She looks at the photo of her brother]

You're a gentleman.

[intheblanks]

If I wasn't, I could afford a magazine.

[Though actually, anonymous women are preferable in person.]

When was it taken?

[synanthrope]

I was twenty-four, and I slept with a photographer.

[intheblanks]

[He laughs, a breath of audible air.]

When I was twenty-four I had a few friends who were 'photographers'.

[synanthrope]

Did they usually sell their photographs to Italian fashion magazines?

[intheblanks]

Did he sell yours?

[synanthrope]

No. I asked him not to.

[intheblanks]

[The Italian credentials don't seem to have dampened Chase's scepticism, but he nods his head.]

Did you find many others?

[photographs.]

[synanthrope]

[She shakes her head.]

No. By nature, I don't really have a lot of photos taken.

[intheblanks]

By nature you don't like being looked at? Showing off?

[Because a quick glance at her outfit - and yes he does look, and no it's not that quick - disputes that.]

[synanthrope]

Wrong nature.

[intheblanks]

[He thinks - and shakes his head.]

Explain that to me?