➹BEEPER

[intheblanks]

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

[He's fixing his tie in his office, fingers tugging the knot up tight and neat; his suit is so clearly tailored expertly, making him look both fashionable and fit.

It's hunting day.

He reaches for his scarf when he hears the door open and looks up.]

[intheblanks]

[Chase knocks a second before turning the handle. No familiarity has yet overridden manners and broken him of the habit - and after today it's unlikely that it will. But he does open it without permission - with a smile and a sprig of something green-leaved, white-berried caught between middle and ring finger.

The smile is the first thing he drops, like a light flicking off.]

Sorry, my mistake.

[His jaw is infinitely tighter when he turns to go. Though, he catches himself before he does.

Saya's not there with him (which must make it good timing of some sort, it's better to walk in on someone fastening his tie than someone taking it off), but it's a curious level of trust. So he looks back, a half turn over his shoulder.]

Is there anything I can help you with?

[mocktiresias]

[He looks at Chase for a moment, parceling together a plan, and puts his scarf on in the meantime.]

No, I had just finished my paperwork.

[His accent is muddled, but there's something faint there, something vaguely Italian, vaguely Australian, vaguely South African. It's not Saya's accent, that's certain.]

Robert Chase, right?

[intheblanks]

[Hopefully the stranger won't object as he glances around, checking for disturbed surface areas.

Or it could have been one of the cars.

Then he stops looking and tries listening instead.]

I don't think we've met. Paperwork?

[mocktiresias]

[He moves forward, offers a hand.]

Thomas Seth. I'm Saya's accountant.

[intheblanks]

[If his eyes narrow, it's a barely perceptible movement. Someone would have to know him well to recognise that cogs are whirring. Chase offers his own hand, remembering the mistletoe and curling it into his palm at the last minute. The greeting is perfectly casual.]

I see. Did she tell you about me or warn you?

[mocktiresias]

[He doesn't seem bothered at all. He just shakes hands and moves in a little closer.]

She told me you were her doctor.

[That's when the mistletoe strikes above them, growing from a beam in the office. He moves forward and kisses Chase on the mouth, thier hips coming together.]

[intheblanks]

[There are two ways of putting an inflection on the words 'her doctor', both of them, to Chase's mind, accurate.

Then again, the same probably applies to 'her accountant'. Except that she's very particular about paperwork. Chase has no time to mull this over because

mistletoe and

he's almost sure he doesn't remember the part where control over all bodily movement gives way to the curse but

this is very close and

he tilts his chin up, edges the kiss deeper before he can push a signal to his feet to step back. And his hands wrap over the other man's shoulders, and one still clasps a little green sprig, and he doesn't know what doubling the forces working on them will do but he hasn't managed to step away yet.]

[mocktiresias]

[He doesn't seem at all inclined to stop this kiss, moving into in and pulling Chase back so that he can sit on the desk, Chase on top of him.]

[intheblanks]

[That really is a little too much for Chase's brain to let pass. For all the pulling involved, it leaves him in what looks like the active position - for all of three seconds while he gathers enough will to use his grip to push back and stumble a little until he hits the edge of Saya's chair.]

[mocktiresias]

[He lets out a light huff and sits on the desk, one leg slightly up.]

Should I apologize?

[intheblanks]

[Give him a moment to get his breath back and sink down into the chair. He looks up at the mistletoe creeping across the ceiling, and flicks his own small contribution onto the desk.]

Not unless you're responsible for the accounts and the decor.

[mocktiresias]

I can't say I'm a big fan of mistletoe.

Guess you're not, either.

[He looks intent on something, for a moment]

You didn't like finding me here.

[intheblanks]

I don't usually have an objection.

[He had brought a little (uncursed) sprig of his own in with him, after all. But it was intended for different company and that's (a small part of) the problem at hand.]

I didn't expect to find you here.

[One truth to avoid telling another.]

[mocktiresias]

Should I apologize?

[Oh, that turn of phrase comes out very - well.]

I'm here about once a month. Usually towards the end.

[intheblanks]

[Although the day being what it is, apologies have cropped up a lot. Chase cants his head only slightly.]

She's never mentioned you.

[mocktiresias]

I'm her accountant, not her boyfriend.

[Also, he's her. He leans back.]

[intheblanks]

[Evidently both of these things mean Chase's point has failed to sting. But he's still uncertain about this man, left alone in her office, doing work that she considers hers.

He's uncertain, and he's watching the way the other man moves.]

I'm not sure she has one of those.

[Not defined by her, in those terms.

He hasn't asked.]

[mocktiresias]

[He looks perfectly comfortable in his suit, wears it like skin]

So you're not her boyfriend.

[There's something predatory, there. A game, maybe.]

[intheblanks]

She told you I'm her doctor.

[Another truth to avoid being honest - this time he's asking a question, too. Not her boyfriend, right?]

[mocktiresias]

She said that, yes.

She also said she was sleeping with you.

[intheblanks]

You must spend a lot of your one visit a month chatting.

[His mouth has that downward (pouty) catch it gets when he's trying not to look irritated. And he can't (won't) explain that sleeping with someone doesn't mean much when it comes to Saya. Or the hard time he has with that.

But he does say something he doesn't really mean to:]

She hasn't slept with you?

[mocktiresias]

We have dinner sometimes.

And no.

[Well, that much is true.]

[intheblanks]

[He nods, quickly and sharply as if it hardly means anything.

To be fair, pulling Chase down on top of him should have been a sign, but he's capable of overriding the obvious when he's jealous. There is a slight reduction in how taut the air between them has pulled, once he processes that.]

I doubt she's called me her boyfriend.

[There, that's just honest.]

[mocktiresias]

[He smiles, just a little]

Do you want her to?