BACK TO THE GRIND [ Police Station / OPEN]

[jamesthorn]

Normal people aren't like James. He is happier when he's at work, getting things done. He likes the focus, likes his cases. He likes his co-workers, most of the time, when Grant wasn't waving Cornettos in his face, Alex kept her feet off the desk, and June didn't traipse through the station to flirt with Levi. This afternoon, though, his first day back to duty following his kidnapping, he isn't handling it all that well. He is overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork sitting on his desk; Levi really hadn't been lying about everyone just leaving it all safe and sound for him. His desk looks like it hasn't been touched in weeks, except for people just piling things in his chair. A pile he dumped on the floor next to his feet once he'd arrived, a pile that would likely still be there a month from now.

That was hours ago. He is still attempting to just make it through his e-mail inbox and his phone messages as most of them aren't practically incomprehensible. He doesn't even know where to start with this to get back into the mindset. He places his head in his hands for a few seconds, attempting to scrub away the brain fog. He removes his hands and blinks at the computer screen.

Maybe he thought he would just pick back up where he left off, but it's obvious he's going to need a short reintroduction to all of this. Though there's a tiny voice in the back of his mind shouting at him that the job isn't the reason. He is brilliant at his job; he knows what to do. No, if he was being real with himself, he would know his brain fog is due to Moira freaking Coombs and the night he'd spent with her. He shakes that thought away quickly, or tries too, and goes back to his e-mail.

Comments

[tarnishedbadge]

The pen hit Levi square on the side of the head and while he hadn't seen who had done it, he knew exactly who was responsible. He was an excellent detective like that. Also a mind reader. Also Alex was Alex.

"Well the HR mandated sexual harassment videos made it very clear that I can't invite you," he said, altering his course to bring him to Alex's desk as he flashed her a smile just to show her he wasn't annoyed. "Despite being hopelessly in love with me you'd rebuff my advances. Don't deny it, I see the way you look at me with your eyes narrowed and brow wrinkled, cleverly masking your attraction with loathing."

[secretarialsiren]

She bats her lashes at him, giving him her best 'completely brainless' look. "I don't know what you mean, Levi! You must be projecting your feelings for James onto me. It's okay, I understand," she coos. "You'll get with him one day. I believe in you buddy."

[tarnishedbadge]

"Do you really think so," he said, sighing wistfully as he gazed over at James. James was... not exactly Levi's type. "He just so plays so very, very, very hard to get. Probably just making sure I'm really committed to the idea, right?"

[secretarialsiren]

Alex shakes her head, chewing on the end of a pen. "Exactly. He can't give in to his feelings until you've pined after him for at least a year. He's a good boy, you know? His momma raised him right," she drawls. "He knows better than to just hand out his favours to every nice boy to come his way."

[tarnishedbadge]

"A year? I've been carrying this torch since high school," Levi said. He could have been, actually, since that's how long he's known James.

"It's been so long the torch has burned down and I've had to get new ones. I think he's just not interested. Which breaks my heart. Where can I turn my affections now?"

[secretarialsiren]

"There's always Grant," she offers. "He's not nearly as stoic and grouchy but he does have a really nice butt. Plus he gives in to people a lot more easily after some flattery."

[tarnishedbadge]

"He does clearly use the squat rack on a regular basis," he said, chewing his lip a bit thoughtfully, as if considering it. "The woman I'm dating might take exception to it but you're making a very strong case for Grant."

[secretarialsiren]

Alex sits up a little straighter, curious now. She was a glutton for gossip and this sounded interesting. "You're dating someone now? Do tell me more," she grins.

[tarnishedbadge]

"After several long days of pursuit, I've allowed Lara Quinn the pleasure of dating me," he told Alex. Levi wasn't sure if she knew who Lara was but he figured she could find out pretty quickly if she didn't.

[secretarialsiren]

Alex's eyebrow shoots up in disbelief. She knows who Lara is. As a siren herself, even one in hiding, she's had her run ins. Not to mention the amount of time, not so much money as she prefers to have people buy her drinks for her, she's spent at her club.

"Lara Quinn. Really? Never took her for the relationship type, honestly."

[tarnishedbadge]

Levi didn't miss how high Alex's eyebrows rose when he mentioned who it was. It was exactly the sort of response he would have expected, to be honest, although mostly for the fact that he was dating way above his station in a lot of ways.

"Apparently I'm quite the catch," he said. Neither he nor Lara would admit outright that they were kind if crazy for each other in all of the annoyingly cute ways. "I am phenomenal arm candy."

[secretarialsiren]

"Ha!" she snorts, shaking her head as her voice takes on a teasing tone. "So, what witch did you bribe to charm her for you?"

[tarnishedbadge]

"All of them," he admitted with a wistful sigh and a far away look in his eyes.

"Every single witch in town spelled her so that she wouldn't be madly attracted to me but apparently she wanted me too badly to let that stop her."

[secretarialsiren]

Alex chucks a new pen at his head with a snort. "Does the SCPD attract men with big heads or do the men get big heads once they join the SCPD?" she asks, quirking an eyebrow. "I'm going to have to look into this. Or... Oh god. Maybe it's me. I naturally draw in big headed losers! I'm a menace to society!"

[tarnishedbadge]

Levi bobbed to the side and let the pen fly by, probably hitting some poor soul walking behind him. That was their fault for being within pen range of Alex too.

"We had a meeting a while ago. All of us with big heads, and we picked you to hang out with. Unanimous decision, because for some mystical reason you're not attracted to any of us, so in retaliation we annoy you."

[secretarialsiren]

"Oh, please." She flicks her hair over a shoulder, an action absolutely filled to the brim with disdain. "I know you're all giant dweebs at heart. I don't do dates with dweebs. I just accept them under my wings and try to drive them all insane for my own amusement."

[tarnishedbadge]

"That doesn't stop us from hopelessly pining away for you," Levi pointed out. Accepting them under her wings and trying to drive them all insane did sound a lot like Alex. In a good way.

[secretarialsiren]

"I know, I know," she tuts. "But I feed on your hopeless devotion to me. And it's always nice to have you all around when I need a date for one of the many tiresome functions I'm invited to. Plus, watching you pine after James is like, a never ending source of amusement."

[tarnishedbadge]

"We do make fantastic arm candy, don't we?" Levi said. In Siren Cove there were a lot of different functions to get invited to and a lot of them were very tiresome.

"Well, I think I might give up on him soon. I've used all the wiles I have and he's just not getting the hint."

[secretarialsiren]

"You do! Not as fantastic as Grant but that's a lot to live up to," she shrugs as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well, I'll be here with ice cream and chick flicks if you need them."

[tarnishedbadge]

"You think Grant looks better than me? That cuts deep, Alex. What do I have if not my good looks? I mean, besides my charming personality?" he said with a grin. For a brief moment he wondered if there was something there with Grant but then realized she probably wouldn't have mentioned if there was.

"And be careful, I might take you up on that offer. Ice cream is delicious."

[secretarialsiren]

"Listen, I'm not saying you're not attractive, okay? It's just... have you ever seen Grant? Have you seen his ass??" She gives him a very intense look over her glasses, trying to get her point across. "His ass beats out any other dude in this town. It's just a fact."

"Take me up on it any time, dude. I will use any excuse to get ice cream, especially if I can get it for free."

[tarnishedbadge]

"Clearly I need to wear tighter pants," Levi said with a laugh, not offended at all about how much Alex seemed to really like Grant's ass. Levi would have to mention that to the other cop when he thought of it.

"Oh no, I'm the one that will need consoling, you should be paying for ice cream."

[secretarialsiren]

"Please do. Everyone around here needs to wear tighter pants. Except maybe Jerry. His pants are already way too tight," she shudders, pulling a face.

"Oh please. I get other people to pay for my ice cream. Any ice cream I feed you will be paid for by the batting of my eyelashes and a sob story that makes the man who pays feel like a hero."

[tarnishedbadge]

"I will be sure to send out a memo to the rest of the department acquiescing to your wishes," Levi told her. It would be kind of funny to actually send that out. Maybe he would.

"That is absolutely disgusting and I'm envious of you. No one ever buys me ice cream when I bat my eyelashes."