InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Are you humming Metallica?"

Michael Thurston Corner (cuttingcorners) wrote in heroing,
@ 2009-04-29 20:18:00

Characters: Michael Corner & Susan Bones
Setting: Ministry Lift. 1:20pm. Wednesday Afternoon.
Summary: Michael and Susan find themselves awkwardly trapped in a lift together.

Michael Corner was having a quiet day for the most part. Nothing too terrible to report. They'd finally tracked down Mortimer Hollet, the man who killed, Dennis Jones in the Ministry a good month before. Though they were still building up a case against him the fact that they'd finally found him on Monday things had slowed down. There were no other cases he was working on and this was his priority. Sure building cases via paperwork weren't as exciting as getting the evidence...but that just meant he could take longer lunches.

Upon his return to from the Leaky Cauldron Michael made his way through the atrium to the lift. The hall wasn't crowded and neither was the line. In fact he found himself getting the lift all to himself in the beginning. However, as the doors closed a call was heard and the auror immediately held out his hand to stop the door.

When he realized who it was his throat collapsed into his stomach. His eyes fell to the floor he felt almost ill all of a sudden. "Hello Susan," he offered with a slight nod and a sad forced smile.

(Post a new comment)

boneidle
2009-04-30 09:46 am UTC (link)

She was late, she was late, oh Merlin she was late. Susan's boss was taking a long business lunch this afternoon and had told Susan to take a long lunch as well. He had said he would be back at 1:30 and of course Susan didn't think to check the time from the lovely outdoor cafe she had been reading at until 1:15. Yes, her superior would not be in for another 10 minutes, but Susan liked getting in at least 20 minutes before him so that she could sort his schedule out and make sure there weren't any stray important documents lying arou- oh- none of that mattered. She was late.

Arriving in the Ministry five excruciatingly long minutes later, Susan saw the doors to the elevator begin to close. "Hold the lift!" Susan called out, raising one arm and waving it about madly as she ran, just so the other person could see how much of a fool she was. As the usual sea of people in the Atrium cleared, Susan saw just who was holding the lift for her.

Oh no. Susan, thought, stopping dead just before where Michael was holding the lift doors open. "Hello Michael." Susan said, trying not to sound out of breath and desperately wishing that her face wasn't so flushed. "Thank you."

(Reply to this) (Thread)

cuttingcorners
2009-04-30 09:05 pm UTC (link)

Michael was rarely one to feel awkward about company. He usually embraced it full stop. Course, it was the first time he'd found himself with Susan since February and...well... he felt awkward. He'd intentionally been avoiding her these last few months. In fact he'd gone out of his way to not be where he was certain she might be. It stung a little too much.

Though, now, in her presence he felt as though he had to prove it were entirely the opposite. He was fine- moving on! That...sort of thing. Hell, he'd returned that bloody expensive ring he'd bought her....the one she never knew about. He was fine.

He tried to mask a deep inhale as the door closed behind her. He nervously stuffed a hand in his pocket before glancing over to the familiar red head. He opened his mouth and on the rare occasion nothing came out right away. He hesitated before finally asking, "So, how are you?" For whatever reason Michael Corner was uncomfortable with the idea of standing silent there with her.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

boneidle
2009-05-01 01:36 am UTC (link)

"Fine." Susan said, trying to take up as little space as far away from Michael was was polite. There had been a time when the two of them would wish for empty lifts on the way back from lunch- or any time, really- and now Susan couldn't think of anything more awkward.

"Everything's fine," she repeated, neglecting to add -except Hannah has been mysteriously busy lately and I don't get to spend time with the boys as much as I used to and really I'm starting to become pretty miserable, because you definitely do not tell all of that to your ex boyfriend. Your ex boyfriend who is doing fantastically and probably had to narrow his date to the ball down from three girls. "And you?" She asked after a pause.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cuttingcorners
2009-05-01 02:23 pm UTC (link)

Michael had nodded when she declared how fine she was. Of course she was fine...this was her doing after all. When asked how he was in return he felt a sudden urge to be honest. To tell her how he only just stopped reaching out for her in the mornings a few weeks ago. How every ginger he saw running about only reminded him of her. How incredibly not himself he felt without his Susan Bones.

However, he failed in doing this. Catching himself and ignoring the urge he nodded and said, "Everythings...fine." Looking to the lift dial as it took forever to change floors Michael couldn't decide on how to conduct himself. Should he be quiet? Should he reach out to her? Should he...say something?

"I... I'm glad you're okay," he said to her offering another glance in her direction. Michael wasn't entirely sure why he said it. But it was said all the same.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	boneidle 2009-05-01 03:33 pm UTC (link)
	"Me too." Susan said, tugging at her skirt absentmindedly and looking down at her feet. "About you being okay, I mean," she said glancing up through her hair. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cuttingcorners
2009-05-02 03:56 pm UTC (link)

Michael gave her a smile - one that was genuine but clearly not full of elated joy. It was a sad smile one that didn't exactly make him feel all that great, but was friendly enough all the same. Knowing Susan he could tell by her body language that she wasn't enjoying this anymore than he was.

"Maybe we could hang out sometime...in awhile," he said as the lift gave that familiar jolt of it coming to it's destination, "when we're not as awkward as we are now."

(Reply to this) (Parent)