RO > call me out; a forever open RP post, version 2

[midvalley]

NEW OPEN RP POST

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[animated]

... You know, I can't tell if you're joking or not.

[arbitrated]

What would I have to joke about?

[ He takes a sedate sip from his mug of coffee. ]

[animated]

What, is casual Friday around the office just "show up in your favorite shift" day?

[arbitrated]

[ He hums in the affirmative as he's drinking. ]

One of our paralegals, Kathy -- she likes spending the morning as a quokka. After lunch, she switches to a Pomeranian.

[animated]

I-- wait, what's a quokka?

[arbitrated]

[ As if expecting the question, Sandon was already pulling out his phone. A quick search brings up the image of a quokka, which he shows to Charlie. ]

It's a kind of marsupial. They look like they're constantly smiling. I guess it's her way of trying to cheer up the place.

[animated]

That... that is probably the most adorable thing I've ever seen. I kind of want one.

[arbitrated]

Of course you do. They're adorable.

But they are still wild animals, which typically don't make the best house pets. Save yourself the trip to Australia.

[animated]

Wow, thanks for the lecture, Jack Hanna. I know that.

[ He leans his chin in his hand again, considering Sandon for a moment ] So, what do you spend your Fridays as?

[arbitrated]

[ He doesn't miss a beat: ]

A shark. It's thematically appropriate.

[animated]

Do you have a giant-ass fish tank at your desk or what?

[arbitrated]

Of course I do. The aquarium is built into the back wall of my office.

[ a pause. ]

Makes paperwork difficult, I admit.

[animated]

[ that gets an actual laugh out of him ]

I'm sure everyone enjoys getting your sopping wet reports at the end of the day.

[arbitrated]

[ He shrugs his shoulders, head tilting slightly to one side, and he hides his own smile behind the coffee mug again. ]

It's not so terrible. Frank down the hall, his favorite shift is a squid. It's a toss-up whether you'll get a report soaked with water or soaked in ink.

[animated]

I should swing by your office one day, just to see all the mayhem.

[arbitrated]

[ He breathes out a near silent laugh. ]

It's not so chaotic, actually. By this point, all aspects of our office run like a well-oiled machine. Even on Fridays, regardless of the number of claws, talons, paws, wings, or tentacles we have on deck.

[animated]

That still sounds like it would be worth seeing.

And perhaps the bookseller would like to take the shark out to lunch one of these days.

[arbitrated]

[ Sandon pauses, and a touch of color rises to his cheeks again. His first instinct is a joke: ]

That might get expensive, unfortunately.

[animated]

You think? Do you turn into something big and ravenous come lunch time?

[arbitrated]

The-- shark. I meant the shark. [ A beat. ] Sorry, it was a bad joke, admittedly.

[animated]

Hey, if you don't want to, you can just say no.

[arbitrated]

[ He falls quiet for a second, sighing at himself. ]

No, I'd like to, I just-- [ His gaze flicks briefly to Alyssa again before settling back on Charlie. ] I find I have little time, these days, for, ah, personal matters.

[animated]

I know. Lot of stuff going on.

But it's just lunch. I assume you eat lunch during the day anyway.

[arbitrated]

[ Another quiet laugh. ]

You aren't wrong. Anything else would be breakfast or dinner.

[animated]

So how is it any different if you have company?