Natalie's Apartment, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday Evening

[whenshewasnice]

Another day, another load of researchy work done, and another evening of Natalie trying to find a thing to do to unwind. Alone, as usual. She was starting to wonder whether she should have just started scheduling times for herself to call people and keep up with social interaction with people who knew her in a purely personal capacity. She thought it might be good for her mental health in the long run.

But for now, she sent Jim a photo of the sky at sunset as seen from her living room window. Sometimes she liked to start out simple.

[ooc: NFB, mainly for the guy but open for other calls and texts, sure!]

Comments

[pursuedthestars]

Jim wasn't doing much of anything when he got the text so it took him a few minutes to reply back.

Pretty, he finally sent. Nice view.

[whenshewasnice]

It is not too shabby.

It wasn't shabby at all.

How's things?

[pursuedthestars]

Jim really wished he could send her the equivalent of a shrug.

Not bad, he sent instead. Just hanging out, mostly. Kinda bored.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie thought 'not bad' was enough of a shrug.

I wish I could say the same.

Well, she might have been able to find some time to be bored but it wasn't in her nature.

[pursuedthestars]

I'd ask what you've been doing but I really don't want to hear about politics.

That was just a way to make him even more bored.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie had thought she'd be satisfied with texting for longer than this.

But something about that statement warranted a phone call.

[pursuedthestars]

Jim peered at who was calling and put the phone to his ear.

"Texting didn't last long," Jim said by way of greeting.

[whenshewasnice]

"Well maybe I wanted to bore you with politics with my voice."

Probably not, though.

[pursuedthestars]

"That doesn't even make sense," Jim pointed out. "A voice doesn't have politics."

[whenshewasnice]

"You're not making sense," Natalie retorted. "I didn't claim my voice has politics. Why would I? It doesn't even mean anything."

[pursuedthestars]

"Eh." He shrugged. "I still don't wanna talk about politics. Boring."

[whenshewasnice]

"I wasn't going to bore you with politics anyway, although I disagree about how boring it is."

Obviously. Considering her current career choice. She wandered around her living room, silent, for the moment. When she spoke again her tone was softer.

"Hi, Jim."

Closest to a kiss in greeting she could get over the phone.

[pursuedthestars]

"Hey," Jim said, smiling at the change in her tone. "Good to talk to you again."

[whenshewasnice]

"It's good to hear you again," Natalie replied, leaning her hip against the back of a chair. "You have a nice voice."

[pursuedthestars]

"Thanks," he said, chuckling. "Same voice I've always had."

[whenshewasnice]

"Well, I've been fond of it for a while."

Or maybe she was just feeling very far away from everyone and everything right now.

[pursuedthestars]

"Sounds like you're missing me," Jim noted with a laugh. "Aww."

[whenshewasnice]

"Maybe."

She was. Other people, too, but he was the one she was most physically affectionate with so it was a specific kind of missing.

[pursuedthestars]

"Everything going okay?" he asked. "Or just adjusting to not being around as many people as usual?"

[whenshewasnice]

"The latter," Natalie replied. After a pause. "I'm not a social butterfly, but it's still a change."

Or a challenge.

[pursuedthestars]

"It'll get better," he said easily. "And maybe you'll get some hot, foreign boyfriend or something who'll help you out."

He sounded teasing.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie rolled her eyes.

"Somehow I don't see that happening."

[pursuedthestars]

"Why not?" he asked, amused. "You're hot. I'm sure people will notice."

[whenshewasnice]

"I don't have time for getting my hotness noticed," she retorted, curling up on her couch. "I'm busy. And it would be unprofessional."

[pursuedthestars]

"But not busy enough to have phone sex with me," he said, alluding to their phone call the other day. "Not so busy."