Envy's Apartment (That Gideon Is Paying For), New York, Thursday FT

[whenshewasnice]

The album release preparations were in full swing. Some things had been locked down already, namely the date and the venue of the party. Other things... Well, it was late in the evening, but a courier had just dropped off a bunch of sketches of potential costumes for Envy to wear on her big night.

(He'd hoped Gideon would've come by with the sketches himself. But he seemed to be working around the clock, always micromanaging something or other. Wasn't her turn tonight.)

They were elaborate designs. There were wings, there was fur, and all manner of positively avantgarde contraptions. Nothing like the simple robe she had on while she was sitting on her couch and going through them. Not that she needed them to be anything like her robe – they had to be something that would make an impression. Something with the power and potential to be iconic.

Still. She wasn't sure whether they were fully her.

Sighing, she set the sketches down. Maybe she'd worked long enough for today. On things that had to do with her career, anyway, because almost despite herself, she found herself picking up her phone. She'd been putting this off. Telling herself there was nothing to do. She found the number in her contacts. Pressed the call button, and brought the phone to her ear.

Hey, maybe he'd be too busy to pick up. Or maybe the signal wouldn't even go through. The multiverse was big and wide, even if you weren't Starfleet.

[ooc: NFB, the call is for he that knows who he is, but can be open for other calls and stuff if that's your kind of thing. Along with SP.]

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[pursuedthestars]

The Enterprise was quiet right now. It was sitting in dock with a skeleton crew maintaining her. Jim liked coming here when there was no one else around. It was peaceful, quiet, and he could think in peace.

Of course, his phone ringing meant his peaceful interlude was interrupted but still. He sighed and sat down in one of the chairs in front of one of the many consoles and said, "Hello?"

[whenshewasnice]

"Hey, Jim."

No one did silky mildness better than Envy Adams. She didn't have to try for that certain phone sex-y breathiness, these days. She didn't even need to mean to do it. It just happened.

[pursuedthestars]

That was a voice he hadn't expected, not after how things had gone between them when he'd gone to her party. He was quiet for a few seconds before answering.

"Hey," he said, steady and calm. "How's it going? Figured you'd be busy or something."

[whenshewasnice]

"I am." But when had that not been the case, over the last couple of years? She'd been busy ever since she'd left Fandom for good. "Just not at this moment. It's late."

Not too late. But late enough not to be working.

[pursuedthestars]

"And so you decided to give me a call?" he asked, sitting back in his seat and stretching out his legs. He pressed a few buttons on the console, watched something light up red and winced.

He searched for an off button, found none and...just hit the button again. The light stopped. "I'm flattered."

[whenshewasnice]

"Well, I owed you."

She said it matter-of-factly. She didn't do apologetic. (Not that she was entirely sure she had reason to be apologetic, anyway.) It dind't suit her image.

"Missed you at the rest of the party."

She assumed he'd stayed, anyway. She hadn't really had time to look for him after he'd vanished into the crowd. And yes, that was the 'didn't see you' type, not the other kind of missing. (Not on the surface of that particular statement, anyway.)

[pursuedthestars]

"Mmm. I kept myself busy," he said neutrally. "Did you have a good party?"

[whenshewasnice]

"It was okay." In its own, not-really-a-party kind of way. But anyway. "Do you know why I invited you?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Well, I assumed we were friends," Jim told her, frowning. "Was it for another reason?"

[whenshewasnice]

"Obviously because we're friends," Envy replied with one of those practically audible eyerolls of hers. It was gone when she spoke again. "It was more specific than that. I wanted to make sure there was someone there that I liked. And who probably wouldn't mind if I wanted to sneak out of my own party for a while."

There wasn't even innuendo in that. Just some admittance that she'd planned ahead for a party she hadn't necessarily been too into.

[pursuedthestars]

"You freaked out when I made one dumb comment about that guy," Jim pointed out pointedly. "One comment. I've said worse about so many other people. It was a little off putting."

[whenshewasnice]

"Well, I thought you'd play nicer on my birthday," Envy pointed out in turn. Even and mild. "I'm no sure why, in hindsight. You're James T. Kirk and against all odds, you used to be my boyfriend." So, she knew him pretty well. "So, I should've known better."

[pursuedthestars]

"I never play nice," Jim told her with a shake of his head. "I didn't know he was that important to you that he was off limits."

[whenshewasnice]

"You've missed out on a lot of stuff, Jim." It wasn't really an explanation. But it was her noting a reason why she shouldn't have assumed he'd know how to treat things.

Far be it from her to state it that clearly, though. "There's been a lot happening while you've been out in space. I only have a handful of important people left."

[pursuedthestars]

"Are you -- are you blaming me for something you encouraged me to do?" Jim asked her, frowning. "What do you want from me, Envy?"

[whenshewasnice]

Envy had to stop and process that.

"... You're not one of the people I've lost, Jim." Although now that she'dhad to think back over what she'd said, she could see how it would sound that way. "I was explaining why I might be... touchy --" She didn't like that word, but it would have to do. "-- about the ones I have left."

[pursuedthestars]

Jim sighed and rubbed his eyes. "It was one thing, Envy. I meant no harm and I wasn't planning on trying to talk you out of anything having to do with him. Okay, I'm sorry. I won't say anything else about him."

[whenshewasnice]

Envy was quiet for a second.

"Well, I guess you've been punished enough, since you didn't get to make out with me." She was trying for a little joke there. An olive branch. "Apology accepted. Sorry I was a bitch."

[pursuedthestars]

"It's okay, I had a lovely conversation with a few of your friends," Jim said with a quiet laugh. "They talked and I mostly drank before I left."

[whenshewasnice]

"They're not my friends." That, again, was very factual. She barely had friends. "But it's good someone took advantage of the free booze. I know I didn't."

[pursuedthestars]

"Why didn't you invite any of your friends besides me?" Jim asked her.

[whenshewasnice]

"Peter was there," Envy pointed out. "So was Cade."

That didn't fully answer the question. She was aware of that.

[pursuedthestars]

Jim frowned at the phone. "Are those your only friends, Envy?"

[whenshewasnice]

"Well there's Jono and Clint, too."

Envy and friends didn't really mix, it seemed. She didn't sound too affected by that.

[pursuedthestars]

"So, who were all those people there?" Jim asked her. "Because I counted more than three friends."