Envy's Apartment (That She's Now Paying For), New York, Tuesday

[whenshewasnice]

Envy had been back in New York for a few days. A few intense days, someone – not Envy – might have added. It was taking a fair bit of work to see just how Gideon's untimely demise affected all of her planned appearances and the state of her contracts in general. Turned out Gideon hadn't been interested in making all of his affairs easily accessible.

She had people working on it, though.

And none of it affected the fact that she was starting her North American tour in about a week. Figuring out there weren't any creases to smooth out in that had been top priority, and therefore already cleared. In fact, she'd been out all day today meeting with the select few designers and choreographers she'd decided to keep from Gideon's battalion of helpers. They had a vision, now. It was a lot smaller in some ways than Gideon's had been. Larger in others.

It was hard work. Made her happy, yes, but made her tired as well. She was still adjusting to the change of –– of actually being in charge of things. By herself. It was a feeling all its own.

But she needed something a little lighter and a little more private and personal right now.

Which was why she took a photo of the view outside her living room window. Her apartment was high up, a busy street bustling down below, all bright lights in the fast descending darkness of the evening. With the photo taken, she scrolled through her contacts until she found what she was looking for. James T. Kirk. She figured she almost owed him a version of her that was doing slightly better than she had been, last time. Almost.

So she sent the picture, along with one simple word.

Jealous?

She knew he wouldn't be.

[ooc: NFB and primarily for one, but open for other texts/calls/emails/whatever as well!]

Comments

[pursuedthestars]

Pretty Jim sent back, grin on his face. It didn't beat his view, not when they were in orbit around some glittering planet but it was a nice view for an apartment.

Who's is that? he sent a few moments later.

[whenshewasnice]

It wasn't so long ago that the answer would've been 'technically Gideon's'. But that time was over now.

She smiled faintly to herself.

Mine. New York.

[pursuedthestars]

Pretty. Surprised you're home. No concerts tonight?

Lately, he hadn't really known her to take a day off. Maybe there was a party happening in another room.

[whenshewasnice]

My solo debut launch was a couple of weeks ago. Gideon died.

Okay, she hadn't meant to drop that in a text but maybe it'd stave off the questions, to deliver it so nonchalantly.

Tour starts next week or so. Not sure where home is anymore, anyway.

[pursuedthestars]

Wait, what? What?

That was not the thing to just say in text message.

Call me. Stop texting me and call me.

[whenshewasnice]

Envy sighed and rolled her eyes, like he was being over-dramatic. Just to get it out of the way and out of her system before she called him.

Which she then did.

[pursuedthestars]

"Are you all right?" Jim asked when his phone rang. "Are you okay, Envy?"

He'd almost slipped up and called her Natalie, barely catching himself at the last minute.

[whenshewasnice]

"I didn't say I died," Envy told him mildly. She appreciated his concern, though, so it wasn't a dry sort of mild. "Although it did leave my career in something of a disarray at a pretty crucial moment."

[pursuedthestars]

"No, you didn't say you died but someone close to you did so I was concerned," Jim told her quietly. "People close to you dying hurts pretty bad. I just wanted to make sure."

[whenshewasnice]

"He also turned out to have kept his past girlfriends on cryo-freeze," Envy shared, and now was dry. Because, wow, Gideon. Wow. (Also what was up with her latest boyfriends turning out to be amazingly assholish right before perishing?) "I'm getting over it."

[pursuedthestars]

"That's...not good at all," Jim said, wincing. "How long ago did this happen? Did you find out about the girlfriends before he died?"

And the big question was, "How'd you die, anyway?"

[whenshewasnice]

"All of this was at my album release party slash his new club opening back in Toronto," she said, not sounding like it pained her much. "So, a couple of weeks ago."

Time was a relative concept when you hopped between universes, so she wasn't entirely sure.

"Scott and Ramona sliced him up with swords, then he burst into coins. It was a mess."

[pursuedthestars]

"Jesus," Jim said, sitting back and rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Envy, that's...you've been dealing with a lot of shit, haven't you? Have you been able to relax at all?"

[whenshewasnice]

"I was in Brazil for a few days right afterwards," Envy replied, shrugging, even if he couldn't see that. Some day they might have to consider video calls or something. "Does that count?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Depends on what you were doing," Jim said, sounding slightly chiding. "Were you working for Peter?"

[whenshewasnice]

Seriously. Video calls. He was missing out on some prime eyebrow-raising right now.

"Don't take that tone with me," she replied, though without any heat behind it. "I was hanging out, playing the piano, and going out to lunch with Peter. I was replaced in an official capacity when I moved away, Jim. I don't work for him."

[pursuedthestars]

"Don't get all tetchy with me!" Jim retorted, rolling his eyes. "Can you blame me for asking? I do know you and I know how much you love to work."

[whenshewasnice]

"I have my own work now," Envy replied, simply. "In fact, I've been working all day." See, there was that small, subtle admittance that he hadn't been entirely off the mark. "Tour prep. There's a lot of it when your manager is an extravagant pile of change."

[pursuedthestars]

Jim sighed and rubbed at his brow, wondering if there would ever be a time when it didn't feel like they were on the precipice of an argument.

"Okay, all right, fine," he said, nodding. "How's that going?"

[whenshewasnice]

Envy didn't feel like they were. But then, that was often the problem.

Also, in a more general sense, she was aware she was pretty terrible at phonecalls when it came to anything that should've been offset with touches.

"It's exhausting."

[pursuedthestars]

"When does it start?" Jim asked, frowning. "Are you going to be in a constant state of exhaustion?"

[whenshewasnice]

"In a little over a week," she replied easily. "And I don't plan to be, no. But I'm still dealing with the consequences of not having Gideon around anymore."

Business-wise.

[pursuedthestars]

"Do you have a new manager or something or you do everything yourself?" Jim wondered curiously. "Do you have any help?"

[whenshewasnice]

"I don't have a manager, but I have help, though severely cut down from the army of people Gideon had." But that was absolutely by choice. Gideon always overdid things. "But I'm overseeing everything."

[pursuedthestars]

"Well, at least you have some help," Jim said with a sigh. "Are you still having fun, at least?"