Nov 27 21:21:34 106 PA - Maya blurts it out
From Chronicles
The current game time is: Sun Nov 27 21:21:34 106 PA.
This is the place it all happens. This is where all the day-to-day administrative duties of the Knights' Hospital are dealt with, and all the important decisions are made. Well, maybe not, but at the very least it's where most of the paperwork either begins or ends up.
This is Joachim's office, and honestly, it's pretty cramped, and astoundingly cluttered. Containing on desk, three chairs, two large file cabinets, and what appears to be a metric ton of assorted papers, it's a pretty tight fit. The desk itself is medium-sized, with three rather uncomfortable looking wooden chairs set up for small meetings, while the file-cabinets flank the room on either side. A small desk-light sits on the desk, along with assorted office-supplies, while stacks of paper can be found partly organized and in all the varying stages of Handling not only on the desk, but tucked into all the corners of the office.
Evening has long since rolled over the hospital, though it's hardly yet fully night. Joachim has made it a late day - arriving, working, eating - and has retreated for the past few hours to his office. Shifting uncomfortably between a stack of paper and a computer, he is hesitantly transferring documents over with all the alacrity of somebody who's been shown the procedure repeatedly, but has no idea what he's actually doing.
Maya has been there the same time, working in the lab, getting caught up. Her computer has been placed on the floor to compensate for the broken desk, and she has managed like that. But now, the scent of bacon warns of her approach, or at least the approach of the contents of the plate in her hand. She taps on the door, hesitantly at first, and then a louder knock before she opens the door, peering around. "Director?"
The intrusion will find Joachim peering back and forth between the paper and the monitor, apparently bewildered at something having gone wrong. With the look of annoyance fading as Maya enters, he takes a large breath before letting out a sigh. "Yes? How can I be of assistance?" he asks, shifting the paper back into a folder at the top of a pile - things appear to have hit a bit of a bottleneck.
Maya is hovering, holding the plate out before her in an offering against the gods of angry directors. "I bought you a sandwich. Having computer trouble?" She asks, putting the plate on his desk, as she finds herself a seat. "I wanted to talk to you. Out of work but you never are out of work." A moment and she offers a half smile. "Nor am I."
Some further embarrassed shuffling of papers and a sheepish smile is at the forebear of Joachim's following statement, "I'm 'fraid the computer's havin' Me trouble. But that's all right, I'll get it 'ventually, just need th'practice." With another deep breath his smile returns, his hands folding neatly on the desk, "And you're quite right, I do tend t'be here pretty much perpetually, so I won't hold it 'gainst you. What seems t'be the problem?"
His sheepish smile doesn't do much to help, apparently, and Maya stares hard at the plate before jumping up. She paces, her hands active as she talks, gesturing. "Well, it isn't about work. Well, it might be in that it would impact on work but it isn't actually work related." She turns, moving in the other direction, "I think we've spent some time together, and I like you. I mean, obviously I like you, you are a nice man, and that would be obvious but I wanted to say this because otherwise you might not realise, or you might not think I do and then where would we be?" She stops, giving him a look that suggests he is supposed to not only understand, but reply coherently, her hazel eyes hopefully fixed on his face.
Joachim's eyes drift to the sandwich as Maya begins to talk, one hand reaching to slide the plate somewhat closer. As the topic begins to be broached, his eyes lift again, nodding as the woman proceeds to encode her intent in a stream of gibberish. "Mhm?" he says, his eyes drifting back to the sandwich until she finishes, at which point his attention is once again forward. "And... there's an issue with me bein'... a 'nice man?'" he ventures.
A flash of frustration crosses Maya's face but she shakes her head, before she tries again. "No, at least, you being a nice man is the problem for me. I mean ,obviously, it isn't a problem in itself, precisely." She stops, taking a deep breath before she speaks again. "Eat the sandwich already." The comment is a pause in the flow of attempted explanation. "I like you. Really like you. A lot. I wondered if maybe you'd consider dinner, or something, or if you were one of the priests that don't do that, or you might be one that just does do sex. Not that I want just sex." The blush is now firmly entrenched, her cheeks almost scarlet as she gives him a look of hope.
At the command to eat, Joachim does indeed pick up the sandwich. The motion and preparation take just long enough for him to have it to his mouth when she propositions him - his eyebrows going up as the sandwich hovers, his mouth open. A moment passes before he recovers himself, putting the sandwich down with some gravity and re-folding his hands in front of him. "Ah," he states, his expression growing rather more serious. "That's certainly an interestin' way of goin' about things, but I s'pose I've hardly got too many points of reference in this kinda thing."
Maya is still now, her fingers twisting in front of her, her cheeks flushed. There is a moment where, amazingly, she struggles for actual words but then she finds them. Many of them, all tumbling out. "I know work isn't a good mix, and I tried not to do this but I don't think you realise, or perhaps you do, and you aren't interested, and I would understand that, totally, I really would, although I prefer that you are interested, obviously, and..." She stops, swallowing the next rush of nervous babble. "Really, I just like you. A lot." Those are spoken in a low tone, almost a forced whisper.
"Take a seat again, an' breathe," Joachim says softly. "Deep breaths, relax an' clear your head. T'say whether or not I'm interested in courtin' - in general, I mean - well, 's 'somethin' that I've not givin' a whole lot've thought to. At least not ..." his eyes flicker for the briefest of moments as he shakes his head, "least not for a while. But, well, iffin this is somethin' you want - well, let's take a step back a minute. What's it that you want?" The question is softly put, his eyes warm, "An' remember, breathe."
There is a flicker of hope in her very, at the moment at least, readable face and she does as instructed, settling in the seat and taking some breaths. The flush deepens and she drops her gaze, giving her boots a steady look, her lashes swept down for that long momment. "I..." The loss of words seems to be a problem once more, and she takes a breath, lifting her gaze to look at him. "Sandwich is going cold." The words are almost automatic, spoken without thought. "I don't get involved, normally. I don't like to. I like..." She stops, taking another breath, "No, like is inaccurate. I have strong feelings for you. I want to know if there is a liklihood, or if I should just take this job and forget you." There, blunt and honest, without the added side of babble.
Joachim's glance to the sandwich is given simply because it was mentioned - showing that the sandwiches' hold over him is not all-powerful. The statement is considered for a few moments as he nods, "I'd say that, on th'topic of your employment you should do whatever y'think is best on th'basis of what you want - though I'd be mighty sorry t'see you go. You've done a lot t'help make this place better. But even if I did take you up on th'offer, who's t'say it'd work out?" With a sigh, he continues, "If you'd like t'get to know me better, outside've this place - well, that's fine. You've got t'realize, though, you don't know me all that much about me, about where I come from or anythin' short of what I've done 'round here. Even," he begins, a slight smile coming to his lips, "if I'm the 'type of priest who doesn't do sex.'"
Maya's gaze drops, resting on the sandwich purely for somewhere to be that isn't his face. "Even if." She comments softly, her tone a little subdued, but Maya's mind is analysing his comments slowly. A long moment of silence and she lifts narrowed eyes, her gaze returning to his face. "That's fine?" She repeats slowly, a caution in the hint of the smallest smile ever to be seen on her lips. "Is that a yes?" A hesitation, and there is a moment when either silence or babble could win, and she wavers between the two, "I mean to dinner, not to sex, or anything else..." A blush, a deep and rich amount of blood in her cheeks, washes upwards as she hears the actual words she spoke aloud.
"Can't promise it'll lead anywhere, or that you'll particularly like me when it's all through, but there's nothin' wrong with dinner. Assumin' we can work a time," Joachim acquiesces with a slight head bob. "Though it doesn't really answer th'question of whether or not you'll be stayin' with us, here."
Maya is silent for a moment before her mouth curves into a broad grin, her eyes warming. "Well, we'll see how it turns out, and..." She hesitates, the grin fading, her lips pressing together for a moment before she returns serious eyes to his face. "I think, I can't work for you, whichever it turns out. I mean, either way, it isn't professional. I know I fool around but..." She leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees, her bunches flopping forward, hiding her expression for a moment. "The KDPD offered me a coroner's post with them. Not chief but..."
Joachim nods with a sigh, "Certainly not the best way t'announce your quittin', but I understand. I'm surprised we've been able t'hold on to as many good men an' women as I have, really." The sandwich is picked up as he begins shuffling around for the appropriate paperwork, an idle bite taken. "There anythin' else you'd like t'talk about? Not that I'm tryin' to shuffle you out or anythin', but you did just give me a bit more work t'do."
Maya hesitates, moistening her lips before she speaks again, sitting up. "Um...when do you ... I mean, I know work is heavy right now but..." A flash of frustration before she blurts it out. "When do you want to go to dinner?" She is almost sitting on her hands, forcing them to stay still, as if it might still her tongue. "I'm sorry it makes your life harder." That at least, is sincere.
"It's fine, it's fine," Joachim reassures, "It's just one've those things. An' I promise it'll happen soon as I can spare up the time. It may be a few days, though, hmm?"
Maya hesitates, nodding slowly as she accepts the answer. She gives him a quick smile, almost shy, before fleeing for the door, talking as she retreats. "Uh, I'll be in the lab, I'll get those reports finished up and... you tell me when." Then, she is gone.
