Participants:
| Scene Title | Evening Train |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | A packed subway car brings unwanted attention from a stranger and Sebastian for Tamsine, though the two come to an uneasy truce. |
| Date | May 24, 2009 |
A Subway Car.
The subway is crowded, but then, when isn't it? The car is nearly full, but it's the only one headed in the necessary direction for the next 15 minutes. Sebastian sits in one of the seats, before him a blissfully open space that has yet to be crammed full of yet another body. As the train pulls into the station he takes a slow breath and gets ready for the next rush of people, watching only a few get off. As people pour in he turns his gaze aside, looking at the dark tracks beyond the dingy window, and paying little attention to whomever it is that is paraded and stuck before him; that undignified last spot where the handle to grip is above your head, and a person on either side.
Tamsine doesn't notice Sebastian — a native New Yorker, she's used to averting her eyes and not paying attention to the people one must cram against in sometimes shockingly intimate ways in mass transit. She puts one hand on the metal bar, and stares forward toward the front of the car, rather to the side where Sebastian sits. She's actually dressed a bit nicer today — a floral skirt, a lime green cardigan sweater that riots against the red of her hair, and over her shoulder she carries a large attache case in cream patent-leather.
A native New York woman. Or perhaps simply not a native New York slime-ball. More than one person on the train look up as that riot of red enters the car, at least one of them near the same spot Sebastian is. He looks the woman over quickly, and shifts his position subtly. When the train doors close and the metallic dweller of the New York underground heaves to life, he is there to help 'catch' Tamsine from the initial shift. Sebastian pretends not to notice, nor does he recognize the woman, his own outfit his usual business suit.
Tamsine only jerks slightly with the shift, but of course is "caught" much more than necessary by the man nearby. "Pardon me," she murmurs, as if she bumped into him, though there's an edge to her voice that says she doesn't need his help. She moves a step away, a step closer to Sebastian, though she has the glazed look on to avoid any conversation with the man behind her.
"Aw ma'am, no problem," the guy replies, his hand having caught her by the small of the back. When she steps away he doesn't move any closer, though he does grin, and turns a bit to face the redhead better, "Never seen you on this ride before. I'dve remembered…" He chuckles and takes a step closer - all out of room, of course. Sebastian looks out of the corner of his eye, seeing the jerk but not his intended target. He frowns a little, but keeps his business to himself for now.
Tamsine glances up for a moment. "It's a big train," she murmurs, and turns slightly, a half step, as she pulls up her hot pink ear buds, putting them in her ears. A moment later, she half steps again — soon she's actually facing Sebastian, though her eyes are on the map above his head, as if studying the route — like she doesn't have it memorized.
The earbuds have almost the desired effect. Though he lowers his head he moves a bit again as the train slows - no doubt letting passengers off, though once more close again as someone else crams in nearby. Sebastian sighs a little and looks over at the guy, "Look…" he begins, and then blinks as he sees just who it is before him. The train-rider snickers and was about to say something back to Sebastian before Seb recognizes Tamsine, "Tamsine?" The expression on Sebastian's face is somewhere between smile and horror - already he is wondering if he should have said her name. The train-rider just frowns and glares at Seb before turning his gaze to look anyplace else.
She can't hear her name — but she can feel the bit of tension between the two men and she turns to look. Dark eyes widen a bit, and she glances away, but it's too obvious she recognized him. She reaches up with one hand to pull the ear buds out of her ears and turns back. "It's okay. He's just… trying to be friendly. Nothing to worry about," she says, in an almost friendly manner.
"Ya. Like she said," says the stranger. His smile is acid as it etches onto his features, and turns towards Tamsine. Sebastian smirks up at her and lifts a brow, "I'm sure," he says. he glances over and then back. "About the other day…" But the stranger speaks up, "She doesn't want to talk to you," he says, and turns his attention back on Tamsine, "I'm Chris." Sebastian's face drops some, and he turns his eyes on Chris without a hint of humor in them. But he does quiet, maybe she wants to talk to him.
Tamsine's eyes flicker from one man to the other, looking a bit bemused, then a bit annoyed. She coughs a little. "Pardon me, I couldn't breathe for all the testosterone in the air," she mutters to both, to the amusement of many of the other passengers. "First of all," she turns to Chris, "Please don't speak for me. I'm very capable of speaking for myself. You seem very aware of how I feel about talking to him, yet not so able to pick up on the non-verbal clues for yourself." She turns then to Sebastian. "Just… don't worry about it. The other day is the other day. The last time you tried to apologize, you just dug a deeper hole for yourself, and right now your head's just above the ground as is."
Both men frown, though Sebastian has the good grace to blush a bit. He sighs and shakes his head, the other man just frowning and mutter a few colorful words under his breath before he makes his way through the train and a few feet away. Sebastian watches him go, the train giving a good jostle as it corners and causes Chris to stumble some. A few people to snicker and jostle him back, and Sebastian reaches out to catch Tamsine's side, though stops shy. He looks up and nods once, "I know. And I'm sorry." Yes, another one, but his gaze lets on he won't do it again if he can help it.
Tamsine turns and nods. Her cheeks are a bit pink as well, from all the people watching the little to-do. She's used to trying to lay low, especially in recent months. "It's fine. I'm sorry I… you have your reasons to think how you think, I guess," she says with a shrug, and her eyes slide to the window on the other side of the train, watching the tunnels whizz past them as the train rattles to its next stop.
Only a minute or so before it is there, and Sebastian makes the best use of his time. "I did," he says, his tone past-tense, and he offers a small apologetic smile. "Someone gave me reason to think differently," he comments softly, possibly low enough to not be heard, perhaps not. He doesn't press his luck though and now he too turns his gaze aside, watching through 'his' window as tunnel and lights zip by.
She offers a small smile. "I don't… I mean… don't tell me you think one way just to be my friend or anything, please. If you want to consider a change of philosophy, great, but… not for my sake," she says quietly. "I … I can't make any promises as to us, you know? So you should be true to yourself, not true to what you think I want." It's a sincere little speech, said with no animosity.
Sebastian looks around, noting as most people have returned to not-caring, and turns his gaze back, "I know," he agrees, and smiles, "And… I'm not. I mean.. part of it is you, but because of you, not for you. Well. You know." He means her daughter, of course, but through her, Tamsine, of course. "And I'm not looking for promises. Just that second chance." He adjusts as as the train begins to slow, and once more reaches out - and again is just shy of touching her, "This your stop?"
She nods slowly. "Yeah. Home sweet home," she says. "As far as a second chance," she murmurs, glancing away a bit shyly, "I can't… make promises. Friendship, maybe. Anything more… I don't know. I'm sort of starting to see someone. I think." Can you really say it's seeing someone after a couple of kisses? Her cheeks flare a rosy hue. "But you know. You should know that. Before you change anything for me."
"I. Oh." He blinks, and he looks down. After taking a few moments to gather himself he nods, and looks back, "That's fine. I mean… I can do friends. Er.. fiendship." He grins, and it appears almost like the real thing. He notes that rosy glow in her cheeks, and then looks up as the train doors open, "Well. You have my number then. Maybe… maybe we can meet up sometime. Or something." He doesn't move, though before Tamsine spoke he appeared to be getting ready to get up, probably offer her a walk home.
The redhead looks very embarrassed, and nods. "I … it's nothing serious. It may not be. It just sort of happened," she murmurs softly, apologetically. "But… we can be friends. Do you want… to get a cup of coffee?" she offers, trying to offer something in exchange for what he offered her — a change in philosophy, a change of heart.
Sebastian grins, "You don't need to explain it, Tamsine," and he shakes his head, and watches as people begin filing out of the train. "And I know we can be." He studies her for a long second or two, and nods, "Sure, someday soon. Like I said, call me, OK?" He makes no move to get up, but does offer a soft, "It was good to see you, and not have you vanish on me…." he chuckles, "I'm not gonna push my luck, so… call me. "
She blushes a bit more at the word vanish. "Right. Thanks. I will," she says, heading toward the door and giving a little wave before stepping out, the shutting doors making her red hair rise as if caught in wind as she does so.