JOSEPH.

he stops in the middle of what seems to be a light afternoon jog, and he jumps a little before scratching the back of his neck, appearing embarrassed. “ah, sorry, sorry! must have been lost in my own thoughts. in fact, you’re just the very man i was thinking about laurence.”

was that laying it on too thick? (but oh, it was the truth.) a smirk or a wink would be too much, he had to be subtle — but not too subtle. didn’t want to scare him off away after all; not when things have been moving according to plan. easy, it was too easy; another one ripe for the taking, ignorant, gullible.

“what’s up?” and he smiles a default joseph christiansen smile. “how’re you settling in so far?”

                  laurence’s  face  flickers  through  several  emotions  in  the  space  of  a  few  seconds.  confusion.  surprise.  happiness.  a  smile  curls  at  the  corner  of  his  lips.  

                  ❛  impressive.  if  i  was  jogging,  all  i’d  be  thinking  about  was  how  much  my  lungs  hurt.  ❜  he  shifts,  pushes  his  hands  into  his  pockets.  

                  ❛  it’s  nice,  ❜  he  murmurs.  ❛  everyone  here  is  so  friendly.  i’d  say  it’s  alarming  how  picture  perfect  this  neighborhood  is  but  i  kind  of  love  it.  ❜  it’s–  relaxing.  soothing??  peaceful.  everything  a  person  could  want  in  a  neighborhood,  really.  he  doesn’t  know  how  he  got  this  lucky  but  he’s  not  going  to  question  the  stroke  of  fortune.