[ It seems this assignment is revealing new depths to one Emma Cullen, Faraday thinks, though it could all just as easily be an act, some character she's dredged up and will quickly pack away again like a winter coat.
(There's a brief second where he thinks, That's not such a bad smile. And quickly on the heels of that, Wouldn't be too bad to see it more.
And Faraday is quick to set fire to both of those thoughts and stomp on the ashes.)
He returns the smile easily enough, though without any of Emma's artful arrangement. A quick smile, something he slips on as easily as breathing, and he nods his agreement.
The two of them should keep playing to their roles, should act as though they're joined at the hips, but he knows Emma can only be pushed so far before she starts pushing back. For now, he contents himself with leading the way through the assembled guests at a leisurely pace, letting their arms brush against one another in a way that speaks of comfort and familiarity. (He wonders if Emma might slap him for that later. He wonders if she might actually kill him after all is said and done. Faraday makes a mental note to put in a request for time off to Chisolm in order to briefly go into hiding.)
Sure enough, there's a gap in the guards' patrol, and when that gap presents itself, Faraday casually steps into the darkened hall, rounding the corner to hide them from view.
They should get to work while they have this chance, should immediately head to the first of the rooms they've marked out as possible meeting points, but instead, he stops their progress, turning and ducking a little to get into her line of sight. ]
What's going on? [ No preamble. No beating around the bush. A tad brusque, perhaps, and while concern brushes against the back of his mind, his tone is purely professional. He doubts Cullen would appreciate it if he sounded worried, but that slip up, apparently, was still fresh on his mind. ]
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(There's a brief second where he thinks, That's not such a bad smile. And quickly on the heels of that, Wouldn't be too bad to see it more.
And Faraday is quick to set fire to both of those thoughts and stomp on the ashes.)
He returns the smile easily enough, though without any of Emma's artful arrangement. A quick smile, something he slips on as easily as breathing, and he nods his agreement.
The two of them should keep playing to their roles, should act as though they're joined at the hips, but he knows Emma can only be pushed so far before she starts pushing back. For now, he contents himself with leading the way through the assembled guests at a leisurely pace, letting their arms brush against one another in a way that speaks of comfort and familiarity. (He wonders if Emma might slap him for that later. He wonders if she might actually kill him after all is said and done. Faraday makes a mental note to put in a request for time off to Chisolm in order to briefly go into hiding.)
Sure enough, there's a gap in the guards' patrol, and when that gap presents itself, Faraday casually steps into the darkened hall, rounding the corner to hide them from view.
They should get to work while they have this chance, should immediately head to the first of the rooms they've marked out as possible meeting points, but instead, he stops their progress, turning and ducking a little to get into her line of sight. ]
What's going on? [ No preamble. No beating around the bush. A tad brusque, perhaps, and while concern brushes against the back of his mind, his tone is purely professional. He doubts Cullen would appreciate it if he sounded worried, but that slip up, apparently, was still fresh on his mind. ]