[closed] yeah yeah and I'm alright

[5055034455]

Date & Time: June 29 — July ∞
Location: Around Exsilium
Characters: Saul & TBA
Summary: A catch-all log for Saul's many business etc. meetings throughout the month, because otherwise there would be like a million logs up. Not even an exaggeration. An actual million.
Warnings: Drugs in Jesse's thread, violence in Coby's, sap in Effie's.

[Sometimes, the best way to get over something is to find a suitable distraction.

Since Saul's #1 distraction has always been work, he doesn't see why that can't be the case here as well — he may not technically be practicing law at the moment, but his skill set is undeniably useful. Extremely so. (As far as he's considered, anyway.) He doesn't need his own office or a secretary or a PI or a bodyguard to get plenty of shit done. He's Saul Goodman, for godssakes — what the hell good is he if he's not working?

His hands have been idle for too long, and look at where they've gotten him.

Devil's tools indeed.

So here he is, keeping busy. Training, doing business, drinking more coffee (and alcohol) than he probably should. Whatever works, right? Right.]

Comments

[hejhej]

[Thankfully, the Initiative likes things basic and similar so Lisbeth knows how to navigate his apartment. She places her things down on the kitchen counter, placing down one mug in front of her and another across from her. She's basically telling you to sit down, Saul.]

Don't die too much. Regeneration might lose its spark.

[There's a pause.] The coffee's black so fill it with what you like.

[5055034455]

[What an interesting development. Saul takes the hint and sits, but there's no use hiding the bemused, slightly pleased look on his face as he reaches for the sugar. She's feeding him? And not being threatening?

What.]

To what do I owe this pleasure?

[hejhej]

[She can totally be a nice person okay. He just had to earn it.]

To talk about what plans you might have for the thorn in our side.

[Lisbeth takes a sip of her coffee, staring at Saul over the top of the mug.]

[5055034455]

Which one?

[It's a legitimate question. He stares over the top of his own mug, eyebrows raised.]

If you mean Jesse, my plan is the same as it's been — keep my eye on him, be there when he needs me. If you mean the new thorn...

[He trails off.

He has no plan yet.]

[hejhej]

[Hm, she really should have specified.]

The new one. I can't do anything, but I'll sleep better at night if I know someone else might have something in mind.

[5055034455]

That's a bad idea. If there's one thing I know for sure right now, it's that.

[He sets the mug down and leans back in his chair.]

That is a bad idea.

[hejhej]

[She's opened up the container with the cinnamon rolls and is already stuffing half of one into her mouth. Lisbeth waits until she's swallowed it to speak.]

I want him dead, Saul. [Her tone is demanding, dark. It was different when they were just speaking hypothetically, but now that he was really here.

Well.]

[5055034455]

As do I.

[What a pleasant conversation to have over breakfast. He takes one of the rolls and stares at it.]

But there are about half a dozen other things I want right now that I can't have, so.

[Shrug.]

[hejhej]

[And she's not the type of person to be denied what she wants.

Too bad for him that Nill has it on her agenda.]

So we're just going to sit idly by?

[5055034455]

[Neither is Saul.

And yet.]

He said he was done. Out. Finished. Jesse believes him; I don't. But Jesse's been spending time with him and I haven't, and I'm — maybe stupidly — willing to take his word for it when he says Walter's acting like he really does think it's over. I don't know. I have to talk to him and evaluate the situation for myself.

[hejhej]

[Lisbeth stares at him before taking another sip of her coffee. She could give a shit if he's finished with the business or whatever. He could be absolutely apologetic for everything he's done; she doesn't care that she doesn't know the entire story.

All she cares about is protecting Jesse.]

He better not inspire another bender or I will break my promise.

[5055034455]

[Ditto.]

I don't know if that's a risk you should take. You personally, I mean. Jesse's defensive, protective, loyal to a fault. It's sickening.

[Also good breakfast conversation, made worse by the fact that he's actually eating the roll now.]

If Walter dies in a way that suggests one of us is behind it, we're all gonna be up to our necks in shit.

[hejhej]

I know. [It's an answer to both statements and it's muttered from behind her mug.

And she did think to herself that losing Jesse over her needs would be worse than letting Walter live.]

[5055034455]

[He's willing to let silence fall for a moment as they eat. It's a little weird, sitting here with her like this, but not unpleasant.

What's unpleasant is that he finds himself wishing she hadn't gotten caught up in all this in the first place.]

[hejhej]

[Lisbeth has slowed eating, but she's still picking at her cinnamon roll.

Despite eating four earlier. The silence was deafening at first, but soon she feels that familiar high-pitched buzz in her ear that comes with a silence that's been settled for too long.]

Tell me more about Albuquerque.

[5055034455]

What about it?

[Saul's not sure whether she's looking for business talk or a slightly more personal discussion. In either case, he wouldn't have much to say aside from I miss it.]

[hejhej]

All of it. Personal, business, whatever there is to tell. I want to understand why this is such a shitshow.

[5055034455]

Uh.

[That's a hefty order, Lisbeth.

He reaches for a napkin and cleans his fingers, then dabs at his mouth and shrugs.]

You're gonna have to be a little more direct than that.

[hejhej]

[oh for fuck's--

she looks him directly in the eye, leaning over the counter slightly]

Tell me why you, Jesse, and Walter Fucking White are such a shitshow.

[5055034455]

[He looks offended.]

I was not a shitshow until Walter Fucking White showed up. Neither was Jesse. Sure, we might have both been on that track, but there was a way off. Now? Pfft. Forget it. I explained Walter to you, didn't I? He's a man out of control, and you know how Jesse is. So loyal and caring and all that shit. It's a terrible combination. I dunno what else to tell you.

[hejhej]

What I don't understand is why he keeps Jesse around. They were constantly angry with each other; the version of Walter who came to Siren's Port is very much different than what I'm hearing from you about what he's doing in Exsilium.

But there's so many layers to this story that I don't think I can go to Jesse to understand it fully anymore.

[She's silent for a bit as she tries to word her next statement.]

I dug around in people's past for a living in Sweden and I promised not to do that to him. But when Walter, Gus, and Jane show up on my doorstep and he goes on a bender - I have to start asking questions.

[The only good visit was from Jane even if she and Lisbeth had butt heads to the point where it put a strain on their relationship with Jesse; he'd gone to rehab and cleaned up]

[5055034455]

[Ah, shit.

Saul's going to throw up if he actually has to say this out loud.

He downs a mouthful of coffee in preparation, cringes at having swallowed too much at once, then appears to steady himself before speaking.

God damn it.]

He needs Jesse. And for that reason, he thinks he cares about Jesse.

[hejhej]

[Lisbeth's face carries a deadpan expression at Saul's answer. That's not-- even she knows normal people don't do that.]

And I thought I was fucked up.

[5055034455]

Well, congratulations! You're not as fucked up as Walter White.

[He checks his pockets, frowns.]

Sorry. Fresh out of gold star stickers.

[hejhej]

And Jesse blurs the line too, doesn't he?