xp_logs | Topaz and Clint (Backdated)

Topaz and Clint meet in the rec room and discuss life as currently stands. Backdated to October 14.

Clint lugged his entire stack of textbooks into the rec room and dropped them with a thud on the coffee table. He had assignments for English and Russian he needed to do and there was another one for Mechanical Engineering he really wanted to start, even though it wasn't due until the following week. Staying ahead of all his classes homework-wise was challenging and it left him feeling a little sleep deprived. With his X-Men trainee work and Danger Room sessions on Fridays plus his shift at Deli-CAT-essen on Saturdays, he found himself sleeping late on Sundays. Tuesdays and Thursdays wound up being the best days for work in general, since he got out of class in the city early.

He didn't realize there was anyone else in the room until he went to flop on the couch and realized it was already occupied. "Crap, sorry," he said, catching himself before he actually sat on Topaz.

"Time to get your eyes checked?" Topaz asked, amused, as she spoke around the pen cap she'd been chewing. She had planned on moving before he actually sat, but she'd been curious to see how far he would actually get before he realized she was sitting there. She pulled the pen out of her mouth, pausing the music that had been playing on her laptop on the couch next to her. "I'm guessin' this is the only time you have to do homework." More of a statement than a question. He looked like he had every textbook he owned with him.

"Tuesdays and Thursdays and sometimes Sunday, when I'm not marathoning horror movies with Tandy," Clint said, nodding. He shifted over to one of the chairs, pulling all his books over to the right side of the coffee table. "And maybe you should just like. Make some noise or something or move around - I'm really good at spotting movement." He smiled, though, indicating her earbuds. "What're you listening to?"

"Hey, I'm breathin', my chest is movin' up and down and everythin'. And every now and then I turn a page in the book. Not sure how much more movement you want." She smirked as she pulled out the ear buds, tossing them aside. "Arcade Fire. One of those bands you've either never heard of or you know and you love them, I think." Her interest in them was a little less intense than the loving stage, but she could appreciate good music.

"I've heard of them, actually," Clint offered. "I've just never really listened to them. Actually, I don't listen to much much at all. Huh. Frank played that band a lot, though - sometimes with the door to his room open." He considered that briefly as he fiddled with the book at the top of his pile. "And anyway, you don't make sudden movements. Those catch my attention best." He paused again, frowning a little. "You heard anything from Frank?"

"Yeah Frank would be of the lovin' them variety. Bit of an obsession actually." As he fiddled with his book she returned her attention to her own, marking where she'd left off. "Next time I'll do a dance when you walk into the room. Sound good?" At his question about Frank she paused a bit, looking up. "Yeah. He's back in public school, seems to be going alright. Still not too thrilled with his dad pullin' him out but I mean, considering the danger rate for people under eighteen here -- and over eighteen, let's be real -- can't really blame him."

"Yeah," Clint said. "Same thing with Maddie. The school's gonna get a bad reputation if things keep up the way they've been going." Kidnappings and disappearances and demon possessions - it could get worse, he was sure. Things could always get worse. He just really, really wished it'd get better, instead, so he'd stop losing friends. "You two keeping in touch, though? Got plans to see him any time soon?"

"Well on the bright side people don't usually find out about the bad things until after they get here," Topaz pointed out dryly. "I'm sure if Amanda had mentioned the school's penchant for attracting kidnappings and demons I would've thought twice before I let her drop me here." Probably not though. Options hadn't really been a thing at that time. At Clint's question, she shrugged. "Keepin' in touch, yeah. I don't think seein' him is gonna happen though, his dad's bein' a bit weird about...anythin' connected to here, really. I don't wanna cause trouble for him."

"You really think it'd be that big a deal with his dad and everything?" Clint asked tilting his head to the side.

"Frank seems to think so." Topaz shrugged. "Honestly I never met his dad so I can't judge. If it is then just as well, who needs the drama anyways. Love the quiet life, me."

Clint frowned. "Frank seems to be being kind of an ass." Not that that wasn't... entirely unexpected. Frank'd sort of had an 'asshole' problem, anyway. Even without adding more issues with his dad and getting pulled out of school.

Another shrug. "Maybe a bit." Topaz cared about Frank, but she never made excuses for him. "And if he gets his head out of his arse he knows where I am, but in the mean time I've got midterms and powers classes and a room to redecorate - you know I have my own room for the first time in two years? - point is I've got enough going on." She really wasn't too cut up about it. She was used to people coming in and out of her life. It didn't phase her anymore.

"How'd you swing your own room? I'm still sharing with Billy," Clint said, deciding not to pursue the issue of Frank. It didn't seem like Topaz was horribly upset or anything, at least.

"Well Maddie's gone, Hope's in the other room, and Molly's in the other suite, so..." She shrugged again. "I'm sure eventually someone will catch on and move us all in together but I might as well take advantage of this while I can, right?"

"Yeah, I can see that," Clint said, nodding. "You got any big plans, or are you just talking about a new comforter or something."

"Not really sure yet," Topaz admitted. "Need to figure out what I can get away with first. Somehow I doubt they'll let me paint the room."

"It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission," Clint said. "Just get me and some of the other students to help you paint one day. It'll be done before they have a chance to be like, 'Hang on.' And then you can be like, 'It was team bonding!' Or something."

"But Mr. Haller is always telling me to be more social!" Topaz said in a high-pitched version of her own voice. "It's part of my therapy! I like it." Her voice returned to normal on that last part. "Just need to figure out a color now."

"Yeah, exactly," Clint said, quirking a smile. "We could take a trip to that Sherwin-Williams in town if you want, look at all those little pieces of paper, see if they'll give you samples so you can see what it looks like on the wall before making up your mind."

"You offerin' to help?" Topaz asked with a bit of a smirk. "Because I won't lie, I'm pretty bad at this. My bedroom was a horrid green for about four years because I couldn't figure out what I wanted to change it to." Alice had tried so hard. But Topaz was pretty sure she'd been color blind.

"Well, I won't be much help with picking a color unless you want 'that's a darker shade of gray,' but I can go with you and then actually help with the painting," Clint said. "Besides, that's what the people at the store are for. They give advice and stuff."

"Nothin' wrong with a nice shade of grey I suppose," Topaz said thoughtfully. "I'll save that one for a last resort though."

"So... let's ditch the studying and reading and head for a paint shop," Clint said. He'd work on his Russian, English, and Mechanical Engineering later. Probably.

"Any excuse not to do homework, right?" The girl was already packing up her books, however. She'd done enough work for one day anyways.