xp_logs | Topaz and Kurt (Backdated)

Kurt catches Topaz sneaking out for a late-night drive. As usual, the conversation doesn't go the way she expects it to. (Backdated to early Sunday morning).

It was late - well past midnight when Topaz finally gave up on the idea of sleeping. She snuck out of the suite, pulling her jacket on as she went, and made her way downstairs, heading for the garage. The mansion, strange as it was, had become too small for her after so many nights of walking the halls. She'd recently taken to going for drives as well. It helped a bit.

Kurt wasn't sleeping either, but this was nothing unusual. He stepped out of the shadows at the foot of the stairs, almost as if he'd been expecting her.

"Hello, Topaz."

Topaz jumped, whirling to look at Kurt. She wasn't doing anything wrong - she was eighteen, she was allowed to leave in the middle of the night if she wanted, as long as she was back in time for school the next day. But she still couldn't help but feel like a kid with her hand caught in the cookie jar. "Hey Kurt." To her credit, she kept her voice level. "What's up?"

"I could ask you the same." He wasn't telling her off, because she was allowed to do as she liked, and in fact his voice was conversational, almost as if it wasn't the middle of the night. "It is some time since we spoke - how are you?"

Oh god Topaz hated that question. "I'm alright," she lied easily - too easily, it was becoming second nature for her again. "Still survivin'. You?"

"Still surviving", he echoed. "As I always do."

"Feels like that's all we can do sometimes," Topaz muttered, casting a look around. The hallway was empty, of course - most people had normal sleep habits and were dead to the world.

It was just the mad insomniacs who were still awake now.

"And sometimes, it is hard." He looked at her steadily. "Particularly when we cannot explain just what we have survived."

Topaz's shoulders hunched up a bit at that. She didn't usually talk about it - nobody ever made her, and quite honestly she didn't want to. "Yeah well. Not allowed to talk about it."

"We can where no one can hear." He glanced towards the garage door. "Would you like to go out?"

She had walked into this one, she supposed. She followed his gaze and gave a small nod. "Yeah. Sure."

"You do not have to", Kurt said calmly. "But if you were going anyway..."

"No. I mean, yes." Topaz shook her head, sighing. "Let's go. I want to." Really getting out was all she wanted. And maybe company would be nice.

"Good, then." He turned towards the garage. "You can drive, because I... cannot."

"I'm good with that," Topaz agreed as she headed into the garage. She liked driving. It was relaxing.

Kurt smiled quietly and followed her.

"Did you have a destination in mind, or just to drive until you stop?"

"Just drive." It was after midnight, after all. It wasn't like there was much open at this time.

"That sounds fair", he agreed. "Perhaps at a certain distance, we can stop and stay a while before driving home."

"Yeah, that sounds good," Topaz agreed quietly. Anything to not having to come back to the mansion for a while.

"Or", Kurt said gently, "even take rooms at some cheap hotel. If you need to be away longer."

He could always call and explain.

"I don't have the money for that." Unfortunately. She needed to save what she had for the summer.

"I do." He shrugged. "The choice is yours."

It was an appealing offer, Topaz wouldn't lie. "Can we decide when we get...wherever?"

"Of course." He made an old-fashioned ushering gesture as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "Which car did you plan to take?"

"Uh...the black one." She didn't know cars very well. "Think it's the Sedan?"

Kurt had even less idea than she did.

"As you like. Whichever it suits you to drive."

It was the one furthest in the back, easiest to get out - she wasn't very good at backing up so the less obstacles she had the better. She grabbed the keys, signing it out - not something she usually did but then again she was usually alone - and headed for the car.

Kurt slipped into the passenger seat as Topaz got in on the other side, and smiled at her.

"Well, then, we are ready."

Topaz nodded, starting the car and silently pulling out of the garage.