xp_logs | Topaz and Kurt || Wednesday Afternoon

Topaz wakes up in Marie-Ange's and Amanda's suite to find Kurt waiting for her.

Topaz was a bit disoriented when she finally woke up. That was the best she'd slept in months, but where was she? This definitely wasn't a hostel bed...

The pain in her feet helped ground in her reality, and she blinked as she sat up, shaking her head. Right. Amanda's and Marie-Ange's suite. She was back in the mansion. Right. She looked around to see if either of the suite's occupants were there so she could apologize for taking up their couch. They weren't.

But someone else was.

Someone else was sitting at the kitchen table with a book in his hands, but the moment she moved he'd looked up from it, and was now observing her with calm yellow eyes.

"Good morning."

"Is it really morning if it's noon?" Topaz asked with a wry smile, catching sight of the microwave clock. "Hey Kurt."

"Good afternoon, then." He smiled. "How are your feet?"

"Amanda told you?" She sighed. "They're alright. Med lab gave me somethin' for the pain when I got back, so it's not too bad. Gonna hurt to walk for a while though."

"Then you should do it as little as possible", Kurt said briskly. "I will happily be your personal taxicab around the mansion."

Topaz laughed a bit at that, resting her chin on the back of the couch. "Thanks. Thankfully we live in the age of technology where I don't actually have to leave to interact with anyone. Once I find a suite I can just sit on the couch and never have to move again."

"Find a suite?" He raised his eyebrows. "No one has moved into your old room, that I know of."

"Yeah, but that's student space." She shrugged in return. "And I kind of just want my own space now, not have to worry about sharing with three other girls. Not that I didn't love livin' with Hope or anythin', but roommates are exhaustin'."

"...I admit I was still thinking of you as a student." He smiled crookedly. "Of course you must have your own space, then. Perhaps not even shared with one."

"Well I'm still makin' stupid choices like one so that's not completely your fault." She could joke about it now, kind of. But this latest stupid choice had been way too close.

"Topaz." He stood up, taking a step closer. "I read the report. You were trying to do good."

"Yeah that's a step up I guess," Topaz ceded with a small, only slightly self-deprecating smile. "On the other hand them deciding to burn me first probably saved four girls so I'll take that as a win."

"Most definitely a win", Kurt agreed. "And even more of one that you were saved with such minor injuries."

"Yeah, can thank Mr. Wilson for that." She ran a hand through her hair, sighing. "And now I'm zero for two in the father department. Don't seem to be havin' much luck there."

"Who was this man?" Kurt asked. "And did you know before this about his wife and daughter?"

"Yeah, I did. S'why I went there." Topaz shrugged. "He's no one, really. I mean when it's all said and done I didn't go lookin' for a family or anythin'. I just sorta hoped not everyone somehow related to me is mental. That doesn't seem to be holdin' up too well so far."

He offered a sympathetic smile. "Please consider my blood relatives. Except for Marie."

That got him a laugh. "Fair. If ever there was a good time to be the black sheep of the family."

"There really ought to be a club. Or perhaps you should just consider yourself inducted into the Szardos clan."

"Can never have too many strays with bad families, right?"

"We thrive on taking them in." He smiled. "Bad families or no known families."

"Oddly enough, I manage to be a bit of both." Topaz pushed herself up, wincing a bit as she shifted her weight between her feet. "Guess I should get off their couch already. Mind helpin' me get my stuff from the attic? S'just a few boxes."

"Not at all. But you will not be carrying anything on your feet, stop that."

"No it's fine, really. I can deal." Her argument probably wasn't helped by the fact that she was still shifting around.

"Topaz, do not make me teleport you to a room I can lock you into while I fetch your things."

He would, too.

He absolutely would. "Alright," she ceded. "I'll just...show you where it all is, then."

Kurt made his way over and offered his arm, pointedly.

"Can you manage the stairs?"

Topaz gave him a look but took his arm. No point in kicking up a fuss. "Yeah, just have to take it slow."

"Then I will spare you the smell of brimstone", he said, blithely ignoring the look.

Okay, so...maybe it was good to be back.

But Topaz wasn't going to admit that quite yet.

"Sounds good. Let's get going. I can walk but like I said, it's slow."