Topaz and Wanda (Backdated to Tuesday)
Feb. 6th, 2018 09:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsWanda knows the secret to get Topaz to open the door - alcohol.
Pausing outside the suite door, Wanda shifted the brown bag she was carrying to her hip to free up one hand. She knocked loudly enough to be heard if one was awake but not loudly enough to wake someone up if they were asleep. Hedging her bets seemed to be a life style choice these days.
Topaz was awake. She had gotten a couple hours of sleep the night before, until the nightmares had started. Then it had been caffeinated tea to keep herself awake. The news had finally stopped constantly reporting about the cemetery, so Topaz had switched to Netflix and rewatching Black Mirror. She probably needed to think about going back to school or something, but the idea of leaving her suite just sounded... awful. And then, of course, there were the knocks that kept coming at her door. She sighed quietly, not even bothering to pause her show. "No one's home, leave a message," she called instead.
The response was not surprising, all things considered. "Alcohol delivery," Wanda responded, "which certainly can be left at the door instead of a direct delivery since no one is home." Technically she knew Topaz wasn't legal to drink by US laws but she thought those rules were asinine, especially considering what Topaz had been through. She didn't make it a habit of giving alcohol to those underage but between the shit that went down and the fact that Topaz' birthday was in a little under a month, she was happy to bend the rules.
She shifted the bag and started to place it against the door where someone passing wouldn't accidentally kick it.
That sparked Topaz's interest. Her cabinet was running low - one bottle of wine and some vodka. And getting more required going out. An alcohol delivery service was hardly something she could pass up.
Finally she hit pause and crossed the room in a couple quick strides, unlocking her door and peeking out carefully. "You gonna ask me how I'm doing?" She asked Wanda cautiously.
"Absolutely not," Wanda said cheerfully. "I am simply a bringer of scotch and rum. And if you don't like either of them, I will happily take it off your hands."
Topaz looked her up and down, eyeing her carefully. She wasn't being dishonest. Finally she slowly opened the door. "You're really not going to ask?"
More serious now, she shook her head. "I promise, I really am not. If you wanted to bend my ear I would be more than happy to let you do so." Wanda gave Topaz a small smile. "But I have a feeling that is something you do not want, so I am happy to let you handle this the way you need to. My large spy network confirmed that you are not far off from 21, so I simply am bringing a, ah, care package."
"Okay," Topaz finally relented, stepping aside to let Wanda in. She didn't really know Wanda, and really, that was okay. She didn't know what points to hit like other people did. Maybe she actually wouldn't ask.
"As I said, I brought both scotch and rum - you are welcome to both if you like them but I know scotch tends to be a more acquired taste." Seeing a spot on the table, she set down the paper bag and started to unload it. Wanda glanced up at Topaz as she pulled out the two bottles. Of course she was concerned - what had happened the other day had been horrifying, even by her standards, but she'd meant what she said. If she was a betting woman - and she was - she'd place good money that there were more than enough people breaking down Topaz' door to ask her how she was doing.
She didn't need one more.
Topaz went to get a glass, then paused, hesitating. "Um... do you want a drink?" She was so bad at this, but Wanda had brought the alcohol. The least she could was offer.
"Weird life survival rule number 88, never turn down a drink. This really is a gift for you but I won't say no to a glass."
"There are survival rules?" Topaz asked, handing over a glass. "Gotta learn those."
Pointing with the glass, she silently asked Topaz if she'd prefer the rum or the scotch to be opened. "It's amazing what you can find on the internet when you're doing never ending research and need a distraction. It was either that or more cat gifs."
"Scotch," Topaz replied. "I'll have to look them up. The rules, I mean. I've seen plenty of cat gifs. Not quite enough on how to survive anything."
"I had an inkling it would be the scotch." Which, bonus, it was her favorite as well. Points to Topaz. It didn't take much effort to open the bottle and Wanda poured Topaz a glass first before her own. "The only thing cat gifs teach us is that no matter how bored we are, there is always someone else that is far more bored and with far more time on their hands than us."
That got Wanda a rather humorless smile. "Yeah. Thanks. I wish I had that much time on my hands." Midnight came out of her corner, sniffing around and meowing pathetically. "I just fed you," Topaz informed the cat. "At least GIFs don't make sounds."
"Cheers to both being bored and GIFs having no sound." She shuddered to think of the havoc Doug would wreak, he was already bad enough with soundless GIFS. Wanda took a sip of scotch before bending down, fingers out, to the cat. "Reminds me of some of the cats on the dig sites. We were not supposed to feed them or let them sleep in the tents with us but they all had a knack for looking just sad enough that we'd eventually give in."
"Digs?" Topaz repeated, taking a sip of her own drink. It was a bit stronger than usually drank, but it was good. Midnight sniffed Wanda's fingers for a moment, then nudged them for pets.
Wanda happily obliged, strong fingers scratching gently under Midnight's chin and around her ears. "Archaeological digs," she explained. "Back when I was attending university and for some time after that. I have a crazy old professor who still drags me out on occasion. Lots of heat, dirt, terribly whiskey and, sometimes, cats."
Topaz tilted her head, thinking. "The cat part sounds nice," she said finally, leaning against her counter. Wanda still wasn't asking, so she could deal with this conversation for a bit.
"It was one of the best perks, honestly. They were quite the little hunters." With a groan, she gave the cat one last pet before standing up, her back popping slightly. "It was very educational and could be a lot of fun but it was backbreaking work. Luckily I am at the point now where if I go, I direct those poor bastards, the interns and students, whereas I used to be one of them. I, at least, bring better alcohol."
"Cheers to that," Topaz murmured, taking another sip of her drink. "Doesn't sound so bad, though." At least Wanda had done things.
"No, not really all that bad, sunburns and all. How do you like the scotch so far?"
"Oh." She looked down at the glass. "S'good. Thanks again for..." She waved her free hand vaguely.
Wanda gave her a lopsided smile. "I am happy to deliver solicited and unsolicited drinks any time. I am like Santa, only for adults. And better looking." Finishing the rest of her drink, she left the glass next to the bottles. "I have a date with a crossword puzzle and some reports so I will leave you and the scotch to become acquainted."
Topaz nodded slowly, swirling her drink around in my glass. She had a feeling they would get very acquainted. "Yeah. I'll do that."
Pausing outside the suite door, Wanda shifted the brown bag she was carrying to her hip to free up one hand. She knocked loudly enough to be heard if one was awake but not loudly enough to wake someone up if they were asleep. Hedging her bets seemed to be a life style choice these days.
Topaz was awake. She had gotten a couple hours of sleep the night before, until the nightmares had started. Then it had been caffeinated tea to keep herself awake. The news had finally stopped constantly reporting about the cemetery, so Topaz had switched to Netflix and rewatching Black Mirror. She probably needed to think about going back to school or something, but the idea of leaving her suite just sounded... awful. And then, of course, there were the knocks that kept coming at her door. She sighed quietly, not even bothering to pause her show. "No one's home, leave a message," she called instead.
The response was not surprising, all things considered. "Alcohol delivery," Wanda responded, "which certainly can be left at the door instead of a direct delivery since no one is home." Technically she knew Topaz wasn't legal to drink by US laws but she thought those rules were asinine, especially considering what Topaz had been through. She didn't make it a habit of giving alcohol to those underage but between the shit that went down and the fact that Topaz' birthday was in a little under a month, she was happy to bend the rules.
She shifted the bag and started to place it against the door where someone passing wouldn't accidentally kick it.
That sparked Topaz's interest. Her cabinet was running low - one bottle of wine and some vodka. And getting more required going out. An alcohol delivery service was hardly something she could pass up.
Finally she hit pause and crossed the room in a couple quick strides, unlocking her door and peeking out carefully. "You gonna ask me how I'm doing?" She asked Wanda cautiously.
"Absolutely not," Wanda said cheerfully. "I am simply a bringer of scotch and rum. And if you don't like either of them, I will happily take it off your hands."
Topaz looked her up and down, eyeing her carefully. She wasn't being dishonest. Finally she slowly opened the door. "You're really not going to ask?"
More serious now, she shook her head. "I promise, I really am not. If you wanted to bend my ear I would be more than happy to let you do so." Wanda gave Topaz a small smile. "But I have a feeling that is something you do not want, so I am happy to let you handle this the way you need to. My large spy network confirmed that you are not far off from 21, so I simply am bringing a, ah, care package."
"Okay," Topaz finally relented, stepping aside to let Wanda in. She didn't really know Wanda, and really, that was okay. She didn't know what points to hit like other people did. Maybe she actually wouldn't ask.
"As I said, I brought both scotch and rum - you are welcome to both if you like them but I know scotch tends to be a more acquired taste." Seeing a spot on the table, she set down the paper bag and started to unload it. Wanda glanced up at Topaz as she pulled out the two bottles. Of course she was concerned - what had happened the other day had been horrifying, even by her standards, but she'd meant what she said. If she was a betting woman - and she was - she'd place good money that there were more than enough people breaking down Topaz' door to ask her how she was doing.
She didn't need one more.
Topaz went to get a glass, then paused, hesitating. "Um... do you want a drink?" She was so bad at this, but Wanda had brought the alcohol. The least she could was offer.
"Weird life survival rule number 88, never turn down a drink. This really is a gift for you but I won't say no to a glass."
"There are survival rules?" Topaz asked, handing over a glass. "Gotta learn those."
Pointing with the glass, she silently asked Topaz if she'd prefer the rum or the scotch to be opened. "It's amazing what you can find on the internet when you're doing never ending research and need a distraction. It was either that or more cat gifs."
"Scotch," Topaz replied. "I'll have to look them up. The rules, I mean. I've seen plenty of cat gifs. Not quite enough on how to survive anything."
"I had an inkling it would be the scotch." Which, bonus, it was her favorite as well. Points to Topaz. It didn't take much effort to open the bottle and Wanda poured Topaz a glass first before her own. "The only thing cat gifs teach us is that no matter how bored we are, there is always someone else that is far more bored and with far more time on their hands than us."
That got Wanda a rather humorless smile. "Yeah. Thanks. I wish I had that much time on my hands." Midnight came out of her corner, sniffing around and meowing pathetically. "I just fed you," Topaz informed the cat. "At least GIFs don't make sounds."
"Cheers to both being bored and GIFs having no sound." She shuddered to think of the havoc Doug would wreak, he was already bad enough with soundless GIFS. Wanda took a sip of scotch before bending down, fingers out, to the cat. "Reminds me of some of the cats on the dig sites. We were not supposed to feed them or let them sleep in the tents with us but they all had a knack for looking just sad enough that we'd eventually give in."
"Digs?" Topaz repeated, taking a sip of her own drink. It was a bit stronger than usually drank, but it was good. Midnight sniffed Wanda's fingers for a moment, then nudged them for pets.
Wanda happily obliged, strong fingers scratching gently under Midnight's chin and around her ears. "Archaeological digs," she explained. "Back when I was attending university and for some time after that. I have a crazy old professor who still drags me out on occasion. Lots of heat, dirt, terribly whiskey and, sometimes, cats."
Topaz tilted her head, thinking. "The cat part sounds nice," she said finally, leaning against her counter. Wanda still wasn't asking, so she could deal with this conversation for a bit.
"It was one of the best perks, honestly. They were quite the little hunters." With a groan, she gave the cat one last pet before standing up, her back popping slightly. "It was very educational and could be a lot of fun but it was backbreaking work. Luckily I am at the point now where if I go, I direct those poor bastards, the interns and students, whereas I used to be one of them. I, at least, bring better alcohol."
"Cheers to that," Topaz murmured, taking another sip of her drink. "Doesn't sound so bad, though." At least Wanda had done things.
"No, not really all that bad, sunburns and all. How do you like the scotch so far?"
"Oh." She looked down at the glass. "S'good. Thanks again for..." She waved her free hand vaguely.
Wanda gave her a lopsided smile. "I am happy to deliver solicited and unsolicited drinks any time. I am like Santa, only for adults. And better looking." Finishing the rest of her drink, she left the glass next to the bottles. "I have a date with a crossword puzzle and some reports so I will leave you and the scotch to become acquainted."
Topaz nodded slowly, swirling her drink around in my glass. She had a feeling they would get very acquainted. "Yeah. I'll do that."
