Molly and Topaz || Sunday Afternoon
Feb. 25th, 2018 11:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsMolly takes refuge in the church library to work on college essays and totally not to ask Topaz how she's doing or anything. Really.
"Aw damn it."
Topaz sighed as she picked the heavy, leatherbound book. Amanda's, of course. She thought she had returned all of these. Must have gotten mixed into hers, she thought as she brought it to her office. Matt wasn't in his own office, so of course she was blasting music. This was usually enough to deter people from bothering her.
Well, at least most people.
There came a knock at the door, a cheerful tap that was loud enough to be heard over the music.
"Hey! It's me," a voice called cheerfully.
Topaz put the book down on her desk, peeking out. How hard had she hit the door? It was a long moment of consideration before Topaz finally crossed the library, turning the music down as she went (she wasn't completely without manners), and opened the door. "Hey Molly," she said, rocking back on her heels. "What's up?"
Molly peered up at her with a smile. "So...I was going to try finishing up applying for some schools and I was wondering if I could work in here?" she said, biting her lip with a hopeful grin.
"I think your organized study brain rubs off on me and it helps...like osmosis. There's like....a ton of essays and stuff."
She held up a box.
"Also...I need someone to share this other cupcake or I will eat it and everyone will be sorry."
"Oh, uh...." Topaz looked around at her still messy library. She didn't understand how Clint had so many damn books. "I don't mind, but it's kind of a mess. Might not be the best studying space."
Molly gave Topaz her 'for serious' look. "Dude, you lived in my room," she said, quickly breaking the look with a laugh.
"This is like...nothing."
She held out the box. "There's a double chocolate and a Neapolitan cupcake in there. You can totally have whichever," she said, carrying a backpack over her shoulder as she ambled her way in and plopped down in a chair, ignoring the piles and piles and piles of books save to move some aside as she took out her laptop.
"So one of the essay questions is like....where do you wanna be in five years? And I wanna be a superhero but....I can't put that so....it's hard."
Well, this was happening. "Uh..." Topaz closed the door and went back to her organizing. "I dunno," she said after a minute, tilting her head as she moved books around. "In five years you want to be.... helping people and making a difference?"
Noticing Topaz didn't take the box, the brightness in Molly's eyes faltered a little before coming back as she left the box on the table.
"Yeah, but that's like...one sentence. This has to be 500 words," she said, then made a face and slumped against her keyboard.
"Maybe I'm just supposed to be a freeloader."
"As long as those are written well, you can write whatever you want," Topaz said. "One of mine was name an event in your life that influenced who you are today and how the hell am I supposed to write about any of the actual events? I ended up just talking about how moving to America was a turning point in my life and how I hoped to go back to London one day to live a better life."
The idea of answering this question had Molly's mind spinning. She'd been living with either the X-People or in Asgard since she was 13. Her eyes widened.
"You are way cleverer at schoolinese than me," she said with a grin, plugging in her laptop. She then cracked her knuckles.
"Okay, I'm gonna try to write something realllly insightful and like...totally not made up or anything."
"And five hundred words isn't as much as it sounds," Topaz assured Molly, going to grab another pile of books. These ones were actually hers, so she couldn't complain much. "You can hit that in no time."
Molly shrugged. "You can say that cause you're book chick. I'm science chick. I can totally make them something but like....a robot. With wings," she said. She eyed her computer as it booted up, listening to it whir before she turned her attention back to Topaz.
"So...um...hi."
Topaz stopped mid-shelving, frowning and looking back at Molly. "Hi?" She said slowly. Hadn't they already done this part?
Blinking Molly slowly nodded as she knew that sounded random. She nodded again. "Yep. Hi," she said, swallowing as she stared very very carefully at the laptop. That was awkward.
She knew what she wanted to say but if she did then it'd be even more awkward and then like....things would be awkward and then Topaz would be sad or mad or something and then...She furrowed a brow at her laptop as Microsoft Word finally popped up, biting her lip as she didn't say anything else.
Topaz bit down a sigh. She knew what Molly wanted to ask. It was the same question everyone who saw her was dancing around when they managed to get her attention. How are you doing? Are you okay? How's it going? or, rarely, what happened? Every question she didn't want to hear. She resumed shelving the books in her arms, giving them more attention than they really needed. "Can we not do the concern for physical or mental state thing?" She finally asked, her voice somewhere between frustrated (not at Molly - just at the rest of the world) and exhausted. "I'm okay, what happened is over, there's no point in talking about it."
Molly nodded. "Okay. No talking," she said. Just thinking, really hard about concern for the physical or mental state thing. Totally allowed.
Scratching her nose, she let out a breath and started typing. She managed to get her name and to save the file before that was it. She sat back, occasionally glancing up to Topaz, then back toward the screen.
Topaz finished shelving the books and went to start on the next pile. Back to Clint's stuff. She really didn't want to clean out her entire magic collection in her suite, but the science really was overwhelming. It'd be nice to have some things she could actually understand. "So what are you thinking for a topic?" She asked, keeping her eyes on her laptop as she checked the cover on the first book and started typing up the new tags.
Folding her arms, Molly squinted. "I'm thinking....I could tell them I want to make stuff that will help people do things better. They won't know I mean like....SHIELD or the X-People," she said.
"I'm trying to apply to like...ESU and NYU and Colombia and stuff."
"Like I said, you can write anything, they're not going to fact-check, they just want to know how passionate you are and how well you know to write. Get Kyle or someone to grammar check and you're good." Topaz checked the next book. She'd never had to catalog and stock an entire library before - she loved books but this was ridiculous. "NYU isn't too bad. Nice campus, professors I've had are good, etc."
Molly grinned. "Dude, maybe....you could give me a tour? I dunno. I like ESU's engineering program too. Their seniors get like....a whole lab," she said. She shrugged.
"I mean, I get part of a lab here too but like....two labs. That's like, a lab and a half. Y'know?"
She eyed the box of cupcakes.
"So how long til you graduate?" she said.
Molly knew she herself was really far behind.
'Yeah, I don't know much about the NYU engineering program," Topaz said. "But you're free to come with me any time. I'm sure there's someone you can ask about."
She tilted her head at the question about graduating. "Ah... if you listen to my adviser, I'm going to be a perpetual senior. It took me until the end of my first year to pick a major and then I picked up a second one this year, so I'm a bit behind. I think I made her cry when I said I wanted to add a minor too. There was definitely despair in her head when I left."
Molly laughed. "You mean she's not happy you're still in school? I mean....like...learning stuff. It's fun!" she said. She paused.
"Wait, what IS your major anyway?"
"I think she's worried I'm not, ya know, meeting my potential or something." Topaz shrugged. "I have a double major in psychology and library science."
Molly slowly nodded, a lack of surprise on her face. "Totally makes sense," she said with a grin, then studied her thoughtfully.
"Do you think you're meeting your potential?"
"Oh blimey," Topaz sighed. She reached around Molly, opening the cupcake box and picking off a bit of the Neapolitan cupcake, popping it in her mouth. "Not you too." She was well aware she was worthless. She didn't her adviser or Molly to call her on it.
Molly's brows furrowed in confusion.
"Not me too?" she said.
"I've already had this talk with my adviser." Twice. "I'm just... taking my time, is all."
Molly grabbed the chocolate cupcake. "Cause you like school?" she said.
Because she didn't care anymore. "Something like that, yeah," Topaz said vaguely, returning her attention to the books. "Shouldn't you be working on your essay?"
Picking at the wrapper, Molly didn't seem too satisfied with Topaz's reply but didn't say anything. Whatever happened made Topaz's eyes different. It was almost like cold electricity crackled there now, warning anyone who got near to stay back. It made Molly sad.
She peered down at her computer. "Yeah, I should," she said.
"I'll read it over when you're done, if you want," Topaz said, a bit lighter now that the topic had changed to something she didn't mind talking about.
Molly brightened. "Really?" she said.
"That'd be great! I mean...if you wanna. I know you're busy booking things. With books, I mean....like...librarying," she said, waving her hand across the library like she were showing off a prize.
"Trust me, this work isn't going anywhere." Topaz shook her head, shooting a look at the large pile of books. "And I've got plenty of time to kill."
"Oh! I can help with books," Molly said, not procrastinating at all.
She then tilted her head. "Why do you have time to kill?"
"After you write your essay," Topaz said, almost smiling. "Well, I'm not at school, and I'm not sleeping, and I'm not doing homework, so. I've got time."
Molly made a face. "Okay," she said, scrunching her nose as she eyed the screen.
"Totally gotta get right on that."
A slightly more mischievous smile pulled at Topaz's lips, and she grabbed the cupcake box as she walked by. "Finish your essay and I'll give these back."
Mouth dropping open, Molly made with the grabby hands.
"But, cupcake..." she said, pouting.
"Fine, two-hundred and fifty words," Topaz amended. "I won't eat them, but you don't get them back either."
Letting out a sigh, Molly rested her head against the chair, glancing up at the ceiling.
"Okay...but that is so devious," she murmured, sitting up to get back in a typing position. For a few minutes, the sounds of typing filled the room until the typing slowly died away and Molly glanced up at Topaz.
"But....what if I do all this and they still say no?"
"Then you try again," Topaz said simply. "That's what we do around around here, right? Just keep trying?" Even when it seemed absolutely insane and by all accounts they should have just given up.
Falling silent, Molly slowly nodded. "Right," she said with a renewed sense of confidence as she gave her a soft smile.
"Thanks for the....y'know...pep talk."
"Oh that's nothing to thank me for," Topaz said, returning to her work on the books.
"Why not?" Molly said, keeping an eye on Topaz to see where she went as she continued to type.
"It was helpful."
Topaz had disappeared behind another shelf. "I'm glad I could help."
"Totally," Molly said. The moment Topaz made her way behind a shelf, Molly had slipped out of her chair and grabbed her cupcake, sitting quickly back down. The good thing about working with Sif was learning to be very quiet.
She quickly set to typing more with one hand, as she used her other to take a big bite.
"Aw damn it."
Topaz sighed as she picked the heavy, leatherbound book. Amanda's, of course. She thought she had returned all of these. Must have gotten mixed into hers, she thought as she brought it to her office. Matt wasn't in his own office, so of course she was blasting music. This was usually enough to deter people from bothering her.
Well, at least most people.
There came a knock at the door, a cheerful tap that was loud enough to be heard over the music.
"Hey! It's me," a voice called cheerfully.
Topaz put the book down on her desk, peeking out. How hard had she hit the door? It was a long moment of consideration before Topaz finally crossed the library, turning the music down as she went (she wasn't completely without manners), and opened the door. "Hey Molly," she said, rocking back on her heels. "What's up?"
Molly peered up at her with a smile. "So...I was going to try finishing up applying for some schools and I was wondering if I could work in here?" she said, biting her lip with a hopeful grin.
"I think your organized study brain rubs off on me and it helps...like osmosis. There's like....a ton of essays and stuff."
She held up a box.
"Also...I need someone to share this other cupcake or I will eat it and everyone will be sorry."
"Oh, uh...." Topaz looked around at her still messy library. She didn't understand how Clint had so many damn books. "I don't mind, but it's kind of a mess. Might not be the best studying space."
Molly gave Topaz her 'for serious' look. "Dude, you lived in my room," she said, quickly breaking the look with a laugh.
"This is like...nothing."
She held out the box. "There's a double chocolate and a Neapolitan cupcake in there. You can totally have whichever," she said, carrying a backpack over her shoulder as she ambled her way in and plopped down in a chair, ignoring the piles and piles and piles of books save to move some aside as she took out her laptop.
"So one of the essay questions is like....where do you wanna be in five years? And I wanna be a superhero but....I can't put that so....it's hard."
Well, this was happening. "Uh..." Topaz closed the door and went back to her organizing. "I dunno," she said after a minute, tilting her head as she moved books around. "In five years you want to be.... helping people and making a difference?"
Noticing Topaz didn't take the box, the brightness in Molly's eyes faltered a little before coming back as she left the box on the table.
"Yeah, but that's like...one sentence. This has to be 500 words," she said, then made a face and slumped against her keyboard.
"Maybe I'm just supposed to be a freeloader."
"As long as those are written well, you can write whatever you want," Topaz said. "One of mine was name an event in your life that influenced who you are today and how the hell am I supposed to write about any of the actual events? I ended up just talking about how moving to America was a turning point in my life and how I hoped to go back to London one day to live a better life."
The idea of answering this question had Molly's mind spinning. She'd been living with either the X-People or in Asgard since she was 13. Her eyes widened.
"You are way cleverer at schoolinese than me," she said with a grin, plugging in her laptop. She then cracked her knuckles.
"Okay, I'm gonna try to write something realllly insightful and like...totally not made up or anything."
"And five hundred words isn't as much as it sounds," Topaz assured Molly, going to grab another pile of books. These ones were actually hers, so she couldn't complain much. "You can hit that in no time."
Molly shrugged. "You can say that cause you're book chick. I'm science chick. I can totally make them something but like....a robot. With wings," she said. She eyed her computer as it booted up, listening to it whir before she turned her attention back to Topaz.
"So...um...hi."
Topaz stopped mid-shelving, frowning and looking back at Molly. "Hi?" She said slowly. Hadn't they already done this part?
Blinking Molly slowly nodded as she knew that sounded random. She nodded again. "Yep. Hi," she said, swallowing as she stared very very carefully at the laptop. That was awkward.
She knew what she wanted to say but if she did then it'd be even more awkward and then like....things would be awkward and then Topaz would be sad or mad or something and then...She furrowed a brow at her laptop as Microsoft Word finally popped up, biting her lip as she didn't say anything else.
Topaz bit down a sigh. She knew what Molly wanted to ask. It was the same question everyone who saw her was dancing around when they managed to get her attention. How are you doing? Are you okay? How's it going? or, rarely, what happened? Every question she didn't want to hear. She resumed shelving the books in her arms, giving them more attention than they really needed. "Can we not do the concern for physical or mental state thing?" She finally asked, her voice somewhere between frustrated (not at Molly - just at the rest of the world) and exhausted. "I'm okay, what happened is over, there's no point in talking about it."
Molly nodded. "Okay. No talking," she said. Just thinking, really hard about concern for the physical or mental state thing. Totally allowed.
Scratching her nose, she let out a breath and started typing. She managed to get her name and to save the file before that was it. She sat back, occasionally glancing up to Topaz, then back toward the screen.
Topaz finished shelving the books and went to start on the next pile. Back to Clint's stuff. She really didn't want to clean out her entire magic collection in her suite, but the science really was overwhelming. It'd be nice to have some things she could actually understand. "So what are you thinking for a topic?" She asked, keeping her eyes on her laptop as she checked the cover on the first book and started typing up the new tags.
Folding her arms, Molly squinted. "I'm thinking....I could tell them I want to make stuff that will help people do things better. They won't know I mean like....SHIELD or the X-People," she said.
"I'm trying to apply to like...ESU and NYU and Colombia and stuff."
"Like I said, you can write anything, they're not going to fact-check, they just want to know how passionate you are and how well you know to write. Get Kyle or someone to grammar check and you're good." Topaz checked the next book. She'd never had to catalog and stock an entire library before - she loved books but this was ridiculous. "NYU isn't too bad. Nice campus, professors I've had are good, etc."
Molly grinned. "Dude, maybe....you could give me a tour? I dunno. I like ESU's engineering program too. Their seniors get like....a whole lab," she said. She shrugged.
"I mean, I get part of a lab here too but like....two labs. That's like, a lab and a half. Y'know?"
She eyed the box of cupcakes.
"So how long til you graduate?" she said.
Molly knew she herself was really far behind.
'Yeah, I don't know much about the NYU engineering program," Topaz said. "But you're free to come with me any time. I'm sure there's someone you can ask about."
She tilted her head at the question about graduating. "Ah... if you listen to my adviser, I'm going to be a perpetual senior. It took me until the end of my first year to pick a major and then I picked up a second one this year, so I'm a bit behind. I think I made her cry when I said I wanted to add a minor too. There was definitely despair in her head when I left."
Molly laughed. "You mean she's not happy you're still in school? I mean....like...learning stuff. It's fun!" she said. She paused.
"Wait, what IS your major anyway?"
"I think she's worried I'm not, ya know, meeting my potential or something." Topaz shrugged. "I have a double major in psychology and library science."
Molly slowly nodded, a lack of surprise on her face. "Totally makes sense," she said with a grin, then studied her thoughtfully.
"Do you think you're meeting your potential?"
"Oh blimey," Topaz sighed. She reached around Molly, opening the cupcake box and picking off a bit of the Neapolitan cupcake, popping it in her mouth. "Not you too." She was well aware she was worthless. She didn't her adviser or Molly to call her on it.
Molly's brows furrowed in confusion.
"Not me too?" she said.
"I've already had this talk with my adviser." Twice. "I'm just... taking my time, is all."
Molly grabbed the chocolate cupcake. "Cause you like school?" she said.
Because she didn't care anymore. "Something like that, yeah," Topaz said vaguely, returning her attention to the books. "Shouldn't you be working on your essay?"
Picking at the wrapper, Molly didn't seem too satisfied with Topaz's reply but didn't say anything. Whatever happened made Topaz's eyes different. It was almost like cold electricity crackled there now, warning anyone who got near to stay back. It made Molly sad.
She peered down at her computer. "Yeah, I should," she said.
"I'll read it over when you're done, if you want," Topaz said, a bit lighter now that the topic had changed to something she didn't mind talking about.
Molly brightened. "Really?" she said.
"That'd be great! I mean...if you wanna. I know you're busy booking things. With books, I mean....like...librarying," she said, waving her hand across the library like she were showing off a prize.
"Trust me, this work isn't going anywhere." Topaz shook her head, shooting a look at the large pile of books. "And I've got plenty of time to kill."
"Oh! I can help with books," Molly said, not procrastinating at all.
She then tilted her head. "Why do you have time to kill?"
"After you write your essay," Topaz said, almost smiling. "Well, I'm not at school, and I'm not sleeping, and I'm not doing homework, so. I've got time."
Molly made a face. "Okay," she said, scrunching her nose as she eyed the screen.
"Totally gotta get right on that."
A slightly more mischievous smile pulled at Topaz's lips, and she grabbed the cupcake box as she walked by. "Finish your essay and I'll give these back."
Mouth dropping open, Molly made with the grabby hands.
"But, cupcake..." she said, pouting.
"Fine, two-hundred and fifty words," Topaz amended. "I won't eat them, but you don't get them back either."
Letting out a sigh, Molly rested her head against the chair, glancing up at the ceiling.
"Okay...but that is so devious," she murmured, sitting up to get back in a typing position. For a few minutes, the sounds of typing filled the room until the typing slowly died away and Molly glanced up at Topaz.
"But....what if I do all this and they still say no?"
"Then you try again," Topaz said simply. "That's what we do around around here, right? Just keep trying?" Even when it seemed absolutely insane and by all accounts they should have just given up.
Falling silent, Molly slowly nodded. "Right," she said with a renewed sense of confidence as she gave her a soft smile.
"Thanks for the....y'know...pep talk."
"Oh that's nothing to thank me for," Topaz said, returning to her work on the books.
"Why not?" Molly said, keeping an eye on Topaz to see where she went as she continued to type.
"It was helpful."
Topaz had disappeared behind another shelf. "I'm glad I could help."
"Totally," Molly said. The moment Topaz made her way behind a shelf, Molly had slipped out of her chair and grabbed her cupcake, sitting quickly back down. The good thing about working with Sif was learning to be very quiet.
She quickly set to typing more with one hand, as she used her other to take a big bite.
