[open] // do what we must because we can

[fionnuisce]

Characters: Waver and open
Setting: Floor 27, cafeteria, dorm floors
Format: Either
Summary: Tea, science, and sleep are Waver's priorities. In that order.
Warnings: None yet.

[floor 27]

[Waver had spent the majority of his time in the laboratory; being the leader of the group researching the clear collar fluid, he might have felt obligated even if it didn't fascinate him. Luckily (for some value of the word), he was a researcher that often became utterly absorbed in his work to the point of forgetting everything else. 'Minor' things like sleeping and eating, for example.]

[Though he hid it the best he could, if the ponytail-wearing magus looked exhausted that was likely no one's imagination. Today he was looking over his own hastily-written notes and narrowing his eyes at the container of fluid itself as though it had perhaps insulted his mother, thin cloud of cigarette smoke hanging in the air in front of him.]

[cafeteria]

[It was a remarkably simple thing, tea. Last time it was available, Waver had taken quite a bit of it to store in his trunk (along with a whole lot of alcohol.)]

[Then, glamour failure. If asked for one petty thing Waver would never forgive the administrators for, he would always answer with that.]

[Needless to say, he'd finally dragged himself away from his work long enough to enjoy the shift in provisions. Today in the cafeteria one could find a magus in a black and green suit sitting by himself, looking over near-incomprehensible notes with a cup of tea in his hand.]

[And if one happens upon him in the evening, it's likely he's minding his own business and leaving with a bottle of wine or two, liquid mercury maid trailing a step behind him.]

[dorm floors]

[Only at some ungodly hour did Waver finally give up for the night and leave the laboratory, Volumen Hydragyrum behind him carrying two bottles of wine. If he was willing to stop at all, it was likely he'd reached his physical limit or damn near to it. Sure enough, it had been several days since he slept a full night--or slept, period. As a result Waver was pale and walking just a little unsteadily, but at least he didn't seem ready to drop dead.]

[Drop into a coma when he got to his room, sure. But not drop dead.]

Comments

[fionnuisce]

...I changed my mind. I'll ask one more thing of you right now; keep doing that.

[the secret's out: waver apparently likes having his hair messed with.]

[oathshackledbird]

[That is hardly a secret, Waver. He figured it out a while ago despite the complaining.]

I wasn't really planning on stopping, so that is an easy one. Besides, I've already noticed it calms you down. I thought maybe it might put you to sleep too.

[Not that he minds talking, but Diarmuid knows Waver really needs the sleep more.]

[fionnuisce]

Do I look like some kind of overgrown housecat to you?

[yes]

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid laughs and pauses for a moment in his stroking of Waver's hair to pat him on the head.]

I'm pretty sure you are a Waver and not a cat.

[He leans in a little closer to whisper.]

For one thing, I think your claws are sharper than any cat's...

[fionnuisce]

Hmph--now you're just being an idiot. What's that even supposed to mean?

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid smiles and returns to stroking Waver's hair.]

What it means, my friend, is that it's not a wise thing to make you angry. When you strike, you strike hard, fast, and deep. Be it with your words or with your actions.

[fionnuisce]

Of course I do. Otherwise no one would ever take me seriously, and can you imagine what kind of disaster that would be?

[oathshackledbird]

You don't have to defend yourself to me, my friend. I understand completely. In fact, I never said it was a bad thing. I feel quite the opposite really.

[fionnuisce]

Good--I'm glad you understand. I can fight my own battles just fine when you're not around.

[oathshackledbird]

Oh, I understand completely. There has never been any doubt about that. It's one of the reasons I am so proud of you. However, that doesn't mean I wouldn't rather be at your side when you are fighting. I hope you can understand that.

[fionnuisce]

I...I know. [Waver's smile was nearly automatic at those words, although a bit awkward.] Still, it's important that I can protect myself. You can't be hovering around me 24/7, after all.

[oathshackledbird]

Oh, I could be, but that might get just a little awkward.

[Diarmuid grins down at Waver.]

Don't you think?

[fionnuisce]

Yes, it would. [FROWN.] Which is why you can't do it.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid pouts slightly, but it's obvious from the twinkle in his eyes that what he says next is a joke.]

Aw...and here I was looking forward to sharing the shower with you in the mornings...

[fionnuisce]

--!

[One might have been forgiven for thinking Waver had suddenly contracted a fever ranging somewhere around the temperature of the sun, with how fast he flushed bright scarlet.]

[oathshackledbird]

[Predictably the reaction causes Diarmuid to break out into a fit of laughter. He buries his head in Waver's hair, trying to muffle it and failing.]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just couldn't help it...

[fionnuisce]

Y-y-you idiot! Don't just say things like that out of nowhere!

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid laughs a couple more times before pulling himself together and raising his face from Waver's hair.]

I know... You're right. If someone heard they might get the wrong idea. I'm sorry.

[Not that the two of them sitting as they are on Waver's bed with their arms around each other doesn't give a certain kind of wrong idea anyway, but details!]

[fionnuisce]

R-right. You should be more careful.

[oathshackledbird]

Is that all that is bothering you?

[Concern creeps into the good humor on Diarmuid's face.]

I'm not crossing a line I should not cross, am I? Getting too personal? You would tell me if I was really upsetting you, right?

[fionnuisce]

It's fine, Diarmuid. Don't worry so much.

[oathshackledbird]

You know how fruitless it is to tell me that, right?

[Diarmuid laughs, letting the concern melt off his face.]

I need a lot more alcohol in my system to keep me from worrying.

[fionnuisce]

You and me both, frankly.

[Waver laughed, a quiet sound that was a little more humorless than he'd hoped.]

...you know, sometimes I worry this really could be impossible. That even if we win, maybe we can't win outright and restore everything to the way it was.

[oathshackledbird]

Even a small victory is a victory.

[Diarmuid reaches down for the bottle of wine he had grabbed but not started to drink and holds it out to Waver.]

If we can't win straight out, we win one step at a time. First we get ourselves more freedom to work, then we get ourselves more time to work. At some point, we get ourselves a safe place to work. After that, we just keep going until we fix everything.

[fionnuisce]

[For a moment he seemed hesitant to let go; after a pause Waver compromised by pulling back just enough to maintain physical contact but still allow himself enough room to take the offered bottle and start drinking again.]

That's not what I mean. We can throw around all the optimism and encouraging words we like, but everyone here has to acknowledge that there's a very real possibility we could either die or fail to find any way to restore our homeworlds.