[closed] nothing is crueler than children who come from good homes

[controlledvariable]

Date & Time: January 26th, sometime during the afternoon/evening
Location: The Initiative Library
Characters: Stephanie Brown, Vanadi
Summary: h e l p
Warnings: Vanadi comes with his own warning, right? AKA likely sexual content in some form or another.


[It hadn't taken her too long to reach the conclusion that this city was crazy. Between the kidnapping, the conscription, the randomly teleporting them back to the past, and the fact that half the Transport population suddenly changed ages and people are barely batting an eye, that tells her the whole thing is insane. In a totally mature response to the entire situation, Steph decides to hole up in the library as much as possible, so she doesn't have to deal with all this crap.

She's been there for almost five hours now, and is starting to have a little trouble focusing, which means it's time for coffee. It's the awful, sludge kind that comes from a machine, but it's cheap and better than nothing, so she makes do, warming her fingers around the styrofoam cup as she wanders the stacks to stretch her legs. After a few minutes she catches the attention of a staff member and asks about an encyclopaedia that had been referenced in a book she was reading, and gets pointed towards the back of the library, where the books are a little dusty and there are very few tables for people to sit. It doesn't really concern Steph, she tosses her now empty cup into a trashcan and goes to search for her book.]

Comments

[outright]

Mmhmm. [ His own arms are folded over his chest now, a brow arched. Steph, you'd been so cool, why are you being such a drag suddenly. Without much actual curiosity: ] Do what?

[controlledvariable]

[That lack of curiosity doesn't escape her at all]

Like you actually care.

[Okay, she definitely needs friends who aren't him.]

[outright]

[ Is this salvageable? He thinks it might be. Or at least, it's worth a shot. So, like a switch is flipped, he smiles. It's friendly as it ever was, and even his body language has made a return to being engaged and attentive, in the way his arms uncross and the slight lean toward her. ]

Come now. Are we friends, or are we friends? Of course I care.

[controlledvariable]

We're not friends. [She doesn't sound angry anymore, for all her tone suggests, she might as well be commenting on the weather.]

You want to fuck me, and you'll play nice until you realize it's not going to happen, then you'll get bored and move on.

[She raises an eyebrow, challenging, even managing to fake a polite smile] Tell me I'm wrong.

[outright]

You're [ absolutely right ] wrong. If that were the case, wouldn't I have gotten bored and moved on already?

[ His grin is familiar now, and the act is well practiced. ]

Please don't tell me you forgot the other night's adventure already! You certainly can't tell me it wasn't fun.

[controlledvariable]

I never said it wasn't.

[And she'd be lying if she tried, she did have fun as long as she ignored all the flirting.]

You haven't gotten bored because you still think you've got a chance. God knows why it's worth the effort, maybe you just like a challenge.

[outright]

I haven't gotten bored because you're not boring, and I enjoy your company.

[ well okay that's not an untruth. He cocks a brow, daring her to challenge it. ]

Your turn to tell me I'm wrong.

[controlledvariable]

[She doesn't know if that's the truth or not, which just leaves her more frustrated more than anything]

I can tell you that I'm not going to sleep with you. No matter how charming you are, you're not gonna convince me to. I stopped doing all that when I was fifteen, it got boring.

[boring probably isn't the right word, but she can't be bothered to find the right one]

[outright]

[ He smiles, moving back toward confident again. It does still seem that there's hope, here. Salvaging it was the right choice. ]

If you don't mind my saying, if you got bored of it, you weren't doing it with at all the right people.

[controlledvariable]

I could've told you that. Teenage boys aren't known for being great in bed.

[She thinks Tim would've been different, but he - wasn't interested.]

[outright]

Agreed. [ that with a roll of his eyes. but, back on track: ] But certainly you've slept with someone since then. Yes?

[controlledvariable]

No. [a shrug] I was in a serious relationship for a while, then I had other things to worry about.

[outright]

Really? [ He blinks, genuinely surprised. ] And a serious relationship— without any sex?

[controlledvariable]

Don't look at me, it was his choice. [gold star for trying on her part, but nothing came of it.

Also she would like to know why this conversation is happening.]

[outright]

[ Wow, all respect for whoever that was is just draining away, watch it go. He makes a face, but shrugs, and aims a serious glance over. ]

You're overdue, Miss Brown.

[controlledvariable]

I'm fairly sure that's not how it works. [she can't find it in herself to defend Tim, though.]

[outright]

And I'm fairly sure you're not exactly the most reliable judge of it. [ She may have gotten a decently early start, but it doesn't count if you don't keep it up. ]

[controlledvariable]

As opposed to your opinion, which is entirely unbiased?

[On the plus side, at least she's not feeling quite so defensive anymore.]

[outright]

[ He spreads both arms, palms up, for a Totally Innocent Shrug. ]

I'm an advocate for an enjoyable lifestyle, that's all.

[controlledvariable]

Mmhmm. [Not buying that innocence for a second] Anyway, it's been four years since I've done anything more than kiss someone, for all you know I could be a terrible lay.

[This is unlikely but maybe he'll believe it.]

[outright]

[ yeah right nice try. He doesn't look even slightly put off. ]

You probably are. But it's to be expected, with four years of celibacy! These things are taught and practiced, you know, not innate.

[controlledvariable]

Fuck off. [There's absolutely no heat in it, she's actually almost laughing, both caught off guard and amused by his answer, though she's feigned at being insulted] I'd blow your mind.

[hdu]

[outright]

Would you?

[ He smirks, glances over her appraisingly, and seems to come to a conclusion. ]

There's a way to prove that. —And no, I don't mean we sleep together, you've made it perfectly clear that won't happen. [ yet. ]

[controlledvariable]

I would.

[Though she regards him suspiciously for what he says next, but not as wary as she would've been five minutes ago]

And how's that, then? Since you're apparently starting to get the hint.

[Not that she really think he's given up, but still.]

[outright]

Why, all you have to do is kiss me.

[ And he even seems perfectly sincere about it, too. ]