Room 311: Back From Work

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:34 am

Claire pats Victoria's leg, "I'm sure things will work out fine."

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:37 am

Victoria sighed and nodded, patting Claire's hand with her own. "I know, I know... I mean, it has to, right?"

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:40 am

"Right," Claire says, distracted somewhat by the realization that she's touching Victoria's bare leg with her hand.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:42 am

If Victoria thought the contact was inappropriate, she sure didn't show it. "I mean... it has to be doable. It's not like all the faerie tales don't have the sorceresses seducing knights, I can't be the first to get knocked up and have to manage it..."

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:57 am

"I don't think they put 'and then Morgana's little boy started wailing at 3 in the morning and she thought of scrapping the whole plan' in the stories," Claire says kindly, "I'm sure you'll be fine though."

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:59 am

"Oh, I will, I'm not worried about that," Victoria admitted.

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:12 am

"What are you worried about then?" Claire asks.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:22 am

Victoria sighed. Then she rolled onto her side toward Claire a little bit, though she didn't seem to be looking at her. "I..." She took a deep breath. "I've got no idea who my father is. So it... was only ever me and my mother. So... I was pretty much raised by babysitters, and shipped to boarding school when I was old enough."

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:46 am

"That must've pretty shitty," Claire says.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:51 am

Victoria shrugged. "She cared. She wanted to do things right. She just... sucked at it. And there were issues with little things like 'people who wanted to kill her' to worry about, which was a big factor in the whole 'not raising me herself' thing."

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:58 am

Claire nods, "Doesn't mean it wasn't tough though."

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:03 am

Victoria sighed. "Yeah. I... I told her for my sixteenth birthday, I wanted her to finally find a place we could live that she wouldn't be running off from all the time. Now... keep in mind, birthday presents like 'a pony' actually tended to get met with 'sure!'"

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:14 am

"What happened?" Claire asks.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:21 am

"She found a place. Which was going to be cool, once my last year at the boarding school I was at was over and I could move there. Which would have been cool, if she hadn't gotten herself killed a few months before end of term."

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:23 am

Claire doesn't say anything. She just slides up next to Victoria and wraps the girl up in a tight hug.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:25 am

Victoria didn't move much, but she did seem to huddle in more, possibly out of reflex. "I... kind of gave up after that," she said quietly. "I've tried opening up to people a couple times since then, and... it... doesn't end well."

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:27 am

"I can understand that," Claire says softly.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:35 am

"So if you don't want to talk to me tomorrow now that I've gone and rambled this off, it's okay, I half expect it," Victoria added, smiling weakly.

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:43 am

"I've never abandoned anyone," Claire says, "And I don't plan on starting with you."

"Besides, it's not like I can judge how screwed up people are," Claire says, "About 90% of what I do is just me reacting to things I think my parents did to me. I don't even know if I have a life that doesn't involve their opinions and judgement."

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:53 am

"Well, you're here now," Victoria said, smiling a little. "Now's the time to start working that one out, right?"

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:55 am

"Yeah, I think I need to work a lot of things out actually."

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:59 am

"What were they like?" Victoria asked. "I mean... you don't have to answer, I just... have no frame of reference on 'family actually being around.'"

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 3:01 am

"...They were nice, I guess," Claire says, "Harsh, very strict. I had to wear clothes that covered my entire body. I couldn't go out in public. I wasn't allowed to touch people."

"I spent most of my time studying and practicing, really."

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 3:06 am

"Just a guess, but I'm going with 'practicality influenced too much by religion?'" Victoria mused, probably enjoying the continued hug more than she should.

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 3:12 am

Claire laughs, "How did you guess?"

"My parents are Jehovah's Witnesses," Claire says, "Like I said, they're nice, but they're strict and very overprotective."

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 3:15 am

Victoria smiled a little. "Since I think we've established that my judgement might be... off, I don't really know what to tell you that might not be horrible advice."

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 3:33 am

Claire smiles, "I'm alright. Honestly, just being on my own helps a lot."

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 11:39 am

Victoria smiled a little. "Well, away from them at least. 'On your own' isn't something anyone should aspire to," she mused.

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:18 pm

"Maybe not," Claire says sleepily, eyes half closed.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:58 pm

Victoria seemed to catch a contagious yawn from her. "But whatever you need me for..."

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:08 pm

It was too late, Claire had fallen asleep wrapped around Victoria.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:34 pm

Victoria sighed happily, closing her eyes and dozing off herself for a bit.

At least, until her phone rang a while later.

by **Claire McKenna** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:39 pm

In response, Claire cuddled closer to Victoria, apparently still asleep.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:50 pm

"Hello? Oh... yeah, I'm sorry. Something came up... really? I... do you think you could? I... look, you know me. I'll make it worth your while. Yeah, just take her with you back to your room to get something if you need it, and you can murder my fridge if you want. Right. Right, just have to finish- yeah, finals. Right. Have to be ready for the last ones. Yeah, first thing in the morning, latest. Just make yourself at home, you're a saint."

Sighing, she hung up the phone, settling back in and pushing bits of doubt aside.

by **Claire McKenna** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:03 am

"Something wrong?" Claire asks sleepily.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:21 am

"Babysitter wondered why I was late. Told her I'd pay her to stay the night," Victoria answered sleepily. "I'll just pay her double her hourly rate, it'll be fine."

by **Claire McKenna** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:02 am

"You sure," Claire says, stretching out a bit.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:05 am

Victoria yawned. "'less you want me to go..."

by **Claire McKenna** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:07 am

"No, you can stay. I mean, if you want," Claire says.

by **Victoria Valentine** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:24 am

"Would be nice," Victoria answered, her voice a little muffled against something. "Comfortable here. Don't feel like moving. 'Less you need me to, I mean."

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