I9: Primping

[Claire McKenna]

What the hell are you doing?

Claire did her best to ignore her self doubt as she got ready for Victoria's visit. She had spent some time getting make up on, doing her best to hide her black eye and give herself that hard to obtain look of "natural beauty" that could only be achieved by an hour in front of the mirror.

She'd also carefully chose her clothes, ending up with an outfit that struck the delicate balance between sexy without being too forward or desperate. Maybe even a little bit modest and reserved. Victoria seemed to like that.

Whatever. Just primp and preen and try to ignore the fact that she has a drop dead gorgeous girl that seems to be absolutely enthralled with her.

It doesn't matter. It's not like we're dating or married or anything.

Bullshit. The idea of her in bed with that submissive little bitch just fucking kills you, doesn't it?

I am not going to ruin my night with her by being a jealous bitch.

That last line had been her mantra for the last half hour. She was hoping it would sink in at some point.

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria had, thankfully, had much of the pounding in her head calm by then. She'd done herself up probably more than she ought to have, in a pale blue sundress that, if she chose to color her body at all, would prove to be a bit more sheer than was decent, but just managed to stay inoffensive on a pure-white body. She swallowed, then knocked on Claire's door, feeling the familiar butterflies in her stomach, along with older pangs that she was trying hard not to ignore.

[Claire McKenna]

Claire finished up quickly and went to the door, smiling at Victoria.

"Hey," Claire says, maybe a bit nervously.

[Victoria Valentine]

Seeing Claire smiling seemed to relax Victoria somehow. "Hi," she said with that little honest smile that only Claire seemed to get to see. "You look great," she added, honestly, giving Claire an appreciative look while managing not to leer.

[Claire McKenna]

"You do too," Claire says, lingering at the door, "Really, really, great."

"...Want to come in?"

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria chuckled weakly. "Oh Goddess yes, please."

[Claire McKenna]

Claire steps back, letting Victoria in. And not quite so subtly staring at her.

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria pushed the door shut with her foot as she came in, then pulled Claire into a somewhat weary hug. "Next time you go braving the aliens, take me with you. I hate feeling useless after the fact."

[Claire McKenna]

Claire hugs her back, "Sorry. I didn't exactly expect it when I went on shift."

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria shivered a little, realizing how drafty the dress was as she felt Claire's heat through it. "True. Just mad at myself, I guess, if I was in better shape I wouldn't have slept through that mess."

[Claire McKenna]

"It wasn't that bad," Claire says, "Don't worry yourself about it."

"Are you all right?"

[Victoria Valentine]

"I am, just... still out of sorts after... everything," she said. "And then she shows up," she added, sounding... annoyed? Bitter? Something else? Hard to tell.

[Claire McKenna]

"You don't sound very happy about it," Claire says, managing to not sound the least bit pleased.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Just what my life needs right now is complication," Victoria griped. "She says that she's Onyx. I'm sure everyone knows the logical problems with that claim."

[Claire McKenna]

"Weirder things have happened here," Claire says, "I'm pretty sure we have a triplet that's not supposed to exist and one of our teacher's has a younger brother who was never born."

[Victoria Valentine]

"Oh yes, but this is even weirder than that. It took me a while to notice it, but this one doesn't cast a shadow. I'm going to let you follow the logic along here for a second."

[Claire McKenna]

"...This school is weird."

[Victoria Valentine]

"Oh, you're telling me. And now this one doesn't even know that there's an Onyx who's been here for about a year, so she doesn't know anything that's happened here, but she still remembers my mom and says that she got sent back to slave pens in Madripoor by me at the school in Westchester, which is ridiculous since I've never been to Westchester..." She sighed and shook her head. "I have no idea what's going on," she said, sinking into the couch and relaxing against Claire.

[Claire McKenna]

Claire puts her arms around Victoria, "I hate to say this, but it doesn't really sound like it's your problem."

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria winced at that. "I wish it wasn't," she sighed. "My mom owned her. And that means that I did, too, when she died. And... well, you saw how she is, so... ugh," she sighed, burying her face in her hands.

[Claire McKenna]

Claire kisses the top of Victoria's head, "I don't really understand, but don't kill yourself fixing things that aren't your fault, okay?"

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria nodded, sighing. "She's... I don't have any family. She's the closest thing to a sister I have," she sighed.

[Claire McKenna]

"A sister?" Claire asks, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria sighed, shifting to lean back against Claire. "Goddess... yes. And no. And yes. It's complicated." And painful.

[Claire McKenna]

"Here, collect your thoughts. I'll go get your cocoa," Claire says, standing up and heading over to where she kept a kettle.

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria sighed and nodded. "Remember," she said, sounding resigned, "When I told you that women were just as much heartache as men?"

[Claire McKenna]

"Was that before or after I plied you with my considerable charms?" Claire teases, returning with two mugs. She offers one to Victoria as she sits down.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Mmm, before," Victoria said, smirking a little. Actually, right before we got into a fight because I'm a bitch, but who's keeping track...

[Claire McKenna]

"I might remember something like that," Claire says, sipping her cocoa, "She broke your heart?"

[Victoria Valentine]

"I was stupid," she sighed. "I... she was a blank slate. Just knowing how to serve, please... It took a while to just get her used to the idea that wanting something wasn't a crime. And..." She sighed, shaking her head. "Well, one of the things she wanted was me. At first. And I knew it was a bad idea, but Goddess, was I lonely..." She shook her head. "And then she just kept reaching out, and... found someone else. And I went through the bloody roof, and... well, it wasn't her fault. I knew that. She was doing what I'd told her she should be doing. And... I'd known it was a bad idea to get attached like that. So what I wanted... really didn't matter."

[Claire McKenna]

"Did you ever tell her about this?" Claire asks.

[Victoria Valentine]

"She's at the 'blank slate' phase, it seems, since she doesn't remember anything. So telling her this would just freak her out and possibly make her do something rash to punish herself. Not a good idea."

[Claire McKenna]

"Then what are you going to do?" Claire asks, "Just...go through it all again?"

[Victoria Valentine]

"What? Oh, Goddess no. What, you think I'm an idiot or a bitch enough to drop everything and go running back to make the same mistake just because there's some sort of 'her' that doesn't remember anything. No... I just need to keep an eye on her until ONyx is back from space so I can figure out if they can get put back together somehow, or whatever the hell is happening."

[Claire McKenna]

"Sounds like a fun time," Claire says, sipping her cocoa.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Have I ever mentioned that you're cute when you're sarcastic?"

[Claire McKenna]

"I hope so," Claire says, "It's my natural state."