(Untitled)

[felldown7gotup8]

Who: Stephanie Brown and Damian Wayne
When: Sunday afternoon
Where: Suite 34
Summary: What better way to spend a delightful Sunday afternoon...
Rating: PG
Warnings: N/A

Comments

[felldown7gotup8]

Steph felt as though something was squeezing her heart. Those changes that would be noticeable even to someone who saw him every day; to her they were a slap in the face. God, he was almost as tall as she was! For her, it'd only been a few weeks. No kid changed that much so quickly. It was this more than anything that drove home the reality of what had happened to them. She felt a prickling at the corner of her eyes and smiled wider to fight back against it. She could never let him see.

"I'm not mingling. I'm coming to see you. I swear, I even ran from strangers in the hall and everything. And from what I can see on the network, those with the virus seem to have manifested symptoms already. So, feeling bad? Aches, nausea, whatever? You don't look like you're sweating." A part of her wanted to place a hand against his forehead and check for a temperature, but something about his eyes made her think he'd slam the door on her if she tried. "If not, then let me in. I promise not share water bottles with you if it makes you feel better."

[thebat_brat]

He wants to tell her she's babbling again. Leave it at that, period. The awkward silence would stretch, for you see, he's a master of shutting down conversation. She might even become uncomfortable enough to leave. Or not. She's Brown. And terribly predictable in her unpredictability.

"I wouldn't share a water bottle with you, anyway." he snaps, shortly at her, but with no malice. It's juvenile, he knows, but, it feels surprisingly good. "I feel fine. But incubation period must be anywhere from five to six hours." He's been watching the network. Sharply. "Contagion is aggressive. And seemingly airborn."

Regardless, he takes a step aside. The room is a mishmash, most notably indicated by the bunkbeds. The bottom is done neatly-- the top, not so much.

[felldown7gotup8]

"Aw, but Damian, sharing is caring!" Steph's smile widens. That was better. Heaven help her; she never thought she'd actually be happy to hear him snipe at her. She's also glad to hear that his analysis of the virus seems to mesh with her own for the most part.

As soon as he steps aside, Steph pushes past, addressing his concern over her shoulder as she does. "From what I can tell, the Facility's pretty thoroughly internally ventilated. If this bug is airborne, then we're all already exposed. It's too contained a space." Amazing what a girl could pick up in a year of impromptu nursing. "As for the rest, we'll take precautions, but yeah it is a calculated risk."

Dumping her bag on the desk, she strolled over to perch on the bottom bunk, not really noticing her surroundings. She's still a bit hung up on this flash forward into the future of one Damian Wayne. "One I wouldn't have had to take if you'd come to see me before this, I'll point out."

[thebat_brat]

"You should have informed me. Prior to venturing over." He points out, eyes following her, guarded. His eyes pause on the bag and he wonders what on earth she brought with her. For one dreadful moment he considers the possibility she might not plan on leaving. Todd would be impossible.

"The computer" that right there is contempt, "said the virus was introduced directly to ten percent of the population. That should be fifteen to eighteen subjects. So, airborne through hacking. I have a box of surgical masks if you think that will help." Because sitting around with Steph in face masks would both be enjoyable and stylish, of course. He has a surprisingly amount of medical supplies, brought back from the f3 trip to Gotham.

[felldown7gotup8]

"Yeah, probably," she says, shrugging. "But then you would have just told me not to come." With a disarming smile, she kicks off a sneaker, and starts on the laces of the other, unashamedly making herself at home. Sure, he could still try to throw her out regardless, but anything to make it more inconvenient for him was worth it.

"You can wear a mask if you like," her tone is dismissive, making it clear that she's not going to, "but that'd make things awfully inconvenient. It's pretty hard to eat when you're wearing one." Steph gestures at her sack of food bars with one hand as she tugs her shoe off with the other. Finished, she crosses her legs on the bed and gives a little bounce that ends in a wince as her head collides with the top bunk.

"Ow! Damian, why on earth does you room have bunk beds?!" she asks, rubbing her head, any planned explanation for her comments forgotten in a moment.

[thebat_brat]

Well, she was right about that, he probably would have come up with a good excuse. Or not even a good one. Just an excuse. When she starts kicking off her shoes, that's when his eyebrow rise. She really isn't planning on leaving, is she?

He's about to ask if she brought a sack of food bars with her, when she smacks her head against Jason's bunk. He shuts both eyes for a brief moment, feeling his own headache coming on (and he's not even the one bashing his head into things). One hand goes up to pinch the bridge of his nose in annoyance, before his eyes open back up. The answer is short and sweet, "Todd."

[felldown7gotup8]

"Todd? Wait, you're rooming with Jason Todd? Why?" Why does he have a room mate at all, sure; she certainly doesn't. But more importantly why Jason, and not someone that made sense. Like Dick. Or even Tim.

Scratch that. Tim and Damian would kill each other.

Now that it'd been pointed out to her, she can see it, the influences of two very different people in the room. She's never spent any time imagining what Damian's room might look like, other than briefly picturing it full of torture devices, but Steph was quite sure even the torture devices would be meticulously clean. "I gather this bunk's yours then?" she says, bouncing again (only this time minding her head.)

[thebat_brat]

"Yes, that one is mine." Please remove your butt from it. The last thing he wants on it... is your butt, Miss Stephanie Brown. But to answer your question:

"You'll notice, assuming you notice anything, Brown," The quips come so easily, he'd be surprised if he was giving it thought, "that our population caps anywhere from 170-180. Two months ago there were two hundred facility occupants. Those whom they didn't dump into the biodome, they dumped into occupied rooms. Todd was dumped here."

And finding Jason in his room quickly escalated into a stabbing attempt. The 'your mom' jokes didn't help. Damian doesn't add to his explanation. Certainly either Damian, or Jason, could move. But they're both too bullheaded to do so.

[felldown7gotup8]

Ooooh, and there it was. The kid was back. First her intelligence, then her weight, and then he'd be back to being as horrible as ever. It did occur to Steph that the fact that this was comforting should probably worry her. But. Well. It was Damian.

Listening to his explanation, she arced an eyebrow. "Huh." What Steph wouldn't give to have been a fly on the wall when all that went down. Or maybe not. Even flies probably wouldn't have been safe in the fallout. "And that, I suppose, was the start of a beautiful friendship," she said, and briefly considered prying further; after all, he might be prickly, but he was putting up with her impromptu invasion rather well. For him. Though that might be pushing her luck. Whatever, like that had ever stopped her before.

"Sooo, I don't suppose you wanna talk about it? Or if talking about all the late night giggle fests I'm sure you had with the prodigal brother-bird would betray any confidences..." she smirked, "we could always chat about something else. I've all day to catch up" on the year of his life she'd missed, and boy was that a thought she was having trouble processing, "and I even brought snacks!" Feeble though they might be. Sorry, Damian. She's not going anywhere.

[thebat_brat]

This fact is becoming increasingly apparent, and his finger twitches, wanting to throw her out, but-- Stephanie Brown is sitting in front of him. Dead Stephanie Brown. And they're quipping. Throwing her out suddenly isn't the first thing on his agenda, but he's still not sure what is.

However, a deadpan delivery of "Late... night 'giggle fests?'" is totally on the menu, has he practically stares her down just for that. He shakes his head, his communal relationship with Todd is bothersome, often times uninhabitable, but, occasionally acceptable? Though any development is usually squashed by a 'I banged your mom' quip.

"And by that, I assume you mean food bars?"

[felldown7gotup8]

"Yeah, I mean food bars," she shot a baleful glance at the bag and crinkled her nose in distaste. "Originally my thought was that we could have a picnic, but well, there's that case of the 'feeling like crap' going around. But that wasn't that big a deal, I figured we could just hole up inside. I mean it's not like there's even really an outside to this place anyway."

She sighed. "And since there's nothing to eat here but the oh-so-disingenuously named food bars, I brought those." Because that's what you did at picnics; you brought food. Of course he'd have his own, but it was the thought that counts. Though, come to think of it, he'd been here a while longer. Maybe...

"Unless of course, you happen to have anything better tucked away in here. And by better, I basically just mean edible." She looked at him hopefully, not even ashamed. A week of the food bars and any qualms she might have about bumming food from a kid were gone.

[thebat_brat]

He goes so far as to scoff at her, "I'd prefer to be wary, than have to deal with a flesh eating virus. Which did happen. Before my time." The last bit is tacked on and she gets a look. He's been here so long, that just talking about experiments like this, objectively... it barely touches him anymore.

She continues to get 'a look.' He has been here a long time. If she was going to go to someone, well, she went to the right place. He managed a big hull from the last 'modern' trip, and, he doesn't often dip into his supply, unless it's for trading. Clicking his tongue in an irritated 'tt,' he walks over beside her spot on the bed and leans down to fish beneath the bed frame.

Not that she... had time to get a good look, but beneath the bed, and a majority of the closet space, is stocked with water bottles, food bars (not that he'll mention that, and belittle her picnic), and other food items. He draws out a can and stands up, tossing it to her. That done, he finally takes a seat, but looks grudgingly at her. It's a can of cut pineapple. It's something that doesn't taste like cardboard.

"When they're finished infecting us, next week, begin stocking up on supplies, in your block. You never know when they'll cut us off." It's... good advice.

[felldown7gotup8]

A flesh eating-- She winces as the implications of that sink in. But...at least that meant neither Damian nor anyone else she knew had to go through it. And if that was all the sunlight she could see shining through this particular cloud, she'd take it. No reason to borrow trouble when everything everyone said indicated there'd be plenty to go around soon enough.

At hearing his trademark sound, she glances up, watching and she catches the can reflexively when he tosses it her way. Turning it so she can read the label, a boundless grin breaks across her face. "Damian, you are brilliant," she breathes, her attention focused completely on the pineapples. "You've no idea how much I've been craving sweet."

She nods at his advice, checking to see if the can is poptop or needs a can opener. "I've been told that by a number of people. I've kinda started stockpiling, but, well, one week in, I don't have much yet." Then the seriousness in his voice strikes her, and she looks him in the eye. "Is this really okay? I'm not gonna lie, you're lucky I'm not drooling on your bed right now, but I'm not going to accept this if it's something you really need."

[thebat_brat]

It's a good thing she doesn't voice that particular concern, it was... less than satisfactory, upon his arrival, to learn that a great majority of the Batfamily had been in facility almost a year before his arrival. And in retrospect, conceivably dealt with a flesh eating bacteria. It's information he doesn't particularly want to share. Not with the bio-dome ash implications. Hell, with the Steph-bio-dome ash implications.

His thoughts are all dour, but... the the small smirk can't help but become just visible.

"I don't need you to tell me that, Brown." The can-opener is already fished from the desk drawer and handed to her.

"Yes... It's fine. But if you 'drool on my bed' you'll be ejected from the room. Forcibly. Immediately."

[felldown7gotup8]

"Don't get me wrong," she said, making quick work of the can and giving a blissful little sigh at the faint fruity scent. "You're still a cocky little piece of work." It was so good to see that he was still as...gracious as ever. Also. Pineapples. Lovely, lovely pineapples. Heaven's fruit, Steph was sure.

She lifted an eyebrow as his threat caught her attention again. "Forcible ejection, huh? Now, it seems to me that'd be a little counter-productive. I've got an open can. Not even you're good enough to 'eject' me without making me spill. And that would be terrible. Awful. Criminal even." Still, even as she quibbled, she was careful to keep the lid from dripping as she set it aside.

Pinching one ring, she plucked it out, waited impatiently for it to drip, and then popped it into her mouth. "Mmmmm," she hummed, "Oh, now that's amazing. Best thing I've had in ages. Here," she held out the can towards Damian. "You could use the sweet."

[thebat_brat]

"Sustenance, you mean?" he responds dryly, having taken Steph's brutal remarks in stride, his arms crossed, eyes kept on her.

"And it would be the principle of the matter." He does decide to reach over, and pluck a ring of fruit. It tastes sweet, bright, the opposite of the sawdust and hotglue he's used to. But in the back of his mind he almost thinks it would have been better not to indulge, the next two weeks of dust will only be harder now. "Not that I would expect you to understand."