Dimensions

Veronica:

I drank my drink too quickly, then reached for the bottle to pour myself another. He owed me that much. I sipped the next one slowly. The silence echoed around me. It was all too familiar and yet, for some reason, I wanted more. I wanted more from him than his distracted shuffling of papers. I gave a soft sigh and took another sip of whiskey.

"God I've always hated that sigh." My tone was bitchy, but my lips quirked into a wry smile as I set aside the papers to pick my drink up once more. "So what's going on?"

Veronica:

I glanced at him with my brows knit together. “Nothing.” I said. I took another sip, bigger than before then set the glass on the stair step, unfinished. I wasn’t up to bickering with him tonight.

“I’m gonna go home,” I said as I got to my feet. I felt lightheaded and swayed slightly as I stood. I put a hand on the railing to keep me steady. It had only been a few minutes. Jesus.

Sighing I drained my glass and stood. "You have to get better at holding your alcohol. But you've always been on the lighter side." I gazed down at her unfinished glass before looking at her. "Either you've been drinking before you came here, you haven't eaten, or something is going on. I know I didn't drug you, though I'll have to consider that for the future if I want my way sometime." Joke aside my eyes narrowed. "If I had to pick a choice you didn't eat at all today. Maybe you did drink before but you were sober enough when you came in."

Sighing I rolled my head on my neck and took a glance back towards the lab. "Might as well get some food in you so you don't become useless and hungover tomorrow."

Veronica:

“I’m not going to be hungover from a couple of drinks,” I snipped.  “And I’ll eat when I get home.”  I straightened my blouse and ran my hands over the sides of my skirt.  I sighed when I realized that I had to wait for the inspector to finish in the lab before I could leave.  I leaned against the wall and looked at him with a cool gaze, as if it was his fault.  Which it basically was.  If he would act responsibly for once, then I could trust him do deal with the guy alone.

"My snippy already. Should I get you a set of safety scissors? Don't want to give you the real things before I find you burying them in my throat." I replied in a similar tone as I raised an eyebrow at her and her look. "Mmm, maybe the inspector should be checking into the AC. Feeling a bit frosty in here, strange when I haven't done anything to the thermostat today."

Veronica:

I rolled my eyes. “Did you actually want company, or did you just want a chance to stab at me a little?” I asked tiredly. I glanced away from him, looking to the lab door to see if there was progress. Reaching up, I let my hair down and ran a hand threw it to ease the soreness of my scalp from having it up all day. Looking back at him, I crossed my arms and gave another small sigh.

"I'd like to point out you started all of this." I waved a lofty hand through the air before leaning against the stair railing. I didn't specify what she started and instead pushed on. "Since you got here you have been skittish, snippy, and glaring. You had me leave my lab. I offered a drink since you seemed in such a miserable mood, and then when I offered food to go along with the drink."

Snorting I shook my head, "I'll admit I cause you more headaches than most, but in this case the only thing I have done wrong is be around you for an easy target for all your ire."

Veronica:

“You imagine things that aren’t there,” I said dismissively to all his comments. “Not uncommon for you though.” I turned my attention toward the door when the inspector came out. He said everything was in order for the new equipment to be installed then he handed me papers to sign for the project. It was a relief for it to be over.

As I was walking up the stairs behind the inspector, my bare foot kicked into something that clinked and sent a sharp pain through my foot. I tripped forward with a curse, catching myself on the next step. I looked down at my foot and saw a good bit of blood bubbling out of the new gashes. More than the pain, the sight of blood made my whiskey warm stomach turn over.

"And you don't listen to my advice and assume you are always correct. Also not an uncommon thing." I looked away after that, gazing up the stairs instead while my jaw worked. I didn't look towards the inspector as he returned and I barely shifted my gaze as Veronica cursed and tripped forward. It was the iron tang that filled the air that made me look at her and her now injured foot.

Veronica:

I twisted to sit on the steps as my vision went black. I made a nauseous sound and closed my eyes.

"Do you need help?" The inspector asked. I didn't respond. If I felt lightheaded before, my head was spinning now. When my vision cleared I looked at ceiling. Blood was not something I handled well.

"You, inspector. Grab medical supplies from my lab. Now. Of course she needs help idiot." Sighing I moved to crouch down before Veronica and gently touched her leg while bending over to look at her injured foot.

Veronica:

A light zing went through my body when he touched my leg. It was a brief respite from the pain in my foot, and oddly pleasurable… I leaned my head back against the wall as the inspector scuttled off.

“Fuck,” I muttered. “I’m sorry I broke your glass.” I took in a deep breath through my mouth and exhaled. I couldn’t breathe through my nose without smelling the stomach turning scent of iron.

"Yeah, I'm sure my boss is going to get pissed off. You see, what you did is going to go on an expense report so that I can replace it. I mean the government paid for it anyway. So....paperwork for you. Congratulations, don't bitch at me for sending you the bill there boss." Sarcasm colored my tone and I flashed her a brief smile. "Though you are welcome to curse me out once that idiot gets back with my stuff. I'm going to have to do some work."

Veronica:

I thumped my head against the wall a couple times. “Fuck this day,” I muttered. I had been doing so well with my cursing in the past several months. The guy came back with the med kit then made apologies and excuses and left us awkwardly. When we were alone my eyes focused on Tobi while keeping them carefully away from my foot which was throbbing now.

"Could be worse. I haven't broken anything yet." Cracking open the med kit I poked around inside of it and drawing out a few things I organized them beside her foot. "So far though, my expense report is going to consist of a glass. I'm adding overtime pay for this. Maybe a new medkit as well." I was babbling words at her, distracting as best I could while I carefully grabbed her foot and lifted it off the step. Taking a pair of tweezers I talked to her about anything that came to mind, complaining about the weather, the work, and more. All while I pulled shards of glass from her flesh.

Veronica:

I cringed each time he pulled a piece of glass from my foot. At one point I let out a high whine and kicked my foot slightly which only brought more pain.

“Please tell me that’s the last of it,” I cut him off after he had pulled out a particularly painful piece. My stomach probably would have emptied itself if it wasn’t already empty. As it was, I tasted bile on my tongue.

Inspecting her foot I plucked out a few tiny surface ones then set aside the tweezers and without any warning I sprayed her foot with disinfectant while keeping a tight hold onto her foot. The very second I finished spraying her foot I picked up a roll of bandages in one hand. "I'm going to have to let go of your foot, you kick me and we are going to have issues." With her foot offered out like it was I took a momentary glance to the side then back up to her face.

Veronica:

I knew he was helping me but I glowered all the same. It hurt like a son of a bitch and I did want to kick him. I made the mistake of glancing down at my foot and immediately regretted it. I closed my eyes and moaned.

When she didn't immedietly kick me I released her foot entirely and set to work wrapping her up in bandages. After I finished I stood with a sigh. "Now that the easy parts done...next comes the part that will really make you miserable."

Veronica:

I looked up at him then. “Why? It’s done isn’t it?” I asked. My foot was wrapped, there was no more visible blood, sure it hurt, but that was manageable. I stayed on the floor, looking up at him questioningly.

"You either walk your miserable ass upstairs and home. Or you accept my help and let me take you home." Oh the wicked glint that came to my eyes as I gave her the options.

Veronica:

I groaned internally as he spoke. When he finished I attempted to stand up and test my walking skills. Putting the smallest amount of pressure on it made the lacerations burn.

"Fine. Help me up the stairs?" I asked, not quite ready to accept the offer of him driving me home. He couldn't leave Danny alone in the place after all...

I pulled her to her feet and went so far as to slip an arm around her waist while draping the hand I'd taken around my shoulders. I could have used my powers, but well, it entertained me to force her to limp around. It was a tiny joy, but I was going to take what I could get. "Alright, come on with you."

Veronica:

My body being pulled up to his, even if it was on the side, sent an odd jolt through my chest. I hated the small pleasure I got from that. After a messy divorce, one would assume the feelings would go away. But sometimes they were stronger than times when we were married.

“Fuck, this is humiliating. “I muttered as he helped me limp up the stairs. I was such an idiot. Who takes their shoes off in someone else’s house? Even if it had once been my own home.