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[chemtech]

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[chemtech]

[She’s not even a manager!! Technically speaking. And that’s the most depressing part of this whole ordeal. But he doesn’t need to know that.]

Goof off in the off-season, get laser-focused when it’s crunch time. Seems to be how everything thinks the department should be run. [Grumble grumble.] Never used to be like that…

[She just shrugs at his question, polishes off her beer. Onto the second one yeehaw.]

[allbedestroyed]

Goofing off sounds like it could cause problems later on. [Though he's sure she already knows that better than he does.]

High stress jobs need to allow people to blow off steam, but they need to make sure that however people do it doesn't interfere in work.

Better you enforce vacations than let people mess around in laboratories. [Said as he sips his drink again.]

[chemtech]

Yeah no shit. [Yep, she is more than aware.]

I’ve seen the light as far as actually utilizing vacation time is concerned. [Thank you, Robert.] More people should do it. I’m not in charge or anything so… the team barely listens to me enough as is.

[Her reputation as a bitchy suck-up who’s a stickler for the rules precedes her. And part of her is okay with that - the specific one that doesn’t want to get close to people.]

[allbedestroyed]

Why not? [He's immediately indignant on her behalf.]

If your absence causes everything to fall apart, and you're not in charge, then you're not getting paid enough!

[chemtech]

[Is that… he’s upset? Sounds like he is. Just a little.]

It’s not even about the pay. Guess I torched my reputation to the point of no return or something. [Another shrug.] It’s nothing but a pile of ash at this point. [Pause.] Or I’m just not smart enough. [Oh here she goes. Hello, self doubt!]

[allbedestroyed]

[That gets a squint.]

How did you torch your reputation?

[Considering what Wendy is like, he finds it hard to believe she made a mistake that major.]

[chemtech]

[She’s mid-beer sip, then glances over in his direction.]

I’m not exactly a team player, Robert. [Bottle down, nails tapping against the glass.] You can have tenure and experience and know absolutely everything about everything but if people don’t like you..

[allbedestroyed]

[He lifts an eyebrow sceptically.]

Is it really that much of a popularity contest?

I'm not exactly the most social person, but being good at my job is what matters the most. You can't destroy your reputation by being unlikable. Not unless you make an effort to upset the people around you.

[chemtech]

I did mention the whole frat house thing before.

[Wendy pauses before she says anything else because that last comment he makes… is… such… a call-out. Y’know - the whole making-an-effort-to-upset-people thing. She just hunches, quietly returning to her beer.

She’s in this picture and she doesn’t like it etc etc.]

[allbedestroyed]

[Well that silence is telling.

Muldoon's brow lifts and he takes another sip of whiskey as he says,] Alright, you're going to have to tell me more about that.

[Finishing the sip he hastens to elaborate,] The way you just went quiet, not the frat house thing.

[chemtech]

You make one dumb mistake when you’re an intern and it follows you forever I guess. [Sigh.] I mean - I thought I knew everything at the time so I guess the way I reacted was my own fault. I was young and stupid.

[allbedestroyed]

[Muldoon knocks back the last of his drink and orders them both another. He waits until they've been refilled before he looks at her again.]

The whole story, please.

[chemtech]

[This face.]

It’s classified information I can’t repeat, Robert. [You know - like she always says about almost everything pertaining to her ultra top-secret job.]

Let’s just say the fuck-up I made is the type that gets put in training manuals. Under “don’t fucking do this shit.”

[allbedestroyed]

[Well it was worth asking. He simply sips his drink in response to the gentle reproach.]

Doesn't everyone do that sort of thing at least once? That's why you start off on an internship.

[chemtech]

Yeah I got that now. I just didn’t handle it so gracefully back then and things spiraled from there.

[How is she already on her third beer? When did he get her the new one?]

Took it too personally and next thing I knew people were avoiding me in the hallways.

[allbedestroyed]

Have you done anything to try and fix that?

[chemtech]

[Have some more awkward silence. Because Wendy could say she’s tried, but that would be lying. She hasn’t.

The longer she waits to say something the more obvious it is that she’s the real culprit here.]

I… got used to it. After a while. If they fear me I have power.

[allbedestroyed]

[Have another sceptical look, Wendy.]

Do they fear you?

[chemtech]

Most do, yeah. [She wastes no time blurting that one out.]

It’s impossible to stop the gossip after a certain point. I am the cold bitch who eats, sleeps, and breathes her work and doesn’t know how to switch off. I’m a know-it-all who is never wrong and will tear you apart without a moment’s notice. No one lasts in Chem because I’m such a stickler for everything.

[She’s chuckling about it, shaking her head. More beer.]

[allbedestroyed]

[Muldoon considers this in silence for a couple of minutes.]

So you scare everyone in your team, to the point that no one stays around very long.

[He takes a sip of his drink to let that summary sit between them.]

That's not very good office politics, you know. [She knows. He knows she knows.]

[chemtech]

[Wendy’s quiet after he states the glaringly obvious here and there are a few moments of hesitation from her before she just - laughs. A lot.]

[allbedestroyed]

[He lets her laugh, amusement in the lines around his eyes, but he doesn't outright join her. That's not his style, after all.

While she gets the laughter out of her system, he sips his drink and waits until she's calmed down a little before he speaks again.]

Now I could do one of two things. Do you want me to give you unsolicited advice, or just ask how you are?

[chemtech]

Am I allowed to ask for both or would that be too greedy? [Her nose scrunches a little at her question.

But then - a thought:]

Wait - if I asked for the advice it wouldn’t be unsolicited anymore… [The softest snort of amusement.] Whatever, whatever - go ahead and spill.

[allbedestroyed]

[He lets her work through the meaningless conundrum she found herself in before he speaks. A sip of his drink and then he holds up a finger.]

Make, and keep, one friend at work. More if you can, but focus on one. It makes more of a difference than you think.

[His hand drops then and he looks at her properly, brow creased in reserved concern.]

But are you alright?

[chemtech]

[It’s not meaningless. It’s just an unfortunate side effect of being tipsy. Wendy’s three beers in and hasn’t eaten in… uh… when was the last time she ate?]

But I do have friends at work. Like - two. I mean - I guess they’re my friends? [Squint. She’s thinking about this.] And they’ve been here like - ages. Lots of tenure. [Sigh.]

I’m fine I guess. I dunno. Can I have another one? I’ll get you back.