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[chemtech]

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[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.

[allbedestroyed]

That doesn't sound convincing at all.

[Unfortunately for them both, Muldoon has no concept of limiting alcohol intake, so he will happily facilitate her bad habits along with his. After downing his drink, he waves the bartender over for another round. It's not like he has many other expenses anyway.]

Are they actually your friends, or are they people you spend time around?

[chemtech]

[Of course it doesn’t! She frowns at the statement, silently nods in agreement. Not convincing at all. Wendy’s a bad liar, the alcohol not doing her any favors.]

We don’t even work in the same department. So schedules rarely match up.

[She mumbles a thank you for the beer but doesn’t go straight for sipping (or chugging, let’s be real) it, just holds the bottle for a bit.]

[allbedestroyed]

[Muldoon mulls over this as if it's far more complicated than she's explaining it to be.]

So they're people you see at work sometimes?

[chemtech]

[Her nails softly clink against the glass. Fidget, fidget.]

Often enough. Maybe we’ll have lunch. Mostly it’s just little visits that could’ve been an email. They’re in Ops so everyone wants to talk to them, but they usually socialize with me instead. [And then she takes a sip.]

[allbedestroyed]

[Again he goes quiet, filling the silence with a sip of his whiskey.

After a bit of silence he asks,] Would you trust them with your life?

[chemtech]

[An awful lot of silence there, Robert. It doesn’t go unnoticed. She just sorta - glances his way. Then drinks some of her beer.]

…That’s a question. [One she really doesn’t know the answer to. Now it’s her turn to think in silence, her anxiety about the question itself beginning to spike.

They were there from the beginning, back when she was a fresh-faced twenty-year-old intern. Why wouldn’t she trust them? Oh no…]

[allbedestroyed]

[If she gets uneasy every time he goes quiet she's going to end up drinking a lot more beer. Muldoon is not the chattiest of people.]

Maybe think about making a friend who you know has your back.

[chemtech]

[This whole “friend” conversation on its own is enough to make her uncomfortable. If it weren’t obvious enough already. The silence just heightens the anxiety. The four beers aren’t helping either. Maybe she should take a break before #5 is a reality.]

Robert. Are we… friends? Do you think? I’m not trying to avoid what you’re saying - it’s just something I had to ask. Popped into my head.

[allbedestroyed]

[He stops to think about that for about a second. Mostly because he'd never thought it was a question that needed asking.]

I consider you my friend.

[That doesn't always mean the other person feels the same way, after all.]

[chemtech]

I consider you my friend too.

[She’s quick to respond, giving him a resolute nod when she says it. Sometimes it’s tough to just - figure things out. Without asking pertinent questions. So she feels better about being direct and finding out for certain.]

[allbedestroyed]

Good to know.

[It's hard to tell he's amused when he's not particularly emotive, but in this moment, he is. That doesn't mean he wants to push her. She seems to be going through... Something... and he doesn't want to be rude and pry. So for now he's content to sip at his whiskey in her company.]

[chemtech]

Yeah. [She manages a little smile, another nod of her head. Then she’s throwing back the rest of Beer #4 and setting the empty bottle down in front of her.

Hold on - just gonna rummage in her bag real quick. And pull out a big bill. Like - too big to pay for the few beers she just got on his tab.]

In the mood for a few more drinks? [She asks, the cash folder between her fingers.] My treat. Or you can just keep it - I don’t mind.

[allbedestroyed]

[The large bill almost gets him to choke on the drink he has.

After a little coughing, he splutters,] What are you doing with that much money on you?

[chemtech]

What do you mean? [Blink. Oblivious Wendy is oblivious. She puts the bill on the bar top right by his glass, then taps it. That’s for you.]

Emergency cash. This is an emergency. Friendship booze emergency. [And she smiles, laughing until she accidentally snorts. That’s embarrassing as hell. Her hand flies up to cover her mouth and nose.]

[allbedestroyed]

[When she laughs, he does too. Just a little. Awkwardly. Then slides the note back.]

This isn't an emergency. I invited you out. You can buy a round, but not the whole damn bar!