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[chemtech]

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[allbedestroyed]

[After this many drinks his poker face isn't as good as it usually is. He looks amused, then confused, and then both as he squints at her as if trying to figure out a crossword puzzle.

It takes him a long minute before he says,] But you're not interested in me like that.

[He's sure. Pretty sure. Hence the bafflement.]

[chemtech]

[He squints at her and she catches it and nearly bursts out laughing. There’s a bit of coughing from her, and she covers her mouth with a fist. All the whiskey’s tickling her throat.]

I know I’m not. [Unless…] I’m just not sure what your interest level in me is, that’s all. [She points.] I’m probably too wasted for this conversation right now. Just thinking out loud.

[allbedestroyed]

[Just as well she didn't laugh. That would have stung a bit. Instead he's just relieved he wasn't entirely misreading her. So he actually relaxes a little.]

You're very pretty. But I'm not interested in anyone who's not interested in me.

[It's a bit of a major turn-off for him.

He sips his whiskey and barely hides a grin as he looks at her.]

Were you hoping I'd be pining over you?

[chemtech]

[Okay, well. Wendy knows she’s pretty - or at the most somewhat conventionally attractive. But hearing it from someone else makes her nearly knock over her fresh whiskey. When did that get there? The bartender just knows by now.

Suddenly she doesn’t know what to do with her hands, despite a drink being right there next to her. So her ponytail is twirled instead. Is she bombing? Yeah.]

Maybe. A little pining does wonders for a person’s confidence.

[allbedestroyed]

[Luckily for Wendy, Muldoon isn't at his most perceptive right now. So her fumbling goes mostly unnoticed.

Muldoon shakes his head.]

Not how I do things. Don't think I could pine if I tried. When I'm with someone they bloody well know how much I like them. I make sure of it.

[chemtech]

A man who knows what he wants. [Glass now (safely) in hand, she lifts it a little and gives a slight nod. Then she downs the contents.

Bleh, okay. Slowing down… starting… now. For real.]

Gods, I wish I knew what that was like. Must be nice.

[She catches the bartender out of the corner of her other eye, then shakes her head a bit and waves her hand in a cut gesture. Not right now, please. She needs a breather.]

[allbedestroyed]

[Muldoon agrees with a hum before pointing out,] As long as you can get what you want. Otherwise it's a special kind of torture.

[He stops just shy of taking another sip of his drink to wrinkle up his face and look at her sceptically.] Have you really never known what you wanted?

[chemtech]

[Now she’s humming too, tapping her nails on the bar. Thinking, or at least trying to. Head foggy.]

I think I knew at one point. Probably. Been kinda preoccupied since then. Me and my one-track mind.

[The whole “career” thing - he’s more than acquainted with just how tunneled her vision is.]

[allbedestroyed]

[She's going to get a long, hard stare from the warden.]

You've been too preoccupied... to know what you want?

[chemtech]

[Oh she hates that. And does everything not to make eye contact.]

Yeah, basically. I’ve been really busy.

[Excuses, excuses.]

You know when you make your resolutions for the new year and you blink and it’s already July and you haven’t even made a dent? Or tried? [Pause.] Yeah.

[allbedestroyed]

[Muldoon shrugs then.]

Then the problem is with your resolutions. They're supposed to be goals, not lies.

[chemtech]

…That’s weird. I thought you’d send me on a guilt trip about my lack of drive or something. [A slight smile.]

The problem is me at the end of the day. I guess. [She plays with her hair a little, the ponytail being twirled between her fingers. Not in a flirty way (that’s the usual). She just needs to occupy her hands.]

[allbedestroyed]

[He's not really sure why she'd think that, so he just shrugs again in response, sips his drink and then watches her with a frown as she blames herself.]

Is it?

[chemtech]

That’s what it always is, isn’t it? I’m the problem. [She laughs a little. So bitter about it. Is she skipping the loopy portion of her drunkenness and heading straight to the depressing part? It’s more likely than one would think.]

I’m always in my own way. Like my therapist says.

[allbedestroyed]

[Muldoon's frown deepens and he props his head up with a hand as he stares at her, confused.]

How can you always be in your own way?

[chemtech]

My stubbornness. Lack of empathy. My superiority complex. Astronomical expectations in all aspects of life. Lack of relationships. [A shrug.] I can continue if you like. But I think that covers most of it.

[allbedestroyed]

[At least Muldoon turns his attention to stare off into the distance at some far off point rather than keeping it on Wendy. He's quiet for a long minute while he works through what she's told him.

Finally he looks at her again.]

You're smart and determined enough to go to college, to work in a chemistry department. If you decide to, really decide to, I know you could do whatever you like.

[chemtech]

Thanks, Robert. You always know the right thing to say.

[A squint.] You sure you’re in the right profession? [And there’s a little pause before her features break into a smile. It’s slight, but it counts.]

I can try to start tomorrow. Or whenever I get over this fucking hangover I’m about to suffer through.

[allbedestroyed]

[His answer is an easy,] One-hundred percent. Most people would have told me to mind my own business by now.

[He nods his approval.] Just remember you plan to start at all.

[chemtech]

I’m complimenting you anyway. [A solemn nod.] You’re better than my actual therapist. [Her mandatory, work-appointed therapist that’s just there to cross I’s and dot T’s. Thanks, HR.]

Oh - wait. That’s gonna be the issue. Lemme just - write it down. Or something. One sec. [Put it on her phone? As a reminder. Yes. Wendy decides to dig through her bag for her phone and do just that.]

[allbedestroyed]

[Muldoon can't help but snort at that.] Then you need a new therapist.

[He smiles at that, but is happy to focus on sipping his drink while she fusses about her bag. At this rate neither of them are going to be able to walk home.]

[chemtech]

HR picked them. [A helpless shrug.] Wasn’t my call. I just go to say I did so they’ll stay off my back. Plus I can do it on company time.

[Mmm, overtime. But hey - she’s found her phone! So she’s setting up an alarm for herself. At least - that’s the idea. There’s a whole mess of squinting involved.]

[allbedestroyed]

[Muldoon wrinkles his nose.] Christ. Does everyone in the company have to have one?

[Talking, in Muldoon's opinion, is overrated. And therapists are just fashionable scam artists.]

[chemtech]

Mmm - not everyone? But they're always available to be assigned if necessary. My boss deemed it necessary so here I am. Sleepwalking through three months of mandatory feelings discussion.

[Lin rolls her eyes. There's no way she's cooperating in these sessions. Most likely doing the barest of minimums so she'll be cleared.]

[allbedestroyed]

[He frowns at her, trying to figure out the answer to the question he hasn't even asked yet.]

Why did he do that?