“Years”? [ He echoes it back with obvious disbelief. ] You ever consider that maybe that diet of yours is a little too strict?
[ not that Owen bothers with sugar or cream in his own coffee, but he’s also of the opinion that there’s little wrong with indulging, every once in a while. Cutting loose. ]
[ and obviously decided she was just fine with "strict." ]
But lattes are just fine without sugar.
[ see, she'll enjoy her espresso with steamed milk. that's totally acceptable.
otherwise, black brewed coffee is drinkable — though before, she'd never really been around much to use the coffeemaker in her apartment. she was out and about so much that just picking up something from starbucks or otherwise was far more convenient. it still is, but on nights like these, when there isn't a single cafe open, she'll make do. ]
Edited (makes minor finicky edits like an asshole i'm so sorry) 2017-01-11 23:07 (UTC)
[ It occurs to him that the small talk is probably a concerted effort on both their parts to avoid having to really talk. And usually Owen is of the mind that if something needs doing, he might as well do it – not blindly, of course – but in this case—
Well. He just plain doesn’t want to. Not if it means that he has to try to vocalize the strange mess roiling in his head. Not when he’s still trying to make sense of it on his own.
So he deflects. ]
Hate to be pedantic, but I’m pretty sure those drinks from most of those coffee places are already filled with sugar.
[ for the moment, claire is grateful for the distraction. the small talk, the deflections — it pulls her mind away from the anxiety still trying to curl in her chest. she isn't the same panicked wreck from moments ago, but she isn't settled, and the looming concept of talking about things again just...doesn't calm her one bit.
(even if she knows they'll have to.) ]
They absolutely are. But a latte is essentially just steamed milk and shots of espresso, and that's my drink of choice. Maybe only the espresso if it's that kind of day.
So— what, you slam back shots of espresso five times a week? Six?
[ Because given what little he's seen in the short times she's actually stuck around the apartment long enough for him to assess her, he can't imagine that assessment is wrong. ]
Guess it's better than taking tequila shots, I guess.
[ He nearly makes a joke about how that would certainly be entertaining if she did, but he thinks better of it. That's not a route he wants to encourage, at any rate. ]
I seriously hope you're writing off all your coffee purchases as work expenses.
[ He makes a noncommittal sort of noise as he takes a sip from his mug. ]
Sometimes. [ More like all the time, but he'd rather not cop to it. He'd rather keep things from getting too heavy too soon, which is why he adds, ] Sometimes it's Netflix instead.
[ He chuckles quietly; he doubts Claire really wants to hear about the shit he's been watching, and the truth is, he hardly remembers enough of anything to provide any interesting summaries. Mostly he turns on the television as white noise, helps him while away the time as he runs through that day's events like he's running simulations. ]
A few things, sure. Maybe you oughta ask for some vacation time to binge watch.
[ In addition to trying to straighten her head out and getting some much needed rest. ]
I'd be a lot more flattered by that invitation if I thought it'd actually happen.
[ Despite the words, it comes out lightly, more teasing than berating. He knows just as well as she does that the likelihood of her taking a vacation is as likely as pigs learning to fly. ]
[ Deadpans, ] Now I have a machine gun. Ho, ho, ho.
[ The little flub makes him glance over his mug to her, a frown working at the corners of his mouth. Still, he tries to keep the tone light – if only because he doubts either of them are quite removed enough from Claire's nightmare to discuss anything too heavy just yet. ]
Lecturing irresponsible handlers and waggling your finger with one hand while you checked emails on your phone with the other. I remember.
[ some of the tension slides out of her shoulders when owen pulls the direction of their conversation back to something lighter, doesn't focus on the slip or her nightmares.
yet.
she gives a shrug. ]
Well, irresponsible handlers took up a lot of time I could have otherwise been dealing with eighty other messes.
[ her smile's slightly warmer, a little amusement there. ]
And I'm sure that Lowery guy was breathing down your neck, once he realized he couldn't watch cat videos or whatever when he thought you weren't looking.
[ His own mug is still half full, still warm in his hands, and he watches her as she moves to the sink. ]
Still putting out fires, though.
[ He says it as neutrally as possible, though a bit of distaste finds its way through. Owen can't pretend he understands what any of the higher-ups are thinking, except about the bottom, about mitigating the disaster as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Didn't matter to them if they had to throw Clare to the wolves to do it. ]
[ claire runs some water into her mug, giving a shrug. ]
I never thought I'd prefer a million minor complaints over this.
[ she'd dealt with a press junket before, and she'd been on talkshows, done interviews about the park, about new attractions, but this is different. this is a new kind of exhausting.
[ He lets out a sound, caught between a laugh and a sigh, and shrugs a shoulder. ]
You’re an asset. [ He says it with a touch of irony, though his tone remains largely neutral. ] You might not be park director anymore, but they’ll find something for you, if you want it.
[ And he glances away, drinking from his mug. Personally, he’s of the mind that no one should accept any work if InGen is involved, as they surely must be from this point onward, but it’s not his choice.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ not that Owen bothers with sugar or cream in his own coffee, but he’s also of the opinion that there’s little wrong with indulging, every once in a while. Cutting loose. ]
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[ and obviously decided she was just fine with "strict." ]
But lattes are just fine without sugar.
[ see, she'll enjoy her espresso with steamed milk. that's totally acceptable.
otherwise, black brewed coffee is drinkable — though before, she'd never really been around much to use the coffeemaker in her apartment. she was out and about so much that just picking up something from starbucks or otherwise was far more convenient. it still is, but on nights like these, when there isn't a single cafe open, she'll make do. ]
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[ It occurs to him that the small talk is probably a concerted effort on both their parts to avoid having to really talk. And usually Owen is of the mind that if something needs doing, he might as well do it – not blindly, of course – but in this case—
Well. He just plain doesn’t want to. Not if it means that he has to try to vocalize the strange mess roiling in his head. Not when he’s still trying to make sense of it on his own.
So he deflects. ]
Hate to be pedantic, but I’m pretty sure those drinks from most of those coffee places are already filled with sugar.
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(even if she knows they'll have to.) ]
They absolutely are. But a latte is essentially just steamed milk and shots of espresso, and that's my drink of choice. Maybe only the espresso if it's that kind of day.
[ it's been that day a lot, lately. ]
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[ Because given what little he's seen in the short times she's actually stuck around the apartment long enough for him to assess her, he can't imagine that assessment is wrong. ]
Guess it's better than taking tequila shots, I guess.
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[ hey, at least she's not dealing with her shit that way. ]
Coffee is a necessary evil, at this point.
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I seriously hope you're writing off all your coffee purchases as work expenses.
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[ that does get another smile out of her.
for a moment, she just stares at her mug, a little quiet before speaking again. ]
So, you've been spending a lot of nights up with coffee too, I've noticed.
[ in passing. always in passing these days, as much as she dislikes it. ]
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Sometimes. [ More like all the time, but he'd rather not cop to it. He'd rather keep things from getting too heavy too soon, which is why he adds, ] Sometimes it's Netflix instead.
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[ claire definitely hasn't had time to sit down and watch tv lately. if she doesn't have time for sleep, she doesn't have time for netflix. ]
Anything good?
[ because yep, she'd rather hear about his tv shows for the moment than jump right back into talking about...everything.
nice avoidance there, claire. real healthy. ]
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A few things, sure. Maybe you oughta ask for some vacation time to binge watch.
[ In addition to trying to straighten her head out and getting some much needed rest. ]
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[ owen isn't wrong, though. she could use a week or three off to sleep, to deal with everything in the fallout, but...time off? what's time off?
she takes a longer sip from her coffee, then sets her mug aside half-full, rubbing a hand over her eyes. ]
Watch with me and I might consider it.
[ except...probably not. ]
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[ Despite the words, it comes out lightly, more teasing than berating. He knows just as well as she does that the likelihood of her taking a vacation is as likely as pigs learning to fly. ]
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at least they're both realistic about the kind of time she has right now. ]
All right, then maybe we can watch something while I'm going through emails.
[ that she could probably do, with her laptop on the couch.
sort of relaxing? ]
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Sure. Maybe.
[ And once again, unconvinced, but with a certain amount of levity. ]
Guess it'd be worth it, just to see you freak out about typing in a line from an action movie instead of whatever you meant to really reply with.
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[ she offers a dry smile, reaching over for her coffee to start sipping at it again. ]
I can focus on two things at once. You have to perfect multitasking when you're running a park as big as Jurassic World is.
[ she pauses, then corrects herself: ]
Was.
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[ The little flub makes him glance over his mug to her, a frown working at the corners of his mouth. Still, he tries to keep the tone light – if only because he doubts either of them are quite removed enough from Claire's nightmare to discuss anything too heavy just yet. ]
Lecturing irresponsible handlers and waggling your finger with one hand while you checked emails on your phone with the other. I remember.
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yet.
she gives a shrug. ]
Well, irresponsible handlers took up a lot of time I could have otherwise been dealing with eighty other messes.
[ her smile's slightly warmer, a little amusement there. ]
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What, like the Great Wi-Fi Outage of Spring 2014? Truly a problem worthy of your skills.
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[ she rolls her eyes, shaking her head. ]
Guests lose their minds as soon as one thing stops working for more than five minutes.
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[ with a short little laugh, she finishes off her coffee, going to set her mug in the sink. ]
But I guess that won't be much of a problem anymore.
[ now she just has different kinds of messes to juggle. ]
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Still putting out fires, though.
[ He says it as neutrally as possible, though a bit of distaste finds its way through. Owen can't pretend he understands what any of the higher-ups are thinking, except about the bottom, about mitigating the disaster as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Didn't matter to them if they had to throw Clare to the wolves to do it. ]
Just bigger ones. And with more cameras.
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I never thought I'd prefer a million minor complaints over this.
[ she'd dealt with a press junket before, and she'd been on talkshows, done interviews about the park, about new attractions, but this is different. this is a new kind of exhausting.
she looks up at owen again, smiling faintly. ]
It's going to die down eventually, though.
And then I may be out of a job.
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You’re an asset. [ He says it with a touch of irony, though his tone remains largely neutral. ] You might not be park director anymore, but they’ll find something for you, if you want it.
[ And he glances away, drinking from his mug. Personally, he’s of the mind that no one should accept any work if InGen is involved, as they surely must be from this point onward, but it’s not his choice.
Then, lightly, ]
Could always write a book.
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