[Drama] A Muddled Up Afterglow

[Tereza Rozanov]

Tereza had considered going back to the room or to a music room or even to the XUB, but they all shared one particular problem. They were on campus and she was on campus too. So she told herself she needed to test the car and she headed down to the Rose & Crown. She dropped onto a seat at the bar and ordered a beer, staring into the glass without really seeing it as she leaned on the bar.

[Isolde Schwarz]

Tereza almost senses the approach before a familiar presence sits down at the bar.

"You know, you've been putting my mood off all day."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"A thousand apologies, Isolde," Tereza says, making clear she doesn't mean it. "I thought your mood was perpetually off."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"I'll have you know I was having a good morning for once."

"But someone has to walk around sending extremely mixed signals."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Mixed, huh? And what's got your morning going so well?"

[Isolde Schwarz]

"...things," she says tersely, flagging down a bartender.

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Things." Tereza gestures at Isolde, "Good things, I assume. That makes one and a half of us."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"I'm allowed a few, eh?"

"So what's the matter here? If there's any more friction in you, you'll be a fire hazard."

[Tereza Rozanov]

Tereza takes a long drink from her beer. "I guess the polite company way to put it is a disagreement about Sam."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"The Morrigan, causing conflict. What a novel concept."

[Tereza Rozanov]

Tereza gives Isolde a look that could cut steel, "That's... part of the disagreement... At least I think. She's so drunk, she's not talking to me."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"I mean I warned you about this, didn't I?"

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Yes, yes. You're very smart and knowledgeable," Tereza grouses, focusing on her drink again. "She... the wolf... believes. Like hardcore."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"Think of what the wolf is, then think about what she is."

"Tell me you're surprised."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"No, but it's never been a problem... until now," Tereza retorts. "We went out dancing when she got back from Muir and, well, she went full Morrigan in the middle of the Raven's Crest and she dragged the wolf out to play." Then she adds quickly, "Not bodily, but, I was definitely in the back seat."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"And she can do that. She can do the other thing too, but that's beside the point. She can do that and she probably doesn't even realize she's doing it."

"And it's child's play because you let your guard down for her. You think of her as a girlfriend instead of death walking."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"So what are you suggesting? That I break up with her? My wolf won't have that, I know that without even asking. Hold her at arm's length? That's not much of a relationship. I'm fucking damned if I do and damned if I don't. I mean, I always knew I was damned one way or another, but this is seriously not what I thought would happen." As she's talking, she gets more agitated and her beer glass begins to frost over.

[Isolde Schwarz]

"I'm saying you need to have a long, hard think about who you're sharing your bed with."

"That doesn't mean 'stop' so much as it means being realistic about just what you're attracted to."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"And I *thought* I was being. I mean, I accept that's she's the fucking Morrigan. I've seen enough evidence not to doubt that there's at least something going on there. But I don't want to worship her. That's not what I want in this relationship. But the wolf would go full priestess and never look back."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"There was a time when I was seeing a priestess of the Morrigan. They're insufferable."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"The owner of the Raven's Crest? Sam's mentioned her a few times."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"We were terrible for each other, truly."

"What about the blonde? Isn't she a believer? I know the fair folk still tell their children the Morrigan will eat them if they misbehave."

[Tereza Rozanov]

Tereza cringes a bit at the mention of Viv. "Oh, she's a believer. She had a hard time getting over that the goddess she heard about could be interested in her in more than a religious way."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"So you're the odd one out."

"She's not going to get less like that, you know. If you wanted her for being a timid girl from Ireland that ship's left the port by now."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"No... Well, yes... I liked her because she's Sam. The Morrigan is a part of that, sure, but on some level, I still want there to be Sam."

[Isolde Schwarz]

Isolde is quiet for a moment as she kneads the bridge of her nose.

"Alright, I didn't want to get in the middle of this because frankly I like my eyeballs to remain inside my skull."

"The more you treat those as separate, the more likely you are to lose a 'Sam' and gain a Morrigan that's unrecognizable to you."

"You are at point in time where she is mostly the mortal she thought she was growing up. As a result, you're still in a time where she'll listen to you. Where these decisions matter."

"And right now the only part of you that's addressing the growing side of her is your wolf."

"Whom you are apparently not good at communicating with, and who you are also making unrecognizable because you can't bring yourself to articulate the feelings that your wolf is apparently more than comfortable with."

"Stop me if you've heard this before."

[Tereza Rozanov]

By this point, even the beer in the glass is frozen. "Maybe I should have stayed in Wales with Viv," she mutters.

[Isolde Schwarz]

"You never struck me as someone who gives up this easily."

[Tereza Rozanov]

Tereza sighs, "When I was a kid and my powers showed up, my 'parents' shipped me off to a school that was basically a thinly veiled excuse to exploit mutants. Some people broke me out of there and I spent some time with them because they were the people that saved me. And then that went sour and I ended up by myself. And then I got picked up for being... well... me and I ended up at Muir. And then they negotiated to let me come to the university. And I met people who seemed to care. And then some bitch bit me and complicated an already over-complicated life."

She growls slightly, "And yeah, I know you're crying a river right now. I know your story is a fucking tragedy, but you've actively contributed to those complications. So you'll understand when I say this... fuck you."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"Don't like complicated? Fine."

"What part of what I just said doesn't boil down to 'Talk to your girlfriend'?"

[Tereza Rozanov]

"Because 'Sam, my wolf is ready to worship you as a goddess and that weirds me out' bothers even me with how it sounds."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"Less complicated."

She straightens up, and does a surprisingly good American accent.

"Sam, last night I think I scared myself a bit."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"<I still say 'fuck you', but point taken,>" Tereza says in Russian.

[Isolde Schwarz]

"<There are many things I deserve that for,>" she replies in equally fluent Russian.

[Tereza Rozanov]

Tereza sighs, "That being said, and those hard feelings aside, I'm actually glad you're happy."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"I'm certain it will pass, in time."

[Tereza Rozanov]

"I take it things with Wanda are going well. Probably good for you that she's not some war goddess."

[Isolde Schwarz]

"...she can tug on my wolf, all the same," she admits.

[Tereza Rozanov]

She raises an eyebrow, "That I wouldn't have expected. Just a protective streak or something else?"

[Isolde Schwarz]

"We're connected. Sometimes I take her for a ride. Sometimes she's the one pulling on me."