(no subject)

[11calls]

Who Alex Reagan and You.
What: Alex needing company while she's being bored out of her mind and supposed to be taking it easy for a week.
When: Whenever you want it set for this week period!
Where: Howard's her and Strand's house
Warnings: None.


[Alex Reagan was not a still person by any means. She was someone who normally was a ball of energy, even when she was entirely sleep deprived and exhibiting all sort of bad judgment. Even the nights where she couldn't sleep, Alex got up, did work, did something so she wasn't just... laying there and not doing anything. This was something that she was seriously having a problem with after she'd spent the first day following the rescue basically sleeping and not being aware of the world. But now that at least some of that sleep debt had been paid off, Alex was bored, and restless and had proclaimed to Richard that she was losing her mind more than once.

Because she'd tried to work, he'd taken away her devices, which reminded her of being home when she was supposed to not use her electronics after ten pm. It was frustrating, because she was a god damn adult, but she'd also agreed to take it easy if he didn't push for her to go to the hospital. It wasn't Alex's fault that she couldn't manage to simply be stubborn and wear him down until he let her go back to normal. Nope, it was all Richard's.

Still, she'd managed to compromise for the big and comfy sofa and company so it wasn't a total loss. After all, she'd declared, that she didn't want random people in their bedroom, and she knew that he'd agreed, because well, Strand was private, save for when Alex put him under a microscope and she was making a good faith effort not to do that anymore. At least not here.

So, when people showed up to the stupidly ornate Victorian house that was still in the process of being put together inside, they were greeted by a annoyed Strand who informed them that "The insufferable one is over there on the couch. You deal with her. You may need wine, or scotch." Before he retreated to a nearby room. And when they came into the living room, Alex was propped up on pillows, and her bruises were in various shades of fading, and she just chirped out as if they were her best friend in the world even though they may not be:]

Hey!

Comments

Closed to Strand.

[11calls]

[Alex was bored. She was bored bored bored. She'd already read all of the books that she'd had access too, it wasn't like there was netflix, and if it was her apartment there'd at least be her own bluray collection. Here the only movies were Black Tapes and those were forbidden as work. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. Alex Reagan, intrepid reporter had resorted to picking lint of the blanket and counting it. Picking. Lint.

Sitting forward, Alex just looked at him in what she hoped was an imploring way.]

Okay. But I'm bored. Let's look at one tape. Please? I'm losing my mind Richard.

[nobasisinfact]

[Richard was sitting in the chair he'd brought over days ago, reading a book by Hawkings. For him, it was light reading, and he was doing his best to ignore the child-like ranting of the woman he loved who was, as she said, bored out of her mind.

He would have gotten something for her to watch or read, but he couldn't leave the house, knowing that she would root through everything until she found something to write on and with. Until she could strain herself by focusing on work, something that would be no help on her body; especially since she subsisted mostly on pastries and coffee when she did so. What she needed was rest, and quiet and books if that suited her. Not work.

The black tapes were work. They'd wind Alex up and make her wriggle and move around. Cause her mind to wander to thoughts of the people inside them and the concept of the contents being real. That wasn't what he wanted for her right now. Besides, it wasn't as if they could go investigating anything when these tapes contained content from their world rather than this one (he would never tell Alex that he was starting to believe that this stupid place wasn't a creation of Warren's. She'd never let him live it down.) ]

Black tapes will only make that worse. I have 'The Odyssey' downstairs if you're interested.

[11calls]

[Alex let out a small huff, because she knew she was being annoying, she just couldn't help it. This wasn't her, and all of the effort of trying had been used up in the first day that she was awake. After all, Alex was used to going to far and doing too much and stretching herself as thin as she could until she was almost see through. The problem with living with Richard is that he didn't let her do that.

And Alex didn't know how to not.

Sitting back, Alex wrapped her arms over the top of the blanket and huffed again, shifting and trying to get comfortable, both inside of her body and with her body. Being honest she shook her head.]

I don't think I could focus on reading right now, as enthralling as your voice is, Richard. I need something more active. Even if it's just with my brain.

[A compromise, because she barely felt any effects from her concussion, and most of the pain in her head came from her face.]

Can we play a game? Something dumb? Twenty questions?

[nobasisinfact]

[He paused, raising a brow at the request. To be fair, Alex had said something dumb, and twenty-questions was about as foolish as it got. He thought he might have played it a few times in elementary school and thought it stupid then. There was also CHarlie's version of twenty-questions; where she asked as many questions as she could until she'd thoroughly annoyed him. He got the feeling that this would be the Charlie-style version of the game.

At the same time, if it would keep her relatively away from the nagging, annoying Alex that she had started to become, it was probably worth it; especially since he was still all too positive that she would try to leave if he chose to get up and read in another room. Or worse yet, try to watch one of the black tapes and manage to bring up her cult kidnapping trauma all over again. Neither option seemed ideal. So he closed the book after marking his place and put it and his glasses down, turning in the chair to face her.]

Charlie used to play a game like this once. She called it 'annoying dad'.

[11calls]

Yeah, my dad would say the same thing honestly. And then he'd try to make me play the quiet game. [Alex's eyes grew distant for a minute, and there was a little smile on her lips as she considered it.] It never worked of course, because I'm me.

[Suddenly Alex was reminded that it was seven months since she'd talked to her parents. Twenty-eight Sunday calls she's missed with her mother making little comments about when was she going to bring "the nice young man from the show" with her home so that they could meet him. Marie Reagan was already of the opinion that the two of them were involved, so the hassel always was one of meeting her new boyfriend rather than meeting that asshole who was the subject of her podcast, but she wasn't going to mention that.

Knowing that they wouldn't know about these months didn't help. Neither did the fact that she'd told them she'd be off the grin. But she couldn't do anything about that so instead she just focused on the here and now.]

I'll let you go first, [She offered with a smile.] You ask me as many questions as you want to. I'm an open book. An open bored book for whom talking isn't a task that she's forbidden to do so I mean... You really should take advantage of it.

[bestsir]

In one of the bakeries, Harry found a sort of candy not unlike tablet. He wasn't certain if Alex liked sweets, but it was largely the thought that he had in mind.

Strand reminded him of no one so much as Dr. Stanley, which was not the most flattering comparison he could have found, though it did mean that the brusque greeting simply slid right off.

"Good afternoon, Alex—how do you fare today?"

[11calls]

Alex Reagan definitely had a bit of a sweet tooth and when left to her own devices pastry sort of ended up being its own food group. After all, nothing went so well with coffee as something sweet and considering how often she forgot to eat at least she was getting calories from somewhere. Of course Richard cooked now, so she'd added time to her run. A run she was currently missing because well. Stupid broken ribs.

Smiling broadly and taking the whatever it was, Alex gushed quickly. "I am really glad for company, honestly. I love Richard but I'm pretty sure I'm just driving him insane." There was no pretty sure about it, she was driving him insane with her need to just be more active and doing more than just sitting on the couch. Alex Reagan was a complete terror of a patient; it was enough to drive anyone to drink.

But then Alex focused on him, with concern in her eyes. "How are you doing? Did you want that scotch I offered? I can't drink with the meds but I can listen."

[bestsir]

Goodsir was not much of a drinking man by nature (indeed, seeing Crozier in the depths of delirium tremens was nearly enough to turn him teetotal), but a glass of whisky does sound very appealing at the moment.

"If I could impose so far on your hospitality, I would be grateful," he says. "I have been ... well enough, I suppose. But your injuries—they are being well-treated?"

[11calls]

Of course! And it's definitely not an imposition. I'd get up and grab it for you, but I swear Richard has some sort of alarm on the couch for when I get off of it. [She had made a deal that she would try and be quiet and relax in order to give her ribs time to heal, but Alex was a ball of energy by nature, and this was slowly devolving into Alex being bored out of her mind, and such, annoying out of her mind. It was just the way that it was when you tried to trap lightening, she supposed. It kept rushing against the glass trying to escape.] It's right there on the sideboard with glasses. [Alex gestures to one part of the living room with her hand so he knew where to go.]

Yeah, my partner is taking good care of me. Way better care than I would take care of myself, actually. And the medics looked me over before they let me go home. Loosely taped ribs so that I can breathe, a concussion and various bumps and bruises. I'm going to be fine in a few days.

[Or in a specific amount of hours and minutes if she'd had access to look at her phone. She was counting down Richard's week to the very second.]

[bestsir]

[ He went to the sideboard, selected the least exclusive-looking bottle, and poured a decidedly modest dram. ]

I am glad to hear you are well. And that your partner is—ah— [ He stopped himself from saying “more caring than he seems at first blush.” ]—attentive to your needs. Your course of rest is precisely what I would suggest.

[stantheman]

[ It's really the first day that Stan's left his living space in what seems like weeks. He hadn't even been to the library which is a staple trip for him near daily but talking to Strand had given him enough of a reason to push past his misgivings and go out. He brings a movie, a bag of pastries and coffee to the address he'd been given. He'd messaged Richard earlier as had been requested that he'd be coming.

The house is not exactly what he would have expected but at least it looked nice and clean and not dilapidated.

Once inside and greeting Richard he brings the items to Alex, only then to realize a connection he hasn't made before. ]

Oh. Hi.

[nobasisinfact]

[Stan is one of those rare people that Richard actually likes. He strikes him as someone who's been through a lot and needs to be able to be around others who are similar. So, of course, Richard had opened his home to him. Opening the door, Stan was greeted by an extremely tall man with streaks of gray in his hair. Richard had shed his dress shirt and jacket for a light long sleeved shirt. After all, he was currently on hiatus from the college until Alex recovered.

He watched as Stan entered and recognition seemed to cross his face. Of course, he knew Ales. Who didn't know Alex? The answer was either very few or no one.]

You've met.

[It's less of a question than a statement.]

That makes introductions easier. Alex, this is Stan.

[11calls]

[While the group of people that Alex like was infinity larger than Strand's was, she did like Stan do. She liked Stan, and he seemed to need to have someone who could take care of him. More than that, she liked him because he was what she imagined little Richie Strand was like, with everything that happened to go along with it. A part of her expected that it was the same for Strand, but she wasn't going to mention it. Even if the person was a kid, Alex was just glad that he was connecting with someone else outside of her here. Really, Richard needed friends and Alex wasn't going to be picky where he happened to find them.

Nodding a bit when Strand said that they'd been introduced, Alex just added:]

We've spoken on the network before. [Which wasn't at all a surprise considering how Alex responded to so many people. But she gave him a quick and easy smile from the sofa where she was still trying to be good and resting for Strand's sanity. ]

Thanks for coming. I'm sure Richard appreciates it. [Then she added in a quieter tone, but one that she knew that Strand would still be able to hear, and there was humor in her words..] I think I'm driving him completely insane.

[stantheman]

[ Stan gives both of them a quick smile and nods. He's talked to Alex a few times, maybe not as much as Richard but he likes her a lot too. Then again, he likes any adult that doesn't try to sugarcoat when something sucks like a kid is too stupid to know what's reality. ]

He said something about you being insufferable or something. [ A quick pause before he holds up the items with a glance to Richard and then back to Alex. ]

And that you like coffee, sweets and movies.

[nobasisinfact]

Insufferable was the right word, Stan. Even the dog refuses to stay near her.

[The second part was not entirely correct, but since she was forced to stay in one room, Richard had been the one taking care of Apo, and the affection that the dog had for him before had grown.

If pressed, Richard would deny the fact that some of it had to do with his slipping the creature scraps while he was cooking. Apo was a kind and loyal companion, one that didn't whine and purposefully act as annoying as possible. He deserved the finer things in a dog's life.

Perhaps while others were here to make sure Alex stayed on bedrest he would pick up some new things for Apo, the dog obviously deserved them.]

Stan is smart, impressive and clever. Don't ruin him while I make dinner.

[He pointedly looked at Alex when he said that. 'No Black tapes talk']

[wit_and_sword]

By the grace of god, the worst of Elizabeth's injuries during the battle only amounted to the usual bumps and bruises, nothing that wouldn't heal with time. They were certainly not going to keep her from visiting her friend. She had seen for herself the condition everyone was in, and fully agreed with the diagnosis of taking it easy.

Therefor, when she made the decision to visit her, she made the detour to one of the local chinese restaurants. The sort of food they served there might have been a little too sweet or heavy for someone in recovery, but she did find some items on the menu that wouldn't upset the digestive system. Along with luncheon, she also brought over some of the martial arts movies she enjoyed so much; they were not the best quality, so she was told, but she enjoyed the theatrical element to them all the same.

Besides, she thought Alex might appreciate the fact that neither of the movies involved demons or serious cults.

Seeing Richard at the door made her smirk. After all the worry and strain that Alex's abduction, he would scold and make a fuss. "I have tea, we will be fine."

She then made her way to where Dr. Strand had just arrived from, glad to see her friend out of bed (however still recovering). "Good afternoon, I come bearing gifts and some luncheon!"

[11calls]

Hearing a familiar voice was somewhat like a bit of a minor miracle, and Alex straightened up a bit before Elizabeth came into the room, bringing what could only bring chinese food. It wasn't that Richard wasn't feeding her (quite the opposite actually!) it was that back home, or even before he'd shown up here, Alex's daily food intake consisted of what was probably ninety percent take out, even if one didn't add in the coffee and pastries that were her staples while she was working. Cooking wasn't something that Alex had excelled at, no matter how many attempts she'd made. Even with things like 'Hello Fresh' Alex had turned them into smoking masses that were damned near impossible for her to clean. So the food was exciting, even if it was easy on her stomach. Not that she needed it of course, but she was sure that Richard would approve of it if nothing else.

But the largest grin was reserved for the woman herself. Even though she'd not seen Elizabeth in the battle, Alex knew she was there even without being told, because she knew that most everyone who had some skill was. Add in someone who had personal attachment to people? Well, Alex knew that there was no way Elizabeth was going to sit this out. She'd asked after, but by then, the lack of sleep and the heavy drugs had overcame even Alex Reagan's curious nature. "I'm so glad to see you!" The words were pleased and filled with joy before she added. "I would be even if it was just you and not Chinese food and presents too!"

[wit_and_sword]

"I believe Dr. Strand shares your sentiment," She answered, setting the food on the kitchen table. To eat any place besides the dining room seemed against her sentiments, but then she reminded herself that Alex was convalescing and this was no different than taking meals on a tray.

She proceeded to set the food on the table; vegetable and wonton soup, chicken and garlic vegetables, some steamed dumplings, and of course, rice. Along with the food was a thermos of oolong tea and bowls. "How are you with chopsticks?"

There was no faux-passe against using silverwear, least not here. Still, in this case she didn't wish to assume.

[11calls]

Alex good naturedly rolled her eyes at the comment about Richard, because at this point she was getting used to it, even if it was slightly grating on her nerves. Being still for any amount of time would do that to her honestly. She couldn't help it, just sitting still went against everything that she was. "He worries about me for no reason. I'm fine. I'm being good." When he was watching her anyway, which was probably the reason that he was watching her with such intensity. Sometimes Alex forgot just how well he knew her, and that could be rather annoying. So of course, she was rather annoying in return.

"I'm good with chopsticks! I use them a lot back home. Take out sushi is sort of a staple of my diet back home." When Alex remembered to eat while she was at the studio of course. She forgot more often than she wanted to admit. "God, it all looks so amazing." Not that Alex wasn't being well-fed of course, her partner was an excellent cook who favored that over going out, and Alex herself... Well, she tended to see certain delivery boys more than she saw friends or family or anyone in her life other than Strand, Nic and the interns at the studio, So she missed the take out thing a little bit, and was reminded of that by the smell of dumplings.

[wit_and_sword]

"No reason, indeed." She handed her a pair of chopsticks and napkin. "I would think that being attacked and kidnapped by two men is a perfectly sound reason for being worried."

She set one of the to-go soup containers before her, then reached into her bag once more. "I also brought over a collection of movie disks. They are all of the Martial arts variety, but I have made sure none of them include the supernatural-save for the mention of chi manipulation."

[madeupnames]

[Strand had nudged him at the possibility of coming over and showing her a couple of Terrible Movies (tm), so that's exactly what he's gonna do. That means wandering into the really crazy-looking house with wide, interested eyes and taking is time going through the corridor. He also quietly corrects the annoyed man that he can't drink, he's not 21, but thank you though (Peter is a stickler for rules, even in Riverview, it seems).

He wonders into the living room with a little smile, unsure if she knew he was coming.]

Hi! Do you, um. Remember me? I'm Peter.

Mr. Strand said you needed some company, so I brought some bad movies.

[11calls]

[Well, Richard was certainly pulling out all the stops today, wasn't he. Of course Alex greeted Peter with a wide grin when he came in, because he, like Elizabeth had come bearing movies and if there was one thing better than company, it was company that brought along additional distractions. Despite being called insufferable many times over the course of the last few days to most anyone who would listen (Alex swore Richard ended up complaining more about her complaining than her actually complaining) her voice was cheerful, and she sat up a bit.]

Yeah, of course I remember you. And besides, even if I didn't, you definitely have made the most memorable post on the network that I have seen in a while.

[She just grins at that, because she's not talking about Spiderman and his collar by any stretch of the imagination. Nope, instead she's thinking of Pam and the videos that he posted about her. Though she'd not gotten a chance to respond (she was supposed to be resting after all, and being on the network or using her device to write a report was not resting) Alex had most definitely watched the videos he'd posted and had probably laughed far too hard for a person who was in her condition. Either way, she couldn't help but ask in an amused tone:]

How's Pam doing?

[madeupnames]

[Dang you adults and your penchant for mentioning his embarassing video leak of his pancake-flipping robot. His ears redden a little, and he laughs defeatedly.]

Oh, Pam's great...! She lost a wheel but, you know. I can fix it. Sometime...

I think it's more important to ask how you're doing. I managed to avoid all the crazy stuff that happened, but, um... sorry, that's probably not fun to talk about, right?

[11calls]

[Sorry, Peter, it's one of those things that happens to come with age, embarrassing the kids around you even if you don't really mean it to be. Alex will realize it later on. But for now she's just going to chuckle softly.]

It's still super impressive that you built her though. I mean, I couldn't have done it now let alone when I was as young as you are. I'm pretty sure when I was your age, I was barely managing to be on the school newspaper.

[And nearly getting kicked off of it for being herself.

Unable to stop the frown when he mentioned how it wasn't fun to talk about, Alex just shrugged.]

I'm okay. I mean, I got lucky, no permanent damage once my stupid ribs heal.

[Which would be better sooner rather than later.]

[madeupnames]

[First you embarrass him with mention of his terrible pancake videos, and now you embarrass him in a nice way, complimenting him. He just can't win...! But he does grin a bit more proudly at that, because man, isn't it nice when people like what you build? Even if it's kind of, uh. Not functional. Yet.]

Thanks.

[But more importantly, he wants to focus on how she's doing.]

I'm sorry you got caught up in all of that, though... It sounds scary.