Kerrigan's Office, Wednesday Morning

[on_her_korhal]

Between the fog and this irritating new wandering-- thing, Kerrigan was absolutely amazed she'd managed to make it to her office today. With a grim kind of satisfaction, she sat down on her chair and glared at the wall.

She had a couple of appointments today that weren't going to be fun. Well. Some of them, anyway.

[ open hours! she's gone come afternoon ]

Comments

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Kerrigan had asked her to show up, so River did. She would have anyway, of course. As the reason she had been asked to was Lee, she stopped by the door, not heading for the coffee maker.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"River," Kerrigan greeted, her eyes coming off the wall to find the girl standing in the doorway. "Come in."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River entered the room, her eyes moving between Kerrigan and the coffee maker. After some hesitation she decided that coffee wouldn't hurt. She started preparing two cups.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Kerrigan cleared her throat, watching River go through her usual motions. "You went off on Lee in a bad way, River," she said, finally, "And I didn't think anyone else should take your punishment in hand."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

She placed a coffee cup in front of Kerrigan, saying nothing. Another attempt at explanations or excuses probably wouldn't go down well.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"I'd like you to meet me outside the dorms in a couple of hours," she said, keeping her face stern as she reached for the cup.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

A little surprised, River nodded. It wasn't like she was going to say no. She also had a feeling asking why would yield very little, but the question was probably clear enough in her mind.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Punishment," Kerrigan said, simply. "You can't go around harming students, River."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Don't, usually," she said. It was just Lee, after all.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"But you did," she said, leaning over the desk. "And there's nothing 'just' about Lee in this issue."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

The thought that Lee was an unusually annoying person popped into her mind, but River tried to hold hit back. "Will not try to make excuses." She sighed.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

And Kerrigan, for her part, couldn't help but let the thought flicker past that she was dealing with this a hell of a lot more maturely than Lee was. "Alright," she said. "So... dorms."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River nodded, sipping her coffee before placing the cup on the desk. She turned to leave.

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

Lee ended up at the office after getting lost three times and almost getting frustrated enough to go home.

But, he was there. "Okay, what?"

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

She was already getting up from behind the desk. "You're coming with me," Kerrigan informed Lee, "To the dorms."

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

"Wait, no," he said, shaking his head. "Not until you tell me why. I'm sick of these stupid orders to do stuff and not do stuff."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"You're coming with me because you're a dumbass," she said, "And yet I still cling tenaciously to the hope you'll quit it. Now move."

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

"You're beginning to sound like my father," he said grumpily, "and I don't like him. Congratulations."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

She fixed him with a look. "Unlike your father," Kerrigan said, "I am actually here, and giving a crap about whether or not you live or die. That goes for the bad stuff as much as it goes for the good. Now I'm on orders from the Veep here, so I suggest you stop loitering."

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

"You could stand be to nicer," he snapped, finally moving. "It might help with these orders you like to throw around. I'm not a damn soldier."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"And you can stand to be smarter," she told him, guiding him into the hallway, "So I guess we're both not getting what we want today."

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

"You know," he said, frowning, "you never did ask me if I was all right."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

She muttered something under her breath.

Then repeated it a little louder. "Are you all right now, Lee?"

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

"You didn't have it ask it now," he snapped tiredly. "I was making a point. Too busy lecturing me to do that. Let's just go."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, well, you had the crap beaten out of you," she muttered, not at all subdued. Really. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist."

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, well, it still would've been nice before you launched into how stupid I am," he replied.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"I'd say I'll remember it for next time," Kerrigan replied, "But, you know."

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, thanks," he muttered and just shut up.