Third Floor Common Room, Saturday Morning

[dollpocalypse]

Topher was exploring.

Usually he had to be careful. Mom and Dad didn't like it when he went too far or wandered outside. But today Mom and Dad weren't around, and anyway he had all the necessary precautions -- his safety goggles, a pair of gloves, and a magnifying glass -- just like the scientists on TV. So it should be safe to see what was nearby.

Like in this room, the TV was all weird and skinny, not like the TVs at home. He wanted to go behind it to see what wires did what, but Mom had yelled at him last time. So instead he took his magnifying glass and used it to look at the buttons on the remote, but really, really big. It looked cool!

While he played with the remote, he turned on the TV. Cartoons, cartoons, cartoons... ooh, but a special about fireworks was on! That was enough to distract him from the buttons, so he came up closer to sit on the floor and hold up the magnifying glass to the TV instead. It made the fireworks all big and pretty.

It was a good thing there weren't any big kids around, he decided. They would just laugh at him like the kids at home. Better that he had this whole big room and TV all to himself. 

Comments

[dollpocalypse]

"Well what are you tellin' me for?" Topher pointed out reasonably. "I'm not dumb."

[whitequeensfire.livejournal.com]

"Playing with the bad stuff under the sink is stupid," Angelica insisted. "No sperimenting!"

[dollpocalypse]

"Regular 'sperimentin' is okay," Topher pointed out. "Long as you don't eat it."

[whitequeensfire.livejournal.com]

"Nuh uh!" Angelica insisted. "They can make bad smells!"

[dollpocalypse]

"No," Topher chided her. "They're for cleanin'. Smell good."

[whitequeensfire.livejournal.com]

"Not if you mix them," Angelica said, thwapping his arm.

[dollpocalypse]

Topher froze, curling in on himself.

"Sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean to -- sorry."

[whitequeensfire.livejournal.com]

Angelica blinked at him. "I barely tapped you," she said, feeling bad at his reaction but defensive at the same time.

[dollpocalypse]

"Please don't be a bully," Topher whispered. "I'm sorry."

[whitequeensfire.livejournal.com]

"I'm not a bully!" Angelica protested. "Bullies pick on me! I'm sorry!"

Now she really felt bad.

[dollpocalypse]

"You're not gonna take my stuff?" Topher checked, biting his lip.

He had Trauma, you see.

[whitequeensfire.livejournal.com]

Angelica shook her head. "I don't steal," she said firmly. "It's wrong."

[dollpocalypse]

"Yeah," Topher agreed quietly. "'specially someone's inhaler or their tools or the special magnifyin' glass their mom bought 'em with their name on it."

He clutched these treasures tightly to his chest, just in case Angelica got any ideas.

[whitequeensfire.livejournal.com]

"I don't want your inhaler," Angelica said. Ewww, that would be gross. "But if I wanted to see your magnifyin' glass I would ask first if I could, promise."

[dollpocalypse]

"Good," Topher said, relieved. "'Cause I don't mind sharin' but it's glass and it could get broken an' I need it for my science."

[whitequeensfire.livejournal.com]

"I'll be really really really careful," Angelica said solemnly. "Can I see it?"

[dollpocalypse]

Topher sized her up, then took out the magnifying glass and handed it over.

"It has my name on it, right there," he told her, pointing. "Christopher A. Brink. That's me."