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Tweak says, "Hopefully, not in the same day"

Florence Trumper stands by her champion (notachesspiece) wrote in wariscoming,
@ 2013-03-06 23:13:00

Entry tags:

florence trumper, svetlana sergievsky

Who: Svetlana Sergievsky and Florence Trumper
What: The ladies of Chess have had enough of all the things and are instead partaking in wine...trust me, we were surprised, too
When: Tonight, we'll say
Where: The Trumpers'
Warnings: A drunken Russian ice queen and a drunken Hungarian born British girl...isn't that warning enough, really?

As far as Florence was concerned, with evil quite literally on their doorstep, they could have spent another week or more enjoying their anniversary. Unfortunately, Freddie's career, and her own by proxy, came first. And she might not have been a fighter by any means, but she refused to let this place take this from him. This was his chance and she was going to do everything in her power to see that he got it. She was typically pretty good at staying under the radar of whatever Evil of the Week was hanging around. As long as she could get Freddie to keep his mouth shut, they'd be fine, right? They could go back to Lawrence easily enough, Freddie could keep his engagements and get some more practice in... It would be okay.

Of course, she hadn't factored in Andy getting cursed. Or him getting far too close to the origins of who she was to him. Or had been to him. And her desperate need to help him still brimming at the surface. She knew her saying something would do absolutely nothing for Andy. If anything, it was more likely to get him cursed worse. Or hurt Freddie, and Florence would do anything to keep that from happening.

There was literally nothing she could do except try and talk some sense into Charlie, help take care of her blinded not!son, and wait it out. And sometimes, being an ordinary mortal from a theatrical musical was really, really awful.

To say nothing of her own current fears that the little family she'd so desperately hoped for would never happen. It had been a year since their marriage, two months since he'd told her he was ready to start trying for a baby, and...nothing. And it wasn't like she was getting any younger. Had she waited too long? Or was she just being ridiculous and it was a longer process than all of this? She didn't even know but it scared her. Maybe 'picking up the strays', as Freddie called it, was the closest she'd ever get to being a mother.

So she was more than a little stressed when she heard the knock on the door. She glanced towards the door to the bedroom, but Freddie was locked away, possibly already having gone to sleep but more likely, he was engrossed in some play that he would work on obsessively until he could come out with his head held high in victory. So she pulled herself to her feet, the novel she'd been reading abandoned on the coffee able.

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thegirlisme
2013-03-07 06:03 pm UTC (link)

A year ago, and this never would have happened. But Lawrence had a way of changing relationships and while Svetlana never would have seen herself befriending Florence, somehow she had. It had taken time and figuring out just where everyone stood, but as things settled, as lives moved on in directions that made more sense, a friendship somehow had formed. True, the blond still wasn't all that forthcoming with her thoughts, she was the same with everyone, but Florence had offered to listen if needed and Svetlana extended the same courtesy. And even though she did not say much in general on the boards, Svetlana still did observe. Which meant that she had a feeling that Florence would definitely be needing something to drink and while she had her own personal feelings on the whole thing, they didn't really change the fact that the other woman would be upset.

It was why she decided to bring a bottle of wine over with her. Because sometimes it helped. It wasn't a permanent solution, but for something like this? It would help. Svetlana had seen those she cared for harmed enough times to know. She had been left to the sidelines, unable to do anything but try to make things easier. Dmitri. Erik. Even Mikhail, though he had least hadn't died from it. The girls being shot and unable to do anything because someone was holding her to the ground to keep her from being shot as well. Not that it would have mattered, not to her. But she knew that sometimes, the edge needed to come off and what better way than a glass of wine with someone who at least had a vague idea on what was going on.

Really, this was insanity, though. Svetlana had no idea how to help when the threat was a Disney villain. She was a mother and simply human. And it wasn't like December, where she could just take all the children up to the eighth floor and try to protect them up there, where there were others who could help with that. Curses? It left her back to the feelings she'd been fighting her whole life. That she couldn't do anything to help, that she wasn't anyone to begin with. She found a niche with the medbay in the administration aspect, but times like this? Not to mention her present aggravation of Myka. Honestly. She needed to move on already and stop being a petulant child who knew they were in the wrong so kept acting out by avoiding it.

With the girls asleep and Anatoly reading up on... something medical that made no sense to her, Svetlana made her way to the Trumpers' apartment and knocked, and waited until Florence opened the door.

"I imagine you could use some wine?"

This wasn't her strong point. Not at all. So offering wine as the first thing to say? Eh, it would have to do.

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notachesspiece
2013-03-08 10:54 pm UTC (link)

Svetlana wasn't the only one who'd never have seen this friendship forming. How could anyone have expected it to? She'd taken this woman's husband away from her, from his children, for a year. And, had things been different, had Bangkok never happened or if things had unfolded differently, she might have still been with him. It was strange to consider and she didn't do it often. She'd seen him with his girls, and though she couldn't take back all that had happened, she was grateful things had gone the way they had. She had Freddie back, and for all their issues, she knew he loved her and he'd do everything he could to keep her. And she felt the same. And, from the time the two couples had spent together, she was relatively certain Anatoly felt much the same where Svetlana was concerned.

So though she was surprised when the blonde woman showed up at her door, she wasn't panicked or shocked. She merely lifted her eyebrows at the bottle in Svetlana's hand and nodded. Sometimes it amazed her how intuitive the woman could be. But then, Svetlana hadn't earned her ice queen reputation for nothing. She was people smart, watching and learning and considering before ever making any sort of play. Amusingly similar to how Florence approached her chess games and she found that she rather enjoyed it.

"Can't say I'd turn it down," she replied agreeably, opening the door wider and motioning for the Russian woman to come inside. "I'm sure Freddie says hello, but good luck pulling him away from the board for more than thirty seconds. Some play from 1970's match he's been trying to recreate."

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thegirlisme
2013-03-08 11:59 pm UTC (link)

Some thought that the Ice Queen persona had started because of Anatoly being in the spotlight all of a sudden, that she had adopted it to play off the press and maintain a semblance of privacy. But the fact remained, she'd been considered as such years before that, even before Anatoly had met her that day in the park, people already saw her as such. It was protection, it was what Erik had taught her and it hadn't failed her. Staying quiet and observing, analyzing. It was why she was good at the game and why she didn't have that many friends, but those she did, she knew that it wasn't flippant. Mostly, some had proven her wrong in that regard but the fickleness of the Seal seemed to make it mostly a nonissue.

With Florence acknowledging she wouldn't turn down the wine, Svetlana smiled faintly with a nod, stepping in once she was motioned that it was okay to do so. Nor was she all that surprised to hear that Freddie was focusing on the game. It was just strange to consider that they were in a time when a play from 1970 would be considered a classic when it wasn't completely old for them. Though she'd have to look back through her recollections of those matches to even try to figure out which one it was. Which, while something she enjoyed doing, this wasn't the time to do so.

"I see."

It was simply a statement of acknowledgement and acceptance. Besides, she was a bit more concerned about how Florence was handling everything with Andy than moves from a game that was played the year she and Anatoly had gotten married.

"How are you?"

While it was a simple enough question, this was Svetlana. There was always a reason behind the words she chose. And it may seem just general but there was more to it, because t here was so much that had gone on as of late that there was no simple response. But there was wine and time to talk as it seemed neither woman had been able to sleep for a while. Too many thoughts and stresses and worries to do so.

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notachesspiece
2013-03-09 05:21 am UTC (link)

But it was so much easier for Florence to focus on plays from the 70s than it was to deal with everything around her. Especially Andy and that god awful, ridiculous, complicated situation. She appreciated the offer of companionship, though. She'd been trying so hard to put on a brave face for Freddie and though she knew he saw right through it, he let her stray from the subject whenever she wanted. Because he knew her and well.

But sometimes she did need to be pried at.

"I'm...well," was all she would offer and she nodded for Svetlana to have a seat on the couch if she chose while she made her way to the kitchen to get wine glasses and a corkscrew. "Yourself?" Pleasantries. Definitely. Because Svetlana was likely not much better than she was. Being a simple mortal with no real skill at fighting other than basic self defense was hell at a time like this. There was nothing she could do to help. Nothing except be supportive.

"Would you like some biscuits? Or cake? Might go well with wine." No, of course she wasn't purposely changing the subject. And purposely ignoring all elephants in all the rooms ever.

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thegirlisme
2013-03-09 05:56 am UTC (link)

Easier, yes. Svetlana was queen of deflecting, which was how she always recognized it. She would call Anatoly on it, even if she was deflecting by calling him on deflecting, she would call Dick on it. She called Helena on it. Really, when one was so used to avoiding and deflecting and phrasing, it was that much easier for her to see just what was going on. It was just figuring out the best approach. With the other three, she knew exactly which way to get them to talk, with Florence it would be trial and error. But as she knew how bad things could get if one consistently held it all in... well, personal experience was the best teacher.

"Well enough."

Simple. To the point. Not all that revealing. They both knew the world around them, they knew the threat and the fact that neither of them had the skill to help, not in these. There were no powers they could call upon, no years of training with weapons. And while being supportive was all well and good, it was also completely draining. Especially when all you did was play the supportive role and ignore the pain it caused you.

"Biscuits would be nice...."

As she answered and took a seat, Svetlana kept an eye on Florence. Because there were tells in everything. Word choice and body language. She knew that this was just a topic change, an attempt to change the direction of the conversation they both knew was hanging in the air. Perhaps it was simply the fact that Svetlana didn't like the notion of someone suffering the way she did, in silence, because they felt the need to play a certain role consistently. It was also familiar for her, the role she had played in Moscow, the listener and advice giver. But she was learning to share as well. Perhaps it would be good for the both of them. Even if the wine was what would break the ice.

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notachesspiece
2013-03-10 11:04 pm UTC (link)

The words were surprisingly not stilted and cold, despite how few were spoken. From their short chats and their trip to Russia and then Greece, Florence was getting to know the ins and outs of the woman sitting in her living room. Tone was a considerable thing where Svetlana was concerned. One slight change in octave was the difference between genuine and sarcastic or between concerned and indifferent. Despite the shortness behind her words, they weren't cold in the slightest.

She pulled down two wine glasses and popped the cork before pouring them each a glass. She took one of the tins of biscuits lying around and the glasses, as well as the remainder of the bottle tucked under her arm. The assortment made its way to the coffee table where she handed Svetlana a glass before settling everything else down.

"Chocolate chip and there's still a few toffee in there. We go through those a lot." Pointless, really, she'd know when the tin was opened. But it was talking, at least. She curled up on the couch in the spot next to the blonde and offered a smile. "How'd you know?" was all she asked. She didn't need to specify how did Svetlana know what. The woman was perceptive. Perceptive enough to know Florence had needed a night to just sit and relax. She'd figure out the question on her own easily enough.

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thegirlisme
2013-03-11 02:30 am UTC (link)

Most people never bothered to get to know the nuances of how to read Svetlana's words. It wasn't really anything that bothered her, she was never actively out to make friends as it were. Every relationship she had, from her marriage to Anatoly to the friendships she had formed in Lawrence, they all had just happened. Shared experiences, understanding. And those here had actually done what Svetlana never expected anyone to do. Actually figure out what she meant just by a phrase that could mean so much. It was strange, but it was also life. That, and Lawrence was known for the unexpected happening. Supernatural or in terms of interpersonal relations with others.

Taking the glass, Svetlana smiled some in thanks and sipped the wine for a moment. There was nothing wrong with classics in terms of baked goods. She wasn't really hungry or needing to eat anything at the moment, but there was time yet. Options were just good to have on hand. Especially once conversation picked up so it was more seamless.

And the question. Vague but pointed. Or it was just Svetlana knowing these things, either way.

"Sometimes the only thing you can do when those you care for are injured is to try and relax... company helps."

Yes, Florence had Freddie, but that didn't mean that only one person had to play the role of support. And it wasn't exactly difficult to know about Andy having been blinded by Maleficent. He had stated it on the boards, following the dots wasn't all that difficult if one knew the signs to look for or just how it felt to feel powerless while loved ones were suffering. And as it was something Svetlana well knew herself, why not?

Besides, getting some time to herself and with another female friend, well, it was still strange but also needed in her own right.

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notachesspiece
2013-03-12 04:29 pm UTC (link)

In Svetlana's defense, Florence was pretty good at reading people in general. She'd spent a long time as a young immigrant just watching people, learning ways to fit in. Her mother had never wanted her to stand out, for the world to have anything they could use against her. So she'd watched. Gotten to know the way people talked, the way the London children had interacted with each other. Before long, she was able to slide herself into the fray. It had come with some knowledge about how people worked, however, and that included paying attention.

So she knew when the blonde woman was angry, even when she was quietly seething. And she knew when she was being kind and considerate. And at that moment, she was being more genuine than Florence thought she'd ever seen her. And it helped.

She hesitated, though. Not that she didn't trust Svetlana. Just that her own situation was so difficult and strange to explain. Everyone knew she'd been close to Andy previously. Most knew he looked at her as the only maternal figure he'd ever really had. But that young man was gone and the one in his place didn't even know her. All she could do was watch from a distance. Oh, she'd worked on being friendly with the boy. But a game of chess and a few kind talks, plus helping Charlie bring him home once blinded? That still paled in comparison to the long, in-depth conversations she used to have with him. The talks about his brother, his father, the demon who'd cursed him with his 'gift'.

It was hard. But it was appreciated that the difficulty was being acknowledged. Svetlana had lost her own children once, she could have easily written off Florence's pain. But she hadn't. And it meant more to her than she knew how to say.

"Relaxing sounds easier than it probably is right now," Florence admitted, sipping at the glass. "I hate feeling helpless. I always have and in this place? It feels like all I can do. I've learned to fire a gun, but what good is that going to do in the face of magic? Or even demons?"

No, she was much better on the sidelines. Bringing food to the fighters during the demon attacks, making sure they got as much rest as possible considering. She could defend herself well enough, thanks to Jo, but her life was much better spent helping others rather than joining in on an active attack. "There's not much I can do except be there for others when I'm needed."

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thegirlisme
2013-03-12 10:52 pm UTC (link)

It seemed, at least to Svetlana, that people no longer took the time to observe. They were so quick to jump into the fray, be it verbally or emotionally or physically, that missing even the most obvious of signs were common place. Or people refused to truly look at things from all angles and latched onto one incident and played victim and petty child. It probably had a lot to do with the time and atmosphere of where they were raised, yet it was still quite obvious to the blond Russian, that all she could do was accept it. Which she did, unless it became a complete nuisance, and then no words were spared.

Was it awkward to try to be there for someone who had a situation that made no sense and often had felt insulting? Perhaps for some. And it was far from what had happened with the girls, but Svetlana wasn't pulling from that experience. Nor was she going to use it as an excuse to brush off the situation with Andy at present.

"Oh, it most certainly is." Because Svetlana wouldn't lie on that fact. She knew how hard it was to relax when worry and stress were waging war. When there wasn't even anything that could be done beyond wait.

"That is a feeling I know well. The hatred of feeling powerless to help..." or in general but that was a topic Svetlana avoided at all costs. It was part of life in Moscow. Tied into the alternate Moscow. But in Lawrence there was so much that was around to make regular people feel beyond their elements. They could learn to defend themselves, but that only got one so far when they were dealing with more supernatural threats.

Nodding in agreement on the most that could be done for people like them was to be support as needed, Svetlana sipped her wine.

"Which can do a lot of good so long as people are receptive to it... " And some seemed to take advantage of support while others ran from it. Sometimes it made it more difficult.

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