An Apartment in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday Morning

[dollpocalypse]

It was morning on day seven of Topher working for Peter, and so far he was finding it to be pretty symbiotic. Work made repression really, really easy, after all, and he was starting to see why Peter was such a workaholic all the time. Skipping out on sleep and meals when he could just tweak code on the holographic desk until things made sense was way better than actually thinking about things.

Granted, the fact that he was working for Peter meant that he did eventually have to speak enough to explain things, which was... not ideal, but it was close to worth it.

"Okay," he said, glancing behind him to Peter, "so here's what I got for you."

His fingers flew over holographic keys on Peter's desk as he ran through a quick and fortunately un-technobabbled explanation of how the new mail filters would work, some quick shortcuts to make gathering intel less of a challenge next time, and finally a few unnecessary and entirely overcomplicated upgrades he'd set up that should make the servers a lot more secure and manageable.

"Got it?"

[[for one, obviously, and SP.]]

Comments

[lockestheway]

"Unless you want to spend the next ten years on your parents' couch."

[dollpocalypse]

Topher snorted. "Please. With my brain?"

[lockestheway]

"Brain," Peter said slowly, tapping the side of his head, "Job." He pointed at the window. "Out of your parents' garage."

[dollpocalypse]

...

"But you said I have to graduate first."

Not a whine. Yet. But it was close.

[lockestheway]

"To prove you have a brain," Peter said, holding up some very sarcastic thumbs-up. "Paperwork is important."

[dollpocalypse]

Topher made a face. "Why didn't I just start blogging science when I was like ten?" he complained.

Because the internet hadn't been that huge yet? Oh, and of course there was his lack of a sister to fake-argue with.

[lockestheway]

"Because you don't know how to look ahead," Peter slandered him easily. "You're good at doing what you're told, and you're good at coming up with scientific solutions, but where it comes to anything further than ten seconds into the future? You don't think."

[dollpocalypse]

...Yeah, that held up.

"I think," Topher objected. "In that other universe I thought enough to tie you to a chair before you could overthrow... well, I guess she lost anyway." Huh.

[lockestheway]

"Ten seconds," Peter repeated. "Just a couple of words went through your head." He counted off on his fingers. "'He's the enemy. He shouldn't walk around free'. That's not foresight, that's instinct."

[dollpocalypse]

...okay, that made a disturbing amount of sense. Topher blinked.

"That would explain tasing that girl who looks like Natalie, too," he admitted. "Kate."

Who was apparently now Old Natalie.

[lockestheway]

"Oh, she's going to hold a grudge." Thanks, Peter.

[dollpocalypse]

"She hit me first!" Topher objected immediately. Like it mattered, yeah.

[[i know, i know. DO NOT BE ALARMED, I AM GOING BACK TO SLEEP. ...probably.]]

[lockestheway]

"Well, I never said it wasn't stupid," Peter said lightly, "But she's going to hold a grudge anyway."

[dollpocalypse]

"Good thing she doesn't go here anymore, then?" Topher tried enthusiastically. Buuuut he'd still probably find a way to get punched again. "I also sorta... tried blowing up an alley where Tony's girlfriend was hanging out. So that should be... unpleasant."