Iris's Apartment

[Iris]

She felt like she was trying to walk through some ever moving obstacle course; Iris couldn’t seem to convince Casper that he really didn’t need to be directly underfoot every time she tried to walk. “Come on, Casper, let me walk.” The little white Pomeranian gave a little yip and continued weaving around her feet as the woman attempted to make it to her kitchen without any sort of major disaster.

She had been kept busy today and Iris very badly wanted to just get a glass of iced tea and settle on the sofa for a little while. Getting off her feet sounded very, very good and her dog didn’t seem to want to allow her to relax. “You know I love you, but you’re a brat.” She looked down at her dog suspiciously. “Has Poppy been teaching you do this?”

The dog gave another yip as Iris finally managed to reach the kitchen. Taking a glass out of the cabinet, she checked the levels in Casper’s food and water bowls. Finding them full enough for the time being- she would refill them before bed- she focused on getting herself something to drink. Once that was done, she headed for the living room, Casper following her happily.

[Iris]

Iris was halfway to the living room when the knock came on the door connecting her apartment to Poppy’s. Casper, knowing what a knock on that particular door meant, raced ahead of the woman, stopping at the door and barking happily. “Okay, Casper, okay. I heard it.” Iris pulled the door open, slightly surprised that her sister had knocked. Since Iris very rarely locked their connecting door, it was more often than not a simple matter of Poppy opening it.

“Hey, Pop. Come on in.” She moved back to allow her sister entrance into the apartment, though Casper threw himself wholeheartedly at Poppy’s legs, begging for attention. Not that he didn’t get lavished with it by Iris, of course. He simply liked to make sure that anyone that came into the apartment knew that he was there and wanted some very serious spoiling.

[Poppy]

“Hey Casper!” Poppy bent down and easily scooped up the little white bundle of fur. She giggled, tickling the small dog behind his ears. “Hey Irish. How’s work?” she asked, looking back up, a grin on her face.

She moved over to stand next to her sister, still giving the happy little pup in her arms playful little tickles and rubs. Normally Poppy would just have bounded in through the door she knew would be unlocked – Poppy tended to leave hers unlocked too, unless she was having a “teenage” strop of course. Even if she wasn’t a teenager anymore – but it couldn’t hurt to be polite once or twice.

[Iris]

Iris gave a little look at the use of the nickname. ‘Irish’ had haunted her ever since she was a kid, but Poppy had only started making use of it once they had grown close. “Exhausting, but I guess that’s really the only complaint I can give at the moment.”

She gave a little shake of her head as Casper squirmed happily in Poppy’s arms, the little dog stretching up and trying to deliver sloppy kisses. “How’s work and school going?” She took a sip of her tea and asked, “Do you want something to drink?” Poppy could very well go into the kitchen and get it herself if she felt like it, but since she was currently busy with a hyperactive bundle of fur, Iris figured that she’d be nice enough to get it for her if she wanted something.

[Poppy]

Poppy gave a little giggle at Casper, dipping her head to let him deliver said sloppy kisses. “Work was quiet; I was able to get some decent research done on my thesis,” she answered her attention still focused on the small bundle of excitement in her arms. “Oh I drink would be lovely. Got any Cherry Coke left?” Poppy asked with a hopeful expression on her face.

The young woman loved that flavour and it would have been no surprise for Iris to learn that she was currently out of it in her own flat. Not that it was the only reason for coming to see her sister. It was just… one of the reasons.

[Iris]

“Don't I always make sure to have some around?” Iris didn’t actually drink the stuff herself, but she knew how Poppy was about it, so she always made sure to have some on hand. As she headed for the kitchen again, she asked, “So, how’s the thesis coming along anyway?” She tried not to ask about it too often because that would seem far too much like nagging, but Iris did like to keep up with how her sister’s schooling was going.

Reaching the kitchen, she headed straight for the refrigerator and pulled it open, taking out a can of Cherry Coke. “You want this on ice or just in the can?” she called, using her foot to close the door.

[Poppy]

“I was worried I might have drunk the last of it the other night.” She fluttered her eyelashes playfully, letting out a snort of both surprise and amusement as Casper tried to climb right onto her face. “Okay Casp, I think that’s enough Poppy loving for now…” The girl carefully prised the dog away from her, settling him back on the ground.

Poppy all but skipped to the sofa, collapsing on it. “Ugh, don’t ask my thesis.” She leaned against the back of the cushions, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. “I made a mistake a few weeks back that I’ve only just picked up on. Need to redo everything in a new light. And in the can is fine."

[Iris]

Iris carried the can and her glass to the living room, handing the soda over to her sister before making herself comfortable in the cushy armchair. “Well, at least you caught the mistake,” Iris said. “That’s good at least. I mean, you could’ve just gone on missing it and not have found it until the very last minute.”

She reached down and picked up Casper with her free hand, the little dog having been looking at her pleadingly. As soon as he was in her lap, the little white fluff ball made himself comfortable. “So… any potential boyfriend material?” She gave a little grin. It was a question she always had to ask her sister, if for no other reason than to play the ‘nosy’ big sister.

[Poppy]

Poppy stuck her tongue out at her sister and settled more comfortably onto her seat. “You would think working in a library part time would introduce you to plenty of cute, sensitive and clever men… you know, the type you dream about… but as you very well know, there is no boyfriend on the horizon. I would tell you. If only so I could brag about him.” She stuck her tongue out again before taking a long sip of her drink, smiling in satisfaction as she did.

“Anyway, my strays are enough for now. What about you? Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome bumped into yet? Oh and what names did Mr. Davenport call you today?” It always amused Poppy to hear about Iris’s boss and his love of Superman. As well as trying to decode how he felt though the names and references he used.

[Iris]

Iris gave a little laugh. “Do you really think that I’d keep meeting Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome all to myself? I’m like you are, Pop. I’d tell you if for no other reason to brag about him.” She gave a little sigh. “I’m sure he’ll come along someday, though. Sooner would be better than later, of course…”

She gave a little shrug. “I was in and out of the offices all day, so he really didn’t have the opportunity to call me anything out of the ordinary. Three of the other photographers were out ‘sick’ today. I think it was baseball fever, but that’s just me.”

[Poppy]

“You might keep him secret. So you don’t have to share him with me, after all he might have a younger brother…” Poppy gave wistful sigh as she spoke, almost identical to Iris’s. “Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to settle for my television boyfriends again. Thank goodness for DVD’s.”

The young woman watched her older sister fondly for a few moments before glancing away, peering out towards one of the windows, curtains not drawn. The night was still and calm, but Poppy found herself wishing for rain. Rain so she could curl up with blankets and drink hot chocolate. It never seemed right to drink that at any other time… the drink brought to mind some pleasant memories of childhood, the one thing the two sisters had been able to agree on – even if they had disagreed on the small details like marshmallows or butlers fetching the drink for you.

[Iris]

“Hey, at least the television boyfriends aren’t needy,” Iris pointed out. “You can turn them on and off as you please and don’t have to listen to them complain if you want to switch guys for a while.” She gave a shrug. “Sadly, a television boyfriend, no matter how cute, can’t replace the real thing.”

Snuggling back in her seat, one hand holding her glass and the other stroking Casper gently, Iris glanced up from watching the little dog falling asleep to look out the window herself. It was a lovely night and made her rather wish that she had somewhere to be other than sitting at home. Not that she minded simply sitting and hanging out with her sister. She loved getting to do just what she was doing, but she wasn’t particularly fond of simply sitting.

[Poppy]

“You also get to reply your favourite moments with them over and over again. So if they betray you on screen you can just skip back to a better time.” Poppy grinned for a moment before trying to adopt a serious expression. “Also you can cheat on them with like five different television boyfriends at the same time, sometimes from the same show and they don’t mind.”

“Oh, I took the cat to the centre today,” Poppy said softly, turning her eyes away from the window to look down at her hands. “You’re right I’m not equipped to look after an injured animal, not long term anyway. So I took him and they say they will do what they can. Apparently he has a good chance of recovering… they think it will hardly be noticeable, the limp. Said I did the right thing… I just miss him is all.”

[Iris]

Iris hadn’t been able to help the grin that crossed her face as her sister talked about the perks of having television boyfriends. She did have a point. Real boyfriends we so very demanding, but television boyfriends… She couldn’t believe she was thinking that way.

She gave a soft sigh. “I know, you do Pop. You could always adopt him. I’m always telling you that you should get yourself a full time pet and the two of you have bonded. Once he’s better, he’s going to need a good home, you know.”

[Poppy]

“He’s such a gorgeous, well behaved cat,” Poppy replied, striving to keep her voice light and a tiny smile on her face. Any type of smile was better than nothing. “I’m sure he won’t have any trouble finding a new home, one where someone will love him completely.” She was never sure why she fought her sister – and herself, if she was being honest – on keeping one of the many strays she picked up during the days. Poppy supposed it was the fear that if she finally picked one to keep, she wouldn’t want to help the other stray animals she came across. But sometimes it was so hard, to let them go.

“Anyway, he might try and eat any birds I bring home should I keep him. And most of my birds can’t fly when they get here.”