fandomhigh | Library [29.08]

Liir slipped into the library rather quietly and held up a hand in greeting before realizing how unhelpful it was.

"Hello," he said then before putting bag of food (http://community.livejournal.com/food_porn/4824356.html) on the counter. Another, smaller bag smelled of apples (http://community.livejournal.com/food_porn/4826215.html) and was put next to it.

"Good morning, Liir," he called, shelving the last book in his arms. Altra hopped off the table he'd been perched on so Karal could see, and turned to face Liir.

"How are you this morning?" Karal came over to look at the the bags, inhaling deeply. "They smell wonderful today.

"The small one's breakfast. Those were so simple, I ended up making more than needed. And it's the season for apples, soon enough," he said.

He wasn't in any kind of bad mood, not really, nor even pulling back into something cold and blank. He was just quiet, with quite a few things on his mind.

"How have you been?"

Karal's smile faded slightly. "I've been well enough," he replied. Liir wasn't as bright as he'd been the last few weeks. "But you didn't tell me how you were this morning."

He shrugged.

"Nothing of much consequence," he said blandly. "I suppose you've heard the radio?"

About Fiyero. He hadn't been listening, wouldn't listen, and didn't want to know anything about Ino.

He smiled ruefully. "No, but I will go and buy one as soon as I can. Given how many people ask me that, I think it might be time." He considered Liir silently for a moment. "Can you stay for a bit before you need to go to work?" he asked. "I could make tea and tell you about yesterday."

"I can. I don't think Millie will mind. I have some more of the apple treats for her and I'm usually early."

He leaned against the counter, not wanting to bother either himself or Karal for a seat.

"Mostly I was just wondering if you'd heard about my, er," he swallowed, somewhat hating that it was an awkward subject now after Michael and Lulu and Ino, "my father. He's come to the island."

Oh dear.

"Yesterday?"

Karal froze, the kettle held in midair, and blinked. It didn't matter that his eyes didn't work, some reactions were ingrained. "People tasted of things, and it was rather fun," he replied, setting the tea to brew with automatic actions.

He took a breath before he turned back to Liir. "Your father is on the island?"

It was almost a compliment to Karal that instead of being upset or sulky, something in how he'd put it made him blush a bit.

"I'm glad you had fun with it. I suppose even good things can come out of mistakes," he admitted somewhat mysteriously.

He nodded to the second.

"Yes. The one who disappeared before I was born. He's living in the theatre with Mr. Tennant. I walked in with breakfast yesterday to find them licking each other's arms."

AWKWARD.

Awkward indeed. Karal was at a loss to know what to say.

"Did he, does he--" He frowned at himself. Sunlord. "I'm sorry, it's just such a shock, and if it's that much of one to me, I can't imagine how you must be taking it!" Most important things first. "Does he know he's your father?" And he'd just gloss over the licking portion of the information.

He nodded.

"He recognized me."

Some of the smile returned. Nothing could ever tarnish that memory, as strange and awkward and mildly ridiculous as the whole thing had been. That had been happiness, that had been as close to everything he'd ever wanted as he could ever see the world giving him.

One hand rose and patted his nose.

"We share this. And some other features, now that I see him in the flesh. Certain lines of the face and a similar build. But he noticed this."

A boy had never appreciated his nose so much.

Karal smiled warmly. "I'm so glad for you, Liir," he said, reaching out to touch his arm. "And I'd very much like to meet him, if I could."

That brought up unpleasant thoughts but he pushed them back and away and focused on the good. One of those things was Karal's hand on his arm and he leaned into it.

"He's... incredibly patient."

He even chuckled a little.

"I haven't even driven him crazy yet. He seems to care about me a great deal even though he didn't know I would have existed until now."

There was a wry smile.

"He's nothing at all like me, so you should probably like him well enough. We do share a touch of awkwardness, however."

A 'touch' in the sense of 'large quantities'.

"So long as he is good to you, I'm sure I'll like him," Karal told Liir, and went to pull him into a hug. It was the first time in days he'd been able to be simply, genuinely happy for one of his friends. Hugs were required.

Hugs felt very very very good and he was happy to be hugged, especially by Karal. Sometimes, it could feel like an achievement in all the best ways.

He gave Karal a squeeze in return.

"He is very good. And he got a job yesterday working at the bookstore, so if you ever leave this lofty collection, you might chance on him."

He grinned a little.

"You can't miss him. He'll be the one in the blue diamonds, just as I was the once.

"They look more handsome on him than on me, thank goodness."

"I'll be sure to go down and introduce myself," he promised, stepping back to pour the tea. "And I don't know," he teased, "the diamonds were certainly striking."

"It looks less like a checker pattern as his skin is much darker than mine. And I think he's worn it long enough that they've become comfortable on him, the diamonds."

He smiled.

"I've done what I can to help him acclimate to this place. He, er, seemed to be getting along with Mr. Tennant well enough anyway."

"If I can help, I'd be happy to," he offered, pouring them both tea. "It's good he's found a place to stay."

"Mr. Tennant seems pleased enough. Then again, I've been bringing regular meals."

He blushed again, just a little.

"Perhaps I'll see if he'd like to meet you sometime tonight. I'd say tomorrow, but I'm assuming you'll have other duties, what with the new students?"

He didn't know if Karal would have another little brother or sister to deal with or not.

"No, I didn't volunteer to be a big sibling this time, and I think Aravis will be my roomate forever." He took a sip of his tea, making a face, because it was just a it too hot. "Though I would like to go to the picnic this time. I missed it last time. But I'd love to meet him and I have time tonight. I could come by after I close the library?"

"I'll see if tonight is all right for him, since I can't know what else he might be getting up to, but yes. I'll make sure the door is open at the theatre so you know to come in."

"Just let me know," Karal replied, and smiled. "One of the best things about the island are the phones."

"Even if they are somewhat disturbing," he said with a faint shiver. A voice without eyes and features and a body surrounding it...

Shudder.

"Even so," Karal replied. "They are convenient, though."

"They are that."

He nodded and looked at his own tea thoughtfully.

"I almost feel as if I should go, but I also wanted to ask you something."

Karal smiled. "Ask away!" he said.

He smiled, mostly to be polite, and kept looking at his tea.

"Do you think... do you think if something's damaged, if... if you keep trying to make it work only it won't... do you think you should toss it aside and try something new?"

It was not at all what he was expecting and his smile disappeared. "It depends on what sort of something you mean," he replied carefully.

"Just about any sort of something. If it keeps fouling up and you can't think of any reason to keep it around other than to sort of... well, because it'll be a bit difficult to get rid of. That sort of thing."

He tried to keep it light, but he was no more good at this than he was at directing any conversation in another direction.

Edited 2008-08-29 16:04 (UTC)

He folded his hands around his teacup. "There are two answers to that. If it is something important to you, or something that you care about, then even if it keeps fouling up, even if it's difficult, then you could have reasons to keep it close," he said, choosing his words with care. "Some of the best things in life are hard work, but worth every moment of difficulty. If it's not, or it never was, if you're only keeping it from force of habit, because it's simpler or easier, then it might be time to let it go." He paused, then added, "The difficult part is deciding what the something means to you, and what you'll be missing once it's gone."

"But how can you are for something even when it keeps fouling up? If it's so damaged that it can't get through a day without... breaking down, how could it be so important? To anyone?"

"Did you stop being my friend because I returned blind?" he asked instead of answering.

That startled him enough that he almost dropped his tea.

"No! Of course not! Why would I do that?"

"You wouldn't," he soothed. "Nor would you have stopped being my friend if I'd lost my legs, or my hands. Or if I'd returned angry or so upset that I couldn't get through the day without breaking down. I'm quite certain of that, no matter how difficult it would have been." Karal touched Liir's arm. "Do you understand? If you care for someone, if they're important to you it doesn't matter how difficult it is, you keep trying. That is why to answer your question, you need to make that decision."

He looked at Karal's hand on his arm.

"And if it might be important to others?"

"That becomes more difficult," he admitted, giving Liir's arm a quick squeeze before pulling his hand away. "I could help you more if you told me what was wrong."

He breathed out once before shaking his head.

"Nothing specific. Just another failure in a line of them. Thankfully not with my father. He's... remarkably patient with me."

Fiyero was well skilled in defusing Thropps. And Liir was terribly like his mother. Terribly.

"All right," he replied, more concerned now. "I'm pleased to hear that he's patient with you."

He looked up at Karal with a faint smile.

"It helps to think he probably drove my mother half mad with how he is."

...tolerant, loving, and as optimistic as an Ozian could be.

He breathed in and, still ruminating over what Karal had said only a few minutes earlier, he finished his tea.

"Thank you, Karal. What you said was... very helpful.

"I'm glad," he replied, even if he felt like he hadn't helped at all.

He watched Karal for a moment.

"No, really."

He put the cup of tea down with something of a faint smile and made sure that Altra could see it.

"Thank you. For the tea as well."

He smiled and stood.

"But I should head to work."

"You're welcome, Liir." He smiled back. "I hope it's a good day today."

"It's already better."

He waved just the once before making his way out.

Library [29.08]

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