fandomhigh | Library [3.09]

Karal was tidying, or at least he was trying to tidy. Altra, over whatever snit he'd been in this morning, was attacking the broom as if he were a moggy doped up on catnip.

Watching the world flip around and around as Altra pounced, wiggled, and wrestled was making Karal seasick.

After lunch, John stopped by the library. Possibly with the purpose of checking out books, but upon seeing Karal, his goals changed.

"Hey, Karal! Long time no see." Sure it was a bad joke, but it was his, okay?

Karal sighed and Altra rolled his eyes. "Good afternoon, John," he said with a smile, setting aside the broom as Altra pretended he'd never been attacking it, thank you very much. "How are you enjoying your new classes?"

"Haven't fallen asleep yet," John replied, leaning against something just for the sake of leaning. "How 'bout you?"

"I had my first one this morning," he replied. "It was interesting, and I managed not to fall asleep, either." Since this was his first Wednesday in the library, he assumed John wasn't here to see him. "Can I help you find a book, or did you come to enjoy the peace and quiet?"

"Well, I was thinking about a book, but seeing you here reminded me that I've been meaning to talk to you," John said, and hopefully talk would be all he did. "You got a few minutes?"

Karal was surprised, but didn't show it. "Of course," he said. "I always have time if someone needs to talk. Would you like to sit down?"

Edited 2008-09-03 11:14 (UTC)

"Nah, I'm good," John said. "Unless you wanted to sit and then we can do that, too."

He smiled and shook his head. "My eyes may not work any more, but my legs still hold me."

"So I hear you're not happy with Jaina." Frowning slightly, John was just going to get straight to the point here.

Karal's expression smoothed out into simple calmness, even if he was very surprised, and no little concerned. "Is that what Jaina told you?" he asked.

"From what I understand, she's under the impression that you, her friend last time I checked, don't trust her." He was trying not to glare because glaring wasn't helpful.

And that made him sad. He shook his head slowly. "No, I do trust her," he said quietly. He wouldn't have confronted her in the stables, wouldn't have sought her out in the Preserve, if he hadn't. "I am afraid for her, but I trust her."

Well that was confusing. "What do you mean 'afraid for her'?"

Altra wandered over to sit directly at Karal's feet, looking up at John, so Karal could see him better. "The path she is on, I'm afraid it will lead her into dark places, places she might not be able to return from," he explained after a moment or two of silence.

"Yeah, she's been to the dark places and I'm pretty sure she's doing what she can to avoid going back there." John was getting sick of arguing this point with people.

"I know she has." He rubbed his temple, studying John through Altra's eyes. "What is it you wish me to say, John?"

John sighed and shook his head. "I want you to not give her reason to avoid you, Karal."

"Actually, I'm staying away from her. I as good as said I would when when I apologised. I had hoped she might come by for tea, but I am not surprised she hasn't," he admitted. "I didn't realise she was specifically avoiding me." Not that he was surprised by that, either.

"Okay, then I just don't know what I'm doing here anymore," John said, putting his own hand to his forehead. He was starting to understand why his new sib had randomly sat down on the ground after hearing things she didn't like hearing.

"John--" Karal took a step towards him, then stopped. "You're here because you're worried about Jaina. Because you don't want me to make a hard situation any worse, and I cant say that I didn't do that. But she won't think about anything she doesn't want to, and that is what worries me, more than worries me. I said things to her she did not want to hear, and I said them in a way I wish I hadn't, but it doesn't make then untrue."

"That's just it," John started, throwing his hands up. "She is thinking. She just doesn't own up to it all. And she's talking to me, but not about everything." Probably because he wasn't asking the right questions.

"She did promise she would think about what I said," he murmured. "I am gladder than you could know that she's talking, John, and that she has you." He hesitated, not at all sure how this would be taken, but..."Should you need to talk about what she's going through with someone, I can listen."

"Yeah, thanks," John was tempted. "Talking to the professor just makes me crazier, but I get the feeling he's not going to be hearing from her either. How did I become the go between, here?"

Karal's expression was deeply sympathetic. "You love her," he said simply. "And she needs you. I would be happy to talk to Professor Skywalker for you, should you want me to. You're carrying a great weight, but you have people who will do everything we can to help make it lighter."

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