fandomhigh | Library [08/29]

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Library [08/29]

Jonothon had been in desperate need of the familiar today, and waking up this morning to realize that the person who was sleeping in Jak's bed was most definitely not Jak had been jolt enough to spur him into actually getting to his feet of his own accord, pulling on his cleanest dirty clothing, and making his way down to the library today for his shift.

That he was now moving through the stacks like a man possessed, looking over the course calendar for the semester and setting out displays of books that he thought other students might find topical to each and every class... That was something else. Now that he'd immersed himself in the familiar, he was hell-bent on not letting himself think too hard about why he'd needed it so badly.

The library was open, and was possibly almost too ready to face students new and old.

[The library, it is open.]

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Okay, so after so much evidence supporting the claim, William had come to accept that time travel was indeed real, and that he was in 2010. And to be honest, even if he hadn't traveled in time, the first place he would have checked out after his room would have been the school's library.

"Excuse me," he asked Jono, "but could you perhaps point to wear the journals are kept?"

Please, don't mind how frazzled the bandaged boy behind the counter looked. After meeting Sherlock, it was about all he could do to prop himself up behind the counter and talk himself out of running for the hills.

//Journals?// We apologize. The number you have dialled is currently experiencing connection issues... //Newspapers?//

Please hang up and try again.

"No, no, although those would certainly be- gah!" Yes, he'd been so focused on booksbookssomanybooks that it had taken him a moment or two to notice that someone was using telepathy. Again.

//Would certainly be gah,// Jono echoed, putting a hand to his forehead and furrowing his eyebrows. //Bloody lovely.//

He was sensing a theme or two, today.

"I do apologise," William said, a bit sheepishly. "This is all a bit new- how are you- please don't tell me you believe you're from another planet as well?" Focus, Will. Focus.

Edited 2010-08-29 17:33 (UTC)

//Earth,// Jono replied, his voice as clipped and his sentences as brief as he could manage them, at this point. //Just a different version of it.//

You know. The sort of Earth were cranky British boys snarked directly into your brain. It was more convenient that way.

//What sort of journals were you looking for, then?//

"Sc- scientific," William stuttered a bit. "Medical. I need- I'd like to catch up on what I've missed."

In his own defense, Jono was far less imposing when he had a mind not to be cranky at people.

Today, he did not have such a mind, no.

//Medical journals?// He narrowed his eyes a bit, looking hard at the boy before finally making a gesture that was borderline rude, if you squinted, down one of the aisles. //Should be that way.//

Unless they weren't. That was entirely a possibility, too.

//How much have you missed?//

"A hundred thirty two years," William said, with a bit of a sigh. "The night before last, it was 1878."

Jono squinted at William for a moment before, finally, he relented. Even in his own reality, mutants had been more or less unheard of, back then. Fine. He'd behave. Mostly.

//You find yerself a century and a quarter in th'future and th'first thing you want to do is read up on a hundred and thirty-two years of medical advancements. That's dedication.//

"I was raised by Jesuits," William offered by way of explanation. "I would be remiss if I did not make the attempt."

It was explanation enough, Jonothon supposed.

//You've found yerself in a time where smallpox has been eradicated, and th'common cold still gives people a hell of a time,// he offered, finally. //You'll probably find a fair bit of interesting changes since yer time.//

And then, a moment later, he gave a slightly more polite gesture down the next aisle over from the one he'd indicated before.

//Very end of that one, to yer left. You might need a step-ladder.//

"Thank you," William managed, still unnerved and yet terribly curious about the telepathy. But perhaps he would inquire about that another time. "I suppose I ought to- my name's William Murdoch, by the way." He'd sort of forgotten introductions in the midst of look at all the books.

Re: Talk to Jono!

furnaceface - 2010-08-29 19:13 (UTC) - Expand

Because social mores were for other people, Sherlock had no problem drafting child labour when the occasion called for it.

"You," he said, pointing at William. "Carry these books."

You know, that large pile he'd amassed near the end of a row.

"Me?" William gaped at the man who'd just pointed at him, and not... nope, not anyone beside him or behind him.

"No, the invisible man behind you," Sherlock snapped. "Yes you."

"But- all right," William conceded, going to gather the books. Somewhere, George Crabtree was feeling extremely smug about this turn of events. "What is it you're studying?" he couldn't help but ask.

And somewhere, John Watson was sighing and thinking Sherlock really did need a babysitter.

"The island," he said, pulling out his mobile to look up more periodicals for the history. "What else?"

"Scientific advancements," William replied promptly. "Medical research." He gave Sherlock a once-over, noted the style of dress, and then shook his head. "Although I suppose you wouldn't need so desperately to catch up," he conceded.

That worked to get Sherlock to pause and look back at William carefully. If Jono was right, it was a bit of an uncomfortable experience.

He was going to need to study history now, wasn't he? Ugh.

"How much?"

And slightly ironic, given the number of times Will would give people that same careful look in the future.

"A hundred thirty-two years worth," William informed him, managing not to fidget. Thank you, eight years at Catholic school being stared down by nuns.

For science!

Sherlock hummed before moving into one of the rows to grab another series of books. "I hope you can function without sleep if you want to catch up on that much."

"Yes," William nodded. "I suspect I'll be busy for... quite some time." The prospect didn't look like it bothered him all that much, no.

"Computers down that row," Sherlock said, pointing in a vague direction as he continued to walk to where there might have been a table covered in yet more things for him to read. "You might need them."

"Com- what?" he recognised the word, from Latin, computare, and had seen it used to reference 'one who computes', but this fellow seemed to be referring to a device, not a person.

At least he was assuming the casual way this man referred to these 'computers' meant they were devices and not people.