Library, [05/01]

[furnaceface]

Well, this was it. Jonothon's last weekend on the island, his last shift in the library, dutifully pretending that whatever was going on outside was more or less sane.

Which would be going so very well for him, if it wasn't for the way the books had gotten it into their heads (or whatever) to attempt to imitate the Viking-related shenanigans that seemed to be the weekend's running theme, ever since their appearance at graduation.

Jonothon had wrestled to keep the books shelved for a while, before simply giving up, rolling his eyes, and making himself comfortable at his desk with his feet up, playing Ride of the Valkyries on Youtube to keep the hardcover raiders satisfied as they plundered and pillaged the various sections of the library.

If you can't beat them...

The library is open!

[And OCD freeee because I'm feeling lazy today. Hi!]

Comments

[shes-got-legs.livejournal.com]

Well, when Ariel didn't exactly spot Jono at the impromtu picnic in the park (the one that happened when she was supposed to be at work...), she had a feeling she could figure out where he might be. Considering that she did owe him that tacklehug and she didn't get a chance to get it out of her system yesterday, she made her way toward the library.

Stealth was rarely one of her strong suits, but she did try to employ it when she came in with a bright, "Jono!" and bounced up to attempt said hug.

[furnaceface]

//Oof!//

Jono took that tackle in stride, really. He didn't even attempt to evade it. He simply went wide eyed, braced himself a little, and toppled out of his seat nevertheless.

//'Lo, luv.//

He didn't seem to mind terribly. It was difficult for even him to be in one of his moods the day after graduating, even if he did have a bloody ridiculous amount of packing left to do.

[shes-got-legs.livejournal.com]

"Hello, Jono."

Ariel gave him a little bit of an extra squeeze, but still wasn't ready to relinquish the embrace quite yet, which seemed to contrast nicely with the very somber and grave tone to her next question.

Somber and grave if you could ignore the fact that there was giggling hidden in it, trying to get out, as there almost always was when she tried to be serious and she really wasn't.

"It's the day after graduation; why are you at work?"

[furnaceface]

//Because,// Jono replied, waiting a moment more before giving in and returning the hug, //I'm always at work, Ariel. I was here on Easter, too, you know. Two years in a row.//

He liked the library.

//... I'm going to miss it, I think.//

[shes-got-legs.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, hugging Jono for too long got a little warm, so eventually Ariel allowed him to be released.

"You work too hard, Jono," she noted. "It's probably going to miss you, too, though."

[furnaceface]

//Oh, I wouldn't go so far as to say that,// Jono mused, straightening his jacket as he picked himself up again. //They were trying to take me prisoner earlier today. Th'spoils of war, or some such thing. I can't be certain, really. I don't speak 'book' unless I'm actually in the act of reading one.//

[shes-got-legs.livejournal.com]

"Awww, see, they don't want you to leave!" Ariel laughed a little. "Can't say I blame them."

[furnaceface]

//What, you figure you'll miss me?// Jono was nearly smirking at the thought. //I'll visit whenever I can, you know. This isn't going to be one of those, 'gone forever, never t'be seen again' situations, if I can at all help it.//

[shes-got-legs.livejournal.com]

"Good," Ariel nodded. "I hate those situations. I mean, it's always better when it doesn't end up being one of those situations, you know? Especially since I know I'll miss you. I mean, sure, there's a few others who are fun to torment around here, but I'm pretty sure none of them are as fun as you, Jono. Who's going to be my Mr. Grumpypants now?"

[furnaceface]

//Oh, come now. I can't possibly be the only absolute grouch you've ever met,// Jono replied. //And who knows what th'first summer term will bring? For all you know, it could be an entire army of insufferable arseholes like myself.//

Wasn't that a terrifying thought?

[shes-got-legs.livejournal.com]

"If only I could be so lucky!" Ariel giggled a little, shaking her head. "Though none of them will be my big brother. I might have a little sibling, though, and maybe he'll be an insufferable arsehole, and it will be like starting anew, the cycle of life continuing, and then he'll eventually have an impossibly adorable and irresistible little sister..."

[furnaceface]

//Who will no doubt drag him about and expect him to dance and to enjoy it, and when it's time for him to graduate, he'll look back and think, 'now, that wasn't so bad, really.'//

Jono glanced at the computer, still playing Wagner, and then looked back at Ariel for a moment before reaching over and giving her a nod.

//Any requests?//

[shes-got-legs.livejournal.com]

As soon as Jono glanced over at the music-spewing computer, Ariel looked quite the dictionary definition of the word squee.

"I'll leave it to the choice of the master," she said, trying not to bounce. "Surprise me!"

[onapalebicycle.livejournal.com]

George had had a date last night, and it didn't suck. This was more surprising to her than the ... whatever the fuck there was with fucking Vikings and they seemed to be in Scandinavia somewhere, who knew.

She was bored -- okay, maybe she was realizing how little time she had left with her roommate. Either way, she was dropping by the library.

"Hey," she said. "... What's with the music?"

[furnaceface]

//Th'books insisted,// Jono replied, noting to himself that he was going to miss the days when he could say things like that without looking entirely insane. //They were in th'mood for something... Norse. A German composition about Nordic myth was about th'best that I could do.//

Really. He'd tried.

//What brings you to th'library today, luv?//

[onapalebicycle.livejournal.com]

"The books talk to you?" George asked.

Why was she still surprised by things like that? It was Fandom.

"So, I, uh." She fidgeted. "You know? I heard that people graduating? They don't have to leave right away. I mean, they can stay all summer, if they feel like it."

Just in case he didn't know that. No reason.

[furnaceface]

//Really, now? They can do that?// Oh, break Jonothon's heart a little more, George. He already knew where this conversation was headed. //You know... I would love to, Sunshine. But there are responsibilities...//

[onapalebicycle.livejournal.com]

"Oh, right," George covered, with marginal success. "I mean, you know. You have places to go, it's cool, I was just ... letting you know."

Being dead ought to come with super powers. She'd take being a better liar.

[furnaceface]

//Well... I appreciate you making certain, then,// Jono replied, reaching for a pen and fidgeting with it for a moment before tearing off a sticky note and scribbling something on it. //Do you understand why I'm heading back so soon, George?//

[onapalebicycle.livejournal.com]

"I ... don't know," she shrugged. "I mean, you don't have to ... justify it to me. Do you want some kind of a ... I dunno. Going-away party?"

Right. Jono was exactly the kind of social butterfly who would love that kind of thing.

[furnaceface]

//... I already have a ridiculous crown and a diploma, and I nearly had me head carved off by a viking yesterday in order to get it,// Jono noted. //I think I've done about all of th'partying that I can handle, luv.//

Really, he was all partied out.

//... That said, I wouldn't mind spending some time with you before I take off. I'll probably be about for a couple more days, anyhow. I have packing t'do.//

Not as much as he would have needed to do a month ago. Curse his older self for being tidy.

[onapalebicycle.livejournal.com]

"I like your crown," she said, offering him a quick smile. "I would have voted for you, but I ... kind of ... forgot to vote."

Sorry?

"I can help with the packing," she said. Which, considering her massive laziness, was a grand gesture on her part.

[furnaceface]

Really, Jono would have made sad, sad faces if he'd known that George had voted for him. It was better this way.

//Would you? I mean... I know it's a bit of a disaster in there. Not as bad as it was, and I'll probably have to leave some of it behind. What th'hell possessed me to buy three guitars since coming here, anyhow?//

Right. One was a Stratocaster. Another was an acoustic, bought out of spite when the Stratocaster had come to life. And the other had been an ESP that was too damn pretty to say no to.

[onapalebicycle.livejournal.com]

"Hey, half of that shit is mine," she said. She didn't own nearly as much random crap as he did, but she was not exactly domestic enough to ... well. Clean. Like, ever. And any of the food mess was, by default, hers.

"Do different guitars ... sound different?" she asked. "Or were they just pretty?"

[furnaceface]

//Some sound different,// Jono replied. //Th'shape of them, what they're made of... And there's the obvious difference between acoustic and electric.//

He didn't use his acoustic often, unless he wanted something that he didn't have to haul amps around for.

//... And they were pretty.//