Library, Tuesday

[angelo_wings]

Rinoa was subdued at the library today. She was going to occupy herself with shelving titles, and hoping no one asked about the white satin gloves she was wearing.

If anyone asked, she was going to claim they matched her outfit. They did. Because she had picked an outfit especially to match satin white gloves.

She wasn't gray any more; most of the physical changes had slowly disappeared. So maybe in a day or two, her fingernails would stop looking so much like talons.

Maybe.

(open/ocd-free)

Comments

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

Jack had done surprisingly well during the past week. Granted he had spent most of it in his room but he was alive and survived so that was a positive thing. And since most of his time was spent listening to radio he thought a visit to check on his big sib was in order.

With food.

"Hey sis!" Jack said with exaggerated cheer. "I just realized that you may never had one of the greater inventions in the past century."

And with that he held up a pair of giant cups from Chilly Boulder. "The banana milkshake."

[angelo_wings]

That was delightfully unexpected, and it did wonders for lightening her mood.

"I've never tried a banana milkshake before," she admitted, reaching for one with a gloved hand. "How did science ever think to bring two such wonderful creations together?"

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"No idea," Jack said with a grin and then a pause. "And I mean that. No idea. Science?"

Jack made a motion with his hand flying over his head.

"Totally over my head. However I do believe that there's nothing better than a banana milkshake. It's my goto comfort food."

[angelo_wings]

"Isn't it more of a comfort drink?" she asked, taking hers and lifting it to him in a toast. "Does that depend on the consistency of the milkshake?"

Maybe it was both. But only if you needed a spoon until it melted enough.

"You know, if it's not science, you shouldn't rule out magic."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Yeeeaah," Jack said with a chuckle. "Well if there's one thing over my head more than science it would be the whole magical mystical ala-ka-zam thing. However I would say... empirically, that the banana milkshake would be classified as food as it falls into dessert as opposed to a beverage."

Jack took a sip of his milkshake and his face showed that he truly was enjoying it. "So are you going to be making any trips over to the happiest place on Earth? ... With the exception of it being French of course."

[angelo_wings]

Hmmm. It was good, if a little strong. It could use something to cut through all that banana. Maybe peanut butter?

"Magic isn't so weird," she said, flushing a bit and hoping that didn't sound defensive. "It's just another way of causing things to happen. You're not afraid of it or anything, are you?"

Please, let him say no.

"That's where we are?" she asked. "The ... happiest place on Earth? No one told me that."

[exactlyaverage.livejournal.com]

"Afraid of it?" Jack asked grinning in return. "I wouldn't say afraid. I just don't want anyone to blow me up. And as for Disney? Oh yeah, it's fun. And they have a giant dancing mouse. Who can resist that?"

[angelo_wings]

"I'd say people who use magic are just like people who use science," Rinoa said, diplomatically. "At least, on the likely-to-blow-you-up-for-no-good-reason scale. Some people are, and some people aren't, and that's all there is to it. So what's this about a dancing mouse?"

[knight-fatali.livejournal.com]

Seifer showed up to the library, dragging a large (and we do mean large, like 3 and 1/2 feet tall) stuffed souvenir, that resembled a rather famous bouncing cat-like creature from those honey bear cartoons. He dropped this souvenir on top of the desk and grinned at Rinoa.

"Brought you something."

[angelo_wings]

Rinoa stared at the large, oversized stuffed animal and burst out laughing.

"For me?!" she squeaked, reaching across the desk to pull him into a bear hug. "You shouldn't have."

[whateverknight.livejournal.com]

"She's right, you shouldn't have," Squall grumbled, from his post nearby.

[knight-fatali.livejournal.com]

Seifer looked over and smirked. "That's why it's a gift. Because I wanted too."

He looked back at Rinoa and shrugged. "You should see where we've landed. The rides are pretty cool. And you'll love the shops."

[whateverknight.livejournal.com]

Squall stepped forward, not wanting Seifer to get the upper hand here. "An amusement park. Right. We should go. On a date."

[knight-fatali.livejournal.com]

Seifer eyed the other teen. "I don't know, man. You're not really my type. I like 'em a little more built up top."

[whateverknight.livejournal.com]

"Not you," Squall growled. "I was talking to Rinoa."

[angelo_wings]

"He wouldn't," Rinoa laughed, making it a point not to step out of Seifer's arms. Squall could deal. "He's allergic to fun. But that sounds wonderful. Someone said there was a dancing mouse and it's the happiest place on this planet?"

(I DECIDED TO BRANCH THIS UP, IS THAT COOL?)

[knight-fatali.livejournal.com]

Hey, Seifer wasn't going to complain about a hot girl in his arms. "Oh, I'd agree with the happy part. Tons of pretty girls looking for some hot, charming guy to break up the tedium of family vacations. In fact, I'm meeting twins for some fun tomorrow."

Because he was like that.

"And you should definitely take the Ice Princess up on that date. He needs socialization, sweetheart. Otherwise he's going to end up biting the postman and pissing on other peoples' shoes."


[ooc: totally okay!]

[angelo_wings]

"You're terrible," Rinoa sighed. "Twins? Really?"

She was never sure what that odd twinge was. Jealousy? Disappointment? She felt like Seifer could do better than just ... alleycatting around. Okay, and maybe a bit of jealousy. Shut up.

"I think maybe Squall wasn't hugged enough as a child," she said solemnly. "It'd explain a lot."

[whateverknight.livejournal.com]

Squall was hanging around in the library today. Not doing anything, mind you, just standing around idly and trying to not look like he was hovering conspicuously.

[angelo_wings]

And Rinoa was not at all hoping that he hadn't noticed the gloves, or possibly maybe thought they were just a fashion choice. Guys weren't good at details, were they?

"Hey," she said, offering him a quick smile. "You can go back to what you were doing. I'm not going to turn gray again while I'm shelving books."

[whateverknight.livejournal.com]

He'd noticed the gloves, all right, and had a pretty good idea what they were for. Everyone was taking a little while to transform back to normal, after all.

"This is what I was doing," he told her. Guarding her. Because he'd almost just lost her.

[angelo_wings]

"It's a library," Rinoa pointed out. "There are books. To just stand there watching me when there are all these books around feels disrespectful. You'll hurt their feelings. Read something."

Or hold something in front of his face and pretend to read it. His call!

[whateverknight.livejournal.com]

Squall was too used to Fandom to contradict her on the whole "hurt their feelings" bit. For all he knew, it WOULD, after all.

"Okay," he told her with a shrug. "If it'll make you happy."

He picked up the first book that he came across, which just happened to be one from the Saccharine Valley Triplets series, and started reading where he stood.

And yes, he kept reading it even after he realized what it was. He was just that hardcore.

[angelo_wings]

Rinoa was going to shelve and be happy that Squall was reading. And the next time she got close enough, she was going to take a look at the spine of the book and ...

Rinoa was not laughing at Squall. She was not snickering to herself. Honest. He must be hearing things.

[whateverknight.livejournal.com]

Squall's manly ego wasn't at all threatened by a book that seemed to be written for ten-year-old girls. And he didn't care what anyone else thought of him, either. At all.

He harrumphed at Rinoa, and kept reading.