fandomhigh | Library, Sunday 02/19

Library, Sunday 02/19

The past week had been awful, and Raven was very glad it was over. The constant battering of her classmates' pollen-inspired desires had ceased, though with a strange spike of anxiety yesterday that she didn't know the explanation for. And now most of the island was heading off for spring break, and she intended to enjoy a week of peace and solitude.

But first she was going to apologize to the books for the empathic cold shower last week. Because that was so Raven.

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"Many people on the island were...stimulated...moreso than usual," Raven said, blushing again. "And with my gifts, I could feel it."

Fortunately, no doors had paid the price this time.

"...that was a bad thing?" Hayley said, raising an eyebrow. "I had a pretty fun week. I mean, other than Friday night. What was so bad about it?"

"It is very uncomfortable to have so many powerful emotions around me," Raven said, shaking her head. "It made it hard to concentrate -- and it gave me a headache, shielding it out."

"A headache really would ruin all that, wouldn't it?" Hayley said. She huffed, trying to blow the bangs out of her eyes that... weren't in her eyes, as Jono's hair was quite different. "So you gonna try and take advantage of all that lingering frustration now?" She was teasing, a big grin on her face at the end of her sentence.

Raven turned a little green, and her smile faltered. She caught herself quickly and changed the subject. "So you are working at the diner now?" she said. "I will definitely have to come visit you there then."

"Eesh, sorry, for whatever I said," Hayley said, shying off a bit. "But yeah, Cafe Luke's. I'd be happy to see you whenever. But... I guess I should go find a book or something?"

"It is all right," Raven said, mustering up another hesitant smile. "There is no need to rush off. I am sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

"I'm not the one who looked uncomfortable," Hayley said. "I know I'm a little off sometimes, but I know it when I see a bad reaction. I get 'em a lot. But if you don't want to talk about it, that's okay. I know we ain't exactly close any more."

She wasn't exactly close with anyone any more.

"It was not your fault, Hayley," Raven said, drawing in a breath and looking down at the floor. "You would have no way of knowing. My relationship with Jono...it is not entirely the same as it was when you left."

"Oh," Hayley said, rubbing the back of her neck. "I wasn't trying to... I'd ask if you want to talk about it more, but not when I'm like this. That'd just be unfair to you."

"It would be awkward under these circumstances," Raven agreed. To say the least.

"Perhaps later -- when I come see you for lunch?" So long as people were back in their rightful bodies by then. Hopefully it wouldn't last longer than a day or two.

"Deal," Hayley said.

She paused. "You know, I'm not even sure why I came in here in the first place. Not like I ever read. Who uses libraries, any way?"

"Perhaps you unconsciously knew I would be here and would love to see a missed friend," Raven said, her tentative smile growing more warm and genuine.

"Though I am certain I could try to convince you of the worthiness of reading as a pasttime."

"Really, huh?" Hayley said. "Okay, I'll bite. Give me your best sales pitch. Try and get me to read."

She smiled, a mix of defiance and amusement.

"There is always to enrich your mind with knowledge," Raven said, gesturing to the non-fiction portion of the library. "The history of your world or others, or science to learn why things are the way they are, be it stars or plants or even the human mind. Then there are the fiction books, which can allow your mind to escape for a time to a different world and live another life through the actions of another. I have become very fond of some of those books."

[Sorry, I didn't get a notif for this. *kicks LJ*]

"...Well that sure sounded fancy," Hayley said. "Maybe try something less super smart sounding? I ain't that classy of a girl, Raven, you know that."

"Well, what is a topic that interests you?" Raven suggested. "Perhaps I could find something on that you might enjoy reading."

"Well, I dunno... crime books, I guess?" Hayley said. "There's gotta be book about that, right?"

"There are mystery novels, if you would like a fictional account," Raven said thoughtfully. She'd never fancied reading any of them since many revolved around murders.

"But there is also a section on true crimes, which usually detail the crime and how the culprit was eventually found." Another section she'd had no interest in because it was so gruesome.

Hayley thought about that, and decided to stick with fiction. For now.

"Well novels sound more fun," she said. "Wouldn't want to read about real bad people, right?"

The smile meant she thought that was awful. Really.

Raven shuddered a little. "I suppose I can understand the need to study such things, but I find them sad and frightening," she said. "Though I suppose with fictional stories, a sense of justice can be satisfied."

"Yeah, justice," Hayley agreed with a nod. "That's exactly what I'm lookin' for. Nothin' too dark, though, right? I don't want it too... nasty."

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Library, Sunday 02/19

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Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]

Re: Talk to Raven [Library 02/19]