Library, Thursday All Day

[genesishero]

Evan hadn't been paranoid, per se, as he walked into the library for his shift. It was just that it had been a while since the books had done something really crazy on his watch, and he wasn't about to let himself get comfortable while there was still a chance of things going crazy on him while he was working.

At least he didn't have to wait long before he noticed what the weirdness of the day was. The books had set up a sort of speedway down the aisles, and all manner of books about car racing were competing to see who was the fastest read.

A very pink book containing tips and tricks for playing the arcade game, Sugar Rush, was definitely giving the rest of the books a run for their money, today.

"Just so long as you guys put yourselves away when you're done," Evan decided, and then settled back to watch the races.

[Open, but flying without OCD because I'm not battling with the goat any more than necessary this morning.]

Comments

[pulseof_life]

"I’m sorry," she said quietly, glancing at him and then, feeling that he might like some comfort that was more than words, reaching out carefully to try and touch his arm. "I did not mean to make you think of unpleasant things. My question was inconsiderate."

Doubly, triply, unpleasant when that was his reality.

"I am glad that it is not like that for you here."

[genesishero]

Evan gave his shoulders a shrug. Quick, dismissive. Nothing was bothering him at all, see? And besides, her hand on his shoulder was reassuring. For as far away from home as he was, and as far away as he'd need to stay, it was nice for someone to just reach out to him, unafraid.

"I'm glad it's not like that here, either," he admitted. "But that's not why I came here. I mean, not... quite like that, anyhow. People here are really... nice. I mean, they're not cruel, here. At least not on purpose. Not that I've noticed."

[pulseof_life]

Yeul ducked her head. "I have not noticed anyone being cruel either," she said softly. "Perhaps it's because, here, so many of us have things to deal with that there's no time for needless cruelty."

Or those who dealt in cruelty were around but neither she nor Evan had talked to them.

"It's a nice thought, isn't it? Being somewhere like that? Though it rather makes our home worlds gloomier in comparison, which I did not intend. I did not mean for our conversation to go like this," Yeul shared, a bit ruefully. "I simply thought it would be nice to visit you, just because."

[genesishero]

"I know," Evan replied, offering her a little smile and taking a breath. "I appreciate your company, actually. I really should start taking more time to visit friends, myself."

Instead of hiding away with his books? Yes, probably.

"We could talk about happier things? About how school is going, and stuff like that?"

[pulseof_life]

"I have been told that friends are important. Visiting them might do you good."

She shrugged a little. Friends were something, all right. Her feelings were rather mixed this week.

"We could talk about happier things," she said agreeably and smiled back. Yeul was easy like that. "How have your classes been going?"

He'd suggested the topic!

[genesishero]

And so he had only himself to blame!

"Mine? Pretty okay, I guess. Professor Tomoe might be a little crazy, and Professors GLaDOS and Lensherr are kind of cranky, but Professor Lannister and Lady Ghanima are both okay, and I think I might be learning a lot. How are yours?"

[pulseof_life]

"Professor Electroclash is pretty cranky," she said, "but her TA, Sparkle, is nice, even though he tends to wander around a subject oddly sometimes."

It was a compliment! Really!

"Professor Starsmore's class is the one I like best. It is for those who live on the outskirts and how to deal with that." Yeul shrugged slightly. "Professor Lannister and Professor Atreides are very clever people but I cannot say I am learning much in their class, through not fault of theirs. I do not believe their subject matter is meant for someone like myself."

[genesishero]

"I don't know if Two Lions is for someone like me, either, for what it's worth," Evan offered. "I'm... really not the ruler sort."

Countless incarnations of En Sabah Nur before him were rolling over at that, embedded in his very DNA.

[pulseof_life]

"Not even a benevolent one?" Yeul teased gently. "Bringing fairness to everyone?"

[genesishero]

Evan couldn't help but smile, at that. It was teasing, obviously enough, but it was a nice thought too.

"I wouldn't mind bringing fairness to everyone," he had to admit. "Just so long as I don't have to be bureaucratic about it."

[pulseof_life]

"That would be a dreadful amount of paperwork. I would not be able to handle the forms that would bring."

That was what Yeul had taken away from that class. The forms.

She tilted her head. "And I am not sure that governing a world should be left to rote and form. It would be soulless."

[genesishero]

For what it was worth, Evan had also taken forms out of the whole lecture. Great minds?

"I guess... at least there are people involved in creating the forms in the first place," he attempted. "But... I don't like them, either. There are so many important decisions that need to be made that just can't be taken into consideration when trying to come up with the appropriate paperwork."

[pulseof_life]

"I think part of the problem would be that circumstances are very difficult to adequately represent on forms," Yeul said thoughtfully. "Either the forms would be so vague that they were practically useless or else they would be so detailed that no one could navigate their way through them."

[genesishero]

"Oh, man... I don't like paperwork when it's simple." For... all the heaps of experience that Evan had with it? Sure! "But, I mean, if I did end up having to run a place, I think people would much rather have someone they can talk to, who'll listen to what's needed out there, you know?"

Because, as much as he liked reading, even Evan had a limit.

[pulseof_life]

Yeul nodded. "But I suppose that is a hard thing to do, if you are ruling more than a relatively small group of people. If you were on call for an entire city to talk to, you would never be left alone."

[genesishero]

Oh, that was true.

"I grew up in a small town," Evan replied, blushing a little bit. "And my schools after I left home haven't really been in crowded areas, either. It's hard to imagine living in a place that would keep me that busy."

He could be the mutant god-king of middle-of-nowhere, Kansas, right? That was okay?