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Library, Thursday All Day

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.]

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"If you're a really good liar, you're probably not the greatest person ever, either," Evan pointed out. "Maybe... being bad at it but looking for another, better way to do things is the best option?"

Again, he sounded tentative. He really hadn't been in that situation, he couldn't know for sure.

Sholeh shrugged. "Sometimes there just isn't another option, I think. Like in Ethics class, people were got to choose whether they hid a fugitive and lie about it, or turning the fugitive in. If you were caught harboring one, you'd die too--but the fugitives weren't criminals or anything. So, other than not helping, what other option is there but lie? Except maybe try to fight off the whole police force or something."

"I would probably have tried to fight off the police force," Evan admitted, fidgeting a little more. "I can't lie, but I know I can fight."

Which really wasn't the point of the Ethics lesson at all, was it?

"But not everyone can fight," Sholeh pointed out. "I can't. If I was trying to hide you, wouldn't you rather I tried to lie?"

"I wouldn't want anybody to be responsible for my well-being like that," Evan countered, blinking at her. "And I definitely wouldn't want to risk them killing you because you lied for my sake, Sholeh."

It was possible that Evan was going to stubborn his way through this conversation by clinging to the morals his parents had taught him like a lifeline, yes.

WELL EVAN'S STUPID MORALS WERE MAKING SHOLEH FEEL BADLY ABOUT HERSELF! DAMMIT, EVAN!

"You'd rather me watch as they tried to kill you in my house?!" Sholeh squawked. "Are you crazy? Of course I would try to help and then I'd just end up getting killed, too, because the best I could do was throw books at people!"

And not even that hard, out of fear of hurting the books!

"Then leave the fighting to the fighters," Evan replied, flailing the tiniest bit. "I've been trained to deal with villains! You don't have to throw books, just stay out of the way and stay safe!"

Because Evan would blow them up! Doubly hard if they insulted Kansas somehow!

"But that wasn't an option!" Sholeh argued. "And fighting isn't always the right answer anyway! You deal with these guys and then more will come! It's a whole country of bad guys! You can't fight off a whole country!"

Well, actually, Sholeh...

"A whole country? People like me have been fighting off a whole world for years!"

Note, people like him. Evan hadn't actually had to fight any mutant-hating human bigots yet, personally.

Give it time.

"All by yourself?" Sholeh scoffed. "You could just fight off a whole country? By yourself? Right now?"

"Why would I want to!?" Evan was looking torn somewhere between utterly confused and a little frustrated, now. "I would try if I had to, though. Who's trying to hurt you, Sholeh?"

It kind of seemed like the thing to ask, considering how adamant she was being about the way he ought to be answering.

"Nobody yet, so long as I don't tell!"

And then clapped a hand over her mouth. That had not been the right thing to say. Nope, not at all.

"I mean, nobody. It's just how we did it...in class..."

Nope, definitely not. And now Evan was looking at her with eyes full of worry.

"... Somebody's making you lie?"

Your class excuse wasn't going to hold up after that outburst, Sholeh. Sorry.

"Nobody's making me," Sholeh said stubbornly. "I'm doing it because I want to."

Except, wait, no. That sounded horrible.

"Not want-want. I don't like it." Because she'd already said too much already, she might as well just admit to some of it. "But I'm doing it because I have to. Because I can't fight and this is the only way to keep people I love safe." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Evan. "So now you can judge me and call me a liar if you want to."

"I'm not going to call you a liar," Evan murmured, sighing and bunching his shoulders a little under the weight of her glare. "I'm just going to worry. And offer any help I possibly can... I mean... if there's ever anything to do. I..."

Deep breath, and Evan found himself not quite able to look up.

"I haven't seen my family since last winter, and I'll never see them again, in order to keep them safe. And I miss them. I miss them so much. So... I know how hard it can be, having their safety in your hands like that."

*Are you going to tell him?*

::Of course not!::

*But he looks so sad...and he's your friend...*

::Unlike my sisters, I was serious about not telling anyone!::

"I'm sorry you can't see your family," Sholeh said instead, softening that glare. She'd only been glaring in anticipation of him calling her a liar. "I don't know what I'd do if someone said I can't see my mothers or my sisters again. But...it's happened before. People have told and then they get hurt or almost killed and they come stumbling home and things are worse."

It wasn't a full explanation. Not by a long shot. But it was something along the lines of what Evan was afraid he might hear. He kept his gaze turned downward as he listened, thinking hard on that, clinging to bits and pieces and trying to talk himself down from prying more than was necessary.

"I know it's not much," he managed, finally, "but whether you ever tell me or not, you're my friend. And I'll do everything I can to protect you and your family."

A beat.

"Your sisters and your mothers."

Plural. He wasn't going to pry about the plural, it wasn't any of his business. But he wasn't going to pretend he hadn't heard it, either.

And for her part, Sholeh wasn't going to point out that she had three. She'd twigged to the fact that having plural mothers meant something different here than it did back home, but she wasn't sure what. Either way, that assumption could only help her.

"Thanks," she said softly. "And...you don't mind, then? Knowing that I'm keeping a secret that sometimes makes me lie, but that I'm doing it because I don't want to get hurt? Or, worse, my family get hurt?"

Evan nodded a little bit.

"I'm going to worry," he cautioned her, "but I won't go digging or anything. I... use a codename in certain places, so that people can't trace me back to my family. It's... not quite a lie, it's an alias... but it's another way of hiding things for the same reason."

"You do?" Sholeh asked. "Oooh, that's so neat! What is it?"

As soon as she asked, her face flamed and her hands went up to cover her mouth. "I didn't ask that," she mumbled. "You didn't promise not to pry into my secrets only to have me turn around and try to pry into yours."

"It's Genesis," he replied, offering her a tiny smile. "It's okay if people know around here... I don't think you're going to turn around and try to hurt my Ma or Pa."

It's okay if people know around here.

It was like the island's mantra. Everyone stepped on the island and it suddenly became safe for them to tell all their innermost secrets.

"I never would," she promised. "I mean, not that I'd hurt anyone's family, but I'd extra not hurt yours. You're my friend!"

Well, in fairness, Evan and Genesis both had a pretty distinctive face, overall. The codename didn't really make much difference, especially since he didn't have a mask or anything of the sort.

"Thank you." Evan's smile was a little broader, now. "And I meant what I said before, about if there was anything I could do. Don't hesitate to ask, okay? You're my friend, too. One of the best I've ever had."

And now there was hugging. Because how do you not hug after that?

"I just hope that stays true," Sholeh whispered, "if you ever find out everything."

Evan's hug was the squeeziest sort of hug he could manage, his arms wrapping right around her one extra time for good measure.

"It will," he replied, sounding absolutely certain of that. "You would have to be trying to get that to change. And trying really, really hard, at that."

So there.

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