Library, Monday

[intotheout]

Bill flew into the side of Tip's head for the fifth time, a stream of frustrated bubbles trailing off behind him. Tip swatted at him and finally looked up from her laptop. "What? I'm busy --"

She broke off when she saw what Bill was spelling.

"I have not!" she protested, then looked at the clock and groaned. "Oh my god. How is that the time?" Bill started doing loops. "I can't help it if Rihanna's that interesting, okay?" She let out a groan and slumped back in her chair. "Ugh. This does explain why my neck hurts, though. . . ."

[I LIVE! Sort of. Open!]

Comments

[always_someone]

Help, Tip. Save Norman.

"I bought too many pastries today," he announced as he peered into the library some time just before lunch. "Please, please take one?"

He'd gotten all discombobulated by the gremlin ghost that spent its time at the Perk. He'd just went, "Maybe one of everything?"

And so one of everything, he'd gotten.

[intotheout]

Tip let out a bemused chuckle. "Alright. You know you can actually choose how much to buy or not, right?"

[always_someone]

"Yeah, I know," Norman replied, smiling awkwardly and holding the box out toward her. "But by the time I realized what I'd said, they were already packaging them, and I didn't want to tell the barista to put them back."

Because Norman was squishy.

[intotheout]

Norman, you were adorable.

"So you just accidentally ordered a whole party's worth of pastries."

[always_someone]

"Kinda, yeah," Norman replied.

And man, when ears like Norman's went pink, there was a lot of pink to go around.

"Would you like one?"

[intotheout]

"I was raised never to turn down a free pastry," Tip said, unable to control her grin. "I'll come to your rescue."

[always_someone]

"My hero," Norman laughed, setting the box down on the desk. "Take whatever you like. Take two. Or three."

He really wouldn't miss them, after all.

"How's your day going?"

[intotheout]

"Well, I lost . . . way too much time down a k-hole about Rihanna," Tip said, selecting a couple pastries and setting them carefully on the counter. "And that's about it. You? Any adventures other than pastry?"

[always_someone]

"Pastries and potato batteries, and that's my whole day," Norman replied, grinning. "Which is pertty laid back, all things considered. There was also way too much whipped cream on my hot chocolate, but that wouldn't have survived the walk here the way the pastries did."

So. Many. Pastries.

[intotheout]

"They must think you have the metabolism of a humming bird," Tip said. "Or are trying for diabetic shock."

[always_someone]

"Around here, maybe it's both," Norman replied. "Or they thought I was heading back to a common room with these. Too much food is totally a common room tradition, right? Only... usually it's delivery..."

[intotheout]

"Oh man, I haven't hung out in a common room in ages." Tip rolled her eyes. "I mean, I kind of feel like I've just been in stasis for weeks or something."

[always_someone]

"Yeah, I sort of know the feeling," Norman admitted. "Which, um, reminds me? I feel like I should kind of apologize for being a crab on you at Homecoming. I mean, I know it isn't my fault? But... you had to dance with a crab."

Which was weird. Even by 'kid who sees ghosts' standards.

[intotheout]

"Are you kidding?" Tip shook her head. "Homecoming would be totally boring without having to play charades with a crab."

[always_someone]

"I wasn't even good at charades," Norman laughed. "You know what helps with charades? Fingers."

Crabs did not have fingers, alas.

[intotheout]

"You were very expressive. For a tiny thing with claws trying not to get stepped on."

[always_someone]

"I do kind of like to think that 'I would like to not get crushed please,' is a pretty universal sentiment," Norman offered, his smile going a little lopsided.

[intotheout]

“Well, a global one at least. I’m not sure a koobish would notice getting crushed.”

[always_someone]

"I... am going to take your word for that," Norman decided. "And then concede that I've never really met a ghost who would notice, either."