long ago and oh so far away

[quackery]

Date & Time: 8/8
Location: Library
Characters: Ahiru and Gilbert Nightray
Summary: A chance meeting!
Warnings: Nooope

[It's hardly uncommon for her to take a trip to the library. Reading has been a beloved pastime for years now, and all the books from different worlds are fascinating. One of her favorite parts of being sent to separate dimensions is hearing about their history, and books are a nice glimpse to that.

She's trying to reach for a volume on a particularly high shelf. The action is taking all her focus - she knows how easily she could trip and fall over like this, and next to such large shelves, that could prove a disaster - so she doesn't take note of anyone who might be near to her at the moment.]

Almost there...!

Comments

[retraced]

[This is one of many trips that Gilbert probably makes to this library per week, both for his own sake and on his young master's behalf. Oz has chosen to send him today to return a book before he incurs a late fee (who would have known things like that existed?) and to pick up something new. Pick something you think would be good, he'd said.

As if Gilbert has any type of imagination or something. Pft.

It's been nearly half an hour of searching though the novels now and Gil is no closer to finding something that he thinks Oz would like than when he first arrived. And it's not for lack of trying; he's read the back of every book that sounded like it had an interesting title, but there are so many to get through, and what if what sounds good to him wouldn't sound good to Oz? There are things to consider here! And so many of these are using words he doesn't understand, things that won't exist in their world, or at least not for centuries after.

And so the search continues all the way to the aisle where Ahiru is currently struggling. He recognizes her, not just by sight, but with history attached now. Oz was sad when she'd left, but he'd failed to mentioned that she'd returned. Maybe he didn't know, or maybe Gil just hadn't been paying close enough attention. Either way, he walks right over and reaches up over her head to grab the book that she's trying to get and turns the cover towards her so she can see it.]

This one?

[quackery]

[She doesn't notice him approaching, so when she sees someone out of the corner of her eye reaching for the book, she smile gratefully. She turns to thank whoever it is, and — oh. Her reaction is immediate: she blinks in surprise, staring for a moment. What's nearly as quick as that reaction, though, is an effort to hide that reaction, not wanting to act odd. She reaches to take the book with a smile masking her surprise.]

Yeah, that's the one! Thank you.

[And then she pauses, a bit awkward. Since she returned to this place, she's been meaning to talk to him, but she hasn't found a way to do it. After all, she knows she doesn't want to tell him, and as long as he thinks she doesn't know him - what reason would she have for talking to him out of the blue? But this could be an opportunity. She's nervous she'll act weird or out of place or make him catch on somehow, but just avoiding him until he inevitably gets sent home again seems too terrible for words. She starts speaking after a quick breath.]

You're friends with Oz, right?

[retraced]

[He nods in replacement of a 'you're welcome', but at the mention of Oz his mostly blank expression softens, giving way to a very small but noticeable smile.]

That's right, you helped me find him the day I arrived. Thank you again, for that.

[quackery]

Oh, no, you don't need to thank me.

[She shakes her head, waving that off.]

I'm just glad you guys have each other here. It makes it a lot easier to be stuck here, yeah?

[retraced]

Easier...

[He hopes it's easier for Oz. To have someone tend to the things that you shouldn't have to every day, cooking and cleaning, in order to live some semblance of a life when bombs weren't falling and stealing your vision and people weren't engineering illnesses to wipe out an entire population. It's painful to think about what could have happened to Oz if he hadn't been here for all of that.

The smile drops from his face, but he doesn't look upset. Just blank once more.]

The whole situation still doesn't make complete sense to me, but you're right. I hope it's easier for him now.

[quackery]

I'm sure it is! He talked about how much he missed you, you know. So he's definitely glad.

[And she's glad to see him too, memories or not, selfish as that is.]

But - if there's something that doesn't make sense, I can try to explain it.

[retraced]

Something else...

[He frowns and looks away towards one of the bookshelves, like he's trying to think of something. The way that things work here, missions and the like, that general flow of life - that's all starting to make sense. Oh, but there is one thing that Kate had mentioned.]

That's right - do you know where I'd find a book about airplanes?

[He won't ask her to explain herself; it sounded complicated enough just from Kate's brief explanation.]

[quackery]

It would probably be in nonfiction!

[She turns, and nearly holds a hand out behind her for him to grab like she would have back when he knew her, but realizes how out of place that motion is. She trusts that he'll follow regardless, so she takes off towards the nonfiction section.]

This way.

[retraced]

[He follows behind, making sure to remember which aisle he's coming from so he knows where to keep up his search once he's done. He has a lot more books to look through for Oz...

He's a little distracted looking up at the different shelves, so he falls a step or two behind her eventually.]

[quackery]

[She notices eventually and turns around, curious.]

Um, if you found something you want to look at, we can stop here for a bit!

[retraced]

[And the minute she points it out, he notices as well. He startles and then rushes to catch up with her, still trying to keep his voice quiet. No sense in angering the librarian any further.]

No I don't need to - sorry!

[quackery]

Huh? It's really fine, we can stop!

[retraced]

No, I was distracted.

[He rubs at the back of his neck, sheepishly.]

I'm just still not used to the way that this library is laid out.

[quackery]

[She tilts her head, curious.]

Not used to it how?

[retraced]

[He's about to point out that this is a public library and he's always been spoiled with the personal libraries of the Vessalius house, Nightray house and extensive archives in Pandora, but that's embarrassing to admit. Instead of turns his eyes away slightly and answers:]

It's just...different in my world.

[quackery]

[She pauses, leaning back against the shelf (lightly, so she doesn't knock it over).]

Yeah? Do you want to tell me about it? I mean, if you're not in a hurry.

[retraced]

[He's not necessarily in a hurry; Oz is doing other things right now and doesn't need these books immediately. Plus she's Oz's friend, and she's curious about their world, so he can at least say something about it.]

Well...most of the libraries I've been in have been organized by the families who own them.

[There, that doesn't sound too terrible.]

[quackery]

[She smiles, honestly interested.]

That's pretty cool! It must be nice for anyone who has enough money to buy a whole library for just their family.

[Her tone isn't embittered at all, though; rather, she sounds fascinated.]

[retraced]

Well - they get handed down over a lot of generations! Like a collection!

[Even though she doesn't sound annoyed about it, he still feels the need to explain and make excuses.]

[quackery]

Oh! I get it. Still, that's pretty impressive. Did you have one?

[retraced]

Me? Ah, no...

[He shakes his head.]

I only own a few books myself. [In a small apartment in Reveil.]

[quackery]

Oh!

[She starts walking again, heading towards the nonfiction section.]

What kinds do you have?

[retraced]

Mostly reference books. History.

[Things that he'd needed to read for one task or another at Pandora, which had been the closest thing to school that he'd managed to go through aside from listening in on Oz's private tutoring sessions.]

And...er. Some of the first volumes of Holy Knight.

[Safe keeping for Oz! Really!]

[quackery]

[She brightens, the recognition clear.]

Those are the books that Oz likes, right? His favorites?

[retraced]

--He told you about them?

[Sadly, Gilbert wasn't here for the whole Holy Knight debacle...]

[quackery]

Yeah! He said they were his favorites. So you like them too, huh? They must be pretty good if they're that popular.

[retraced]

I started reading them when -

[When he'd disappeared into the Abyss. He barely hesitates before he finishes it with:]

- I moved into the Nightray house. Elliot is a fan, too. I guess it's a popular series...at the very least, they have the exact same taste in books.

[Just not the same taste in favorite characters.]