standingonmyneck | FOREST COVERED: IC CONTACT

[Don't act like she's a stranger for sarcasm laced honesty. She started to organize herself, as if trying to fully collect herself. She didn't know what this meant, but the fact that they were talking felt better than screaming in the middle of the marketplace and having the most lost feelings she's had in the passed few months.

The fact that he made a remark might've felt like there was an element back. Wow, back on Planet Earth. It was a light-hearted remark, which meant she was able to MUSTER one so.]

Please. Come on. I'm the crazy cat lady.

And I have been told I'm 'catty.' [EYEBROWS.GIF.]

Hold on- I'll be back soon. [He hold the paper up and begins his quest to the appropriate section. Might as well just get it all over and done with now... or at the very least say he gave it a shot before losing his patience for it.

. . .

He's actually there for quite some time. What they really need is a self-help book for newbies to the idea of self-help... So many different topics and opinions, how the hell is he even supposed to know what'll work? There's no way he's going to take a big pile back and go through them one by one. Besides, that'd attract too much attention from Luna, probably. Hell, just being in this section is risky enough.

When he does return, it's only with two books, both of which he presents face-down, staring hard at the counter.

It's not the end of the world to try. He just has to keep that in mind. Even if his ears are already burning from how vulnerable something so simple makes him feel.]

[...Normally, as much as she hated and avoided too much labor, she would always show the customer where the books are. But...in this case, she wasn't so sure.

She saw that hole. She saw the post on the board about the gym.

Someone was...someone wasn't right. She couldn't confirm it that it was him but the thought did cross her mind. Considering the hole was where workers lived.

She wasn't the type that would admit she was afraid of a person, she wanted to look stronger than that. But that just wasn't realistic.

She didn't trust him that much yet.

She was still on her toes around him but she said her piece about an offering. As much as she'd hate to, she kind of placed the responsibility on to him at this point in time.

He was gone a while, which led her to calming her nerves by picking back up her book. She stared at the bagel and coffee, not sure why she was hesitating on eating it. Food was food, and she didn't think he would do anything to it. Nah, she didn't distrust him that much. But was she hungry? She wasn't sure. She picked at the bagel, taking two measly bites out of it.

He came back, and he brought presents.

Placing them face down wasn't going to avoid her from looking at it, the stamp card was inside the front cover. But she was just doing her job, and was meticulous about simply doing it.]

This it?

[The first one...jealousy and rage. Yeah, they crossed that the other day. Then the second...

...Oh.

She tried hard to not pause or anything. She stamped it like it was a matter of fact. But that single book title made...a lot of sense. She understood. It was okay with her, obviously. But any breath or mention of it without his approval was a thin iced line. It was touchy for a lot of people, so she would wait on his word. Only his word.

So she made zero comment about it, like it was like any other book ever given to her. No matter how tolerant she was of the concept, you don't bring such a thing to the forefront to a guy who's really sensitive about it.

So, hey. Here's your books, buddy.]

Each of them have two weeks until they're overdue. You can renew them whenever you want, just have to make sure you remember.

I hope they help.

[When he realized that hidiing the covers was futile he watched her face like a hawk instead, completely ready to confront any pitiful looks or sneers or knowing smirks head-on. But what he got was just... respectful neutrality. Which actually only made him more antsy.

He'd already shared so much more of himself with her in just the past week than he had with his closest friends over the course of years. It was stupid as hell, but he was trusting in her. Hopefully going through with this at all was enough to let her know what a huge chance he was presenting her with. He initially meant to leave this place empty-handed, damn it!

But if they helped, great. If they didn't, nothing would change, right? Those odds were at least ones he could live with.

He took the books and tucked them into the crook of his arm.]

Great... uh, thanks. I really do appreciate it.

[The help? The lack of judgment? The offer of friendship in general? He'd let her decide.]

[At this rate, it'll be when he's ready. That was what she decided. A method she wasn't a stranger to, but this probably was the biggest challenge of it that she ever had. In the entirety of her life. Even more here than with Ichimatsu.

Daria made a small nod, feeling a wave of something. He didn't say anything, he didn't accuse anything of her. Not right now.

Just a thank you, and a look that was miles and bounds different than a few days prior.

Time. It was just a matter of that. She just had to trust in him that it would come to fruition. There were the glaring flags that there was a lot to know, and it was probably miraculous that it came this far. But. Well. Trust. They had to trust each other enough.]

No problem. Anytime.

[Well, things were going well so far. With apologies out of the way, the best way to keep this momentum going was just to fall back into the usual rhythm... right?

He made a gesture with the paper and nodded.]

Monday, then.

[Don't bring a lunch.

Heee's outta here.]

[On the 14th a mysterious gift has appeared on the librarian's desk.

Nothing fancy, just a small decorative jar of water holding a bundle of pussy willow branches tied with a white ribbon. What? They're fuzzy. Everyone loves fuzzy things.]

[Oh?

It wasn't like she was into celebrating holidays but she did notice the holiday today. Americans didn't really celebrate White Day, she only learned of it through her own research and saw it in practice here.

It couldn't have been a coincidence that a little token was placed on her desk when she came to revisit it. Someone thought of her today and offered a rather sentimental little gift. It was simple in design but there was something pretty about it. Not that she was a sappy person by any means. But it sent a little warmth in her soul. Someone thought of her and gave her something, she couldn't ignore it.

It was very pretty. Thank you stranger.]

Riye,

I'm apologize if this seems sudden, but did Mallory visited the library after I ended my shift today? I haven't at all seen him this morning, nor did Ethan saw him today.

Reply as soon as possible.

- Luna

Mal? No, I haven't seen him this morning either. Or all day for that matter.

[If Riye wanted to wake up and see something horrible, well, today's the day. There's a piece of paper-a mixture of terrible drawings and magazine cut outs, waiting for her. There's also a note that reads:]

Here's the rough draft! It's got everything. Action, love, mushrooms and a chocobo.

I see, then.

Do you have to be anywhere currently?

No. Where are you?

Just outside of the living quarters.

I'll be out.

It really does. You really did do it.

[Said in shock, oh my god she actually did it.]

That's right! No book cover can defeat me.

[It's horrible though. Don't ever use it.]

So how did the story turn out?

It turned out okay. It's there at any rate, they didn't throw it away and laugh at my face.

It wouldn't be a very good museum if they threw things out.

But hey, congratulations on finishing! I'm sure people will like it.

Uh, yeah. I hope so. Already did it and I can't take it back now.

Then I'll be sure to go by and read it sometime!

[ By the time Ethan's worked up a schedule for himself, everything goes to hell. What nice. What good. A day or two after his run in with a fist very well leaving his nose in a minor fracture (that didn't need any placing, thank God), Ethan walks about with a bruise to show for, by now a lovely mesh of purple and the beginnings of yellow just under the eye and stretching to the nose.

He didn't forget about Miss Riye, as he had never, arriving at the library on the same day every week. One hour reading and some kanji— perhaps today he had been a few minutes tardier than most days (he wasn't all that punctual to start), arriving with quickened steps into the building and gliding awkwardly to the table that awaited him, notebook in hand. ]

H-hey, sorry I'm late, Miss Riye, the farm's pretty busy lately— [ He clatters a chair, takes a seat— and with a quiet oh, he reaches behind him to drag his bag sideways, fish through it and—

Teacher gets a jar of strawberry jam, placed right by her. Fresh from the farm. ]

[Going back to a routine was easy come, easy go. After coming back from the woods, she didn't have much time to recover before everyone decided that switching bodies was a good old fun time.

When that whole annoyance was over, she groaned and sighed, like usual. Then she went right to it. That meant going to her regular appointments and following through with them.

So Riye made sure she set up the books on literature and Kanji, her notebooks and books. Why did she do this again? Was it because she gave enough of a crap about a genuinely nice guy? Maybe. As much as she knew she wanted to do it because he was eager to learn and was actually nice to her, it was still extra work she placed on herself when she could be resting and sleeping. But, hey, so far she hadn't regretted it. He may not be all that bright, but he really tried hard. All of the time. She wasn't SOOOOOO judgmental (anymore) that she would be blind to honest effort thrown at her face.]

Considering, I might actually believe you.

[Her head was pointed to the table, somewhat struggling to move her neck from the pain (thanks Raven). So when she saw the nice gesture of a jar of lovely jam, she took a look at it and reached on over to pick it up.

Aw...

Mhm.

That would be when she would look at her "student", and her eyes raised at the purple and yellow on his face.]

Um, I hope you have the concentration today.

[ Setting his notebook in front of him, Ethan adjusts his seating, finally meeting her eyes as she takes the jam. The farmers have so many, and sometimes they need the extra coins for themselves, their better form of pay being the product of their labor. The strawberries were coming by the dozen this season, and soon enough the pears would be ripe as well, not to mention all the vegetables. But fruits were usually the stars of their sales, and Ethan would get more than enough of a share when coins weren't plentiful (he didn't mind it one bit, but he had so much fruits and jam by now it would be a waste to have it spoil).

He doesn't associate the question with the punch mark noted on his face, trying to smile and shrugging his shoulders. He did pull a lot of genuine "I don't get it"s and "what's this word again"? There's some progress, but some. Ethan didn't learn so quickly by the books. ]

Promise I'll try and get as much as I can. [ Which was perhaps lodged at 30%. He points to the jar. ] That's from the farm! They're overloading with strawberries— that one's really good, It's Mr. Oyu's family receipt.

[ He meant recipe, but. ]

[That was why Riye was here, and so far...it was slow, but Ethan was working genuinely hard. That isn't something she can turn down. She was a teacher before, and she taught a group of empty faces Shakespeare. She could teach a guy who seemed to initially care as opposed to growing to care. She really appreciated the spirit, even in her own way.

Expect her teachings to be fair. Riye was sure to give Ethan the floor to see how he understood things or not, before redirecting if the later were true. If he was dead wrong, then she was actually patient if he was willing to correct himself.

Considering she got a lovely jar of jam, it was actually a sweet enough gesture. There was a tiny curve of the mouth before getting right to it.]

This teacher may accept this bribe, but it's "recipe". Butter up harder.

[She opened her book, deciding she wanted to question just a little further.]

But really, and I mean this as well as I could, you look like you fell face first on pavement.

FOREST COVERED: IC CONTACT

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White Day BEFORE I FORGET

/////

quickest mail possible

longest internal scream and bubbling anxiety

Mail!!

definitely several days of hunting despite short messages

literally five seconds later

we're all very calm and rational right now

Completely. We're totally not screaming.

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;u;

:)

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