Juilan and Jean-Paul
Dec. 18th, 2008 12:26 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsJulian stops by to pick up his books from Jean-Paul.
Jean-Paul looked down at the rat contentedly grooming himself on the couch beside him and sighed.
"You were not invited either, you understand. The window is right there. Morgan does not have to know you didn't wander off."
He was distracted from his lecture by a knock at his door. He regarded the rodent for a moment, sighed again, and picked it up as he moved to answer the knock. The rat, for its part, ground its teeth contentedly and resumed grooming.
Julian had some time after dinner and decided that he should probably, finally, make the detour to pick up his literature books for next semester. It had been nearly a full week since he said he'd swing by and from some of the stories he'd heard about Jean-Paul since then, he was hoping the teacher wasn't upset. When the door opened, the older man looked annoyed, which caused Julian to further try to project a feeling of confidence, despite the lack of it he was feeling at the moment. "Mister Beaubeir, I'm glad I caught you, I've stopped by a couple times and we must have missed each other…I was hoping to pick up those books for class."
"My apologies, Julian. I've been more outdoors than in lately. Come in; I'll get your books." He glanced down at the rodent, which was now trying to climb his sleeve. "After I wash my hands." He deposted the rat in the shoebox he'd been using as temporary containment, washed his hands quickly, and dug out the book of Grimm Brothers tales and the history book. "I don't know if you saw the journal entries, but the class will be a combination of history and literary analysis. And, of course, full discussion on how messed up fairy tales were and are."
He'd never thought of that sort of comparison, to Julian fairy tales were just stories that his mother told his little brother to help him sleep. There'd never been anything 'messed up' about them. "Oh…okay," he said, taking the books from the teacher. He glanced at the shoe box then back to Jean-Paul, "I'll get right on reading then. Any recommendations on a place to start?"
"I haven't finalized the syllabus yet, so there's nothing you need to have read before classes begin." The lid of the shoebox shifted. An eyeblink later, Jean-Paul had moved to catch the rat before he could escape. "If you're not familiar with the Grimm versions of the tales, though, I'd suggest flipping through to find the stories you've heard before. I imagine there is more death, dismemberment, and damnation in these than in Disney's adaptations."
Jean-Paul's speed was shocking, he'd trapped the creature back inside the shoebox in the blink of an eye. Julian had never seen anyone move that fast in his life and it was quite impressive. "I'll take a look at them sir, but are you saying these are different than the Disney versions…are they new?" He shifted the books in his hands and waited for his answer.
"Just the opposite. They're considerably older and meant less to encourage the idea that there are happy endings for everyone than they are supposed to put the fear of God into the listener. Literally, in many cases." Satisfied that the lid was staying put, Jean-Paul glanced up. "I just hope this doesn't wind up boring the class to death."
"I don't see how that's possible, if that's the case," Julian was sincerely thrilled to hear that the class wouldn't just be watching Bambi and Snow White. He looked back at the box, "Sir, is that a rat?"
Jean-Paul sighed. "It is a rat. Right now, I am wondering whether I should name it or not, what size cage would be suitable, and if asking these questions means I have lost my mind."
It wouldn't have been Julian's first choice of a pet, but to each their own. "Good luck answering those questions, but you seem perfectly sane to me if it helps any. I should be heading out, my next class starts soon." He held up the books, "Thanks again, Mister Beaubeir. I'll see you around."
Jean-Paul looked down at the rat contentedly grooming himself on the couch beside him and sighed.
"You were not invited either, you understand. The window is right there. Morgan does not have to know you didn't wander off."
He was distracted from his lecture by a knock at his door. He regarded the rodent for a moment, sighed again, and picked it up as he moved to answer the knock. The rat, for its part, ground its teeth contentedly and resumed grooming.
Julian had some time after dinner and decided that he should probably, finally, make the detour to pick up his literature books for next semester. It had been nearly a full week since he said he'd swing by and from some of the stories he'd heard about Jean-Paul since then, he was hoping the teacher wasn't upset. When the door opened, the older man looked annoyed, which caused Julian to further try to project a feeling of confidence, despite the lack of it he was feeling at the moment. "Mister Beaubeir, I'm glad I caught you, I've stopped by a couple times and we must have missed each other…I was hoping to pick up those books for class."
"My apologies, Julian. I've been more outdoors than in lately. Come in; I'll get your books." He glanced down at the rodent, which was now trying to climb his sleeve. "After I wash my hands." He deposted the rat in the shoebox he'd been using as temporary containment, washed his hands quickly, and dug out the book of Grimm Brothers tales and the history book. "I don't know if you saw the journal entries, but the class will be a combination of history and literary analysis. And, of course, full discussion on how messed up fairy tales were and are."
He'd never thought of that sort of comparison, to Julian fairy tales were just stories that his mother told his little brother to help him sleep. There'd never been anything 'messed up' about them. "Oh…okay," he said, taking the books from the teacher. He glanced at the shoe box then back to Jean-Paul, "I'll get right on reading then. Any recommendations on a place to start?"
"I haven't finalized the syllabus yet, so there's nothing you need to have read before classes begin." The lid of the shoebox shifted. An eyeblink later, Jean-Paul had moved to catch the rat before he could escape. "If you're not familiar with the Grimm versions of the tales, though, I'd suggest flipping through to find the stories you've heard before. I imagine there is more death, dismemberment, and damnation in these than in Disney's adaptations."
Jean-Paul's speed was shocking, he'd trapped the creature back inside the shoebox in the blink of an eye. Julian had never seen anyone move that fast in his life and it was quite impressive. "I'll take a look at them sir, but are you saying these are different than the Disney versions…are they new?" He shifted the books in his hands and waited for his answer.
"Just the opposite. They're considerably older and meant less to encourage the idea that there are happy endings for everyone than they are supposed to put the fear of God into the listener. Literally, in many cases." Satisfied that the lid was staying put, Jean-Paul glanced up. "I just hope this doesn't wind up boring the class to death."
"I don't see how that's possible, if that's the case," Julian was sincerely thrilled to hear that the class wouldn't just be watching Bambi and Snow White. He looked back at the box, "Sir, is that a rat?"
Jean-Paul sighed. "It is a rat. Right now, I am wondering whether I should name it or not, what size cage would be suitable, and if asking these questions means I have lost my mind."
It wouldn't have been Julian's first choice of a pet, but to each their own. "Good luck answering those questions, but you seem perfectly sane to me if it helps any. I should be heading out, my next class starts soon." He held up the books, "Thanks again, Mister Beaubeir. I'll see you around."
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