Topaz and Frank || Quiet Time
Mar. 25th, 2013 09:02 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsTopaz and Frank meet in the library. Sort of. Kind of. Not really.
In Frank's experience, books were sympathetic creatures. No matter how he was feeling or what he'd done, he'd always found peace with a good read- especially given how people tended to leave you alone when you had one. When he'd stumbled across the library, it had thus come as a welcome respite.
He stepped inside, closed the doors behind him, and leaned against them for a moment. Thank God. Peace, at last.
Topaz was curled up in her usual corner, tucked away where she belonged among the company of books. She was pulled out of the world of Faulkner and the Bundrens, however, by the presence of a new set of emotions brushing against her mind. New to the library in general and unfamiliar to her. Oh. Hang on. Someone new had introduced himself on the journals. It was probably him. What was the name? Fred? No, Frank. Right.
She returned her attention to the book. He was probably just lost, or looking for a place to do homework. Either way, he wouldn't bother her.
Frank didn't see Topaz at first, so glad was he of a moment of silence. When he finally did notice her, she'd turned her attention back to her book. There was a moment of indecision, as he considered whether or not to say something, but she clearly wanted her peace as much as he did. He could respect that. He was in the exact same boat, to be honest.
He nodded to her in acknowledgement, and then went in search of some Raymond Chandler.
She looked up as he turned away, raising an eyebrow. Finally, someone who wasn't happy-let-me-meet-you-please. That was so entirely rare in this place. She nestled down further in her seat, turning to the next page. My mother is a fish. Oh Vardaman.
After a little while, Frank returned to a booth just in her field of vision, settling down with a copy of the Big Sleep. He was still waiting for her to come bother him, of course- one doesn't grow up an introvert without developing an innate distrust in other people's sense of personal space- but so far she'd left him alone. Maybe she'd keep it up. He started to read, and after a moment some sense of internal tension went out of him.
Frank didn't seem to realize that he was currently in the company of the biggest introvert among the New Mutants. If he wanted to be left alone, that was just fine with Topaz. She'd happily sit here with her book, and let him sit not ten feet away, and they didn't have to talk to each other.
That really worked for Frank too. He flicked through the pages of his book with a growing sense of relaxation, starting to sprawl a little more comfortably in his seat. After a while, he pulled out his phone, set it to silent, put it back and started reading again.
What? No need to disturb the poor girl!
Huh. Well, that was polite. Topaz's phone was never not on silent, usually - she spent so much time in the library, silent was its natural setting. But most people weren't that conscious of there phones once classes were over. She shifted her eyes over the top of her book, giving a slight nod in the boy's direction before going back to her book.
Frank nodded back and kept reading. It was always nice to have someone else comment on your good manners. He kept reading, until his phone vibrated in his pocket, whining quietly. He sighed irritably, and cast about the tables nearby for a bookmark.
Topaz heard his sigh and, without looking up, slid the sliver of paper she'd been using as a bookmark out of the back of her book and holding it out for him. She had a notebook in her bag, she could always rip off another piece later, and she knew how aggravating it was to not have a bookmark when one needed it. And folding the pages of a book back was just...painful.
Frank glanced up, saw the proffered book mark, and sighed in relief. He took it, nodding in thanks, and stuck it in his book. He stopped at the door as he left, and then glanced back over his shoulder to catch Topaz's eye. When he had it, he nodded with the respect and finality of one introverted book nerd to another.
Reading had been done. Clearly they were equals in that field.
Topaz looked up as he left, noticing he was trying to meet her gaze. She returned his nod, accepting and returning the natural camaraderie that came with being outcasts, with one of her before nestling down further in her seat, turning the page of her book and continuing.
In Frank's experience, books were sympathetic creatures. No matter how he was feeling or what he'd done, he'd always found peace with a good read- especially given how people tended to leave you alone when you had one. When he'd stumbled across the library, it had thus come as a welcome respite.
He stepped inside, closed the doors behind him, and leaned against them for a moment. Thank God. Peace, at last.
Topaz was curled up in her usual corner, tucked away where she belonged among the company of books. She was pulled out of the world of Faulkner and the Bundrens, however, by the presence of a new set of emotions brushing against her mind. New to the library in general and unfamiliar to her. Oh. Hang on. Someone new had introduced himself on the journals. It was probably him. What was the name? Fred? No, Frank. Right.
She returned her attention to the book. He was probably just lost, or looking for a place to do homework. Either way, he wouldn't bother her.
Frank didn't see Topaz at first, so glad was he of a moment of silence. When he finally did notice her, she'd turned her attention back to her book. There was a moment of indecision, as he considered whether or not to say something, but she clearly wanted her peace as much as he did. He could respect that. He was in the exact same boat, to be honest.
He nodded to her in acknowledgement, and then went in search of some Raymond Chandler.
She looked up as he turned away, raising an eyebrow. Finally, someone who wasn't happy-let-me-meet-you-please. That was so entirely rare in this place. She nestled down further in her seat, turning to the next page. My mother is a fish. Oh Vardaman.
After a little while, Frank returned to a booth just in her field of vision, settling down with a copy of the Big Sleep. He was still waiting for her to come bother him, of course- one doesn't grow up an introvert without developing an innate distrust in other people's sense of personal space- but so far she'd left him alone. Maybe she'd keep it up. He started to read, and after a moment some sense of internal tension went out of him.
Frank didn't seem to realize that he was currently in the company of the biggest introvert among the New Mutants. If he wanted to be left alone, that was just fine with Topaz. She'd happily sit here with her book, and let him sit not ten feet away, and they didn't have to talk to each other.
That really worked for Frank too. He flicked through the pages of his book with a growing sense of relaxation, starting to sprawl a little more comfortably in his seat. After a while, he pulled out his phone, set it to silent, put it back and started reading again.
What? No need to disturb the poor girl!
Huh. Well, that was polite. Topaz's phone was never not on silent, usually - she spent so much time in the library, silent was its natural setting. But most people weren't that conscious of there phones once classes were over. She shifted her eyes over the top of her book, giving a slight nod in the boy's direction before going back to her book.
Frank nodded back and kept reading. It was always nice to have someone else comment on your good manners. He kept reading, until his phone vibrated in his pocket, whining quietly. He sighed irritably, and cast about the tables nearby for a bookmark.
Topaz heard his sigh and, without looking up, slid the sliver of paper she'd been using as a bookmark out of the back of her book and holding it out for him. She had a notebook in her bag, she could always rip off another piece later, and she knew how aggravating it was to not have a bookmark when one needed it. And folding the pages of a book back was just...painful.
Frank glanced up, saw the proffered book mark, and sighed in relief. He took it, nodding in thanks, and stuck it in his book. He stopped at the door as he left, and then glanced back over his shoulder to catch Topaz's eye. When he had it, he nodded with the respect and finality of one introverted book nerd to another.
Reading had been done. Clearly they were equals in that field.
Topaz looked up as he left, noticing he was trying to meet her gaze. She returned his nod, accepting and returning the natural camaraderie that came with being outcasts, with one of her before nestling down further in her seat, turning the page of her book and continuing.
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