(Untitled)

[burbonmilkshake]

Faye is in 202, curled up on the couch and studying Chinese.

Or, at least trying to.

She yells and restrains herself from throwing the book across the room.

Come in and see what's up, if you want to. Or mock her, if that's your thing.

Comments

[fengmei]

River, standing in the doorway, puts her own hand to her brow -- it's the reflected frustration.

"Easier to start with pin yin," she suggests.

[burbonmilkshake]

She blinks and looks up at River.

"I'm sorry?" she says to the pretty, yet incomprehensible, girl in the doorway.

[fengmei]

"Pin yin. If you speak English. Uses the same letters. Primer around here somewhere."

River dives under one of the couches, and appears with a beginning pin yin primer.

"Here."

[burbonmilkshake]

"Oh jeez. Thank you so much." She smiles at the girl, and takes the book. "My name's Faye, by the way," she says, holding out her hand.

[fengmei]

River is close to saying 'I know.'

She doesn't.

She does shake hands, though. "River."

[burbonmilkshake]

"You know Chinese, then." It's a statement. "Can you teach me?"

[fengmei]

"Hao." River smiles. "Means 'okay.'"

[burbonmilkshake]

Faye gives River a smile that could melt iceburgs. "Thank you!"

That? Made Faye's week. Hell, month.

[fengmei]

"Bu keqi. You're welcome."

Faye's going to be getting River in bilingual stereo now.

[burbonmilkshake]

"Can you spell that, please?" Faye is an excellent student and takes great notes. This one-on-one teaching thing? Amazing.

...She wonders if River will teach Johnny. She decides to ask.

"Would you be willing to teach my friend John Smith, too?"

[fengmei]

River smiles.

"He learns quickly."

Oh, they've met, and shared surround-sound IMAX psychic visions!

"It's b-u-k-e-q-i, and written like --" She snags a pen, scribbling the characters down on the corner of a magazine.

[burbonmilkshake]

Faye offers her the notebook she's been desperately trying to learn Chinese on her own.

"You've met him? Good." She smiles. "I really appreciate this, River."

[fengmei]

"Shi a." River pauses -- that's one of those words that doesn't define properly. "An affirmative response. Not 'yes.' Just an affirmative response. Not meant to be used for stating agreement or seconding motions."

[burbonmilkshake]

Faye's eyes go wide, and she just nods. "Uh... huh. Are you okay?"

[fengmei]

"Just presenting a clear definition," River says, just as lucid as she had been.

[burbonmilkshake]

She nods. "Can you spell it, and show me how it's written?" Faye is still looking at the pretty girl like she's crazy, but River is her teacher! So.