(Untitled)

[hadyougoing]

Well, gee, Milliways prom was a mixed bag. Maybe it's because it was run by at least one vampire? But although she saw Riley and Sam and danced with Trowa, Elle was a WEIRDO (they're still totally hanging out later) and Ruby showed up

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[theseventhson]

There are a number of things that Septimus does in order to try to kill some of the time that he seems to have so much of. One of these, incidentally, is weapons check. To be honest, it's not a habit he picked up in Milliways; ever since the first time one of his brothers made an attempt on his life, he's known the importance of keeping one's arsenal in working condition. (For the curious, the dagger meant for the then-preadolescent Septimus did about as much damage as a letter opener. Mildly painful but not lethal.)

The morning finds him at a booth, every piece of weaponry he had on him upon coming to Milliways laid out on a cloth of the table. The waitrats, for their part, are giving him a wide berth. For once, however, he isn't glowering. Going through the motions of checking his things is a bit of a calming ritual, for what little it's worth throughout the rest of the day.

[hadyougoing]

Septimus, as it happens, is one of the people Ava doesn't mind running into. Eventually she'll need to get dressed and head to work, but for now she has caffeine and time to spare.

She pads curiously towards Septimus' table, eyeing the array of pointy, shiny and stabby. Her expression begins curious, but gradually, she begins to smile.

Soft:

"Wow."

[theseventhson]

He glances up a few times before Ava speaks up, expression going from vaguely content to slightly puzzled to mildly concerned in a matter of moments. Eventually his expression cycles back to somewhere between the first and second.

"Anything catch your eye?"

[hadyougoing]

Her expression brightens briskly, as if she were returning to attention.

"Oh, I don't know ..."

A sip of her coffee. She comes a little closer and peers at the array.

"I might have to go with the spurs." Smile. "They're awesome and classy. But, uh--"

She gestures towards a particularly wicked-looking dagger with her mug.

"I like that one."

[theseventhson]

Deftly, he picks it up by the handle, flipping it around so that the blade rests in his hand and the handle points towards her.

"Do you normally use this sort of weapon?"

He figures he ought to ask.

(Does she normally use weapons at all? Enigma, thy name is Ava.)

[hadyougoing]

Tentatively, Ava reaches for the hilt of the dagger, fingers light. Obviously she's not going to break it or anything, but she feels a little embarrassed about the possibility of gripping it wrong.

"No," she says, shaking her head.

A faint flicker of a smile.

"I'm not very hands-on."

[theseventhson]

As far as Septimus is concerned, as long as your hand's not on the blade and the pointy end isn't facing you, you're doing great.

At her statement, he raises both eyebrows, wondering if he really wants to ask.

"Oh?"

[hadyougoing]

Her smile brightens into a grin as she examines the blade a little more closely.

"I'm just a librarian."

[theseventhson]

"'Just a librarian'?"

He sounds dubious at best.

Probably because he is.

[hadyougoing]

She laughs.

"Hey," she says, and notes that even casual gestures seem more threatening when the hand doing the gesturing is holding stabby death, "don't give me that look, buddy."

[theseventhson]

Apparently finding being on the sharp end of his own knife somewhat off-putting (probably because it's never happened before, under relatively harmless circumstances or not), Septimus puts up both of his hands in a gesture of mock surrender, although his expression doesn't really change.

"As you wish."

[hadyougoing]

A smile tugs up at the corners of Ava's mouth-- a different look from her laughter of just a moment ago, if only because it's a little more thoughtful.

Gently, she sets the knife down on the table.

"Can I sit?"

[theseventhson]

He nods, shifting slightly to sit a little straighter.

"Go ahead."

[hadyougoing]

Ava's smile brightens and she slides into the booth, taking the bench across from him.

"So," she says once she's settled, folding her arms, "I couldn't help but notice that you didn't come to prom."

[theseventhson]

When Septimus responds, it's very slowly, as if the sentence were walking on nails.

"I wasn't aware that it was an obligation."

[hadyougoing]

Ava cracks up.

Quietly.

(Sort of.)

"Of course it wasn't! Just, you know, I went through that whole explanation of a very important ritual of my people--"

She cuts herself off, lips lifting wryly.

"Did I make it sound lame? The food was great."