Jan 09, 2007 10:46
Only Straw (7:43:31 AM): Gotham Penitentiary is a dismal place, much like how Gotham is a dismal place. There's no avoiding that, with Gotham. It looks much as one would expect a maximum security facility that houses metahumans and criminal masterminds would look, were it an actual, competent place, and not, say, Arkham Asylum.
In any universe, even one with a more realistic bent, Gotham has a certain level of corruption. So with money (and, because Donna has little shame and knows what's worked for her in the past, a little harmless flirtation and flattery) smoothing the way, Jonathan's "sister-in-law" is tap-tap-tapping down the hallway in high heels to visit.
Only Straw (7:51:05 AM): Jonathan is brought into the room in which they do visits, which involves the standard glass wall, chairs, supervision and phones. They're not going to let his "sister-in-law" interact with him more than this. This man is a dangerous prisoner. He's brought in a few minutes later, in green prison uniform, terribly gaunt, looking worse for wear than Donna probably remembers. This might just be because he doesn't have a coat to hide how thin he is.
sixtyonereasons (7:55:11 AM): Donna's actually dressed something approaching respectably for once, in a fitted suit that actually has a shirt under the jacket (one may or may not be surprised how often Donna might skip that important step in getting dressed). She's fidgeting with her hair -- mostly up in a bun, but with a few loose strands for her to play with. "Hi," she greets, Texan accented and relatively friendly. Her eyes flick over him with more than a hint of concern.
Only Straw (7:58:49 AM): He stares at her. He hasn't seen anyone outside of his lawyer, inmates and staff for a very long time. Respectably dressed or not, she's a woman, and he's a serial killer who has issues with women. He is attempting to appear harmless, however. He -said- he wouldn't hurt her. It doesn't do him any good to think about that, now. Phone in hand, he answers, voice rougher, because he smokes. "Hi," he says back. There. Social interaction. It means a lot, really.
sixtyonereasons (8:01:01 AM): She taps manicured nails against her thigh, pursing her lips as she decides what to say next. She's never been totally sure of herself in interactions with this man, and this situation is more unusual than...usual. She holds the phone carefully, tilting her head a little. "You sound a little different than I remember," she says, after a short pause, offering a smile for it.
Only Straw (8:03:33 AM): "Do I?" He looks worried, momentarily. If he doesn't seem familiar, there's no way he's getting anyone to get him the hell out of here. "I'm sorry. I'm having some difficulty remembering..." Best not to go into it while the guards are listening, anyway. He shrugs, and slumps back into his seat, watching her hand.
sixtyonereasons (8:05:44 AM): She grasps what he means by remembering, although she doesn't quite understand the worried look that accompanies his question. She cocks her head to the other side and adjusts the phone in her grip, crossing her ankles under the chair. "A little -- nothing particularly dramatic."
Only Straw (8:09:55 AM): He frowns, which only serves to make him look more worn and tired. "So, I've, ah... I've been working in the library, here. I just started, several days ago. I'm very pleased with that." This is the face of someone who is very pleased. Yeah.
sixtyonereasons (8:16:34 AM): Donna is a captive audience--okay, that was a bad joke. She's listening attentively, nodding. She doesn't look totally convinced that he's very pleased, but library! Yay! "That's got to be good for you," she comments, holding the phone between her ear and her shoulder with practised ease and fixing the way her wedding rings are sitting on her finger. "They're rebuilding the old library at--home," the pause there is barely noticeable, but she's very carefully not going to mention the nexus here.
Only Straw (8:20:02 AM): He is just fixated on her hand, there. Staring. No one ever said that he wasn't a creep. He shrugs again. "I remember that." Oh, damnit, that made him look sadder. "I'd really like to see it. I suppose that goes without saying. It's... it's good for me, yes. I have the right skills for it, and I've been very careful to keep my privilages."
sixtyonereasons (8:23:16 AM): She philosophically decides that there are worse things he could be staring at (in a manner of speaking), and largely ignores the creepy. Stay aware of it, yes, get totally freaked out five seconds into the visit, no. "I think they're ready to open soon...I haven't been since a good long while before the flood. Just no time." She examines her nails briefly -- she's chipped one and she frowns a bit at it. She is SUCH a girl. "Careful is a good idea, in general." A lesson she could've stood to learn a while back.
Only Straw (8:27:53 AM): Well, yeah, he could be staring at her neck or something, which is what he's doing now. However, he lowers his gaze to the ledge in front of him when she mentions the flood. "The flood, yes." He slups, and his hand goes to his forehead, with his elbow propped up on the ledge, to keep him from toppling forward.
sixtyonereasons (8:33:28 AM): Okay, yeah, that was creepier than staring at her hands. WHY does she agree to this stuff. Oh yeah, because she's crazy. ...In a totallydifferent way. That involves 90% less killing people. (Let's not get into that missing 10%, okay?)
"People were so helpful about supporting the rebuild, and helping to fund it," she says, conversationally.
Only Straw (8:35:28 AM): He holds his head... and the phone, sort of curling up as much as this situation will allow, and nods, a little. "Yes. That was really very good of them. We... I'm going to be able to help pick out new books, for the collection, with some funding..."
sixtyonereasons (8:37:19 AM): "Uh huh?" Donna would check her watch, but she set it to beep when she has to leave for work, and thus does not need to. Best not to give him the impression she's clock-watching until she can go, too. "What sort of things were you thinking of getting in?" she sounds genuinely interested, too! It comes from having a writer in the family; books are 100% more interesting. That and they're just interesting anyway...
Only Straw (8:39:48 AM): He's not watching her any more, anyway. He's just sitting there, getting increasingly upset about his imaginary library he didn't even know actually existed until a short while ago. "Oh. Oh, well... well... We need to round out pretty much e-every section, we can..."
sixtyonereasons (8:42:56 AM): She moves a bit -- putting the phone back in her hand instead of between her ear and shoulder. It's less uncomfortable and a lot easier, now that she's not fidgeting with her hands. She taps her nails against her thigh again, though. "Right, that'd probably useful."
Only Straw (9:08:40 AM): He doesn't say anything else, for a while. Losing his composure just wouldn't do, and so he tries to put himself back in order. One might imagine just how well acting like that works against him, in here. The truth of the matter is that without his chemicals, he's just some poor nut, and not very frightening at all.
Only Straw (9:10:00 AM): Or at least intimidating, because he's still got creepy going!
sixtyonereasons (9:13:44 AM): It's a truth she's coming to recognise, just quietly. Frequently she finds creepy more irritating than frightening, and in fact has quite a different reaction to it when it's coming from his alternate. So, that doesn't register as much as the fact he really isn't that intimidating like this. She does not, however, let any of the pity that's drifted into her sphere show, in her voice or her expression. "I teach," she offers, as a conversational gambit. "Among other things. I'm the principal at an elementary school." Well, sort of.
Only Straw (11:15:41 AM): "Oh, do you? I s-suppose you know, I... I used to teach. A while ago. Here, in Gotham. I worked with adults, though, and that's entirely different." He looks up, barely.
sixtyonereasons (11:17:09 AM): "It is, I think, but I can't speak from experience. I started out teaching kindergarten, in Chicago." Yeah, that's not where she started out her working life, but it's close enough.
Only Straw (11:28:53 AM): He nods, and picks at the edge of the table ledge in front of him. "It's not anything remotely similar, unless you think people are like small children until they hit twenty one."
sixtyonereasons (11:32:20 AM): "Well, I think people are like small children most of their lives, but possibly I just deal with strange, strange people. This is entirely a possibility."
Only Straw (11:43:28 AM): He smirks, or at least, entertains the notion of a smirk. "Well... It's not exactly like kindergarden here."
sixtyonereasons (11:45:11 AM): "No, I imagine it wouldn't be." She examines her chipped nail for later fixings.
Only Straw (11:55:02 AM): "It's like high school," he continues. "It is exactly like being in high school, with no graduation."
sixtyonereasons (11:58:52 AM): "You know, I've heard that before."
Only Straw (12:00:51 PM): He nods, scowling. "Well, high school where a number of your peers are murderers, rapists and thieves."
sixtyonereasons (12:03:45 PM): Donna does not comment that that sounds a lot like her highschool, even though it's what passes through her mind. This is called 'learning about tact' and 'when it's appropriate to say certain things'. "My stepfather was in prison for a pretty good chunk of my life. He's had a few things to say about it."
Only Straw (12:05:26 PM): "Isobel mentioned her father." -See-? He knows these things. "She doesn't know me." He watches her, making eye contact, now.
sixtyonereasons (12:06:23 PM): She pauses, nodding once. "I know. I saw her journal before I saw yours. I haven't had a chance to speak to her yet and find out what's going on, exactly."
Only Straw (12:12:13 PM): He doesn't look away. "I remember her. I cannot tolerate that, not in the least."
sixtyonereasons (12:12:50 PM): "Whatever this is, it must be fixable."
Only Straw (12:18:32 PM): "I do wonder if it is." He does not look convinced of this.
sixtyonereasons (12:21:17 PM): Her watch beeps and she looks down at it. "Well, we'll find out. But not right now; I have to go to work."
Only Straw (12:23:30 PM): He recoils a little, at the sound, as if this is quite offensive to him. "Ah, well... Thank you for visiting. Donna."
sixtyonereasons (12:24:13 PM): She half-smiles, standing up, smoothing her jacket. "You're welcome."
Only Straw (12:24:46 PM): He grins at her, and hangs up the phone.
comiccrane,
aimlog,
rp