5

[bitterhopes]

[Accidental Voice]

[The journal turns on to catch the rustling of a soft, romantic breeze -- and a decidedly unromantic sneeze.]

Oh, now this is completely ridiculous. What is this; some scene out of a trashy romance novel?

[Action]

[Seles stands in the middle of the plaza surveying the scene, hands set indignantly on her hips. There's a bag of

Comments

[voice]

[tatzenkreuz]

-- hey, you okay? [Scene and novel must mean it's a story!] You don't like that particular book much, I take it.

[voice]

[bitterhopes]

[Oh, he's so sweet... no. He's not sweet, this is silly and --

When all else fails, at least she has her /tsun to fall back on.]

I. I cannot say the same for you, sir Tormod. You are altogether far too forward! [The fact that she's blushing might tell him another story, however.]

[voice]

[tatzenkreuz]

[Indeed it does. D'aw, she's so cute like that -- forwardness, what forwardness?]

You don't have to call me "sir." That's a little too distant, wouldn't you say? There's nothing wrong with being direct about your feelings.

[voice]

[bitterhopes]

A certain distance is... is quite appropriate between strangers, don't you think? [Poor Tormod: Seles is pretty much the opposite of direct with her feelings.]

[voice]

[tatzenkreuz]

Unfamiliarity matters little when you know there's something special! We can always get to know each other more over the days and weeks. Then it'll feel like we never were strangers.

[voice]

[bitterhopes]

[Getting to know each over the days and weeks... although she would never admit it to anyone, least of all herself, Seles is a lonely person -- and that sounds very appealing. Unfortunately for Tormod, there's that whole "never admit it" thing that he'll need to get over.]

... be as that may, we are still virtually strangers now. I simply cannot be so informal with someone I have not even met in person!

[voice]

[tatzenkreuz]

[It's no problem, really. He'll be twice as boisterous to compensate for her refusal to go along with it!]

Well, then, why don't we meet somewhere here and now?

[voice]

[bitterhopes]

[There is a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooong pause as she deliberates. If she says yes, what if it gives him the wrong idea? ... why does the thought of giving him the wrong idea not bother her the way it should?]

... ... ... ...

Fine.

[voice]

[tatzenkreuz]

[Joy to the world! He responds immediately, as though he was expecting her to agree. Which he did.]

Great! How about by the library? You probably want to do something about the books, and we can meet while we get that done.

[voice] --> [action]

[bitterhopes]

... that is acceptable.

[Since she is already so close to the library, Seles will probably get there before Tormod. He'll find her outside the building with her bag of books over one shoulder, cheeks pink, and arms folded crossly over her chest. It's not like she's meeting him because she wants to meet him in person. It's because she needs to prove to him that there is no "special connection" or anything ridiculous like that.

... right.]

[action]

[tatzenkreuz]

[Yay! As he rejoices on the inside he merrily, and hastily, makes his way to the designated area. He does indeed arrive after Seles, though probably shortly after since running is one of those things he's good at. And, oh, does she look more wondrous in person. That special connection. It is even stronger.]

We meet at last! Are you feeling what I'm feeling? Want me to take those? [He gestures to the bag of books.]

[action]

[bitterhopes]

[Did he just run to meet her? That is both silly and very touching. Why is her stomach all filled with butterflies now that he's here? Why is his presence so familiar and oddly comforting?]

I... have no idea what you're talking about, sir Tormod. [Her pose shifts so she can hold onto the strap of her bag; if Tormod watches that moment, he'll notice that she's holding onto it rather tightly.] No. I'm fine. I've carried it this far.

[action]

[tatzenkreuz]

Sure you do! You just don't want to admit it, do you? [She's in denial, he knows she is. He's dealt with the type before -- she can't drive him away this far into the meeting.

At the negative he simply shrugs.] Hm, all right. As long as your shoulder isn't aching.

[action] stupid similar keywords

[bitterhopes]

There's nothing to admit, sir Tormod. [/tsun] My shoulder is fine, thank you.

[Now that he's here, she'll just turn on her heel to enter the library. These books need returning, after all.]

[action] d'aw, it happens.

[tatzenkreuz]

Ah, c'mon, do we really need formalities?

[Come baaack, he's totally following suit. His volume will drop considerably from hereon, because he knows silence is golden in a place like the library.]

[action]

[bitterhopes]

We most certainly do.

[Seles will also keep her voice down, as she makes her way to the "book return" cart to unload her bag. Tormod is free to notice that none of the books she's returning are romance novels; most of them are collections of literature and history books.]