Comments | crossedstaves: An afternoon trollothon

crossedstaves

An afternoon trollothon

Jan 05, 2009 13:24

There's a perfectly pleasant cafe in the Nexus that happens to be staffed primarily by late 19th century accoutered tapir-like creatures; the coffee is decent but what's important is the atmosphere, which is sedate ( Read more... )

a narrow place, scene, nexus

Comments 37

sixtyonereasons January 5 2009, 18:31:07 UTC

Putting aside the bee attack next door, and the not-exactly-tapirs - it speaks to how long Donna's been in the nexus that she can, or maybe that's something else in disguise - the question strikes her as so, so very mundane. Typical. Every day. Expected. It makes her laugh, despite herself, curling her hands around her coffee cup.

"I was living in Chicago," she recalls, "and he was in town with my ex-boyfriend and his family - I need more pronouns here, don't I?"

crossedstaves January 5 2009, 18:38:41 UTC

It is so imperfectly normal. He's wearing a sweater vest and looking-acting civilized, perhaps more formal than Judah (but then, Jon's not a father nor familiar) - just slightly too focused on Donna. Of course, the flames and the bees do need to be ignored in order to carry on a conversation, but he doesn't hear them at all.

"They might help," he agrees. "The ex-boyfriend's family, I take it?"

sixtyonereasons January 5 2009, 18:45:03 UTC

"That's the one. He was Judah's current flame at the time-" Donna's lips twist a little, not exactly unhappy but something not nice, either, "-so it was just fascinating catching up with them at a bar."

It's not that she doesn't notice the focus, it's just that she seems to sharpen into herself under it. She plays to audiences; she's fearless but not entirely stupid. (Her pinpoint is set already and she's not unarmed, though you'd have a hard time noticing.)

She taps her fingertips against the side of a cup, and corrects herself, "I actually ran into him the first time when I was maybe sixteen, but we didn't really meet."

crossedstaves January 5 2009, 18:55:41 UTC

As much as he does it smoothly, it's a noticeable smoothness that indicates he suppressed a reaction, and based on timing, it's to the rather mundane detail of Judah's predilections. But his focus, while not predatory, is avid enough that he can still chase down details. As many details as he can pick up about her. Jonathan Crane is... curious.

"That sounds like a story. Or an almost story."

Thread 37