✼ 7th zap | video/action ✼ forward-dated to 11/28

[lightningcute]

ARIES

• Work out. Then again, why bother?
  
• Your socks don't match.
  
• Your clothes all need to be replaced.
  
• Your usually dominant manner is replaced by a coy submissiveness today. Go with it.

[When Pao-lin receives her horoscopes on Friday the 25th, she doesn't really think much of them -- she isn't into that kind of thing, and anyway she's too occupied

Comments

action; Tuesday

[mistyarc]

[If Hubert frequented the library before, he's practically living there now in a vain attempt at miraculously learning how to read again. He still doesn't understand how this could happen, and it's absolutely infuriating. He's gone days without reading a single word and this does not a happy bookworm make.

His anxiousness takes him on yet another visit to the library, where he catches a glimpse of Pao-lin before heading down an aisle.

-- Then backtracking and nearly doing a double take when he takes a good look at her. Never mind that he's the one in overly casual attire this time around with an unbuttoned shirt and shorts. He never imagined that he'd see Pao-lin in anything so . . . girly, compared to her boyish nature. Is that even her? He readjusts his glasses, trying to confirm from a distance if it is in fact Dragon Kid in a bright yellow dress that he's looking at.]

[lightningcute]

[Pao-lin hasn't noticed Hubert yet. She's too busy skimming a historical romance novel while standing in front of one of the shelves. Well, that was the intent -- she'd only wanted to indulge an odd urge of hers and see if this sort of thing might actually be interesting. And, well, it...surprisingly was. Way more than she expected. So she just. Kind of. Forgot to find a place to sit down and read it.

u kno ure jelly]

[mistyarc]

[She's doing what he wants to do, and for a second he's insanely envious of her. But since she seems to be enjoying it, surprisingly enough (she doesn't seem like the type), Hubert turns and heads to a shelf instead, opting out of bothering her.

Except he's not that far from her and his style of dress really makes him stick out like a sore thumb as inspects each and every aisle again. What is the cold?]

1/2

[lightningcute]

[Oh, wow, she's on chapter ten already? Yeah, this book's probably a keeper. Rather reluctantly, Pao-lin closes the book and adds it to her growing stack, and decides to check out what's in the next aisle.]

2/2

[lightningcute]

[ -- which is where she runs into Hubert.]

Ah, Hubert?!

[WHAT ARE YOU WEARING WHERE IS YOUR BADASS JACKET.]

[mistyarc]

[HE QUIT HIS JOB HE DOESN'T NEED THAT THING ANYMORE.]

[Hubert snaps his head in the direction of the voice, marginally startled at Pao-lin's sudden appearance. He was sure she'd be sitting there and reading long enough for him to avoid her. Not that he was trying to.

He clears his throat.]

. . . Pao-lin. I thought you were reading.

[Reading.]

[lightningcute]

[CAN PAO-LIN HAVE IT THEN, IT'LL GO GREAT WITH A NICE PETTICOAT........]

Well, I just thought I should find a place to sit so I could stop blocking the aisle. And m-maybe look for other books too --

[wait hold the phone.]

You saw me...?

[mistyarc]

[ . . . NO. /HOARDER]

[He pauses. It's not just the dress, but she seems different in demeanor as well. The pitch and tone . . . ]

Yes.

[And he takes her earlier words as indication that she's looking for more reading material, so he moves aside to give her room.]

[lightningcute]

[She moves into the space he created for her, but eyes his clothes instead of the shelves.]

Aren't you cold in that...? [SAYS THE GIRL IN A KNEE-LENGTH SHORT-SLEEVED DRESS. But at least she's got tights and boots on, too.]

[mistyarc]

[Why is everything asking him that, doesn't he look fine -- ]

No.

[A bit chilly when he goes out, but he warms up quickly enough from all that moving around.]

Aren't you?

[lightningcute]

[Headshake.]

I'm fine! I brought a coat with me, anyway. [It's on a chair somewhere in the library. If it hasn't been stolen yet.

She scans the titles on the shelves, and pulls one out to look at. Ooh, what a pretty cover.] What brings you here today?

[mistyarc]

[Oh. That's good. It is rather warm in the library, in comparison. At any rate, he's glad that she's looking at something else besides him, because there's an inset of shame from the question.]

To read.

[Except he can't. Curse his lack of fortune.]

[lightningcute]

[Flipping open the book she just pulled out.] Were you looking for something in particular?

[mistyarc]

[He looks at the floor.]

Not exactly . . .

[lightningcute]

Hmm...maybe you'd be interested in this? [She holds out the book she was looking at; it's Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, not that he can read that..] It's an old novel from my world. Natasha made me read it for my lit lessons. I didn't like it then, but now...

[She frowns.] To be honest, I...don't usually like this sort of thing. I mostly just read manga, or fantasy stories... [She bites her lip uncertainly and clutches the book close to her.]

[mistyarc]

[Hm. Things right up his alley.]

There's nothing wrong with manga or fantasy stories. However, it's just as important to read other material to expand your knowledge and linguistic skills. Perhaps you came to realize that.

[As he says this, he looks down at the book she offered.]

I'm afraid there's little I can do to appreciate it at this point in time, myself . . .