i'm just a penny on the train track

[futurebatwoman]

WHO: Max and Gwen and Daria (separately)
WHERE: the library!
WHEN: tuesday late afternoon?
WARNINGS: probably none.
SUMMARY: two casual acquaintances run into each other in the library. also two people who don't know each other at all run into each other in the library.
FORMAT: whatever.

for daria;

[ it's been a long second day at work, and Max has some research she wants to do so she can get more on top of things and not feel like she's always in the process of catching up rather than actually doing her job. this isn't something she's ever done before, and she wants to be sure she's doing all she can.

so she can be found browsing through the nonfiction section, looking at books about diplomacy and how to make people like each other. ]

for gwen;

[ at some point after she finishes talking to Daria, she returns to searching for books, and with a few thick research books in her arms decides to drop by the magazines just to see if there's something easy and fun she could grab to read.

like said, it's been a long day. a little relaxing is also in order. ]

Comments

[candidly]

[ curled up in a chair in a corner near the magazine rack is gwen. she's got a surprisingly large book in her lap and seems kind of distracted. she's looking blankly down at the page more than she is reading. ]

[futurebatwoman]

[ Max pauses in her browsing when she notices her and then turns to face her, smiling. ]

Gwen. Hey.

[candidly]

[ she looks up, startled. and then she looks a little embarrassed to have been caught in a library. ]

Oh. Hey, Max. What's up?

[futurebatwoman]

[ holding up her books as demonstration. ]

Getting some research for work, mostly.

You?

[candidly]

Uh... not much. Just... reading stuff. [ a beat ] School stuff.

[ that is a filthy lie. ]

[futurebatwoman]

[ Quietly flopping down into a nearby chair because she's too tired to just stand around chatting. ]

What sort of school stuff?

[candidly]

Uh...

[ cue deer in the headlights look. ]

[futurebatwoman]

[ looking over in sudden amusement. ]

Not-school school stuff?

[candidly]

[ she looks kind of sheepish. ]

Yeah. It's just... a book. That I'm reading. For fun.

[futurebatwoman]

I'm sure homework can wait. By this time of the year it might as well, anyways.

Do you graduate this year?

[candidly]

Ugh, no. I've still got one more year before I'm done. I am totally ready for school to just be over though.

[futurebatwoman]

[ a little sing song ]

First comes high school, then comes college...

[candidly]

Nope. [ she closes her book with her finger keeping her place. ] I've pretty much decided I'm not going to college.

[onmyneck]

[Daria has taken to reading some international politics, spurned on by the bizarrely multicultural city she now lives in. After living in the white bread world of Lawndale, the world just seemed a little bigger.

She's flicking through a book on Margaret Thatcher, trying to decide on what to take with her, when she notices Max. She remembers seeing her on the network once or twice, but decides to keep quiet about it. There's no point in initiating an awkward conversation.

Unfortunately, it seems she also needs to figure out where the books on Asian history are, as unfamiliar as she is with the library. A little question can't hurt.]

Um. Excuse me.

[futurebatwoman]

[ The interruption surprises her, but she's getting better at her reactions to surprises and so turns smoothly to look at the newcomer. She looks vaguely familiar, but Max can't think of where from. ]

Yes?

[onmyneck]

Do you know where the books on Asian history are?

[She's careful to avoid direct eye contact, and instead stares at some of the books directly behind Max's head. That will work.]

[futurebatwoman]

Uhhh... [ thoughtfully, as she tries to remember. ]

I think just down here, but I'm not sure. Lemme check. [ Walking down the aisle as she beckons for her to follow. ]

[onmyneck]

[Daria follows behind, careful to keep an appropriate distance so she doesn't look too friendly.]

[futurebatwoman]

[ Aha! Asian history section. She waves a hand at it with a smile. ] Here you go.

What are you researching?

[onmyneck]

Um. Just dabbling. A few samurai here, a few Manchurian crises there... The usual.

[futurebatwoman]

Maybe your usual. [ she narrows her eyes just a little. ] You look familiar. Have I seen you on the network?

[ if she's not an import, she can pass the question off as something else. ]

[onmyneck]

[Daria looks to the opposite bookshelf.]

I've shown up a few times. On a strictly non-voluntary basis.

[futurebatwoman]

You realize you've got to turn them on to send out a message, right?

[onmyneck]

I just dropped it and it turned on accidentally. Multiple times.

[futurebatwoman]

That's kind of impressive. [ oh so dry ]