RNG said 7. /snickerlittlegrimmgirlJanuary 30 2013, 02:34:57 UTC
The library was not the place to have those sorts of conversations, Juliette was sure. She sat curled up in her favorite chair, book in her lap, but her ears were on fire. She'd heard Edmund a while ago when he'd first arrived, and had started to call out a greeting--she did like him, after all--but overhearing his discussion on the phone had stopped her cold.
Who was he talking to like that? The very thought made her squirm. Her first instinct was to put her hands over her ears, but morbid fascination kept her hands tucked inside her sweater and fisted in her lap. She knew she shouldn't eavesdrop, but she just couldn't help it!
He hadn't meant to wind up in the library, really. It just kind of happened that way. It's not like it was a frequently used place by most of them, anyway, so he'd ducked in to finish his call, not really expecting to see anyone. And it was business, after all, no matter how it sounded from the outside. His business, and more or less his assignment. 'Maintain his contacts.' Of course, if that maintenance required a little flirting, more than a little suggestive conversation...well. All in the name of business.
The call ends with a low, very male laugh and a brief promise to call again soon. His phone's still in his hand when he turns the corner and spots Juliette, eyes wide and hands curled out of sight. Luckily, he isn't the sort to embarrass easily. Luckier, half that conversation was in Russian, which he's pretty sure she's not fluent in. Sliding the phone in his pocket, he waves easily at her. "Hey, Juls. Didn't mean to disturb your reading."
She could only blink at him for a minute or two, then very hesitantly one small hand crept from her sweater cuff and she wiggled her fingers in a semblance of a wave, still biting obtrusively on the other thumbnail. Except for wide green eyes and the paleness of her face, she might have been a stuffed doll sitting dwarfed in the large upholstered chair, wondering just what in hell she was supposed to actually say. Because...um.
The hesitant wave combined with the pale, awkward expression on her face is enough to merit a slightly confused look. Okay, so maybe his conversation hadn't been entirely appropriate for public consumption, but it wasn't like it was really explicit, either. Then again, Juliette didn't always react the same way to things that most people did. The waving hand pauses, moves to the back of his neck, rubbing.
Nod, nod, nod, yes, everything's fine only not because why were you talking like that--was basically playing over and over in Scarlet's mind, but what actually came out of her mouth was a bright lopsided smile and an, "Uh-huh?"
She then picked up the open book in both hands and held it up for him to see. "Reading." As per the usual. A moment of consideration, then she wiggled to one side in the large chair, glancing at the revealed space. It was quite a large chair, come sit, Edmund? For a while?
He gives her another long look before shrugging and sliding into the chair next to her, legs stretched out and arms across the back of the chair. It might seem a little odd to most people, but he's growing accustomed to her mannerisms being those of a much younger girl, and of the boundaries being slightly different than if she behaved more like the young woman she was. He never forgot for a second in all of it just who she was, though. And how could he? Instead, he'd settled into treating her more or less like the younger sister of a good friend.
"What're we reading today?" he asks, peering over her shoulder to glance at the pages.
Juliette wiggled down beside him as he sat, turning the book over to show him the cover, Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King. "Book five of the Dark Tower series," she said with a half-smile. "It's my favorite series so far."
It's casual enough to drape one arm over her as she wiggles in comfortably, his eyes focused on the book. "Can't say as I have," he responds in answer to her question. "The only Stephen King I've really read is The Stand and Eyes of the Dragon. Will you tell me the story?"
Ooh, she loved The Stand. But hope he was in for a good story, because she could talk for hours about The Dark Tower. Nodding, she began, "It's based on Robert Browning's poem about Roland."
In her sing-song "happy girl" voice, she launched into the beginning, starting with The Man in Black and the Gunslinger and the desert, proving amazing attention to detail and astonishing recollection, even quoting passages from each book (there were eight, altogether).
He could sit there for hours and listen, really. Nothing wrong with a good story, after all, and she had a knack for it. By the time she finished, he found himself already invested in the characters without even having read the books. "So, they're going to help the town fight off the Wolves of the Thunderclap?" he asked finally, as she finishes telling him everything he's missed so far. "Crazy. You know, I swear I've heard of Father Callahan somewhere else before. A movie or something." He runs a hand through his hair, thinking hard. Callahan, Callahan....it'd come to him eventually.
Juliette nodded. "Uh-huh. Well," she amended, "as long as the people answer Roland's questions right. 'cause, if they don't, they'll just head on to Thunderclap and let 'em fend for themselves." She snorted lightly; considering some of those townsfolk, she wouldn't blame the gunslingers in the slightest.
Glancing over at Chris, she giggled to his look of intense concentration, then took pity on him and said, "'Salem's Lot. He was the priest that Barlow sorta-kinda bit."
It all clicks, and his expression clears. "That's it. Salem's Lot. I didn't realize the series overlapped with his other books. Are there other references to other stuff of his in there?" He sounds genuinely interested, and he is. He's always liked those big, epic stories, where lots of little references come together to form one big comprehensive world. The arm around Juliette pulls her in for a brief hug, thanks for clearing his confusion up. Should have known she'd know exactly what he was trying to think of. Seems like she's got a good memory for those small details.
"Uh-huh. All through the books. There's even a book cross referencing everything he mentions in the series with his other books. Like, Randall Flagg, one of the main bad guys? He's in The Stand, I know, and one or two more that I can't remember. And Ted Brautigan, who helps Roland in this series, is one of the main characters in Hearts of Atlantis. Ted even says Jake looks like his friend Bobby, who's also in that book."
She pratted on, voice gradually losing its girlish sing-song quality and becoming older, more like the young woman she was than the child she pretended to be. "And, the Crimson King is in Black House. That book even talks about Roland and the Breakers from The Dark Tower." She wrinkled her nose in amusement. "Stephen King sprinkled stuff everywhere about this series, even though it took him thirty years to finish it."
"Flagg is also the main villain in Eyes of the Dragon," he says, remembering the name. "Have you read that one?" He should really just pick up a chunk of Stephen King novels from the library while he's here and start reading. "And I think the Crimson King appears in Insomnia, too. I remember Patrick drawing the Tower in one scene."
Yeah, definitely going to have to pick up a stack of books while he was here. Not like he was going out on assignment soon, with all the certifications he had to clear first. One hand toyed with a strand of her hair as he listened, noting how her voice changed as the conversation went on. It was interesting.
Juliette grinned up at him, impressed with his knowledge. Yes, she'd have to keep this one. "Yep, it's another of my favorites." Encouraged by his fiddling with her hair, she settled down more comfily next to him, leaning her head back on his shoulder as she flipped slowly through the pages.
"This is one of my favorite parts," she said, pointing out the passage. "The party in the Calla, where Roland dances." A smile appeared. "I'd love to have seen that."
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Who was he talking to like that? The very thought made her squirm. Her first instinct was to put her hands over her ears, but morbid fascination kept her hands tucked inside her sweater and fisted in her lap. She knew she shouldn't eavesdrop, but she just couldn't help it!
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The call ends with a low, very male laugh and a brief promise to call again soon. His phone's still in his hand when he turns the corner and spots Juliette, eyes wide and hands curled out of sight. Luckily, he isn't the sort to embarrass easily. Luckier, half that conversation was in Russian, which he's pretty sure she's not fluent in. Sliding the phone in his pocket, he waves easily at her. "Hey, Juls. Didn't mean to disturb your reading."
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"...Everything okay?"
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She then picked up the open book in both hands and held it up for him to see. "Reading." As per the usual. A moment of consideration, then she wiggled to one side in the large chair, glancing at the revealed space. It was quite a large chair, come sit, Edmund? For a while?
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"What're we reading today?" he asks, peering over her shoulder to glance at the pages.
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Green eyes blinked up at him. "Have you read it?"
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In her sing-song "happy girl" voice, she launched into the beginning, starting with The Man in Black and the Gunslinger and the desert, proving amazing attention to detail and astonishing recollection, even quoting passages from each book (there were eight, altogether).
Reply
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Glancing over at Chris, she giggled to his look of intense concentration, then took pity on him and said, "'Salem's Lot. He was the priest that Barlow sorta-kinda bit."
Reply
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"Uh-huh. All through the books. There's even a book cross referencing everything he mentions in the series with his other books. Like, Randall Flagg, one of the main bad guys? He's in The Stand, I know, and one or two more that I can't remember. And Ted Brautigan, who helps Roland in this series, is one of the main characters in Hearts of Atlantis. Ted even says Jake looks like his friend Bobby, who's also in that book."
She pratted on, voice gradually losing its girlish sing-song quality and becoming older, more like the young woman she was than the child she pretended to be. "And, the Crimson King is in Black House. That book even talks about Roland and the Breakers from The Dark Tower." She wrinkled her nose in amusement. "Stephen King sprinkled stuff everywhere about this series, even though it took him thirty years to finish it."
Reply
Yeah, definitely going to have to pick up a stack of books while he was here. Not like he was going out on assignment soon, with all the certifications he had to clear first. One hand toyed with a strand of her hair as he listened, noting how her voice changed as the conversation went on. It was interesting.
Reply
"This is one of my favorite parts," she said, pointing out the passage. "The party in the Calla, where Roland dances." A smile appeared. "I'd love to have seen that."
Reply
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