Shenanigans!

[phaselocknroll]

Comments

[phaselocknroll]

We're going to a shop I've been wanting to visit. And you're going to buy me something.

[nostalgiabomb]

Oh-- okay, cool. [ He visibly sags with relief as he's pulled along. Shopping. Okay. That's not terrible. ] Sounds good.

[phaselocknroll]

[ Maya can snark with the best of them, but deep down? Yeah, she's a giant nerd.

That shop she wanted to visit? Totally a bookstore. But oh man, does she looks excited to be there. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ OH GOD, he thinks, I FORGOT I'M DATING A NERD.

He also thinks, Ugh, books.

Obviously, Peter is not the reading type.

The second he enters he feels seriously out of place, as though his third grade teacher might pop out from behind a shelf and scream at him for missing the last half of the school year. And, incidentally, every year after that. ]

Are you sure you wouldn't prefer, like, a new dress or an SMG or something?

[phaselocknroll]

What's the matter, Peter? Off-put by so many words in one place?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He casts a quick glance around, as though to ensure they're not being watched; then he drops to a volume a hair above a whisper, and his tone is empty, almost haunted. ]

It's unnatural, Maya.

[phaselocknroll]

Oh, stop. [ she takes the little paperback she was flipping through and bops him on the head with it. ] They're not going to hurt you.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He makes a show of rubbing his head. ]

It just did! That just happened!

[phaselocknroll]

No, no. There's a difference. I hurt you.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He continues to rub the spot on his head. ] Semantics.

[ He finally drops his hand, hooking his thumbs in his pockets. ] We wanderin' around, or did you have a particular one in mind?

[phaselocknroll]

I have a few titles I've been wanting to pick up, bit I might wander a bit.

Will you survive?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ A long time ago when he was a kid, he heard a theory that a butterfly flapping its wings in on one side of the world could cause a hurricane on the other.

He SIGHS, and hopes the ensuing disaster becomes epic enough to blow over the bookstore.

(No, that's stupid and selfish. But sighing does make him feel better.) ]

If you lose sight of me, I probably fell asleep in a corner.

[phaselocknroll]

Fine, fine. It's your ass on the line here, after all.

[nostalgiabomb]

... Did I say asleep? I meant I'll be, you know, totally interested and attentive and saying "yes, dear" at all the appropriate moments.

[phaselocknroll]

[ She reaches over and pats him on the head- with her hand, not a book ]

Good boy.

[ Aaaaand then she hands him her book. ] Be a dear and carry this for me, would you?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He heaves another sigh. It begins.

But he takes the book and tucks it under his arm. ]

Keep in mind I've only got two of these bad boys. [ He waggles the fingers of his free hand at her. ] Don't go too nuts.

[phaselocknroll]

[ She rolls her eyes. ] I'll do my best not to overburden you.

[ She says that, but about an hour later, she's got him carrying a pretty decent-sized stack of books ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ HE KNEW IT-- is what he wants to say, but wisely he keeps his mouth shut and carries the books like a champ. ]

When are you gonna have the time to even read half of these--?

[phaselocknroll]

Oh, I'll be lucky if these even last me the next month.

[ GIANT. NERD. ]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ His jaw drops, first, and then he pinches out a sort of high-pitched, disbelieving-- ]

Seriously? All of these?

[phaselocknroll]

Yes? Are you really that surprised?

[nostalgiabomb]

This entire stack. A month.

Are you, like, only reading every fifth page or something?

[phaselocknroll]

No, I read them all. I mean, if we get pulled away on a job, it might take me a little longer, but for the most part this is how I spend my spare time.

[nostalgiabomb]

But-- [ and here he looks a tad confused ] What do you do with them when you're done?

[phaselocknroll]

Save them so I can read them again? I'm really baffled at how foreign a concept this is to you.