the lawn - tuesday morning before classes - 3/25

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

It was a bit chilly out, but Liir was on the lawn with notebook in hand. He was attempting something of an experiment, mostly since his previous attempts at writing a letter back to his-- to Shell had proved a miserable failure. As such, he was both working on some math and budgeting while trying to write the letter; some of his magic texts had suggested that the mind occasionally was more helpful when distracted by something else.

And Ozma knew, anything was worth a shot at this point.

The location had been picked with that thought in mind as well: a bit cool, outdoors, with the wind and the grass... Not too easy to be distracted, except by a chill, and the cloak he had on (Karal's, not the Witch's) took care of that well enough.

[put up for one, but open obviously; everyone else is BEFORE the big brother, though] [eta: a touch of foul language in the michael thread]

Comments

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He smiled up at the voice; distractions, right now, were lovely.

"Hello," he said in reply. "How are you? How have you been, incidentally? It's been a while."

[withoutverona]

Any excuse not to rush to religions class was a good one. "Well enough," Romeo answered, returning the smile. "Unless, of course, one counts the angels over-heavily. Or the pudding."

"Or, he had to add, "the detention. But all else goes well. And you?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Pudding?"

He'd rather not discuss the angels or detention, honestly. But pudding seemed safe.

[withoutverona]

Romeo would have rather discussed either of the other possibilities, but he was the fool who brought pudding up to start with. "Have they warned you of gremlins yet?" he asked. "One bit me and made me most unnaturally fond of the stuff. I made rather a spectacle of my common room."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"They were mentioned to me my first day here but no, I haven't been bit by one."

He blinked.

"Pudding?"

...why pudding?

"What in Oz did you do, then?"

[withoutverona]

"Ruined my trousers, for one," Romeo said, ears turning pink as he failed to answer the question. "And greatly amused Mel and Sokka." he shook his head.

"There was ... a kidn of dancing."

[OOC: Daughter has decided she's had enough nap, heading off to SP. Sorry.]

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"A kind of dancing..."

He just repeated it. It bore repeating.

[ooc: take care and see you around!]

[withoutverona]

"A kind, yes," Romeo said firmly. He'd apparently given all the information he wanted to, because his next statement was an attempt to change the subject. "What about you, has there been dancing in your life?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Not really," he said, quite content to let things move forward. "Mostly, there has been work and worry. But today is nice" a bit cold but still, nice "and I have a job prospect that I'm excited over."

[withoutverona]

"You say there is much work, and yet you are excited over a new job?" Romeo asked, amused and puzzled. "Where would you work?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I don't mind work," he said with a faint crooked grin. "I like to keep busy. But the new owner of Cafe Fina might want to let me work in the kitchen. Which, considering some of my prospects, would be good experience."

[withoutverona]

Romeo would far rather be idle, all things considered, but that didn't stop him from being pleased for those who might find happiness in duty.

"So you'd be paid to cook, then," he said. "Congratulations, I hope it serves your prospects well. You certainly do it enough for no pay!"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He ducked his head with a laugh.

"Yes, I suppose I do. Miss Lulu, the cooking professor, said I should look into it. It's not cemented yet, but very nearly."

[withoutverona]

"I shall have to take Yurika there, once it is cemented and the restaurant is open," Romeo said. "Which reminds, me, is Andrew well? I last saw him in Paris."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He nodded.

"He's better. He was rather ill for a few days and had me very worried, but he's on an upswing and I'm watching carefully to make sure he stays there."

[withoutverona]

Romeo looked concerned at the news Andrew had been ill. "I hope he does, at least. I can see why the experience would have been rather stressful on someone ..." He was trying to be tactful and not say delicate, which was how Andrew struck him, so he let the sentence trail off. "on anyone."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"He should be all right," he said. "I'm taking care of him and others are looking out for him. He hasn't talked much about the experience, though I'm sure it was harrowing."

[withoutverona]

Romeo shrugged one shoulder, considering his words carefully. "Disorienting," he said finally. "And hard, to be so far from familiar people and places, and to worry about them. But I think being here was the more harrowing side. Though, I, at least, did like Paris. I am not sure he did."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I've been new to a city, without funds or a place to stay or anything but the clothes on my back. It's not actively as terrifying, but it can wear on you. I'm glad you enjoyed it, though."

He quirked his head.

"What was it like? Paris."

[withoutverona]

"I should not like to do it every week," Romeo admitted. "It was ... big. And noisy, in a way noisier than cities are now because of all the horses. Some of the people were rather rude, but many others were artists and Bohemians, and the Bohemian bits reminded me of my home, in a strange way."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Horses?"

That sounded different from the way things seemed to be done around here. The rude sounded Ozian enough, though.

[withoutverona]

"1899," Romeo reminded him. "No cars, at least none I saw."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He smiled faintly.

"The number means very little to me. And I don't know what a 'car' is."

[withoutverona]

Romeo bit his lip and ducked his head slightly in mild embarrassment, whether for himself or for Liir he wasn't sure. "Oh. 1899 is a hundred years ago, more. A very different time. And a car is ... " he looked for the most old-fashioned term he knew. "A horseless carriage? On the roadways, people travel in them."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"A machine, then, that does the work of a horse."

He nodded.

"Dorothy spoke of those, but she never gave them that name. She said they were automobiles."