Third Floor Common Room, Tuesday Morning

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

The problem with a first period class, Claire reflected as she started a pot of coffee, was that once it was over you were too awake to go back to sleep but it was still too early to do much of anything else.

Once the coffee was done, she sat down at a table with a mug and a deck of tarot cards -- a birthday present from her Aunt Sarah. She fiddled with them idly, half laying out cards for a reading on herself but mostly just looking at the pictures on the deck. They were beautiful illustrations, anyhow.

She wasn't in a mood for TV, but she had the radio on and tuned to a classic rock station just for the background noise.

[OOC: Open common room, yep!]

Comments

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

After his class, Ned had contemplated staying in his room for awhile but he'd gotten daring and decided to venture out. His common room was empty but the one above his wasn't and seeing Claire in there made him stop.

"Playing solitaire?"

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

Claire shook her head slightly, glancing up at Ned. "Tarot cards. In theory they're telling my fortune."

Her tone made it clear she didn't quite believe this.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Cards can do that?" Ned asked, wandering in and peering at the cards a little anxiously.

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"My hippie aunt thinks they can," Claire shrugged. "Or she might just think they're pretty. Birthday present."

She held up the (pretty, if disturbing (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_StLk5qXxAv0/RbpqfOtMBeI/AAAAAAAAAHI/sgH8VzYcD48/s400/tower.jpg)) card she was holding so Ned could see it. "See, this is called the tower, and it's supposed to mean chaos or revelation. They all have a bunch of different meanings."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I've heard of a Ouija board," he said, taking a seat and watching the cards as if they might move. "Do they work like that? Turn over when asked or something?"

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"No, it's more like magic solitaire?" Claire said. "You ask a question and lay out cards, and supposedly they answer your question if you interpret them right. I'm still mostly reading from the instruction sheet, so I have no idea if I'm doing it right."

She smiled slightly at his wariness. "They don't bite."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I didn't think they did." Yes, he had. "Okay, yes, maybe I did. It's just...wow, cards can maybe tell a future. Kind of creepy. It makes you want to know but then what if its something you don't want to know?"

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

Claire brushed her bangs out of her eyes as she thought about the question. "I guess you don't ask if you don't want to know?" she tried. "Or you can blame the cards and say it's not for real."

"Or," she added speculatively, "maybe it's better to know so you can be prepared?"

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Maybe." He didn't know if he wanted to know that he'd be crushed under a giant airplane or something like that but learning that he got married or something good was enticing. "Have you done it for yourself?"

[future_sandworm]

After is class, Leto stopped by the common room, also looking for coffee. He found he actually enjoyed the music - perhaps he was getting used to it, or perhaps it was just the right genre.

Nodding to Claire, he noticed the cards, and having picked up a cup of his own he approached the table. "What is that?" he asked.

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"Tarot cards," Claire said, glancing up with a slight smile. She remembered him from the play rehearsal she'd gone to. "They're supposed to tell fortunes if I can figure out how to do it."

She hadn't, yet; she was looking at the instructions sheet all but constantly as she laid cards out, and she kept getting distracted by the illustrations on the cards.

[future_sandworm]

"Slightly different from the Dune Tarot," Leto replied, "But similar in purpose, at least in that respect." His gaze moved from the cards to Claire, and he smiled back. "I apologise for my rudeness," he said. "I'm Leto Atreides."

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"Claire Fisher," Claire said. "It's okay. I talked to you for like a second at a rehearsal once."

She tilted her head to the side. "What's a Dune tarot look like?"

[future_sandworm]

"Yes, you took photos!" He had seen her around school, of course. "I hope the pictures served their purpose. And the Dune tarot looks similar, but the names and symbols are different. People use it trying to predict the future." And, through that, made the visions of the truly prescient muddled. "Is that what you are trying to do?"

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"Thanks. Jameson -- my teacher -- didn't explode with glee or anything about the photos, but it would be scary if that ever happened. I liked them."

Her hand wavered over the cards. "Kind of. I'm learning and I'm mostly just messing with them. Do you know how to do it?"

[future_sandworm]

"Then I guess they did serve their purpose," Leto replied, smiling at her. "And I know the Dune Tarot, but the symbols are not the same." He spoke with hesitation. For those with a prescient talent using the tarot might strengthen that - or the opposite. He wasn't sure, and he didn't know how strong his father's heritage was in him.

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"It seems like all the symbols on these have about six meanings," Claire noted. "And then if the card's upside down it means the exact opposite. It's confusing."

[future_sandworm]

"I believe that's why you need your intuition," Leto said. "The cards are just a tool, creating a symbolic structure." He leaned closer to look at the cards. "Will you show me?"

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Hey, Leto," Ned said, giving him a quick wave. "How are you?"

[future_sandworm]

"Ned," Leto said, smiling in greeting. "I am fine, although sorry to have missed your pies yesterday. And yourself?"

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Doing okay," he said, smiling back. "And yeah, that surprised me too. I had two pies made and ended up eating some of one and I put the other in the refrigerator to eat in a few days. I should have brought it down here."

[future_sandworm]

"You will have no trouble finding someone to share them with, I'm sure," Leto replied.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Unless I just eat them myself and have all that go to my waist or hips or something," he said and laughed. "At least they won't be wasted. Your classes going all right? I tend to only catch you during the club meetings."

[future_sandworm]

"That is an option too," Leto replied with a smirk. "And you don't look like that is too much of a problem. I believe my classes are easy enough but I manage to keep myself busy."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"You sound like Kaylee," he said and snickered. "With the 'you eat all you want and it never shows' kind of deal. I think it's genetics or something."

He didn't really have anyone to ask.

"I spend a whole class eating things. Probably the easiest class I'll ever take. Unless there's a test. I've spent most of my time just eating in there."