The Roof, Sunday Afternoon

[icecoldfrost]

After a week spent hiding recuperating in her room, Emma was starting to go insane. There was only so much sleeping or reading she could do while staring at the same four walls, and the powers-hangover she'd had from her 'adventure' was finally starting to fade enough to make going outside seem appealing.

Pack of Gitanes in-hand, she fled to the roof. The fresh air and sunshine were exactly what she needed after so much time indoors, and a girl had to feed the nicotine addiction sometime.

[Open roof, open post, yes!]

Comments

[future_sandworm]

"I'm happy to see that." He smiled. "I've not had much experience with the drugs of this time, so forgive me if my questions are very elementary."

[vanillajello]

"You should just say no the drugs of this time, anyway," Kate smirked. "As the popular saying goes. Or, I guess they mean all drugs, ever."

[future_sandworm]

"That's a saying?" He looked amused. "Ah, yes, there are quite a few illegal ones, I understand."

He did remember an assembly where his sister and Professor Durden had had to sing a song about drug addiction, after all.

[vanillajello]

"More of a slogan, I guess," she said. "'Just say no'. It's a little vague, if you ask me. Could be referring to anything, not just illegal drugs."

[future_sandworm]

"And saying no to everything makes life a little... uninteresting, I guess." He looked at Kate, raising an eyebrow. "It could be turning down freely offered bakery goods, after all."

[vanillajello]

"Or refusing help from strangers during a breakdown," she replied. "Really, it wouldn't be a good strategy. But neither would be saying yes to everything."

[future_sandworm]

"Exactly. Every decision needs to be made by considering context." He smiled again. "And a decision might need to be evaluated later on."

Leto took a step closer to Kate and reached out for her hand. "I'm glad you weren't offended. I'm not at all familiar with the culturally appropriate reaction to someone crying.

[and now I need sleep!]

[vanillajello]

She took his hand and tilted her head. "And I'm glad my slightly embarrassing emotional moment was good for cultural awereness," she smirked. "In general, people like to be comforted when they cry. You did well."


[Nighty night!]

[future_sandworm]

"I'm pleased to hear that." He laughed, squeezing her hand and then letting go, then added lightly: "And isn't it interesting how even painful moments can offer possibilities of learning?"

[vanillajello]

"I'd really rather learn through less pain, but I guess I can appreciate the idea," she noted with a light smirk.

[future_sandworm]

"It is quite sensible to prefer less pain," Leto agreed, still amused. "Although in some cases it's useful. Do you fight?"

[vanillajello]

"Only verbally." No surprise there. "Well, there's the occasional catfight, but that's mostly hairpulling. Why?"

[future_sandworm]

"Catfight? I asked because my sister and Professor Durden arrange a Fight Club on Sundays for those who do like to express their aggression, learn through pain or whatever reason they might have to beast someone up."

[vanillajello]

"Catfights. Fights between women - well, teen girls, mostly. Tend to occur over boys while drunks, and consist of hairpulling and slapping. And clawing," Kate explained, doing a little clawing movement with her cigaretteless hand.

She shook her head at the idea of Fight Club. "Doesn't sound like my type of thing. I'm pretty scared of getting hurt, even though I really would like to beat people up sometimes."

[future_sandworm]

"Ah," he said to her explanation, smirking. "And beating people up will get you hurt, although with training your opponent will feel more pain. But who would you like to beat up?"

[vanillajello]

"Don't get me started, we'll be here all day," Kate warned with a sigh, and a grin to mark the statement as a joke.

"Right now no actual people, mainly just parts of my brain. But in general? Everyone who's ever been a jerk to my brother. Everyone who's ever treated me wrong. All gaybashers and racists." A beat. "And parts of my mother's brain."

[future_sandworm]

He nodded. "Protecting your family is important. But why parts of your mother's brain?"

Because that didn't quite make sense.

[night!]

[vanillajello]

"Because those parts actually count as people."

She knew that that most likely didn't make sense either. And she was rather hesitant about explaining further. She concentrated on her cigarette for the moment, so she wouldn't have to make a decision right away.

[future_sandworm]

No, it didn't make sense. Leto gave her a look that clearly said so.

[vanillajello]

She looked up from the remains of her cigarette and straight into that look.

And it made her let out a quiet little laugh. "See? I can be weird too."

[future_sandworm]

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to say that I'm weird?"

[vanillajello]

She gave him the widest smile she could. "No. I'm not trying to say that. I'm saying it."

[future_sandworm]

"And why is that?" Leto deliberately kept his face blank.

Notice that he didn't actually question this.

[vanillajello]

"You're touchy. And somehow too logical. And you talk funny. ...And you're from another planet, and the future."

Of course she still remembered that 'weird' was a question of context and point of view. It didn't matter right now.

[future_sandworm]

"If we consider those last points, you would be weird too. From my perspective." He grinned nudging Kate's arm.