(no subject)

[ladyfirestarter]

It's the same hallway as the last time he came through. The drawings have changed; one of them is a careful pencil sketch of two hands in repose, fingers halfway overlapping.

Charlie stands aside to let him pass, studying him carefully as he crosses the threshold.

Comments

[thisfatefulhour]

A quick smile in return, almost as tentative.

"Avi. Hi."

[walk_ins]

He glances at Charlie, who smiles back at him, and back at Charles, and then his gaze wanders along the wall.

"Is it better?" he asks, apparently of a bookshelf.

[thisfatefulhour]

The smile fades.

"Better," he says finally. "It's not what it was before, though. You take it day by day."

[walk_ins]

Avi nods, the gesture a little jerky. He hunkers down to a crouch next to the bookcase, wrapping his arms around his knees, and settles there.

[thisfatefulhour]

He glances away briefly.

(He knows.)

It's only a moment, though -- then he looks up again, expectant.

[ladyfirestarter]

There's a muffled giggle from somewhere, quite close by.

Charlie looks up at that sound, and suppresses a smile.

[thisfatefulhour]

Charles' own lips twitch up, and he shoots a glance between Charlie and Avi.

(The nervousness lessens a little.)

[walk_ins]

Another giggle, louder.

And an aggrieved sigh from the other side of the room, where a thin red-haired figure stands leaning against the doorframe. "He can hear you," she informs the air pointedly, before turning and stalking out.

[thisfatefulhour]

The smile firms, and he calls after her, "Nice to see you too, Beth."

A glance around the room (with another amused look at Charlie). "And all of you."

[walk_ins]

"She's fretful," an amused voice says, very near.

Zillah's face peers out from around the edge of the bookshelf.

[thisfatefulhour]

Charles shoots an wry look towards the door Beth left through. "I know how she feels."

Then there's a smile for Zillah -- a little tentative, but pleased.

It looks rather like hers when they first met, actually.

"Hi."

[walk_ins]

"Either was deafer than neither was dumb," she confides.

She's studying him intently, and then her gaze drifts sideways.

[thisfatefulhour]

"But under the wonder," he counters with hardly a pause, "is over the why."

[walk_ins]

Her eyes flicks back to him, and she beams.

"It's now," she says softly, happily.

"Hi."

[thisfatefulhour]

He nods at the library. "Yours is mine."

Beat.

"We'll be at it all day if we start now."

[walk_ins]

Zillah nods, but the laughter's fading from her face.

"The world is quiet here," she says, uncertainly.

[thisfatefulhour]

"Yes."

Slowly -- "The heart breathes to music."

[walk_ins]

"You came here seeking shelter."

A tiny upright line appears between her eyebrows as she studies him.

[thisfatefulhour]

(I believe they'll find you)

He nods, mute.

(it's very crowded)

[walk_ins]

Her eyes widen, in what might be concern or alarm. "The air resounds with cries of scavengers --"

[ladyfirestarter]

Charlie's sitting up very straight in her chair now, leaning forward just slightly.

[thisfatefulhour]

Charles' eyes widen a little in echo -- then he shuts them, hard, focusing as much as he can on anything else.

(trying to protect his student's innocence He told them the Ice Age was really just)

"Sorry--"

[walk_ins]

"No." Zillah shakes her head, and speaks urgently, entreating. "No. All's well with you..."

She glances to Charlie as though for confirmation; to Avi, behind her, for support.

"All's well with you," she repeats more firmly.

[thisfatefulhour]

After a long moment, he nods, opening his eyes.

"Are you sure?"

[walk_ins]

She doesn't looks sure. But she nods, unsteadily.

"You come once more, at evening, to this simple cloister," she whispers. "Hushed by the quiet walls, you stand at peace."