ใ a very familiar, perhaps obnoxiously so at this point, voice declares, ใ Delivery!ใ before gwen simply opens the door.
her shoe pulls apart like it's semi-liquid and turning black so that her bare foot touches the floor. one step inside is all she takes. ใ
Jesus, Odin, and Ra.
ใ it's a good thing her stickiness isn't a conscious behavior (the opposite is true, in fact) or the stack of high school textbooks would have bounced off the floor and probably her foot. ใ
๏ผ he was in the middle of strength training when she interrupted, one armed pushups with the other held behind his back, and at her knock and subsequent entrance he has simply pushed himself back onto his knees, hands resting on his thighs.
he has been at it long enough that he is faintly winded, and he is covered in a thin sheen of sweat, hair plastered against his temple and the curve of his neck where it's escaped from his tie, tendrils splayed like inkstains on pale skin. the succession of names makes him raise one eyebrow curiously, but rather than address them (because gwen is strange, and he has accepted her eccentricities) he simply says — ๏ผ
Gwen.
๏ผ which is what passes for a greeting as he levers himself up gracefully to his feet. being without a shirt in her presence makes something like self-consciousness well up in his awareness like blood in a cut, only because there is no way for her to avoid taking note of the way his right shoulder is healing, now a month on from the damage that had nearly tore it from its socket. he does not take care to conceal it from her — it would only draw attention to his abashment — and instead, nods to the books. ๏ผ
ใ please excuse her, two emotions are currently battling it out: one, the fact that every one of her friends is a blow to her body image; and two, that itachi is a fucking sma— ใ
What are what for? Oh! Right. Yes. ใ she steps fully inside the room, her other shoe pulling apart as well. ใ I felt bad that I couldn't answer all your questions so I got you things that can.
ใ the first book in the pile helps illuminate her meaning: it is simply titled physics. when she asked viveca for textbooks, gwen had not expected the books to be hers from school. a few turned out to be peter's. these she leafed through for a while, less for their content than for the notes and doodles scribbled into the margins, a folded test, the familiar shape of his name written inside the cover. even as she sinks down next to him and hands off her old books to itachi, she does not immediately surrender peter's. ใ
Wei Wuxian is already nose-deep in chemistry and basically ripped the astronomy book out of my hands, so you'll have to bully him for those. Those are my old high school books so excuse the highlighting. ใ she motions to the ones she's still holding. ใ These are a little more advanced. They, uh, ใ she thumbs one cover gently, ใ they belonged to my friend.
๏ผ he thinks of the book, with tsunade's name in the margins. a little piece of the home he had forsaken in all but truth long ago, and what it had meant to him to hold it in his hands. his gaze drops to her the faint motion of her hand, and then back up to her face in consideration. ๏ผ
There are other ways to learn. I do not require your books.
๏ผ it may sound curt and dismissive — but it's more because he understands her attachment to them, and does not wish for her to feel she has to make an exception for him. ๏ผ
๏ผ he takes them when they are offered, and tips open the hardcover. they are in english, of course, but he has been learning it, and the earpiece will translate them besides. ๏ผ
ใ it's always fun talking to itachi. even if she came in with no questions, she is sure to come out with at least twelve. ใ
Well, ใ she claps her hands on her thighs, and rises easily, ใ I'll leave you to it. If anything comes up that you can't make heads or tails of, text me.
๏ผ it's cute you think he'd actually reach... out... he's more likely to do endless amounts of research until he knows what's up on his own, but sure!!
he rises as she does, just as effortlessly. ๏ผ
Thank you for thinking of me. I will drop them off at your room later.
ใ surprise briefly touches her expression before it melts into immense relief. a knot she was unknowingly carrying releases its tension. i'm glad, she thinks, but she cannot push it past her teeth. not with her having been responsible in the first place.
in the end, she can only tip her chin down in a tiny nod of acknowledgement, a gentle smile curling her lips. the door slides shut behind her. ใ
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dated to next supply drop.
her shoe pulls apart like it's semi-liquid and turning black so that her bare foot touches the floor. one step inside is all she takes. ใ
Jesus, Odin, and Ra.
ใ it's a good thing her stickiness isn't a conscious behavior (the opposite is true, in fact) or the stack of high school textbooks would have bounced off the floor and probably her foot. ใ
no subject
he has been at it long enough that he is faintly winded, and he is covered in a thin sheen of sweat, hair plastered against his temple and the curve of his neck where it's escaped from his tie, tendrils splayed like inkstains on pale skin. the succession of names makes him raise one eyebrow curiously, but rather than address them (because gwen is strange, and he has accepted her eccentricities) he simply says — ๏ผ
Gwen.
๏ผ which is what passes for a greeting as he levers himself up gracefully to his feet. being without a shirt in her presence makes something like self-consciousness well up in his awareness like blood in a cut, only because there is no way for her to avoid taking note of the way his right shoulder is healing, now a month on from the damage that had nearly tore it from its socket. he does not take care to conceal it from her — it would only draw attention to his abashment — and instead, nods to the books. ๏ผ
What are these for?
no subject
What are what for? Oh! Right. Yes. ใ she steps fully inside the room, her other shoe pulling apart as well. ใ I felt bad that I couldn't answer all your questions so I got you things that can.
ใ the first book in the pile helps illuminate her meaning: it is simply titled physics. when she asked viveca for textbooks, gwen had not expected the books to be hers from school. a few turned out to be peter's. these she leafed through for a while, less for their content than for the notes and doodles scribbled into the margins, a folded test, the familiar shape of his name written inside the cover. even as she sinks down next to him and hands off her old books to itachi, she does not immediately surrender peter's. ใ
Wei Wuxian is already nose-deep in chemistry and basically ripped the astronomy book out of my hands, so you'll have to bully him for those. Those are my old high school books so excuse the highlighting. ใ she motions to the ones she's still holding. ใ These are a little more advanced. They, uh, ใ she thumbs one cover gently, ใ they belonged to my friend.
no subject
There are other ways to learn. I do not require your books.
๏ผ it may sound curt and dismissive — but it's more because he understands her attachment to them, and does not wish for her to feel she has to make an exception for him. ๏ผ
no subject
You might get something from them.
ใ she offers them, too. her hands are steady. ใ
no subject
I can return them to you in an hour.
๏ผ #sharinganhax. ๏ผ
no subject
ใ of course, he is. ใ
You can take your time with them, you know. ใ just so we're clear. ใ
no subject
๏ผ perfect recall, and all. ๏ผ
Others may benefit from them as well, if you are willing to share beyond Wei Wuxian and myself.
no subject
this is why she needs a therapist. so someone can (kindly) answer that for her. ใ
Yeah, yeah. Is that part of the eye thing or is that a you thing?
no subject
๏ผ for good or ill, the sharingan is entwined with his destiny. ๏ผ
no subject
ใ it's always fun talking to itachi. even if she came in with no questions, she is sure to come out with at least twelve. ใ
Well, ใ she claps her hands on her thighs, and rises easily, ใ I'll leave you to it. If anything comes up that you can't make heads or tails of, text me.
no subject
he rises as she does, just as effortlessly. ๏ผ
Thank you for thinking of me. I will drop them off at your room later.
no subject
Any time.
ใ studiously not replaying the flex of his muscles as he stands— ใ You, uh— Keep at it. Good—range of motion.
ใ yeah, she's leaving now. venom manifests shoes immediately before her feet touch the hallway floor.
no one ask her the color of anything in that room. ใ
no subject
he nearly lets her go, but at the last moment — ๏ผ
My shoulder is healing well. There will be no lasting damage.
๏ผ combination of shinobi physiology and very studious applications of healing, but hey. ๏ผ
no subject
in the end, she can only tip her chin down in a tiny nod of acknowledgement, a gentle smile curling her lips. the door slides shut behind her. ใ