driftfleet | gotta get down for a mingle

[...wow, guys, what happened to your ship?

Rogue has made a trip to the library and (to her relief) found the book she wanted for Winter, but she wasn't expecting all this.

She's on the look out for him. As usual, her sneaking is NORMAL, though he probably rates it at somewhat between 'terrible' and 'who tied the bells on that girl.']

[ Awful things, Rogue!! Make it stop. )8

He hears her coming long before Winter actually sees her, but he's relieved. She could have been anyone, and instead, it's loud-stomping Rogue. Winter may actually be glad to see her. When she passes his little hiding area, he stands and comes up just behind her. ]

Are you looking for the Captain?

[Rogue smiles at him. Except, okay. First she jumps, then she whirls, then she puts a hand over her heart, and then she smiles at him. Freaking A, the man moves and sounds like shadow.]

Lookin' for you, actually. Hadn't had my scheduled heart attack recently.

[ He almost feels guilty for sneaking up on her. Almost. ]

Your heart isn't beating nearly fast enough.

[ He has to think about the first thing she said. ]

Looking for me? For what?

[Her eyebrows raise.] Beatin' nearly fast enough for what? A heart attack?

[She gave him a small smile, teasing.] Would it help if I pretended ta faint?

[She'd get back to the whole 'reason why she came to see him' thing in a minute. Winter actually joking is waaay more important.]

Your heartbeat is elevated, but constant. You should be fine.

[ He makes a face, shaking his head. ]

Please don't.

[Maybe one day she'll fill Winter in on the fact that letting normal people know that you can hear their heartbeat freaks them out a little. Fortunately, she's had normal knocked out of her a long, long time ago. Right now, that's the smallest concern on her Winter Concerns List.

She snaps gloved fingers, making a uniquely muffled noise that took her way too long to perfect. She is quietly cheered by the fact that he makes a face at all.]

Darn. An' I had my maidenly damsel in distress classes just last week.

[She shakes her head, smiling a little to make sure he knows she's kidding. Instead, she begins to dig through her little messenger bag.]

I brought ya somethin'.

[ Then he probably should also not tell her that recognition of heartbeats is a thing from person to person, too..

He watches her carefully- not that he doesn't think he can trust her- but still wary. With everything that happened on the Marsiva, and now the Heron, Winter doesn't want any more damn surprises.

He has come to be comfortable with her presence, at least. Sitting in a book nook for hours at a time will do that to a person. ]

What is it? [ If it's maidenly damsel in distress classes, he doesn't want them. ]

[Rogue isn't moving with any particular speed or slowness, almost as if she isn't aware that he is watching her like he is ready to surge forward and... well, she'll just generously assume 'attempt to restrain.' Because she likes to think he's been developing a sense of the appropriate and would give her a chance if she suddenly turned threatening, but hey, she could understand it if she was wrong.]

Watership Down.

[Digging out the book at last, she holds the clearly worn paperback toward him.] I couldn't think of a good book recommendation before, but I think you'll like this one.

[...yes, that's a rabbit on the cover. Don't judge her.]

[ He's extremely pleased when she pulls out the book and hands it over. He lets his thumb brush the front cover before turning it over to read the back quickly. He'd read about a fifty books or more while he was on the Marsiva, but he hadn't come across this one.

Winter looks back up at her, the barest hint of a smile on his face. Blink and you'll miss it, but definitely there. It's a kind gesture, and if she brought it for him, he's sure that he'll like it. ]

This isn't like your other book.

[A brief, quiet laugh.] No, it's not. It's 'bout the farthest thing from that other book. An' don't let the cute 'lil bunny on the cover fool ya. I don't remember all the details, but I do recall some epic battles, an' some incredible loyalty an' insight.

[Rogue doesn't usually talk so much, or with such open enthusiasm, though she has been less guarded around Winter, because, well, someone needs to talk. Still, she isn't used to it, and she abruptly cuts herself off, more out of habit than anything else.] So... let me know what ya think when you're done?

[ Regardless of what's on the cover, he plans on reading it as soon as he gets the opportunity. It's a very welcome distraction to the weird atmosphere since they got back to the ship. ]

I will. Just be ready to suggest more books when I'm done.

[ He is completely serious. If she happened to miss the intensity with which he read the books at his disposal on the Marsiva. ]

[Rogue smiles at him, a small, sincere expression.]

I'll try my best ta think of some good ones. It'll help once I know what ya like an' didn't like 'bout that one.

[A nod at the book.]

Well..What is your favorite?

[ Books are a relatively neutral topic, so Winter feels like he can at least speak his peace about it. He holds Watership Down carefully in his grasp, the pages rough against his palm. It's relatively calming. ]

...that's... not an easy question ta answer.

[She shifts, moves to lean one shoulder against the wall.] I've loved different books at different times of my life, an' for different reasons. Had a real sentimental attachment ta Wuthering Heights once, Dracula another time, an' you've seen my pulp fiction phase...

[She glances away and then admits almost shyly, but with more defiance than hesitance.] It's easier ta think 'bout favorite poets or poems than it is favorite stories.

[ He makes a mental note to see if he can track down Dracula and Wuthering Heights later on. ]

I guess that makes sense? So you like poetry, then.

[ He's not judging in the least, it's open curiosity. Something else he'll have to look into reading. ]

[A smile and a nod.] Some more'n others. [...] Tennyson, for example.

[She'd gone all Anne of Green Gables over the epic love poems at one point in time, now she still loved him, but for some smaller poems more now.]

I'll see what I can find, later.

[ It will give him something different to do, anyway. He wants to catch up on everything that he's missed, and reading has been easy enough to do and pass the time. ]

Edited 2015-12-01 04:03 (UTC)

Okay, but... I'm not vouchin' for him for ya. [She tilts her head and considers. What kind of poetry would Winter like?] ...ya might be more of a WH Auden man. Or... [heh] maybe even Shel - Shel Silverstein.

[Auden was one of her favorites now... and she thought he might find some of Silverstein's poems and drawings compelling.]

After I'm done with this.

[ He nods to the book in his hand. Honestly, it won't take him more than a day or so to read it. Two or three if he really draws it out.

One thing at a time. ]

[Small smile.]

Sounds good.

[...well, mission accomplished, she supposed.] Ya want me ta leave you be so you an' Hazel can get acquainted?

[A nod toward the book.]

If you want. [ You don't have to. ]

The Captain is around, too.

[That was the second time he'd asked her about Jim. Was it just that he assumed that she'd want to see him (which was true), or was it that he thought she should see him? Rogue's brow furrowed slightly.] Well, I wouldn't wanna interrupt whatever you were... doin' in here.

...what were ya doin' in here?

[ She's friends with Jim, so naturally, she wouldn't want to visit his ship without talking to him, right? He's also pretty sure nobody should visit the Heron without the captain knowing about it. It's just a more viable option.

He looks around the cargo bay quickly, then puts his focus back on Rogue. ]

Keeping watch.

[ It's too cold and cramped most other places. ]

Okay... [Glancing around the cargo bay and then back to Winter.] I'll keep watch with ya for a little bit.

[...] What are we watchin'?

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