(no subject)

[a1enzo]

Yesterday's talk with Cal was very helpful, and both of them were cheered up by the end.

That couldn't last, though. This isn't an easy, straightforward problem. He's still tangled up inside; exams are over, a small mercy, but he's feeling more than enough fresh wretchedness to counter that.

And he has to deal with it.

The mask is still on his wall. His roommates would ask questions if he took it down. And, code, it's still so tempting, but at the same time he doesn't want to be anywhere near it, to have it staring at him...

Too many people, he has found, make him feel guilty and paranoid. He needs peace and quiet. His own peace and quiet, not... Anyway. Not a lot of that on campus, except in the tunnels (off limits, bad idea for an extended period, and gloomy besides) and his room (out of the question).

The treefort is vacant right now. It'll do.


{tinytag: Hey Arnold!, Broghan, Adrian Mole}

Comments

[heyfootballhead.livejournal.com]

Arnold has finally gotten around to exploring the forest area a little, and boy did his exploration pay off today.

It's a treefort. A nice one. Arnold whistles as he approaches, impressed.

He doesn't see Enzo yet, though.

[a1enzo]

A very nice one indeed, with a crow's nest, and a drawbridge, and the best defences against marauding girls that ten-year-old ingenuity could devise.

And a swing made from a six-foot tractor tire, hanging from a stout chain.

It sways and wobbles as a head and shoulders twist to peer out of the hole.

"Oh. Hey, Arnold."

[heyfootballhead.livejournal.com]

"Hey, Enzo!" Arnold looks far more enthused about life in general than Enzo at this point. "What a great fort! Is it yours?"

And by 'yours', he means 'did you help build it'.

[a1enzo]

Enzo nods.

"Me an' Tyler, mostly. Bob helped, and Mikey, and some other boys."

[heyfootballhead.livejournal.com]

"It's amazing," Arnold enthuses. "Mind if I come up?"

[a1enzo]

"Go 'head. It's for everyone. 'Cept it's No Girls Allowed."

[heyfootballhead.livejournal.com]

"Fair enough," Arnold says with a good-natured smile as he clambers up into the body of the fort to explore. "I've only run into a couple of girls around here, anyway."

Girls their age, Arnold means.

[poor-monkey.livejournal.com]

A small ghost, drifting around, discovers the treefort. He squints up at it, wondering if it's okay to come up.

[a1enzo]

Hanging from one limb of the tree is an enormous tire swing. Really enormous—it's six feet in outer diameter; at least four kids could squeeze inside.

There's only one in it at the moment, and he calls out, in an indifferent tone, "Go ahead."

[poor-monkey.livejournal.com]

It looks like great fun, though he's not sure what it is.

Happily, Broghan climbs up into the swing.

[a1enzo]

"Hey! I meant... ahh, never mind." He scootches over to make room.

[poor-monkey.livejournal.com]

Broghan has no qualms, looking around the swing, almost falling out in his awe.

He notices the owner of the voice at last.

"Hey! I know you!"

[a1enzo]

"Huh?" Enzo peers at him. "Oh, yeah! You're... uh... cruft..."

[eight-or-eleven.livejournal.com]

There's a nose—an animal's nose—poking just inside the tire. It doesn't smell anything, so the nose is soon followed by rest of the head of an unnaturally-white lioness.

It withdraws after a moment.

There's a pause, and someone speaks.

"Is anyone in there?"

[a1enzo]

JESUS CHRIST IT'S A LION GET IN THE SWING

"Uh... hi?" Enzo's gonna stay pressed flat against the inside of the tire, mkay?

[eight-or-eleven.livejournal.com]

Aren't you already in the swing?

"She's harmless; you don't need to worry about her. Either of them."

Yeah, that means there's two of them.

"Hello there. I'm Strength. The one you just saw was Utani."

Pause.

I'm sorry I startled you, the lioness in question says.

[a1enzo]

Hush, you.

"It's, uh. It's okay," he tells the voice in his head, hoping he's not having a genuine crash-and-burn episode.

Two lions. Dude. Lions are awesome (it's just SUDDEN LION HEADS HELLO that are a problem). He levers himself up, setting the tire swinging a bit more, and looks out.

So there are. Also a lady. Hello, lady.

"Hi. I'm Enzo."

[eight-or-eleven.livejournal.com]

He's not. The cats never learned to speak aloud. Or, they choose not to, because talking animals are not something people encounter much of.

Like telepathic speech is any different than audible.

Right.

"And that one is Shujaa," she says, motioning towards the male. "Don't believe I've seen you before."

[a1enzo]

"No. I mean. I'm around a lot. But I haven't seen you."

He remembers that the fort and its environs are meant to be contested ground in the Battle of the Sexes (a.k.a. No Girls Allowed), and that he really should be running her off.

Then he remembers that she's got lions.

[and_3_quarters]

Adrian is outside, looking for apples.

[a1enzo]

No apples in this clearing, but there is a very impressive and well-equipped treefort, and, near it, a tire swing which could accommodate an entire first grade class if you stacked 'em right.

It's swaying slightly, and sounds of deliberate, measured breathing are coming from inside the huge tire.

[and_3_quarters]

Adrian kicks some pine cones around for a while, then notices the fort.

He wanders over and peers in.

"Enzo?"

[a1enzo]

Enzo, lying against the inside of the tire, starts slightly.

"Oh. Hi, uh, Adrian."

[and_3_quarters]

"Hey Enzo. You stuck?"

[a1enzo]

"No, I'm fine. Thanks."