(no subject)

[theunsmiling]

Michael pushes through the front door, the sword in her hand vanishing at the moment she registers her change in locale.

It takes another moment for her to push her windblown hair out of her face and tame the too-bright green of her eyes. Then, of course, she moves to the bar for coffee and a newspaper.

It is rather unfortunate that, once she settles down to fill out the crossword, her pen has a tendency to push right through the paper.

Temper will do that.

Ah, well.

Comments

[thursdays_angel]

It has been some time. And Castiel keeps a respectful distance from Michael's table.

"You seem displeased."

[theunsmiling]

"Mmmm."

Michael looks up from her crossword at that, pen still held in one hand.

"That may well be an understatement. Castiel."

That last is an acknowledgment, if not quite a welcome.

Not yet, anyway.

[thursdays_angel]

He does not attempt to approach closer.

"Is there anything I can do to provide assistance?"

She is kin, after all. After some kind of fashion.

[theunsmiling]

She does appear to consider it for a moment, gaze weighing and heavy.

Then she shakes her head.

"Though I appreciate the offer, I would not put you at risk. Not without great need, and as vexatious as the Fae may be, on occasion, it is not a matter of life or death."

[thursdays_angel]

Castiel nods immediately.

He is not certain what risks might be involved, but it is not his place to question the decision.

"Such creatures, I have observed, can be most antagonizing."

"Though they do not always cross over into malice."

[theunsmiling]

Michael raises one eyebrow.

"Do they not? How interesting. I have found it to be the case that they do nothing but."

But Castiel's world, as they both know very well, is different to Michael's own.

"Unless you speak of such Fae creatures as are found here?"

[thursdays_angel]

"It is possible that Milliways has clouded my perceptions on that subject to some degree."

Castiel looks a little bit penitent.

He knows that Milliways is changing him. And he is not altogether certain that he is comfortable with that.

"Though...it has never occurred to me to think of Stitch as a Fae creature."

[theunsmiling]

"Perhaps."

Michael's regard is marginally more thoughtful, at least for a moment.

"But experience shapes us all."

Experience, and the stories humans tell.

"What is this Stitch, that it could so confuse your senses?"

[thursdays_angel]

"He is a small being. Short-tempered. Voracious appetite. Mischievous by nature."

"He was the short stop for my baseball team. And we engaged in a battle with snow balls recently."

He knows he might incur judgment of some degree for his admissions, even if this Michael is not (somehow) the brother he knows.

And braces himself slightly.

[ellectrical]

"I don't think that's how you do it."

Then again, punching holes in the paper with her pen is probably the closest Elle's ever come to completing a crossword.

[theunsmiling]

"No?"

Michael looks up, green eyes flashing with temper even as she arches an eyebrow.

"And how would you do it, then?"

Maybe it's a little bit of a challenge.

[ellectrical]

Pause.

"I'd do that."

Hence it's probably not what you're supposed to do.

[theunsmiling]

"Ah. So you've had a terrible day, too?"

It is a decent follow-up question, so far as that goes.

To a point.

[ellectrical]

Her bruise has mostly faded, and she hasn't felt the need to ask Bar for painkillers. As far as Elle's concerned, it's been a pretty decent day.

It may also be why she answers honestly:

"I don't know what else to do with it."

[theunsmiling]

"You're not that fond of puzzles? It takes all kinds, I guess."

There are days and times when Michael is more human than others.

It depends on the circumstances.

[ellectrical]

"Not ones when I ..."




Elle can think of a better way to say it. "... need to know stuff."

[theunsmiling]

"I don't like them then, either. But as ways to keep me busy when I don't have much else to do -- they aren't half bad."

It comes out in a fairly straightforward manner.

Michael's good at that.

[3nanashi]

She has a very . . . violent way with a crossword.

Trowa's not particularly inclined to interrupt. He does notice, though. And his couch isn't too far from her own chosen seat; if she looks up, their eyes might meet at some point.

[theunsmiling]

Their eyes do, indeed, meet.

And for several long seconds they hold.

Michael's own a very bright green.

Her pen goes still on the page.

[3nanashi]

Now that's interesting.

(Trowa's own eyes are bright green too, but a human green, and nothing too out of the ordinary. If eyes are windows to the soul, his have the curtains drawn -- but then, some people see more than others no matter what.)



He cocks his head slightly, halfway between question and acknowledgment.

[theunsmiling]

"Hi," Michael says, after another long moment of silent regard.

"Can I assume you're a fan of crossword puzzles?"

It's an interesting question.

Somewhat.

[3nanashi]

Trowa considers that.

"Sometimes."

It's not particularly a hobby. But problem-solving is interesting; it's an exercise in figuring out how the puzzle designer's brain works.

[theunsmiling]

"And do you object to their flagrant abuse?"

She looks down at the rather hole-filled paper in her hands.

Someone might almost describe her expression as sheepish.

Almost.

[3nanashi]

"I assume it's for a reason," Trowa says, tranquilly. And not without humor, although you'd need a magnifying glass to spot it.




The reason presumably has to do with how her body language shouts a lot of the same things as Wufei's. But whatever!

[theunsmiling]

"I thought it was better than punching my brother."

There's a dry twist to her voice, leavened with frustration.

It's a common hazard to dealing with Lucifer, even now.