Hitting the Books (tagged)

[Cassie Stryker]

"Notes, notes, notes.  What else can I take notes on?  I did that section, that section, that section...am I done?  All my subjects?"  She sighed.

"Crap now I have to make my training session longer or I'll have nothing to do but socialize.  And that is not happening.  No way, no how."  She shook her head and started jotting whatever popped into her head on the notes sheet, scribbling furiously.  She had to work.  She had to.  She...was rejected.  NO!  NO THINKING ABOUT THAT THAT'S WHY I'M WORKING!  Cassidy shook her head and opened the textbook, putting sticky note tabs all over.  She didn't need them, but at this point she was being too organized just to make it last longer.

Gabriel King

[Gabriel King]

Since losing his position in Bellefonte Gabriel had taken to using the library as his sanctuary. It had been hard to find a good supply of books from in prison, and upon first walking back into the library he had almost wept for joy.

With 'Divine by Mistake' tucked under his arm, Gabe wandered around the library in search of a place to sit. During his travels however, he happened to pass by a table with a young woman frantically at work, and the absolute speed she was going at intrigued him. Stopping, he peered over her shoulder and choked on a surprised laugh. "The poor book, I think it's drowning in sticky-notes."

@tag

[Cassie Stryker]

A guy was suddenly peering over her shoulder and talking about her sticky notes. Cassidy squeaked and slammed her book before toppling off the side of her chair from surprise.

"W-what?" Person. Person. People meant possible socializing, getting away from work. No.

"Sticky notes are HELPFUL. I might need every second sentence for my next quiz! Or maybe I'll find some maneuver for my training. Or psychology that could help a student!" She was getting rather defensive now, but it was because she was sinking herself into her work and her sticky notes were just a symptom of that.

[Gabriel King]

He'd expected maybe a slight jump of surprise, not the girl falling out of the damn chair. Quickly stepping back Gabriel glanced around to make sure no one had noticed the fuss then bent over, intent on helping the girl. In a way it was kind of his fault that she'd gone 'kaplunk' on the ground anyhow.

"But if you highlight every second sentence you're covering the majority of the book in giant 'this is important' tags. Doesn't that, by nature, decrease the importance of every sentence you're highlighting?" He asked, offering his hand out to the strange girl. Already she seemed like he had scared her, she actually reminded him of a little frightened bird. "Shouldn't you just be a little pickier about what you choose to remember?"

@tag

[Cassie Stryker]

"So? If I memorize it all I have more to do, and I don't have to talk to people and then I don't get involved with people and then they don't get hurt and I don't get hurt and it's better all around that way." The last part of it turned into a mutter she had to admit. She took his hand and pulled herself up.

"Although the chair falling was not a foreseen circumstance I'll admit. My training did not prepare me for that."

[Gabriel King]

"But then your head will be filled with useless information instead of important things. I can almost guarantee you'll never have used half the shit you just read by the time you're fifty." He retorted with a grin, rolling his eyes. He liked books, yes. But his attention span wasn't built for studying and taking in information, so he'd never understood it.

At least she accepted his offer, and Gabriel hauled the woman to her feet as if she were light as a feather. Another props to his mutation. "We'll just say that was my fault," Gabriel offered with a low chuckle. "Din't mean to startle you. I just don't think I've ever seen someone study that...thoroughly before."

@tag

[Cassie Stryker]

"It's something to do. I could stop studying, but then I'd just start working security detail, or training. I needed a rest, so I'm studying. Less physical requirement." She sighed, shrugging.

"And I'm a little jumpy. Not your fault. I just...my reactions are fast enough that I'm surprised I actually fell."

[Gabriel King]

"You couldn't choose sleeping, or reading instead? It's not really resting if you're still mentally stimulated," he advised. Gabe shifted to sit on the edge of the table, placing his romantic novel beside him. He supposed it would be polite to simply move on now that the supposed crisis had been averted, but talking would be less stimulating that studying. He was invested enough now to want to help.

"I stuck my nose in without warning, I suppose I should get some of the blame anyway." Since hat matter was settled he let it drop, leaning back on his hands comfortably. "Fast reflexes? That sounds familiar. Did I really surprise you that much?"

@tag

[Cassie Stryker]

"Well yeah. I haven't talked to people except small-talk for a month or so. Someone suddenly looking over my shoulder is bound to surprise me. But I still fell instead of teleporting." She scratched her chin thoughtfully.

"Odd that. Oh, and I can't do other stuff because then I am not focused on my life's task at hand."

[Gabriel King]

"You haven't talked to someone in how long?" Gabriel was astounded and left blinking in disbelief. That was absolutely crazy, no wonder the woman seemed out of it. At least he'd learned that her abilities were somehow connected to teleportation, which sounded pretty cool to him. "Don't you have....friends or something? I don't know, someone to talk to?"

Cocking his head, a confused mewl slipped out of his mouth. "Your life's focus is studying?"

@tag

[Cassie Stryker]

"Month or so. I haven't kept track. Not as long as I spent secluded in high school, and this wasn't even seclusion. I just didn't get into any deep conversations. And...no I don't really have friends. That comes with being secluded all through high school. I'm not exactly the personable type." She sighed and shook her head when he mentioned life's focus.

"No it is not. Being the best at training and security, and anything else I choose to pursue in life. That is my life's focus."

[Gabriel King]

"I think your seclusion is causing me pain." He pressed a hand to his head, leaning back onto the table dramatically. This was voluntarily seclusion obviously, and compared to his forced one, it sounded bat-shit crazy. "This is unhealthy. So unhealthy!"

In the very least he could understand and admire her goals, there was something to be said about wanting to put in the hard work for results. Better than studying for life anyway. "Ok, you'll have to forgive me for that mistake. Though to be fair, you were pretty misleading."

@tag

[Cassie Stryker]

She shrugged.

"The dramatic flair was interesting to watch at least. Always kind of fun to see people make fools of themselves." She rolled her eyes.

"I get plenty of exercise and eat properly. I'm probably healthier than most of the people in North America. But yes, let's focus on the fact I'm basically a hermit by choice." She smirked.

"Common mistake actually." She still hadn't introduced herself and that was quite on purpose really. Introducing yourself led to further conversations and although this guy was amusing, she wasn't really ready to talk to people consistently again.

[Gabriel King]

"I'm fairly certain most people make fun of themselves for the fun of it," he pointed out ruefully. He'd done it, but while the girl had said she had enjoyed it, her words and her actions seemed completely different.

It was partly his own fault though, he knew that well enough. Once again he was prying into a life where he wasn't wanted, and where he had no business being. Scratching his head balefully, Gabriel made sure to lift his shoulder in a brief shrug of apology. "Just sayin', physical health doesn't out-shine mental and emotional, you know?" It was bad enough that he tried to help whoever he came across. The fact he was far too stubborn to take 'no' for an answer often made him a pain to be around.

She seemed to forgive him though.....Maybe? "Oh, well that makes me feel just a tiny bit better." Then, since he hadn't already, he braced one hand on his knee and held the other out to the woman. "I'm Gabriel, sorry to disturb you so rudely studybug."

@tag

[Cassie Stryker]

Cassidy gave a dry chuckle.

"I figured I might as well be fit. The health of my mental and emotional states are just not in the cards right now." She shrugged. It was all her effort just to hold it together. Keep herself numb. And then he held out his hand presumably to shake and she just looked at it a moment before shaking and hearing his introduction. Well she supposed introducing herself couldn't do much harm.

"Cassidy. It's fine. I just...try not to talk to people as much." And that right there was the most honest sentence she'd had in a while.