December Library Catch-All [ OPEN ]

[aimsforknees]

WHO: John, Harold, and anyone who might find themselves at the Library
WHEN: December
WHERE: The Library!
WHAT: The Library is here and open to all! Come borrow books, find a comfy chair to relax in, or snoop around.
NOTES\WARNINGS: Will be added as they come up

The Library is a five-story neoclassical building of terra cotta, brick, and stone. And the inside is, in fact, a library! And rather clean and organized too. There's no dust, no muddy footprints (apart from your own), and all the shelves are organized by Dewey Decimal, subject, and author. All literature is something you might find in a 2010 New York City library: various forms of fiction, children's and teens' sections, history, science, cooking, gardening, the list goes on. There's even small sections of audiobooks on compact disks and of DVDs ranging from old classics to history shows. The first floor has a reading/study room, a comfortable space with deep armchairs and tables with chairs; the fifth floor has some smaller tables clustered under a skylight. Part of the second floor is abruptly closed off by a door with a biometric scanner that denies entry to anyone who isn't John Reese or Harold Finch; the walls surrounding this section are soundproofed, so even a keen listener won't hear anything from inside. Otherwise, it's a perfectly normal library!

Comments

[aimsforknees]

John wishes he were messing with her. But.

"I don't know who Greer is, and I don't know anything about simulations." Those are the two things that stick out to him right now, two things she's mentioned which seem significant to her and hold no meaning to him.

[cactusy]

She is so, so exhausted.

"I'm serious," she says, woodenly. "I could use a drink. Tell me where I can get one, and I'll tell you anything you wanna know."

[aimsforknees]

"I don't want to know anything." That's actually not entirely true. He wants to know one thing, but he'll find a private time later to ask. For now he moves past her to the unexplained door and opens it, admitting Shaw to what is (mostly) their usual library space. There's noticeable differences considering he and Harold are living there, but nothing too unexpected.

"Finch, Shaw is here from November 2015," is his only introduction.

[ornithologist]

There's a momentary delay before the response that belies Harold's surprise. He's in the next room over situated at his workstation, and it takes him considerably longer to get to his feet and hobble out toward the entrance than it takes Bear, who goes bounding ahead of him without delay.

"At least one of us won't care about the timeline discrepancy," he observes with characteristic dryness. But he's curious, too, eyes quickly finding Shaw and seeing if he can observe any differences, whether in her or in how she interacts with Bear.

[cactusy]

By John and Harold's timepoint, Shaw regularly greets and plays and interacts positively with Bear. But this will be the first time they'll have seen her drop to her knees and offer him her arms, exhaling with relief and smiling faintly as she rubs her hands over his body. From her perspective, it hasn't been long since she'd last seen him; in fact, she'd just been about to pick him up from Fusco. But she hadn't expected to find him here, and it brings a measure of peace even greater than the one she'd gotten from discovering Finch and Reese's presence. They're her teammates: men she's walked through fire with and nearly died for. But Bear? Bear is her favorite.

Beyond that, Shaw is Shaw, as ever: most of the differences are subtle, the kinds of things best noticed in interaction. But she does have a weariness to her that wasn't there in 2013, visible in her face and the way she sets her shoulders. Shaw is so rarely vulnerable, and she doesn't look vulnerable now. But she does look like she might have been skirting the edge of it not too long ago.

[aimsforknees]

Bear is happily receiving his attention, tail wagging wildly. Harold and John don't usually greet him like this, don't often shower him in attention and pets, so this is a rare treat for him. As for John, this is also a rare occasion: seeing Shaw smile. It really hammers home the difference in time. Clearly she feels comfortable here with Bear, clearly she feels comfortable in the library.

"Harold and I are living and working here. There's no room for you right now but we can request an extension built if you want to take up residence as well. The alternative is a large apartment building with room provided for free. They're reasonable. You could also save up 'points' and get your own space." He thinks there's a 50/50 chance she takes him up on his offer. On one hand, secure location in a familiar place with Bear. On the other, she's have to live with them and John can't picture her wanting to do that. He thinks she'll probably choose the apartment and get her own place later.

[ornithologist]

Harold couldn't put his finger on the difference, but he does feel something is different, from the way Shaw exhales with relief as she reaches for Bear to the tiredness lining her eyes to the immediate familiarity she has with them to show this kind of momentary weakness in front of them. She'd been so ... removed, careful, even standoffish when Harold had tried to speak to her initially. It's a surprise to see time has softened her toward them even this much.

He won't take it for granted, feels out its parameters tentatively. Harold himself has an untested softness to him, edges not yet made rough with friction. He's cautious but open to thinking her a friend as well as an ally. But he, too, has a hard time picturing her living in their direct vicinity.

"We've only been here a few months, and it's taken time to build up the credit to request our own residence," Harold explains. "We don't have many amenities yet. But I also haven't experienced any real danger from our fellow detainees yet, so you may find the standard accommodations suitable."

He wants her to make an informed decision about her living arrangements, at least. Harold couldn't find it in himself to turn her away but he also doesn't want her to keep close because they're inflating the level of threat present.

[cactusy]

Privacy, to Shaw, is a luxury rather than a necessity: as much as it is her preference (particularly in situations where mistrust is a factor), military life had quickly taught her how to live without it. The most appealing situation to her is something like the set-up they'd had with the subway. She'd had her cover identity's apartment, but she'd also spent a good deal of time at their shared base; in a way, it had felt more like home than the apartment had, even though she'd liked having the option of a separate, private space. And immediate danger or no, sticking close means she can keep an eye on her teammates and have their backs. The weirdest thing about it is that it's so public, with people wandering freely around the bulk of the building. But she can deal.

"I can live without amenities," she says (John has seen the kind of space she's lived in; he'll know). "Do you have hot water?"

[aimsforknees]

"We have hot water."

John is used to living in rough conditions from his time in the Army, but since he doesn't have to it doesn't mean he will. Hot water is one such thing. He's not sure he'd be able to convince Harold to live here if they didn't have it. But the fact that she didn't turn them down right away means she's probably going to accept. She didn't even make any sarcastic comments about it, which does surprise him some. He'll have to get used to this new Shaw.

[ornithologist]

Harold has also seen the kind of space John lives in, meaning he can well imagine what Shaw is talking about (that penthouse gift served multiple ends) and he shoots them both a mildly despairing look. Doing without when you don't have to seems like a morbid and particularly pointless form of self-punishment to him.

"Please, let's try to aspire to a basic level of human civilization, even if we are captives. I'll see about requesting you some on-site accommodations, Ms. Shaw. Perhaps on another floor?"

That might give her enough independence but also enough proximity. Harold is having a hard enough time dealing with having John wandering through his personal living space -- he doesn't think he could deal with another person, even Shaw.

[cactusy]

"I was asking about it because I was hoping you'd say yes, not because I'm going to try to convince you to live your best medieval life," Shaw grumbles, scruffing her face against Bear's neck as he happily licks at her cheek. "Hot water sounds good. Quarters anywhere in the building sounds good; as long as civvies can't walk in while they're looking for the travel section, I don't care."

She pulls back from Bear and stands, looking from John to Harold and then back again. 2013. Good god.

"Seriously, though. You got any alcohol?"