- forty-third year waiting -

[nurse-boy.livejournal.com]

[dictated]

How does everyone plan on celebrating Christmas here? Has the castle ever had a, uh--a normal one?

Last year--the only one I've spent here--it was mental. Literally. Everyone had these really... vivid dreams, and I think we could, you know, dream-hop or something. Visit other peoples' dreams. And then--[sigh]--the castle turned into a Jane Austen novel or something, and it all ended when everyone turned into these tiny toy versions of ourselves inside a dollhouse or something, and we all got chased out by giant rats. I think. I just remember a lot of running.

Is something nice and normal and, well... normal too much to ask for? Just a plain regular Christmas?

[Rory is currently in the library looking at picture books, trying to get ideas for Christmas decorations and tree trimmings for his and Amy's room to wish for. A half-forgotten mug of hot coca is sitting on a nearby table. Come join him!]

Comments

[syntax-error24.livejournal.com]

((I think it was acting up for everyone this weekend.))

[Yes, hello. Dairine looks up from her book as she replies.]

Most likely. Your story sounds more like a ballet than Jane Austen by the way.

[nurse-boy.livejournal.com]

((rude))

[blinks a bit stupidly at the seeming non sequitur]

My what?

[syntax-error24.livejournal.com]

((Quite.))

[She rolls her eyes. Sometimes it’s hard being so quick-minded.]

Your story about last Christmas. It sounds like a ballet, The Nutcracker, with the toys and giant rats. [She stops and frowns as she thinks.] Or The Tin Soldier, but that’s a fairytale and not as Christmassy. Unlikely option.

[nurse-boy.livejournal.com]

[oh my god don't even roll your eyes at him. He had more than his lifetime fill of precocious children when he himself was a child]

Well... yeah, I guess it does. [doesn't bother to point out that some fairytales have to do with Christmas, because he doesn't feel like arguing; then, a bit defensively:] But the clothes looked like Jane Austen.

[syntax-error24.livejournal.com]

[Sorry Rory, you've clearly got all the luck.]

All the clothes at the time looked like Jane Austen. Or at least the fashionable ones. [And she knows that there are Christmas fairytales btw, just none that directly apply to the situation they are discussing.

She peeeeeks over the table. Whatchu reading?] Getting into the holiday spirit?

[nurse-boy.livejournal.com]

[slightly unamused staer]

Yeah, I know, it's just you said the Nutcracker--

[stops and sighs. Not worth the arguing, remember? He comes to stand next to her, looking down at the books as well]

Yeah, guess you could say that.

[syntax-error24.livejournal.com]

That's a lot picture books.

[Says the girl with a book pile twice the size in her room.]

[nurse-boy.livejournal.com]

[indeed]

Lots of ideas?

[why is he defending himself anyway? He swallows, then nods at the books in her arms]

What about you? You've got, um, an armful yourself.

[syntax-error24.livejournal.com]

Ideas for what exactly? [Nosy girl. Needn't worry though, Rory. She isn't judging your book tastes. Pretty pictures have as much use as words.]

[She looks down at her books. There's a tome on defense magic, a couple books on dark matter, a volume of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, and near the bottom there's a few comic books peaking out.]

Not really.

[nurse-boy.livejournal.com]

Ideas for... decorating. You know, for Christmas.

[he's not taking offense, though he does raise a critical eyebrow at her]

'Not really'? Right... um, you can put them down on my table here if you want. They look heavy.

[syntax-error24.livejournal.com]

Huh. Hadn’t really thought about decorating yet. [It’s still a bit early in the season for her. Plus, switching from spring to late fall has thrown her off.]

[The books are not heavy, but carrying them around is a bit of a hassle.]

Thanks. [She sets the pile down with little trouble, then pick up the top book to read (one on dark matter).]

[nurse-boy.livejournal.com]

Really? Christmas is a few weeks off.

[as far as he's concerned, the entire month of December is Christmastime. He goes back to thumbing through one of his books and glances over at hers when she picks it up. Interesting choice of reading there, for a young girl]

What've you got? [nods at her book]

[syntax-error24.livejournal.com]

I was on spring break only a month ago. Sorry if I’m not attune to the seasons yet.

[She glances down at the book.] “Dark Side of the Universe.” It’s supposed to be about dark matter.

[nurse-boy.livejournal.com]

[nods agreeably, pursing his lips as he thinks]

That's... that's the thing where a spot in space doesn't shine or scatter light or something, right?

[syntax-error24.livejournal.com]

[Dairine grins, despite the heavy topic.]

More or less. It's does not emit the radiation we are familiar with, the opposite of regular matter. Thus, dark matter.

[nurse-boy.livejournal.com]

[takes a few seconds to process this; it's obviously not his forte, however much he does know about it]

It doesn't... emit anything at all, right? It's just a dead spot in space. Or am I thinking of something else?

[syntax-error24.livejournal.com]

Pretty sure you're thinking about the same thing. But it's not just a spot in space. It's matter. It's has a gravitational pull. We don't know if dark matter emits anything. It might just emit something that we are currently unaware of.

[Dairine gives a dark look straight ahead, not aimed at anything in particular.] But I can assure you, the dark matter I know is very much alive. [And hostile.]