Magic Box, Thursday, 7/15

[life_inshadow]

After she got the shop in order, Tara retired behind the counter with a pile of books about dream interpretation. She was especially interested in the pages she found about prophetic dreams. She didn't think that was what was going on, but it still felt like something it would be god to know about.

There was nothing in that chapter about dreams that made the dreamer feel comforted, so she started looking up random elements. There had been a coconut in her dream the night before; apparently that meant someone was going to give her money. That totally did not suck.

[OOC: OCD-free open shop.]

Comments

[brat_inslayage]

How about food? Would food sort of suffice? Then again, Kennedy coming by with food was hardly a surprise. The chicken Caesar salad was because the weather didn't do much to make hot food appealing; the bottled water was because yeah, it was hot out; the jumbo-size Rice Krispie treats were mostly because they'd looked like too much of a good idea to turn down when she saw them.

Maybe she could sneak all the way up to the counter before Tara noticed? If the bag the salad was in didn't rustle, anyway...

[life_inshadow]

Food didn't suck at all, though Tara was too absorbed in her reading to notice a stealthy approach. She turned the page instead.

Grasshoppers signified freedom, but also an inability to commit. Huh.

[brat_inslayage]

Nothing of the locust-like variety had shown up in any of Kennedy's dreams lately. That was good, right?

She made it up to the counter, and was starting to head around it in pursuit of an impromptu plan to sneak up behind Tara when the bag bumped up solidly, and kind of loudly, against the corner of the counter.

Damn. Busted?

[life_inshadow]

Busted. Tara jumped, and swiveled to spot Kennedy. her wary expression only relaxed when she was sure who it was.

"Oh!" she said. "How long were you standing there? I- I didn't hear the door open at all."

[brat_inslayage]

"Just a minute?" Kennedy really did not do stealth well, but she looked disappointed about failing at it anyway. "Hey. Hardcore study time today?"

[life_inshadow]

Hey, she was stealthy for a minute! That ... wasn't so bad.

"Hey," Tara nodded, wandering around the counter for a hug. "Not really. People keep talking about weird dreams? I kinda thought I'd read about it, just to see. So far I've found out almost anything can be good or bad."

[brat_inslayage]

Kennedy set the food down (stupid incriminating bag) and slid her arms around Tara. As if she'd ever turn down a hug.

"People have been having weird dreams?" she asked curiously. "Bad kind, or just in the vague general area of 'huh, that's a little funky?'"

[life_inshadow]

"They say they're good dreams," Tara explained, sounding puzzled even as she returned the hug. (Mmmm. Hug.) "People they love saying hi, pretty much. Are you getting anything like that?"

[brat_inslayage]

"Just people I love saying hi, but--" Kennedy squeezed her a little tighter. "That's not a dream, so much. I'm not getting anything on the REM-radar. Not even that weird feeling I get in the morning sometimes before something goes down. Huh. That can't be a bad sign, then, can it?"

[life_inshadow]

Tara shook her head. "I get kind of a ... warm tingle? And people's auras are happier. But nothing that couldn't be, y'know, absolutely anything."

[brat_inslayage]

"That's either really reassuring or a confusing heads-up that we should worry," Kennedy decided, "but I'm leaning toward the first option."

[life_inshadow]

"I'm not worried," Tara confirmed. "I'd like to know what it is just because, but -- I'm not worried."

She dropped a kiss on Kennedy's forehead. "This is me telling you not to worry until I do, okay?"

[brat_inslayage]

"You're more the expert here than I am," Kennedy had to concede-- more agreeably than she might have otherwise, since she was a sucker for kisses (oh God, such a secret softie). "I guess I can let you order me around this time."

Yes. Order her around; that was about the most accurate way she could have phrased that. Really.

[life_inshadow]

"I'm being terribly terribly bossy," Tara teased affectionately. "Aren't I?"

[brat_inslayage]

"Let you in on a little secret?" Kennedy offered, then dropped her voice to a whisper. "I'd let you boss me around any time, 'cause it's kinda hot."

Oh, yeah. Such a badass, this one.

[life_inshadow]

"Kennedy!" Tara giggled, almost sounding genuinely shocked. "I'm at work."

Because they totally never ended up making out in her storage room, nuh-uh.

[brat_inslayage]

Oh, never. At all. Kennedy was far too well-behaved for that.

"Yeah, and?" she asked, grin broad and shameless. "That's like the whipped cream topping on the sexy sundae of fun."

...or, you know, not.

[life_inshadow]

"Shameless," Tara accused, leaning in. "You're gonna get me in trouble."

She looked like she cared about this so very much.

[brat_inslayage]

"If your boss gets mad, we'll just tell him I seduced you," Kennedy replied, closing the distance to give her a light kiss. "We can say I just totally lack the self-control to keep my hands off you, and it wouldn't even be a lie."

[life_inshadow]

"Mmm," Tara assented. Her self-control had evaporated. Poof. "Plus I need something happy before my stupid class on being a henchman."

[brat_inslayage]

Kennedy-- who didn't seem at all inclined to let go any time soon and in fact was dangerously close to demonstrating that whole inability to keep her hands to herself-- was a bad influence on people's self-control, apparently.

"Oh, I've got the something happy all taken care of. How'd you end up in that class again, anyway?"

[life_inshadow]

"Forgot how to read," Tara admitted. "I thought it was archery, y'know, with arrows? And that seemed kind of cool to learn."

[brat_inslayage]

"It is," Kennedy agreed, her face lighting up with weapons-geek glee. "One of the new girls in Reserves, Katniss, seems like she's really good with a bow. She could probably teach you... or I could give it a shot."

Mostly because there was an ample opportunity for close contact there. What? It always looked sexy in the movies.

[life_inshadow]

"I'd really love it if you taught me," Tara decided. Close contact, cool skill .. what was there to lose?

Other than, y'know, an eye. But she was almost sure she wouldn't shoot an eye out. Probably.

[brat_inslayage]

Kennedy wouldn't let her shoot an eye out. Though she'd be more inclined to start with the crossbow, since she knew it better and it was easier to use with less practice. Not as sexy with the close contact, though.

Wow. Dilemma.

"Oh, yeah?" she drawled. "What's in it for me if I do? Other than quality time with you?"

[life_inshadow]

Tara arched an eyebrow. "Do you really want anything other than quality time?" she asked. "Um ... I cook dinner for you."

[brat_inslayage]

"I'm kidding," Kennedy assured her. Or just trying to smooth-talk her some more, one or the other. "Even though I wouldn't turn down dinner."

You know. Ever.

[life_inshadow]

"Let's call it a date," Tara decided. "Archery lesson, then dinner, on ... what day works for you?"

[brat_inslayage]

Kennedy made a face. "We have to move back to cabins this weekend," she complained, "and can I just say I'm not really on board with that? I'm free Monday after second period, and all day Tuesday, unless we want to wait until next weekend?"

[life_inshadow]

"At least we're just sharing with Bobby and Warren?" Tara said, ever inclined to at least try to look at the bright side. "Monday should be okay."

[brat_inslayage]

"Less people to kick out of the cabin if I have to." Kennedy would think of those things. "And neither of them is telepathic as far as I know, thank God."

No, but Warren had wings, and Bobby had his ice powers, and Kennedy got to be the totally normal boring human in the group. Whee.

[trigons_child]

After class and visiting Anakin, Raven made her way into town to visit the Magic Box and talk to Tara about dreams. She'd stopped at her room to fix her eyeliner (she totally blamed her first slumber party for her addiction to that) so it didn't look like she'd been crying.

"Hello, Tara," she said pleasantly as she entered the store.

[life_inshadow]

"Hi," Tara said, smiling across the counter. "How are you? This" -- she waved her hand over the books -- "is what we have about dreaming."

[trigons_child]

"I have just come from a stern talking to from Professor Skywalker," Raven sighed. "But it was nothing I did not deserve." She leaned against the counter. "Have you learned anything so far?"

[life_inshadow]

"Cockroaches in a dream can symbolize filth?" Tara tried, then shook her head. "Nothing useful, I mean. How come Professor Skywalker was mad at you?"

[trigons_child]

"Because I gave myself over to my father," Raven said. "This was the first time we have talked since...that day. I was foolish and I know it and I promised I would not do such a thing again."

She wrinkled her nose at the mention of cockroaches. "In Azarath I was taught to revere all life," she said, "but I do not think cockroaches should count."

[life_inshadow]

Tara looked sympathetic. She wasn't going to get angry at Raven over her choice, but she understood why it had angered the professor. Mostly, she was glad they'd found another way -- despite the cost. "You did what you thought was best," she said. "But I'm pretty sure nobody would let you try it again."

She laughed at the next comment. "Definitely not. I like bugs in theory, but I like them better f-far away from me."

[trigons_child]

"I hope to never be in that situation again," Raven said quietly. Despite what she had told Anakin, she probably would do the same thing to protect those she cared about.

"And I hope never to dream of cockroaches, either," she added lightly. "But I have continued to sense a great deal of peace and joy and some sadness as well, though not despair. Something is definitely stirring on the island."

[life_inshadow]

"I guess all we can do is wait for it to come," Tara said. "We should worry, but ... I guess this feels too nice to worry about?"

[trigons_child]

"I hope it is no trick," Raven agreed. "I think that would cause a great deal of true sadness and pain."

[life_inshadow]

Tara bobbed her head uneasily. "People would be crazy disappointed," she agreed. "S-so let's hope that's not it."