my eto

[bookpapers]

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week 0, monday

[bookpapers]

[they're at the LIBRARY, whether eto's reading or drinking coffee or just passing by, Lavi will emerge from the stacks to greet her,]

You've got books in your room, right? Can I borrow one of them?

[lavi, surrounded by books, asks for more books]

[bileygr]

[ Oh she's DEFINITELY reading. Though she looks over the rim of a book she's picked up, blinking slow as she's spoken to. Like she was immersed, and needs time to come back to reality. Huh? ]

You could begin with an "excuse me", young man.

Yes, I've got some in my room... I assume that means the same goes for you. I'm afraid I've only got textbook material, many with terrible inappropriate drawings inside them.

"Lavi", yes?

[bookpapers]

[that's a familiar look -- lavi has the same exact one, except he usually gets dragged to reality with a bonk on the noggin.

he gives her a sheepish look at the reminder, appropriately called out... that and also all the women of dgm are scary... before he perks up,]

Yeah, and you're -- [thinks of saying eto] the writer, right? Yoshimura?

[bileygr]

Eto, if you'd please.

[ Her smile is friendly, but firm. Please, her first name is easier, even. ]

That I am. And you're -- well, by the sounds of it, it seems like you do a lot of things.

[bookpapers]

Eto, then.

[perking up, the way this is such a different experience compared to kanda... #shook,]

...Some of them more than others. But if I had to pick, then I'd call myself Bookman Junior.

[bileygr]

What is a Bookman, and what distinguishes you from the esteemed Bookman Senior?

[ Please enlighten her. ]

[bookpapers]

[Lavi tucks his hand under his chin, then -- as if reciting something he's learned over and over again -- ]

'The Bookman observes and records the hidden history of our world. Without bias, without emotions -- they use their neutrality to write down and protect the truth.`

[then he cracks a quick grin,]

Bookman's my Gramps, and I'm his apprentice. I haven't learned a tenth of what he knows yet, and I started when I was a kid.

week 1 monday

[bookpapers]

[AT CLOWN TOWN I GUESS Lavi's sitting on a bench in this carnival, just resting... He waves both hands at Eto when he sees her, one hand holding two notebooks.]

Hey, Eto. Glad I caught ya. You having fun?

[bileygr]

[ She hates it here. She's smiling, but she's clearly unamused here. ]

Not very, not yet. This is a ridiculous addition.

[ She glances at the double notebooks, then at Lavi. ]

And what of you?

[bookpapers]

[HELP OUR ETO

Lavi's eyebrow goes up, but instead of perhaps giving her space, he scoots off his seat and approaches,]

It's interesting! You know me, easy to please.

[then he holds both notebooks out]

But maybe you'll like this better.

[bileygr]

Get higher standards.

[ She's like joking but also, c'mon Lavi.

She'll hold a hand out to take the notebooks and look at them though. ]

What are these?

[bookpapers]

[stop he's a bookman jr.... meaning he'll never have the high standards of a bookman

anyway eto will probably quickly realize that it's a hand-written copy, the hand-writing neat and legible, of the plays by Sophocles]

Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. Figured you could use something to read that doesn't have pages or the best parts missing.

[bileygr]

[ Oh my fucking God.

She holds these books with a quiet expression, though he may notice her grips on them is rather hard. ]

I see. Why these?

wk3, monday;

[bileygr]

[ Good day Lavi it's a normal day until it isn't. That is, Eto is -- as usual -- coming back from a library trip, since this is her favourite place to be. She's got a book in her hands, and she looks like she has half a mind to greet Lavi cordially...

And then the ground opens, and they're swallowed up. Landing unceremoniously because it was totally unexpected. ]

Oww... what --

[ And then a television screen opens up out of nowhere, and it plays a part of her life like it's a show. She's sitting at a shrine, small and just fourteen years old, in rags and tatters from secondhand shops for clothes. Quietly, she's reading through a journal that her late mother left her for the millionth time and she thinks to herself, her thoughts narrated out loud: 'Mom... I won't run like Kuzen did.'

A skip in time. She's turned her hobby writing into a job that makes money, and had just published another work, coming home from a book signing. Passing by a coffee shop, she hears lively sounds and sees a man through the window. It looks nice! The staff is having a bunch of banter, and the old man watches on with a warm smile. It's comfortable. It's his job, but it looks like home.

She crushes the book in her hands like it's not a thick tome, and more like it's a wet piece of paper. The crushed pages fall from her hands, and she turns around and leaves -- rapidly, ugly anger simmering in her eyes.

And then it cuts off, like a television that just had its cord pulled. The screen hums with that latent energy. ]


...Tch.

[bookpapers]

[This is Lavi's fourth week in hell, and yet the place keeps managing to surprise him. He looks from the blank screen to Eto then back, eye wide.]

Yoshimura?

[. . .he abruptly falls silent, then]

...Was that your dad?

[bileygr]

Heh. You may have memory and all that on your side, but no points for tact, young man.

[ Her tone remains neutral with her ever-polite smile, though her distaste is clear anyway. She isn't trying to hide it. ]

It was.

[bookpapers]

[the way he's math memeing right now,

then he presses a hand against his face and sighs,]

...Pretty sure I've earned that failing grade.

Or maybe I'm just unlucky? Picking those out of all the books I could've copied for you.

[bileygr]

It was a little funny, in a dramatic irony sort of way.

I wouldn't have minded too much normally, but I recall everyone's emotions were all over the place that entire week.

[ So she took it a bit personally maybe. She evidently holds no grudges though, even if on the other hand, she doesn't seem sorry about her reaction. ]

[bookpapers]

Still, let me know how I can make it up to ya. This time, I'll copy something you like, yeah?

[he says cheerfully, and as if on cue -- the screen blinks back on and plays a memory.

in this one, Lavi's voice is stripped of all his cheer -- in fact, it's hard to make out his words amid the sound of his blows landing, of his friends calling his name. Or are they his friends? The blank neutrality of his voice doesn't seem to say so, and he says as much after. The screen turns white as the serpent descends, jaws snapping.]

wk5, monday

[bookpapers]

[puts them in the resort]

It's a nice change from all that lava, huh?

[bileygr]

[ She sneezes, and makes a 'ugh' sound following. ]

I'm not exactly dressed for this occasion...

[ It got cold so fast!! ]

[bookpapers]

[hehehe lavi will unwind his scarf from his neck and hold it out for her,]

Here, you can wear this while we're here.

[bileygr]

[ ...

She doesn't say anything but she will take it, wrapping it over her shoulders as she glances about. ]

When a word like "resort" is used, I usually imagine something warmer. Tropical places are very popular for getaways.

Then again, Hell is so hot all of the time, I suppose this is this place's version of a change in atmosphere.

[bookpapers]

From one extreme to another, huh? It doesn't seem very popular with the residents.

[lavi looks around too, gaze resting on the few demons milling about. as usual, they ignore both lavi and eto. still, the number is small compared to gehenna university.]

You think we're gonna have to clean the place up this week?

[their mini event...]

[bileygr]

Ugh, like make it all nice and presentable for the still-"living" to enjoy next week? That touches a bit too close to servant work.

[ Not that she's inherently usually anti-janitor, but I guess maybe this can be my alpha week effect, I say, coming up with this on the fly right now. ]

I'd at least like to get paid more proper.