Open RP: Great Hall: It's Alive!

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

The circles under his eyes are more pronounced than usual today. L slips into the Great Hall, to get himself a pot of tea. Once it arrives, he sits and pauses, to wait for it to steep. It needs to be stronger than this.

He's been pushing himself on a case the past few days. It's resolved now, but it was the first real challenge he's had since moving here, so he may have dropped off the face of the earth a little. Time to emerge and make sure everyone is still alive and well.

As soon as the tea is finished steeping, that is.

Comments

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

A's taking a break from working in his greenhouse (a bit obviously; he's dirt-smeared) with a pitcher of grape juice and is in the Great Hall to see L enter.

"Hello, oh, hello!"

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"A." L smiles.

"You've been gardening, I take it."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

That prompts a wide grin.

"Oh, yes, yes. I have so many things to plant! Some of the plants I had ordered arrived."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"You're keeping up with it, I trust."

He hopes, at least.

"I've been very busy, but should have a little more time the next few days, if you need assistance."

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"I always like it when you are there. And I like for you to see, see how much I have growing, now."

The greenhouse is looking far less empty.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"I'd say we should go by now, but I'm in desperate need of some tea. Will you have a cup with me?"

[i-am-an-hero.livejournal.com]

"I will."

It would please him very much, in fact.

"I have mikan now, and lemons and limes."

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

Maddie is slowly making her way around the school. Or not so slowly as she seems to try to be everywhere. The more she knows, the more she can avoid the obvious murderers. Maybe even find the not so obvious ones and avoid them, too.

And, one of the house elf creatures had told her she could get food in the great hall. When she asked about payment, not having brought much money with her, the creature looked at her as if she'd suddenly sprouted a head out of her forehead. Not needed, it insisted.

And, in the hall, a boy...a man? Looking much like that murderer she ran into in the bar. From across the hall, she glances at his hands. All fingers there, so he must be the detective.

"Hello," she says, walking over to the table. "Mind if I join you?"

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Not at all."

He settles onto a bench, in his usual crouch.

"Although I might not make the best conversation."

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

One of the house elves asks what she'd like. She asks for tea and a plate of chips. "Oh, no, that's fine. I just have a couple of questions." She thanks the elf and sets to doctoring her tea, a spoon of sugar and a dollop of cream. "It seems that I've stumbled upon a chain of connected people."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Yes. May I ask who in particular?"

Blandly polite.

[noseymaddie.livejournal.com]

Blandness hardly ever put Maddie off, unless it came from Jonathan because he was usually making fun of her. That anyone else would use such a trick never occurred to her. At least not yet. Perhaps later.

"An FBI agent told me of a murderer who told me that you're a detective. I have a feeling there's more to it than just that," she says. Call it woman's intuition, or simply 'nosy reporter' as both will work.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Which murderer? There are a few."

Sorry, Maddie, L has a complicated social circle.

[gamerspy.livejournal.com]

"You look tired."

Slipping onto the bench beside him.

"Also, totally fascinated by a pot of tea. Rough couple of days?"

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Interesting case." L smiles at Matt though. Not-seeing-him is irritating, as much as he likes working.

"Would you like a cup?"

[gamerspy.livejournal.com]

"Sure, why not." He's not a huge tea fan, but it's cold (yes, even in July) and at the very least he can hold the cup.

"Interesting enough that I can't know what it's about?" Matt grins.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"It's political," L tells him, explaining-and-not at the same time.

"Can I sleep in your room tonight?"

[gamerspy.livejournal.com]

"Exciting." Matt grins wider - if L's doing the kind of thing he can't tell Matt about, then he's getting closer to the kind of level he deserves to be working at.

"Yeah. Course you can." He reaches for L's hand, interlinking their fingers under the table. "Whenever you want."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Don't let me fall asleep on top of you. I may be unconscious for a while."

L pushes himself, and eventually gets pushed back.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"Look what the cat dragged in," I say as I sit across from L. "Working?" That much is obvious, but I told Matt I'd make an effort, so this is me, making an effort.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Yes. Tea?"

It's finally stronger.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

Not my favorite thing, but, "Yeah, thanks." I frown at the table a moment. "How long? You look like you've been up a week, at least."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"A little less than that. Five and a half days." L just used to do this often enough that it's left some permanent fingerprints on him. The eyes, the complexion.

"Nothing has gone wrong while I was busy?"

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

I shrug. "Took A to Diagon Alley. He made the trip without freaking. Definite improvement. He's more apt to get angry when people look down on the skills he's developing than cower now." I smile a little. "That is reassuring. He also doesn't collapse on himself when corrected. Or he didn't when I did."

I look at his face a little closer. "You done, then?"

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"The case? Yes, it's finished."

He presses his thumb against his bottom lip.

"He has improved, hasn't he?"