Open Rp: Hallways: Killing Time

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

L is, of all things, in the hallway counting paces. What it is, is that he's discovered a few of the structural oddities of Hogwarts. Magical architecture has it's quirks, and he's collecting a private list of rooms that shouldn't be there, for amusement's sake.

Which means pacing up and down the hallways, measuring steps and counting under his breath.

Why yes, he is short on case work. Why do you ask?

Comments

[righteous-pen.livejournal.com]

Mikami is also attempting to make sense of the building's structure, although so far he hasn't resorted to counting paces. He's just trying to find his way around, and becoming increasingly convinced that things move when he isn't looking.

He hasn't seen L before, but he has met B. So when he turns a corner that he's almost sure leads to the library, and sees a hunched, sloppily dressed figure pacing the corridor - and facing away from him, for the moment - he doesn't register at first that this one has all his fingers.

"Oh. You again."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry." He twists his upper body, so his feet stay toy to toe, and he doesn't lose his paces, and peers at Mikami over his shoulder.

"I think you've mistaken me for someone else."

[righteous-pen.livejournal.com]

Mikami blinks, startled, as the name comes into view. His gaze flicks down to the other man's hands - not that he needs confirmation, but yes, all ten fingers are there. And now that he looks more closely, he can tell that this isn't the person he met in the sorting room. The resemblance is too close to be a coincidence, but there are obvious differences. The eyes, for a start.

"Apparently I have. My apologies, but you - seem to have a duplicate."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Yes, I'm aware of the problem." He holds up his hands, and wiggles his fingers for Mikami to see.

"I'm afraid we've done all we can in that respect."

[righteous-pen.livejournal.com]

"So I've heard. I ran into him in the sorting room, and -" He pauses. "I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. Mikami. I arrived here recently."

[vislor-turlough.livejournal.com]

Turlough is wandering the halls. Not because he wanted anyone's company in particular, but he was deciding if he should do another WART. It was fun harassing people on the airwaves.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Hello, Turlough," L pauses, one foot in front of the other, like a tight rope walker.

[vislor-turlough.livejournal.com]

"Oh, Ryuzaki. What ARE you doing?" Looking like a jackass, but besides that.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Measuring distances up and down hallways." He shoves his hair out of his eyes. "They vary."

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

Kurama had picked a windowsill with a good vantage point of the common hallway to lounge - his room was boring and bare, and he'd already had enough of the library. This window in particular was good for a good dose of sunlight and a view of any particular goings-on inside the school; the most peculiar in this case was the slouchy mumbling man.

"Never have I seen someone so deeply interested in the carpets here," he said, when the man was close enough to hear.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"I'm measuring distances. The hallways are illogical. It's thirty two steps from here to that suit of armour, going this way, and thirty six going back the other way."

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

"I'd imagine that a castle based on the principles of magic would have to be rather illogical," he replied. "I stopped trying to figure out the physics of a room that changed according to the needs of the user about ten seconds after finding it. Saves me the headache."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't be wasting my time, if I wasn't looking for a way to waste time."

It's one of those days.

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

'The hallways are magical,' Rose points out to him as if he is some kind of idiot. (He is not Permanent Rose Casson, her mother or one of her siblings. He almost certainly is.) 'They change lengths. It is pointless trying to count them because they will not stay the same.'

She pauses, and says 'When did you last have a haircut?'

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"I know that, I'm exploring the degree of variation. Some of us like to look beyond the obvious."

He glances up at her.

"And about nine months ago."

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

Thank God the haircut question was there to avoid making her look stupid if he had a legitimate reason to be pacing, like his wife was giving birth. But then he would be smoking as well.

'Isn't it hard to see when it's all over your eyes?'

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"No. I push it out of the way, look between it, or look at things out from under it, if they're somewhere in this range of my vision." He gestures just in front of him, the hair-free zone.

[gamerspy.livejournal.com]

"I'm going to be a totally trusting boyfriend with all kinds of confidence in you and assume you're doing something here, and not just going a bit nutty."

Matt smiles and leans against a wall to light up a cigarette. It's been his turn to spend days on end working, although at least he's given himself time for a sleep and a shower.

"Sorry for disappearing."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"I'm seeing how long the hallways are." L abandons his task, slipping over to Matt to steal the cigarette long enough to kiss him.

"I forgive you. And I missed you."

[gamerspy.livejournal.com]

"Missed you too. But now I've got extra money, and a surprise, so that should make up for it." He grins, letting L steal his smoke (yes, he thinks of it as 'letting' him - obviously, Matt's never witnessed L's leet pickpocketing skillz).

"All the hallways, or just this one?"

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Various ones. I selected a random sample."

He returns it, once he's done with the hello-kiss.

"A surprise is nice."

[twoswordpsycho.livejournal.com]

A large, black panther comes into view a few inches from L's feet, looking up at L curiously though acting very friendly.

"Guenwhyvar," a voice calls from the side as a black-skinned elf skips a bit up the hallway.

Drizzt gently clutched the panther by the back of the neck and made sure the young man wasn't too fightened by his pet.

"Don't worry, she is just curious and very friendly," he said. "I think she also enjoys wandering."

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"Aren't panthers naturally hunters? How are you overcoming those instincts?"

L isn't... frightened, but he's certainly wary. The thing could kill him if it wanted to, and they usually want to, don't they?

[twoswordpsycho.livejournal.com]

"They normally are, yes, though Guen here isn't an ordinary panther," Drizzt said, reaching into his belt and pulling out an onyx figurine of a leaping panther.

He called Guen's name and she evaporated into mist that cleared and left nothing. He called her again and the cloud of mist returned with Guenwhyvar gently padding out of it.

"She is an astral panther," he continued. "And only attacks on the command of or protection for whoever holds this statue. I assure you I do not use her as a weapon."

Guenwhyvar's nose casually sniffed at L's jeans and lapped a few of the loose threads along the side seams.

[ijk-mno.livejournal.com]

"An astral panther?" He waits patiently while she investigates his pants.

"What is she doing?"