jackrackham: (with hat)
Jack Rackham ([personal profile] jackrackham) wrote2019-10-23 11:00 am
Entry tags:

And teach me how to name the bigger light (for eliot)

It's been days since they've arrived in this place and Jack is beginning to give up hope that whatever brought them here will deliver them back from whence they'd been taken. Up til now, he hadn't wanted to venture far from Anne in case of just that possibility, but he can't stay locked away in their strange little rooms forever.

He has his own assigned lodging to investigate, so once he's out of the street, he heads in that direction. He takes his time. It's still fucking cold out, but it's hard not to take time when there are so many things that are entirely incomprehensible to him. The occasional honk from a car passing by never fails to make him flinch, and the strange lights and sounds are a constant unnerving baseline. It doesn't help that further, he doesn't fit in at all. His coat and hat and weapons make people look in his direction, but nobody stops and asks if he's new, if he's one of these visitors from another world, if he needs any assistance. He can see in their faces people willing away his strangeness, and he hates it.

At the first intersection, he pauses and takes note of the other pedestrians, how they push the button and wait to cross the street. He pauses with them and turns to his left, squinting at a strange humming coming from a large metal cabinet standing on the pavement. The crowd moves, and he moves with it.

At the next intersection, the crowd moves on, and he stays, staring at the humming metal box. Another one, here. He lifts a hand up and cautiously touches the surface. Smooth, cool, no movement that he can detect. He drops his hand, and examines the small lock holding together the doors. It's nothing major, more of a deterrent than an actual safety measure. No doubt easily broken.

He looks to his left and right. There are people on this side of the street, but none that are actively watching him at the moment. He slides his dagger out of his belt, scabbard and all, and turns it around in his hand. It takes three strikes with the pommel before the little lock falls open. He pulls it off and goes to open the cabinet. A second glance down the street and he spots someone crossing to the other side to avoid him. Just as well, he doesn't want to talk to them, either.

He's expecting that inside there will be a clue, a hint to understanding something about this place. What he finds is a jumble of rubber wires and panels and instrumentation that he doesn't understand and couldn't begin to if he tried. It looks horrific, like if the bones and sinews of this place had fused into a strange humming node.

He tucks his dagger back into his belt and raises a hand to rub at the side of his face. "...Huh."
eliotwaugh: (ooh~)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-10-27 04:06 am (UTC)(link)
It's his day for the late shift, so Eliot's taking care of some errands as he makes his way toward Haight to head down to the Archive. The most pressing of these is, of course, a bit of crime.

He hasn't told anyone in his new social circle about his alternative income stream, but the fact of the matter is that if he's going to keep himself from going crazy in this little hell dimension he needs to make his environs more comfortable. And that simply isn't feasible on an office worker's paycheck. Thankfully he knows some tricks from his time in Manhattan. The runic matrix he'd applied to the Darrow debit card is holding up perfectly, and he smirks at the ATM screen as it displays a frankly ludicrous account balance. it's easy enough to fool a computer, and economics are a lie agreed upon anyway. He withdraws some cash, which does not diminish the total at all. A completely victimless endeavor.

Possibly due to the fact that he's just done something technically illegal, Eliot looks around the street a bit more than he usually would. Not that anyone would notice anything odd about a man visiting an ATM, unless they could sense magic. What is odd, though, is the person peering into an open signal box. Eliot catches sight of him across the street and for a moment all he can do is stare because...surely not.

The man's obviously a new arrival and if his garb is anything to go by, probably extremely confused. Eliot frowns. He's not emotionally equipped to be a welcoming committee, he thinks to himself as he hurries across the intersection. Where does one begin with these things? What would Martin do?

Eliot approaches him with slow caution, the vain hope that this is just someone getting an early start on Halloween dashed when he sees the sword. Right, then.

"You know I've always wondered what's inside these things but I've never thought to open one," he says, trying to maintain nonchalance as he keeps his gaze on the signal box instead of the person who is obviously, absurdly, a pirate. "That's honestly fascinating." Eliot clears his throat and looks him over. "Do you need any help? I mean if you just, ah...did you just arrive?"
eliotwaugh: (wry)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-11-01 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Eliot feels an immediate sense of relief that this man isn't brand new fresh off the...well, boat, he supposes. One less thing to worry about, and he wants to say so, but then he just keeps talking and Eliot can only stare.

Several things immediately start to make themselves clear: for all that he's obviously out of his depth, the man is eloquent and curious about things, and sure he's weird but he's funny? The overall impression that comes to mind is a nerd, and Eliot finds himself smiling in surprise. This is not the type of response he expected, and he starts to consider the possibility that he actually knows fuck-all about pirates.

He wants to laugh at how unexpectedly delightful this is turning out to be, but he restrains himself; it would probably come off as impolite. Eliot's still smiling, though, when the man turns to ask him a question and check him out. Fair enough. He's certainly charming, ludicrous sideburns notwithstanding. Eliot looks at him, all expressive dark eyes and animated gestures, and grins.

"Because it-?" He does laugh at the threat, and the terrible joke. "Right, okay," he says with a giggle. He can't help himself. "No jokes, you've made your point clear."
If he does get stabbed, Eliot thinks, it will have been worth it.

"But," he clears his throat, and tries to sound reasonably serious, "it's the electrical current. It um," he gestures vaguely, trying to distill his layman's understanding into whatever terms a man from olden times might understand. "It was after your time I'm guessing but they figured out how to harness the force of like, lightning, and direct it to various applications, and that's the sound it makes when it travels through its pathways. The box is controlling the traffic lights up there so that people know when to stop and go, and so that we aren't witnessing a horrible bloody collision right now." He frowns a little. That might have just raised more questions, it's hard to gauge how useful he is at this. "The important thing though is that it's shielded in the wires, insulated, but human skin is not a good electrical insulator. If you were to go poking around in all that there's a good chance the current would be diverted straight up your arm and into your heart and kill you very painfully. Which would be a terrible shame."

Eliot bites his lip. "Does that help at all? have I completely muddled it?"
eliotwaugh: (omg lol)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-11-04 07:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Eliot's rather pleased with himself, all things considered. He's managed to amuse someone from a time before electricity! He decides he likes this pirate, and even if he can't mitigate all the culture shock, Eliot's glad at least to have made him smile. He studies him, and wants to offer to mend the lock but that would necessitate bringing up magic and Eliot doesn't want to add to his mental load.

So he smiles mildly and is utterly unprepared for when the pirate introduces himself.

Eliot lets out a startled bark of a laugh. "Oh fuck off, are you really?" He can't stop smiling, a wide lopsided grin that he knows makes him look ridiculous, but he can't even care about that, he just stares, amazed. He's not even particularly well-versed on pirate history, but what are the odds? "Like, Calico Jack Rackham? What the fuck, you're him?" Eliot's distantly aware that he might be making a scene. He covers his mouth to try and stop the breathless laughter. "Fuck, sorry, I just--I mean wow."
eliotwaugh: (oh worm?)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-11-11 06:02 pm (UTC)(link)
The way the man's demeanor shifts makes Eliot immediately aware that he's misstepped. He's making an ass of himself, and this poor man is dealing with enough culture shock without someone apparently laughing at him in the street. It's not a good look.

So Eliot bites his lip and tries to rein himself in, his expression schooled into more something more pleasant.

"Ah, no," he says, standing very still and eyeing the sword. Eliot's not an historian, doesn't know how bloodthirsty this man might be, and he feels a little thrill of danger as he hears the edge in the man's voice and he wonders if the captain could draw on him quicker than he could cast Spectral Armor. But that would be a horrible way to spend his morning, and he clears his throat. "No I think it's a remarkable coincidence, actually, this city snatches all sorts of people from all sorts of worlds and here I've run into a famous historical figure." But that's hardly relevant now, is it?

He holds up his hands in a mollifying gesture. "I've given offense," he says gently. That much is obvious. "I must apologize for my lapse of fucking manners, Captain. My name is Eliot, and...well. I'd like to make it up to you, if I can?" The years of Fillorian etiquette make him want to give a little bow, but if the pirate already thinks Eliot is making fun of him, it probably wouldn't go over well. "Did you come from somewhere very warm? You must be absolutely freezing, I could...I don't know, buy you a coffee?" It feels like a woefully insufficient gesture, but he has to do something.
eliotwaugh: (hmm?)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-11-16 06:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Eliot rather feels like he's being judged; it's not as if he doesn't warrant it, and anyone dumped three hundred years into the future is bound to be a little suspicious. So he doesn't feel alarmed at the captain's posturing with the sword; whatever makes him feel like he has control over these awful circumstances is understandable, really, and Eliot certainly did worse to Creepy Peter when he arrived.

"As you like," he says, and gestures back the way he'd come. Eliot notes the sudden haughtiness in his tone. It's...familiar, in a way, and he has no way of knowing whether this man is the type to wear authority like a costume to cover insecurity, but it gives Eliot an inkling. It's heartening, recognizing something of himself in a stranger, and Eliot wants to help him. "There's a little shop down near the library," he explains, and sets off toward the Bean Counter. 

"Now full disclosure--and I am sorry for laughing, truly--the thing is I have, hmm, a very eclectic knowledge base, let's call it. I'm not a scholar of maritime history or anything, I think I could probably name maybe four real pirates off the top of my head. So it really is fucking astounding, just mathematically, that you happen to be one of them." 

Eliot glances over, frowning when he sees how he's trying to bundle against the chill. "Oh, here," he sighs as he unwinds the scarf from his neck and hands it over. "Hopefully that helps a little. Anyway, the point I was getting at is I don't think I know much about Jack Rackham, whichever iteration of you anyway, so I can't exactly recite a biography of daring exploits. Still," Eliot goes quiet for a moment, thinking. "You...traveled with some fearsome lady pirates? Aaaanne Bonny? And another one, Mary something I think. Any of that familiar?"
eliotwaugh: (oh worm?)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-11-18 04:22 am (UTC)(link)
There's something soft in Jack's expression as he talks about this woman, and Eliot glances at him as they walk. He can't quite get a read on what they might be to each other specifically, if they're married or lovers or what, but the tone implies family. Eliot smiles, and misses his friends, his home, with an ache so acute it's almost physical. He's been telling himself that time isn't passing in Fillory while he's here, that none of this counts, but it still sometimes rings hollow. On top of the loneliness is guilt at the idea that he's trying to replace the people he cares about somehow, but he can't just shut himself off and wait for this to end. He needs to be around people, to be helpful, and it's gratifying to see Jack put the scarf on. It feels like he's doing something right.

In the end he looks rather like a bird, fluffed up and shoulders hunched, but the effect is charming. Eliot coughs to cover his grin. "That's good at least, I think, that you didn't have to come through alone," he says. He catches sight of the coffee shop up ahead. "It's bad enough already, they say people just show up wherever--I fell onto the beach, it was dreadful--but I hope she's handling it all right."

As to Jack's question, well. Eliot feels on less sturdy ground there. "No, I don't think that's the only thing," he hedges, thinking back to where he's seen the name before. A unit on semiotics at Brakebills, weeks of vexillology and heraldry, discussing how visual elements, like parts of a spell, are most harmoniously arranged to best effect. But he can't assume Jack would find any of that interesting as opposed to insulting, and if Eliot's going to get snapped at he'd rather it not be in a nice cafe he wants to keep going to.

"So, listen," he says carefully, "you're probably not going to like it, so don't shoot the messenger, as it were. But as far as general layman's knowledge goes, I think you're associated with having like, a really good flag? Like the thing most people think of when they think of a pirate flag." Eliot tries to look apologetic. Daring criminal acts it's not, but it's the most he can think of without reference materials.
eliotwaugh: (shy smile)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-11-25 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
Eliot's not sure what kind of reaction he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. Jack actually laughs, and after a startled moment Eliot gathers he's pleased with the news. it's such a relief honestly that he hasn't ruined it; Eliot can't help smiling too.

"Yeah," he affirms, and his instinct is to blurt out something like 'who's Henry Avery' but he doesn't. Partly because he's watching Jack look fondly into the middle distance, but mostly because they've arrived.

"Ah, here we are." He gets the door for Jack and follows into the coffee shop, wondering how the distinctly thrift-store-bohemian decor will seem to someone unfamiliar with the modern cafe concept. He's not certain he wants to completely overwhelm Jack with the whole pageantry of drinks that exist in the espresso renaissance, and he thinks over his options. "Go ahead and grab a table," he says, indicating the slew of mismatched furniture, "I'll just put an order in."

Eliot makes his way to the counter, frowning in indecision. "French press for two," he says finally, "and a couple for the board? and...hm, what pastries are left?" They might as well have something to eat, he thinks. Thankfully he's stopped here often enough and tipped generously enough that Dharma gives him a discount on the few pastries that are left in the case, and he gives her a wink and a crooked smile.

He's going to be late for work, he realizes, and almost laughs to himself at how it had utterly slipped his mind with the way the day's turned out. As he wanders back with a small selection of baked goods to where Jack's waiting, he shoots off a quick text to Martin explaining his absence.

"So I don't know what you like," he says, setting the plate down between them, "but they had a couple croissants and a scone and this apple tart that I've had before, it's amazing."
eliotwaugh: (ooh~)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-12-09 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
Eliot wants to protest, a little annoyed, that he was offering the tart because he thinks Jack would like it, not because he wants it for his own. But he finds himself arrested and stands slack-jawed for a moment as he watches Jack run a hand through his hair. Oh, he thinks. Okay.

He sinks absently into a chair and notes how Jack's made himself comfortable, how he looks a little rumpled. How, Eliot thinks as his gaze tracks between Jack's hair and his neck and the precise movements of his hands, the overall effect of his whole everything is actually...rather dashing.

This is going to be his whole day. He cuts the tart in half and considers Jack's take on the matter.

"Well, Captain," he says, keeping his tone light and conversational, "if a little gratification helps take the sting out of this whole kidnapping situation, then I'm happy to provide." And he is, certainly, he knows his interest here is more than just historical curiosity. Eliot doesn't let the thought sit for too long though, both because Jack is a bit hard to read, and at that point Dharma brings the coffee over.

"As far as I've been able to tell, the course of history in this world was much the same as mine." Eliot moves on, thinking about parallels and points of divergence as he strains the grounds and starts to pour Jack a cup. "Different names perhaps, different artists and musicians of note, but my education became...specialized after a certain point, I don't..." He thinks about what he knows of magical history, and wonders how forthcoming he should be here. There were certainly plenty of Magicians in early modern times who got moderately famous in the mundane world, but who knows whether Jack would have heard of them.

"It's a bit esoteric, like are you familiar at all with John Dee? It's all to do with symbols and balance, and I can't imagine what it must have been like for you, just scores of people out there on the ocean trying make names for themselves, but you know, very good work there, crafting something that means intimidation so clearly. There's power in that." He could probably make a decent sigil out of it, with a bit of time, though who knows what he'd use it for. He's getting lost in the weeds a bit. 

He clears his throat. "How do you take it?" he asks, handing Jack the cup and saucer. "Cream and sugar?"
eliotwaugh: (handsome smirk)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-12-16 04:36 am (UTC)(link)
He makes a note of how Jack takes his coffee; it's worth knowing, even if he is a little brusque about it, but perhaps it can't be helped. Eliot can't imagine he'd do very well at retaining his own manners if he were suddenly plunked down in such an alien environment. There's so much to adjust to.

Eliot fixes his own cup, light and sweet--and he's well past the age where he cares if that makes him look childish. It's far more important to enjoy himself. He does his best to listen to what Jack knows of the the Tudor philosopher, instead of simply staring at his delicate, mesmerizingly precise hands. Eliot introduced the subject after all, and he needs to know what kind of knowledge base Jack has before he dumps more potentially stressful revelations on him.

"Oh no, you've got it right," he says, once Jack's finished. He takes a breath; the moment of truth. "Of course I don't know if magic exists in your world, but...well. It does in mine, you see, though it's not common knowledge. By all accounts Dee only learned enough to gain wealth and court influence, never had any real talent or appreciation for the art." Eliot smirks a little, taking a sip of his coffee. "Funny how he made a better Magician in Shakespeare than he ever did in life."

"I realize that's a lot to take in," Eliot adds, with a bit of a sympathetic wince. "And I'd hate for you to write me off as some kind of charlatan so-" He lays out a napkin on front of him and drips a spoonful of coffee onto it, before looking up at Jack with a grin. "I'll give you a bit of a demonstration, this is a fun little exercise." It's a limited reversal of entropy field; he makes the framework with his fingers, and as he pushes down on the space above the napkin, the coffee stain shrinks and reconstitutes itself into a perfect orb of liquid resting against the white surface.

It only takes a minimum of telekinetic force to direct the little ball to skating over the surface, drawing out a design in coffee. "There you go," Eliot says cheerily once he's done, and he slides the napkin across to Jack, now adorned with skull and swords. "Not as grand as claiming to transcribe the language of angels, but it's much more fun at parties."
eliotwaugh: (look)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-12-22 04:59 pm (UTC)(link)
For a full ten seconds Jack appears to have completely shut down, and looking at him makes Eliot feel guilty. He's been through enough already, being taken here. Eliot himself had a hard enough time adjusting when he first arrived, and he had a reasonable foundation of dimensional travel under his belt. But now he's gone and tried too hard to be impressive, again, and to what end? He frowns a little, and keeps eating. The pastry is exactly as flaky and delicious as it always is, but Eliot enjoys it a little less as he sits and waits for this man to, probably, have some kind of meltdown.

But then he doesn't; Jack seems to pull himself together, and Eliot wonders if that's simply what he looks like when he's thinking. And it's a very good question he's raised.

"Aren't you shrewd," says Eliot, feeling less guilty and much more impressed. "And unfortunately it depends. Back home, the systems I learned, there were limits to one person's capability, variables dependent on when and where you're working a spell and some rather nasty consequences if you pushed yourself too far and fucked it up." That's putting it lightly, makes it sound like a joke, but Eliot doesn't have the wherewithal to get deep into theory and personal tragedy here. He sighs.

"Here, though? I'm not certain what the limits are, and I haven't tried too hard to find out. There are people here from different worlds whose abilities seem limitless to my understanding. Perhaps they're operating on a different scale, but," he shrugs and sips his coffee. "For myself it's a convenience. Minor mendings, finding lost objects, lifting heavy boxes, that sort of thing. Bit of crime," Eliot adds, because if anyone's going to refrain from judgement on that score it's a known criminal, "and there's battle magic, of course, but I dislike personal violence and so far there hasn't been a need."

That's downplaying it by a fair margin, but he doesn't want to leave Jack completely overwhelmed. Eliot nudges the halved tart toward him, slightly annoyed that he hadn't taken the hint. "Here, this is for you," he says gently. "Try it."
eliotwaugh: (interest piqued)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-12-27 04:13 am (UTC)(link)
"Uh," Eliot says eloquently as all thought comes to a screeching halt. Jack is saying something, asking questions and none of it registers because it takes every fiber of Eliot's being not to keep staring at his fucking mouth.

He shifts in his chair, tapping the cup in some desperate attempt to burn off the sudden nervous energy suffusing him. Eliot tries to think, tries to pay attention to what Jack is saying and who knows what his own face must be doing. Is he sweating? For fuck's sake. It can't have been intentional, and Eliot can't believe something so mundane's got him hot and bothered.

"The--crimes, okay no." He's starting to catch up. "I mean it was--the point was to be good at it, to achieve mastery of the craft, it's...it's all academia, people either have to want to teach or be scholars for decades or just...find something else for their lives to be about." It's a far more useful feeling to seize upon, the old frustration that none of them were ever really served well by what Brakebills offered. "The magical job market isn't very exciting, I'm afraid. It gets...people get bored. People make bad choices when they're bored."

He's not bored now, though he still feels like he's teetering on the edge of something. He should be more careful. Eliot heaves a little sigh, and makes himself smile, all bland affability. It's fine. "I've found employment here but even with that and the stipend from the City I'd rather supplement my income and be...comfortable. It's mostly harmless, I think."
eliotwaugh: (consternation)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-12-28 05:18 am (UTC)(link)
If there's a silver lining to be found in all this, it's that Jack's line of questioning pulls Eliot up short, any thought about inconvenient attraction banished to the back of his mind.

"Well," Eliot starts to answer, but he can't quite manage to get a thought out. His first instinct is to be insulted, and part of him wants to defend his education, the idea of doing something for its own sake because it was difficult and worth the effort, but as affronted as he may be, Jack's questions are...annoyingly pertinent. He's not wrong, that's the fucking thing.

He stares at his coffee, which supplies no answers. As defensive as he feels, he also wants to agree: yes, it was all kind of bullshit in the end, no it didn't prepare any of them for what they'd actually end up encountering. Yes, he's still a little bitter. Even if he did get a good deal out of it. He wishes there were easy answers, or ones he could give without sounding like a complete prick. But he can't just keep silent either, not in the face of Jack's scrutiny.

"I think Magicians have been asking themselves what the point is since the beginning," he replies with a sigh. He remembers all the arguments he used to get in with Richard, practically screaming matches. Fucking morally simplistic Christian Richard. "Practically speaking, not many people can do magic, and the general public don't know it exists, and I assume the secrecy is to prevent Magicians from becoming, I don't know, exploited for labor. Or maybe it's oversight to keep us from turning into maniacal dictators. Wondrous or not, magic can't change human nature. There are people who study to try and improve existing technology, or use magic to mitigate natural disasters and climate change, but I honestly don't know that there are enough Magicians to make a difference."

Eliot knows he's running the risk of becoming very grim, and he ought to leave it at that. He thinks as he sips the coffee and sets the cup back down, and he can't quite keep the bitterness out of his voice when he adds, "They didn't train us for battle, at my school. They assured us we wouldn't need to use that kind of magic." And they were so very wrong, but he can't get into all that with a stranger.
eliotwaugh: (major side-eye)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-12-30 05:55 pm (UTC)(link)
"Not officially, no." Eliot manages a smile, relieved that Jack's changed the subject. He's doing a poor job of being welcoming, answering innocent questions with his own personal baggage. This, in comparison, is much easier to talk about.

"I'm at an archive, set up by a couple of people who came from a world where they were doing similar work, and they...wanted to get back into it," he elaborates. He leaves out that it was a matter of medical necessity, for John. "So apparently in addition to the horrible little envelopes they supply when you arrive, the city has just...a bunch of files on all the people who get kidnapped here. I don't know if they just appear or what, or how long this has even been going on, but no one's done any cataloging of it whatsoever and these fellows offered to take on the work." Eliot smirks a little. "I think City Hall was probably glad to be rid of it, it's a massive shambles, no sort of order to be found and well, given the esoteric nature of some of the people who arrive here some of the information is...in a bit of a state. The magic's actually been rather helpful, setting up containment, and that sort of thing. But it's mostly boring."

A thought occurs to him, as he finishes off his half of the tart. "You know they'll probably have your file in sometime soon, if you're interested in stopping by. Can't guarantee you'll find any information as to why the hell any of this is happening, but." Eliot shrugs sympathetically. "Better than nothing, I suppose."
eliotwaugh: (omg lol)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2019-12-31 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
Jack's initial response is noncommittal, and Eliot wonders if his explanation of the Archive wasn't as enlightening as he'd hoped. It's a difficult line to walk, he realizes, trying to provide useful information without being overwhelming. Jack's little face journey only confirms that Eliot was not cut out for teaching.

He's finishing off his cup of coffee when Jack mentions the library, and he has to stop himself from choking on it once he realizes what this means.

"--petition for access?" he says, swallowing abruptly and clearing his throat. "You mean you haven't...you haven't been to the library?" He grins, positively gleeful. "Oh my fucking god you haven't been to the library. Okay this is--change of plans. Finish your coffee, we need to get over there immediately." This is perfect. This is going to be amazing.

"So okay yes, there's a lot of weird and horrible aspects to life in these times," he starts to explain as he consolidates his mess, "but they've really done some amazing things with public services. 'Cause all the little bits of sales tax on things like clothes and coffeeshop lunches--are you going to want that?" He gestures at the scone, urging Jack to finish up. "We can get a bag or something if you want to take it with. Anyway, the city government gets all the tax money and they use it to fund things like the public library. You already have access, it belongs to all of us."

He might sound a bit evangelical, but honestly, Eliot's got a good feeling about this. "Come on, you're gonna love it."
eliotwaugh: (shy smile)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2020-01-10 07:58 pm (UTC)(link)
When he takes their ephemera to the bussing tray in the corner, Eliot pockets the napkin. Jack's already gathering his things to leave. The little coffee drawing certainly isn't great art, but all the same he feels bad just throwing it away.

Jack is a flurry of excitement once they're out the door, and Eliot can barely get a word in edgewise. "Like, lots of kinds?" He doesn't really know what the state of literacy was in Jack's time, but he's glad at least that he was right in pegging the man as a nerd. The absolute awe on his face as he sees the inside of the library is--charming, certainly, but also infectious. Eliot misses being that excited about something like this, but he'll have to content himself with enjoyment by proxy.

Jack wanders like a kid in a candy store, and Eliot can't help a fond smile as he makes his own way to the reference desk.

"Hi," he says to the librarian, the sort-of cute one whose name he hasn't gotten yet, "would you happen to have a little copy of the classification system? My ah, associate over there--" and he points to Jack peering at the stacks. Eliot wants to call him a friend but that seems...presumptuous. "He's new to the whole concept."

"Oh, of course," the librarian replies, and when he reaches for a display of brochures Eliot catches a glimpse of his nametag. Charlie. He wonders idly what kind of person goes by a nickname in a professional capacity, and whether he has lots of freckles. He looks like he has lots of freckles. "Here." Charlie hands him a couple items with a blandly polite smile. "There's the Dewey system listing and also the general information, hours and loan periods. He can register over at the circulation desk."

Eliot gives him a smirk and a wink. "You're a lifesaver," he says, but he barely registers the blush this produces on Charlie's face because Jack has returned from his initial exploration and is looking at him like--like something, he doesn't know what.

For a moment Eliot can only stare at Jack, and cannot reply; it's a queer feeling, seeing someone made so happy by a comparatively small gesture, and he feels a flush of pride. Like he's back on the Muntjac, questing for the golden keys. Like he's driven back the Lorian army. For the first time since getting stuck here, Eliot thinks, it feels like he's done something right.

"Good," he answers with a small nod, smiling. "I'm glad." He clears his throat, finding it suddenly dry, and offers Jack the brochures. "So I've got some information to start you out with, the first thing I think is...do you have your ID card with you?"
eliotwaugh: (subdued)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2020-01-27 11:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"Ah." Eliot can't help feeling a little disappointed at the Jack's answer, and he knows he looks it. Fortunately Jack is too distracted by the information in the brochures to look up, and by the time he's managed to wrangle both the papers and his hat (looking adorably overexcited), Eliot schools his expression into something neutral.

"Yes, that's what you'd need the card for," he explains, looking over the text that Jack's indicated. "I know it's all rather ghoulish, having that just show up with your image, but I'm afraid if's fairly essential to modern life. Of course in normal places you know, you go to a city office and have it made but I suppose Darrow can't do things without being dramatic." He rolls his eyes, thinking of his own picture. He'd get it out to show Jack, but honestly being here in a modern world again makes the kingly garb feel a little costumey and embarrassing.

And pirates aren't traditionally friends with royalty, he supposes. There's that.

"Anyway it's a basic proof of residence and identity, and if you bring it back in to the library you can register for a free membership card and they'll lend you books and things for...two weeks? Maybe longer if you ask for a renewal on the loan period. There's usually a small fee to pay if you return them late but it's nothing too dire." Eliot sighs, and looks around the space. "Without that you can still come in and read here, of course, but there's...not much else to be done."
eliotwaugh: (shy smile)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2020-01-31 04:44 pm (UTC)(link)
He shrugs. It's been easy enough to readjust to modern technology and a life broken down into several essential pieces to carry around, but Eliot spent enough years in Fillory that he knows the irritation evident in Jack's voice. It's different here, being a part of a multitude and requiring more identification than just one's word.

Jack explains his plans for the day, his partner he needs to get back to. Eliot feels a little extraneous, like he could just go into work late after all. But he'd be distracted, worried maybe. He wishes there was more he could do. At the very least he can leave the offer open.

"Anytime," Eliot says, and he means it. Jack isn't quite the lost duckling Quentin was, wandering up the Brakebills lawn without a sense of self, but Eliot's feeling is similar enough: the man could use a friend. He takes Jack's hand, smiling. He really does have lovely hands, all cool skin and bony, delicate fingers. Eliot clears his throat. "I should give you my contact information, in case there's anything you need or...just to chat? I know there's a lot to adjust to, but something tells me you'll be all right." As soon as he says it, it feels far too earnest for someone he's just met, and Eliot nods in what he hopes is a masculine way and punctuates the handshake by clapping Jack on the shoulder.
eliotwaugh: (subdued)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2020-02-03 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
He draws back, startled when Jack winces, and immediately starts to apologize.
"Shit, I'm--" but he cannot finish his thought, boggled as he is by trying to reconcile the image of this man, who's shown himself to be curious and intellectual, with the idea of recent deadly combat. Eliot wants to ask but by the time he thinks to Jack's moved on, fumbling with his phone.

"It's...not that intuitive," Eliot says as he takes the device, unable to really speak quickly while he's trying to remember his own number to add to Jack's contacts. "Unless you've got the knowledge base of uh, older communications technology. Hold on." He pulls out his own phone to check his work and add Jack's number. "I know people here seem like they're born phone-in-hand, but, well. In my case for example it's been a few years since I've even had one, magic and electronics don't really mix that easily where I came from."

He shrugs, completes the entry, and gives Jack back his phone with an apologetic grimace. "I'm so sorry about that," Eliot says, looking at his shoulder. He wonders what kind of medical intervention Jack would have had access to, but it can't have been great. He almost wants to suggest they go to the hospital or a clinic to get it looked at, but the atomic half-life of this conversation is inexorably fizzling out and to linger would just make him feel a bit pathetic. "I should...let you go, but I'm glad to have been of some help. I hope you have a good rest of your day."

When Eliot turns to leave he feels more awkward than he has in literal years. But, he supposes, it always could have gone worse.
eliotwaugh: (oh worm?)

[personal profile] eliotwaugh 2020-02-04 06:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Eliot pulls up short when Jack nearly collides with him, too close and too sudden and he feels a little alarmed before he understands what Jack's saying.

"Ah-" he stammers, absently touching his own neck. "No it's--it's fine." It's not that he'd forgotten about the scarf, but he'd just assumed that the loan was going to last longer than an afternoon. New arrival, unprepared for the cold. It might have been an expensive accessory but it's not as if Eliot doesn't have others at his disposal.

He puts a hand up to stop Jack, and offers him an appeasing smile. "You can just borrow it for a while, I really don't mind."