rewrites required | mouse & jo
[Mouse is fully embracing everything that has gone back to the way it was before. ‘Cause there’s nothing else to do, is there? Can’t go backwards, can’t change anything---it all just does what it’ll do, and he survives it. Which sounds a touch defeatist, but surviving is no small thing in itself. So he’s cheerful when he can be.]
[Something that kind of took a back seat, his “breaks” with Jo. Well, lessons, technically, but they don’t have a strict schedule or anything, so it feels a lot less like giving himself more unnecessary homework, and more like just... hanging out with a woman he thinks is awesome, and talking about books. Learning is a tolerable byproduct, that’s all.]
[He’s still shy when he knocks on the door of the classroom as it empties, clutching a notebook.] Ey, Jo---uh. [He pauses as a student steps up to ask a question---a small student, who she normally teaches, ‘cause yeah, she teaches way younger kids than him, usually. But he likes her, okay? He just does. They’re more like friends, really. It’s not weird. He’s not embarrassed that he actually likes an Elite.]
[Except for now, when he’s a little embarrassed by his own timing, and definitely feels like he’s barging in. They didn’t organize a time to meet, what with everything that’s been going on. He’s just gone and... shown up. He clears his throat, as the student scampers off.] Sorry for... interruptin’. Didn’t know if you were workin’ today or not. Didn’t message, ‘cause... I didn’t think ‘bout it ‘til now. Should I go? I can go. I can---I’ll just message you. [What on earth is his mouth saying? Whatever it is, it’s not terribly smooth. He’s already backing out of the doorway. He wishes he could get a do-over. But as with everything else, he just has to live with it.] Anyway, good seein’ you. [Oh, for crying out loud...]
@books-xnd-cleverness