MAYBE , TODD SAYS , BUT THE OTHER MAKES NO MOVE to rectify the situation , so rachel decided they’ll be the proactive one and they move closer , bending over and doing the very technologically difficult process of turning the radio on and off . ( rachel , it must be said , was sometimes ironic ——— they felt like it was the only way to exist in this all - too great city of dreams . ) ❝ there , ❞ they said for a moment , but no such luck … the radio still played static , and this caused them to frown a bit in confusion , so much that they almost missed the question todd lopped at them . ❝ the time ?? ❞ they echoed , the question throwing them off for a bit . they look to their wrist , before realising they’ve given up on wristwatches long ago ——— they were slow in reading analog clocks , which barred most traditional watches , and they were still trying to be vaguely anti - mainstream by refusing to wear an apple watch or any other kind of smartwatch ——— so they took out their phone , the light still turned up on the highest setting and blinding them for a second or two until they turned it down to a manageable level . ❝ it’s like 4:30 , pal , ❞ they said . ❝ 4:27 , if you wanna be exact . ❞ they locked their phone , but they didn’t quite put it away , instead choosing to fiddle with it by spinning it ’round with deft and agile fingers . ( a dangerous habit they didn’t even know where they picked up . ) rachel quirked up an eyebrow , slightly leaning forward both to read the title for themself , before seemingly pulling back and changing their mind , deciding to ask directly instead , ❝ what’s the title of the book ?? ❞
lips part, and for a second it’s as if he wants to say something. however, no sound manages to come out, nothing but a faint hum— almost nonexistent. if you couldn’t hear it, did it really happen? todd focuses on the buzzing in his ears, the exhausted state his body seems to be in and.. numbers. 4:30. brows furrow slightly, but aside from that, there’s no particular reaction. in fact, he’s not sure how to feel about it, so.. he just doesn’t. there’s no conclusion. todd crosses his legs, leans forward. eyes focus on the phone in their hand. for a second, he’s mesmerized. but then rachel speaks up and he’s luckily pulled out of this ridiculous almost-trance. “sorry? oh.. all my friends?” a guess, before he actually reads the cover. few seconds for him to realize that the words that escaped his mouth don’t quite match what’s on the paper. “no, fuck.” a short laugh. “all my sons. huh.. almost.” a pause. ”it’s alright, so far. ‘m not.. crazy ‘bout it, but.. we’ll see, i guess.” a nod of the head, as he puts the book aside. “i like the guy’s.. other work. though. death of a salesman was a good one. yeah, i— by the end, i really found myself enjoying it, actually.” he looks over at them, offers a sympathetic smile. “i.. could probably get you a copy. wanna be book buddies?” it’s lighthearted. “literature lads?”