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10.08.2015
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The screen of Rebecca's phone casts a harsh light as she treks across campus, head down against the glorious November winds that promise the end of autumn. She shrugs deeper into the coat without looking up as she finally makes it indoors and heads nowhere in particular. Despite the late hour - or is it early? - she's not had any interruptions to her current dilemma. One of them, anyway. It's staring at her from the phone, an icon indicating an unanswered voicemail.
As for the other, she doesn't want to think about that one. It's easier to wander as she heads towards the library, though she could also pass by it without noticing with her current state of mind. The rally had gone...poorly. They'd done all they could, but there still had been injured. The woman had blown a good chunk of the people around her up and injured others.
Others... Sighing, she pushes the hood back from head and continues on in silence.
She sees Silas in the library, hover over a section of books in one of the aisles. He has a very distinct frown as he thumbs through a few before putting them back.
She slips her phone to silent as the door shuts behind her, shoulders turning stiff as she sees a familiar face that she's not that sure how happy she is to see. Her own frown becomes more apparent as she looks to see what section he's in.
Not where she was headed, but close-ish, so she changes her mind for now. Also not where she'd ever think to find Silas. For a moment, she thinks back to the semi-yelling conversation they had in the infirmary, but she brushes it aside an walks past, towards wherever the newspapers are.
She better! But we're going to harass her and say there's nothing new since the media had a field day, so Rebecca sighs in frustration before returning the paper to its stand.
Then she heads over to her original destination, not far from Silas. The occult and magic section, of course, though she doesn't seem to be picking out anything in particular yet.
It's just as well she saw who was speaking, or she might have thought it was someone else. She'd never heard Silas refer to her by her actual preferred nickname before; last time, she'd already walked out on him.
"Hello, Silas." Come to think of it, had they ever greeted each other like normal people before? She had, once, and that had been a rough night to say the least.
Why was it happening now?
She starts to head down to the books she's after, but pauses a step in and looks at him with a small, perplexed frown that turns into an expression of curiosity. Maybe she's wrong, but maybe not. Only one way to find out.
"Thank you, by the way. Did you need it back?" This, sadly, would be something she'd ask anyone. She's certain Silas sent the tablet, but if not, she needed to find out which other friend or admirer she has that's loaded enough to do that. For her, growing up with even one of those was a big deal, and someone had just...given her one. No signature, no nothing but the sentiment to get better - and get out of the infirmary.
"I see." His answer gives her the same feeling she had when she told him she hadn't heard anything of note about his family when Freya pulled him from his coma. The 'things you never expect to happen' points just keep rolling in. Rebecca blinks again, wondering if he's been sleep walking. There's just nothing to him, and even that takes a second to fully register. No games, no anything.
It's kind of disturbing.
"The injury healed, yes." She turns to face him and takes a step back. It's like meeting someone new all over again. He's still hiding something, but she is almost afraid to push it, considering.
This does mean she doens't have to worry about another encounter after this one, though. Or more drama. Hopefully. Some habits were just bred in too deep; not owing money or a similar debt to anyone was one of them.
A part of her really wants to see what book he has, but she saw what section he was in and isn't going to push. That tends to do bad things, no matter who it is. Instead, she shrugs and nods. So clear.
"A distraction, but I changed my mind." Wasn't like Silas didn't have all sorts of info on her. So, rather than keep putting off what's on her mind, she starts heading towards wherever the law books are!
"Life." She frowns, still looking for the book or books she desires. Her own voice seems distant as she drums her fingers against the front edging of the bookcase, then crouches to get a better look at the lower shelves without giving Silas something to admire.
"I see." He doesn't push either and doesn't even seem to be looking Becca's direction when she gets her book, still dazed and looking off in the distance.
"...Destiny is dead." He mutters just over a whisper.
"What?" The bombs keep dropping. Rebecca looks up at him, nearly dropping the book onto the floor, but she manages to catch it thanks to the fact that it was still partially on the shelf when he spoke. She frowns and rises to her feet and, for a moment, her expression softens.
"Silas, I'm sorry." She doesn't know what his relationship was to Destiny, but she figured there might be one since there was clearly one between the woman and Freya.
"What happened? Are you--" She stops, realizing the next word out of her mouth is going to be 'okay,' and that's clearly a no. It explained some of it, anyway, if this was his reaction.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She's not sure why her voice is so much quieter. They don't normally get interrupted, anyway?
Neither the apology or check of his well-being seems to register as he continues to dead stare beyond her. He blinks before his eyes finally seem to focus on her when he shakes his head.
"No I-I just thought you deserved to know. I know you had engaged in some training with her."
He pauses for a while, opening his mouth to say something, but then closing it as he decides against it.
"Thank you for telling me. How if Freya doing with it?" She nods at his mention of her training, frowning at the vacant expression on his face. It's like talking to a zombie. But at last he looks at her, only to not speak. None of this is what she is used to.
"Go ahead and say it, Silas." She leans one hip against the bookshelf, holding the book across her chest, her tone quiet and accepting. "Whatever you changed your mind about, go ahead." Scratch that, she starts heading over to one of the nearby sitting areas, instead. The book's too tall for her to hold comfortably.
"She does?" She frowns as she takes a seat, setting the book down on the table next to her now that it seems they're going to talk. She was able to piece together that Freya probably wasn't fond of Destiny from their first conversation as well as their training, but she didn't have the context to understand why she would blame herself. Not beyond basic grieving stages, anyway.
She looks up at Silas when he confesses that this is the first time he's experienced it with someone he has a close bond with. She wonders if he was going to ask about her friend, but doesn't push it. Instead, she nods.
"Yeah, it's different." Those who died on the field at the rally, for instance, were different than the people she knew and cared about. Still people, but the personal loss wasn't there. Just the knowledge that she couldn't save them all, and the morbid guilt that she might have been able to save at least a few more.
"How do you feel? Do you also blame yourself?" Her voice is still quiet and calm, but not unsympathetic. It's a rough situation, no matter the relationship Destiny had with Silas. Known or otherwise.
Rebecca respects his lack of comment on his sister, gesturing to one of the spots he could choose to sit if he wanted. It's an invitation that she won't bite his head off if he wants to do so, but she's not going to force it. Not for something like this. Even Arman might have that reaction from her.
She's also trying not to sound like a therapist.
"Why disappointment?" Though she notes he admits he thinks he should feel more guilt than he does, which is a yes.