Good Book (Tag: Kadaj)

Nothing beat a good book, not in Aqua's opinion anyways. She sat curled up in a secluded corner, in a perfect spot to see anyone heading her direction in case she had to make a hasty getaway. She really didn't want to be around anyone at the moment. Just her and this imaginary world that she was reading about. She had even brought a blanket from her dorm, fully intending to stay there all day, better that than face Alisa and her questions.

Kadaj was wandering the corner of the library that had books on radiation. She hadn't bothered to check them out last she was here since they didn't seem to get checked out much and she was perfectly content with reading them within the library. As she was trailing her finger along the shelf in search of the book she'd been reading yesterday she noticed a girl in one of the hidden away little alcoves back here. Her finger stilled where it had been trailing against the books.

Aqua looked up when someone got near her little corner. She frowned. Should she leave? She really wasn't in the mood to talk to a lot of people. She bit her lip, trying to make a decision as the person drew closer, obviously looking for a book in the section she had taken refuge in.

Kadaj dropped her gaze back down to the shelf when she noticed the other girl looking in her direction. Her hair shielded her own gaze from being obvious to the blue haired girl at least.

Aqua noticed the young girl quickly looking away. She sighed to herself. Just because she was having a bad day, doesn't mean she should take it out on everyone else around her. She sighed, thinking she had done something to scare the younger girl off. "Find anything good?" she asked after a moment of deliberation.

"Oh, not exactly," She replied, a bit surprised at being addressed. "I'm just looking for a book I was reading yesterday. I come back here to do research on my powers." She hesitantly came out around the side of the shelf.

"What are you looking for? Maybe I can help?" Aqua offered. She got up from her chair and set her own book aside. If there was anything that could get her mind off of her problems, it was helping others with theirs. Even if it was as small as finding a book.

"It's a book with a dark red cover on radiation, here I've got the title on my phone, let me look what it is," She said, dropping her gaze to device and tapping for a moment before holding it out for the other girl to see.

Aqua peered down to see what book it was that the other was looking for. She looked back up at the shelves, scanning them for a moment. At last she found it. She reached up and grabbed it off the shelf. "This one?" Aqua asked and she held it out for the other to see. She offered her a smile as well, still trying to be personable despite how tired she was.

Kadaj nodded, accepting it from the girl with a hesitant smile. After getting frustrated with it yesterday, she felt she'd be able to actually give it another chance today. It did have some useful information, it was just rather tedious. Why couldn't academic books be written in a less dry fashion.

"I'm sorry," Aqua said suddenly as a realization dawned on her. Oh how her old teachers would have scolded her for ill manners. "I've been really rude. My name is Aqua." She offered the other woman her hand to shake. "Just got so caught up when you said you were looking for that book I guess!"

"It's alright," she assured, her voice gaining an edge of confidence back to it. Kadaj hesitated a moment before she actually took the girl's hand cautiously in her own gloved one. "My name's Kadaj, but you can call me Dajay if you'd like." She only kept the other girls hand in her grip for as long as it took to shake, a charm on her bracelet brushing Aqua's skin as she drew it back. Her other arm held the book close to her chest.

Aqua managed to school her expression right when the bracelet touched the inside part of her wrist. She bit her cheek to keep from saying anything as the memories flooded through her being. Her expression did soften. The last few times she had told someone what she could do they didn't take it well, so she doubted Kadaj would take it any better, so she would keep quiet. "Well, which do you prefer?" she asked. "I'll use that one."

She blinked in surprise, contemplating that for a moment.  Most people just went with one or the other on their own.  "I guess Kadaj then," she replied.  Dajay felt more personal and nickname like.  Most people only tended to start using that one after they'd gotten to know her a bit more she realized.

"Right. Well, it's nice to meet you, Kadaj," Aqua said kindly. She then glanced at the book cover that Kadaj had been looking for. "So uh, that's not exactly a light read, is it?" she asked as she looked at the heavy tome. "You said it was for research, right?"

"Ya, research.  It'll hopefully help me out with my powers."  She shrugged, giving a wry smile.  She hoped she was playing off her powers casually.  "The more I know on the subject hopefully means the better I'll be at control."

"That's always a good idea." Aqua said. She wished she could have done the same with hers but as far as she knew, it was few and very very far between. There weren't a lot of people like her so she had nothing else to go off of. "Hope that helps you," she added, gesturing to the book in Kadaj's hands.

"Thanks," Kadaj replied, turquoise eyes dropping down to the book. She made a mental note to skip the section detailing adverse responses to radiation exposure. She really should read it, but it just made her feel sick with worry. Her lips had curved downward.

"Hey," Aqua said softly, she hesitated before placing a hand on Kadaj's shoulder. "Do you want to sit down with me? I could really use the company about now." She wasn't about to hash into her problems but Kadaj looked like she needed a friendly face nearby. And if that look was anything to go by, it was regarding her powers. Aqua knew what it was like to hate her powers. She hated them with the utmost of passions.

Kadaj gave a slight reflexive twitch at the gentle hand placed on her shoulder. Luckily it didn't turn into a full recoil though. "Ya, alright," She agreed with a hesitant smile. She slipped out from under the touch as she went over to settle herself in the chair across from Aqua.

Aqua internally winced. She had to remember that Kadaj was shy around touch. "I have a thermos of hot chocolate, if you want to share." she offered and she settled herself back into her chair. Normally reading took her mind off things but after what happened, she had been really down in the dumps.

Kadaj hesitated when it came to accepting the offer, eyes drifting over the girl's stuff to where it was.  "Are you sure?"  She asked, not wanting to invade Aqua's personal things.

"Yeah! I don't mind. And it's homemade. Not that powdered stuff." She reached for her thermos and popped the lid. At least it still brought as mile to her face when she could smell the warm hot chocolate and marshmallows steaming up from the metal container. "I've only got one cup though."

"Oh, that's nice," She offered. She didn't feel like she was very good at navigating these types of conversations. She generally didn't do too much cooking herself, partly because when she was younger she worried her powers might accidentally contaminate the food. So she hadn't really learned how to. "Well, I'll try not to take too much...."

"Drink as much as you want. My roommate is out late with some guy tonight and I can't drink it all!" Aqua insisted. At least Alisa had a better time with boys than she did. She didn't wish that sort of an interaction on Kadaj. So she poured Kadaj a cup and passed it over to her.