throw your heart into reverse.

[13thopal.livejournal.com]

[sitting on a rung of a bookshelf ladder. he has a fairly easy book in his hand, but seems to have difficulty with it. his ears pin down.]

... damn it.

Comments

[13thopal.livejournal.com]

I'm... illiterate. I can't read.

[memory-forger.livejournal.com]

[blink, now she's concerned] Is someone already teaching you?

[13thopal.livejournal.com]

... back in my world, Axel was.

[memory-forger.livejournal.com]

[nods in understanding] Figures. What about here? And how far have you gone?

[13thopal.livejournal.com]

... I know how to read three-letter words. We never got very far, our masters didn't like me spending time with him.

[memory-forger.livejournal.com]

[she props up another ladder and climbs so she's level with him before sitting on the rung] Is anyone in the dressing room teaching you?

[13thopal.livejournal.com]

[he looks over at her as she climbs, before looking down at his book.]

One guy offered, I guess I'll learn from him.

[memory-forger.livejournal.com]

That's good. Which one? [her eyes travel toward the other books, contemplating on whether they have books for beginners in there]

[13thopal.livejournal.com]

It's another me, without cat ears, but... he sounds like he's from the Middle Ages.

[looks at his hands, before taking a few choice glances at her.]

[memory-forger.livejournal.com]

Ah, the Prince Roxas. Yeah, I figure a gentleman like him would be up to the job. [her eyes return to him] I hope you don't mind, but I think you'll make better progress if you start on easier books. Mark Twain [she points to "Tom Sawyer"] isn't exactly categorized as 'easy'.

[13thopal.livejournal.com]

[pauses, glances towards her.]

... what do you recommend? I just--thought it'd be easy. There were a lot of small words. I may not be able to read, but I'm great at math.

[memory-forger.livejournal.com]

Well, at least you beat me there. I suck at math. [she taps her chin thoughtfully] I'm sure there are abridged versions of books here. I saw several children reading some. [she glances at him] Would you find it insulting if you read children's books first?

[13thopal.livejournal.com]

[he shakes his head.]

If I don't know it, I have no right to be insulted.

[memory-forger.livejournal.com]

I guess. [she smiles before starting to climb down a few steps and stopping midway, running her fingers between books. After picking three, she balances them under her arm and climbs again, before sitting on the rung again] This is an abridged version of "Tom Sawyer". [she hands it to him] It's shorter and has easier words compared to the one you're holding right now. ...and it has pictures. [giggle]

This...[she hands him a slightly thicker one] is a basic word book. It only contains words, and it's good for practicing how to say them.

And finally, this...[she hands him the final one] is a mini dictionary. Once you learn how to say the words, you can learn their synonyms or meanings from here.

They can help you with your lessons with the Prince.