[OPEN]

[slipshot]

WHO: Gavin, Peter, and OPEN~
WHAT: Peter is trying to teach Gavin to read, and Gavin is getting distracted by literally everything, and everyone.
WHEN: A few times, as the lessons are semi-regular, in the days following the wake.
WHERE: in the weird little library in the basement
NOTES: Ridiculous hijinks



He was doing his best. He really was. But Gavin had the attention span of a goldfish, and trying to sit still for long periods focusing on something he found difficult was worse.

He'd never really figured out how to read. Every time he tried the runes would seem to move around on their own, or flip over, and it was extremely frustrating. Peter, however, was absolutely determined that Gavin should learn to read properly and stop defacing the community bulletin boards with his scribbled drawings.

They'd managed to scramble a few books together for the purpose, and some sheets of parchment, and Gavin was working on drawing a surprisingly well rendered butt as Peter was pulling out the next text to start with.

As soon as Gavin happened to see anyone wandering by, he called out and waved them over.

Comments

[cameasarat]

[For Gavin]

"That isn't-"

Oh dear, Maker. It was like trying instruct Sirius. A Sirius that actually didn't understand the material, rather than one acting out because he could learn it all and more on his own time. As he looked down at the latest inappropriate drawing, he couldn't help a sudden, sharp pang of sympathy for the senior enchanters the four of them had so delighted in tormenting not so long ago. A feeling, considering how that had all ended, he was quick so squish down.

He dropped the newest book of interest on the desk with a solid thud, a few days of cleaning ensuring that not a single bit of dust was disturbed by the action this time.

"This isn't how people communicate, Gavin."


OTA visiting

"Ten more minutes?"

Please, kind visitor. Let him get his friend through one sentence. Just one. Or he knows he'll end up translating everything Gavin posts to the messenger boards from now on.

[slipshot]

Gavin sat bolt upright as the book slammed down on the desk, which meant that the butt now had a sharp slash of ink right through one cheek. Oops. He gave Peter a sheepish look.

"Sorry," He said, for probably the fiftieth time. "It makes a lot more sense than the runes, though." He tried to write down the runes for "BUTT", but got "BULL" instead. He sighed and crossed it out. "If I draw it then it makes sense to everyone."

[cameasarat]

"Simple ideas. But you've got more than that."

Peter had full faith Gavin had more than that, in the way that teenagers know that all teens are by far more brilliant than the adults around them. Felt things more, were just deeper. Gavin just needed to learn how to express it in words, too.

This book, at least, did involve pictures. So the story of the hero and the dragon could be guessed as well as read. Maybe that would help.

"Here."

[slipshot]

"Sure, but that's when you go and find the person you want to talk to and talk to them."

He took the book he was offered though, and the pictures did help - he looked down to study them more closely.

"That's why I learned to tell stories, you know. I mean - our storyteller would argue that I'm awful at it, but he doesn't think that dragons should randomly appear in them, so obviously he's wrong."

[cameasarat]

"That isn't-" Peter can only shake his head for a moment. "What happens when they're too far away? Didn't you ever want towrite home when you were gone?"

It's a desperate grasp, particularly for Peter, who received his obligatory annual letter from his parents and that was all. But some people had closer ties, some actually wanted to remain in touch no matter the distance.

[vir_tasallan]

Thank the Creators that things had settled enough for her to restart her research. She'd found this pleasant little spot inside the stone fortress-- something she never thought she'd enjoy, but Kirkwall was mostly stone, wasn't it? But a library, beholden with books ancient and even a few Elvhan. How could she pass up that opportunity?

She'd done her best to clear the cobwebs out and to tidy it enough to be presentable. And it seemed that from the shuffling noises she heard as she approached, someone else had found this place as well.

Slowly she crept into the room, trying to peer around a bookshelf to see who was here. That she was noticed startled her and she jumped, covering her mouth so they wouldn't hear her squeak. "O-oh, I didn't mean to-- I mean, sorry to intrude. D'you mind if I gather some books? I'll just be a moment..."

[slipshot]

"No, no! Not at all! Come on in!" Gavin says, all too happy for the excuse, waving the stranger into the room. "I was just - ah - getting a reading lesson," He said with a grin.

"Can we help you find something?"

[vir_tasallan]

"A reading lesson?" one of her brows quirked as she considered it, and grinned very faintly at the admission. "Find something? No, no, I just come here to browse, find some old texts I've not read." initially she had bought the excuse given. After all, there was nothing amiss, but she couldn't help think she had interrupted something.

She shrugged it off and entered the library proper. "Glad you managed to stow away from the Commander. Doesn't matter if you're dead-beat tired, he'll set you to work. Best keep it down." She paused, taking a moment to look at the spines of some books before her curiosity got the better of her. "What sort of reading lesson?"

[slipshot]

He quickly slipped a hand over the drawing of a butt that he'd just drawn, but of course the ink was still wet, so instead of hiding it he just smudged it and god ink all over his hand.

"Ah-- yes, ah--" He tried to wipe some of the ink off on his leather trousers with a laugh. "A very basic one, I'm afraid. I can barely read at all, and Peter's been trying to rectify that. But yes, it helps to slip out from under the commander's eye." He grinned at her. "Gavin, by the way. Clan Ashara."

[serannas]

Ellana left the kitchen with a roll in one hand, which was going to be her lunch as she poked around Skyhold. With the upkeep of the fortress still a top priority, she didn't feel right taking time off to do anymore exploring when she could be helping, so she found a nice balance by exploring as she ate on the move.

Walking down the hall, she spotted a large landscape painting on the wall and moved closer to inspect it. Maybe there was a label that would tell her where in the world it was supposed to be. Once she was standing in front of it, she heard her name and glanced over into the open doorway she hadn't noticed before to see Gavin and someone she didn't recognize.

"Hello, Gavin. What are you doing?" It looked like a little library. And he was seated with books and parchment. Could it be? Was Gavin learning how to read and write?

[slipshot]

"Trying to read," Gavin said sheepishly. "Ellana - this is Peter, he's been trying to teach me to read, all the power to him. And Peter, the is Ellana - she's one of the mages from my clan."

Introductions were good because then maybe Peter coudn't sigh and groan at him.

[serannas]

"I thought that's what it looked like! Gavin, I'm so proud of you." Ellana then switched her attention to Peter, nodding politely. "Hello, Peter. It's good to meet you, and for you to do this." She knew enough to know this task would be near impossible.

[cameasarat]

Peter could never groan in the midst of being introduced to family (it was family, right? That was what the clan thing meant?). Especially pretty family. Pretty family which makes him put down the book he'd been bringing over with slightly more force than needed before he returns the nod with a faint blush.

"G- well met, Ellana. And it's really the least I can do."

Not like his other talents of not killing rats were in high demand and all.

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin was taking a break to snag some hearth cakes from the kitchen before Kas could steal them all. She'd leave some for him, of course, but the Vashoth mage has a sweet tooth and won't be denied. Hardly stealthy, her heavy footsteps echo in the room, so it's not difficult to become aware of her presence. She's about to head back up the stairs when hearing her name called makes her pause. Upon being waved over, Korrin shrugs and complies, because it's better than shouting all that way.

"Hey, Gavin. Decided to go for a library where you couldn't fall from anything, I see?" She flashes a grin, unable to keep from some gentle ribbing about how they met. The other one isn't familiar to her, but she nods to him as well. "What's up?"

[slipshot]

She could have been as quiet as a church mouse, and Gavin's desperate need for distraction would have assured that he'd heard her.

"Korrin! Peter here has been giving me reading lessons, but I'm afraid I'm an absolutely terrible student. I think the idea was to study down here so I couldn't get distracted easily, but you can see how well that turned out," he said with a grin. "Have you met Peter, yet? He's a good friend to me, and the animal kingdom."

[gatheringstorm]

"Ah, that explains the message boards." And Gavin's scribblings on them. Korrin can't help but smirk when Gavin points out his own highly distractible nature, unable to disagree with that. "I haven't, no. It's nice to meet you. And would spare hearth cakes enable you to focus a little harder? Have them fresh, before our resident Vashoth teen devours them all."

She has enough to go around, so she doesn't mind offering one for each.

[cameasarat]

"Oh- thank you."

Reading lessons are officially derailed for the moment and it's going to be another minute before Peter notices that. Because, well. Food. Who didn't stop for freely offered, fresh cake? After weeks with the rebel mages, eating whatever it was the could find, Skyhold has been a welcome return to normalcy in the food area.

Gavin may have just discovered a powerful weapon in making the lessons stop.

"Nice to meet you, Korrin."

[dreadinquisitor]

Maxwell had borrowed some books from the little library to read in his downtime. Nothing he thought anyone would miss, just a couple texts that had caught his while he'd been sweeping the room free of cobwebs. Having finished one of them, he was returning it.

He didn't realize there was a lesson taking place in the little alcove until he turned into the archway and saw the stacks and rolls of parchment.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt--" He took a half-step back, then paused, arching an eyebrow. "Gavin?"

[slipshot]

"Maxwell!" Gavin exclaimed happily, waving him further into the room. "Look, I've been improving my drawing." He proudly held up the butt, which had since, apparently, been given a tree growing out of where the hips would have been.

"Peter's been trying to teach me to read, instead."

[dreadinquisitor]

Maxwell snorted a laugh, lips and eyebrows twitching.

"About the worst curses imaginable?" he asked teasingly, glancing at Peter. Ducking his head, he gestured to the book in his hand. "I just came to put this back, if that's not too much of a bother?"

[cameasarat]

Even after only a few days, Peter already has a faint look of despair settling over his features. The drawings. He didn't know what to do- he was always on the delivering end of this behavior, not the giving. He'd have to think harder on what would make him focus? before the next lesson. But for now he shakes his head slightly at Maxwell's question.

"Probably time for a break, anyway."

Before the Butt Tree started developing genitalia as well.

[salvatore_underfoot]

He only wants a quiet place to study. The weird little library in the basement is perfect, usually. Until he gets restless, picks up his books, and begins wandering and mumbling, and gesticulating. He forgets where he is.

And then he walked into something. "Hmm? Sorry?"

[slipshot]

"Come here!" Gavin repeated, waving him over. "I don't think we've met yet, but anyone with a soft spot for this library is a friend of mine. Gavin, of clan Ashara, at your service. This here is the infamous Peter Pettigrew, who is known through all of Thedas for his remarkable way over man and beast alike. What to we have the pleasure of calling you?"

[salvatore_underfoot]

Salvatore blinked up from his book, his attention diverted by a whole lot of talking that he was trying desperately to catch up on. He caught the names, at least, as he looked over his shoulder, checking to be sure he really was the one the elf wanted. He joined the two - Gavin and Peter. Clan of something. Beasts. Remarkable. Right.

"Salvatore. Ah, just plain old Salvatore of nothing notable." Though if either of them were familiar with accents, they might note that his was Nevarran. "We haven't met. A pleasure to meet you."

[slipshot]

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Salvatore of nothing notable," Gavin said with a grin. "And I apologize for interrupting your study but I will be honest and say that I dearly needed to interrupt mine. Peter here is being an incredibly harsh task master."

It was a lie, of course, and one delivered with a mischievous grin. Peter was way too patient with him, really, but that didn't seem to make much of a difference.