Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - Printable Version
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Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - jazzhands - 11-12-2014
Having decided the bookshop was not too crowed for his liking, Mark nodded when the employee recommended the facsimile to him. "Eye catching does the trick for me in terms of getting me a private audience." Hearing the warning given further into the conversation, Mark nodded a second time. "Refusing such a nice book for the sake of purity would lead to him losing reputation amongst his fellow holy men. We must appear to accept all gifts with welcome arms...even if I'm pretty sure the Archbishop doesn't settle for cheap cornershop wine for his services."
Mark takes the book offered to him and checks the feel of the blue leather cover for himself while speaking. "Oh, don't worry. This is my first time meeting the man in the flesh. Everything I know about him is through research...I swear priests love their gossip just as much as a gaggle of teenage girls." A mysterious twinkle arose in his brown eyes briefly before being masked again. "The point I'm trying to make is I think you are making a sound recommendation. And if he doesn't like it, I can find a place for it in the study at my church. It's a little bit disorganised in there but that room is a clean haven compared to this bookstore."
Quickly raising a hand up defensively, Mark realises the unintentional offense he may have just caused. "Not that I dislike this place, it's quaint in it's own way! I j-just..." There was the feared stutter of speech and Mark frowned at his own inability to handle a small social faux pas. Remembering a calm down technique he had learnt from one of his sessions, Mark counted backwards from five before attempting the sentence again.
"I just have this organist at my church who is half bookworm and half neat freak. She always has to perfectly organise the books and biscuits when we gather for a quiet cup of tea. This place would make her forget which way she wants the bourbon biscuits to face!" Mark gives a laugh to break his own self-made tension and facial features relax again as he focuses on putting his worry for social awkwardness to the mental back-burner. "So now that I'm done insulting the decor of this charming shop... how much does this book cost?"
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - Tindome - 11-13-2014
He smiled faintly as the priest explained the intricacies of internal church politics, and the grin grew wider when the priest accidentally seemed to insult him. A sense of panic totally disproportionate to the faux pas, and for a moment his eyes were a brighter shade of blue. "It is a mess," he agreed gently. "When I have sold more books, perhaps, there will be more room on the shelves and fewer hardcovers on the floor."
Though he really did seem to be quite awful at actually selling books.
"If there is to be any kind of clutter," he mused, "best that it be books, non? Though I do not doubt your organist would disagree."
Jean tapped his fingers against his cane as he considered the matter of price. This was the part he was worst at, as if his organization and his salesmanship weren't bad enough. "Let us say a hundred," he decided, since it was a very nice facsimile. Surely that was a small enough amount for even the most impoverished priest, particularly one whose intent was to impress. "Would that be agreeable?"
Though he really did seem to be quite awful at actually selling books.
"If there is to be any kind of clutter," he mused, "best that it be books, non? Though I do not doubt your organist would disagree."
Jean tapped his fingers against his cane as he considered the matter of price. This was the part he was worst at, as if his organization and his salesmanship weren't bad enough. "Let us say a hundred," he decided, since it was a very nice facsimile. Surely that was a small enough amount for even the most impoverished priest, particularly one whose intent was to impress. "Would that be agreeable?"
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - jazzhands - 11-13-2014
Mark nodded and a brief smile went his way at how decent he had handled the small talk all in all. This gave him confidence that his superiors would be happy and not have to take any drastic measures. It made him less anxious about going to the next stage of treatment. "One hundred seems a very fair price so you have yourself a deal." Pulling out his wallet, Mark feels an urge to push the social interaction a little bit further with the employee.
"Also, I won't be purchasing it now but for future reference...do you have language books? My Italian is very rusty and I plan on visiting the Vatican some day. I would love to be able to order a coffee in their language instead of pointing and fumbling words like a tourist."
Mark gave a small grin then pulled out the right amount of notes from his wallet. Quickly giving it a look over, he was confident he was giving the employee a hundred and offers the money to the man while waiting for a reply to his query.
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - megs - 11-13-2014
Rylan's ears fell flat to either side, her plan had indeed backfired and the two men were still quite close to her. Not that she had been literally trying to escape them. She was attempting to not be such a bother. Her tail swayed lazily above her head as she knelt over stacks of books books by the fireplace. She was starting to wonder if there was any actual organization to the tomes, or if Jean just happened to know where everything was.
She looked back at the priest and Jean as they discussed a price, curious to whether either of them really knew if this was a good deal to be making. She did not interject, she only pushed her ears to attention and went back to her search. Her fingers moved to another stack of books, and she bent at the waist slightly to get a better look at fading titles. When digits slid over a black, leather-bound volume, the demon immediately stirred in the forefront of her mind as if it wanted her to pick it up.
This stirring came to Rylan as an inexplicable need to see the book for herself, so she carefully extracted it from the haphazard pile and sat back on her calves. She turned it over in her hands, it was a history book. Specifically, one that detailed the events on the Hagma War that took place some centuries ago across the Viridian Isles. Why would something like this be here? She opened it against her lap and flipped through chunks of pages. It was quite thorough, apparently, detailing the conflicts within the seven armies that took place across the five islands. Demons had walked the Earth to fight among themselves. How petty. She turned to the back to see if there was an index; the two men at her back forgotten for now.
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - Tindome - 11-17-2014
Jean took the offered funds, folded the bills between two fingers to tuck them away in a pocket inside his coat. "Merci," he half-murmured, in part because he was not sure his thanks were necessary. Customer service was much more puzzling when it did not involve actually servicing a customer.
"There may be a few," he said, because for some it could be an emotional thing to travel with a dictionary in their pocket. Of course, the travel books he liked best tended to be the horrifyingly inaccurate ones, the ones that lead to humiliation and dramatics. That didn't seem like a fair thing to inflict on the well-meaning priest.
"It really is better to learn by doing, in my experience," he suggested. "To learn to speak from a book, it is a poor substitute for finding someone to speak with you. Though perhaps you do not know many Italians, to help you with such things." He knew at least one, but she was still quite warm and cozy in his bed. He would offer his own services, but he generally reserved such offers for those he had a particular desire to get alone for extended periods.
There was a brief hint of sulfur in Rylan, and he wondered if it ought to worry him. "Order caffe, and you will be quite safe no matter the hour. Cappuccino, if it is morning. I do not imagine they will think so harshly of a man of the cloth doing his best, regardless."
"There may be a few," he said, because for some it could be an emotional thing to travel with a dictionary in their pocket. Of course, the travel books he liked best tended to be the horrifyingly inaccurate ones, the ones that lead to humiliation and dramatics. That didn't seem like a fair thing to inflict on the well-meaning priest.
"It really is better to learn by doing, in my experience," he suggested. "To learn to speak from a book, it is a poor substitute for finding someone to speak with you. Though perhaps you do not know many Italians, to help you with such things." He knew at least one, but she was still quite warm and cozy in his bed. He would offer his own services, but he generally reserved such offers for those he had a particular desire to get alone for extended periods.
There was a brief hint of sulfur in Rylan, and he wondered if it ought to worry him. "Order caffe, and you will be quite safe no matter the hour. Cappuccino, if it is morning. I do not imagine they will think so harshly of a man of the cloth doing his best, regardless."
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - Blade - 11-18-2014
...Had he not spent centuries with Jean for company, her reaction to him might have made him push her away with enough force to send her flying off the bed. Instead, his body tensed. What she did next--the kiss and the hands smoothing down lower and closer to his derriere--made him stiffen entirely. His jaw clenched, making him frown at her explanation. Under different circumstances he might have found it pleasurable; however, the vixen was not well-known to him. The wariness bred into his very nature bubbled to the surface and screamed at him to do unsightly things to her. Age given to wisdom merely made him jerk at the second kiss. The combination of the two made him run.
In an instant the black smoke laden with twinkles of light--this time brighter than before--became his form. As he shifted from her arms and sight, the silver-golden marks along his chest, arms, and legs lit up. The smokey fog moved away from her and took form a few feet from the bed. Once he emerged from it, the twinkle and the ebony abyss dying with the action, he was back in a proper set of clothes.
Revealed were black dress slacks with shoes to match; a belt hidden by the ivory ashen vest that almost reflected dully in the lights. A suit jacket went over that and a white button up under it all. The rounded English spectacles were once more set on the bridge of his nose, not doing well enough to hide the brightness of the electric magenta eyes. Those same eyes looked down at her as he adjusted a modern-looking ascot set around his neck on the inside of his shirt; the color was laced with both black and silver, the prominent being the former to set of the color tones he'd oriented. One button was done up up; though, it hardly needed it--perhaps his hands just needed the movement.
"You may not wish to move; however, I most certainly do. Apologies, Ms. De Marucillano," though his tone was stiff, it was not unkind. "You will have to make due without me, I'm afraid. And," he decided to add as he brushed a few stray white curls from his face, "I would appreciate it if you would exercise some restraint with my person in the future."
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - Hobo_Bob - 11-18-2014
His reaction at first was grin worthy, a small twist of her lips that lead to to think that - unlike Jean - he would take time to adjust to her ways and charms. And then the way he angrily pulled away from her to stand aside with a new suit on. Very much dressed like Jean, and yet perhaps not quite as fun. Too stiff and prim. Rhys sighed and sat up, pulling her legs up to her body to held them while the blanket covered her body from the waist down. Long, teal hair curled softly at her shoulder blades while bright, glowing eyes peered at the man before her."Too sad, signore. I am eh-...awake now, but I wish I was not." a yawn covered by her knees and muffled by the blanket showed how tired she was still. But, she knew that she could not go back to sleep in an empty bed. Too many centuries sharing with someone, in their arms or just beside them.
"Go to Jean, customers eh-...need help, maybe." her hand motioned to the door, as if to shoo him off when she really wanted to pull him back with her. Pouting, she rested her cheek on her knees and closed her eyes, waiting for him to either berate her for the way she spoke to him this morning or to do as she said. If she was to stay awake, then she would need to bathe and dress before going down to help Jean.
Heaven forbid she not greet the man as she always had. A kiss to his cheek and a twirl of his hair around her finger.
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - Blade - 11-18-2014
He watched her move to sit up, yawning as she did so and then listened as she spoke. Indeed, she was pouting; it was an honest reaction to his bereft reaction to her--he could feel the sadness and a bit more quite clearly. How odd for a woman who appeared to do well with using her exterior and presence to get what she wanted from others. Though, he was learning that not all was 'to be expected' with Rhys.
He resisted the urge to give a sigh as he placed his arms behind his back, palming one fist in a vague link of hands. "How do you take your coffee?" he asked, voice not as stiff as before, but ever formal.
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - Hobo_Bob - 11-18-2014
Bright eyes peered past lashes and long bangs into Elijah's face as he stood there, staring at her for long moment. Well, he was sure going to be upset with her, wasn't it. Her arms tightened around her legs and pulled them closer while she waited for him to say something.What he said was not what was to be expected.
"Hmm....crema, uno sugar, per favore...." her smile was soft and tired, yet she didn't seem bothered by the strange, out of place question. It was morning, and coffee was usually drank in the mornings, so perhaps to him it made sense. but was he to bring it to her, or just make it and leave it in the kitchen? Did Jean allow food-....well, yes he did. Otherwise their 'dessert' play was something she dreamed out.
Maybe it was, most of her dreams were very vivid and delicious like that. To see the small but voluptuous woman, one would not think to assume she liked food as much as she did. Sweets at night, sometimes all during the day. Oh how the most delicious of treats tempted her. Not more than a kiss or a caress, but combined together was perhaps the most blissful thing anyone could ever experience.
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - jazzhands - 11-18-2014
Mark waited as the employee took his money and mentioned about there being a few books...but then they proceeded to talk about experience. He felt a need to push for seeing a book still but this started to make him feel awkward so he just nodded. "I know a couple of Italians but they are acquaintances really. I don't think they would take the time to teach me." He considered asking about the books again but he figured it was best to cut his losses and leave soon before his nerves came back in a visible form.
The employee gave him a bit more advice and Mark let himself smile briefly. "They may not think too harshly but I am my own worst critic. I shall remember caffe for now...I shall leave you to your other customer now. I fear I am interrupting something there." Mark wondered if the assumptions he made to the interaction between the employee and the strange female with a tail were fair but knew it was not really his business.
"Thank you for the book, I shall use it to knock the archbishop's socks off...or should I say, sandals! Maybe I will be back another day to bother you with more small talk and book buying. Have a good day." Mark gave a brief bow before taking the opportunity to leave and walked out of the bookshop with the facsimile in his hand. Walking down the path and getting into his Fiat Panda, Mark teased himself with the idea of getting a flashy car but knew his job would never allow for something like that.
Hittting the only number on speedial on this phone, Mark quickly got through to her. "Mr. Williams, I hope this phonecall is good news. How did you get on in the bookstore?" "I did it. I got the book and didn't stutter once. I had a bit of the shakes still but I held myself together and was the right level of confident and tame." "Excellent, our superiors will be pleased. This means you will be able to go ahead with the job today right?" Mark paused briefly to consider if he was ready but both him and his therapist knew he had to be ready. He had been given enough time to get back to normal.
"As ready as I will ever be. The book is a good enough quality that it should get me a private audience with the archbishop. I might modify the book...it depends on how good the security is." "Mr. Williams, keep me informed. Good luck." The phonecall ends and Mark takes a moment to compose himself. He has to believe he can do this. Channeling bravado, Mark starts the car and drives off.
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - Blade - 11-18-2014
He nodded once, shutting his eyes briefly as he did so. "A cup shall await your presence downstairs, Ms. De Marucillano. Assuming that your having a shower this morning, shall I give it one half an hour before readying it?" While it was true Elijah would offer nearly anyone a cup of coffee in the morning, even those he would consider his enemy, he had done thus for Rhys for his own reasons.
Admittedly, she did look tired. Exhaustion wasn't something he was entirely alien to, even if it was felt differently for one such as himself.
As he waited for her answer his mind traveled and he reached out towards the other rooms n the bookstore--seeking out Jean's presence and whatever other visitor he could find. Two others and his master were wandering about--someone new and the cat again. Rylan, if he was correct. He didn't like the way she had made Jean feel, even if it had nothing to do with her personally. Hopefully, the fox would soon get over it... whatever it was that nagged at him... what they still needed to speak of.
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - Hobo_Bob - 11-18-2014
Rhys sighed and swayed a little this way and that, thinking about what he was asking. And what he was suggesting. For her to be dressed and ready in half an hour so her coffee would be hot and fresh. Not a terrible thing to have a time restriction, but this morning was perhaps not the best for such a thing.But, he was being...kind in a way. That was more than she has ever had from the man before. She supposed it would be best to do as he asked, seeing as should she wait any longer, the day would be gone. "Si, I be ready by then..."
Her legs straightened first, stretching them out and flexing while her arms reached upwards to the ceiling. A good yawn while she stretched her limbs and rotated her back. She felt as if she had slept on solid hard wood flooring. That glow she had on her skin seemed dull and there was no vibrancy to it. Rhys fell to her side on the bed, her legs still covered by the blanket. "....I try, maybe..."
Another yawn escaped her lips as she sat up quickly and forced her feet to carry her into the bathroom. There, she could shower and dress. Perhaps not as fancy as Jean or Elijah, but an outfit Jean must have picked out on a whim.
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - Blade - 11-20-2014
Elijah watched her sway, and then a brow rose as she dropped to the floor in a heap of limbs and sheets. Her eyes looked as though she needed the coffee from too many spirits or too little sleep--perhaps a natural combination of the two. He gave a sigh--finally--and shut his eyes just briefly as she got up and moved to the bathroom like a zombie.
"...An hour then, Ms. De Marucillano," he rectified upon her state of affairs. "One hour should be sufficient for an estimate." The last of it was said as she got into the bathroom, his voice elevating so she could hear him. He gave the entrance to said bathroom one final look with a frown before leaving entirely.
He adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose once after closing the bedroom door and before entering the stairway down to the lower floor. He wasn't harried in his movements, nor was he entirely slow. The motion was smooth and with purpose--even as he entered the main part of the bookshop through the only door leading from the hallway.
Presently, his eyes traveled the room in search for Jean.
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - megs - 11-21-2014
Her ears twitched to the sound of the door as the clergyman made his exit. She would have felt a tad rude for simply ignoring him, had he been her concern at all. The man had come looking for a book, and she did not work here. She owed little to anyone. A selfish way of thinking, but she made a bad habit of it when it suited her.
She heard someone approaching; she smelled him, but never saw him. Bookshelves blocked her view of the connecting entryway. Elijah. Her ears fell to either side and she closed the book in her lap. She turned her head to throw chartreuse oculars over her shoulder to where Jean was standing. Her tail had stopped it's gentle swaying, the tip poised at attention above her head. She had been getting the sinking feeling that Elijah did not care for her, these past few days. It was a bit unsettling, since she did not know what she had done to earn such concerns.
The demon retreated as Rylan stood, fully aware that both Elijah and Jean could sense it if it wasn't careful. It had no intentions of revealing itself just, yet. Wanting to save such a revelation for more dramatic timing. It did love making an entrance.
Smoothing out her skirt, Rylan held the book in the crook of her elbow. Tail swung lazily behind her knees. "That went well," she muses, making a habit of looking everywhere, but directly at Jean. She didn't elaborate on her point, only moved to hold the book against her chest like a shield, she sounded embarrassed for saying anything at all. "Ah. Anyway. Coffee sounds nice."
Tsundoku - Antique and Well-Loved Books - Tindome - 11-21-2014
Another satisfied customer. This one satisfied simply for his purchase, for once. What a charming change of pace. And he felt so marvelously triumphant when he was done, though that anxiety had intruded again near the end. It would be nice to know if the book worked as the man had hoped. He would feel an odd sense of pleasure, himself, if it did, as if it was his own success in having recommended it.
He sensed the approach of Elijah, having already disappointed poor Rhys. He did so enjoy to do that, Elijah. Not deliberately, but he hadn't quite managed to get the hang of her yet. Not like Jean, who gave his affections so freely as to render them near worthless.
"It did, at that," he said as he turned his attention back to Rylan, still not letting her eyes meet his own. He was still failing utterly at not noticing how poorly her skirt hid her legs, that bit of sweetness in her. He shouldn't have wanted her. It wasn't good for either of them. He would find no absolution between her thighs, much as he ached to give her what she wanted, an apology for the one he couldn't.
Days had been enough to notice all the little differences, but perhaps that was poor self-justification. Perhaps he only told himself that because she was shapely and submissive and sweet, and those were things that drew him like flowers to sunlight.
"Coffee, then," he decided, as he turned to step near to where Elijah was waiting. He came close to him, caught his chin between his fingertips and pressed a brief kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Elijah, dear," he said, distracting as best he could from Elijah's unkind feelings toward the women in his home, "I am going to retrieve some coffee for Mademoiselle Rylan. So long as you have escaped Signorina's affections, would it be terrible to ask you to watch the store for me? Only until I have finished in the kitchen, mellīte."
He sensed the approach of Elijah, having already disappointed poor Rhys. He did so enjoy to do that, Elijah. Not deliberately, but he hadn't quite managed to get the hang of her yet. Not like Jean, who gave his affections so freely as to render them near worthless.
"It did, at that," he said as he turned his attention back to Rylan, still not letting her eyes meet his own. He was still failing utterly at not noticing how poorly her skirt hid her legs, that bit of sweetness in her. He shouldn't have wanted her. It wasn't good for either of them. He would find no absolution between her thighs, much as he ached to give her what she wanted, an apology for the one he couldn't.
Days had been enough to notice all the little differences, but perhaps that was poor self-justification. Perhaps he only told himself that because she was shapely and submissive and sweet, and those were things that drew him like flowers to sunlight.
"Coffee, then," he decided, as he turned to step near to where Elijah was waiting. He came close to him, caught his chin between his fingertips and pressed a brief kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Elijah, dear," he said, distracting as best he could from Elijah's unkind feelings toward the women in his home, "I am going to retrieve some coffee for Mademoiselle Rylan. So long as you have escaped Signorina's affections, would it be terrible to ask you to watch the store for me? Only until I have finished in the kitchen, mellīte."