InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Welcome to my filthy mind."

Morgan Freeman (sweetwaterkill) wrote in paxletalelogs,
@ 2010-10-18 09:56:00

Entry tags:

jormungandr, mania

Who: Dorcas & Adam
What: Dorcas makes a delivery to a bookshop owner and runs into Adam.
Where: A bookshop
When: Sunday October 17th, Afternoonish
Warnings: tbd?

Although Dorcas was not meant to be working on the weekends, her boss had asked her to make a delivery if she was headed a certain direction. She was so she did. She had picked up the book that morning and had painstakingly made sure that it was wrapped in soft leather and placed carefully in a reinforced satchel. There would be no damage to this book at her expense, thank you. Especially since this book delivery was getting her a small bonus if successful. Of course, who was going to rob a pink haired girl with a satchel that could brain a man? (Okay, exaggeration. Whatever.)

So that was why she was standing at the counter of a particular bookshop, looking extremely awkward and clutching the bag. She was also kind of arguing with the clerk who was behind the counter. He wanted her to give him the book to give to the boss. She refused considering this was a very rare and expensive book. It should be delivered directly. He was pressing his advantage since she was stammering and kind of shrinking into herself. Damn the dominant types.

"Look, just give it to me and I'll get it to my boss," the clerk said. There was no please and his tone was overly firm like he was talking to a small child who was pissing him off but he just didn't want to smack it.

Dorcas looked like she was about to cry with frustration, "N-no, I n-need to deliver it d-directly!" She was trying so hard. It was cute.

(Post a new comment)

jormungandr
2010-10-18 03:43 pm UTC (link)

Ordinarily Adam would have found no cause to intercede in such an argument, one-sided though it was. He recognized neither the clerk nor the girl, and though the former was being undeniably rude the disagreement hardly seemed it would come to blows. But the longer their uncomfortable back-and-forth continued the more it seemed the girl was being pushed to truly needless levels of anxiety over her sizable burden, and at last Adam's conscience - and no small degree of curiosity - got the better of him. Still loosely cradling the last book he had perused, he sidled up to the counter, a disarmingly pleasant half-smile quirking at his lips.

"No offense, but it can't be that hard to call back to the office and get your boss." Adam arched a brow, his black gaze flicking to the telephone that peeked out from a mound of applications and outdated sale fliers. "Or just walk back there. It'd get her out of your hair quicker, right? Then you can get back to reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies or whatever you've got back there."

(Reply to this) (Thread)

sweetwaterkill
2010-10-19 03:17 am UTC (link)

Dorcas backed up enough to bump up against the counter, back to the clerk and staring at the man who had come to her rescue. She clutched the bag a bit tighter. God only knew if he was one of those book snipers. There were tales of rare volumes being stolen from couriers who were left bloody in the street. People could be psychotic about rare books.

The clerk glared at the guy but he knew a self-assured person when he heard one and disappeared from the counter with a growl of annoyance. That guy was so going to get fired once Dorcas's employer heard about this. She licked her lips lightly and started softly, "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is as boring as the original." Blushing a little, she stared at her toes, "Th-thank you. For the help."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

jormungandr
2010-10-19 03:20 pm UTC (link)

"No problem," he said. "And I imagine that book was pretty terrible. I'm more Brontë than Austen anyway, and if they ever make Heathcliff or Catherine zombies I'll set something on fire." His smile had deepened to its more typical amused smirk; he canted his head to one side, peering down at her hidden eyes. "I'm Adam." After a moment's consideration he leaned up against the counter, quite content to wait until the clerk returned. The girl had dealt with the issue well enough with backup, and so backup she would have. "So what's in the bag?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sweetwaterkill
2010-10-19 07:00 pm UTC (link)

"It was an a-amusing idea but it got overdone real fast. R-right about the time the r-random soldier gets f-flogged for shagging a h-headless corpse." She wasn't about to start saying anything about Bronte. Those sorts of books had never really interested her. "Dorcas," she replied softly, feeling like she should have been named Eve or something else ironic. Maybe she was more of a Lilith. She twisted her fingers in the straps of the satchel, not sure if she should tell him. Actually she knew she shouldn't tell him but he had been so kind and he didn't have to be. Sigh. "It's a first edition of Victor Hugo's Notre-Dame de Paris."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

jormungandr
2010-10-19 08:09 pm UTC (link)

He made no comment on her name, dated though it might have been, and though the stutter was hard to miss he passed over it as if she had spoken with perfect clarity. Tyler and his ilk had long ago taught him just how annoying nitpicking obvious targets could be, and he had no intention of repeating their mistakes. The book was by far a more interesting topic at any rate, and it was to this he turned his attention now, dark eyes widening faintly as he peered toward the bag. "I'd ask to see it, but I'm pretty sure I know what your answer's going to be," he said, a teasing lilt bleeding into his tone. "Can't blame you, though. Do you run these errands often?" Black-lacquered nails tapped idly at the counter. "Seems like it'd be a slow business, dealing in books that expensive."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sweetwaterkill
2010-10-20 02:20 am UTC (link)

Ridiculously dated. She was so used to people commenting on it that it came as a surprise that Adam did not. However, she said nothing. She wasn't about to ask for teasing... What sane person did that? Laughing softly, she answered anyway, "Yeah, no. No seeing the book." Dorcas tucked her hair behind her ears, glancing in the direction that the clerk had run off in. What was taking so long? "Well most of our books are in the one hundred to fifty dollar range so it's a special thing when we get a 13 thousand dollar book or a 100 thousand dollar one. And I don't really do the drop offs, no. But I'm getting a bonus because my boss is off to Moscow today."

The clerk was coming back with no sign of anyone behind him - at least for a second. And in that second, Dorcas had sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and was worrying her lip ring between her teeth. But a moment after that, his boss appeared, heading straight for the counter. "Miss Carrigan, I'm so sorry," he said to her.

"That's alright," she said softly but was interrupted by a, "No, it isn't. And it won't happen again." Dorcas smiled briefly and started unbuckling the satchel. They had already received payment so all she had to do was deliver it. When she set the book on the counter, it felt like the man practically attacked it but all he did was gently unwrap the soft leather. "There it is... One more step in your collection." When Dorcas talked business, there was an ease to her speech that wasn't normally there.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

jormungandr
2010-10-20 01:07 pm UTC (link)

Adam peered across the counter, trying his damndest to get even the smallest view of this outrageously priced collector's item, so precious he was even denied overt perusal of it. His efforts were to no avail, and soon enough he gave up altogether, turning instead to the conversation at hand. It was remarkable how the girl's stammering self consciousness faded when she felt in her element, as thoroughly as if a switch had been flicked somewhere in her mind. Adam's lips pursed at the thought, his dark brow shaping a soft and quizzical arch.

He held his silence as their transaction went on. When at last their business appeared to be concluded he pushed off from the counter, ready to make himself scarce or continue the conversation depending on the girl's apparent preference. "I'd like to see what else is on a shopping list that includes a first edition Hugo," he said. "Interesting line of work you're in."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sweetwaterkill
2010-10-20 01:20 pm UTC (link)

She was all too aware of Adam's presence pressing in and trying for a peek. Dorcas smiled to herself, amused at how badly he wanted to see this particular volume. Honestly, it shouldn't have even been unwrapped in the public area. It should've been taken to a safe environment first with the rest of the collection. Still, she could understand the excitement. A short exchange of goodbyes followed as the bookshop owner wrapped the book up and whacked the clerk on the back of the head (mostly for show). Dorcas lifted a hand to her mouth, finger curling over her lips as she stifled a giggle.

Her attention went back to Adam when he spoke up again. "Mostly other Hugo books," she told him with a little shrug. It wasn't like they had some confidentiality agreement. "I just handle the phones and account books. It's my boss that has the interesting part. He's kind of like a book sniper and travels all over the world wheeling and dealing and thieving." What? She wasn't going to lie for the guy. "Um... Thank you a-again. For your help. I d-don't know how I can repay you."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

jormungandr
2010-10-20 02:48 pm UTC (link)

The lift to his brow grew significantly, but Dorcas passed over that most interesting, potentially fabricated tidbit as if it meant nothing at all. For the moment Adam chose not to belabor the point; if, later, an opportunity presented itself for them to delve back into such curious topics, he would be sure to take it.

He shrugged airily. "No need," he said. "I didn't do anything but come up and stand next to you. Some people just need a little extra push, is all."