OOM: Everything will always be all right

[herr_bookman]

"I swear, I've passed this fountain thrice already," Autor mutters, wrinkling his nose at his map of Vane, one of Lunar's capital cities.

Mia had told him to go browse for flying carpets on his day off, so here he is, wandering around downtown and losing hope in finding the store he had set out to find. He sees groomed courtyards, crowded marketplaces, and a particularly gorgeous fresco of Althena, the local goddess, but nothing to do with airborne rugs.

Autor frowns. All of this walking around is exacerbating the pinches in his legs, sore from a new morning run routine. Needless to say, the kid is stumped and irascible--something he's thinking about working out on the stupid fountain which he has now passed for the fourth time.

Comments

[iambetadraconis]

"A young man who spends most of his days in the library is telling me we've used too many words tonight?"

He is Highly Amused.

"I guess you, as a bibliophile, would know things like this." Pause. "What do you think of them? Your truffles?"

[herr_bookman]

Autor bristles and takes another bite. "If we were in the library, I would have told you to shut up a long time ago," he says loftily. "And there's a difference between reading words and speaking them: one wears on me and the other doesn't."

Thanks for suddenly reminding him of how tired he is, Rabastan. Gosh.

At the otter-man's inquiry into the quality of Autor's food, the boy smiles. Its wistful, almost fond. "They're better than I thought they'd be," he says shyly, thinking of bakers that rise with the sun and magical princesses on a hunt.

Then he snaps to focus. "I'd ask you how your food is, but you haven't eaten any of it."

[iambetadraconis]

"Of course there is. Of course you would."

No, he doesn't believe you. Not really.

"And when did you start caring that I eat anything? No, don't tell me I'm 'wasting food'. It's a little more than just simple waste."

Has Autor started to give a damn?

[herr_bookman]

"Stop being so condescending," Autor says. He is so done with this conversation. So done.

He scribbles down a quick, "I apologize," on a napkin and passes it over. "Here. This should help with whatever explanation you have to give to Elea."

Now to flag down a waiter and ask for a box...

[iambetadraconis]

"Wouldn't you know all about condescension..," he mutters loud enough for Autor to hear.

"I'll make sure she gets this."

I don't think she'll be angry with you, but I do think she will be disappointed.

"You know, you can visit me while you're staying here. The house won't be hard to find."

[herr_bookman]

Truth is, he doesn't mind the condescension, or the banter. He's just plum tuckered out. Making nice is tough.

"Maybe," he says, standing. And now he dithers for a bit, plucking at his sleeve. He doesn't do goodbyes. But is one needed in this case? What on moon do I say?

Eventually, he settles for a firm nod. "Rabastan."

[iambetadraconis]

The smile Autor gets is full of good humour.

"That's the name my parents gave me, yes."

He fishes out his wallet where the picture of his home is kept. And shows it to Autor.

People today would recognise it as a replica of the famous "Falling Water" home, but Rabastan has no idea of how well-known it is. He picked it out because he liked it.

"Stop by whenever you wish. I don't have much in terms of books, but there might be something for you to read while you're there."

[herr_bookman]

From tears to that. "Hmph! I don't understand you at all," Autor says, in a manner less aggrieved than he'd like.

He glances over the picture of Rabastan's home and raises a brow. "Hm. That's rather impressive," he says, clearly wondering whether or not the home market in Vane is deflated, and what Rabastan's finances are like, given that he needed a job, and...

"You'd better get some more books," he says, and pops his little nose in the air. "Those are good for you."

[iambetadraconis]

"And I don't understand you either, so we're even."

The house was a gift. If you stop by, he'll tell you that. As part of the tour.

"How about you bring some with you when you decide to visit? It'll have the added benefit of being something you'll want to read while you're there."

[herr_bookman]

Amd Autor grins. "Given that I have sixty-two currently on my person, that won't be a problem."

Then he draws back, shedding his cocky demeanor like a second skin. "Elea is in town. I assume shell be at the house? Which is fine, obviously, it's your house, but I wouldn't want her to--well, for me to chase her off again."

[iambetadraconis]

"You're going to have to show me where you keep them, since I can't name anything magical that you can use."

He slips his wand out, so that he can warm his food up. Then finally sets to eating.

If he's eating, his moods must've recovered.

"She's staying at my house for a few days." Pause. "Don't worry; she's the forgiving type. Once she's been given your message I'm sure you'll be back in her good graces again."

Here he's eating as if his moods never went south.

"I think she likes you. Not as much as me—obviously, but she likes you. And she wouldn't try to help us patch things up if she didn't like either of us."

[herr_bookman]

Autor sniffs contemptuously. "I might not now, if you're going to say things like that."

Ah, he's eating. Good.

He snorts at Rabastan's assurances about Elea. "She doesn't need to forgive me. It's not like I need to be liked." Especially if it means it raises the likelihood of our being 'helped' again.

The boy tips his head. "I'm working at the library with Majesty Lemia Ausa, and you're at the carpet shop here, so now we know how to find each other should such be necessary." He's not quite sure how he feels about that yet.

"Small moon, isn't it? Um. Have a nice dinner," he says, and saunters off before he chews on his toes anymore.

[iambetadraconis]

"I told you, she wasn't—" he starts, but it looks like Autor's out of range already.

Damn.

He resumes his dinner, thinking of just what he's going to say to Elea.

It's possible he might have downplayed her reaction a bit...