herr_bookman | OOM: Everything will always be all right

Entry tags:

OOM: Everything will always be all right

"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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"As a matter of fact..."

Standing at a seemingly unassuming building, she rings the bell outside the door three times to let Gideon—and, more importantly, Rabastan—know that she's here.

"Ah, Elea," says the elderly man. "He's been waiting to see you—"

He eyes Autor, and adjusts his glasses.

"Are you coming in too, young man? Elea didn't say anything about bringing someone with her..."

"He's here to look at your carpets."

"Is he then? Good good. Come in, both of you."

Autor makes a note on his map while the introductions are made. He's almost grateful to the nameless woman; he never would have found the place otherwise.

All right, fine. He'll whisper a quiet, "thank you," at her elbow.

He nods at the man's inquiry. "I am, but I confess I don't know too much about them. Is there someone I could talk to with a basic understanding of the models you carry?"

A whispered "You're quite welcome" is returned.

Gideon, meanwhile, is standing a little straighter.

"Actually, lad, that would be me." Pause. "Come. Let me show you around. See if we can find you something?"

Elea, meanwhile, is making her way towards a door at the back of the store. Since Rabastan hasn't been called out yet, he's taking a break from his duties to enjoy a snack in the back room.

There's a somewhat inaudible greeting, and she steps through...

"So. What would you like to know?"

Goodness, Gideon, that is just about the worst question to ask. Autor pulls out a brochure that Mia gave him, and gestures to the notes he's peppered throughout.

He wants to know about size, speed, cost, difficulty of breaking in a used carpet, current inventory and how often the store restocks, and oh, yes, how are your payment plans?

Be prepared to haggle, too.

"In essence, something used, but reliable," Autor says. "The looks don't matter, as long as I can fly in it."

Then he tilts his head and cracks a sheepish grin. "And preferably? Fast. But mostly reliable."

Are you kidding? This is like a Christmas gift to him.

So while Gideon talks carpets with Autor, Elea is chatting with Rabastan—

—into the shoulder she's snugging against.

It's the sort of conversation that's likely to make Autor sick, and since it's idle talk, there's no need to repeat any of it.

Meanwhile, Gideon is going on at length about the history of the store, which, while somewhat embellished, is proving to be quite informative.

Autor nods politely, and jots down some notes. He's actually fairly interested in the establishment itself, as it's part of the architecture of Vane--but then again, he's fairly interested in a lot of things.

Eventually, he's ready to take his leave, and indicates such. "Well, I'm fairly satisfied, thank you. I'm looking to make a final purchase in a couple of weeks, so I'll return then, Sir...?"

If he can't make a sale now, he's going to at least get Autor to sample the wares.

"Do you not want to see what's on offer first, lad, if you do not want to buy now?"

No one gives out their names! Autor can't decide if that trait amongst Vanetians--which mirrors his own--is annoying or admirable.

"I was under the impression that a carpet had to be broken in," Autor says, clasping his hands behind his back. "What do you mean by, 'sampling the wares'?"

Vanetians are legendary/notorious for being a bit cool towards outsiders.

"If you're not paying me now, lad, I'd like to know which one you want if you want it to still be here when you pay me in full."

Be prepared to make a down payment if you do. He has a business to run, and it doesn't run on unsold merchandise.

Autor smiles. It's not a mean smile, really. It's just not a very nice one.

"I am fairly flexible," he says smoothly, and glances at his notes. "You have the range of merchandise I expected you to have, and I've already checked them against my notes. I'll return in a few weeks, as I've said. Should I find something, I'll pay in full."

He tilts his head. "Unless, of course, you have some options in the backroom which I've not yet seen?"

"I'm impressed, lad. Most people who come in here expect me to do most of the decision-making."

You have no idea how gratifying Gideon finds it to have an educated customer walk through his door.

Assuming that look of "I don't know" only an experienced merchant can assume, Gideon appears to be seriously contemplating the matter of whether Autor should be let into the back of his shop or not.

"Well, lad. I don't normally show people what I have in the back room, but for you I might make an exception...

"Mind, the things back there might cost a little more."

Haggling? You'd better be good at that Autor if you want anything from there.

Autor both grins and wrinkles his nose at the comment. I bet your favorite thing to decide is how heavy their pockets are before they leave.

"Thank you," he says politely as he follows Gideon's lead to the back. "There are few merchants wise enough to listen to their customers. I appreciate your making this an expedient process."

High praise.

Don't make that sound so perverse Autor. He has to make a living somehow.

Before Rabastan took up employment in the shop, Gideon was not much in the habit of knocking on the doors in his own store, but a light tapping on the wood tells Rabastan that whatever he's up to when not doing his job, it's time to end it and get ready to work.

And, um, for him and Elea to straighten themselves up before he enters.

"Could you bring in one of the carpets that just came in?" Gideon asks of his employee as soon as he and Autor enter the room...

The boy just about chokes when his gaze fixes on the wizard. Of all the--! Truth be told, he'd completely forgotten that the clumsy oaf lived in Vane.

He has a vague thought acknowledging that Rabastan appears strangely cheerful, but shoves that away in favor of tilting his chin and giving the man the coldest smile he can conjure up.

Autor then flicks his gaze over to Elea, looking her over from head to toes in the context of this new information. Slightly flushed cheeks, flirty smile, hair still moving from where she'd patted it down. She couldn't have known my relation to Rabastan; she would have brought me right to him, he thinks, and narrows his eyes. So who are you?

Finally, he clasps his arms behind his back and turns back to Gideon. "I've learned quite a bit on this trip. I'm looking forward to seeing what else this shop holds."

Edited 2013-03-27 07:45 (UTC)

Smiling at Gideon and Autor, Elea makes her way to the opposite end of the room, giving Autor a smile as she passes him.

Gideon meanwhile is clearing away a few things to make room for the inspection of merchandise.

It's when their backs are turned that Autor is given a very angry look in return. His eyes seem to have a light of their own that makes their yellow colour stand out more. He bares his teeth in a sharp grimace, and for a moment looks like a dog with its ears pinned back.

A wolf.

How dare? Here? What? Arrogant child! What is Mia thinking letting him of all people into Vane?

"Of course, Gideon."

He has the impulse to bring out one that hasn't been prepped by Gideon to look a combination of "gently used" and "aging gracefully", then shelves it.

He has no intentions of losing his job because of a moment of pettiness.

Stepping into a room just off to the side where deliveries are brought, "Right away."

It's another five minutes before a carpet is levitated into the back room. Four and a half more than was strictly necessary.

Autor now has a theory, and like all of his theories, he's going to test it immediately. When Elea passes, he offers her not only a nod, but a smile in return. A very pointed, very fond smile.

The boy raises a brow at Rabastan's fury, before turning his head with a quiet, "hmph." He steps back, allowing him to pass, and spends the five minutes hastily scribbling down notes.

When Rabastan returns, he appears aloof, unruffled, and clearly pleased. "Any particular reason you picked this one?" he asks lightly.

There's a look of—no, not jealousy but pain and maybe a worried sense of fear in his eyes—when Autor gives Elea his smile.

Briefly.

Before the carpet is retrieved.

"Gideon will want to show you his better wares," is the terse response.

"Yes, yes. Set it down here would you Rabastan, so the young lad can see it?"

That... was not the reaction Autor was expecting. Oh, now that's interesting. Does he see me as a threat to her? The jigsaw pieces of the woman snap into place: mussed hair. Flushed cheeks. Important to Rabastan.

Elea, he thinks, and has to smother a laugh. Of course.

Autor keeps Rabastan in the corner of his eye as he inspects the carpet. "Why are you charging six thousand more silver for this one when I saw a similar one in the front room? What makes this one different?" he asks curiously.

Only the threat of loss, if there is a threat being posed.

Rabastan's life has been marked by a lot of pain, loss and hardship. Good things—if there were any—were few and far between, and when you get them, you should enjoy them and not question whatever good fortune you've been given.

And when even your future—your very normal future, where plans did not go unfulfilled—was taken from you at the end of a series of very bad errors in judgement, you learn to be ready for the day your next loss comes.

He stands to the side, waiting for Gideon to ask him to bring something else out to inspect, as he tries not to indulge his melancholy.

Gideon, though, remains completely oblivious.

"This one is more recently made, lad," he explains.

Autor isn't sure what to make of this change in the wizard. One moment he was nearly shaking with rage, and now he's sucking the light out of the room. The boy sits back, taking in Rabastan's slumped posture and the way he stares at the floor.

"I see," he whispers.

Then, after a bit, he smiles at Gideon. "And how reliable is this one, as opposed to the one in the front room which may as well be its double?"

"Spells, lad. The spells on carpets differ between those that are older, and those that are newer."

There's a bit of rambling elaboration, while Rabastan continues to brood under his proverbial rain cloud.

Unbeknownst to all, Elea seems to have both noticed the change in mood and feel enough concern to want to ask about it later, when they're at his house...

Autor nods and jots down some notes, cross-checking them against the ones he took on the carpets from the front room. Eventually, he leans forward, and picks at the edges of the current offering.

"Seems I've a lot to think about, then," he says softly. "So, I'll make a decision tonight, based on my notes and a second opinion from a colleague of mine. Then I'll return tomorrow to place a down payment for one I'll pay for in full in a few weeks."

He's almost looking forward to the haggling. He offers his hand to Gideon, and after shaking it, offers the moody spell-caster a sharp nod.

Taking his cue, Rabastan moves over to help Gideon put the carpet away, before the older man moves to usher everyone out of the back room, following behind the other three.

Turns out that he was more aware of the mood swing than he let on.

"Why don't you and your lady head on home, eh?" he suggests. "It's almost time for me to close, and if you're not feeling well I'll handle the cleaning tonight."

"Sure. Of course."

"Good good. And I'll see you in a couple of days, then."

Oh, that's interesting, too, the boy thinks, raising a brow at Gideon's handling Rabastan with kid gloves. He's not that fragile.

Lohengrin's flinch skitters across Autor's memory, and he jerks to a stop. No, he's not. Is he?

Drawing a breath through his nose, Autor continues walking towards the front door. He spares a backward glance for Elea, expecting to see her at Rabastan's side.

And she is. As close as you'd expect any normal couple to be. As if Rabastan's mood hadn't changed. No attempts to soothe or placate are made.

As they get closer to him she gives Autor just the faintest of inclinations that he should follow them once they're outside.

While she's not completely sure, she has a hunch that whatever just happened in the shop has something to do with her.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject