Outside Black Books, early on Tuesday.

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

Late the previous evening, Manny had been seen walking through the streets of the town, sobbing quietly to himself. He didn't even have enough defocussed temporal perception to dodge the occasional pretty box of sweet cookies, flying through the air to concuss the unwary pedestrian. He arrived back at the shop, went to his room, and sat down at his drawing board. He worked through the night, through his tears.

Early on Tuesday morning, a new sign appears outside the shop. The lettering is beautiful.

Black Books Bernard Black, proprietor Second hand books for sale Opening hours unpredictable Evil smooth bastard girlfriend-stealing blond English 14th century poets not welcome under any circumstances

Comments

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

*Paige stands outside the shop looking very worried and nervous, but shye knows she has to sort this out before she can see geoff_chaucer again. She takes a a few deep breaths and enters the shop*

M-Manny?

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

*There is a strong smell of coffee. Manny has tidied the shop. In a box in the middle of the floor are about a dozen books -- mostly, it seems, 14th century English poetry.*

*A small bottle of paraffin and a box of matches are on the table.*

*Manny is nowhere to be seen*

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

*Paige looks down at the box and sees a drawing of her boyfriend, she smiles slightly, then notices the matchs not a good sign she thinks*

*She calls again* Manny I'm not leaving til you come down here and talk to me

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

*Manny comes in*

*He sees Paige. He looks away.*

*He starts arranging some books on one of the shelves.*

Nice of you to come round. Not much for you to do her today, we're not very busy.

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

Manny I need to talk to you about last night at Geoff's. Were, were you there to get a poem written for me?

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

*Manny takes a book off the shelf, stares intently at the spine, replaces it.*

I was. It's a bit ... academic now, though.

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

*Paige looks worried again* I had no idea Manny, I mean you're sweet but, well there's the age difference for a start *Paige hopes Manny isn't aware Geoff is at least 10 years older than her*
I-I didn't mean to fall in love with Geoff, in just sort of happened

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

*Manny starts on another shelf*

Sweet ... great. Thanks. And too old. Right.

Lots of things like that "just happen". You do love him, then? And he loves you back?

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

*Paige blushes* Yes I do and I think he loves me, he wants to go out with me so that's a start right?

*Paige looks close to tears* I'm really sorry Manny, I didn't mean to upset anyone .I was going to tell you about Geoff today even if you hadn't come into the shop. I'm sorry. Please don't hate me

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

I don't think I can hate you.

*pauses in the arranging of the books*

Getting upset is a stupid thing to do.

*attacks the shelf with renewed vigour*
*hopes Paige doesn't ask about hating anyone else*

*pauses again*

You'll still work here, yes?

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

*Paige smiles slightly* Yes I'll keep wokring here that's ok with you. I do enjoy spending time here Manny.

*While Manny's busy she quickly sneeks one of the books from the box into her bag*

So everything's ok then Manny? We can still be friends?

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you like it here. *wry smile* We can still be friends, I hope.

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

*Paige smiles* I really do! So is there anything I can do while I'm here?

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

I'm just getting books back into order. The few customers that Bernard lets in never put them back in the right place. I've done *glances left* these ones so far -- architecture, biology, chemistry, and I'm half-way through ... *he glances up* demonology. *sudden surprised look* How did we end up with a demonology department?

If you want to start over there, we can meet in the middle somewhere.

*he looks at the box on the floor, and then at the bottle and matches*

I need to pop out to do something later, will you be okay here on your own?

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

*Paige forces a smile* Yeah I'll be fine Manny, I'm sure I can deal with Bernard if he wakes up. I'll start on these books now

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

*takes consolation from working alongside Paige*

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

[OOC: *laughing hysterically* Awesome sign]

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

[OOC - *bows*]

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

(ooc -Yeah I was gonna wait til our convo was done to comment. Geoff's having a bad time. Spike called him a wanker last night!)

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

[ooc: He did what? :( My feelings are hurt. And I thought Spike and I were going to be such good friends, on account of our shared love of poetry.]

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

(ooc since Spike's poetry is well know for being crap he's obviously very jealous, plus he may have thought Paige liked him (not that anything had ever happened)

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

[OOC - Still plenty of scope for misunderstanding, though]

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

(ooc well there might have been slight flirting *innocent look*, but that was the old Paige)

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

[ooc: can you send me a link to that so I can see it? just curious.]

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

It's here I think http://www.livejournal.com/community/fandomtownies/57654.html, plus there's a convo Paige had with Maia - http://www.livejournal.com/community/fandomtownies/58835.html

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

OOC - While we're trading links, I've just posted this:
http://www.livejournal.com/community/fandomtownies/70177.html

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

[OOC: Can I steal the language from your sign? I just had the idea to get someone to make me an icon! :D]

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

[OOC - Please do.]