Aereopagitica; Saturday [ 10-2 ]

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

Once he arrived and opened the store up, Alphonse decided to do a little organizing here and there before taking the usual seat behind the counter.

Comments

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

Setsuna was trying to think of something else that might compliment the tarot cards she was going to be sending to Konoka-Ojou-sama and thought a book might be just the ticket, so she found her way to the bookstore.

"Oh! Alphonse! You're...working here?"

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

Alphonse looked upon hearing not just his name, but a familiar voice as well. "Setsuna, hi!" he greeted. "Yeah, I do now. I started last week."

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

Setsuna was trying to hold back a very telling grin over her thoughts about holding back comments about this particular place of employment for Alphonse.

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Alphonse said, knowing that look all too well.

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

Setsuna chuckled. "I'm sorry; I can't help it. It really is a rather perfect job for you, then."

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"I like it," he replied with a beaming look. "And when it's slow, there's a lot to look into-- but that aside, you're probably here for a reason, huh?"

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

Chuckling a bit more, Setsuna nodded. "Yes. I picked up some tarot cards for Konoka-Ojou-sama when I visited Ami-chan the other day at the Magic Box, and was thinking of maybe sending a book along with it for her as well..."

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"Tarot cards..." Alphonse trailed off thoughtfully before he remembered. "Oh, right, I think I remember what those are. You wanted something related to that?"

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps," Setsuna nodded. "Or perhaps, if you have any books written in Japanese, maybe those would be nice, too, even if not topical."

There was a moment's thought. "Actually, might want to stick to English. Her father has been very into making sure she strengthens it a bit more."

And impressing Elder Konoe was almost as important as impressing Konoka herself...

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

Alphonse nodded. "Okay, good. I'm not sure how well I'd be able to help you with anything in another language."

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

"English it is, then," Setsuna nodded with a small smile. "Although perhaps something with more pictures than the others..."

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"That could work. I think there's stuff about that over, um..." Alphonse got up from the counter and began to walk further into the store, looking over shelves carefully while he was at it. "Would these work?" he asked, waving a hand from where he was.

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

Setsuna followed Alphonse, idly glancing at all the spines of the books surrounding them with vague intrigue before they got to the section. She inspected these ones further, and, poising a finger near one of them, turned to Alphonse and asked, "May I? Have a look at it?"

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"Oh, sure, of course," Alphonse said, stepping back to give her some room. "You can take a look at whatever you want."

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

Setsuna nodded, and gave Alphonse a small smile before pulling the book from the shelf and flipping through it a little, then taking up another, doing the same, with a thoughtful little hum.

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

Curiously, Alphonse craned his head to see better over Setsuna's shoulder from where he was, attempting to look at what she was skimming over as well. Then he realized it may have been a bit intrusive, so he stepped back out of the aisle. "Oh, um-- I won't bother you while you're looking. I could wait at the front counter, in case you need anything."

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no, it's all right, Alphonse!" Setsuna said quickly. "You can stay if you'd like! Err, um...well, unless...you...think you should? I...wouldn't want to keep you from your work at all."

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"Ah, well, I don't really have anything to do at the moment..." Alphonse glanced behind him; there wasn't anyone else around, so he figured it wouldn't hurt. "I just don't want to distract you from looking."

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

"It's just looking, Alphonse," Setsuna said with a small grin, tucking in that last book and chosing another. "It isn't as though it takes up a lot of concentration."

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"Sorry," Alphonse replied sheepishly. "I guess I'm fretting over nothing."

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

With a duck of her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Setsuna blushingly admitted to herself that it seem a little silly of Alphonse to fret about something like that at all, but it was pretty cute. She bit her lip, and opened the book in her hands to have a look.

"Oh," she commented, "this one does have rather nice pictures..."

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"What's that one?" Alphonse asked, going back to peering over her shoulder.

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

"Ummm..." Setsuna marked the page she was looking at with a finger before closing it to the cover and reading off the made up title. "Oh! A History of Tarot Card Art. That explains all the pictures..."

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"She's into all that magic stuff, right?" Alphonse took a quick glance at the other books on the shelf before returning his eyes to the one Setsuna held. "That sounds like it could benefit her some."

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

"I...think tarot and magic are different, actually," Setsuna said, tilting her head slightly, thoughtfully. "Similar, but different. Kind of like how magic and alchemy share some similar elements, but are also different. Tarot and fortune reading is more of a hobby for her, but, yes, I think she'd love something like this...."