fandomtownies | Book Haven, Friday (07/13)

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Book Haven, Friday (07/13)

Surprisingly, it actually did occur to Aziraphale that it was Friday the 13th. Mostly because it tended to be referenced so frequently in the more modern occult writings. Not because he was actually superstitious.

After all, for a being who remembered a time before calendars, it was a rather arbitrary assignment of dates.

Still, one never knew when one might have customers who needed a bit of encouragement on a day like this. So he made certain to have extra cookies set out with the tea on the counter.

[ETA: No dinosaurs in the bookshop please!]

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There are lots of books. Very nice ones. And they're all for sale.

John wanders in. He's rustier than he thought on small engines ~~as the mun knows sod-off about electricals~~ and would be in need of a guide. Chilton or Hanes would be rather nice.

"If you can't find what you're looking for, Mr Connor", Aziraphale said, from his chair by the counter. "I'll be happy to help you look. Or see if Miss Millie can place an order for you."

"Phale! You're here!" John exclaimed. He looked the same. The angel, not the mortal.

"Er, quite, my dear," Aziraphale replied, looking confused. "I haven't gone anyplace. I just took a bit of a break from teaching, and Miss Millie was kind enough to give me a temporary job."

"You look the same," he mused. "I've been gone for two years. Finally made my way back, and... it's eerie."

"Two years?"

Aziraphale frowned. "It hasn't been two years for us here. But even if it had been two hundred years, you wouldn't be very likely to find me much changed."

"Well, there's that," he agreed. "you look well for someone who... what, is about a billion years old?" His smile may well have been infectious.

Aziraphale chuckled. "No, not quite. But I suppose I'm old enough that it's all relative. What have you been up to, these past two years?"

"Searching," he replied. "Looking for Rosette, looking for clues about my mother. Getting shot, getting into fights, running from the law. The usual."

For a normal student, Aziraphale might have questioned that statement. For a student from Fandom High, he accepted it as entirely true.

"Were you successful?"

"Big fat giant goose egg. Found analogues, but not the real thing. Several contemporaries of my mom didn't know her, others did but hadn't seen her. I mean, there's a black market for anything, and if you know how, you can ding 'em."

"I never made it to Rosette's New York."

"I know this may sound strange, my dear, but have tried the mail?"

Aziraphale held up a hand to forestall the 'Are you frikkin' mad?' response he expected. "Somehow, mail from Fandom seems able to come and go places we can't. So, have tried using that as a method to perhaps make contact? It might be a good first step."

"I.... no. I kinda never knew Fandom had a post office, really. It's not like I ever used it."

"Well, I don't think it every had a really active one until recently. But still, the letters must have got out somehow." Aziraphale smiled reassuringly. "I suppose what I'm saying, my dear, is that I hope you don't give up. But that I also hope that you don't feel the only way to approach the problem is to throw yourself at it physically until either it or you breaks."

"Most of my life has been to throw something at whatever until it breaks," he said wryly. "Which is always my first impulse. The thinking part comes after you get away for a bit and can regroup."

"Is that what's brought you back to Fandom, then? A chance to rest and regroup?"

"Mostly. I'm getting tired of running around in circles, hoping for a different outcome. It doesn't work. It just... doesn't work."

Aziraphale nodded sympathetically. "No, sometimes it simply doesn't. Although, once in a while, you can get a new outcome after you've had the chance to step back and look at things from another angle."

"That's what I'm hoping for. It's... Everyone here looks the same. It's like nothing's changed."

"It hasn't been long enough for much change to take place, Mr Connor. But perhaps that will turn out to be a good thing. A way for you to relax in the comfort of familiarity for a little while."

"I hope so. I mean, it's like, what's the worst that could happen?"

"An Apocalypse?" Aziraphale suggested wryly. "But since I've already seen one of those averted, I would say that even the worst can be dealt with."

He gave a bit of a shrug, and smiled.

"I hope so. I think I've managed to avert mine twice. Or... not avert it twice. It's so confusing. How did yours go?"

Lucifer had meant to stop by the bookstore before this, really he had. But it just made him think of Meleos which took his mind to less... pleasant places.

But there would be none of that here.

One would hope.

Aziraphale was downright shocked to see Lucifer wander into the store. Somehow, it just didn't seem like the sort of place the Adversary frequented.

Not that he didn't think the other angel liked books. Aziraphale just figured he didn't bother buying them.

"Good day, my dear!" he exclaimed. "Are you book shopping today?"

Well it wasn't as if he was actually going to buy anything. That would just be silly.

"If something catches my eye, perhaps."

The choice of wording made Aziraphale's eyes twinkle, maybe just because he was in sort of a mischievous mood.

"Well, I'm quite happy to help you find something that appeals to you," he replied. "What sort of subject do you think would interest you?"

Lucifer ran his fingers over the spines of the row of books near him, seeming to not pay any attention to the other angel. "What do you recommend?"

For a moment, Aziraphale rather thought it would be nice to be a book. He got up from his chair and walked down the row nearest him until he found the book he wanted.

"Well, if you're in the mood for some light humor, perhaps some Thomas Aquinas (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17897/17897.txt)?"

While a humorous read, Lucifer was not in the mood for the overly philosophical ramblings of a mortal. "Perhaps something a bit more recent?"

Aziraphale pouted a little. Mostly because, well, modern literature wasn't really his forte.

"I suppose there's always Milton..." he mused. "Oh! Well, there's always Oscar Wilde! One of my favorites, in fact."

It was bad when the being who had being living in Hell for the past millenia or ten was more up to date than you. Lucifer smirked, turning away to glance over the titles displayed along the book spines. "Wilde was always a favorite."

Yes, yes it was. Especially considering that the being who had been living in the world for nearly that length of time used to run, oh, a bookstore.

"I have a collection of autographed first editions," Aziraphale announced proudly.

I could have been worse, really. Aziraphale could have refused to upgrade from scrolls to bound books.

"And you would allow me to read them," Lucifer asked, shooting a sideways glance toward Aziraphale.

"Well, only if you promised to read them in my library," Aziraphale chuckled, only halfway joking. "It would take an awful lot of convincing to get me to loan one out."

Not that he couldn't be convinced, of course. It would just have to be really good convincing.

And Lucifer was certain he could being very convincing should the need arise.

"Your library that I have yet to see."

That was true, and really a terrible oversight on Aziraphale's part.

"Well, my library happens to be very conveniently located right here on this very island. And it would be awfully rude of me not to show it off to you, after you've been so good as to let me visit your Creation."

Oh yes, he was very much like Meleos with a comment like that. Lucifer smirked and nodded. "A terrible oversight on your part," he teased.

"But one that I am prepared to remedy," Aziraphale replied primly, although the crinkles around his eyes gave away the humor behind his words. "Can I interest you in tea and a tour, when I'm finished with work?"

Lucifer nodded. "Shall I meet you then?"

"Unless you'd like to join me for a cup of tea here?" Aziraphale offered. "I'm nearly ready to close, if you'd like to wait."

Although he wasn't necessarily expecting it. He knew Lucifer liked to do things according to his own whims.

Which made Aziraphale one of the smarted angels, truly it did.

"I have things to take care of first. I will meet you there."

"The door is always open," Aziraphale replied with a warm smile, although he hardly expected something so mundane as a door to keep Lucifer out.

He was not bouncing. That was just a little shifting of his feet.

Lucifer couldn't help but smirk at the... shuffling of feet. "I know."

That smirk made Aziraphale blush a little, and wasn't it funny how Lucifer was so good at that.

"Quite," he murmured, chuckling softly and absently rubbing at the back of his neck. "I expect you do."

He has tea. And cookies. And probably butterscotches.

In the event of an Apocalypse, please proceed in an orderly fashion toward the nearest OOC thread.

Millie thanks you for keeping the dinosaurs out of the bookstore!

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Book Haven, Friday (07/13)

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Talk to Aziraphale

OOC

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