Library [09/04]

[furnaceface]

By the luck of the draw, it would seem, Jonothon had found himself drafted into a shift in the school library.

This being his first semblance of what most people would refer to as a 'real job,' Jono decided it was important to familiarize himself with the items he could locate in his new workspace. Hole punch, paper clips (the shiny metal kind, not the multicoloured cop-outs coated in plastic), those little gold star stickers...

And then, with that settled, he flopped himself down in a chair and proceeded to get right to work. Mostly, this involved finding out how many paper clips he could stick to the hole punch using only ingenuity and the shiny little gold stars. Hard worker, that Jono.

Comments

[carpe_demon]

Drake breezed into the library, a copy of his syllabus in hand. "I'm looking for books," he announced to Jono. "Have you seen any?"

[furnaceface]

Jonothon's eyebrow twitched upward at that, yes, and he set down his gold stars to cast a pointed look around the library.

//We happen to have one or two,// he noted, though not unpleasantly. Just dryly. Like the Sahara.

[carpe_demon]

Drake stopped, blinked, and looked around. "Did you hear that?"

[furnaceface]

Just sigh, Jono. Sigh and shake your head.

//Yes, I heard it. It was me.// He held out his hand for the syllabus. //Let me have a looksee at what yer've got on that list, hm?//

[carpe_demon]

Drake handed over the syllabus. "Nothing too unusual on the list, I just want to make sure there are multiple copies for my students," he said. "And you can't read my thoughts, can you? Because I'd hate to be thinking about me and the Source's concubines and the jello and get in trouble for corrupting the innocence of a minor."

[furnaceface]

Jonothon was very thankful that he couldn't read minds, just then. He was also staring at this teacher as though he'd grown a second head.

//No, I can't read yer thoughts. I think that's for the best all around, really.// He stared for a moment more, and then turned his attention to to list. //How many students do yer have? These all look like staples, really, so we ought to have them all, but yer may or may not have to double up.//

Jono had no idea. He'd been employed in the school library for all of... today.

[carpe_demon]

"Full class, twenty or so," Drake said, a little distracted because now he couldn't help but think of the Source's concubines and the jello. He shook it off and offered his hand for a shake. "Drake Dèmon, Professor of Literature."

[furnaceface]

//Jonothon Starsmore,// he replied, shaking Drake's hand and then pulling himself to his feet. //Student.//

Obviously, Jono.

//Will yer be needing Robin Hood, then? By the look of this, the class yer assigned it in is already done and gone.//

[carpe_demon]

"I just assigned it Wednesday," Drake said, "so they may come in this weekend looking for copies. Or, knowing the average student, they'll come in Tuesday night. But tell you what, it's short notice, so I'll cheat." He snapped his fingers and half a dozen copies of Howard Pyle's The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood appeared on Jono's desk.

[furnaceface]

Blink. Blink. Stare.

First at the books. And then at Drake. And then at the books again.

//Yer realize here's where I ask why yer even bothering with the library when yer can do something like that, right?//

In the scope of things, this probably still wasn't the weirdest that Jono had witnessed. But it was edging close to it.

[carpe_demon]

"Because I'm human now so I'm trying to act more like it," Drake said. "Like I said, cheating. It'll be different in class when I'm abusing my residual demony goodness to teach, but outside of class I'm trying to tone it down."

That would last all of a week. Tops.

[furnaceface]

//Residual... demony goodness,// Jono echoed. Not because he had any problem with this teacher being a demon, no. Jonothon himself rather looked like one on the odd occasion himself, and so it was hardly his place to judge.

But that statement just struck him as absolutely absurd.

//Well... That's one proper English hero dealt with, then. And the next on the list would be Arthur.//

[carpe_demon]

"Wanted a soul, made a deal, now I'm a real boy," Drake said, beaming. "And yes, Arthur. Haven't met the kid yet, but I know his mom's sister's ex."

[living_endless]

"I like the way the stars look on the stapler," Didi announced as she walked up to the desk. "You work here now?"

[furnaceface]

//It's either I work here, or I like sitting behind desks in random libraries,// Jono replied, peeling off another gold star and considering it for a moment before reaching out with sticking it on her cheek in mind.

It was quiet in here. He was bored. So sue him.

//How've yer been, gel? Is Turtle treating yer well at yer own job?//

[living_endless]

"You might," Didi said, tilting her head so he could put the sticker on the cheek that didn't have the swirl on it. There was such a thing as balance. "People have weirder hobbies. And work was fine. Didn't see Turtle, but I met the Friday girl. Hope. She's funny."

She brushed her fingers across the star. "How's it look?"

[furnaceface]

//It looks...//

Really quite adorable.

//...Shiny, luv,// Jono settled on, a pleasant smirk lurking in the undertones of his voice. //I'd had yer the stapler to see yer reflection in, but it'd leave yer face all askew. Can't have that.//

[living_endless]

"I might start to cry if I had to see my face all askew," Didi said, oh so terribly serious about this as she beamed at him.

"Maybe I should start wearing stickers on my face all the time. They used to do it to cover smallpox scars, did you know that?"

[furnaceface]

//I didn't know that,// Jonothon confessed, though he had his doubts that shiny little gold stars were what did the trick.

And now he was picturing someone completely covered in them anyhow.

//I think I'll blame that on my being two years old when the disease was eradicated.//

[living_endless]

"It was longer ago than that anyhow," Didi said. "This is like ... 18th century Europe. They'd use little black velvet stars and hearts to cover the scars. And then people who didn't have scars started wearing them anyhow to be trendy."

She'd liked the look, but Didi was the stuff-on-her-face type going waaaaaay back.

[furnaceface]

//Covering up nasty scars with something that looks more attractive,// Jonothon mused, directing his gaze toward the ceiling for a moment, thoughtfully. //Now, where in the world have I seen somebody do something like that, before?//

This was a hard one. He'd put a thumb on it in a moment.

[living_endless]

Didi gave him a slightly cross look. "I wasn't even thinking about that."

Was that what was under there? Scars?

[furnaceface]

Well, some of it was scars. Never let it be said that Jonothon Evan Starsmore ever turned up an opportunity to smear his issues all over a conversation.

At least this one time, he eased off of the issues as well because of that look, properly chagrined.

//Sorry, gel, I...// What? What do you say after that? //...Have to wonder how long it'll be before someone around 'ere decides it's trendy and follows suit.//

That was said surprisingly lightly, really. And now he honestly was curious.

[living_endless]

"I could wrap my face up if you really wanted me to," Didi said thoughtfully. She could even make it a trend, if she really wanted to, but that would feel ... mocking, somehow. "Except I wouldn't be able to talk the way you do, so it might be a bad idea."

A pause. "It's still weird for you that people here are okay with it, huh?" She could do the Issues talk. She was having a couple along the same lines.

[furnaceface]

//I'd just as soon be the only one running around with my face hidden,// Jonothon replied, shrugging and shaking his head. //And it is strange, yes. Though there are people who haven't been fine with it, right up front. I'd thought I was going mad. It was almost a sodding relief when I finally met one.//

Almost. Except so, so very not.