9th Book || Nothing Like Being Lost in a Book

[manicuredangel]

[The video feed cuts on to show Aziraphale in his room. He is seated in an old, tartan wing back chair with the cheerful morning sunlight streaming in from a window. He smiles cheerfully.]

So, I hear we have a book club. This seems like something I would very much like to get involved in as back home I own a book shop and here I manage the library as best I can. If someone has any information on this book club, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you.

Comments

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[becauseihaveto]

[While Aziraphale makes a picture of happiness and bright sunlight, Abby is rather the opposite. It's dark in the room she's in - no artificial lights, no sunlight, just a faint glow of a candle somewhere off-screen that flickers shadows across her face - and she looks pale and tired as she peers curiously into the camera. There's a flash of porcelain behind her and it doesn't take much to deduce she's lying in an empty bathtub.

She's been trying to fall asleep. It's not working. And now, he's gotten her attention. She's interested.]

A book club? Really?

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[manicuredangel]

That' what I've heard, yes. Would you be interested in joining once I find out more?

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[becauseihaveto]

[She considers the question for a moment before nodding slightly.]

I would. [There's a brief moment of hesitation. She struggles with what she's about to say next but forces the words out anyway. She doesn't want to make a commitment she can't keep.] But it depends on when they meet.

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[manicuredangel]

Then I shall inform you as soon as I have an answer to that. [If it met too late in the day, it wouldn't be so good for a child, after all.]

[video]

[nascensibility]

[WHOA DID SOMEBODY MENTION BOOKS?

Yes. Yes, they did. And Evie is pleasantly surprised to see that word has gotten around so quickly - honestly, she didn't really expect the reception she had gotten for the idea. It was all very promising.

She's seen him in and around the library - it appears to be the regular stomping grounds for a few Wonderland folk, herself included (does she ever leave? we might never know).]

I'm so glad you're interested!

[Masking her excitement is a difficult task.]

I started a book club, yes. I'd love for you to join!

[video]

[manicuredangel]

Oh! Are you the one who founded the book club?

[She does look familiar, now that he thinks about it.]

Yes, please. Tell me everything about the book club.

[video]

[nascensibility]

Erm. Well-

[Since he's put her on the spot and he looks so frightfully cultured.]

-right now I'm simply gathering interest and suggested titles. I see you around the stacks rather often - if you'd like, you can help me moderate it? I can send you the list of books I've taken down so far.

[video]

[manicuredangel]

Oh! You... You want my help?

[video]

[nascensibility]

...I don't see why not?

[Evelyn laughs, because he looks terribly taken-aback.]

I can't do it all myself - it might be more fun if two of us hosted meetings.

[video]

[manicuredangel]

I would be glad to help, then. Ah... When are meetings?

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[alwaysnext]

[Like any self-respecting teen, Luke's still in bed, watching the network scroll by like it's his own personal tumblr feed. He's about to let this message pass without comment (because Luke is very, very bad at interpreting literature) when something dreadful occurs to him.]

We have a librarian?

[Someone is suddenly feeling guilty about all those books he’s been keeping for a year. You know, the ones he's been ripping pages out of and scribbling all over. It was fine when they were an endless supply for anyone to take at whim, but now there's authority lurking behind the library. Smiley, smiley authority.]

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[manicuredangel]

Well, not officially. [He looks a bit guilty himself for having assumed the role without asking for anyone's input.]

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[alwaysnext]

So you're not gonna start charging for defaced books?

[He laughs with relief. Luke doesn't want to know how their Wonderland culture of excess and luxury would handle petty punishments.]

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[manicuredangel]

Y-you've defaced books? [No, he's not going to charge you, but he is going to affix you with a disappointed look.]

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[alwaysnext]

Is that wrong?

[Oh gosh, no, the weight of his guilt can’t handle this. Luke never knows what to do when authority figures look at him like this. He chew his lip ragged, then attempts to brush everything off with a smile.]

It doesn't matter. There's loads of books! I doubt anyone else would want to read these ones.

[video]

[thepointisdolphins]

I wondered when you'd hear about that.

[video]

[manicuredangel]

You knew and you didn't tell me?

[video]

[thepointisdolphins]

I'm certainly not going to hold your hand when it comes to books.

[video]

[manicuredangel]

That's hardly hand-holding. You knew I would be interested, why wouldn't you tell me?

[video]

[thepointisdolphins]

Honestly, I thought you'd heard about it and just hadn't mentioned it. And then I forgot. [He might also have had other things on his mind ehehehe.......]

[video]

[jivitadana]

You manage the library?

[Minato needs to return some library books then. He shelves them, he promises, in the right place.]

[video]

[manicuredangel]

Ah, more or less. Not in an official manner, of course. It's just... After the fire I felt the need to help repopulate the shelves which led to arranging the shelves....

[video]

[jivitadana]

[Then Minato was grateful because all the science textbooks and such things were all in the same place every time and easy to find.]

There was a fire though?

[He hadn't heard of this before.]

[video]

[manicuredangel]

Ah, yes... In October. Crowley's mirror decided to burn the library because he knew it would upset me.

[video]

[jivitadana]

Did it?

[It must have, but Minato thought to ask just in case. He was still learning more about the Mirrors, and this was one of the few instances he had heard of the Mirrors actually causing any damage.]