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Post by Mercutio on Sept 22, 2008 17:38:29 GMT -5
Mercutio stood just inside the door of Aziraphale's bookshop, the faint ringing of the front door bells fading away into the air.
This place looked disappointingly mundane. Not the porn shop, then. Maybe next door?
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Sept 22, 2008 17:44:39 GMT -5
The angel had asked Herbert to mind the shop while he was out doing something, though the fact that it was past nine o'clock at night did make the vampire wonder what Aziraphale was actually up to. It was likely a test, he reflected, a test of his acquired skills at managing the place. He understood the cardinal rule- don't sell anything well enough, and that really was all, right?
As the door jangled open, Herbert glanced up, adjusting the glasses Aziraphale had insisted he tried* and attempting a proper glower.
_____ *Aziraphale had finally noticed the way Herbert had to hold a book at some distance, and after biting his tongue about it for a few months, he had supplied the vampire with a remedy. Herbert quite despised them, until he remembered that Aziraphale had judged them as "quite flattering, really".
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Post by Mercutio on Sept 22, 2008 17:50:46 GMT -5
Yes. Not the porn shop. The man behind the counter, while impressive in size and stature, was nevertheless far too unwelcoming to even possibly be trying to sell something. Mercutio glanced to his left, at the bookshelves. Experimentally, he reached out to take one, his eyes still on the assistant.
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Sept 22, 2008 17:55:13 GMT -5
"I'd like you to put that down, please," Herbert ventured, sitting up more and trying to intensify his glare. "It's not for sale. I mean, it was.... but now it's reserved. There should be a tag on it that says reserved. Did you take off the tag? It should say it's reserved."
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Post by Mercutio on Sept 22, 2008 17:59:41 GMT -5
Mercutio feigned surprise, his hand hesitating before the book's spine. "Oh, no, sir, there's no tag. That's a real pity." He sighed loudly. Then, his fingers trailed to the next book over.
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Sept 22, 2008 18:03:29 GMT -5
"The whole shelf, I mean," Herbert lied, getting up from behind the desk. "There must have been a mistake , then. The merchandise is extremely valuable, so I would suggest that unless you're quite certain you have the means for it, you let it be."
He pushed up the glasses and tried very hard to look both intellectual and imposing.
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Post by Mercutio on Sept 22, 2008 18:06:17 GMT -5
Mercutio raised an eyebrow at the man. He put one hand out and leaned against the wall, rolling his eyes heavenwards as he spoke, as though he were talking to the ceiling. "Well, then, since all these books are reserved...and since I have such a huge wad of money in my pockets that needs to be spent...perhaps you could point me towards a shelf that is not reserved?"
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Sept 22, 2008 18:11:07 GMT -5
"They all a-"
He took a deep breath. Even if he didn't need the oxygen, the centering effect was good.
"No."
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Post by Mercutio on Sept 22, 2008 18:12:04 GMT -5
Aha.
"And why," Mercutio asked slowly, his gaze moving back down to fix on the man, "not?"
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Sept 22, 2008 18:38:22 GMT -5
"I don't own the place," Herbert said haughtily, tossing his hair a little.
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Post by Mercutio on Sept 22, 2008 21:21:41 GMT -5
"Employees rarely do, I've found."
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Sept 23, 2008 14:01:43 GMT -5
"They're not for sale," Herbert snapped. "Any of them. And the shop is closed, besides- didn't you see the sign? I suggest you leave before the owner gets back."
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Post by Mercutio on Sept 23, 2008 17:03:55 GMT -5
Mercutio raised both eyebrows now, laughing a little. "What's wrong, fine sir? You seem almost...frantic." He pushed away from the wall, both hands up in surrender. He wasn't terribly bitter- he'd been run out of shops before. But it was so fun to play along, to taunt, to tease. Especially people like this, wound up tight. "Lock the door tight behind me, then, lest another customer slip in."
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Post by Herbert von Krolock on Sept 24, 2008 1:13:03 GMT -5
"You don't know what you're risking here, going on like this," said Herbert, moving closer. "You may as well be poking a dragon in the eye."
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Post by Mercutio on Sept 25, 2008 19:56:34 GMT -5
Mercutio blinked at him curiously, his hands lowering slightly. Then --"How exciting!" he said brightly. "Although if by that you mean you're intending to break my arm in two places may I point out that it's sort of ridiculous for a bookstore clerk to be so violent."
Unless this was the porn shop, and the clerk was really a dominatrix! That would explain so much! The corny threats, the glares, the subtle sense of danger! Right. Merutio momentarily amused himself by picturing the store clerk all in leather.
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