BOOKSELLER.

^{‘ — Ah. I think they’re leftover from the original store owner. His tastes were very … eclectic, to say the least. You’re probably the only person beside him that’s had an eye for it. I’m almost tempted to give it away just to free up space on the shelves. ‘}

^{Words spilled out before thought could be put into them and the next moment he was ducked around the other side of the shelf. Not that he needed to hide, or anything – but he could feel himself speaking too fast and hovering too close. Part of him worried it was noticeable to the other man scanning pages of foreign text. Though he brought the conversation up and approached he found that it was harder to keep an even expression.}

^{‘ Oh – you know … I close the shop around six so, maybe seven or eight? ‘}

_{———THE MAN SMILED AT THE NOTION OF A FREE SET FROM HIS FAVORITE WRITER, but instead placed the book back into its sleeve beside the others in the collection. plucking the set from the shelf, he made somewhat of a gag hauling it over to the counter where the owner no longer waited, turning to give the man a smile.}

_{❝ that’s not necessary, i’d like to make a purchase. ❞
he knew exactly what it was like owning a storefront at the man’s age and experience. it was no laughing matter, hard hours and little pay off aside from meeting new people. eventually, the requirements of his curse turned into more of a job than a hobby, and vice versa for his profession.}

❝ consider it fate… i’m probably the only person within a hundred miles who would be interested enough in buying it. ❞
he plucked a pen from the counter top, scribbling down his name and number on the back of a card, and wedging it between two crisp fifty dollar bills. he considered that some incentive to pick a nice venue.

STRANGER.

^{‘ You come in here a LOT, you know. I promise the selection doesn’t change that frequently.  ‘ It’s not given unkindly – contrary, bright eyes light up when they settle onto the familiar figure. An old spirit with a young face turned regular, turned a pleasant sight, turned to curiosity he wants so dearly to dig deeper into. Though he feels stuck if not behind his own desk then a well standing between him and the man made up of poor circumstance. But, he reminds himself every time when the topic arises, someone coming back so frequently isn’t just looking for BOOKS.}

^{The small handful of novels by the register serve as an excuse to stand and move a bit closer, as though he doesn’t already KNOW  where they go.
‘ … If you’re coming in just to say hi, I DO sometimes leave the house once the store is closed. On rare occasion.  ‘}

^{|| @faustium}

_{———THE CURL OF HIS LIP AS THE OTHER APPROACHED WITH BOOKS IN TOW. he rarely found himself in a situation where another had caught on so fast. perhaps it was the fact he’d been impatient with this, the small town deprived of many things he found interesting. it wasn’t that the place was boring, of course not… he found something he’d much rather occupy himself with. pushing back a lock of hair, the man plucked a familiar title from the collection.}

_{❝ i’ve been eyeing your goethe collection for some time ; rarely do i find it in the original german, unless i’m special ordering it. ❞
flipping to a page in the hefty anthology, he placed a finger down on a random line, reading it to himself:}

was glänzt, ist für den augenblick geboren,

das echte bleibt der nachwelt unverloren.

❝ so tell me, when is it you leave your house? ❞

❛ Everyone’s immortal until they’re not. ❜

_{———❝ SOUNDS LIKE A THREAT, if i didn’t know any better. ❞
finger at the back of his neck, a gesture to quiet the small ache that penetrated into his spine. this person knew an awful lot, though he’d have been disappointed for a wasted trip otherwise. an aura seemed to permeate off this place, this man, one which he’d been drawn to the moment he set foot in town.}

_{❝ i’d say the opposite ; everyone is mortal until they’re not. ❞}

_{a darker side of magic | accepting!}