lt_safe_house | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Time: April 27, the evening
Place: Library
Status: Public
Summary: Rose needs to return a certan book

Rose held the book in one hand, her fingers covering the teeth marks. Really, she didn't need a guest passing her noticing the marks and asking about them. It would be hard enough to explain things to Gabriel, the librarian.

Especially as I can't say 'sorry, I transformed and then the wind blew the book from the branch I had placed it on and I had to catch it and well...'.

The piece of red feather was still in her hair above her right ear. She didn't need a bookmark at the moment as she was done with this book and seriously doubted the librarian would ever hand her a book again, but she wanted to keep the beautiful feather.

Far too soon for Rose's liking she reached the library door. She inhaled deeply, knocked on the door and entered, her body language nearly as telling as if she had walked in as Cloud with drooping ears and her tail between her legs...

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"I hope he gets better soon. I'll go and visit him to ask about keeping the feather in a few days. I promise I won't just leave it lying around somewhere."

Rose turned away from the trash can to go back inside, assuming that Gabriel wouldn't want to linger. She didn't know about his nose but hers was perfectly able to smell the stink coming from the trash. Not the feathers, probably, though there was an underlying tone of dried blood, but the rest.

Gabriel nodded, replacing the lid and following her, thankful to be away from the stench. "Thank you, again."

"You're welcome, really."

They made their way back into the lobby and Rose remembered the book. She didn't really want to have to answer many questions, but on the other hand it had been her who caused the damage...

She bit her lower lip, thinking about the problem.

Gabriel glanced at the girl curiously. "Are you alright?"

Rose startled.

"What? Oh, no, I'm alright. Just lost in thought, sorry."

She smiled at Gabriel but returned to being serious very quickly.

"You'll tell me as soon as you know what repairing the book will cost?"

Smiling, Gabriel reached out to squeeze her shoulder lightly. "It's perfectly alright, Rose. It won't cost much; in fact I could probably repair it myself."

"Oh, that's good to hear. I mean, I thought it might be damaged permanently..."

Rose sighed, relieved.

"It won't," Gabriel assured her. "Don't worry. I'm not going to demand payment for nothing or ban you from the library."

"You won't? Ban me from the library, I mean?"

Rose knew her voice sounded hopeful, but she had been pretty sure that damaging a book this badly would result in never being aloud to borrow a book again.

Gabriel blinked at her confusedly for a moment. "Why would I? It's hardly your fault a stray dog attacked you. Were you hurt, by the way?"

He really should have thought to ask earlier.

"Well, I thought that returning a damaged book might be enough to not be allowed to borrow another one..."

Rose's voice grew quieter towards the end of the sentence. She looked up at Gabriel.

"No, I wasn't hurt, the book took all the damage."

A slight frown wrinkled Gabriel's brow. He didn't think she was quite telling the truth, but what could she be trying to hide?

"Alright. Let's hope it stays away; I don't think my cats will be too happy about it."

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