Papercut [open]

[Josse King]

OOC;; Open-ended for anyone to jump in!
BIC;;
A few blocks from the centre of downtown, away from the hustle and bustle of the University, there sat a little bookshop, hidden between two coffeehouses like the pearl of an oyster. The outside of the building, far from effective at attracting attention, was brick, with a forest green awning and black curtains over the windows, blocking sunlight from hitting the delicate covers of some of history's greatest treasures.

The quiet bookshop was nothing if eccentric, with its dark cherry walls and black shelves, lined up evenly and ordered by subject, then author. Josse, always one for more literature, stood in the Tolstoy section, gathering books revolving around Russian literature. Next would be Dostoevsky, but he hardly wanted to rush. Holding an old copy of War and Peace in his hand, Josse flipped through the pages, eying the words with complete reverence. If he only had that ability, to create words with such conviction that placed this novel on the top 100 lists.

Of course, in his mind, Shakespeare ranked number one, but that argument was invalid without more evidence. Evidence, of course, in the form of literature. Alas, Josse owned every edition he needed of the great William's works, and those were tucked safely away in his room back at Origin Apartments.

He had stopped at the cozy bookshop on his way home from work, eager to pick up a fresh read. But finding nothing on the new release stage fitting to his taste, he had waded back into the depths of the shop, searching for old favourites.

Josse had let his mind wander, and, with the slip of a finger, sliced the first few layers of his skin against the fragile pages of War and Peace. Shaking his hand, whose thumb was rapidly beginning to bleed, he set the book down carefully and popped his digit in his mouth, sucking at the warm liquid. More angry at himself than the book (for you could never blame a good piece of literature), Josse didn't notice that another being had entered the bookshop, and was heading his way.

[/blockquote]

[Bevin Iris Dirkse]

It was a relatively cool day, though the sky remained a clear, crystalline blue with only a few wispy clouds; one of those days that made you want to bundle up in a scarf and go for a walk. The bare trees showed only the smallest hints of new life, tiny buds and fresh green leaves sprouting from the very ends of the branches. The remnants of old leaves still littered the ground, mostly crushed by the feet of careless passersby. Shop doors were closed against the chill, though the frost was long-gone from the windowpanes. Pleasant weather was certainly on its way.

To Bevin, the chill was a lovely excuse to toss on a light jacket and throw a scarf around her neck and go for a long walk, probably ending in a warm cup of tea at a cafe in town. She loved to take walks, when she had the time; and time was scarce for the girl lately. She was constantly being called to work, doing housework, or studying and reading journals to keep up with the quickly advancing medical field. Sure, she wasn't a doctor or a surgeon, but that was no excuse to let the technology get ahead of her. In any case, she needed an outlet, a way to relax that didn't eat up too much of her precious time. So she walked into town, relishing in the contrast between her own leisurely pace and the hurried steps of those around her.

Slowly, she made her way into town. After more than half an hour of walking she was beginning to feel the chill seeping through the fabric of her jacket, and knew it was time for a warm beverage. Across the street stood two large coffeehouses. Perfect. She made her way over to the other side of the road, toward the two establishments, but something caught her eye. It was a little bookstore nestled in between the cafes; a quaint little store with an unassuming facade. Something about it drew her in.

Upon entering the store, Bevin could smell the musty odor of old books mixed with the pine of the shelves and wooden tables and the musk of a few old armchairs. It was a reminder of all the time she had spent in her grandfather's library as a child, looking at his maps and papers. She browsed the store for a while, looking at books both new and old. Eventually, she found herself wandering back into the deepest recesses of the store, losing herself in the pages and pages of text. By the time she noticed the other figure, her arms were laden with titles ranging from anatomy books to a few of the classics. She looked up from her latest find, a collection of Grimm's fairy tales, to see a vaguely familiar face standing not far away. At first she couldn't place where she'd seen him before, but then it came to her: he was a shifter living in the other MyShape complex.

She took a few steps toward him, smiling. "Hey, haven't I seen you before? You know Peach, right?" She attempted to work one of her hands free of the books, but they were in danger of toppling over onto the floor, so she simply looked at him apologetically and said, "sorry! I'd shake your hand, but..."

[FRAZLE]

With a click of his fingers, the song playing died out, leaving him to listen to the meek talking of other humans nearby and the sound of doors shutting and closing. Even though the sky was an ocean blue hue, mind the few white puffs called clouds, he hadn't even noticed.
His green eyes stared straight ahead, white fog exhaling out of his mouth as he sucked in a breath. His hands were buried deep in his jean pockets, clenching what little warmth he had. Usually, he wouldn't wander into the little village that came right before downtown, unless it was to go to Milo's Sports bar.
Not only was the place huge and heated, but he could watch TV, eat food, and hit it off with a few hot girls. When he couldn't stand the animal chatter and crowded halls of Verge Apartments, he did venture off to the small village like place. Yes, there were other places he did attend. A real bar, where he could actually exchange numbers and get tipsy. The sidewalks were crowded with people; freaks alike. His gaze shifted to across the street, where, squeezed in between two coffee houses, was a brick library. It had no sign, and the only cars parked out front were those who were using the extra space as free parking, even if it was considered illegal.
He rarely ever went in there, but sometimes the quiet, warm halls of the library were inviting. Most of the time he didn't read books when he was in there; he would either misplace them and cause extra work for the old man, or scribble stuff in between their dusty pages with a marker. But he did read. Behind his flirtatious, badass outside side, was his romantic, caring, and smart side.

Grabbing the handle bars with his hands, Troy stepped inside the library. It never failed to astonish him that all the sound of engines, screaming, talking, could all be blocked out as soon as the door closed behind him.
The cherry colored walls and dark mahogany book shelves were all a sight; for whenever he thought about the old, distinct library he imagined coco book shelves and yellow walls, with the curtains open and little wooden tables stationed next to the sunny windows. It was almost like his sanctuary.
Peeling the light brown leather jacket off of his body, Troy draped it across one of the only tables chairs, noticing a girl out of the corner of his eye.

She had wild, brown curls, her body mostly covered. And when he looked at her, he did want to know her. Not just get in her pants. She actually seemed like she was worth saying around for awhile.
Smiling, he walked over to her row, placing a hand on top of hers. "Here, let me help you." He said, pushing the stack of books further back to where they were stable and wouldn't come toppling down on top of her petite hands.
Slowly, he took his hand from hers, still leaning on his leg to where he was at her crouching height. "It happens to me all the time. I'm troy, by the way." He smiled, taking in her brunette and pale skinned features.

(Finally got troy involved with Bevin. (: Maybe she knows who he is and what rep he has, so she turns him away? Just an idea. )