Difference between revisions of "Log:Flustered Fictions"

25 April, 2017

While at Homepage Books Haruki and Kip get flustered in Mina's presence.

MT04

Haruki wanders into the shop, as one might do, gazing around curiously as he tries to catch his bearings. If anything, he might just have stepped in to escape the rain that's pelting down outside. He's dressed for the weather, water dripping off his jacket and onto the floor.

Being that it's raining hard now and that it's rained off and on most of the day, sometimes sputtering out in an attempt at a stuttering drizzle and sometimes actually showering and sometimes just hovering in the clouds overhead making threatening backdrops to the skyline, Kip has remained inside all day. And business might be slow to judge by the way he's sitting on the floor in front of one of the cozy chairs, book in hand. He doesn't look up when he hears the soft bell on the front door. "Welcome to Homepage," he calls out.

"Thanks," Haruki replies, cheerfully. He gazes around, careful not to get water on the books. Actually he doesn't move much at first, apart from to step out of the way of the door in case anyone else might want to enter behind him. "Oh! It's you! Hi!" there's recognition there, even if he can't, for the life of him, remember a name. "This is a really nice store."

A moment after Haruki lets the door close behind him, the door opens again. The redheaded woman is dressed in a well-fitted raincoat of robin's egg blue, longer than whatever might be beneath. Pale legs spill out from it, and the heels she's wearing are of a height that surely can't be safe for walking in when it's raining. She pushes the hood of the raincoat back, running fingers through hair as she looks around.

Kip glances up through the curtain of floppy hair that's in his eyes. One hand reaches out, a thumb hooking the hair to push it back from his face. "Oh," he says in a tone of recognition as he spots Haruki. He shifts so he can stand up, finger tucked into the book to mark his page. "Thanks. Hi. I-- your brother and you were ... at the park. I forget your name. I forget names. I-- sorry," he stammers. "I'm Kip. I mean you probably remember. Hi." He tries to flash a smile again but the expression is halted by the arrival of someone else. "Uh, welcome... Homepage. Hi. Please-- try not to drip on the books?"

"I'm Haruki," Haruki smiles. "The Magician! And it's okay. I understand. Names can be tricky, especially for near strangers. It's nice to meet you again, Kip." Maybe this time he'll remember the name. "Has the store been busy? It's just open, hmm?" He steps out of Mina's way and flashes her a smile too, just because.

"Of course, darling. I wouldn't dream of getting them wet." There's a musical tone to the woman's voice, the sort of tones that are pleasant to listen do. And when she flashes a smile, it's a brilliant thing that climbs all the way up to her eyes. "Good afternoon," is offered to them both. And, since there were just names given, she adds her own to the mix. "I'm Mina. This is a lovely little space."

You know how sometimes in movies there's a scene where things slow down a bit and the music shifts to a variation on the melody that was playing and things go into slow motion? That's totally not what happens when Mina smiles at Kip. Nope. "Uh, thank you," Kip stammers. Oh god, is that book he has in his hands titled 'How to talk to women' or something? Wait, no. It's Greek mythology. "Uh, just opened the other day. I had to paint before the stock came in. It's still weird. Not used to people... inside."

Haruki does a doubletake as he looks at Mina, and there's a flicker of recognition is it? He doesn't seem quite able to place the face though, until she says her name and something clicks, and then something else, and it seems like it's be wisest not to say anything, so he doesn't. "Nice to meet you, Mina. You're a dancer?" he asks, that being almost safe to discuss? He smiles at Kip. "If the books were outside then they'd get wet. Probably best keeping them inside, even if that means people indoors too."

That smile, as shining as the sun (when it's not raining and overcast) stays on the woman's lips. It even twitches up a few watts when Kip stammers and Haruki does the doubletake. "As he says," Mina muses with a gesture to said Haruki, "Books like it inside much better than out. Poor dears only hold up so well, out there in the wilds." Rain drips off of her jacket, and eyes turn towards Haruki, taking him in for a moment. "I am. Or was. It's been a while." A faint pout, there. "And you, Haruki? What do you do?"

"I-- of course. I mean books belong inside," Kip manages to get out in his weird whisper-quiet voice. Almost like the volume can go high but there's still a quality of him speaking in a hushed tone. Maybe it's his obvious shy nature coming through even in his voice. "I mean, come in. We're open. It's just-- I spent days in here alone getting ready and sometime it surprises me people come in. I Mean it's a book store. Who buys books anymore, right?" Then why open a book store? Weird guy, this Kip.

"I'm a magician," Haruki says. "Dance interests me. I did some when I was younger. I love the melding of dance and magic, and how the music helps with the timings, and just the sheer beauty of it all." He smiles and nods at Kip, as if perfectly understanding. "I still buy books. They're better to have in your hands and check things up on. And they make you look smart when you've visitors over and they see your shelves. They're impressive! You can't just leave a Kindle out the same way."

"I can see how that would go together," Mina muses. "The timing, the showmanship. The distraction of the eye from what you don't want people to see." She winks, one eye eclipsed for a heartbeat, before she wanders a little further in. "I mean, it's a bit like paying for porn, but some people still do it. Me? I like the feel of it," she breathes out. "The texture, under my fingertips. The feeling of the words on paper." She turns her gaze, earnestly, to Kip, "You know what I mean?"

"Yes. I mean I like books," Kip says, adding the second portion on in case someone thinks he is agreeing to something like paying for porn. "Magic is interesting. I had a book on the history of sleight of hand. It came in an order. I started looking it over. I like card tricks. I didn't think girls liked magic." Really Kip, stop trying to hard. You can be cool, it just takes you twenty false starts and an audience of zero to achieve it. "I-- used to work in a library. Being around books is what I'm used to."

"Exactly," Haruki replies to Mina. He then flushes as she mentions porn and loses his train of thought. He doesn't look at her, nope, especially not when she's describing books so sensually. Safer to look at Kip, and there he is speaking of magic. "Oh, which book? Everyone likes magic! Well almost everyone. And of course there's female magicians too, although many of them get mistaken for assistants, which isn't fair at all. Sometimes the supposed assistant, is doing much more work, and not getting any of the credit."

Another of those smiles, and this time the full force of it is aimed towards Haruki. "I'd always rather feel something actually in my hand then just...pretend, on a Kindle. It does in a pinch, but nothing beats the real thing." She's still talking about books, right? ...right? "Oh, I think magic is fantastic. I don't have the skill for it myself, but it's incredible what can be done. Perhaps Kip and I will have to come see you perform, sometime."

Please still be talking about books. Please still be talking about books. Kip has the expression of someone who might nearly be ready to curl up and die, made even worse when Mina mentions him BY NAME as going anywhere with her. "I like magic." Oh god. Seriously? Could this get any worse?

Haruki's blushing to the tips of his ears at Mina, and most certainly not looking at her properly. There's just something about the way that she says things. He steals a look at her when she speaks of magic though, and shakes his head. "You've got the grace for it, and the showmanship too, I'd imagine. The skills you can pick up. I'm sure you could do it easily, if you'd a mind to." He nods. "I should be performing at the Night of the Stars, with my brother. I've been trying to get in touch with the theatre, but no luck there." He smiles at Kip. "Who's your favourite magician?"

Mina's eyes sparkle when Haruki starts to blush, and she all but flutters her lashes at the poor man, once he's looking her way. "Perhaps, sometime, you can teach me a trick or two." She lights up, at the mention of the event - or is it a brother? - and turns her gaze to Kip. Oh Kip. "See, excellent. We'll go then."

"I'll have to-- when is it? Have to check," Kip manages to get out somehow. Mina is evil. Clearly. "Uh-- favorite... the one that does the thing with the things," Kip says, waving the book with one hand and his other empty hand as if to encompass whatever the 'thing' that gets done with the 'other thing' is. "From TV." If Kip was wearing glasses, he would probably use a fingertip to push them up right now. "I uhm, I might be able to make the show. For you and your brother. He's nice. I like supporting people."

Haruki just gets more flustered at the fluttering of lashes. "Um... maybe?" he offers. "Magicians aren't supposed to give away their secrets though." He nods at Kip. "I'll send you a flier." He checks his phone. "It's Thursday." He laughs at Kip's explanation of the magician, it's gentle, not mocking though. He smiles and nods. "It would be nice if you were there. It's good to have support."

That flutter now is accented by the slightest of pouts at the words from Haruki. "I'd appreciate the hands-on lesson. Or perhaps, if you ever need an assistant, I can play the part. I'm a quick learner. Good with instruction." There's just a tiny bit too much purr at that sentence, and a shift of her gaze over to Kip. "See, we should definitely go. To support Haruki and his brother." Not even batting a lash at his clumsy show of magician knowledge.

"Uh huh. I can try," Kip mentions, though he never looks at Haruki as he says it. He just kinda keep gazing upon the beauty that is Mina. The evil terrible horrible beauty that he can't look away from for the moment. It's borderline sickening how he looks at her, as if she's a highly skilled magician of her own whose only trick is to make people look at her. She'd be the best damn distraction for a trick ever, or at least that's clearly what's written in the expression on Kip's face. "Uh yeah, support is nice. I like to support others."

Haruki blushes all the more at Mina's words. "My brother, Itsuki, wants an assistant. I don't need one. He doesn't realise he's actually my assistant," he flashes a sudden grin. "So if you want to be a Magician's assistant's assistant you should speak to him. You might need to wear some bunny ears though. It's important to be really flexible, but since you were a dancer that shouldn't be an issue."

He looks at her, and so Mina holds Kip's gaze for long moments. Looking like she's incredibly interested in anything that he might say - without managing to seem like she's not also interested in the same from Haruki. "Itsuki. I'll have to meet him, then. And I'm sure that I have a pair of bunny ears somewhere. Black lace should do, yes?" There's a pause, just a beat for it, and she moistens her lips with the tip of her tongue. And, in that breathy voice, she offers, simply, "I'm double jointed." Oh.

*THUDUNK* That's the sound of Kip's book falling to the floor. It does serve one purpose, though. It pulls him out of his haze of whatever it is he was trapped in. He quickly bends down to pick it up, one hand pushing his hair from his face repeatedly. It just keeps falling back there, forming a keratin-based curtain between his eyes and Mina for a moment. Which might be good because he was probably to the point where he couldn't figure out how to get out the few words he was managing to stammer and stutter over. "Uh, that sounds useful. For magic. I mean-- for magician's assistant... assistant."

Haruki nods. "Yes, it should do!" As she says she's double-jointed he looks excited. "Oh, Itsuki will love that! You'd make the best possible assistant! You should definitely meet up. He's really shy though. I could give you my number," he offers. "Of if you want to give me yours, I can pass it on to him." He smiles and nods at Kip. "It is really useful. A lot of tricks rely upon flexibility. Magician's assistants do so much work that people don't even realise. And they're very good at distraction too, being seen when they want to, and not being seen otherwise."

A subtle quirk of lips as Kip drops his book, Mina's eyes getting that glimmer again. "Why don't we exchange them fully, so that I have yours, and you and your brother, both, have mine. Shy? I'll keep that in mind. I'd love to see a trick sometime, from the point of assisting." She humms, and looks to Kip. "Darling, do you have a piece of paper and a pen I could borrow? And is there a section of art books? I need a present for a friend that does that art thing."

"Uh behind-- counter," Kip says, turning in an almost awkward way, his entire body at once where people often start with their head and let their body follow through with the motion, to the counter and moving toward it. Good. Distance. Distance good. He fumbles behind the register for a moment and pulls out a notebook and pen. The notebook is clearly his own. Even when he opens it to an empty page it has the indent marks from writing on the pages before it. He holds it out, stretching over the counter. Thankfully it's only a few steps away. "Art books are uh-- there's a little sign there? Art? Over there." That's to Mina of course, but he does manage to tear his eyes away from her and let them land on Haruki instead. "I don't think she'd be a good assistant if it requires not seeing her."

Haruki nods. "We could turn a rabbit into you, and then you into a rabbit. That one's fun! And people like it." He nods at Kip. "It depends on the trick. Misdirection is very important. And I'm sure Mina's wonderful at making sure people look where she wants them to."

Mina's long fingers reach for the notebook, the pen. Brushing Kip's own, in the process of taking them. "Thank you, Kip," she says as if he's given her something far more important than pen and paper. "I've never been a rabbit before," is said with amusement, as she jots her number down on the paper - twice - before tearing one of them out and offering it to Haruki. Holding the notebook and pen for him, for his own writing. "Oh, I can be subtle when I need to be," she assures.

"I'm sure she is," Kip muses regarding Mina's ability to make people look where she wants them to. "I think she'd make a wonderful assistant." He gives Mina a lingering, rather goofy, smile as she takes the pen and book. Oh god, he's a mess. "I-- uh-- I mean... good at anything she wants to do, I bet." At least he didn't squeeze the pen so hard that it spurted ink before he handed it over.

Haruki writes down his own number in exchange, tears off the paper and hands it to Mina. He will plug her number into his phone. "Itsuki was the rabbit for easter. We did a children's party, and they love that sort of thing. But it wasn't the sexy rabbit outfit, like he wanted, that would have been so inappropriate. You can't wear the sexy rabbit outfit to the children's party. Well I suppose /you/ could, Itsy couldn't though. It was the big fluffy one. He looks really cute in it." He flips through the pictures on his phone, to show a photograph of his grumpy brother looking not at all amused in a white rabbit costume, at a children's party. He's holding a tiny white bunny that looks like its wearing black eyeliner.

"I appreciate the confidence in my abilities, Kip," Mina muses to the man, as she looks him in the eye, while he smiles. That second jotting of her number is left in the notebook, her name beneath it. Put on the counter, as she looks to the pictures and giggles. A bright, bubbly sound. "Oh, that is fantastic. But yes. I'll stick with the slightly less bulky bunny costumes, I hope." A wink. "Lovely meeting you both. I'll be in touch." Another bright smile, and she's sauntering her way towards those art books. Nude female form? That's surely a safe bet to buy for an artsy friend.

"You're-- welcome," Kip says breathily as he turns his head to watch Mina pass by and head toward the art books. He suddenly breaks free of the trance and turns back to Haruki and starts with the pushing his hair from his eyes again. And again. "He makes a good Easter bunny," he mentions with a grin. "I uh-- I have to... in the back room." He motions toward the back room door and without even saying a goodbye of any sort just walks to it and through it. There's a soft thud sound a moment later as if someone has slumped his back against the door and slid down it until he's sitting on the floor.