(Untitled)
Who: Abe and Open*
What: An opportunity to meet Abraham about various things while he works at the library.
When: Various times before the library closes on August 14th.*
Where: Library
Rating: Nothing over a PG-13 I'd imagine
( Bottling LIbrary Perfume )
What: An opportunity to meet Abraham about various things while he works at the library.
When: Various times before the library closes on August 14th.*
Where: Library
Rating: Nothing over a PG-13 I'd imagine
( Bottling LIbrary Perfume )
But he had to return it, and apologize... hopefully without being asked too many questions about why he had been so eager to run off with a book on mythological creatures that he had forgotten to check it out. Kurt's dark brown knee-length cardigan's asymmetrical hem swung back and forth around his shuffling legs as he slunk in the main library doors. There was no one sitting at the front desk and his fingers tapped anxiously on top of the book as he looked to the left and right, his cheeks faintly pale above his caramel and burgandy striped bowtie. He could just leave it. It felt wrong, though. As if it would make his... crime?... worse.
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"One moment!" he called out continuing to close the valves on his respirator so he could remove it.
A moment later, as promised, he slipped out the door undoing the last connector on the two part breathing device and fumbled hopelessly for a moment before putting them under the counter.
"Sorry," he apologized for his perceived indecency and he looked down toward the young man holding a webbed hand out to retrieve the book. "Return or check out?" he asked calmly.
He usually used the stools behind the desk as the floor behind the desk was raised. Now, having simply walked over, he towered over his customer, something he tried to prevent with his height.
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"... Neither, exactly," he said nervously. "Or... both, I'm not exactly sure."
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Still, the familiar wide eyes always did pull a self-conscious string in Abe's psyche. He stroked a hand to his chest, a comforting motion, and tilted his head at what was said.
Rolling a stool over and setting it as low as the seat would go he put his arms on the desk and held out his hand again. Holding the book itself might help him learn what exactly the boy meant.
"May I? I'm a great fan of mythology," he said softly.
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Still, Kurt gave him a weak smile and, after one second's more hesitation, held out the book.
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Urgency, fear, determination, sadness, anger, and guilt reached his fingers as his hand went over the page with interest. He didn't check the back of the book to see if the boy had checked it out or not. He knew now that the situation was so sudden that he didn't. It didn't matter to Abe, the guilt that also floated as a lesser emotion around the book for having taken it without recording it. The book was back now, no harm done.
He finally turned the book so the young man could see it upright and pointed to the sirens.
"You were involved in this altercation?" Abe asked, intrigued. "I've been very curious about the details. Perhaps, if you have time, we could discuss it? Oh! And were you interested in checking this book out? It's one of my favorites. The illustrations are beautiful. The descriptions are very readable. You often don't find both together. A few details are missed, but for general knowledge of daemons and other creatures it is a very good companion to have less you run into any more trouble in the future."
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He followed Kurt's nod and understood but was confused by this as well. Abraham would have been more than happy to offer his office as a place to talk. But the boy seemed to be in some shock enough that Abe thought it better to simply follow his direction. Whatever made him more comfortable.
He picked up the book and closed it silently walking to the door behind the desk and walked down the two steps following Kurt to the gestured to hallway.
Once there, Abe slouched a little to better talk to the shorter man.
"Are you alright?" Abe asked in a pseudo whisper.
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"... Does everyone know?"
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"I have been keeping an ear out, so to say, for other attacks since the couple I had experienced. I did not know what creature was involved and only had a loose idea of who was involved until you handed me this book," he explained holding the book up. "There have been many attacks happening in various places in town and there was some gossip I had picked up about the one involving the boy who lived near the abyss. It was not a far leap in logic to connect it to Blaine, who I learned about through Wesley as we were discussing the town and its oddities a few weeks back. I doubt everyone knows, though. I picked up most of the gossip from the boaters at the marina. I believe the bulk came from a man who was diving and even his story was...negligible in its details."
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"We haven't been properly introduced," he said with a quiet and apologetic tone. "Kurt Elizabeth Hummel." He held out a hand.
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"I don't believe we have," Abe said. He didn't bat an eye at Kurt's middle names. Middle names were much a mystery to him anyway. And he as well as Hellboy were both victims of having names of circumstance so to judge anyone's nomenclature seemed hypocritical.
"I'm Abraham Sapien, though you may call me Abe. It's very nice to meet you, Kurt." Abe gave him as warm a handshake as a cold blooded amphibian could. "I must preface this compliment with an admission. An ability of mine is to pick up images from objects. When I picked up the book you brought back I also saw and felt some of the experiences attached to the book. I apologize for prying, but I was very confused when I first met you. I would like to tell you that I think you very brave for what you did for Blaine. It was a very dangerous thing to do, Kurt. Not everyone would have followed through with what you had planned."
Abe hoped that the admission didn't draw the young man back into nervousness and close him off again. He was a very emotional boy and Abe could see himself enjoying his conversation.
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He did pale a bit when Abe mentioned what happened in the cave, but it was mediated by the compliment. To be honest, it was a bit of a relief to discuss it with someone who wasn't immediately accusing him of screwing up colossally. He smiled again and touched his own cheek with one manicured finger.
"All feats of bravery aside, I think I would rather if nobody knew about that particular strength of mine."
Kurt wavered a bit, smiling at the ceiling and then down at the floor. "... If you felt what I felt, you should also know that I had to."
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Though he was getting more and more confused by young people keeping their fighting strengths from the general population. Was the element of surprise that enticing? Was it so embarrassing to have such an ability? Or perhaps it was simply that it was unique. He'd experienced the desire not to stand out before in many humans. He did not have the option to blend in. But perhaps if he did he would like to experience it.
And it would be enjoyable to talk to Kurt, he decided. His emotions were definite and true. If it was that he wanted to hide this ability because it set him apart it was certainly not true of how he expressed himself otherwise. Genuineness was a rarity.
At Kurt's next sentence Abe could feel his own mood become solemn. So much so did Kurt's zealousness to rescue Blaine remind him of his own eagerness to give up the entire world for the princess that he felt an ache in his chest. As for Kurt's preference for same sex coupling, being a fishman made Abe very open to any lifestyle.
"I know..." Abe said hoarsely looking at his own spot on the carpet. "Kurt, you must not allow yourself to be blinded by it. Be careful what you risk. There is every possibility of losing the very thing that you were trying to keep."
He handed the book back to Kurt. "This is a very good book," he said to escape the mood. "You should check it out."
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"I guess in this town, you never know when you'll need to look up a beastie." He let out a high-pitched chuckle and folded the book to his chest again. His fingers played along the edges.
"... If you're advising me to be careful with my heart, while I can understand given the particular context, I assure you that the hit song 'I Will Survive'? May have been written with my particular heart in mind."
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He chuckled again at the boy's innocence.
"Not quite what I meant, no," a pause, "I have no doubts of your heart's strength, though. Perhaps there is some validity to the lyrics. Gloria Gaynor is quite the wordsmith."
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