Nix Gordon, OC, Barways

[facetsofbethan]

A tall young woman walks into the bar. She's wearing pyjama bottoms and a spaghetti strap top, but her hands are filthy and her bare feet and the ends of her trousers are caked in blood which may or may not be her own and which clashes badly with the pale pink cotton. There are dark circles under her blue eyes, and right now her cobweb of scars

Comments

[manny_moo]

"Tchuh," the man a few seats down tuts. He takes one look at her appearance and nods knowingly.

"We had that problem at the shop once. Creatures everywhere. We had to fumigate to get rid of them. Impervious to your standard rat trap."

[manny_moo]

"I've often wondered," Manny starts, "if this whole place isn't just some sort of construct. Only, the real question then would be whose."

[brokensteeldoll]

"There's some Landlord guy I've heard people talk about?" Nix suggests. "But seems like nobody's ever seen 'im."

She starts on the small mountain of mushrooms on her plate, but not before half drowning them in vinegar. "T'be honest, I'm not that bothered s'long as he keeps feedin' me."

(She's slightly skinnier than she should be: a long way from starving, to be sure, but there's a suggestion of more than the odd missed meal about her.)

[manny_moo]

"Heh. Landlords. Who needs 'em?" Manny asked. "My boss called an exterminator on our last landlord."

It's probably worth mentioning that their previous landlord was a cat.

[brokensteeldoll]

She raises an eyebrow. "What'd he do?"

[manny_moo]

"Charged us rent," Manny says simply.

[brokensteeldoll]

That makes her giggle.

"Fair enough!"

[manny_moo]

Manny shrugs, and tears a large chunk off of his muffin. "What else does a landlord do, really?" he asks. "Aside from threatening to have you evicted if you don't de-mollusc the pipes."

[brokensteeldoll]

"I dunno," Nix answers. "I never had one before."

[manny_moo]

"New one's not so bad, really," Manny says. "You stop noticing that he smells of cheese fairly quickly."

[brokensteeldoll]

Her small nose wrinkles.

"I don't think I would."

Enhanced senses, however slightly enhanced, can be a real bitch.

[manny_moo]

"You... uh... might want to avoid the shop I work in, then," Manny admits slowly.

[brokensteeldoll]

"What sorta shop is it?"

[manny_moo]

"Bookshop," Manny answers. "Little place, out in Russell Square. Black Books, it's called."

[brokensteeldoll]

"I know Russell Square," Nix nods. "Not the shop, though."

[manny_moo]

"Small little shop," Manny explains. "Not a lot of business, but Bernard prefers it that way."