Empty Books. [Open]

[Reikas Esterion]

"I...will," Reikas muttered. He was floating on a cloud, Alexiel's uncontaminated joy pushing him into overdrive. He felt the energy building quietly in his chest, tingling through him. The platonic intimacy of this moment was the absolute strangest thing...

Before Alexiel even moved his words jolted Reikas back to himself. Still holding the stare he sat back a bit and clearned his throat. Himself. Right. Time to confess.

He smiled hesitantly. "Me?" he asked, feeling Alexiel's fingertip gliding against his hand and doing nothing to stop it. Call him a manwhore, but he didn't mind a slight bit of physical affection from an individual who happened to look just like Belial. "I'm a...well, a demon. A fairly weak one, I don't much look like it. I'm a happiness demon. A slave, actually..." Goodness, it was tumbling out shamelessly. Alexiel was even more dangerously friendly than Belial. "I feed on the happiness of others, so..." He cleared his throat again, figuring Alexiel would close the gap himself.

Absently (or perhaps not), he traced his thumb along the back of Alexiel's hand in response. This could either be a wildly powerful friendship bond, or a car crash. He wasn't sure how much he wanted to add another mara to his ff*ck buddy list, but maybe he could work to keep this one out of the bedroom...

[Alexiel BookMan]

Luckily the other man seemed to have wanted to move away too, so that was rather nice of him and with a happy sigh Alex sat back onto his little seat behind the desk; he kept a hold of the other man's hands though, liking the slight touch he was having. He seemed to be telling him something now, and Alex made sure to come back to attention. "Oh so..." It took him several minutes, but he did finally get what the happiness demon was trying to tell him and it seemed to calm him down a little; though inside he was still as happy as ever. "OH! Sorry, you must be full to bursting!!" He commented, laughing a little as he did, what a strange thing, they lived off the same thing... kind of. But he was a slave? That wasn't good, or was it?

Alexiel really had no idea about slaves; he had been told many a year ago to stay away from the markets and any masters. The old librarian had feared that something so rare as a mara might be caught against his will and sold so he had never even taught him about it. "You're a slave?" He looked Reikas up and down a little, but his eyes made it so you couldn't really tell. "But you don't have a collar... and your master isn't here?" Alex had a very dull view on slaves and their masters, only hearing the odd horror story about them and reading horrid stories in books. Books always told very exaggerated stories about things like this, and unfortunately for the little mara, he believed every word...

[Reikas Esterion]

Reikas gave a soft of forced chuckle and looked down, his cheeks coloring pink. He had no idea how to properly respond to that kind of a comment. 'it's alright," he said. "I don't get overstuffed or anything..." Awkward, awkward, awkward, but at least Alexiel didn't seem to mind. Reikas hesitated between accepting Alexiel's acceptance and and trying to be a bit more "normal" about the whole thing.

He was saved by the change of topic, anyway. "My master is pretty lenient about me," he said, watching their hands with a sober gaze. "She trusts me, I guess. No collar, no identifiers, she's just got papers that claim legal rights over me. I don't hang around in places I could be stolen anyway." He shrugged, unaware of Alexiel's naive ways about the world.

[Alexiel BookMan]

Reikas must be feeling ever so full by now, because even the thought of him being a slave didn't seem to dampen the little mara's spirit. In fact, he was overly pleased that Reikas was allowed a certain amount of freedom, and if the demon didn't mind it, why should Alexiel. He gave a strange movement, in which one of his hands twitched and for a second he almost stopped touching the other man's hands because he was now staring at them. Surely that meant he wanted the mara to stop right? He really wasn't sure, this man's body language and emotions were hard to work out and he didn't have as much experience as other might have. "I'd like to be stolen away..." He mused, off in his own little world for a second.

Of course he had no idea what he was saying. What Alexiel had meant to say was something along the lines of: I'd like to be stolen away to see different place... Have someone want me enough to kidnap me. But he wasn't the best at talking about what he really meant, and often said stupid little things like this clumsily. He was too clumsy really, and so inexperienced in the world that he would most likely accept candy off a stranger and take their word for anything they told him. It wasn't that he didn't know about lying or bad people, it was just he wanted to see the best in everything.

[Reikas Esterion]

Reikas chuckled. "Library life not doing it for you?" he asked, pretending what Alexiel just said hadn't sounded as gay as it was. He wasn't going to let the mara in, he'd already decided, and he was sticking to his guns. Didn't mean he couldn't continue to be friendly, though. "Where would you want to be taken?"

Wasn't he here for a library card? The forms were still on the desk below their hands. It was a good thing Reikas didn't have anything else to do all day and was in a fantastic mood. The danger of overdrive was the god complex that came along with it. Like a fearless drunk, Reikas was beginning to believe he could do just about anything once again. Thankfully there wasn't much of danger to do in a library, but part of that was probably because of the big desk between the two of them.

He thought about Alexiel and the dark side of what being stolen away might be like for the mara. He understood the appeal, being taken to an unknown destination under the influence of an unknown entity...Hell, it was how he lived. Sometimes it worked out, other times, not so much.

He felt a pleasant buzz settle itself somewhere near the base of his skull and again he leaned forward, his eyes lifting to Alexiel's once more as he waited for the mara's reply.

[Alexiel BookMan]

Alexiel sighed once again in a happy way and let his mind wonder. Just were on earth would he go if he could? He had read about all the places the world knew about and all of them seemed to excite him, his stomach being filled with a childish wonder and he looked rather excited now. "The Library is wonderful... But it's not adventure like you read about in books. And it's not a great place to find my one dream." And that's where he stopped; he didn't want to let this man knew about his dream unless he asked about it; it was something a lot of people laughed at. His fingers twitched and they brushed against the papers underneath their hands and suddenly he let go. "Oh no!" He cried, feeling a little panicked and scrambling around on the desk before pressing the computer a few times.

The Library card was printed was after taking it from the horrid machine underneath the desk called a printer and handing it to the other man with a smile. "Sorry... I get distracted easily..." He admitted, sitting back on his chair once more and relaxing now that he had done his only job of the day. Poor boy couldn't even lie to make himself look better and he gave a small blush, realising Reikas was looking him in the eye again. He hadn't felt like this before, never this embarrassed, never this nervous when trying to impress someone; then again, there had not been anyone to impress. Alexiel still had very few friends. "Mr.Reikas I'm sorry if I'm keeping you. But if you have time, where would you go?" He asked a lot more quietly than he had before, as if he was calming down a little now. "Would you go with anyone too?"

[Reikas Esterion]

Dream? Yes, Reikas imagined one would be hard-pressed to find any wishes fulfilled in a library, unless that wish happened to involve being surrounded by books. He would have asked about it if Alexiel hadn't panicked and jolted him out of his reverie, broken the contact between them, and topped the papers from beneath his hands. He lifted them up and straightened his back so he wasn't leaning on the desk anymore and watched Alexiel work with a quiet smirk.

Distracted? I never would have guessed, he thought with amusement as he took the card. "Thanks," he said and looked down at it before pocketing it. Now all he had to do was not lose it, and he'd be good to go. He looked up again and saw that Alexiel was actually blushing. How cute. He smiled again.

"It's all right, you're not keeping me, I've got no plans for the day," he promised. "Would I go with anyone?" He went through the motions of considering it for a few seconds, his eyes wandering the library, then he shook his head. "No, my life is here. Belial the other mara is a traveler and he'd like to take me places, but wandering Corpus Christi is enough freedom and exploration for me." He looked back at Alexiel. "Maybe you could convince him to take you back to Europe one day." Secretly, he hoped he wasn't cockblocking himself. He hoped that two needy maras wouldn't end up supporting and cancelling each other out and living in bliss without him. That wouldn't be particularly good, would it? And yet he liked them both too much to keep anything from either of them. Besides, if the maras ended up becoming inseparable friends, then Reikas would have free meals with each visit to the flat! As long as Belial stuck around, that was...

[Alexiel BookMan]

Alexiel seemed to calm down a little, the redness in his cheeks calming a little so it no longer matched his eyes. He wondered just what Reikas was feeling as he smirked; it was an emotion he wasn't much used to as a shut in living in a library and he was far less experienced than the man's other friend in recognizing when things were happening. God forbid he meet someone who was horney, poor thing wouldn't know what to do with himself. The little mara seemed very pleased that his new friends didn't have any plans though, and he seemed to relax further hearing this with a smile on his face once again. "Good! ... Not that I plan to keep you all day - Unless you want me to!" He felt a little frustrated at himself now, could he never say the right thing? Maybe he was better off not having many friends to say the wrong thing to, might help him concentrate and learn from his mistakes. He did seem so distracted now and suddenly the computer started beeping at him and he looked like a startled cat.

With one swift movement hardly seen by the human eye he ducked down and just unplugged the silly thing, a cruel smile across his face like triumph. He was defiantly pleased with this decision, though made very fast. But he seemed more distracted still by Reikas' comment about staying in this place forever and he stared at him, red eyes dull as anything. "I wouldn't wanna bother this... Belial." He seemed a little strange about this man's name, he had read it somewhere he was sure. "Mr.Reikas... You know you are a demon? Have you been around a long time?" Though most people may consider this question rude, Alexiel really had no idea that it might be seen this way. He wanted to ask the man about everything, and knowledge was something very important to the little mara, and he couldn't help be an inquisitive nature. "I've only been around.... uhh... 20 or 30 years, so I don't know much about the world... or people!"

[Reikas Esterion]

Reikas chuckled as Alexiel fumbled around with his words. He really was an adorable little thing, all smiles and self-correction. And then he dumped himself on the ground and killed the computer by the outlet. Was that okay to do? Reikas wasn't all that familiar with desktops but he felt like there was a better way to get them to stop making noises. But, it wasn't his business. And it made Alexiel happy. The dark joy was like the icing on a cake, sinful but delicious anyway. He loved it.

"Well the only way to really know it all is to get out of this dusty old place and experience it," he encouraged. "Bother people, visit places, make friends...I'm actually a couple hundred. Born around the time of the founding of the nation, actually." He didn't mind revealing this fact. It wasn't a big deal for most demons who were far older than he, but humans tended to find it impressive. He was more surprised about Alexiel's lack of age, really. Maras were still being created? What for? It was slightly unsettling, the idea of some deity still screwing up on some far-off plane of existence...

[Alexiel BookMan]

Alexiel made a small noise as Reikas said about his age and he looked even more fascinated than before. He had read rather a fair few books on the time period the demon was talking about, of course that was nothing compared to actually experiencing it. Yes, Reikas was right, Alexiel had to get out and find things for himself and he suddenly puffed out his chest. "You're right Mr.Reikas!" He said with a cute little huff, almost child like determination again; it didn't last long though, his breath being let out very slowly and he looked down, feeling a little nervous again. "But... What if Basil comes back, or Nate wants to talk to me!" He was making up excuses, being a little scared to leave the safety of his library. For a start he wouldn't be able to take the books with him, and he had very little money to look after himself; maybe he should ask to get paid for helping the library soon. "Nate's a doctor who helped me when I hurt myself. And Basil is a boy I met here who likes the same things as me." He felt a little strange talking about these two, and he wasn't sure why.

Alexiel started to rub his hands together carefully, like most people would do from being cold, but he did it for comfort more than anything. He wanted touch, but it would be rather rude to grab Reikas now, though he felt they were now friends, even if the demon didn't want to be. The little mara stood up and walked out from behind the small cramped desk area and stretched his arms and wings together, looking a little more impressive this way. "I know where every book in the library is... The librarian needs my help." He did look a little unimpressed with himself now, as if he knew he was making up excuses now and he rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous smile on his face. "Maybe I'll explore this city before I go running off to other countries first."

[Reikas Esterion]

"Or get yourself a phone and keep in touch," Reikas suggested. "Don't ever let things tie you down if you want to go explore. All you'll do is build up a life of regret. Not that it matters since mara are immortal as far as I know, but the longer you wait, the more..." he made a vague gesture in the air, "stuff you accumulate to hold you here. Their lives will go on without you, just drop by every now and then to say hello." And now he was giving advice to a librarian.

He appraised Alexiel's full stature casually, turning and leaning his back and elbows against the desk, folding his arms across his stomach. What polar opposites Alexiel and Belial were. One had just settled down, and for all he knew the other was whimsical enough to go fly away tomorrow. He certainly seemed the type.

"Exploring the city isn't a bad idea either. Explore the city, explore the state, the country...It's a big country, it'll keep you occupied for plenty of years," he added. "What do you live for, Alexiel?" he asked conversationally. "You mentioned a dream a moment ago, one you couldn't find in the library. What was it? If you don't mind my asking."

[Alexiel BookMan]

Alexiel listened, and deep in his large heart he knew the man was right, there was already so much tying him down, he shouldn't let anything else do it, he was far too young after all to have such big responsibilities (or so the new librarian kept telling him). He sighed, crossing his arms in front of his chest and leaning against the wall with a small thud, his wings seemed a lot more tame than they had been a moment ago, not moving as much as his hands seemed to twitch. "You're right... I know." He seemed a lot more calm now, a lot more like an adult than he had done a moment ago. Perhaps it was the subject matter at hand, it was a lot more serious than most of the things he liked to talk about, and he was showing maturity for once in his relatively short life. "But I'm not immortal... I can choose to die if I want. If I've had enough." Now that was a morbid subject, and it left a rather strange feeling in his stomach. "I was told before I fell, injuries to my flesh will never kill me, but to my heart I can choose for it too... or something like that." He poked the side of his ear a little as if it were itching, "Or something like that, it was a while ago..." He added casually, as if everyone heard that kind of thing a lot.

His dream though, that seemed to cheer the little mara up a little and he smiled as Reikas really rather fondly. "It's a silly dream..." He muttered, going just the slightest shade of red on his cheeks, his wings curling a little defensively as if trying to hug him for comfort. "But I've read so many books about it... Well... I want to find love~" He said just loudly enough for them both to hear; though there wasn't anyone really within ear shot, Alexiel didn't want everyone knowing how he felt. "I live to find that one special person, and when I do... well... well I'll..." Alex stopped looking rather confused. He hadn't thought this far ahead. Step 1. Find love. Step 2. Make it find you back Step 3. ... Oh dear. He felt rather stupid right now in face of what was obviously a very wise, clever and well experienced demon and he must look like a bumbling child. "I'm really not sure where to go from there... Books always seem to end on: They fell in love, they lived happily ever after. Either that or get married." Apparently these two things were not linked for Alexiel, partly because most the people he spoke to who were married were certainly not as happy as the people he had read about.

At least the mara seemed a lot happier now, talking about his favourite subject rather than the thought of being immortal. He had never really considered talking about his mortality or lack of it to anyone, so he was glad it was there out in the open. "Have you been in love?" He asked hopefully towards the older demon, eyes focused on nothing else but Reikas' eyes. He begged silently that he would say yes; but then again, would he be a slave to someone if he were in love... maybe he was in love with his master? Alex just couldn't work it out; Love lasted forever.... right?

[Reikas Esterion]

Now, that was new. The subject of death never came up with Belial and Reikas, so the demon hadn't had any idea that mara could even die. He'd just sort of assumed that they were like angels, the were already...dead, or something. Completely immortal and invulnerable. But they could just...give up? He wondered how that worked. What it looked like. It didn't seem to matter to Alexiel much though, which was good. Good that he wasn't taking it seriously, at least.

And then the subject took a must unexpected turn. Love. Reikas tilted his head to listen curiously, smiling as Alexiel again fumbled with his words. And he'd learned it from books. That was dangerous, how naive of him.

It was his turn to falter when Alexiel turned thew question back on him. Eyes that had drifted toward the floor now rose again to meet the mara's, but he didn't speak immediately. He considered it a moment, trying to find a standard definition for love and compare it to his past relationships.

"Yes," he said after a brief silence. He smiled. "Of course. It would be pretty tragic if someone had lived as long as me and never found that sort of a connection. Yes, I've cared very deeply for many people over the years. And you want to find the one just for you? Well, you're right about one thing - you probably won't find them in a library. Her? Or him, do you think?" Not that he was going to judge, but Reikas wouldn't mind keeping half an eye out for an eligible candidate on the street, and he'd like to know what gender he was looking for.

[Alexiel BookMan]

'Cared for deeply' wasn't really the question he had asked, but the little mara accepted the answer anyway, Reikas had seemed a little shocked by his question so he didn't really want to push it any further. He also made it sound as if he had found many a person to fall in love with... how strange. But then something else strange happened. It wasn't the first time Alexiel had been asked if he liked men or women, in fact, his other new friend Nate had just assumed he was interested in men; but it didn't change the fact that this subject might as well have asked the mara if he had been doing something tragically naughty in the upstairs of the library... which he hadn't. He turned a shade of red that he didn't know he was capable of and he looked towards the floor instantly. Reikas must be looking at him now, if not laughing at him for such a strange reaction but he couldn't help it, he barely knew anything about gender and didn't think it mattered all that much... did it? "I-I don't know..." He admitted finally in a strangely higher pitched voice than before. "How do people find out?!"

He felt tragic now, like reading a comedy where you cringe at everything the main character does because you know it's stupid. But Alex finally looked up from the floor at Reikas, feeling confused, ashamed and still so very curious. "I look at both men and women all the same... I assumed I'd fine the one and it would... kinda hit me." He sighed a little, calming himself down and going a little less red. "Nate said you might fall in love with someone you've known for ages, but I still haven't really noticed liking a gender... Or anyone, how are you meant to know what it feels like?" He was talking to Reikas now like he might be a brother or his father, and he kind of liked it that way. Alexiel had obviously already formed a rather friendly connection and trust with the man even if he hadn't, and he'd take whatever this man said to heart.

[Reikas Esterion]

Reikas' eyebrows drew together into a face one only made when an excited kitten tripped over its own feet and fell onto the carpet. He needed to stop acting like this mara was the most adorable thing since puppies. He really was a sweet guy, wasn't he? All cooped up in this dusty old library with nothing but books, longing to experience it...It was good thing he was immortal, or those wasted years would have been a deep tragedy, indeed.

"It's nothing to worry about if you don't know yet," he assured the man, he himself feeling like that appropriately mature figure Alexiel was looking up to. "I've known plenty of men who swore up and down they preferred women until I got them to open up to me. Experiment. Go out, meet people, find someone you're really attracted to, think about what you might want to do if you had them in a room all to yourself. You might end up without a preference. It gives you twice as many options as most people. I just asked in case I happened to meet someone I thought might be open to you. If you haven't figured it out yet, it'll come with time."

That was really the best advice Reikas could give. As a guy who went with whatever was thrown at him, he didn't much care about who he was with or what organs they possessed. There were advantages and disadvantages to both, but he wouldn't attempt to steer Alexiel toward one or the other. That was for him to discover. Especially since it seemed to mean so much to him.