Alani and Topaz - Library Housekeeping
Aug. 15th, 2023 05:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsBackdated to August. Topaz and Alani finally admit that they need Help in the library.
Topaz sighed, staring at the desk calendar on the library counter and counting days. She'd put a month aside for the London trip, even if she was pretty sure it was going to be longer, but even a month of leaving Alani alone in the library was too much to ask.
"Okay." She took a deep breath to raise her voice and call, "Alani? Got a minute?"
“For you? Always.” Alani flashed a grin as she appeared from the stacks, reshelving the returned books put on pause as Topaz called her. Her eyes dropped to the calendar with interest before raising again, brow raised just the slightest bit. “What’s up, Topaz?”
"I think... we need some more help around here." She sighed, looking up from the calendar. "You've got a job and school and a life, I've got a job, and I'm about to leave the country for a month, at least. I know you've handled the library on your own before, but it's a bit much. It's barely manageable with the two of us living here now."
"Ah," her shoulders dipped a fraction before she puffed out the air in her lungs. “Yeeeeaah, that’s probably for the best, especially because I’ll be starting my real externship this next semester, giving that all the time and brainpower it deserves. Not that I don’t love the library, I… I feel bad for feeling relieved at the thought of it not just being us helping this place run.”
"Yeah, this was a lot easier when I was eighteen and didn't go to school or have any responsibilities outside of maybe helping with magic class." Those were the days. Topaz gave her a small smile. "Don't feel bad about it, there's still plenty of work to do. You're in charge of finding someone."
Alani had nodded along in agreement, though as usual the casual dropping of Topaz's ex magic classes made her perk up in interest. Then... then came the confusion, mixed with horror as she understood what was being said. "I," she sputtered before falling silent. "I, I mean if you really trust me, I can definitely do it. We've gotten a few new people that might be interested,"
"I'm so behind on the new people," Topaz said with a sigh. "Glad someone's keeping up. And of course I trust you, you've never given me a reason not to." She was a little amused by the horror Alani is exuding. "And I'll trust whoever you hire."
Oh. She... well she shouldn't have been surprised, but she hadn't been expecting that. A flush spread to her cheeks at the trust, a little pride welling, before she tabled that for later. "I'm barely keeping up and that's because I'm trying to help out with Generation X. I'm sure they'd love a little job, especially if we have a budget for it and snacks. Kids love snacks."
"We've got a budget... somewhere. The paperwork is in the office. I do kind of worry that the only thing we know about teenagers is that they like snacks... but that's a different issue entirely."
"I can list when they arrived but even though I took a step back from my duties at the community center to help out with their power training, most except Sharon have made themselves scarce.” Alani blew some hair out of her face, totally not a little hurt by this situation as a whole. “They all seem like good kids from what I’ve gleaned from others, trustworthy.”
"I'll take your word on that one. And maybe get to know people when I get back." The words were dry and likely a joke, but sometimes fate liked to kick Topaz into something she hadn't agreed to, so who knew. "How many are there, anyway?"
“I can make introductions if you want, dear.” It was accompanied by a wink as Alani flashed grinned, bouncing back as easy as breathing. “Hmmm, with Liam’s arrival we have one underage teenage boy, three over eighteen, and of course, Sharon, who I am realizing I don’t actually know her age. But a young adult for sure. Sooo — five kids.”
"That... That is too many kids." Topaz was very much not a person who could deal with teenagers. Clea and Stephen had been her last hurrah on that note. "Where did they all come from?"
"All across North America, but it was kinda a surprise when they were suddenly all here, I'll be honest." This was accompanied by a laugh as Alani grinned at Topaz. "Don't worry, there won't be a quiz, and I think you can avoid them if you want... They do seem to flock towards Arthur? But, I feel like he's the chill uncle figure." A beat before she looked back at the other woman, concern floating to the top of her emotions. "Everything's okay, right? Or, it doesn't have to be, you don't have to tell me, but, I worry. You do a lot more dangerous things than me, babe."
"Everything's fine," Topaz assured her honestly. "I'll be back before anyone even misses me. So make sure the kids don't do damage that can't be reversed between me crashing into bed and coming in to check on things."
"Topaz, Topaz, Topaz," Alani tutted, though her form remained relaxed and her smile hadn't left. "Have no fear, Alani's here, and I would never let anything happen to the library. Especially, you and Midnight are doing work elsewhere. I simply wouldn't allow it."
"It is absolutely going to burn down before I get back."
Topaz sighed, staring at the desk calendar on the library counter and counting days. She'd put a month aside for the London trip, even if she was pretty sure it was going to be longer, but even a month of leaving Alani alone in the library was too much to ask.
"Okay." She took a deep breath to raise her voice and call, "Alani? Got a minute?"
“For you? Always.” Alani flashed a grin as she appeared from the stacks, reshelving the returned books put on pause as Topaz called her. Her eyes dropped to the calendar with interest before raising again, brow raised just the slightest bit. “What’s up, Topaz?”
"I think... we need some more help around here." She sighed, looking up from the calendar. "You've got a job and school and a life, I've got a job, and I'm about to leave the country for a month, at least. I know you've handled the library on your own before, but it's a bit much. It's barely manageable with the two of us living here now."
"Ah," her shoulders dipped a fraction before she puffed out the air in her lungs. “Yeeeeaah, that’s probably for the best, especially because I’ll be starting my real externship this next semester, giving that all the time and brainpower it deserves. Not that I don’t love the library, I… I feel bad for feeling relieved at the thought of it not just being us helping this place run.”
"Yeah, this was a lot easier when I was eighteen and didn't go to school or have any responsibilities outside of maybe helping with magic class." Those were the days. Topaz gave her a small smile. "Don't feel bad about it, there's still plenty of work to do. You're in charge of finding someone."
Alani had nodded along in agreement, though as usual the casual dropping of Topaz's ex magic classes made her perk up in interest. Then... then came the confusion, mixed with horror as she understood what was being said. "I," she sputtered before falling silent. "I, I mean if you really trust me, I can definitely do it. We've gotten a few new people that might be interested,"
"I'm so behind on the new people," Topaz said with a sigh. "Glad someone's keeping up. And of course I trust you, you've never given me a reason not to." She was a little amused by the horror Alani is exuding. "And I'll trust whoever you hire."
Oh. She... well she shouldn't have been surprised, but she hadn't been expecting that. A flush spread to her cheeks at the trust, a little pride welling, before she tabled that for later. "I'm barely keeping up and that's because I'm trying to help out with Generation X. I'm sure they'd love a little job, especially if we have a budget for it and snacks. Kids love snacks."
"We've got a budget... somewhere. The paperwork is in the office. I do kind of worry that the only thing we know about teenagers is that they like snacks... but that's a different issue entirely."
"I can list when they arrived but even though I took a step back from my duties at the community center to help out with their power training, most except Sharon have made themselves scarce.” Alani blew some hair out of her face, totally not a little hurt by this situation as a whole. “They all seem like good kids from what I’ve gleaned from others, trustworthy.”
"I'll take your word on that one. And maybe get to know people when I get back." The words were dry and likely a joke, but sometimes fate liked to kick Topaz into something she hadn't agreed to, so who knew. "How many are there, anyway?"
“I can make introductions if you want, dear.” It was accompanied by a wink as Alani flashed grinned, bouncing back as easy as breathing. “Hmmm, with Liam’s arrival we have one underage teenage boy, three over eighteen, and of course, Sharon, who I am realizing I don’t actually know her age. But a young adult for sure. Sooo — five kids.”
"That... That is too many kids." Topaz was very much not a person who could deal with teenagers. Clea and Stephen had been her last hurrah on that note. "Where did they all come from?"
"All across North America, but it was kinda a surprise when they were suddenly all here, I'll be honest." This was accompanied by a laugh as Alani grinned at Topaz. "Don't worry, there won't be a quiz, and I think you can avoid them if you want... They do seem to flock towards Arthur? But, I feel like he's the chill uncle figure." A beat before she looked back at the other woman, concern floating to the top of her emotions. "Everything's okay, right? Or, it doesn't have to be, you don't have to tell me, but, I worry. You do a lot more dangerous things than me, babe."
"Everything's fine," Topaz assured her honestly. "I'll be back before anyone even misses me. So make sure the kids don't do damage that can't be reversed between me crashing into bed and coming in to check on things."
"Topaz, Topaz, Topaz," Alani tutted, though her form remained relaxed and her smile hadn't left. "Have no fear, Alani's here, and I would never let anything happen to the library. Especially, you and Midnight are doing work elsewhere. I simply wouldn't allow it."
"It is absolutely going to burn down before I get back."
