A Chance Encounter
((RP continued from here. ))
Olivia’s step faltered subtly as he offered to help her clean. She peered at him curiously a moment, clearly fighting back her surprise. At length, she did her best to mask her reaction with a hearty chuckle.
“Oh, why don’t we wait to discuss such an employment. You may retract your offer of assistance once you see the true state of my character.”
She blinked, quickly realizing she misspoke as soon as the words had left her lips.
“Or rather, my home’s character, as it were,” she swiftly amended.
“But I could use the help if you don’t turn and run. It is likely a job worth more than a couple gold, if that stays your flight.”
With a grin, she appeared to be satisfied with her recovery, shooting a glance back to the Captain.
As promised, the journey to her home didn’t take more than a handful of minutes. The building looked like any other in the Cathedral district, limestone and whitewash decorated in light oak trim. She led him around to the side of the shop, to a sturdy staircase which took them to the second story. After unlocking the door, she turned to him and grinned impishly.
“Brace yourself, Captain Ackerman,” she laughed before throwing the door open.
There was almost no bare floor in the entire place. Stacks of papers, scrolls and loose parchment, lined a narrow walkway from the front door to a desk across the room. Every spare inch of wall was occupied by bookcases going straight up to the ceiling. The kitchen counters were covered similarly, though there were numerous open books in the mix. Her stove was dusty, but for a single plate, upon which an old kettle sat. The sink was clear of dishes, but beside it only a cup and saucer sat drying.
And, as promised, a visible layer of dust coated everything, from the furniture to the drapes.
[ @captainlaarusackerman ]
The Captain blinked a few times in shock, trying to make sure he hadn’t hallucinated. He’d never seen so much paper in his entire life.
“So, uh. Do you need… all of this?” He said, making a big sweeping motion with his arm to the, well, the entire room. “All of these papers, I mean. Seem to be taking up the most space.”
He was unsure of where to even put the box of soup dumplings. He shuffled over to the kitchen counter and gingerly set the box on top of many papers and books.
Olivia shrank a bit as she tried to see the space through a newcomers eyes. With a nervous titter, she reached up and rubbed at the side of her neck. “Well….probably. Is that bad to say?” She grimaced a bit as she turned to him, her cheeks flushed with her embarrassment. “I was…inspired before I went North, and this reflects between five and eight ongoing, incomplete projects.” She looked around before making an excited ‘ah!’ sound. “I have crates, though. We … that is if you are not ready to flee, could just store them in there until I am able to continue with them.” She grinned at him, seemingly satisfied with her ‘sweep it under the rug’ solution.
[ @captainlaarusackerman ]
The Captain was suddenly blown away more by the extent of the woman’s passion and intelligence than the actual mess.
“N-no, not bad. It’s… rather amazing,” he impulsively replied, regretting it after he’d said it. He didn’t want to seem dumb to her, but well. He wasn’t exactly the brightest.
He hurriedly recomposed himself. “I am absolutely willing to help someone so bent on expanding the world’s knowledge. Ah, fel, I’d even do it for free.” He wanted company more than anything, and Olivia was delightful. “Put me to work!”
He pushed up his sleeves and awaited box-putting-orders.
Olivia beamed at him, but waved a hand dismissively.
“Certainly not for free,” she remarked as she turned to continue down the little trail.
She pushed open a door at the other end of the assumed living room, revealing an equally messy bedroom. Bookcases dominated the small space, pressed up to the sides of the large down mattress plopped in the middle of the room. One side was unmade and clearly slept in recently, but the other was covered in sweaters, books, and even more paper work. She squeezed behind the door and struggled with something before emerging with four crates, one by one. She nudged them out of the room and closed the door behind her before smiling at him.
“Okay, darling. I think, one crated for all that in the kitchen. One for that corner over there,” she gestured to a desk. “And the other two will just be for the rest of this space. I need to change out of this dress quick, but just…shovel everything into the crates.”
She moved to another door, this one already ajar and leading into a small workspace. The room was actually clean and tidy.
“Oh! One more thing, if you happen to come across any spiders, just shoo them along and try not to kill them. Thanks.”
It was a lot of stuff. And throwing things in a box, he felt, would probably come back to bite her in the ass later when she was looking for something specific. Oh, well.
He gave her a smile and a small salute. “Aye, aye.” And at that, he went to work mindlessly shoving dusty papers into boxes, starting with the kitchen. Because, honestly, he was hoping to get a chance to use the area. It didn’t take too long to make significant progress, considering that they weren’t actually organizing anything.
“I’ve always liked spiders,” he comments to break the odd silence, as he notices one of the small friends desperately fleeing from under one of the stacks.
@olivia-lovecraft
Olivia emerged in a new outfit a few moment later, leaving the other to dry over the large tub. Surveying the writing desk for only a breath, she set to work boxing up the papers like a woman with a plan. After all, she had a plan, it just wasn’t a very good one.
“They are my favorite animal, despite the numerous arguments I have been in about such things. They are peaceful and secretive, and they make such pretty things.”
She glanced up into one of the corners of the room, finding a cobweb heavy with dust.
“Well, they are pretty to begin with, anyhow,” she laughed.
Like the tales told by layers of sediment in stones and fossils, a story unfolded as they swiftly cut through the bulk of the mess. Unfortunately, it was one eventually littered with empty wine bottles, gossip articles, and completed romance novels. Thankfully, however, there was nothing truly vile to be found!
“I really should probably hire someone to do this sort of thing weekly,” Olivia remarked as she winced at the sight of her guilty little vices. “When we are done here, I will surely owe you.”
[ @captainlaarusackerman ]
"Nah, you don't owe me. All good fun. Especially if..." He tentatively reached for one of those romance novels. He tossed it around in his hands, admiring the cheesey cover art and the vague description on the back. "...if I get entertained."
"What's /this/?" He asked with a small laugh. He carefully opened it to a random page in the middle of the book.
