[PRP] Seen You Before (Zac/Rabbit)

[Smerdle]

It was Rabbit's 212th day as a Bibliophile employee.

It was also his third.

Both statements were true, though he was still wrapping his head around that.

The last time he had been here, Zac had not. Zac, the weird-eyed young man from the void. Rabbit had seen him around plenty of times in the past when things got strange, but he'd never really spoken to him. He might not have ever even learned the kid's name had they not done what they had to remake the world. It would be nice to get to know him, or at least he hoped it would be.

Rabbit lingered around the door long after he had arrived, assuming he was here first even though there was no indication that was true. Eventually, he didn't try to hide the fact that he was waiting for something, standing near the front windows instead of doing his work.

endejester

 

[endejester]

Zac for his part, made his way up the steps, scheduled for a slightly later shift than Rabbit had been, He swung the door open carefully and stopped, blinking to Nod at Rabbit in greeting.


“Hi, are you alright?” He asked curiously. “I mean, um, yeah.” He stammered. Because he was human, and anxiety was one of those awful quirks that life liked to play on people, it also liked to occasionally drop in fun things like ‘depression’ but it didn’t make it any less irritating for either those suffering form it, or those who had to deal with it.

Plus side, the holiday rush was over so he had one less thing to be anxious over. Sadly the list still felt enormous.

Smerdle

this is a terrible tag and I am sorry

 

[Smerdle]

Rabbit stared awkwardly for a little less than three seconds, then jutted his hand toward the boy to shake. It seemed more like some shark fin karate move than an expression of greeting at first, but then he relaxed slightly, trying on a smile.

"Yeah. Just a little weirded out about everything. Introducing myself to someone the other me knew... well... I guess... and other stuff. Sorry."

During his minor ramble, his hand had drooped, but he held it up again once he realized.

"I'm Rabbit Vaughn. New-old Bibliophile employee."

endejester

nevar terrible <3

 

[endejester]

"Oh! Yes, No, I mean, I understand! It's all strange, really strange. I'm glad to um, re-meet you? I mean I think I've seen you before but we never really, yeah, sorry!" He added to the stack of apologies.

"We should um, we should make some time to um, sort of sit down and talk, or I mean if you're on shift for a bit we can put books away and talk things over? Things, I don't know.. yeah."

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

He told himself there was no reason to be on edge, and surprisingly that simple reassurance calmed him considerably. Algernon hadn't seemed interested in firing him, and being nice to people in a bookstore had proven no different than being nice to them in a salon, so his job was hardly at stake. It was mostly the situation that was making him nervous, and since they were both in it, it didn't seem worthwhile to worry over it. Rabbit drew in a long breath through his nose and nodded at Zac's suggestion.

"Shelving and talking. That sounds good, 'cause there're about a million things I want to ask." He smirked and shook his head. "I'll just... whenever you're settled and stuff we can start. And it's nice to meet you too."

endejester

 

[endejester]

"Ask away!" Zac said with a smile that was at least more genuine than forced-retail smile with a side of 'strange new world'.

"I mean, I'll do my best to answer anything, but I'll warn you I'm not the brightest bulb in the Christmas lights I swear." He gave a small laugh though it was rueful.
He might have been thinking about Sunny.

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

"You've got to be brighter than me," Rabbit said with a grin. "Maybe not about, like, living in New York or the perfect Cocoa Pebbles-to-milk ratio, but with this stuff you're crazy advanced." He was specifically recalling how Zac had handled Heliodora's diary, but it went back further than that. To Rabbit, Zac had always seemed like he knew what he was doing.

"I saw you in the void. You had a purpose and I was just... confused."

endejester

 

[endejester]

Zac flushed and shook his head, glancing away with unfeigned modesty. "I just, read out of a book, it's not really the same as knowing what I'm doing. I just, I just did my best to try and not taint anything by my own assumptions. That said I probably did anyhow" he admitted.


"I mean, if I seemed at all like I had a clue I think it's really just that maybe I've been dealing with this a little longer, but I'm not sure how to compare notes on that."

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

"Hm." He supposed that might have been true. Though they had probably come into their power at a similar time initially, Rabbit hadn't known the half of what magic meant until he had been kidnapped and forced to live among it all. The difference was, there was still plenty he didn't know today.

"I guess... It felt like you cared about everything so much that it knocked out the fear." He shrugged faintly, lowering his voice. "Like in the, um, the past." That felt so weird to say. "I went into full self defense mode. But you fixed stuff there too." He seemed to notice Zac's embarrassment belatedly, moving on once he had.

"So, books. Where are they and where are their shelves?"

endejester

ouo

 

[endejester]

"Ah! yes!" He stammered
"This way! We'll get you caught up in no time!" he promised. and led the way to the books.

Smerdle

We can end this one and do a new one when you are ok??

 

[Smerdle]

Rabbit followed, suddenly anxious to be working properly. Learning how not to be a screw-up around here. He smiled.

"Right behind you."

endejester

yus! i'll DM you <3