the city called to me and i came [OPEN]

[manyshapes.livejournal.com]

It's Shundi afternoon, and Raven is out in the city. Along with her plans to meet Kate at the coffeeshop called Queequag's (it's always a good idea to scope a place out before you go and apply for a job there) and drop by the University to register for a couple of classes, she figures some window shopping is in order. Until she has a steady income there won't be any shopping bags going home with her, but a girl can look. Maybe try a few things on, check out what's available for decorating her room once Charles has a house picked out, things like that. Fun stuff, and a chance to get away from the Inn for a while.

[OOC: I'm going to set up some threads for encountering Raven at various locations, please wait to tag until I'm finished. Finished and open!]

Comments

[goodeintentions]

Aimery was out at the Bazaar looking for a gift for Lex or something he could use to complete his costume. Birthdays were a fairly new tradition for him, but he vaguely recalled celebrating at least one and had read about them enough in his novels to know what they were supposed to entail. But what counted as an appropriate gift from an employee to an employer? Or did the fact that they were friends and had a certain closeness override restrictions of title?

That contemplation was why he'd parked himself in front of a tent selling cloth accessories, and why he was staring down a display of beautiful handmade ties. There was one that was deep purple with what looked like gold threaded through it along the edges, just enough to catch the light every now and then, and Aimery thought it would look good with Lex's coloring.

But did he really want to get him a tie? Aimery hummed in annoyance at himself, then glanced around a spotted a young woman nearby and called out, "Miss? Could I bother you a moment for some advice?"

[manyshapes.livejournal.com]

Shopping (even window shopping) would have been more fun with someone to share it with, Raven thinks, which is why she's fussing through a pile of scarves with a frown. And why she responds to request for help with a happy smile.

"Absolutely. But you have to agree to pay me back with some yourself." She spots the tie display the man is standing in front of, and steps closer. "Oh those are gorgeous."

[goodeintentions]

"Deal, and I think so too," he grinned in response, grateful for her friendliness. Aimery picked up the purple tie he'd been eyeing and held it up so they could both see it better. "My employer's birthday is coming up and I was considering getting this one for him. However, I've never bought a birthday present and I don't know if a tie, even a pretty one like this, would be too little or too much, considering we're also very close friends outside of work. Do you think a tie would be appropriate?"

[manyshapes.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I think a tie is a really good gift for an employer." Raven kind of catches onto the nuances of 'close friends', however, and bites her lip on a grin. "And it is a really nice tie, so I think it could do for a friend too. The only person I've ever bought presents for is my brother, but I'd buy him a tie."

She pauses, and then lets the grin sneak out. "Okay, I'd buy him a more professor-ish kind of tie."

[goodeintentions]

Aimery looked at the tie thoughtfully as she spoke, thinking it over. If a tie was suitable for a brother then surely a fine one like that was appropriate for whatever sort of friend Lex was.

"Yes, I don't know that this one would do for a professor," he grinned right back. It was a little too flashy for what he imagined a 'professor' to be, but, "It will suit Lex though, and if he doesn't like it then next year he shall receive two ties."

Actually, maybe Aimery would get him a second gift anyway, just in case. He shrugged that thought away and extended his hand to her, still grinning, "Thank you. I'm Aimery."

[manyshapes.livejournal.com]

"If he doesn't like it, next year get him two really bad ties, and make him appreciate your good taste this year a little more," Raven suggests, with a laugh. She has no idea what kind of relationship the man has with his boss, but if it's close enough to buy him a fancy birthday tie, it has to be close enough to share a little joke.

She shakes his hand, smiling back at him. "You're welcome, I'm glad to help! I'm Raven. And I'm afraid I have to admit I'm not as nice as you, I'm only shopping for myself."

[goodeintentions]

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Raven," Aimery said firmly with a polite bow of his head. Her name interested him; she didn't look like a raven with her beautiful blonde hair and soft features, but perhaps naming conventions had changed, or maybe it was a byname like le Gode, or a family surname.

"Shopping for yourself is not mutually exclusive to being nice, after all you did help me despite it. Are you looking for something in particular or just browsing?"

[manyshapes.livejournal.com]

Or perhaps the disconnect comes in the fact that these aren't Raven's natural features at all.

"I was looking at the scarves, but it is just browsing for right now. I just got a job today so until I get paid, it's mostly wish list shopping. But you did promise to give me your opinion in exchange for mine, so now you're stuck looking at scarves too."