asgardmeridiem | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Caterina and anyone who works at Needle in a Haystack or has a good reason for being in the back office there. Or anyone who manages to wander back there. OR WHATEVER.
What: WRESTLING WITH THE BOOKS
When: Day 185
Where: The Needle in a Haystack back office.
Rating: PG-13 for Italian swearing.

[Caterina is working on the record books for the store. It's clear they started off being kept well, but at some point in the past couple of months, the record-keeping has fallen a little short of Caterina's standards, and she's spent the past several days wrestling with them to get them up to snuff.

Anyone who walks into the office area, for any reason, will find her there, muttering curses in Italian and surrounded by piles of ledgers and paper and etc.

...

Fair warning, if you disturb her it's entirely possible she'll throw something at you.

...

That doesn't mean you shouldn't do it anyway.]

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[Don't mind Alice, she's only in the back to put stock back here, after going out of her way to use some money to purchase it so that the front can be prepared in case of another slam. It's clear today or this week rather, Alice is still shaken up from a few days ago and whenever that happens, Julius is usually padding around the store.

Alice is merely passing by the office area to call for her dog.]

[Said dog is actually sitting next to Caterina, his head on her lap while she pats his head absent-mindedly. She's so absorbed in what she's working on it's entirely possible that she's not even completely aware that the dog is even there.]

Julius?

[He's an affectionate dog snd he loves people, so it shouldn't be a surprise when Alice finds him with Caterina. Quietly, Alice peers around the doorway to find her dog with Caterina.]

Julius, come here.

[Alice beckons her dog as she quietly comes in.]

[It's not until the dog leaves that Caterina really even notices he was there. She looks up, and there's Alice, too. She blinks and sighs, leaning back in her chair.]

Ciao, Alice. How are you?

[Alice is freezing up as if she's expecting to be scolded for disturbing her. Sort of like a mother would do or an older sister. She straightens up after Julius is happily wagging his tail in front of her. Silly dog. After that awkward half a minute.]

Ah-

[She even blanks out on an Italian phrase in return.]

I am well, thank you.

[Her head is still in numbers land, really. No scolding for you.]

Bene. That is good to hear.

[It has Alice almost cringing, expecting something in return, even as Julius gives a small bark at Alice for not responding to his nuzzles. There is that tennis ball around here that he likes to drop loudly on the ground.]

Ah, are you-

[Alice is tempted to curiously ask her what she's doing but that doesn't seem like a good idea. Just going to awkwardly shuffle one step back, now.]

[She leans forward and looks at her work, flipping a few pages. She answers, because she heard the question and hasn't noticed Alice edging away.]

I am working on the record books for the store. Ezio is a fine manager, but not particularly skilled when it comes to record keeping.

[Can you blame Alice? Really?]

But what of Malik?

[Well, she wouldn't blame her, if she were paying attention.]

Hmm? Oh, well when he was here he kept them very well, but in the time he was not here they...

[She frowns. Is that another mistake?]

Dannazione.

Caterina-

[She grips Julius' collar to prevent him from going in the room as she works.]

Shall I leave you be?

[She asks as the dog attempts to move forward.]

Mmmm.

[She waves a hand in a motion that implies "yes, if you like, you're dismissed."

Sorry, Alice. Her concentration is somewhere else entirely.]

[Once again, Alice tries to shuffle Julius along with her, but instead, the dog opts to run between her legs, causing Alice to fall, very loudly, nearly hitting her wrist on the floor.]

[The noise causes Caterina to jump in her seat, turning quickly enough to upset the ink bottle. She yelps and catches it just before it tips over, then turns to Alice.]

Alice! Are you all right?

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