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The first time that Jawbone found himself in the Compass Points Library had (largely) been completely unplanned. That is not to say that he did not enjoy his time there - in fact he would say quite the opposite - just that he came in not knowing what to expect. He had obviously met Ayda a few times and heard stories about her day in and day out from both her best friend and her paramour. But seeing the girl in her element, he began to understand far more about her.
“Jawbone O’Shaughnessey, father of my best friend Adaine O’Shaughnessey, and of my paramour Figueroth Faeth. Why are you at the Compass Points Library today?”
… Like the fact that her intensity was just that - her. Before he had even met the phoenix, Adaine had spoken of her personality. She had a fierce protectiveness over those she cared about that Jawbone admired. He was honoured that his girls had made that list too, to which Adaine said it wasn’t a difficult list to make, but she was nonetheless happy that her kindness had secured her spot. Upon first meeting her in person, he could immediately see what his daughter meant. The two had shared polite if a bit awkward pleasantries, then Ayda had excused herself to spend time with those she knew properly, noting that if Fig ever left her arm, she stayed in her gaze. The tension had eased with each meeting - but never the magnitude of her care. It had captivated Jawbone, to a certain extent. Both as a therapist and a friend.
“I apologise if my phrasing of my last question gave the impression that you are not welcome here. That is not the case. If I am not mistaken - which I am not - you are not a frequent visitor of this library.”
Jawbone snapped out of his train of thought and turned his attention to the librarian stood in front of him. He gave a slightly awkward laugh and a quick nod.
“I shoulda guessed that you divination girls know all about what everyone gets up to. You got some kind of spell that gives you a list of everyone who comes and goes?”
“No. I check the logs of the library on a nightly basis.”
An awkward pause fell between the two. After a few seconds with no conversation, Jawbone watched her trace a quick rune in the air with her ring finger before the flames of her eyes glowed a brilliant pale blue.
“Ah. That was some humorous banter. Though if there was genuine curiosity in your question, then no, I do not currently have a spell that fulfils that purpose. However, I believe it would be possible to create one should the need arise.”
Jawbone smiled as he recognised the rune become a familiar spell. Ayda’s Comprehend Subtext. Good kid.
“I’m sure there’s a spell like that kicking around in one of these fancy tomes. Oh, speakin’ of…”
The purpose of his journey finally reentered his mind at the mention of a tome. Adaine had texted him earlier that morning to say it had slipped her mind to return a book to the library, and that Ayda would be expecting it at twelve today. ‘Of course he’d bring it back’ he had replied, adding that he’d thank Ayda on her behalf. He placed the book carefully on her desk and quickly scanned the title.
“Worlds Beyond Number: An Academic Exploration of-”
“Interplanar and Extraplanar Transportation.” Ayda finished for him, eyes also looking at the book. “I was aware that Adaine borrowed this particular book, but I had not been made aware that she had shared it with you. What were your thoughts on the content of the book?”
He chuckled and shook his head.
“She didn’t share. I wouldn’t know where to start with these kinds of books, honestly. I’m just bringing it back on her behalf. Aelwyn had some kind of emergency that she had to tend to, so here I am.”
“Ah, I see. Thank you for returning the book. I will discuss Adaine’s thoughts on its content later, most likely over crystal.”
In the small and slightly less awkward silence that followed, it was Jawbone’s action that broke it this time. Why he had elected to bring a ceramic mug full of tea to a library full of books - and furthermore one which he would have to travel a long distance to reach, even through the door in Mordred Manor - Ayda did not know. But it piqued Ayda’s interest nonetheless.
“You are drinking tea.”
“I am.”
“What variety of tea are you drinking?”
Jawbone couldn’t quite remember the exact blend, just that something in the camomile family. He took another quick sip to see if his memory could be jogged any more. It couldn’t.
“Some kind of camomile, I think. It’s good, I think it keeps me relaxed. Makes the office smell good too.”
He ran the cuff of his cardigan around the rim of the mug to give it a very quick clean before setting down the mug on Ayda’s desk. “Would you like to try a sip?”
Ayda liked tea. Specifically, she nursed a mug of Barnacle’s Brew (a blend which was often used in the Gold Gardens, and despite its namesake, did not contain barnacles. It had been named for its alliteration and not its contents, which Ayda was not fond of, though it did not irk her enough to change her routine) in the mornings as she studied. She hadn’t tried camomile before, though to Jawbone’s credit, she had to admit that it did give the air around her a pleasant aroma. She looked at the contents of the mug with the same polite intrigue that Jawbone had afforded to the cover of the book he returned.
“Will you take offense if I do not like the flavour and elect to not swallow it?”
“Not at all.”
The divination magic that casted a pale blue sheen over her vision informed her that - unlike many others who would say things such as ‘not at all’ to a question of offense - Jawbone was being completely genuine. She should have expected that from the high regard her friends had held him in, but it was always nice to confirm her facts for herself. She reached for the mug, raised it to her lips, and took a small and tentative sip.
Camomile was sweet; sweeter than the other blends of tea that she had tried, at least. It lacked the trace of salt which Ayda had become accustomed to after drinking Barnacle Brew for several months. But that’s not to say that Ayda disliked the drink.
“It is sweet.” She announced after swallowing the mouthful. Jawbone gave an affirmative hum in response.
“Yeah, camomile is one of the sweeter ones. Sandralynn and I have a bit of a sweet tooth. Oh, and I added a little honey too, Kristen brought it home. Just boosts the flavour.” She set the mug back in the exact same spot that Jawbone had left it for her, a neutral expression on her face.
“Do you… like it?”
“I do like it. It has a simple flavour profile, which I appreciate. I do not know how much honey you added nor how you brewed the tea, though I found it to be pleasant.”
Jawbone smiled. She had enjoyed it. That was all he could ask for.
“Well I’m glad, kiddo. I’ve got a heck of a lot of teas at home too if you ever wanted to try them.”
She raised an eyebrow. Despite the magic reassuring her, the offer that he gave simply felt too kind to be genuine. But she looked at the man for a moment, paws idly drumming against his thigh, keeping a distance that felt both welcoming and respectful. His eyes showed nothing but kindness. It wasn’t a trick. That was just who Jawbone was.
“Is this a genuine invite to spend time with you?”
“If you’d like it to be.” He smiled, then added “It is. I’d be happy to spend time with you.”
“And during this time, you would like me to try new varieties of tea from your collection?”
“I’ll tell you what, Ayda.” He took two paces toward the nearest shelf and picked up the first book that met his hand, not even bothering to check the cover. He placed it back on the table and slid it across to her.
“I’ll borrow this book for a week. And when I bring it back, I’ll bring two lavender teabags. I would be honoured to share a drink with you in your library.”
Ayda smiled. It was genuine, her excitement at the prospect of spending time with someone so close to people so close to her rushing through her mind. As she nodded to accept the offer, one thing caught in the back of her mind.
“You will need a library card to borrow that book.”
“Where do I sign?”