[Being six feet tall tends to have very many advantages. Shelves for example, are never an enemy. Unfortunately during this, one of the rarest moments of his life, Ignis has found himself facing a formidable foe.
Library shelves.
They've never been this tall, have they? Or at least he's never faced one so darn pesky before. For a city he's never heard of, their public library is very well-stocked. He's perused a few sections already and happens to hold at least four other books in the crook of his arm, a novel to bring back to the apartment to read on his free time, a text on pathophysiology, a text on pharmacology for nursing care, and a book on home cooking. There's one more thing he'd like to add to his assortment before he checks them all out.
Now, if only he could reach the darn thing. Ignis takes a step back to set his little pile of books down on the ground, searching around for rolling ladder or a step stool, something to make this a little easier on him, but nothing is in sight. Is it just misplaced, or was it a careless mistake? Regardless, he's really not interested in asking for help. He's not small. ...okay, a bit on the scrawny side, but that's not the point.
With a heavy sigh and an adjustment of his glasses as he glances upward at the top most shelf, just within reach of his fingers, Ignis decides he'll just have to go about this his own way.
And so hopefully no one passes by when he steps forward and reaches up, balancing on his tiptoes to get enough height to latch his knee onto the edge of one of the shelves. It should be just enough to let him get those extra few inches he needs to snag the book he wants and be on his way.]
[There are a few extra perks to being six feet tall, but even more when you're six-foot-six.
Gladio reaches over the shoulder of the guy climbing the library shelves, just to be a dick, and snatches the book he's reaching for and holds it above his head.]
You know they make ladders for that.
[He tucks the book he was reading before he was distracted under his arm and flips the other guy's book open.]
I'm pretty sure you can get in trouble for climbing the shelves like a spider monkey. But what's got you so desperate?
[If the stranger attempts to take the book back from him, he's pulling it out of reach. He just wants to see what the book is about.]
[Okay, so maybe he slightly deserves this. It's not exactly becoming of an adult to climb shelves like this. But what he doesn't deserve is to have the book dangled over his head like he's a child. He carefully rights himself, feet back on the ground.]
I've been waitlisted for the past three weeks and didn't receive a single email about its return. [He'd say something about how he's not letting the book get snatched up from under his nose, but unfortunately that's already happened. So he can't help but glower up at this towering menace who isn't helping his irritation one bit.
However, unlike this moron, he has manners. Ignis extends an open palm.] So may I have my book, please?
[The Ultimate Pet Health Guide: Breakthrough Nutrition and Integrative Care for Dogs and Cats]
[Ah wow... The accent... That sure takes Gladio back. For someone who was just halfway up a shelf in public, this guy's really polite. In the English way, anyway.
So Gladio shrugs and hands over the book, but not without comment.]
Planning on adopting a... [He squints briefly at the other man's whole, you know, self.] ...cat? I guess it'll be pretty pampered if you're waitlisting guide books about it.
[Honestly, Gladio doesn't know shit about pets. His sister constantly tried to bring stray cats home, but she was the one taking care of those on the few occasions she actually got to keep them. His minimal input was feeding them table scraps while she wasn't looking.]
[Ignis "Excessively Polite and Very English" Scientia, at your service.]
[Thank goodness this doesn't have to turn into a scene once he finally gets that book back. And not only that, he has to at least give this person points for assuming he'd be a cat-owning sort. Dogs are not his favorite. At all. (Noct's dogs don't help with this)]
I don't have any pets of my own and haven't made plans to take one in. However I. Have a flatmate.
[There is a noticeable pause there, because Ignis almost thought to refer to Noctis as a friend before he realized he. Doesn't really fit that description.
And then he remembers. Right. You don't call them flatmates in the states.]
Roommate. He has two cats and two dogs, so I thought it would be a good idea to educate myself on how to help with caring for them. I've never had pets before.
[Gladio doesn't bother letting this guy know he's definitely familiar with the English terms. Gladio considers himself lucky he doesn't have a noticeable accent, but that also leads to people assuming he's a born and raised American.
Which... isn't the worst assumption, just a wrong one.]
That's a lotta animals. Pretty nice of you to go out of your way to help out with his pets.
[Gladio would just ignore them. They're the roommate's problem.
[He sort of has to. Not that Ignis will mention so. It's sort of a rude, blunt statement to make. Even if it's very much true. So he just decides to say nothing about the comment and move on.
Surprisingly enough, he didn't expect an actual handshake out of this or an introduction. Apparently the man has manners after all. Ignis waits a moment before extending his own hand (he almost expects Gladio to yank away) to take the other's.]
Ignis. I'm no longer a student, these are just for personal reference to assist with my job. I'm a caregiver, recently moved here.
[Very smoothly, with little inflection:] The accent sort of gives it away.
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no subject
Library shelves.
They've never been this tall, have they? Or at least he's never faced one so darn pesky before. For a city he's never heard of, their public library is very well-stocked. He's perused a few sections already and happens to hold at least four other books in the crook of his arm, a novel to bring back to the apartment to read on his free time, a text on pathophysiology, a text on pharmacology for nursing care, and a book on home cooking. There's one more thing he'd like to add to his assortment before he checks them all out.
Now, if only he could reach the darn thing. Ignis takes a step back to set his little pile of books down on the ground, searching around for rolling ladder or a step stool, something to make this a little easier on him, but nothing is in sight. Is it just misplaced, or was it a careless mistake? Regardless, he's really not interested in asking for help. He's not small. ...okay, a bit on the scrawny side, but that's not the point.
With a heavy sigh and an adjustment of his glasses as he glances upward at the top most shelf, just within reach of his fingers, Ignis decides he'll just have to go about this his own way.
And so hopefully no one passes by when he steps forward and reaches up, balancing on his tiptoes to get enough height to latch his knee onto the edge of one of the shelves. It should be just enough to let him get those extra few inches he needs to snag the book he wants and be on his way.]
no subject
Gladio reaches over the shoulder of the guy climbing the library shelves, just to be a dick, and snatches the book he's reaching for and holds it above his head.]
You know they make ladders for that.
[He tucks the book he was reading before he was distracted under his arm and flips the other guy's book open.]
I'm pretty sure you can get in trouble for climbing the shelves like a spider monkey. But what's got you so desperate?
[If the stranger attempts to take the book back from him, he's pulling it out of reach. He just wants to see what the book is about.]
no subject
I've been waitlisted for the past three weeks and didn't receive a single email about its return. [He'd say something about how he's not letting the book get snatched up from under his nose, but unfortunately that's already happened. So he can't help but glower up at this towering menace who isn't helping his irritation one bit.
However, unlike this moron, he has manners. Ignis extends an open palm.] So may I have my book, please?
[The Ultimate Pet Health Guide: Breakthrough Nutrition and Integrative Care for Dogs and Cats]
no subject
So Gladio shrugs and hands over the book, but not without comment.]
Planning on adopting a... [He squints briefly at the other man's whole, you know, self.] ...cat? I guess it'll be pretty pampered if you're waitlisting guide books about it.
[Honestly, Gladio doesn't know shit about pets. His sister constantly tried to bring stray cats home, but she was the one taking care of those on the few occasions she actually got to keep them. His minimal input was feeding them table scraps while she wasn't looking.]
no subject
[Thank goodness this doesn't have to turn into a scene once he finally gets that book back. And not only that, he has to at least give this person points for assuming he'd be a cat-owning sort. Dogs are not his favorite. At all. (Noct's dogs don't help with this)]
I don't have any pets of my own and haven't made plans to take one in. However I. Have a flatmate.
[There is a noticeable pause there, because Ignis almost thought to refer to Noctis as a friend before he realized he. Doesn't really fit that description.
And then he remembers. Right. You don't call them flatmates in the states.]
Roommate. He has two cats and two dogs, so I thought it would be a good idea to educate myself on how to help with caring for them. I've never had pets before.
no subject
Which... isn't the worst assumption, just a wrong one.]
That's a lotta animals. Pretty nice of you to go out of your way to help out with his pets.
[Gladio would just ignore them. They're the roommate's problem.
Gladio offers a hand to shake.]
Name's Gladio. You a nursing student?
[He nods to the other books the guy has.]
no subject
Surprisingly enough, he didn't expect an actual handshake out of this or an introduction. Apparently the man has manners after all. Ignis waits a moment before extending his own hand (he almost expects Gladio to yank away) to take the other's.]
Ignis. I'm no longer a student, these are just for personal reference to assist with my job. I'm a caregiver, recently moved here.
[Very smoothly, with little inflection:] The accent sort of gives it away.