2007-09-02: A Retail Horror Story

Starring:

Cass_icon.gif Nathan_icon.gif

Summary: Cass, on a desperate whim, calls Nathan in to help her with the store. This proves to be a monumentally bad idea. Over and over again.

Date It Happened: September 2nd, 2007

A Retail Horror Story


East Village, NYC - Enlightenment Books

Enlightenment Books in the afternoon can actually be quite a busy place. It's times like this that Cass really feels the missing Peter as he does what he needs to do in the future. While saving the world is actually quite important to Cass, so is keeping all her customers happy so that she can remain in business. Being the only one on duty at the moment, it makes for a frazzled store owner. While she attempts to stay congenial and is smiling at the customers, she's trying to help people, ring up sales, and handle the phone all at the same time during a rush. It makes her stressed. Which may be why, in her act of desperation she called Nathan for some help. Just until the end of the day during what was supposed to be Peter's shift. She has no idea if Nathan knows how to help out at a store, but, really, it's not hard. He can handle it, right?

—-

He can handle it. This, Nathan says to himself, as he opens the door to EB and eyes the customers currently browsing around. So, it's not exactly what he's used to, but retail honestly can't be that hard, it's just one of those jobs. Besides, when a friend needs a favour, Nathan is there! (After calling up a few junior employees and making absolutely certain that they couldn't make it in his stead, which includes the line, "Are you sure you have to be at the funeral? How close were you to your grandmother, really?") Dressed in a corduroy jacket, slacks, and a pale blue button down, Nathan lingers around the doorway, and is promptly hit in the back with the door when yet another customers comes striding in. Oh god. "Cass?"

—-

Welcome to retail, Nathan! Cass is behind the desk where there's a line of people gathering to have their orders rung up. Hearing Nathan's voice, she breathes a sigh of relief. Help! "Nathan!" She shoots her hand up straight in the air and waves it a bit, as if she were a student who really knew an answer and needed to be called on to let everyone know. That only lasts a few more moments because she tallies up a middle-aged man's tab, tells him the total and starts bagging his books. Taking the money, dolling out change, she rips off a receipt, puts it in the bag and hands the entire package over only for a young, insistent twenty-something geek with glasses to push ahead of the patient elder lady who has been waiting in line.

"Excuse me, Excuse me. You said you would help me find the Kybalion five minutes ago!" The geek pushes his glasses up and gestures wildly around the store. Meanwhile the woman he just pushed in front of makes a displeased harrumphing sound. "One second, lady, she'll be back to help ring up whatever in just a moment, but I've been waiting for my copy of this book for three weeks."

Smiling politely and apologetically at the elderly lady, Cass then turns the smile over to the geek. "Sir. Please, I do have another long line of customers who were here first. If you would just give me a moment. Nathan!" Gesturing again, finally, help. "Oh thank God. I'm dying here. I'll fill you in on the basics in a second, but could you please help this young gentleman find The Kybalion. It's in esoteric literature over there." She points to the left corner of the store. "It's by the Three Initiates. It's a thin, blue hardcover. You can't miss it."

—-

Run away. Run away. Damn. Nathan curses under his breath and wades through customers to reach Cass, steering to stand partially behind the desk, like a barricade. At her instruction, Nathan pauses for a moment, but inevitably the elderly lady is already handing her purchase to the book owner, and the young geek is looking at Nathan expectantly. "The Kybawhatnow?" Nathan asks, squinting at the customer.

"The Kybalion," the young man huffs. "Do you work here?"

RUN AWAY. "…yes," Nathan says, after a moment of hesitation, then peers towards the end of the corner of the store he was pointed to, and just heads on over, the geek tailing him. Esoteric literature? Nathan does recall that this is not a normal sort of bookstore, but really. He crouches down to hunt through the books, but no thin blue hardcover is making itself known.

"The Kyba— " the geeks starts to remind.

"Yeah just hold your horses, okay?" Nathan snips back. He grabs a random blue book and passes it over. "Will this do?"

—-

Though Cass does try to give every ring up a personal sort of touch, there's only so much she can do while trying to finish the line and make sure everyone has what they want and gets the right change. The elderly lady is easily taken care of and with some quick finger work and mental addition, the line starts to filter down relatively quickly.

"Hold my horses! Hold my…do you know how long I've waited for this book? Come to think of it I've never seen you here before." When Nathan hands over a random book, the man blinks at it and then glares at Nathan. "You're kidding, right? This isn't even close to the Kybalion. It's not even the right color blue! The spine is all off. Are you a total moron?" Obviously, he doesn't know who he's talking to. And Cass is too busy too intervene at the moment

—-

Slowly, Nathan stands back up from his crouch, giving the twenty-something a very flat look in return to that indignant glare. Wrong blue. Wrong spine. Are you— oh ho. When the word "moron" crops up, Nathan just raises an eyebrow. Then smiles. "So that what you're trying to say is that would be the wrong book?" he asks, stealing back the book in question and blindly shoving it back into place, almost from where he got it. Just. On the wrong shelf. No matter.

"You know what? We have this state of the art search program for locating titles. It's called looking for it yourself." Nathan points. "This is the esoteric section from here," point, "to here," point. "Go crazy." With that, he strides on back towards Cass, trying to rid himself of the 'asshole customer' shudders.

—-

The line at the counter is slowly dwindled to only two people, both of whom Cass easily engages in conversation while packing up their books and writing out their receipt. Swiping the card of a woman wearing all black with matching black lipstick to match, she smiles and holds how the carbon copy receipt for her to sign. "There you go. Thank you for shopping at Enlightenment! Stop by again soon!" Slipping one recently signed receipt into her bag, she puts the other one underneath the cash tray in the old fashioned register. Having somehow missed that exchange, she smiles at Nathan when he strides back. "Hey. I just really wanted to thank you for helping me out like this. It means a lot." Because she knows he's an important Congress-member to be and he probably has a million and a half things to do before she called him up. She wouldn't even have bothered him if everyone else she could think of wasn't busy or in the future or something.

The customer Nathan just left stays stranded and gaping for a moment. Did…did he just tell him to go crazy? Did he not even find him the right book?! How dare he! Huffing, he stoops down and rather easily plucks out the book he was looking for. It's right where it would have been if he would have just tried looking for it first. Then, he goes storming back up to the counter, steaming. This time. Oh, this time he'll wait in line. Then again, it's only one person, but that's okay. It's the principle of the thing.

—-

Nathan partially leans against the desk, giving Cass a smile that communicates how much he didn't just snap at a customer. Honestly, he did sort of figure that maybe he'd just find himself putting books away or something for a few hours, but then again, it is a bookstore, not a library. "You'd do the same for me," he says lightly, shrugging off his jacket and glancing towards where the somewhat infuriated young man is now waiting in line, right there. Cue to hide until he's gone. "I'll just put my things down," Nathan says, moving quickly now towards the back room.

—-

Really, Cass believes Nathan. Though she probably should be worried why he's smiling at her rather than grumbling about having to deal with a problem customer. Right now she's just a little too distracted to think about it too much. "That's true. Though I don't think I could really see you owning an occult bookshop and I'd be ridiculously bad at politics. I could possibly hand out fliers, though." Because all campaigns need flyer girls, right? Ringing up the last customer before the annoyed one, she nods at him. "Alright. There's a rack and shelf in the back." He's seen it, he should be able to figure things out. Just about the time Nathan suspiciously disappears, Cass gets to the angry customer.

"I just would like you to know that I will never shop here again. Not only did it take three weeks for you to get my book, your staff is undeniably rude and he should be disciplined." The geek pushes his glasses up again and hands over his book as he says that.

Stunned and unsure of what he's talking about, Cass takes the book and starts writing up a receipt. "Well, the Kybalion was out of print for a couple of weeks there. We got the first shipment that could be sent from Yogi Publications. And as for my employees being rude, I can't imagine Nathan— " Well, okay, that's a total lie. "Nathan!" She's not angry, she's confused. "Would you mind coming back out for a second?"

—-

Would it be wrong to call out 'no'? Nathan rolls his eyes when he's requested back to the front room almost immediately, because he knows why. Hanging up his jacket, he moves back out, not about to let a dorky college student get the best of him. "Mm?" he grunts out as he moves around the desk, taking the book out of the bag that it was just slid into. He looks over the back and then the front, showily inspecting the purchase. "Great, you found it. Now I'll know for next time." It's put back into the bag, which is handed back over. "That didn't take long at all, did it?" he says, as if willing some common sense into the huffy customer.

—-

The geek just narrows his eyes at Nathan, though he speaks to Cass. "This man was extremely rude to me and I expect him to apologize." He turns his eyes on the store owner. "I have decided that I will not speak to him until he does. It's against my code to deal out harm to others. I'd also like to say that he was very unhelpful." Plus, Nathan looks like he could break this little twig of a customer in half.

"Um. Okay. What exactly happened?" Cass glances between her new employee for a day and her customer. This guy has been rude before and she's not about to just take it on his word that Nathan for no reason whatsoever just yelled at him.

"He refused to help me an then told me to go crazy in the Esoteric Literature section. That was derogatory and mean and I don't come here to be judged by people like him."

—-

Nathan, honestly, is just stunned by this situation. Are customers really like this? Is he really supposed to be nice to this asshole, and apologise? Because hell no is that ever going to happen. Sure, Nathan has gotten snippy at employees before - there was that one time where the checkout counter girl started crying, but she made herself cry, not his fault - but this was ridiculous. "You called me a moron," he says, flatly, talking directly to the man despite being ignored. Then, he addresses Cass to explain, as requested. "I didn't find what he was looking for quickly enough, so I let him have at it."

—-

Not all customers are like this one. Just, some of them are. Apparently Nathan should know this as he is one of them, himself. "Okay, I think this is just a misunderstanding. Nathan didn't mean that you were crazy. A turn of phrase." Man can people have really thin skin. "And you should think before you call someone a moron. Really, he was justified in telling you to go shove it because I don't really tolerate people talking to my employees in such a manner. It's harassment and if you talk to other people like that you'll probably find yourself sued. Now, if you ask nicely and tell him that you are sorry, I'm sure he'll be accommodating and apologize in return. Otherwise, that'll be 23.50." By the end of her speech, Cass has returned to her best customer service smile. As if she hadn't just told this man where to stick his Kybalion.

Once again stunned and, quite frankly, mortified, the geek forks over some cash and mutters, "Sorry," in a very low voice and snatches his bag from Nathan before moving for the doorway.

—-

Oh you're SURE, Cass? Nathan just shrugs minutely when Cass makes this guarantee as to his apology. He'll just smile smugly as Cass rises to his defense with much finesse (because indirectly telling people where to shove their books counts as finesse), and inclines his head to the customer. "No harm done," he says, as the younger man makes for the exit. "Well that was a good start," Nathan says to his boss-for-a-day, once the door snaps shut. "Seriously, I'm sure people can find half this crap on the Internet, that book was published like a century ago. No offense."

—-

There's an eyebrow raise and once the customer is out of the store, Cass turns to Nathan. "Some of them can, I'm sure. But I'm kind of glad that they don't." Because it's hard enough having a bookstore in Manhattan. "And it was indeed, which is why it's so good that I have it here! Because this is one of the only stores in the city that carries it. Much like Activating Evolution, it's those small niche books that help keep me open. Now! That guy was a total jerk, but please don't tell my customers they're crazy. They have enough to worry about without that." Stepping back so that she can kind of lean against the wall, she surveys the store for a moment. "Plus, this is retail, you're supposed to be nice. First lesson for the day.

—-

"I didn't— it's a phrase," Nathan says, gesturing back towards the soteric literature section a.k.a scene of the crime. "It's not my fault that…" Okay, she just said not to call her customers crazy, so Nathan trails off and holds up his hands in surrender. "I'll be nice. I just can't guarantee I'll be great about navigating around this place. I could do the desk thing," he adds, offering a solution. Though the register gets a wary glance, because it's not all computerised and user friendly.

—-

The raised eyebrow stays there for a moment, but then Cass finally gives Nathan the benefit of the doubt. Sort of. "That's fine. I'm not expecting you to suddenly know where everything in the store is. I just need someone to help with the basic stuff. Here, I'll show you the system here and then I'll turn you loose. It's not that hard, really." Stepping forward again, she shows him the buttons to press on the old fashioned register to get the tray to open and get the right change. Then, she shows him the carbon copy receipts he should write everything down on. "Okay. That's just about it. If you get into trouble, yell out or something. I'll be here for most of your first— "

"Cass!" One of the regular customers waves the bookstore owner in an 'emergency' manner.

"Um, sorry. I'll be right back. If you need me, remember, just call out." And now it's Cass' turn to conveniently disappear when a customer comes up to the counter with her purchases, which she places right in front of Nathan, expecting to be rung up.

—-

What. What kind of emergency can possibly be had in a bookstore. Nathan opens his mouth to point this out, but Cass is already done, and books are already being shoved his way. Okay. This can't really be that hard, just like Cass says. "Hi," he says to the woman with a quick smile, picking the first book up to glance at the price, ringing it up as he was shown. "Okay that's going to be $56 total." Because he can at least math right. You don't get to graduate top of your class without knowing how to math right. Now he just needs to open the register. He starts pushing buttons, drumming his fingers against the machine when it doesn't immediately work.

—-

At least this customer is understanding. Or at least patient. She wears a confused, but somewhat amused expression when Nathan can't seem to get the register opened. He's an employee here, right? Shouldn't he know how to work these things? "Giving you trouble?" she smiles kindly, but she's also biting back a bit of a laugh. She already has her wallet out, ready to pay. She already has the cash in her hand - three twenties. All that needs to happen now is for that register to open. "I hear those old ones are hard to operate sometimes."

—-

Somehow, the pity makes it worse. "Apparently they are," Nathan agrees, still with a smile, because it's not the customer's fault this time. More buttons are pressed, and now he's getting pissed off. "Sorry, just a moment— oh, right." That's how to open it, now he remembers, and tada! The tray opens!

…and keeps opening and with the loudest clatter imaginable, the tray comes tumbling out of the register, coins bouncing and notes fluttering, and Nathan only barely gets away with it not falling on his foot.

"…" For a moment, he just holds his head, then disappears behind the counter, emerging with a couple of coins for her change, shoving this and the bagged books at the woman without remembering to do a receipt. "Here you go have a nice day thanks for shopping at Enlightenment Books." With that, he kneels back down to start collecting up the money. NEVER AGAIN.

—-

The pitying stare does not go away when Nathan's triumph with the register turns out to be just as sad as his failure. At least he got it open, though, right? Taking her change and her bag, she picks up a stray quarter and puts it on the counter. "Here, dear, you missed one." Actually, he missed most of the entire tray so far, but she's trying to be nice! And then, she's off to go do some other shopping and pity other people less fortunate than her.

The loud clatter brings Cass back to the counter and she stands for a moment surprised and gaping at what Nathan is capable of doing unattended. Immediately crouching down, she starts to help him pick up cash and change from the floor. "What happened?" She can't imagine how this managed to come to pass. "The only time the tray has fallen for me is when I tripped over something once and everything went everywhere. I was finding quarters in the stacks for weeks afterwards."

—-

"I don't know!!" Nathan's tone of voice definitely warrants two exclamation points, despite almost whispering, looking across at her over the disaster area for a moment as he turns the tray back over, pouring coins haphazardly back into their general compartments, snatching up paper money with the other hand. "I pressed the thing and it didn't just stop like when you did it." He's sulking, just a little, as he stuffs money back into the drawer, and stands to try and push it back into the register, though there's still some more to be picked up.

—-

In the short span of time that Nathan has been here to help, he's managed to upset a problem customer and spill money all over the floor. Maybe Cass should have just sucked it up like she did in the past and deal with it all on her own. Because poor Nathan doesn't really know what he's doing behind the register or where anything in the store is. Maybe this was a bad idea. "Okay. Well. We'll just call that bad luck and a fluke." While he shoves the cash drawer back in the register, the store owner gathers up the rest of the scattered money and presses the right buttons to make sure that the tray pops out. Unlike with Nathan, it slides out the perfect amount. Unable to help herself, she just kind of flickers her eyes up to Nathan and then she pulls it open the rest of the way to slide in the bills and coins in the right places. "I'll just….stay here with you for a little while longer. To make sure something like that doesn't happen again." And, luckily for the two of them, the flow of customers is steady, but not overwhelming for the next short while. And Cass can stay with Nathan and make sure he doesn't have any more epic retail problems.

—-

It was definitely a bad idea, really, and Nathan admittedly knew this when he walked in today. He just had no clue it would be this monumentally awful. "Great," Nathan states when she says she'll hang out and keep an eye on, though she gets a slight 'oh shut up' glare when the register tray doesn't suddenly shoot out. The next customer that comes up, Nathan— doesn't retreat. In fact, he steps in and starts ringing their order up, as if to prove that he doesn't utterly fail at this job. If Peter can do it, he sure can - even with a few slip ups at first, damnit. And he doesn't even comment on the fact that the title of the book reads 'Aliens In Our Minds: The True Story'. "You could always get a cash register from this century," he says, handing over the customer's money for Cass to deal with.

—-

There we go! See, this might not be such a bad idea after all. They can both have a learning experience and be the better for this. Nathan can learn retail, maybe it will help him in his campaign. Who knows. Cass is, as it has been stated many times over, a hopeless optimist. "I could, but what would the fun in that be?" The jab is taken with a bit of a grin and she takes the money from Nathan and starts to count out change. "I don't like modern registers. They mess up too much. Plus, I don't really understand them. This is just easier." As far as she's concerned. Then again, she's never managed to empty the entire tray on the floor. "I can't believe you never had to work a retail job in your entire life. Isn't that a right of passage for teenagers to get spending money?"

—-

It's true, Nathan got all the way to 40 avoiding working retail. He shrugs slightly and wordlessly hands the customer back their purchase along with the receipt as he glances at Cass, shifting so she can hand the change back over. Team work! Team work of the variety where you get someone to help you do your job that should be fit for one person to do, but team work nonetheless. "I never needed a job when I was a teenager, what can I say? I got my work ethic in school, and dad never had an issue with forking cash over when I needed it." Peter probably has a completely different sort of upbringing, too - Nathan wouldn't actually know, but at the end of the day, at least one of 'em got the rich boy childhood.

—-

Laughing, Cass hands over the change for the Alien book and just shakes her head. Through teamwork, the two can make anything happen. Even teach Nathan Petrelli how to work behind a counter. It's like George Bush (the first one) being at that grocery store. Only there's no scanner for Nathan to wonder about. "Man. To be a Petrelli."

Upon hearing the name Petrelli, the Alien Fanatic gapes. He looks over at his book and then up at Nathan. He's the type with the big thick glasses and bad comb-over. The kind that researches alien sightings over the radio and through secret websites. "Y-you're Nathan Petrelli! Oh my God, you're a believer! You can help us! You can save humanity." Pressing forward against the counter, he turns a pleading gaze at him. "They're coming, Mr. Petrelli. They're planning attacks against us and no one in Washington will listen. But if you're elected, you can save everyone. NATHAN PETRELLI IS ONE OF US!"

—-

At first, Nathan is kind of a deer in the headlights - mostly due to the fervent nature of the recognition he's getting. Then, a forced smile flickers onto his face, even as he steps away when the man leans forward. "You know what? You're absolutely right," he says. "I'm a New Yorker just like you who's interested in saving the world from whatever the galaxy's inclined to throw our way." Please leave. Please go away. Nathan snatches up the receipt and hands it towards the man. "Thanks for your vote."

—-

But that's not good enough for Alien Man. This is dire. The world right now is at stake. When Nathan hands over the receipt, the man tries to grab a hold of his hand. It's not in a threatening manner, but entreating, even. "Mr. Petrelli. You could be our only hope. The government repeatedly and steadfastly refuses to believe the dangers we are facing! It's not just as New Yorkers! It's as the United States, as humans! Our entire species is on the brink of extinction! You're a man of reason, of open mind! Make them listen to us!"

For this speech, Cass has been sort of staring in a horrified and confused manner. It's like watching a train-wreck. She just can't turn away from what is sure to turn out to be an entire disaster. Then, gathering senses, she starts to try and damage control. "Sir, please step back and don't accost my employees. I'm sure Nathan will do everything he can if he's elected. Enjoy your book."

The man does not seem convinced. "Never forget Area 51!" he yells out.

—-

Well. It was a good try.

See, when Nathan is accosted by crazies on the street, and it does happen on occasion (…sorry, Mohinder), this is about when security steps in - probably right when the man makes a grab for his hand, as non-threatening as it might be. But he doesn't have anything like that at a mere nod of his head so both Nathan and Cass are in between a bit of a rock and a hard place. For now, Nathan simply stares at Alien Man during his rant, and slowly extracts his hand from the stranger's entreating grip, leaving the receipt behind.

Then, more yelling, and Nathan pinches the bridge of his nose for a moment. Don't argue with the crazy guy! Don't! "You know what, the world forgot Area 51 around the time they tried to forget all of the 80s scifi sprung from it, and it's probably best you do the same," he states flatly with a cynical eyebrow raise. Heh. That's not entirely 'don't argue', but, too late now. And besides, people were starting to stare. He attempts another smile. "Besides, I'm sure the government has everything under control - the day you don't see aliens walking down the street is another day they're doing their job, right?"

And if the guy doesn't leave now? Nathan is suddenly going to become an expert as to where everything in the store is and go tackle down a normal looking customer with 'need help?!' He's already edging away

—-

The only security that Nathan has at the moment is Cass. And she's not the most adept at that capacity. So, instead, she just steps up to the counter and smiles at the now somewhat broken hearted Alien Man to try and control at some of the damage that has been done. Handing over the bag, she gives Nathan a look to make him stay put and comes around the counter in order to escort the man out of the store. "Now, enjoy your book, sir. I'm very sorry about that." Under her breath, in a tone that may carry to Nathan but also may not, she adds, "I'm sure you can understand that Mr. Petrelli must put on a public face for others, even among the faithful and the watchful in order to get elected by the uneducated masses. He appreciates your devotion to the cause and in protecting humanity. Once he's in office, I'm sure he'll be receptive to your cause." Then, she winks at him and returns her usual voice. "Thank you for shopping at Enlightenment Books!" Alien Man beams and winks back, faith restored, the world back to where it is supposed to be. As he leaves, the entire store can hear him shout, "VOTE PETRELLI!" With a sigh, Cass pushes her hair back from her forehead and returns to the counter. "Really, Nathan. You do bring them out of the woodwork.

—-

At the sound of Cass's apology to the customer, Nathan— says nothing but he does roll his eyes ceilingwards. He's not about to go and interfere, however, as Cass sort of slips into the role of reason and relations, leading the man away. He can't hear her words, but the placating tone carries over - no objection from him, as long as the guy is gone and— h-hey, he even retains a vote out of it. Nathan raises his eyebrows at Cass when she returns. "I do?" he asks. "You sure it doesn't have something to do with selling books that think E.T. was real? Nice damage control, by the way." Never mind that Cass wouldn't need to do that if he wasn't actually here. At that moment, another customer is approaching, and Nathan purses his lips, then glances at Cass. "Do I get a coffee break yet?"

—-

"Hm." Okay, so what she sells may have a small part in what clientele is brought in. But, it's also Nathan. Cass normally doesn't have very many problem customers. They're all lost in their own worlds - sometimes literally. "And you don't know. Maybe there are aliens out there. You could be the savior of humanity." Again. She waggles her eyebrows at Nathan in a teasing manner and then wiggles her fingers at him. Woooo. "And sure. I know how to deal with angry and broken hearted customers. It's what I do. However, you may start getting fan letters about how you can save us from an alien invasion. Just a fair warning." The price of doing business, if you will. As the next customer approaches, the store owner gives him a questionable look. Seriously? "Nathan, you just got here. It hasn't even been an hour." Smiling at the seemingly normal woman, she decides to take the reigns on this sale. "Hi! Thanks for shopping. Find everything you were looking for?"

"Yes yes. Thank you. I was…actually. Do you do gift wrapping? This is a gift." The woman holds up a set of tarot cards and the accompanying book.

"We do indeed! Let me ring that up for you." Cass takes the purchases and then holds them over to Nathan. Since he doesn't want to risk the cash register again and he can't be trusted to not illicit her customers to not try to recruit him to their causes, he'll be on gift wrapping duty. "Do you think you could wrap these? The paper's right under the counter."

—-

"What? It's been— " Nathan pushes back his sleeve to look at his watch. It's been a ridiculously short amount of time, and his shoulders slump. "Jesus," he mutters, then sighs. Rolls his shoulders. You can do it, Petrelli! But he blinks when he's handed the book and card deck, and he glances dubiously down at the wrapping paper that's pointed out to him. "Sure," he says, automatically, if a little robotic. No, he hasn't escaped such a task in all his 40 years, though it's been a little while. Surely that ability has improved over time, sort of defaultly, even with a lack of practice. Right? He picks up the scissors.

Not a minute later…

Nathan just sets down the scissors and sweeps the torn or otherwise wrongly cut pieces of gift paper off the desk, looking at Cass as if daring her to mock him when he clears his throat and asks, "Do we have any more of the lavender coloured roll? I— ran out."

—-

Making small talk with the customer, Cass rings up her sale and gives her back her change and receipt. There's no gift yet, however, because Nathan is busy with that. Or, well, sort of. When she looks over to see the…forest of mismatched wrapping paper pieces surrounding him, she blinks. Not answering him just yet, she just raises an eyebrow and then lets it fall back down. She turns back to the customer and smiles. "Why don't you browse around the store for a moment? I'll bring over the gift as soon as it's wrapped." Nodding, the woman gives Nathan and her gift a dubious look, but does the polite thing and steps away from the counter. That done, Cass is able to turn to give Nathan her full attention. "I. Nathan. That was only half used." There is no mocking. Only amazement and confusion.

—-

…the mocking would have been better. Nathan sheepishly - yes that's right, sheepishness on Nathan Petrelli, very few people get to witness this, Cass! - gathers up the useless paper for throwing away purposes. "I kept— well I misjudged the. The amount one needs to cover— you know that book was unusually sized, okay? You have unusually sized books here." He indicates his armful of torn up lavender gift wrap. "Where can I discard this?"

—-

Oh, Nathan. Cass puts a hand up and covers her mouth. She's trying to cover a smile. Because, well, it's rude to smile at this situation. But somehow she can't help it. "In the back room. That's where the biggest trash can is." Then, she turns around and ducks down behind the counter to pull out a fresh roll of paper in a mint green color - recycled paper, even! While Nathan goes to dispose of the forest he has wasted in attempts, she cuts out two sheets, wraps the tarot cards and the books and by the time he comes back, she's tying them together with bright colored ribbon. It's no Monet, but it's still covered and wrapped properly. That taken care of, she locates the proper customer and hands over the bag and the gift. All of it is taken care of. Slowly, she returns to the counter and just looks at the Senator-Hopefully. "So. Nathan." The store is, finally, all but empty.

—-

When Cass returns, Nathan is leaning against the counter, almost hunched over with his elbows resting against the surface, a chin in one hand and glancing around a little. The store is so much more attractive when it's not teeming with customers. Upon his current boss's approach, he straightens up again, and then narrows his eyes at her almost suspiciously. "…you're going to fire me, aren't you."

—-

"No!" Cass automatically says when he gets all suspicious. She can't help it, it just slips out. She doesn't want to fire him as an answer to his question! Despite the fact that that's exactly what she is trying to do. "Okay, yes. Sort of. I was going to be nicer about it." Smiling sheepishly, she shrugs her shoulders. "I was going to ask you to sit in the corner and not touch anything and just watch the store." See? That's much nicer than telling him he's totally fired. "I definitely think you picked the proper line of work for you." And retail isn't it.

—-

Now this is strange. Nathan is fired, but the overwhelming sense of relief that goes with it sort of skews the whole 'oh no!' feeling he's pretty sure he's meant to be feeling. "…yes, I do too. I respect your decision," he informs her. "You know I've never been fired before?" A considering pause. "It's really not that bad. You don't happen to have a drink anywhere, do you?"

—-

My. This has been the easiest firing that Cass has ever had to deal with. Not that she's actually fired anyone before. But, she imagined that it would be a lot more difficult. More hurt feelings and yelling or something. "And I've never fired anyone before." Mulling that over, she blinks. "It's a lot easier than I thought. Maybe it's just you." She eyes Nathan a moment and then gestures for the back room. "There's a bottle of wine in the cupboards. Bring a mug out for me, if you would." He should know the drill by now. Or at least from that one time they drank together after she closed up shop. "It's close enough to closing time."

—-

He does know the drill, and Nathan rather happily heads towards the backroom, moving so that Cass can get behind the counter as need be. But before he can go, he pauses and turns back to her, lazily pointing. "Just so you know, fired or not - you owe me." And— he disappears through the door. Coward!

—-

Stepping behind the desk, Cass pulls over the stool so that she can finally sit down and deal with customers at a more leisurely pace. However, she pauses in that endeavor when she hears what Nathan has to say. Stunned, she calls out after him, "/What/?" But, he's already gone. Coward.

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