Pratik snorted and pulled the book off the shelf. "If you won't take it, I will."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Please don't," he begged, suddenly alarmed. "They'll think I took it. They've seen me reading it!"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Pratik hesitated, conscience pricking him. He looked at Rickard a long moment, then decided this wasn't the hill worth dying on. He reluctantly put it back on the shelf. "They wouldn't mind even if they did notice."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"They'd notice." He looked down, cheeks reddening slightly. "I'm sorry. I just...I shouldn't. We shouldn't."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"It's okay," Pratik said soothingly. "You'll get there."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
He nodded but didn't say anything, glancing back at the books.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"Have you asked the librarians about those books?" Pratik asked. "I bet they've got more that are similar."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I hadn't thought to. I just browse and pick out whatever looks like it might be illustrated. They'd only recommend titles anyway, which isn't much use to me."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"I bet they'd help you get them off the shelf," Pratik countered. "They're librarians -- they love books and talking about books and sharing their resources with people who want to learn more. It's what they do."
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I've already asked too much of them at this point by requesting to borrow a book every now and then. And I don't know what I want to look at. Those books are well and good, but how do I explain?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Rickard.” Pratik sighed, looking at him. “It is not ‘asking too much’ to let them do their job — which is help people find books and lend them to them. It’d be too much if you started demanding they purchase additional books — though Ash would probably even be willing to do that if you had a few specific requests in mind — or expect the librarians to spend hours of their day reading to you. It’s not too much to use a library as intended. What’s the good in Ash having all these books if no one enjoyed them? He cannot possibly read every single one of them himself. So who did he buy them for? Why would he buy thousands of books he can’t possibly have time to read for himself if he didn’t want other people to appreciate them? It probably delights him to know his collection is bringing other people joy. A gift he cares deeply about that he takes pride in watching people explore. It’d probably flatter him more than anything to hear you’re borrowing books. He’s big on education you know — super supportive of all of you learning how to read and you teaching Ky Nortung and all the other academic pursuits you’re all undertaking. It makes him happy. Makes him feel useful. You like to feel useful, don’t you? Like how it feels to make someone else happy?”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
He nodded hesitantly, rubbing his wrist. "I....hadn't thought of it like that. I suppose you're right, Pratik." He glanced toward the doors of the library. "I'll wait, though. Until the hubbub dies down."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“That’s reasonable.” Pratik nodded. “No need to rush.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Do you suppose Ky has to ask, now that she's a noble?" he asked after a moment.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“No.” Pratik shook his head. “I don’t even ask. As long as you treat the books well and bring them back in a reasonable amount of time they truly don’t care.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
