At the Council Library

[stilljustandrew]

Sam's been here before, a couple of years ago.

Very little has changed; it still has the timeless feel of most libraries, the central rotunda still vast and hushed and reverent.

Comments

[gavemea_45]

Very little's changed about the library itself, at least.

Sam glances around, getting his bearings again, then looks at Andrew.

"I don't suppose Rachel's still around?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Some days? I think she's working with Ms. Harkness today, though."

He glances at Sam. "You were looking specifically for stuff about demonic Bindings, though, right? I know that section pretty well."

[gavemea_45]

"Uh-huh."

His expression doesn't change.

"Also different types of demons. And ways to handle encounters with them."

A beat.

"For example -- er, you know about the seven deadly sins, right?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Sure -- lust, sloth, envy, wrath, greed, pride, and despair. Which, also one of the seven Endless."

Beat.

"What about them?"

[gavemea_45]

Sam nods.

"They're not just concepts. Turns out they're also demons."

[stilljustandrew]

Beat.

Stare.

"Are we talking full-on personifications here? Or just demons with a Seven Deadlies-themed M.O.?"

[gavemea_45]

"Personifications."

He frowns.

"I should have asked Bobby if I could bring the reference -- anyway. This guy named Binsfield described them in his classification of demons."

A beat.

"In 1589."

Another beat. The look on his face is hard to fathom, but it's anything but pleased.

"Looks like we can expect to be dealing with all kinds of things again now, thanks to the gate being opened."

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew sucks a breath through his teeth, lets it out.

"Sounds like, yeah. Well -- let's check the Compendium for starters, and see what else we find that looks useful?"

[gavemea_45]

Sam stares at him.

"There's a Compendium?"

A beat, and a quick, slightly embarrassed grin.

"Cool."

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew grins back. "Seriously, I remember the first time I saw Mr. Giles's book collection? Which was maybe two big bookcases' worth, at the time? I was like, how are there that many books in the world about this? And they're indexed?"

He half-turns on the spot, his gaze running across the expanse of bookshelves.

"You can imagine when I first saw this place."

[gavemea_45]

"Yeah, I can."

He'd been pretty stunned when he'd first seen it, too.

"Reminds me a little of Bobby's house, only he's the only one who knows where everything there is."

[stilljustandrew]

"Which is fine if he's the only one who ever needs to find anything, but ..."

Andrew points. "C'mon, we're over here."




Some twenty-five minutes later they're settling at a table, each toting an enormous stack of books.

[gavemea_45]

It had been a challenge to try to focus on books that might give some details about deal-making demons in particular without letting Andrew see that's what he was looking for. As a result, Sam had ended up with a lot of books.

It's probably just as well, though, because it's not like he'd been lying before. They're gonna have to expect to run into who knows what out there.

Sam sets his stack on the table with a quiet 'thud' and rubs his hand, stretching cramped fingers.

"Oof."

[stilljustandrew]

"Y'okay?"

Andrew's trying to maneuver his own stack onto the table without mashing his own fingers.

[gavemea_45]

"Yeah," he says, with a quick sideways grin. "Just heavy, that's all."

[stilljustandrew]

"And we didn't drop any this time," he says with satisfaction, scooting his stack of books further onto the table and prudently separating it into two shorter stacks.

"Okay, where do you want to start?"

[gavemea_45]

"Can't see that it makes that much difference," Sam returns, dryly. "Start at the top and work our way down?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Sounds good."

Andrew tugs the topmost book off his own stack. "I'll bookmark the pages that look like they might be relevant, and we can copy them for you to take with when you leave?"

[gavemea_45]

"That should work."

Sam reaches for the first book in his pile, and keeps his focus on it as he adds, deliberately casual,

"I really appreciate this, by the way. Just so you know."

[stilljustandrew]

He glances up, with a small smile.

"Anytime, man. It's not a problem."

[gavemea_45]

"Still."

It's more of one than Andrew knows, given that Sam's trying to do this without Dean finding out about it, but it's not like Sam can tell him that.

(And to be honest, he'd a lot rather find a solution here than have to depend on Ruby. Even if she did help in that last fight, and even though she does seem to know what she's talking about...)

He shakes his head as if to drive away the errant thoughts, then opens the first book and starts to read.

[stilljustandrew]

Quiet descends.

They don't have the entire library to themselves, nor even this section the entire afternoon. People pass through from time to time, wandering idly or searching the shelves intently or putting books away, politely ignoring the two seated at the table with their work piled around them.

As usually happens when he's got his teeth into a piece of research, Andrew loses track of time. He's got no idea how long it's been when he raises his head, blinking, and rubs his lower back with one hand.

[gavemea_45]

Sam doesn't appear to have noticed Andrew's movement. He's got one elbow propped on the table and is leaning his head against his hand, fingers tangled in his own hair as he stares down at the book in front of him.

He hasn't turned a page in a while, though; he's lost in his own thoughts.

[stilljustandrew]

He looks pretty tightly focused. Andrew decides not to interrupt.

"Mr. Wells?" says a quiet voice at his shoulder: young, female, very diffident. "Do you have both copies of Erhardt's Bindings here? Ms. Harkness w --"

She breaks off in a gasp, taking an involuntary step backward as both men look up.

And she's staring at Sam, eyes round with horrified recognition.

[gavemea_45]

Sam looks surprised at her reaction, and glances sideways at Andrew.