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Blushing rather furiously, Amaravati told herself that really, she didn't need to think of the Librarian as heroic. Really. It wouldn't help matters to develop some kind of crush on him, especially after all that had happened. But %$*#it, they had been through quite a bit, hadn't they? Sighing, she tried to relax, and let him help her. Replacing the designer shoe that she had broken was going to be a #$^&@. It wasn't that she couldn't afford that kind of thing, but she definitely wasn't going to have an easy time of it running around on a sprained ankle.

"... Oh dear. How am I ever going to drive home now?" she bemoaned, the realization that had struck her before hitting her hard. And how was she going to get her baby home if she didn't drive it? Bringing a hand up to her face, she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Um. Thank you again," she added, glancing up at the really very nice Librarian. It wasn't his fault she'd had such a wretched time of it, really. Not at all.

He was all that was chivalrous and helpful, and she was certainly grateful for his assistance. No matter that it had gone awry, at least now she was semi-comfortable. Sucking in deep breaths, she tried to clear her head of the daze that she'd fallen into. "I think I might need some ice, yes. ... I probably do. I've never sprained my ankle before." She was glad to be out of the public's eye, at any rate. The last thing she needed was a picture of him carrying her into the office-- oh $*#@. How likely was it that one such photo existed now?

And off he went, presumably to fetch her things. He really was a dear man, wasn't he? She might have written libraries off entirely except for that. It was awfully hard to hold their particular situation against him, when half of it (at least) was her own fault. As much as she was used to being treated with distinction, she was also on the awkward side of things when it came to how to handle someone who was helping her, but wanted nothing in return. Amara couldn't help but want to come up with some kind of compensation, and wasn't that causing her trouble?

Ohhh deaaar. Amaravati was a lot of things, but none of them really involved a great deal of self restraint. None of them, in fact, involved ignoring attractive male Librarians with long fingered musician's hands who liked to 'rescue' damsels who weren't sure they ought to be distressed. Mentally telling herself that it was completely, completely inappropriate to stare overly long at said Librarian, she glanced up with a faint smile. "Thank you. I hadn't realized I'd left them out there, but really, how many purple wallets with hand-stitched embroidery can possibly be kicking around this place?"

If she had at any point noticed Carol and her apparent attitude, she certainly had no interest in pointing it out. Comfortably settled on the couch, she didn't have to deal with jealous old women (yes, she was inclined to use that description for Carol, if not Tony) who seemed entirely too interested in the doings of friendly librarians. "My hero," she said jokingly, and then grinned at him. "Seriously. Do you have any idea of the kind of trouble it would make for me if I had lost my wallet?" It was a big deal. A really big deal.

Unfortunately, it was hard to ignore long fingered musician's hands when one of them was holding her foot. She flicked her gaze in its direction, and bit her lip. ... No, it was still inappropriate. "Your Library seems rather wild, if you don't mind my saying so." Very wild, in point of fact. Not, of course, that either of them could do anything about it. Pensively, she considered the fact that the reporter (for she had decided that that was what he must be) had gotten away. It was very likely that she was going to open tomorrow paper to find herself somewhere in its pages.

Destiny City was never short of gossip to spread about. "Oh no, it's helping... I think. It's hard to say. I've never sprained anything before." Surprisingly. And also surprisingly, she hadn't really sworn at him in a couple of minutes. Maybe it was the pain that did it, or the distraction. "Really, it's very nice of you to be so helpful. You certainly have no obligation to me." She wasn't paying him, and they weren't seeing each other. Therefore, she concluded, he was simply a very kindly sort of man. That was a great deal more than she by rights could expect from a stranger, even a Librarian in his Library.

Oh her father would die if he saw her here. Seriously. He'd just die. "What exactly do you mean by strange happenings, if you don't mind my asking? The Library isn't... haunted, is it?" For a girl who considered herself very much modern, very now, Amara was just a touch superstitious. Of course, growing up in a house like hers had left its mark. ... And he had taken her sock off. ... Why was that distracting? Dazedly, she tried to sort herself out. "I'd like that advil, if you please. For the headache, if nothing else." Though really, she might actually need to consult a doctor, or something if the dizziness persisted.

%$*# the man. Really, how could he possibly consider it fair game to look at her that way? Amaravati was very sure that he was being simply friendly, but... friendly didn't look friendly when he wore it. That tended to be true of good looking men in general. Blast. Managing a rather distracted smile, she nodded slightly. "Well... I'm glad it doesn't look like it's broken, or anything. It would be quite a hassle if it was." Imagine trying to get around school on a broken ankle! "Err. If you don't mind, I think I'd like to stay here for awhile. I would just as soon not draw too much attention by having someone come get me."

It was not often that men like Tony knelt beside her as they fussed over her injuries. Then again, it wasn't all that often that she was injured to begin with. Certainly not this injured. "If I call away for a cabbie, or have my father send our driver, it will cause a stir, and we really wouldn't want that." Being trapped here for too long was not actually an unpleasant thought. ... Goodness, he had very green eyes, didn't he? Very, very green. She offered him another smile, and at least this one seemed to have some weight to it. "If I may be so bold... I like to know the names of the men who rescue me. We haven't been introduced." Extending her hand in a rather habitually formal manner, she said: "My name's Amaravati Priti. It's a pleasure."

And a pain. Definitely a pain. That might have warned her off of visiting the library again, but for the ever gallant Librarian. Really, it was hard to hold it against him. The day had been absolutely disastrous, but it had a silver lining. At the very least, she thought she was making a friend. "I really should get a library card at some point," she mused, considering the matter. She was going to have to take the book home, and books weren't allowed to just walk out of the library without jumping through the proper hoops. For all that it might be the first and last time she used the library card, she had no intention of giving up so late in the game.

Amaravati, who had never loved a Library in her life (if it was not her own personal library, that is), was having trouble not being moved by Tony's words. Though he had turned down her various offers of assistance, it was entirely likely that she would find a way around that. ... Maybe if she were to send the library some things she might be able to get away with it. Hmmn. "There's nothing quite like beautiful woodwork," Amara agreed, noting the wistful tone of his voice when he spoke of the shelves. That was definitely something she needed to look into. "And handcrafted items in general are, in my opinion, far superior to the alternative."

Factory made just wasn't the same, sadly. "Oh dear. Did you lose a lot of books that way?" Books were added to her mental inventory. Books, shelves... perhaps a nice set of tables and chairs? Something for the library to use in that intimate little sitting area. Pursing her lips, she contemplated that thought. "Tell me, are there any expansions the library is hoping to make? Perhaps to improve the area that has been ruined?" Was she seriously considering investing in a library!? ... Yes, yes she thought that she was.

Ah well. It really could have been worse. What harm could it possibly do for her to purchase a few lovely things for Mr. Darrow, and his staff? None at all, naturally. At least, that was what she told herself. "I have my own library, at home. I don't usually like to handle used books, you know. I am not overly fond of the way they tend to be marked up, and dogeared." Amara was exceptionally careful with her books. "My family has a library as well, but it's much larger than my own." Babbling. She was very definitely babbling. "Nothing like this, of course... but they brought over all of the books mother owned in India."

Her father had loved their home in England, and she had spent some very happy years idling in her father and mother's combined library. She smiled again, inclining her head. "Anthony, then." Nibbling on her lip in thought, she decided that she might as well simply give him the information he wanted, as uncomfortable as it was to part with such intimate details. "Name: A-m-a-r-a-v-a-t-i P-r-i-t-i," she started, following with her address, credit card number, and finally her email. "I'll give you my email, though I'm sure my cell number would work just as well. Would you like that in addition?" Smooth, Amara. Allowing him to have her number like that.

Truly, he made the library sound magical. "I wouldn't bother replacing the old shelves with the metal ones, Anthony," Amaravati said evasively, shifted her gaze to the side. She had definite, definite plans. "Why don't you tell me about those handsome sitting areas?" she inquired innocently, turning her gaze back onto the Librarian. "Truly, I am fascinated. And oh, I'm sure that you would love to see our library. I favor antique furniture, personally. Beautiful old wood, and lovely fabrics, you know. The pieces I have are absolutely classic." Given her family's wealth (both acquired, and inherited), it wasn't altogether surprising that she liked that sort of thing.

"My favorite is this large chair, with clawed feet, and the most gorgeous brocade fabric." No one else had discussed furniture with her before, and she found that she was enjoying it. "It's very nice to sit in, and read. The library has enormous windows on one side which look over our garden. I've had the chair placed so that I can read in the sunlight, when I wish to." And she tended to take her tea in that chair, with the little end table beside it. Perhaps she was encouraging him to be a nerdy goon, but she didn't mind. "Hmm, well... perhaps someone will donate some new books for you, Anthony. It seems such a shame that your library has been thrown into a disarray." Someone named Amaravati Priti, in point of fact.

"I would like to see your collection sometime." Which was a given, wasn't it? Carefully keeping the ice on her ankle, she nodded when he mentioned her cell phone number. "It's 766-9062," she rattled off, trying to keep as comfortable as possible. "The area code is the same as the Library's," she added as an afterthought. "I do check my email from time to time, but it is much easier to reach me via the phone." Which she would check, even if she didn't check her email. Still smiling because he was actually kind of adorable when he was talking about book related things, she sat up a little straighter.

"My ankle? It's... been better, but it's not dreadful." There was nothing wrong with enjoying the company of an attractive man, even if he didn't know that she was enjoying it in a non-platonic way. She would rather have died than tell him so, after all that had happened. "Really, you've been very helpful." Her thoughts wandered back to the woman she'd see in passing when he'd carried her through, and she decided that she'd have to do a bit of snooping, and find out who she was. She %@$*ing hated having someone random watch her like that, and get in her way. Well, that stranger woman was not going to have the chance. Tony seemed inclined to accept her friendship, however determinedly his co-worker glared.

He looked... so sad, somehow. It made Amara feel badly that she'd coaxed that response out of him, and it made her all the more determined to cheer him up. She should've known better than to flaunt her wealth like that. Glancing up at him, and looking absolutely chagrined, she tried to find a more... neutral sort of ground, or at least a friendly one. "Perhaps when I've seen your collection, I can show you mine? I think you'd like it." Yes, she was inviting a man she had just met into her home, but... ah well. As soon as the school year was out, she was going to get an apartment for herself, so that might become more the norm, anyway.

"You are an exceedingly kind man," Amaravati informed Tony, giving him a relieved smile when he took over ice duty. "You don't have to help me out of any sense of obligation, you know. It's not your fault that I'm clumsy." It was, however, his fault that he was just as accident prone as she was, but she did not feel at all inclined to tell him so. Somehow, someway, she would pay him back for his kindness. She really would. If she intended to overpay a little, that was her business.

Looking wistful herself, she gave him a rather hopeful look. "Maybe you'd like to have tea some time? I'm rather ridiculously short on friends here." Even four years (had it been four years?) into living in America, and Destiny City, she was still having an awkward time of making friends. And it would be nice to have some adult friends that she could be more mature with. She was much more used to adults than her own peers. ... Admittedly, she was now an adult herself, but that was hardly the point.

"We can discuss books, if you'd like? Or literature in general. In all honesty, from what you've said, the Library had some quite nice things, for all that they probably weren't as fancy as what we've got at home. ... Good workmanship doesn't need to be fancy, you know." Oh she absolutely, positively needed to do something about that sad look of his. As soon as she got home, she needed to make some calls, put in some orders. The circulation desk she resolved to leave alone, as he seemed to enjoy being out and about. Otherwise, though, the furniture absolutely needed replacing. This simply would not do.

Amaravati shook her head chidingly when Tony seemed to fuss a little over her offer. "Oh, just tea, Anthony, really. It won't be a big deal." But he was saying that he didn't think it would be out of the question. "I'm afraid my collection probably wouldn't interest most people here. Or maybe it would, if they could read it. I do have some books in English, but they are outnumbered by the ones that are not. Really, my little library is quite small. It's the family one that's large." She'd have to show him that one anyway, though.

"I'm sure it can't compare with yours. What sort of books do you favor, anyway?" She was unconsciously echoing his thoughts, perhaps because she had similar reservations. He was a librarian, surely his collection was far more impressive than her own. Goodness knew what he kept up there. Amaravati was essentially a proud young person, and it was difficult at times for her to put herself out on a limb and risk being rebuffed. Had she been aware of what he was thinking about she would have felt stung, as she had no intention whatsoever of gloating about her library.

"We can't have a grumpy Librarian, now, can we?" He sounded like he was considering her offer of tea, but she wasn't sure that pursuing along that particular vein would win her case for her. When he got to his feet, she took over icing her ankle, and blanched when a particularly clumsy movement on her part shifted it too much. "Y-Yes, I think I'd better sit around for awhile. Thank you for the offer but... I probably need both of my hands for reading. Or I would." One to hold the book, the other to turn the pages, of course. Ow. That was decidedly painful, and she was not enjoying a minute of it. Hurrggh. Going still, she closed her eyes for a moment, and held the ice pack in place.

"You've probably got a lot of work to finish. You needn't stay and watch over me if you have somewhere to be," she added, wondering how it was that the Library could function with only one person taking care of things. It wasn't as if she would be going anywhere for a little while, and he was still at work, after all. $@*#ing %#@#, that twinged. Blah. If it weren't for how bloody nice Tony was, she would just as soon not come back to the Library at all, but he was terribly nice. Nice and oblivious, which for the moment was probably just as well.