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 Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 1:36 pm
Nahm took a seat, slouching slightly, his smile never wavering. He took the contract when it was handed over and read through it carefully, taking his time, the faint glow of his eyes flickering back and forth; he flipped between pages several times, paying careful attention.
When he'd finished, he laid the contract on the desk. "A little too binding, perhaps; would you mind altering section 55c to state a return obligation if the subclause is invoked, section 18f and its attendant points to state that either party can dissolve the relationship, and the third clause of section 69 to specify that non-business-related interactions are not covered under its requirements? Oh, yes, the seventh footnote, I'd like that struck until such time as a more permanent arrangement might be discussed." He tapped a claw on the footnote in question, added, "You're good."
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 1:42 pm
Zar watched him read the contract with absolute calm, all apart from his tail which flicked at his feet like that of a furious cat. He nodded curtly at the amendments and turned back to the paper, once again drawing his pens to write an exact duplicate of the previous contract up with the specified amendments. He might not ensnare the other student this time, but everyone had their off days.
"Consider it done." he said. "Perhaps not good enough." he conceded with a faint smile, handing over the amended contract for Nahm's perusal.
"I'm a little off form of late. You'll forgive me for the attempt at deception, one has to be choosy with the intelligence of one's clients you understand."
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 1:49 pm
"Thank you," Nahm nodded, and took the contract, scanning carefully over it again. Once he was satisfied that the alterations had been made as requested, he picked up one of the pens and signed his name in a long, elegant scrawl.
At the apology, he laughed. "Entirely forgiven. I expected the attempt; I'll admit that I would've been disappointed if you hadn't come through with it, and I would have been ashamed of myself to have been caught by it."
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:02 pm
"Indeed, I would be quite in neglect of my duties not at least giving a taste of the sort of thing I am capable of." It hadn't been a wasted effort in any event, he knew now in much richer detail that the individual he was dealing with wasn't simply a set of teeth, there were brains behind that smile. "Then consider it a partnership."
Finally he extended a taloned hand for a handshake.
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:08 pm
Nahm shook the extended hand. His grip was firm and certain. "A pleasure to do business with you," he purred. "I look forward to working with you and getting to know you further."
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:13 pm
"The pleasure is all mine I assure you." Zar's own handshake was textbook and gave nothing honest away about him. He inclined that brow again, tail hovering uncertainly at the purr in Nahm's voice, before smiling as if at a private joke. "I have been told I am easy to know in certain senses of the word but not so easy to comprehend."
He turned away to eye the pile of papers he'd gotten through, a completed workload - frankly depressing.
"I have some terminated applications and accounts here, if you would like to take them away with you. Of course, there is a grace period extended to you, if you don't wish to start with immediate effect."
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:22 pm
"It is certainly an experience I will be happy to embark upon," Nahm assured Zar as he adjusted his gloves. "And I would be pleased to demonstrate my capabilities, if you'd like a sample. I am always hungry." His teeth parted slightly.
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:31 pm
Zar sat back down at his desk, resting all of his claws daintily on the perfectly polished black surface as he studied Nahm. Hunger was such a broad term. "I can empathise with that sentiment entirely." he said with measured calm. "My kind are born hungry in a sense. It never goes away."
He leaned over to pick through one of the stacks of paper, with pinpoint precision choosing a segment of the bundle. With the co-ordination of a magician removing a tablecloth from a set table, he whipped the bundle from the stack without disrupting the rest and held it out to Nahm.
"Accounts belonging to missing individuals." Their debts would remain, outstanding payments to them however were forfeit.
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:38 pm
Nahm took the bundle, adjusted his scarf a little so that it wouldn't catch on his jaw, then opened his mouth wide and bit off half the stack at once. His teeth sliced neatly through the paper rather than tearing it; he chewed the mouthful, making sure to shred it into bits with his rows of teeth before he swallowed it. The other half of the stack followed in short order.
He licked his lips, blinking slowly and thoughtfully. "A tad on the dry side, but is that a hint of despair I detect in the ink? Fine material."
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:45 pm
Zar looked on with interest as Nahm devoured the paper, he'd never seen such a fascinating creature before, mostly restrained to dealings with demons on the whole. "Could be." he said cryptically. "I make my own ink. Various ingredients but primarily self sourced. Fine materials nevertheless." As if to demonstrate, he dragged a talon across the back of his hand, the result was thin enough to be a paper cut but significant enough that jet black blood bloomed on his pale skin. He held it up demonstratively before idly licking the wound - his tongue happened to be black aswell.
"Perhaps the despair you detect is my own." he said with a cryptic sort of chuckle.
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:49 pm
Nahm's head tilted slightly to the side. His tongue flicked out over his lips again, a little slower. "I see," he said. "I can assure you that the end result is ... delicious."
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:57 pm
The smile Nahm was afforded this time seemed to reach Zar's eyes. "Fortunate. I would be upset if work I have invested so much of myself in was deemed unpalatable. I take all of my dealings seriously." Whatever underlying irritation his tail's flicking had been alluding to earlier appeared to have subsided as it curled itself around the chair in a lazy, almost serpentine fashion. "Unfortunately, my work is complete for the day, and that is all the condemned items there were."
"You may have to be left wanting."
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:07 pm
"Ah, how unfortunate," Nahm pouted. "An excellent appetizer, but I am still hungry. Unsatisfied, maybe. For the moment, at least. I must say I look forward to further tastes of your materials." He got up from the chair, giving Zar a lazy, speculative look.
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:12 pm
Zar seemed to hesitate, drumming his claws on the desk as he eyed Nahm sidelong, before some latent better judgement seemed to edge back in. "Drop by again tomorrow, I'll make sure to have a significant mouthful prepared for you then. There are a lot of files I've yet to purge."
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Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:17 pm
"I will," Nahm agreed. "I look forward to it." He bowed to Zar, then turned and padded out, his grin remaining stretched wide and pleased in the shadow of his hood.
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