fandomhigh | Library, Monday [6/7]

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Library, Monday [6/7]

Gabrielle had been hoping for a quiet shift today. She wasn't entirely naive enough to think that just hoping for one made it any more likely to happen, though.

Finding a mis-shelved compendium of Spartan history bristling and rustling its pages at the volumes on Athenian culture surrounding it made her feel vindicated in that touch of pessimism . . . and very, very relieved that this situation could be handled with just a little proper reshelving.

If only it were always that easy.

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"I won't breathe a word," Cindy said, making her way inside and closing the door. "I'd hate to spark a mutiny. Especially on Budget Day."

Cindy had extensive experience with budgets and balancing the books. She did own The Glass Slipper--at least, when she wasn't gallivanting across the globe on assignments from Bigby. "I've seen it done once or twice," she said lightly. "Can I see? Or is the library's budget a secret for only the librarian to know?"

"Have a look," Henry said, scooting out of the way so she could see the Quicken file open in front of him. "The books I want to order cost more than is in the new book fund. I need to find a couple hundred bucks to move over unless I want to ask the principal."

[OOC: Mod my fake budget, bb.]

Now, Cindy could easily find some money for Henry to move, but because she liked him, she was going to skip the more obvious options and stick to the completely legal ones.

See? That was true affection here!

"Hmmm..." she said, looking over the file. "This could take a few minute. Mind if I sit?" From the way she glanced at his knees, she was not looking to pull the other chair around the desk.

[Awesome! Dancing elephants for everyone!]

Henry was surprised, but knew what the glance to his knees meant. He scooted back and shifted in his chair to make more room. "I'm all yours," he said. "Just don't cut into the cleaning supplies. Anemone goes through them fast."

Someone was ... possibly not dealing with the fact Anemone and Sam were both leaving in a matter of weeks.

Cindy sat, giving Henry a flirtatious smile as she did. Look, if she was going to balance his budget for him ~~not dirty!~~ she was damn well going to enjoy herself while she did. "Okay, so cleaning supplies are sacrosanct, as is the coffee budget, I assume..." She glanced through a few of the columns. "Have you thought about calling the pizza place and seeing about getting a discount on pizzas you buy for the staff meetings? 'Care and Feeding for Special Collections'? Do I even want to know?"

Henry wrapped his arm around her waist -- purely for the sake of balance, of course.

"I could definitely cut back on the food budget," Henry agreed. "And Special Collections ... hmmm. I try to convince people not to go back there since the fog. But for all I know, Deadpool is sacrificing goats to it after I close up."

"Deadpool can pay for his own goats, then," Cindy said, settling back a little closer to him. Also for balance, of course. "Okay and now for 'Office Supplies...' Henry, Gabrielle's a dear girl and a good student, but you do not need to pay for her quill and parchment habit. Ballpoint pens and pads of paper are good enough for everyone."

Goose feathers were expensive!

"Some of that's pens for me," Henry answered, a bit defensive. Nothing was wrong with liking nice pens. "I suppose I can switch to Bics and talk to Gabrielle about bringing some supplies from home."

His eyes with down the columns of the budget. "Huh. I have money to use to decorate. Never knew about that."

"Then you can cut it back by more than half and you'll still have more than you expected," Cindy said, trying not to grin at his defensiveness. "Nice pens are exactly that, but new books are better."

"And books are definitely better than posters or paint," Henry agreed, reaching around her to tap in new figures. "There. That should almost balance us out, shouldn't it?"

"Just a bit more and you're all set--without attempting to ask for money from Zoe. On the other hand..." Cindy tapped on her cheek with a finger, thinking. "If you tell Zoe that you need a certain dollar amount for new books, but that you've already managed to raise most--or even half of it--she might be more inclined to write you a check."

Henry laughed. "Spoken like a woman who knows her way around bureaucracy. I think that's the way to go. Thank you."

Impulsively, he moved to give her a tighter hug. "So what brought you to my office, other than being my angel of caffeine and the budget?"

Chuckling, Cindy hugged him back, hiding how surprised she'd been by the impulsive gesture of affection. She didn't really want to think of what that surprise said about her right now, thanks.

"Do I really need a reason?" she asked archly. "Isn't being an angel of caffeine and budgets enough? Though it's possible I wanted to see how you kept yourself busy all day. I run out of things to do during my office hours and I only have those once a week."

"The library is a harsh mistress," Henry answered. "I file, I shelve, I organize things, I bother my minions ... probably I could come in less often, but then I'd have to find better ways to amuse myself, and where would that lead?"

"To mischief, most likely," Cindy said with a devilish grin. "And doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Absolutely," Henry agreed. "The question becomes, is there any particular kind of mischief we could get into when we're not slaving away?"

The first answer that popped into Cindy's mind was extremely inappropriate. So was the second. "I suppose we could always look to our students for ideas," Cindy said innocently, as if the previous two thoughts hadn't already occurred to her. "If we were stumped for our own, I mean."

"You don't think we can be creative?" Henry asked, in a way that would have passed for innocent only if you didn't know him at all. "You should come over some time. We can ... I don't know. Cook dinner. Listen to music. PLay monopoly."

And a few other things that were no doubt similar to Cindy's first thoughts.

"You were going to introduce me to something a little more modern than what I listen to, wasn't that right?" Cindy asked, laughing and leaning in ever-so-slightly. "Tell you what. You prepare an evening of music and entertainment, I'll be in charge of dinner. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," Henry said, running his fingertips over the ends of her hair. "When? I teach Tuesday and Friday I'm on the mainland, but otherwise..."

"I'm free most Wednesdays, because I only have my office hours then," Cindy said. "Though Mondays are good for me, too. Thursdays I teach, but that might be doable anyway."

She arched a slim eyebrow at him. "What do you say, Henry? Shall we go wild and crazy and have dinner within the next few nights? Or wait till next week instead?"

"Let's be completely insane and irresponsible and call it Wednesday," Henry said. "Meet me at my apartment?"

He'd have to clean, but he needed to do that anyhow.

See? That was why Cindy lived in a hotel.

"Insane and irresponsible?" Cindy asked, giving him a slow smile. "How delightful that sounds. Wednesday it is."

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