fandomhigh | Library [9-2]

Entry tags:

library

Library [9-2]

Wesley was more than a little bit excited for his first library shift. Anything that let him be a huge nerd and sit around with books all day was okay with him. So he sat. Kind of bouncing a little bit because yay books!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Henry lacked spy levels of composure; he simply did crack up for a good ten seconds before he managed to answer.

"I'll escort you there," he said magnanimously. "You don't need to trouble that pretty head with ideas, do you?"

Cindy gave a delicate shudder. "Thinking causes wrinkles!" she said in horror. "Besides, that's what men are for. Thinking and taking out the garbage."

"Where your job is strictly ornamental," Henry nodded. "I see how it is now. I've missed you. Hi."

He hadn't lasted long in character at all.

"It takes a lot of effort to look this good," Cindy objected, before discarding the brainless socialite persona. "Hi, you. I missed you, too. It's good to be back."

She wasn't entirely sure where things between them stood, but that wasn't going to stop her from reaching out to pull him into a hug if she could. "I missed you a lot. Especially towards the end."

Henry returned the hug, but with a little stiffness in his arms. It wasn't anything Cindy had done; it was just that eight weeks were a long time, and he was headed home for a bit soon, and --

And, really, it was a little late in the day for him to start dating anybody. He was 40 now. He wouldn't see 45.

"What happened toward the end?" he asked shoving that unfortunate train of thoughts out of his head. "Did you get caught in a sticky situation that could have been prevented, if only you'd been around someone with a thorough grasp of Library of Congress classification?"

"It's like you were there!" Cindy gasped in mock-surprise. She noted the stiffness. She kept the hug brief, because of it, though she couldn't help but trail her fingers across his hand as she stepped back. "There we were, stranded at the top of the Eiffel Tower, with a madman who kept demanding we explain why the Dewey Decimal system was no longer good enough. And I thought to myself, 'If only Henry were here to save us all!'"

She grinned at him and leaned a little on the bookcase. "Or, in a much more prosaic reality, the last few days I got to meet my friend's ex." The grin faded into a grimace. "I don't know what attracted her to him in the first place, but I can understand the reason behind the divorce."

And, see, when she touched his hand like that it made Henry realize the things he was worrying about were in the future, and she was here and now.

He was getting ahead of himself. He'd concentrate on her story.

"Sounds like a charmer," he said. "What was he like? An oaf unworthy of your friend, no doubt."

"Not oafish," Cindy said, thinking of ways she could describe Crane without giving too much away. "Too...small and petty-minded for that. He saw everything--her, the kids, their marriage--as a possession, things for him to enjoy. Plus, he had the kind of eyes that crawl all over you and leave a film behind."

"But unworthy? Oh yeah. If I hadn't been there for moral support, I'd've left the hotel anytime he came in."

Oh, hello there, guilt.

"You didn't mention they had kids," Henry said, sounding dismayed. "Jesus. Sounds like a mess all around. Think you did any good, being there?"

"I did," Cindy said with conviction. "Everything's pretty sorted, at least as it can be for now, and he's pretty much out of their life for good. I mean, there's still a long legal battle ahead, but I'm pretty sure that can all be handled via lawyer."

Or, like Bigby, with something heavy to the back of the skull. But details.

"Hopefully I can avoid trips like that for awhile. Paris was nice--at least, what I got to see of it." Of course, traipsing about after Max, she'd seen a surprising amount. "But I'm ready to settle into the island for a bit. How about you?" she asked, turning a smile towards Henry. "What kind of mischief were you up to, while I was slaving away in Paris."

"Not much mischief," Henry said thoughtfully. "Sorry to disappoint you. The island went weird a couple weeks back -- things were disappearing, people were disappearing, monsters were showing up. I managed to help out without pulling my disappearing act, so that was something. Otherwise, just work. I need to get out more."

"Well, if that isn't something I can't help you with, I'll be very sad," Cindy replied, giving Henry a small pout. "I need some way to thank you for keeping me away from the thinky books. Besides, I missed you."

Sometimes, Cindy enjoyed being coy. After Paris and Crane? Henry's directness was refreshing and deserved the same from her.

"Dinner after the weekend?" Henry suggested. "I always like that for thanks. Especially if it comes with decent wine."

Cindy smiled at that. "Dinner is just the thanks I had in mind. Any preferences?"

"I like Thai and Wednesday and Thursday are my best two days."

That was enough guidance, wasn't it?

It was plenty.

"Then prepare for Thai on Wednesday," Cindy decided. "You, me, and curry make three. Sound good? We can meet up after the library closes, since I have office hours that day anyway."

Henry grinned. "I'll see you at the restaurant."

He was surprisingly easily pleased by all of this.

"I'll even make reservations, so if there's a sudden Thai rush, we won't be inconvenienced," Cindy said. "Can I ask what's going on over the weekend?"

Her tone of voice suggested she'd was curious, but not at all offended if the answer was 'no.'

She was hardly the one to take offense at other people keeping secrets.

"Alba's turning two on Sunday," Henry answered, since it was hardly a secret. "I'm going to head home for the party."

Cindy grinned. "I want to see pictures. Especially of you in a party hat."

It was a toddler's birthday party. Weren't party hats a necessity?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Library [9-2]

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library

Re: Mod Your Library