Bibliophiles Unite!

[Zero]

"I am sure you will." Arguing that she'd already more than earned any good fortune seemed pointless to Keiran. His future refusals to accept any form of repayment would be all he could do. At least she seemed happy about this small thing - something not even fully concrete! He didn't think that he had ever made a woman so happy that she cried before, though.

Except his mother, of course.

"I, uh, yes..." It was unlike him to fumble over his words, but he really wasn't sure what to say. He wouldn't argue with being left there for a few minutes. Actually it would be a bit of a relief. As soon as Lyssa left he would be able to compose himself and smooth his robes once more.

That hug had truly thrown him off!

[DragonSong]

Lyssa beamed, resisted the urge to hug him again, and nodded as she slipped back out of the room.

She knew exactly where she needed to go to find the proper texts, but she took her time, trying to compose herself. Gods, she didn't know what was wrong with her, she shouldn't have lost control like that. It was hardly professional.

Some ten minutes later she returned to the restricted room, carting a stack of five heavy books in her arms. "I- I wasn't sure which you might need, so- I brought these," she puffed. "There are a few others I could grab, if you like."

[Zero]

Keiran spent half the time she was goon smoothing over his robes in an absent-minded fashion. He still couldn't get over the fact that Lyssa had hugged him like that, seemingly out of the blue! In the social circles that he belonged to such a spontaneous display of affection was highly out of the ordinary. Girls never hugged him - that was far too forward.

At least they had been alone with none to witness it. Although it hadn't been unpleasant, just shocking. Such a sweet girl, Lyssa.

When she finally returned, he blinked in surprise at the hefty books stacked in her arms. Keiran immediately stood and took them from her, looking sheepish as he set them on the table. "Heavens no, Miss Lyssa, you did not have to carry so many large books up here for me, and you have done more than enough for me for one day."

[DragonSong]

Flushed and still beaming, she replied happily, "I don't mind, really. Much as I love working here, it's considerably duller without you around."

She chuckled a little awkwardly and took her seat again.

[Zero]

"Is it? I imagine you get much more reading done when not being pestered to help with my pursuits." Keiran mused, but he had managed to regain his easy smile. "If it is truly so dull why wait for acceptance into Kia's Garden for a little break? I would be delighted if you came by the campus tomorrow for morning tea. Afterwards I could give you a tour of the grounds."

[DragonSong]

"Really?" She visibly perked up, her pointed ears actually twitching a bit. "I have an evening shift tomorrow, so that would be wonderful."

Blushing and smiling, she nodded at him as she fixed her glasses to perch properly on her nose. "Thank you for the invitation."

[Zero]

"It is my pleasure, Lyssa. I find your company delightful, and it will be good to familiarize yourself with the college before you begin studying there. There are extremely talented and knowledgeable tutors who will be at your disposal very soon." Keiran was very excited by the prospect of her attending his college. Not only was she a talented, competent young woman, but he truly did find her manner a pleasure to engage with.

Her being a student would mean that she would be even closer and he could seek out her company more easily in the future.

[DragonSong]

She blushed a bit at "delightful" and smiled shyly, nodding. "I suppose you're right. Thank you, it will be nice to see the place I hope to be spending much of my time in the future," she laughed lightly. Of course she'd seen the colleges before, but only ever from the outside.

[Zero]

"You will be spending much of your time there. Do not doubt it. I am certain that my father will sponsor you." If Nathan Fairhall ever learned just what Lyssa could do he would more than sponsor her, he would get his claws into her and never let her go. Keiran had no intention of being specific about her abilities, only that she was far too talented not to attend college.

Pushing the thoughts aside, he pulled one of the books she'd brought over in front of himself and opened it, flipping through the pages idly. It was hard to focus on studying now that he knew that he was having company for morning tea - which was strange because knowing he would have company at any time never bothered his studying before. Keiran wasn't even aware of the way he was smiling to himself as he thought about how well everything was going.

[DragonSong]

Lyssa couldn't seem to stop herself from glancing up at him every so often, and she noticed the small smile happily. It was nice to think that he was helping her because he wanted to, not out of some sense of obligation to her for her aid in his research.

She shook her head briefly, trying to refocus on the task at hand, but now she was practically fidgeting with a kind of anxious excitement, which really wasn't like her.

[Zero]

Keiran could only pretend to read for so long. The words were blurring on the pages as his eyes refused to focus, he could read a paragraph and then be completely unaware of what he had actually said. Giving up, but hiding his frustration, he slowly closed the book and looked up at Lyssa with a sheepish smile.

"Miss Lyssa, forgive me, but I think that I will retire early today. Let me help you put these books away before I go." He stood and began neatly gathering the forbidden books they had been studying at the start.

[DragonSong]

"Oh, of course." She was a little surprised- she'd expected him to stay as long as he could- but her own nervous energy didn't let her linger on the thought too long. She jumped up and began helping him put the restricted books away.

"Would you like to officially check out these?" she asked, gesturing toward the books she'd gathered from the library proper.

[Zero]

It wasn't so much that Keiran wished to leave. He simply found it impossible to pretend he was reading, and without the premise of studying he didn't have much excuse to stay. Simply being there for the sake of being there was illogical. Staying just so he could be near Lyssa just seemed silly, and he was certain she would tell him as much - she had her own work to do.

Once the books were away he smiled and nodded at the suggestion. "Yes, that would be wonderful, thank you." Before she could grab the heavy books he gathered them up and lifted them into his arms. Keiran wasn't going to let Lyssa labor over them a second time!

[DragonSong]

"Oh." She almost pouted at him, laughing, "I could take at least one or two of those."

Before he could protested, she snatched the top two volumes out of his arms and hurried to the door with a chirped, "Come on then, I'll get this squared away." She led him back out of the room and down the stairs into the main room of the library, pausing a moment to lock the door behind them before she hustled herself along.

"Lyssa?" Max, the other librarian on duty, glanced up with a small frown as she approached the desk. "I didn't know you were still here- your shift ended an hour ago."

Her skin flushed green and she ducked her eyes. "Oh, I must've, um, lost track of time," she mumbled. Well that was embarrassing.

[Zero]

Keiran opened his mouth to insist that he could carry them, but before he could so much as form a single word she'd snatched two away from him and made off with them. He clicked his tongue in a disapproving way, but couldn't help but smile as he followed her with a soft laugh and gentle accusation. "Stubborn."

They made their way back down to the front desk and he paused behind Lyssa as they encountered another librarian. He blinked when he found out that she was supposed to be off work.

"Ah, forgive me Miss Lyssa, I seem to have kept you longer than appropriate." It was surely his fault that they had both lost track of time. He wasn't even sure how long they had been up in the room alone together. How embarrassing!

[DragonSong]

She managed to toss him a wink and a crinkled nose over her shoulder at the "Stubborn" remark before she was confronted by the real world.

"Don't apologize, I should've been paying more attention," she said quickly. Still blushing, she slipped around behind the desk and said to Max, "I'm just going to check him out, then I'll be on my way."

Her coworker rolled his eyes and smirked at her, but didn't say anything. She resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him as she set about logging the books Keiran would be taking. "Alright, you're good to go," she chirped cheerfully, giving him a bright smile as she finished. Her blush has refused to die down completely, tinting her teal skin sort of deep aqua.

[Zero]

Keiran's smile only grew at her wink and crinkling nose. How very childish was his behavior? It hardly mattered, there was no one but the two of them to see or hear.

Well, at least until they had come to the front desk, then his expression became more serious. Even though she insisted he wasn't the one at fault, he gave her an apologetic smile as she moved around the desk. Max was mostly ignored - his blue eyes were entirely focused on Lyssa.

He smiled deeply as he pulled the books back into his arms, hoping that once back in his room that he would find reading easier. "Thank you again, Miss Lyssa. I appreciate how helpful you have been. You said you are no longer working? Could I perhaps walk you home? A young lady shouldn't be walking the streets alone this time of the evening."

[DragonSong]

"Oh..." She hesitated, biting her lower lip.

Well- why not? There wasn't any harm in it, right? And she liked spending time with him, talking with him.

She smiled and nodded gratefully. "I'd like that very much. Thank you, Keiran. Just wait one moment so I can grab my things." She ducked behind the desk and rummaged around in the space beneath it for a few moment, reemerging with a bag draped over her shoulder.

"Alright." She pushed the ledger toward Max and started, "I've done this morning, but I can go over the entries tomorrow when my shift starts-"

He laughed and waved her off. "Lyssa, go home. Gods, girl, you need to rest."

She smiled sheepishly and slipped around to the front of the desk again. "Do you, um, mind if we go out the back way? It's quicker to get to my lodging house."

[Zero]

"Of course, take your time." Keiran waited patiently for her to fetch her bag, flashing a radiant smile when she reappeared. He couldn't help but chuckle softly when the other librarian laughed and basically shooed Lyssa out.

He gave the man a polite nod. "Have a nice evening, sir."

If his arms hadn't been full with the heavy books Keiran would have offered Lyssa his arm as she came back around the desk. "We can go any way you like, Miss Lyssa. I am but your humble escort."

[DragonSong]

That had her blushing again, as silly as the reaction was, and Max chuckled as he bade them a polite good evening and she murmured, "This way then."

She led Keiran back through the rows of shelves to the back door of the library, an unassuming little entryway that might be mistaken for a closet at first glance.

Seeing as his hands were full, she pushed the door open and held it for him. Of course, being stationary too long had its consequences for her.

The strays knew her, waited for her, and she was barely a step outside the door when three cats and a rather bedraggled looking pup were at her feet, meowing and whining and rubbing up against her legs. She laughed sheepishly, casting Keiran an almost guilty look. "Alright, alright, hold on," she told the animals, digging into her bag to pull out a few scraps of bread and some apple slices, leftovers from her own meals.