fandomtownies | Book Haven, Monday

So Jake hadn't really pestered Claudia at work yet, had he? No, he didn't think so and thus, he was there now. Perhaps he looked a little tired, but it was Monday.

"So any books you recommend?" Not that he was really looking for anything.

"The ones with words in them are pretty good." Claudia looked up from the book of sagas and grinned. "How's it going?"

"Ready to go back to the dorms, I think," he said sheepishly. "So are they big words or small words? I'm not sure I can handle the big ones."

"That depends on the book." Claudia shrugged. "Cabin life's not agreeing with ya, huh?"

"I woke up my cabin with my snoring," he made a face. "Maybe they'll kill me by the end of the week. What's your cabin? I might come hide there."

"My cabin's half empty. Literally. Maybe you can hide on the B-side? That way no one has to kill you."

"Huh, that's not a bad idea," he said. "As long as no one's spread out to take up that side anyway. Maybe next time I should request my own half due to extenuating circumstances."

"Maybe we should just get you some kind of noise canceling field projector." Because that was totally way easier than just getting his cabin-mates earplugs. Yes.

"Do you think you could make that?" he asked, genuinely curious and he was going to sit on the counter now. She could push him off if it bothered her.

Hey, Claudia didn't much care. It wasn't like he was sitting on any of the books.

"Dunno. I've never tried before. But it's worth a shot, right? Could be fun."

"Don't forget life saving," he pointed out. "I'd be forever in your debt."

"I'm sure we'll think of a way for you to pay me back."

He eyed her. "Nothing criminal," he said. "I'm not robbing banks. Neither am I streaking through town." Pause. "Actually, I sort of already did that. So um yes."

"Wait, and I missed it?"

"Well, I didn't have my cell on me what with the being naked part," he said. "Next time I'll try to warn you."

"I'd appreciate that. What'd you do, go skinny dipping and get your clothes stolen?"

"No, it was when those creatures attacked with the fog and all," he clarified. Actually, there wasn't a whole lot of clarification there.

". . . And the fog stole your clothes?"

"No, the things inside it," he lied. Actually, that was a pretty bad lie.

"Why the hell would they steal your clothes?"

He was kind of an idiot, yes. "They got torn up."

"Yeah, I'm thinking maybe we need to stop the 20 questions and you could just tell me the whole story."

"But twenty questions is fun." That was a whine. Yep, most definitely a whine. He could have just agreed on the skinny dipping story, but no.

"There's no one in the back?" he asked, hopping off the counter to look for squirrels between the shelves. He hadn't heard anyone else in the store, but checking was probably good.

"If there is, it's a surprise to me."

Claudia jumped up to put a "back in five minutes" sign in the door and lock it. Least she could do was humor his hedginess.

"I think we're probably alone."

"Looks like it," he nodded and... Awkward. Plus, he was starting to feel like a bit of an idiot. He could just go yeah, they ripped my pants to pieces or I went cliff diving and they were gone when I got back. Gotcha.

Except that they were lies and he was kind of sick of those when he didn't have to tell them anymore. He wandered father into the store, away from the windows as he tried to figure out the start. Blurting it out, it was.

"I tore up my clothes when I turned into a werewolf."

There. Please ignore the freaked out expression.

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NFB