Fandom Post Office, Thursday

[doesnotkneel]

Edward had a job now. Actual gainful employment. And it was paid rather handsomely, too, though that may simply be his own sensibilities coming to the fore. It seemed like a vast amount of money by his time's standards. Perhaps it was a pittance by this time's?

He had no idea.

It was that thought he lingered on as he opened up the office and immediately began to rummage around, though. The work was rather monotonous, all that sorting of things. He was hoping he'd have a reason to go out and deliver the actual post soon. But every hour he spent sorting oddly-sized packages and letters was an hour that meant coin.

And coin meant actually being able to take Cosette out for a real dinner, some time in the future.

The thought was enough that he spent the entire day humming as he went about his work.

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[wildandbrave]

Cosette was accustomed to taking her lunch breaks in the library, but she had an excuse to leave for a while, didn't she?

"Hello, monsieur," she called cheerfully, coming through the door with a bag of Thai takeout. "I'm afraid I'm not here for business reasons, only personal ones."

She didn't actually sound apologetic about it at all.

[doesnotkneel]

"Ah, now, miss," Edward said, popping up from behind a stack of boxes. "I'm afraid I can't allow that."

[wildandbrave]

"Not at all?" asked Cosette, raising both eyebrows. "It's just that, you see, I hadn't had my lunch yet, and I thought you might like some as well."

[doesnotkneel]

"So you've some business with an employee, then?" Edward asked, lifting his chin high - but he was grinning. "I suppose that might be allowed... such men needing to be fed, and all."

[wildandbrave]

"Yes, let's call it that," Cosette agreed, looking mischievous. "After all, you can't do your job without proper nourishment, can you? It's in the business's best interests in the end."

[doesnotkneel]

Edward let out a loud sigh.

"I suppose I'll allow myself," he said, coming on up closer to the front to meet her. "Hello, lovely Cosette."

[wildandbrave]

"I've already made up my mind to share my lunch, so there's no need to resort to flattery," Cosette informed him, setting the bag of takeout on the counter and leaning up against it, all but grinning. "But I don't mind. Hello, monsieur Edward. I hope your first day at work goes well?"

[doesnotkneel]

"A bit of true flattery's never wasted," Edward said airily, leaning on the counter himself, from his side of it. "It's been well enough," he said, "Miss Éponine came by earlier to show me 'round. You catch me on my second hour all by myself."

And he'd shaken last weekend fairly quickly.

[wildandbrave]

"Good. I'd have had to be upset with her if she'd left you entirely to your own devices," Cosette said with a firm nod. "But you're quite capable, so I've no doubt you can handle things."

[doesnotkneel]

"It's mostly just putting mail in the right places," Edward said, smiling a bit. "Easy work for anyone who's got their letters."

There was a bit of pride in that.

[wildandbrave]

Cosette caught that hint of pride, and beamed at him as she took containers of fried rice and noodles out of the bag. "I knew I wouldn't have cause to worry."

[doesnotkneel]

"I'll make a proper living here yet," Edward said. "Perhaps in a few weeks we can celebrate with a proper dinner, aye?"

Because he really, really wanted to do that.

[wildandbrave]

"I'd very much like to do that. I'll make sure to save a spot on my calendar for you," Cosette told him, her cheeks slightly pink.

Because her social calendar was so packed. Really.

[doesnotkneel]

Edward gave an exaggerated sort of bow-nod-thing with his head. "I'm flattered you would show me such consideration," he teased.

[wildandbrave]

"Pshaw! It isn't only consideration, you know," Cosette told him, pretending to look indignant. "As I see it, spending the evening with you would be entirely in my best interests."

[doesnotkneel]

Edward leaned a little across the counter.

"And what would those best interests be?"

[wildandbrave]

"The pleasure of your company, of course," Cosette answered. "Dinner will be nice as well, but less remarkably so."

Would she take the initiative to lean the rest of the way across the counter and kiss him, to illustrate her point? Yes. Yes, she would.

[doesnotkneel]

It was a grand initiative. Edward could find no fault with it.

"I'm gladdened to hear it," he said, "as it is a benefit that is easy for me to provide."

After which he did, of course, kiss her again in turn.

[wildandbrave]

Honestly, if not for the counter being in the way, Cosette would have forgotten entirely about the food or anything else for a good while, but there was the small matter of the counter's edge poking her uncomfortably in the ribs when she stretched up on tiptoe to lean over further.

Still, she didn't pull back very far before she added, slightly dazed, "Mind you, I've no intention of waiting until then to avail myself of that benefit."

That was . . . fairly obvious at the moment, Cosette.

[doesnotkneel]

Edward laughed. "An impatient one, you are," he teased, reaching out to gently boop her nose.

[wildandbrave]

Cosette reflexively shut her eyes and scrunched up her nose, laughing, then swatted playfully at his hand.

"That, I can't deny. And a bit greedy too, if I'm to be honest."

[doesnotkneel]

Edward grinned, pulling his hand away, looking suitably (if facetiously) chastened.

"Aren't we all a bit greedy?" he mused. "For instance, I think I'm about to come out from behind this counter so I can have my food and eat it as well."

To which he followed suit immediately. Well, the getting out from behind the counter part, at least.

[wildandbrave]

Cosette, digging forks and napkins out of the bag, made a wordless thoughtful noise. "I suppose we are. But in this case --" she edged over to nudge him with her shoulder -- "it works out nicely in my favor."

[doesnotkneel]

Edward nudged her back (very, very gently; he didn't want to jostle her). "Then we both find ourselves benefiting from this, I believe," he said merrily.

He looked towards the bag. "How has this week treated you? The weekend was a bit odd."

[wildandbrave]

"It was another one of those, was it?" Cosette looked slightly guilty. "I spent the weekend at my father's, and missed it, I'm afraid."

Well, maybe "afraid" was the wrong word.

"The week, otherwise, has been nice enough."

[doesnotkneel]

"Everyone was aged, that's all I remember of it," Edward said. "Didn't throw me much, but some were looking like they had the fear of God put in them, that's all."

He was still eyeing the food.

"How's your father, then?"

[wildandbrave]

"Doing well enough -- oh, go ahead, take what you like," Cosette said quickly, and handed him a paper plate. "Keeping himself quite busy, especially now that he's finally gotten the garden fixed up to his liking. He subjected me to a bit of a lecture about proper weeding."

She shook her head at that, but fondly.

"So everyone was all grown up? I don't --" Well, no. She trailed off and shook her head. "No, I suppose I do see why some people might have been frightened by it."

[doesnotkneel]

Edward took the paper plate and then went angling to snag some food, though he kept his ears open for what she was saying. (Proper weeding? Cosette's father was an interesting man, wasn't he?)

"Suppose some didn't get the future they wanted," he said. "I don't remember much of mine, but it seemed all right. Don't think you missed much."

[wildandbrave]

"I suppose it could have been worse," Cosette agreed. "It would have been a surprise, in any case. I haven't given much thought to the future, I must admit. No, that's not quite true. I don't have a very strong idea of what I'd like to be doing, not yet. But in any case I'm glad I didn't go away for a few days and come back to find you had -- oh, I don't know, been accosted by an unexpected herd of rampaging rabbits."

[doesnotkneel]

Edward blinked.

And then he let out a laugh. "An unexpected herd of rampaging rabbits? Am I in danger of such a thing?"

[wildandbrave]

"I should hope not!" Cosette exclaimed, and grinned sheepishly. "Though you must admit, it is the sort of thing that might very well happen around here."

[doesnotkneel]

"I'll make certain to be on my guard," Edward promised.

Was he leaning in to steal another kiss now the counter was out of the way? Surely.

[wildandbrave]

Did it still count as stealing if Cosette was perfectly willing to give it to him?

"See that you do," she told him, pulling back just far enough to give him a mock-stern look, "or I'll have to be very displeased."

[doesnotkneel]

Well, it was a metaphorical sort of stealing, wasn't it?

"Cross my heart," Edward said. "I would hate to be at the mercy of a herd of rabbits when I could be entertaining you instead."

[wildandbrave]

Oh, well, in that case.

"It wouldn't be my preferred way of spending the time, no," Cosette said with a firm nod. "One or two rabbits, however, might be different."

[doesnotkneel]

"Even if they are sizable rabbits?" Edward checked, looking amused.

[wildandbrave]

"Of a reasonable size," Cosette replied. "No larger than, say, a dog of medium size."

Someone hadn't seen the Monty Python killer bunny, clearly.

[doesnotkneel]

"So you would also be all right if I found myself pursued by a dog of some kind?" Edward asked. "My, you've no tender heart after all."

[wildandbrave]

Cosette opened her mouth in a semblance of shock. "If you were pursued by a dog of some kind, of course I'd come to your rescue," she said matter-of-factly. "Though I don't worry that you could handle yourself in that situation."