The Bookbelt, Saturday

[bookbeltof_love]

"I don't think so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Nina said, upon walking into her bookshop and realizing that, like, the books and the magazines were facing off in what…………….. she peered at all the open pages. "Ohmygosh, like, you're all very fashionable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There's no need to fight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, like, either set up a runway and do this properly or get back on your shelves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

While the pages rustled as they decided what they were going to do, Nina hurried through the usual chores of getting the shop open before sitting down at the counter and, well, she should probably order more books but…

No, today she was going to watch as the books already here set up a runway, and she was also going to work on the gloves she'd promised Mae.

The Bookbelt is Open!

[And OCD free!]

Comments

[firstofitskind]

A review of the Station’s security footage, as well as yesterday’s radio, had revealed to Liam the hot-chocolate-leaving culprit.

So today he was returning the favor, albeit a little less sneakily, a box with some chocolatines from JGoB in hand as he made his way into the bookstore.

“... I don’t know what I expected, but this certainly isn’t it,” he said dryly, peering down at that runway the books were parading down.

[bookbeltof_love]

Nina looked up from where she was carefully cutting fabric.

"It's, like, better than pages everywhere," she explained. "This is basically a war of fashion but channeled productively!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Ish? Productively. Ish.

"Hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she chirped, setting down her scissors. "How can I help you today??????????????"

[firstofitskind]

“A funny thing happened yesterday,” Liam said. “I was at my desk at the Station, doing paperwork, and I looked up, and out of nowhere there was a hot chocolate waiting for me.”

By ‘doing paperwork’ he meant ‘kinda zoned out’, but he wasn’t going to say as much.

[bookbeltof_love]

She'd let him have that one.

"Well, like, that's strange," she said, eyes going wide. "But, like, unexpected presents are basically the opposite of a crime right?????????????????"

Nina wasn't really surprised he'd found her out, no, but that didn't mean she had to admit it right away!

[firstofitskind]

“Suppose that depends on whether or not there was breaking and entering involved,” Liam pointed out.

The Station- and more importantly, his office- had been wide open, of course.

[bookbeltof_love]

"Oh my!!!!!!!!!," she said, pressing one hand to her cheek. "Like, who would do that to a police station?????????????????? Isn't that a public place?????????????"

[firstofitskind]

"Oh, I was speaking more generally of course," Liam said lightly. "And not about this specific instance."

A beat, and then his expression sobered. "Seriously, though. Thank you." And then he was holding out the box of pastries.

[bookbeltof_love]

"I didn't do anything!!!!!!!!!!!" she protested, flustered, even though she knew good and well that radio had ratted her out if nothing else.

(Nina was, after all, an avid listener of radio.)

"I mean, like, I did, but it really wasn't-----------------!!!!" And now she was being ungrateful and rude and, okay, okay, she'd just... reach out to take that box of pastries, deeply embarrassed. "Thank you," she said, "I mean, like, thank you.............. for your thanks...........????????"

.......

Maybe she could just hide under the desk.

[firstofitskind]

"You're welcome," Liam told her. "It was a little thing, sure, but it wasn't something you had to do, and it made my day a little brighter."

[bookbeltof_love]

"It did????????????????" she asked, perking up a little bit. "Oh, um, I mean, like.......... good!!!!!!!!!!!"

Oh gosh why did everyone here actually pay attention to things?

"I'm glad," Nina said awkwardly. "I mean, like, I know you said there wasn't anything I could do to help you, but I still wanted to, so....... I figured it might be okay............"

[firstofitskind]

“Very okay,” Liam assured her, if a little awkwardly. The idea of anyone doing anything for him was something he was getting used to? But still kind of went against his expectations.

[bookbeltof_love]

Honestly, though, his awkwardness made her feel a bit better.

"Oh, good!!!!!!!!!!" she said relieved. "Um, like, can I get you a drink or anything???????????? I've got tea?????????????"

[firstofitskind]

“I do enjoy a good cup of tea,” Liam admitted. And the bookshop looked like a perfectly cozy sort of place to enjoy said tea.

[bookbeltof_love]

It really was, especially the reading area over by the windows.

She grinned up at him. “Like, we can watch the fashion show!!!!!!!!!!!”

Okay, she wasn’t sure he’d want to do that but anyone in the store today was, at the very least, stealing glances at it. It was hard not to.

“Take a seat, take a seat,” she said encouragingly, even as she headed for the door to the staff room. “I’ll be right back with tea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

[firstofitskind]

Honestly, Liam spent a lot of time watching the Aeslin perform elaborate song and dance routines, a fashion show (albeit one put on by books) wasn’t too far off from a typical Saturday.

He made his way over to the reading area, settling in to one of the chairs.