"Hey, Remi? Is that you, dear?" a fragile voice coming from the office of the library called out. It was Mrs. Callum, Remi's boss. She was a nearly 65 year old women with beautiful silver hair that even Remi tends to gets jealous of. For 65 years old, she looks extremely good. She once told Remi that ripping and running trying to keep the library together was what kept her in shape.
"Yes, i-it's me, Mrs. Callum."
Remi scurried over to her office as quietly as he could, much to the readers in the library's delight. Mrs. Callum had a big smile once she saw him appear. "Good afternoon, Mr. Remi and Mr. Paxton. How has you guys's morning been?"
"Good. The usual m-morning. Nothing special." Remi replied shyly.
"Oh, don't be so negative, dear. Your life will spice up soon. Just give time... time."
Smiling, Remi nodded and tried his best to believe that what Mrs. Callum was true. Although Remi was extremely shy, that still didn't mean that he didn't wish for a special person just like anyone else would. If anything, it makes him want a special person even more since he's never once dated anyone. Ever. To be frank, he hasn't done much at all. Except the basics: graduating high school, moving into his own apartment, adopting a puppy. Other than that, Remi's life really was boring.
"Any new books?"
"Yes, they're some in the back. You can get Damon to help you bring the boxes to the front." Damon being one of Remi's coworkers.
Remi walked off to find him. He's usually upstairs on the top floor setting up for his next KidzReadz session where he reads to tots and kids. Remi walked over to the east side off the library where the spiral stairs were. He adjusted Paxton in his arms and climbed the stairs as quietly as possible. Once he was on leveled floor, he looked around to see if he could see Damon's tall frame in between the book shelves.
But, he didn't.
Remi raised his brows and walked over to the section labeled KzRz-F. He started there and walked down to G, H, I, J, K, L, M, and N. No Damon. Remi then walked all the way down to KzRz-R and went to S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z. Still, no Damon. That's weird. Damon's usually playing music as he sorts out the different books that he wants to read with the kids.
"Damon? D-Damon are you here?"
Still no answer.
Hmph. Remi turned around to head back to the front where KzRz-A-F was located near the stairs. Just as he was about to begin walking down the stairs...
"Boo!"
"AH—" Damon quickly placed a hand over Remi's mouth. Remi glared which made Damon chuckle since Remi looks like a baby kitten when he glares. When he was sure that Remi wouldn't have another outburst, Damon took his hand away from Remi's mouth. "Jesus, you gave me a h-heart attack."
"Sorry, I heard you comin', and I wanted to surprise you. Didn't think that you would freak out that much." Damon looked down at Paxton in Remi's arms who was glaring at Damon as well. Damon rubbed the fur on Pax's head and said, "Hey, little dude. What do you need today?"
"We need you to h-help me get the boxes with the n-new books from the back."
"Alright, then I shall help you."
Remi blushed just from the attention that Damon was giving him. Damon motioned for him to go first down the stairs so Remi did so. They walked down the stairs and down the path that led to the back room of the library that held all of the extra books. A room that Remi sometimes sneaks in to read the new books before everyone else can get their hands on them. A room that would more than likely be scary to someone else but for him, the books made the room an amazing place.
Damon grabbed the wagon that was in the corner of the room. He definitely wouldn't be able to carry all of the books by himself, and he didn't want to make Remi carry them. He wheeled the wagon over to the boxes and slowly—so that he wouldn't hurt himself—put each of the book boxes into the wagon one by one. Remi offered to help seeing how heavy the boxes were, but Damon wouldn't let him, so he stood out of the way.
Once the wagon was loaded, Damon and Remi left the book room, Damon pulling the wagon along behind himself. Mrs. Callum peaked out of her office and saw that the two had gotten the boxes.
"Ah, thank you so much, you two. You guys deserve a raise for getting those heavy boxes for me."
"D-Damon did it b-by himself so give him a raise, not me."
"Nonsense. We'll both take anything you want to give us, Mrs. Callum."
"Alrighty then. Expect extra money on your checks," Mrs. Callum said before turning and walking back into her office. Remi turned around and looked at Damon with a shocked face.
"I-I didn't do anything but stand there. I don't d-deserve any money."
"Yes, you do, sweet cheeks." Remi's face heated up a tad at this. "You being there motivated me to show off my amazing muscles. Did you see them?"
Remi squinted his eyes, glaring, but he still looked like nothing more than an adorable kitten or... puppy. No offense, Paxton.
Damon always seems to talk sweetly to Remi like this, flirting every now and then. They both knew that they would never end up together, but Damon loved making Remi blush. It was funny.
"Did you need anything else?"
Remi shook his head, no, as he rubbed Paxton's fur, smiling lightly. Damon smile back before ruffling Remi's hair and walking away. Remi went over to the romance section of the library and grabbed a book off of the shelf before settling down on a beanbag. That's another thing he loved about working at the library. Unless a new book was being released or the library was busy for some other reason, it was rare that someone needed assistance. Therefore, he gets to sit in the quietness and read to Paxton.
The book that Remi was currently reading was an old one. It was so old that it's pages were beginning to roughen up. It was a good read though. It was about a woman who met this guy. They had a beautiful child and a beautiful relationship with one another until one day, the guy left and never came back. One day, she met another guy and they soon lived together and had a family of their own. Once they were settled, the father of the woman's first child came back and the men fought for her love. It was a sweet book, but it was very, very outdated. Remi loved that. He loved reading about how the world used to be and how people then used to act.
Remi was currently at the part of the book where the child's father left the two. It upset him. He hated that the man left how he did: with no goodbye, no letter, not even a single trace. Nothing. And it saddened him to think that that actually happens to people in real life. He wouldn't wish that on anyone. But especially...
Himself.
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"Hey, Remi?" Damon called out as him and Remi put on their coats. It was the end of the day and the library was about to close.
"Hmm?"
"Would you like to come and grab a drink. My friends and I are going to the bar downtown."
Remi immediately shook his head, no. He hated big and crowded places like bars. They smelled. They were too noisy. He liked peace. He liked quietness. That was the reason why he chose to work at a library. That was also why he goes to the café all of the time.
"N-No thank you."
"Awe. Maybe I'll get you out one day."
Remi doubted it. He liked to keep to himself. He enjoyed his mind. He liked to think. Although he overthought often, his mind soothed him. It's better than actually talking to someone and getting nervous and stuttering. That's what he hated.
"Alright. Well, I'll see you on Monday. Have a good night, okay?"
"Okay," Remi said softly. He watched as Damon flipped up the hoodie on his raincoat and stepped out into the rain, running all the way to his car. Bending down, Remi picked Paxton up as well as his umbrella. He flipped the lock on the front door of the library and stepped outside where he then opened his umbrella up. As he walked to his car, the pitter-patter of the rain hitting his umbrella soothed him. His rain boots sloshed on top of all of the rain puddles. Paxton snuggled closer to him and they both exhaled in content.
Everything was fine.