Thread by @maxtrashdump

#OFMDJanuAUry day 1 - library! set in the 80s and they're 15 years old. enjoy! #ofmd #gentlebeard #ofmdfic
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There's a boy in the library.

Everytime Stede steps into the library, he's there. No matter the day, or the weather, The Boy's always there, a book in hand.

He sits in the same corner each time. All black curls, and leather jackets, and a grumpy expression.

Most of the time, The Boy reads. Sometimes he skims through the pages of a book while he listens to some music with his walkman, tapping the rhythm with his fingers on the table

One time during school break, Stede arrived at 6:55 AM, just to see how early the boy got there. His plan backfired, becuse the boy was waiting at the door for it to open.

The Boy looked up, said "Hi." with an unreadable expression, to which Stede responded with "Thank you!"

The Boy raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. Stede blushed so hard he got dizzy, turned around and left, with the knowledge that he talked for the first time with The Boy and made a fool of himself.

And that it was the closest he's ever been to seeing the boy smile

Because that was the thing. He always looked serious, or angry, even when he wasn't.

One of the many times he spied him through the bookshelves, he caught him trying not to smile while reading The Color of Magic, struggling to frown at the pages.

Whatever reason The Boy had to wear his angsty mask, Stede was sure it was very different from his. Still, he couldn't help but feel some sort of kinship towards him.

The library seems to be as much as a refuge for The Boy as it is for Stede. The only time he saw him with company was that time he brought his friends/classmates to, apparently, work on a school project, and one of them was so loud that they got kicked out.

He'd never seen The Boy as angry as he was that day.

He hasn't brought anyone along since then.

Stede's both dying to talk to him -properly this time- and unable to get closer than 20 feet with a bookshelf between them.

But Stede has a plan.

For the last few days The Boy's been reading the same book, something about sharks this time, so he put in a little surprise on it.

On the cover of the book he taped on two notes -with book friendly tape-, one on the cover and another one on the inside.

The first one reads "Why don't sharks like fast food?" and the second one "Because they can't catch it!"

It's a bad, dumb joke, but it'll have to make do.

So now, Stede waits until The Boy grabs the book, expecting a huff or perhaps even a chuckle.

He's startled out of his skin by the most wonderful and explosive laughter he ever heard. A loud mixture of snorts, gasps and "i'm sorry"s as he's shushed by the librarians around.

It's Stede's favorite sound now.

Days and weeks pass like that now.

Sometimes, he puts a related pun on whatever book The Boy's reading. Each time, The Boy laughs, and Stede is blessed with the sound of it. With the sight.

With the scrunchy nose, toothy smiles, and the way he rubs at his tummy afterwards.

Stede watches, from between the books, bewitched and delighted by the fact that he makes The Brooding Boy laugh and smile. And when he finds one of his jokes, his frown leaves him for the rest of the day.

He still keeps his distance, content with admiring from behind the books. Still refuses to cross that wall of knowledge and stories between them.

And it's enough.

Or it was.

The Boy didn't come to the library today.

Or the next day.

The first day, Stede tries not to think too much of it. The Boy has a life outside of the library, as does everyone. He himself can't go every single day. He tells himself it's nothing.

He tells himself it's ok.

By the second day, Stede starts to worry. It's irrational- something about the disruption on the routine making him anxious, making his butterfies feel like lead on his stomach.

Today's the third day, and Stede's ready to interrogate the librarian by the front desk when The Boy comes in like a tropical storm, looking furious, with bloodshot eyes and tear tracks on his cheeks.

Stede's frozen in place for what feels like an eternity.

By the time he manages to remember how to put one foot in front of the other, The Boy's already sitting at the table by his corner, eyeing a magazine while he holds a tiny screwdriver, his walkman on the table clearly broken.

Ah.

He watches attentively as he desperately tries time and time again to fix it.

By the fifth time he closes the walkman, presses play, and nothing happens, his face crumples and his lip tremble, tears welling up in his eyes before he smashes the device on the table.

The Boy smashes the walkman three times before sweeping the whole table with his arm, hiding his face with his hands.

His feet move as he reaches on his backpack. Before he notices, he's already standing in front of The Boy, placing his own walkman on the table.

"Um- e-excuse me?"

The Boy startles and looks up, eyes the walkman, and then stares at him, frowning with suspicion.

No. That won't do.

"What did the cassette say to his cassette friend?"

At that, The Boy's eyes widen with some sort of recognition.

"Let's take a walk, man."

The Boy snorts, surprised by his own sound.

"It's for you! The walkman, that is. For you."

"But-"

"It's nothing, really! I have more at home and-"

"What's your name?"

"Ah- I'm Stede."

"Stede..." The Boy repeats. He stands and extends his hand. "I'm Ed."

Stede grabs his hand, trying not to blush at the feeling of his fingerless leather gloves as they handshake.

The Boy -Ed- drops his gaze to Stede's backpack, noticing the pirate flag badge on it.

"Do you like pirates?" Ed asks, smiling brightly.

Stede smiles in return.

FIN.

@threadreaderapp unroll thank you :)