𝒹𝓊𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓎

ｄｕａｌｉｔｙ

You sucked in breath hastily through your teeth, setting the heavy box under the counter. A sigh escaped your lips while crouching down next to the carton and opening it up seeing the newly arrived books for the store, namely your workplace. Not having anything against the bookshop, but it wasn't exactly what you daydreamed about a few years ago. Nevertheless, the work never seemed to be unable to bring you some sort of comfort. Was it perhaps the wholehearted atmosphere of a bookstore, filled with portals to different worlds and places directed by you and only you, or was it instead of the people, working there, that brought you happiness? Whilst, having a job is always better than spending the best years of your life without one, especially when you have several bills to pay because of the lifestyle you constantly deviated to.

Right now the named workplace of yours was empty, which straight said came to your liking. It was a pure pleasure bathing your face in the sunbeams that flew through the window while hiding behind the counter, sorting books.

"Good morning Y/n!" A silvery voice was spread through the store making you hit your head on the counter, breaking the enjoyable quietness. 

You hissed in pain quickly standing up from the bending position, your eyes landing on the newly comen male.

"Oh, hello Armin! How are you doing today?" You uttered as joyfully, watching the young man approach you.

"Fine as always." He smiled. "...And I brought coffee!" Armin exclaimed, his facial expression now turning into a rather proud one.

"As always." You grinned, taking one of the cups he was holding and taking a sip out of it. "Thank you very much!" You sighed in pleasure as the warm liquid hit your taste buds.

Armin put the other cup on the counter beside you. "Yeah.."

Your eyes fluttered straight to the blonde's expression, finding him puzzled. "Armin is everything okay?"

"Well, you see Y/n..." He moved his eyes restlessly around. "That was actually my- my cup."

You blinked a few times in realization, switching your glance between the cup and the astonished young man. "Oh god, I'm utterly sorry ,here you go." You put the cup which turned out to be his own and took the one intended for you directly taking a sip out of it in order to let your mind focus on something else.

Amrin, on the other hand, picked up the cup you had just mixed up and took a big gulp from it, which made his cheeks tint red. Perhaps from the hot temperature of the drink.

"So what are you doing here so early?" The blonde asked setting his cup on the counter and starting to take his jacket off. 

"Well, I have started to work extra hours..." You began, your cup landing beside his. "In order to... pay off... some things."

"Oh, rent you mean?" Armin suggested disappearing in the room intended for staff only. "Go on I still hear you!" He exclaimed.

"Well not really..." You bent down, cursing you on the inside for letting words slip through your lips with such ease. You then picked up the books you were sorting out just before Armin's arrival. The stack was huge, a bit too tall for one person to manage which you admitted once straightening your posture.

"Then what-" The blonde halted briefly. "Wait Y/n let me help you!" And so he did, taking the half of the stack, letting your arms shake a little less from the weight of the several paperbacks.

In order to prevent the conversation from turning to the previous topic, you made a quick turn, on your heel that is, and marched down the aisles, aiming for the fantasy section. Armin was right at your tail, following every step you took. When you started putting away the literature on their accurate places, your mind forgot about the uncomfortable point the conversation with Armin was striding to. The silence, or what seemed like a close variant of it because of the soft air conditioning buzzing in the background, were simply delighting with the addition of the sun pinning itself higher with each minute. The natural source of light, dimly illuminated the inside of the bookstore making it easy for the visitor to make out the small dust particles, floating, almost waltzing around the space. The same spectacle was made by you and Armin. Pacing around the aisles, putting the books on the bookshelves, from time to time crossing each other's paths. It could likewise be compared to a waltz. With the said air conditioning as an orchestra, this could be a royal ball, just, without the royal part.