It's Us Crew Oneshots

library one shot

Don trudged through the village, the vacant buildings looming around him, their darkened windows resembling soulless, judgmental eyes. After the week he's had, he wanted nothing more to hide away in one of the abandoned homes and stay there until he died. Unfortunately, he could accomplish no such task, for Duni expected him to meet up with the others at the mansion by midnight.

Still having daylight to burn, the jester made his way to the library. While he'd only been alive for a month or so, it seemed as though decades of experience had been packed into his mind. Every once in a while, in fact, he get flashes of images unfamiliar to him - memories that were not his own. Don wondered what it meant, but he didn't dare bring it up to DDawn or Duni for fear something terrible may happen to him.

He found comfort in books. They offered a form of escape from the life he was living. They taught him things no one else would, like the perils of a corrupted ruler in charge of a crumbling country or the systematic issues engrained in such a world that makes it practically impossible for the protagonists to overcome the great evil. They always managed to do it, though. Don wondered who he resembled in that sort of story - was he a protagonist or an antagonist? He probably would never know.

Don pushed open the creaking door of the library, and he stopped dead in his tracks. Usually, the library was pitch black and he'd have to light a candle to find his way through. However, he could see a light flickering beyond the bookshelves, somewhere at the back of the building. Don slowly closed the door behind him and drew his sword, cautiously making his way across the squeaking floorboards. The elf opened his ears, straining to hear any type of movement. He heard pages being turned and what sounded like the burning wick of an oil lantern. Past that, though, he couldn't tell who was back there.

Finally, he reached a point where the light became brighter, and Don ducked behind a bookshelf. His heart was pounding, preparing himself to attack this intruder and see what they were doing inside the village walls. From the distance he could hear of the turning pages, though, he doubted he'd have enough time to run up and disarm the stranger. In fact, he didn't even know if they had any weapons on them. Don carefully reached into his vest and pulled out a throwing knife, counting down in his head. He planned to throw the knife somewhere near where the stranger was sitting, hopefully startling them and giving Don enough time to attack.

After psyching himself up, Don let out a scream and swung around the bookshelf, throwing his knife at the wall and splintering the wood. "AH! WHAT THE FUCK?" Richard exclaimed, throwing his book at Don, which promptly missed.

"What are you doing in here??" Don inquired, his heart still pounding in his chest from the fright.

"I- Can I not read? It's not like you own this library or something!" Richard barked. Don made a face at that. Over time, it really had felt like this was his library - a safe haven away from the prying eyes of the D-Gang. Obviously, though, this oasis has been tainted by the likes of Dick.

"Whatever," Don muttered. "Just leave."

Richard stared at Don for a long time, his expression shifting from astonishment, to agitation, and back again. "I'm not fucking leaving, man. You're the one who barged in here and threw a KNIFE at me!"

Don forced a cold, hard laugh. "Well, I'm not the one hiding away in here like a hermit, huh? It's a nice day outside. Why not go drown in a lake?"

The taller male rolled his eyes. "Tempting, but what exactly were you planning on doing here? Admire the decor?"

The elf narrowed his gaze, his mouth tightening in frustration. Dick really did know how to get on his nerves at every chance he could. It was clear to Don that he wouldn't be reading in peace today. "Fine," he surrendered. "I guess I'll be going, then."

Don turned to leave, but his foot got caught on something on the floorboards. "Hey, could you toss that to me?" Richard said urgently as Don leaned down to pick up the book.

"What we're you reading?" Don inquired, fixing the pages and turning to the cover.

"Nothing!" Dick snapped. "Just give it back, dickhead!"