Aesop And His Harem [OneShots]

Bookworms and secret notes

Eli x Aesop

Library AU

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A delicate smell of almonds and roses. It was Eli's favorite scent whenever he came to buy a book in the Oletus bookstore. The building was only about ten minutes away from his apartment so he often came to find a new book to pass the time with. Well, the books weren't the only reason he liked this specific library and not another one. 

Among the old smell of books and the dim lighting, there was a figure sitting behind the cash register counter. An elegant figure with silver hair, a black rectangular frame over his nose and, most of the time, a sweater with a collar covering his mouth or up to half his face. The man always had a book in his hands and sometimes a cup of coffee or tea to enhance his reading.

He was none other than the bookseller, Aesop Carl, as it was indicated on the badge he wore. Today again, the brown-haired man walked up to the counter where the young man was standing, a new book in hand. Seeing him approach, Aesop put his book aside and straightened up on his stool, giving the male a faint smile. Ah, what a seraphic smile.

"Good morning, another purchase?" he said as he scanned the price of the book.

"Yes, I can't help but devour them." he replied with a laugh.

"I understand, I spend my days reading myself."

Oh, that he had noticed. Eli's visits were quite frequent and the gray-eyed one was always immersed in reading a new book every time he came. Even when he happened to pass by the bookstore, he could see him reading through the transparent windows of the store. Aesop was simply an incorrigible bookworm. 

The brunet took out his credit card to pay and then took the paper bag containing his new purchase from the hands of the vendor, brushing them as he did so. He blushed briefly at the contact before thanking him and leaving the store. Once standing outside and a cool breeze blew against his skin, Eli could still feel his heart pounding under his clothes.

He shook his head vigorously before starting to walk home. When he arrived, he took off his coat and shoes and moved into his living room, pulling the new book he had just bought out of the bag. Then, as he was about to open it, he noticed a note falling from the book. The brunet raised an eyebrow before bending down to pick up the piece of paper on the floor and see what it was about.

'His smile was radiant like the sun,

His eyes sad as the rain,

Yet his memory remains timeless.

And so does his spirit.'

A poem...? The note seemed to be a torn page from a notepad and the few sentences were written with a pencil. Perhaps a client forgot this in it? It was a pity because it was a beautiful poem. Anyway, the brown-haired man simply put the note away in one of his drawers and finally started reading his book.

In one evening, he finished it. It was a pleasant book to read in conclusion even if the ending was a little sad. The story was about a woman who had lost her husband during the war and came to visit his grave every day, placing a yellow rose on the gray marble each time she passed. So she was talking about the moments she had spent with her loved one when he was still alive, it was nice.

Somehow, it reminded him a little of the poem he found just before. Did the author write that before he read this book too? That would explain a lot. Anyway, the note wasn't signed so there was little chance he could find out who was behind it to ask him. Eli sighed and put his book away among the others on his shelf then went to get ready for bed.

The next day, the young man went to the bookstore again after work. This time, unlike usual, Aesop was not behind the counter but tidying the shelves, standing on a wooden stepping ladder. The bell hanging over the door tinkled as the brown-haired man entered and surprised the salesman, who dropped the book he was holding, his foot also slipping off one of the steps.

Luckily, Eli had pretty good reflexes and was quick enough to catch the male in his fall, his hands coming to grab him by the shoulders for support.

"O-Oh, thanks..." he murmured.

"It's nothing, sorry to have surprised you."

Once steady, the brunet withdrew his hands and helped the gray-eyed one down, the latter picking up the book he dropped and placing it back on his cart. Aesop looked at the ground, biting his lips, looking a little embarrassed. Eli looked just as embarrassed but probably not for the same reason, from his perspective he had just broken an invisible wall and the slightest reaction from the bookseller was just adorable.

"Um, it's still my fault, I should be used to it by now..."

"Alright, alright, in that case why don't you suggest a book to make it up to me?" he said with a smile.

"W-What?"

"You work here and you said you read a lot so I guess you'll have something to recommend to me right?"

At the mention of his hobby, the young man's eyes seemed to glow.

"A-All right... Do you have a favorite genre?"

"Um... Not particularly, I read a little bit of everything." he replied.

Aesop nodded before turning his back to the brunet to walk over to one of the other aisles of the store. Eli looked at him with a curious smile before starting to follow him. The gray-haired male observed the different shelves before exclaiming in a small voice and reaching up to grab a thick white-bound book. He smiled slightly before handing it to the brown-haired man.

"This is 'Les Misérables' by Victor Hugo. A classic but still an incredible work."

The blue-eyed man took the book in his hands and looked at it for a bit before returning a smile to the book seller.

"Thank you. I've heard of it before but to be honest I've never read it."

"I really liked it..." he said. "Anything else?"

"Hmm, I think that'll do for today."

The bookseller nodded before heading to the cash register, followed by the brunet. As Aesop attended to his purchase, Eli saw the perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation with the man.

"That reminds me, I found a note in the book I bought yesterday. It was a beautiful poem. I wonder who could have left this in there?"

Suddenly, the young man froze, the book he just suggested to the brown-haired man still placed on the wood of the counter. His gaze then seemed hesitant and his lips moved slightly as if to say something. Eli noticed Aesop's distress and suddenly wondered if he had said something wrong. Maybe he was mad at himself for not paying more attention to the state of the books he was selling?

"Um... I-I wrote this poem..."

Huh.

"Really!?"

"Y-Yes, sorry... I sometimes write one after finishing a book I enjoyed and on the same theme. I must have forgotten to pull out the note..."

"Oh, there's nothing to apologize for!"

So it was Aesop. His heart began to beat more frantically at the thought that he had just discovered one of the young man's secrets. This gave him the audacity to say what he had in mind. He pulled a sheet of paper out of his bag and tore off a piece of it, quickly writing something on it before handing it to the vendor.

"This is my number."

"H-Hm?"

"I know a cafe with a quiet atmosphere not too far from here, why don't we grab a cup of tea sometime and talk?"

Aesop hesitated, then shyly nodded with a smile.

"Good!"

Eli paid for the book and thus left the bookstore, waving to the young man before leaving, lighthearted. This was the beginning of a new relationship between him and Aesop and he was quite optimistic about how it would turn out. A bright future seemed to be in store for him.