Fluff & Stuff

One Of Those Chances

A copy of The Hobbit lay on one the shelves in the category of Adventure. But it was not only a copy, it was the only copy left in London. It had a hardcover and it was brand new, a thin layer of plastic protecting it from dust and moss.

On that day, two people were looking for that specific book. Both of them had been searching them separately, for neither of them knew each other. For the time being.

One of them was short and quiet like the hobbits. His name was John. His hair was a greying blonde and his eyes were greyish green. And as for his clothes, well he was cosplaying as Bilbo Baggins, the protagonist in The Hobbit. He was wearing the wig, ears and also the large hairy feet, which he had made.

Meanwhile the other person looking to buy the book, Sherlock, was very tall. Like the elves in the movie. Her hair was the darkest shade of brown and her eyes were hazel, changing with her mood. And ofcourse, she was also cosplaying. But she was completely dressed as Tauriel, one of the elf characters in The Hobbit. Ofcourse, she had a custom made bow and arrows she had made, also having made her own costume.

Both of these people had arrived from Comic Con, where they had crossed each other but had never spoken to one another. Minus the 'excuse me's shared here and there when they were in each other's way.

Both John and Sherlock walked through the same hallway on opposite sides, their eyes set on the one thing they were looking for. Both reached for the book, their hands making contact and making them look up abruptly.

Sherlock let out an surprised gasp, her free hand flying to grab her bow. John panicked and made a gesture to grab his sword. Sherlock took this as a sign and pulled out her bow, grabbing an arrow and aiming it at John. John unsheathed his sword and held it in a defensive position.

The book laid on the floor between them both and they both noticed instantly.

"I do not wish to fight you, dwarf. But I will not hesitate to engage in combat if necessary." Sherlock spoke first, maintaining her stance.

"I will take what is rightfully mine. I am the owner because I wrote it myself. And I am not a dwarf!" John's sword shook slightly, intimidated by the woman's stubbornness.

"You're Bilbo Baggins?" Sherlock asked in disbelief, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes!" John said exasperatedly.

Sherlock harrumphed. "I expected you to be smaller."

Both John and Sherlock stood in place, not knowing what to do but still seeming as intimidating as possible.

"So, who's gonna take the book?" The librarian asked, hands on her hips and a smile playing at her lips.

The two of them looked nervously at each other and then at the book. The librarian stood waiting patiently, amused by all of this. John was the first one to lower his weapon.

"She'll take it." He gestured to Sherlock with his sword. "But on one condition." John said, lifting one finger.

"Which is?" Sherlock asked, still not lowering the bow.

"I get to have your phone number." John said simply. "So we can contact each other and I can borrow the book when you finish." John explained, a smirk growing when he saw Sherlock's surprised expression. She slowly lowered her weapon and scratched her head with her arrow.

"Very well, I suppose."

The librarian smiled and checked out the copy for Sherlock, certainly glad she did not mention the other copy of The Hobbit she had in storage.