mUlTiFaNdOm One Shot book

Bookstore (MPHFPC AU)

FANDOM: MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN BOOKSTORE AU

SHIP: MILLARD X HORACE

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Horace Somnussen was a young man with short blonde hair, grey eyes, and a great sense of fashion. He owned a bookstore in London called 'A New Chapter'. Horace loved books and always wanted to own a bookstore when he was younger, and now that he was twenty-one years old, his dream came true.

Horace was stocking books on the shelves, humming a piece from his favourite melodies. He loved classical music and old-fashioned things. Horace heard the bell at the front door jingle, signifying that someone had come into his store. "Welcome!" He greeted from the aisle he was dusting.

"Hello," A young man, who looked about Horace's age, replied. "I'm looking for a poetry book?" The boy was unlike anything Horace had ever seen. He had this certain aura of confidence to him. Horace quickly snapped back to reality, realizing (a little too late) he was just staring at the gorgeous man in front of him.

"By who?" Horace got a little shaky, seeing as one of his main interests was poetry books. "Edgar Allen Poe." The boy responded.

Correction; one of his main interests was poetry books, by Edgar Allen Poe.

Horace inhaled confidence. "I have all my poetry books over there," he pointed to a small nook in the rear corner of his store. "I like keeping them separate from the other books... They're special..." He smiled, forcing a small smile on the other boy's face as well.

"Millard Nullings." He extended his hand in front of Horace. Horace didn't hesitate. "Horace Somnussen." He shook Millard's hand.

They made the purchase and said their farewells. However that night, Horace lies awake thinking about Millard. As a closeted gay, he wasn't sure how to approach this. 'Hey! I'm gay and you're hot, wanna make out?' wasn't really appropriate.

The next day, Horace made his way to the front door, flipping around a sign that read open. Millard had been waiting outside to give Horace a gift. He walked inside the store, holding an envelope. Horace saw him and waved. "Back so soon are you?" He teased. Millard laughed.

"I wanted to thank you for your kindness yesterday." He handed Horace the envelope. "I was only doing my job...." He said, pushing the folded paper back in refusal. "I was having a particularly rough day yesterday, and you helped me see the light in the world. Take my gift." Millard placed it in his hands. "Fine." Millard gave him a small grin as Horace opened the envelope, revealing a note with a number.

A phone number.

"What's this f-" Horace looked up and he was gone. He decided to text the number. 'Hello?' he typed. The three dots appeared. 'Hi :)' The number replied. He knew it was Millard. 'So am I allowed to ask why you were having a rough day?' Horace hovered his finger over the send button nervously, wondering if that was too personal a question.

He got the courage to send it. Eagerly and anxiously awaiting Millard's response. The three dots of torment stared him in the eye. 'Came out to my parents :)' Horace felt his heart stop for a split second. He's gay? No, no Horace don't assume. Coming out could mean multiple things. 'Gay, if you hadn't figured that part out already.' Millard responded to his previous text flirtatiously.

'Oh.' That was all Horace could say. He went into his back room, fanboying over Millard. He actually had a chance with Millard now. 'You disappointed in that?' Millard texted. Horace scrambled for words. 'No of course not! I just didn't know you were gay! I'm so sorry if it sounded homophobic!' He sent quickly.

'Haha, I was just teasing you, Horace.' There was a silent yet audible laughter to that text message. Horace found himself staring at his name in the text bubble. 'Ha, I can appreciate a good teasing.' He sent, immediately regretting saying that. 'Gee, we only just met and you already wanna hook up? Didn't know I was that hot. ;)'

Horace stared at the wink face, feeling a surge of emotions flooding through him. Butterflies started flying around his stomach, his face flushed red. He noticed that one of those emotions was arousal. Horace quickly ran into the back room of his shop so nobody else could notice. Horace let out a long sigh. "You don't wanna know the things you do to me..." he closed his eyes and imagined being pinned to his wall by Millard.

Horace felt his phone vibrate, he suddenly snapped back to reality once more. 'Still there?' Millard asked. 'Yeah, sorry. Got caught up with stuff.' He texted back, his thumbs moving rapidly.

A few days of texting had gone by and boy were they getting close. Millard had visited the shop - just to see Horace - quite a few times... Soon days became weeks.

Horace approached Millard who was reading poetry in their little nook, with a proposition, "So, I've been thinking... and we've been talking and hanging out a lot..." Horace trailed off, rubbing his neck awkwardly.

Millard put the book away and walked over to the front desk. "Spit it out, Horace." Millard teased. "Fine." Horace sighed. "I was wondering if you wanted to work in this shop?"

Millard stopped to think for a moment, trying to figure out if he was joking or not. "Seriously!" Horace's tone was determined.

Millard slowly shook his head. "Sorry, I have a thing about dating employers..." He looked down, not wanting to see the hurt look on Horace's face. Horace tilted Millard's chin up to face him. "Then don't, I don't have to be your employer!" He persisted. "What is that supposed to mean?" Millard didn't move his chin, it was kept in Horace's hand. "It means I want you to be my partner." He smiled

Millard thought for a moment. "What kind of partner? Business partner or romantic and sexual partner?" He tilted his head at the shorter boy. Horace let go of Millard's face, looked down at the ground and then back up at him. "Well. If I'm being completely honest? Both." Horace stared into Millard's eyes, Millard's patience wore out. He leaned in, grabbing Horace's head and crashing his lips onto the shorter boy's own.

Horace didn't hesitate to kiss him back. He pulled Millard by the shirt around the desk where he could pin himself to a wall. Millard was completely happy about this, pinning Horace a little more into the wall.

They continued their make-out session at the front desk of his shop for a solid ten minutes. Once their lips were red and swollen, they pulled away from each other. Horace started panting a little. "Bloody hell, that was my first kiss..." Horace said breathily. "Should I take that as a yes?" He laughed. Millard nodded.