𝚁𝚘𝚕𝚕 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚒𝚌𝚎| 𝓔𝓭𝓭𝓲𝓮 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓬𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓷𝓼/ 𝓘𝓶𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓼

Lord Of The Flings

AN: Okay I think this is one of my favourites I've ever written...
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The comforting smell of dusty books and oak fills my nose as I step through the doors of Hawkins Library, my refuge and happy place.

As usual I make a beeline past the new computers and walk to the fiction section of the library, my fingers scan the shelves as I look for a particular book I've been wanting to read. I see many of my favourite novels, and a small smile tilts my lips as I notice more lines in their spines since I last checked them out, I'm glad someone enjoyed each of these adventures.

I can't seem to find the book I'm looking for, so I make my way back down the long rows of shelves until I reach the librarians desk. The old woman gives me a kind smile, lord knows we've had more conversations a week than I've had with my own parents.

"Hey Aggie, I'm looking for a certain book," I begin, but the grey haired woman interrupts me with her usual honeyed laugh.

"I should hope so sweetie, this isn't the place you'd come for if you're looking for one of those puc-man games or whatever you kids call them."

I smile and roll my eyes, "It's called Lord of the Rings by," I start, but once again she interrupts me.

"Funny you should ask. That young man over there just asked for the very same book."

I glance over my shoulder to see a slight familiar face leaning agaisnt a table, he's thumbing through a book but looks up when he senses me staring at him.

"What's Eddie Munson doing with a book?" I mumble to myself.

Aggie the librarian smirks as she sifts through her pile and plucks out Lord of the Rings. "Reading I should hope."

I give her an unimpressed look as she beckons him over. Eddie smiles politely and puts his book back, then strolls over to us. "Find it?" He asks.

Aggie nods but glances at me, "I did, but the town's bookworm also requested it, so I'm gonna leave it between you two to sort it out."

With that Aggie winks at me and sets the book on the table between us. I turn back around to Eddie and open my mouth to speak, but Eddie cuts in.

"Look," he opens his hands in a surrender, "I'd hate to be that guy that prevented the girl from her daily dose of escapism, you have to book."

I shake my head, wondering how he knows I read every day. "No, it's okay you have it, I can pick something else."

Eddie slides the book to me, so I frown and slide it back. Admittedly this goes on for longer than it should in a childish manner until I finally huff and grab the book off of the table, holding it to my chest. "Why don't we share it?"

Eddie quirks an eyebrow at my suggestion. "I think Agatha would kill you if you started ripping pages outta that thing."

I give him a blank stare, "No dufus, we can read it together, like a book club except we read at the same time."

Eddie narrows his eyes and watches me with an odd look I can't dechiper, he ponders the idea for a second before snapping his fingers and nodding. "Alright, every Wednesday we can meet here at say, four?"

I nod and smile, waving the book I say "But I'm taking custody of the book."

"Alright, just make sure you look after it, no food after midnight and don't get it wet." He chuckles.

I bite back a grin at his Gremlins reference.

Weeks pass and we meet at the library every Wednesday to begin with, until we agree to meet more times a week. Often we sit beside each other at the tables, reading the same page and talking about the story. After a few weeks Eddie begins asking me to read outloud to him as he lounges on an armchair in the corner, listening to me intently. We sneak in snacks and laugh together as Aggie watches us from afar, a knowing grin always plays on her lips.

After a month and a half we meet outside of the library since the weather gets warmer, reading in the woods under the shade of the trees. We end up talking more than reading, sharing our interests and dreams, our fears and our concerns, we talk about everything.

The sun blazes down on us as I finish reading the last page, closing the book as Eddie looks up at me from laying on my lap. I gulp, feeling emotional and confused, unsure of where this puts us.

"What do you think?" I softly ask as Eddie sits up, his knee bruises mine.

"I think we should do it all again." Eddie murmurs as he leans closer to me and brushes his lips against mine.

I smile, feeling the same way and kissing him back as he pulls me onto his lap, the book smothered between us.