World Men à la Mode

Chapter Thirty-nine - The Book

~Previously~

        Just as Alfred had said, dinner was later in the evening, and even though you followed his advice and picked up a snack, you were starving. You and a few others finished off your meals in no time and happily welcomed dessert when it was brought out by the waiter. You sighed as you leaned back in your chair, your belly now full and content. Alfred handled the bill as he always did before the group got back on the bus and ventured to the hotel. Amilia decided to go swimming with Lily, Charlotte, and Samantha, but you decided to stay in, wanting to just relax in the recreation room for a while and try to read some of the folktale book you had brought with. You were immersed in your book within minutes, and not even the couch dipping under the weight of an added person next to you disturbed your reading.

~Present~

        Who new folktales and fairytales could be so intriguing? You certainly did. That's why you purchased the book after all. Being completely captivated by the tales, you hadn't realized that Lukas had taken a seat beside you and was reading along with you, also occasionally glancing at your face to see if you noticed his presence yet. You hadn't, but he wanted to see how long he could stay that close to you. Nearly a half hour had passed before you tore your eyes from your book and practically jumped at the sight of the blond Norwegian at your side.

        "H-how long have you been there?"

        "At least twenty minutes. You think you would have noticed someone invading your personal space. I definitely would have."

        "Well, I was kind of busy..."

        "I know. Tell me, do you enjoy mythology and things of the like?"

        "You mean like mythical beings and gods and stuff, right?"

        "Ja."

        "Then yes, I do enjoy mythology and things of the like. I find it strange yet amazing how different regions of the world shaped beliefs and lore of the native people in each one."

        He nodded. "You were on the section about Norway in your book, correct?"

        "Yeah. Kinda ironic that I got to it while I was actually here, right?"

        He nodded silently and looked down at his lap.

        "Say, Lukas, aren't you not good with strangers?"

        "Where did you get that idea? Not that I'm denying it..."

        "Well, Alfred told me a little about you taking this job because of your little brother and that one of your friends said it may help you break out of your solitary shell."

        "He wasn't incorrect... To answer your question, Emil gave me a heads up about your group. He called be right before your flight landed. I figured it was a small group, so I would be okay to deal with you."

        "Oh! That was nice of him to do that for you. Do you get to talk to him often?"

        "Not as often as I'd like. We maybe see each other once or twice a year and might talk to one another a handful of times on the phone. We're close, but he distances himself a bit."

        "How so?"

        "For starters, he doesn't like to refer to me as 'big brother' even though we are blood related. When we're together, however, we can be inseparable so long as neither of us become uncomfortable."

        "I see!" You smiled at him. "Oh! So do you know about his puffin friend then?"

        "Don't let the puffin deceive you. He's cold hearted."

        "What?"

        "It's a long story. You should be getting to bed. It's late."

        "I suppose I should," you said as you checked the time on your phone. "Could I ask you for something though?"

        "Depends on what it is."

        "I would like a picture with you to help commemorate my trip. I've been taking pictures with all of our local guides as something to help keep my focus during the trip, and I've decided to make all the pictures into a scrapbook. Would you help me keep my focus going? I understand if you don't want to."

        "One picture won't hurt."

        "Yay! Ooh! Hold on a second."

        You placed your bookmark between the pages you were on and back tracked to find one of the illustrations in the book. You settled on the opening page for the Norwegian folk and fairytale section, which contained the heading and a drawing of a nature scene with a troll and a fairy. You flipped the book around so it would be facing the camera when you took the selfie. You scooted closer to Lukas, who leaned in slightly. Opening your camera app, you flipped it around to face the two of you and found a good angle to include the picture in the book. You hit the button quickly and the picture was taken. You then went into your photo album and brought it up to show Lukas. He seemed to approve and got up, bidding you a quiet goodnight before heading to bed. You smiled and went to your own room, being extra quiet so you wouldn't disturb your roommates in case they were asleep. You then settled into bed after changing and brushing your teeth.

        Amilia's phone alarm blaring early in the morning woke you. You groaned and pulled your pillow over your head to quiet the noise until she shut it off a few moments later. She crept to the bathroom and did what she needed to. While you waited, you grabbed your phone and scrolled through your newsfeed and a few of your social media apps. Amilia was out within fifteen minutes and gestured for you to take your own turn with a smile as she finished getting ready in the room.

         When you emerged from the bathroom in about the same amount time as your bubbly, you immediately went to wake Darcy. She merely waved you off and rolled over. You deadpanned and grabbed at her blankets, tugging them off in one fluid motion. She let out a whine and rolled back over to glare at you. You snickered and handed her back the blankets, telling her she needed to get up so she could eat breakfast. She begrudgingly pulled herself from the bed and trudged to the bathroom.

        You and your roommates were among the last of your group to enter the dining area. You filled your plate at the buffet style setup and mixed a small pad of butter into your coffee once at the table. While you admit it tasted pretty good, it wasn't something you'd want to do everyday. Lukas watched you out of the corner of his eye, drinking his own buttery coffee. Alfred then laid out the plans for the day after everyone was seated and eating.

        Your first stop was a tour of the Vigeland brother's art displayed in the city. You captured pictures of their amazing creations left and right, occasionally getting Lukas and Alfred in them unintentionally. Afterward, Lukas led the group to a small convenience store pick up lunch and head to Langøyene to eat what you purchased and partake in beach volleyball and a few other of the outdoor recreational activities that it offered. Your next and final activity of the day was going to the revived Vulkan neighborhood and eat at the Mathallen food hall before taking a walking tour of the eco-friendly riverside area.

        The group headed back to the hotel around nine o'clock and went their separate ways. You went back to your room and kicked off your shoes before changing into your pajamas and doing what you needed to in the bathroom. You flopped on your bed and settled down under the sheets. You grabbed your phone off of the nightstand and decided to watch a show on Netflix until your roommates decided to come in. With your poor planning though, your phone ended up dying halfway through your fifth episode. You sighed and plugged your phone in using the adapter you brought and set your phone back on the nightstand before falling asleep.

~Author's Note~

DreamsForDays here! The update is up early because I've got some running around to do and don't want to forget about updating. I'd just like to take some time to thank all of you lovely readers for being a part of this journey and being so supportive of my writings, even if some are about original characters. You all help me continue on writing, even when I struggle to write through my writer's block. Thanks for reading! Feedback in the comments is always appreciated! Until next time!