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‘I fell in love with glassy eyes, wet with tears, and a gentle smile.’
He always came in early for the silence. The library was always quiet of course, anyone who came in and caused a ruckus would be asked to leave, but there was something about the early morning hours that really just drew Itherael in. All he could hear was the air conditioning, and the squeak of his tennis shoes against the polished linoleum floor as he headed towards the largest room in the building where the front desk was located. With his bag slung over his shoulder, he stepped around the desk and took a seat.
The sun had barely began to rise above the horizon, and the lights in the library contrasting with the dark sky outside, but Itherael paid it no mind as he dug around in his belongings before he fished his notebook out. His pen had been stuck between his lips since before he left his apartment, and as he curled up in his chair he pulled it from his mouth to begin scribbling away at a half filled page as words filled his mind and he continued the story he had been working on the night before.
With Itherael behind the desk, the library was open for anyone who wanted to come in, but it was rare for anyone to do so this early. It was a nice chance to get away from noisy neighbors, and he could really focus on his passion. He loved his job, loved the chance to work with books day in and day out, but even greater than his love for books was the desire to write one himself. He found he couldn’t get any work done at home with all the noises from the outside world.
He much preferred to surround himself with the greats of literature.
Itherael’s handwriting was scratchy, but he had worked hard over the years to make it legible to others after many complaints from people in his life. Red ink today, though to him it hardly mattered, as long as he could get the words down onto paper. Tales of heroism, great journeys across many lands, and facing fate and one’s destiny.
It was nice to write about, as often as Itherael felt he was a slave to his own fate.
The silence was broken by the creaking of the library door being pushed open. Itherael looked up from his notebook and glanced at the clock. 7 in the morning, still far earlier than anyone ever came in on most days. It wasn’t unheard of though, so he peered over the desk and watched the corner that the door was just around. When a man stepped around the corner with a dark coat wrapped tight around him, and a pale face turned red by the chilling cold outside, Itherael uncurled from his little ball and sat up in his chair.
“Malthael,” He said with a nod in his direction. It was Wednesday, and Malthael always came in to check out a new book on Wednesday as well as turn in the one he took out the week prior, but he had always come in the afternoon before this. “I’m surprised you’re here this early. I wasn’t expecting you till after 2.”
“I’m surprised you’re here this early. I wasn’t actually expecting you to be open…” Malthael retorted, and he reached into his bag to pull out the book he had checked out before to set it on the counter. Itherael took it and scanned the bar code to check it back in. “I’ve got plans after work so i won’t be able drop by later today.”
“Plans?” Itherael asked as he set the book aside for placement back where it belonged once he had a free moment.
“Obligations. I have to pick up my roommate from work, and knowing him that could be a whole ordeal in of itself.” Malthael said with a shrug.
“I didn’t know you had a roommate.” Itherael said.
“I don’t really, but he has a key and spends more time in my home than his own, so it seems more fitting to call him that than anything else.” Malthael muttered.
“That sounds terrible. Does he at least pay rent?” Itherael asked.
“I’m working on it.” Malthael said with a sigh as he looked over his shoulder towards the first of many bookshelves that were situated only a few feet behind him. “I’d love to sit around and chat, but I don’t think I can get away with that today.”
“No of course, go find a book, I’ll be right here when you’re ready.” Itherael said with a small smile and a nod as Malthael stepped away.
“Oh,” Malthael stopped in his tracks and turned towards Itherael once more. He pointed towards the front entrance before speaking. “There was a bit of trouble brewing outside when I came in, some sort of argument. You might want to keep an eye out just in case.”
“Trouble?” Itherael’s smile faded a bit as he shifted his gaze towards the front entrance. “…Alright, don’t worry about a thing…” Itherael mumbled, and Malthael nodded, headed off between the bookshelves.
There were often one or two homeless people outside the library who would come in and spend their days reading and relishing in having safety and shelter for a short while during the day. Sometimes they would fight, but Itherael had never seen it get so bad as to warrant intervention. They wouldn’t be welcomed back if that were the case.
For now he settled back in, pulling his feet back up onto the edge of the worn chair as he grabbed his notebook and pen once more. He chewed on the end of the pen as he read back over the last few lines he’d written before he lowered it back down to the paper, tapping the tip as he tried to put words together in a way that wouldn’t make him want to leave a bunch of chicken scratch all over his paper from crossing out mistakes.
He had just put together a passable sentence in his head when he heard the front door swing open, and his eyes were torn away from the paper, the words in his mind dying there as his focus was turned from writing to the jarring noise. Any hope of making any progress that morning left him moments later as he saw who had come in.
A woman stepped in, half drenched from the waist down with dirty, muddy water that stained her long, light blue coat an ugly brown color. Her cheeks were soaked in tears that she seemed desperate to hide as she slowly made her way to the front desk wiping them on her sleeves, and she could only hope that her makeup wasn’t smeared across the side of her face.
“Excuse me…” She started, before clearing her throat, trying to keep from sounding too terribly hoarse. “Excuse me do you uh…. Would you mind if i just sit here for a bit?”
Itherael just stared up at her for a moment, mouth slightly agape as he took in the sight of her, and the sense of beauty this woman seemed to simply exude despite the off day she was clearly having. “Uhh…. W- yeah, no, it’s fine!” He quickly said as he collected a few of his wits as he looked around. “Wait hold up, just a second, let me grab a towel!” He said, quickly uncurling from his chair and getting up.
“You have one? I could really use it…” She said, glancing down at where she was dripping on the floor.
Itherael nodded and he ran off faster than he had in a long time. When he came back he had a rather small towel in hand, and he found the woman sat in a chair not too far away from where he had left her. She had draped her coat over a chair and was currently sat shivering from the cold stockings she was wearing. Her little boots were drenched and her skirt had been pretty heavily soaked as well. She looked up at Itherael when he returned, and held her hand out for the towel. He handed it off to her, and she gave him a small thank you before she began toweling herself off.
“Is it uh… Is it raining out there again?” He asked, since there had been a short thunder storm that had passed over them much earlier that morning.
“No… Just puddles everywhere.” She said quietly. “There’s no real sun out to dry anything up.”
“Oh… So how did you–” He started, motioning towards her, but she cut him off.
“Car. It drove by while I was walking and splashed me. It’s ice cold out there, I’m worried I’ll get sick on top of everything else. That’s just what i need…” She said with a sigh.
“What happened? Why are you crying… If you don’t mind me asking…” Itherael said, figuring that trying to make small chat with a soaking wet woman who was just barely holding the tears back wasn’t the best way to either comfort her or find out what was wrong.
“Oh… You know…” She said with a shaky sigh and a shrug of her shoulders. “You just ever have those days where the entire world seems to be against you?” She asked.
“Yeah, all the time.” Itherael said.
“Yeah, well I’ve been having a month just like that and… Well, you know, the straw that broke the camel’s back…” She said.
“And that was getting splashed?” Itherael asked.
“Well actually it was my Landlord telling me that he’s kicking me out, but being splashed certainly didn’t make me feel any better…” She said with a bitter chuckle and a shake of her head. By the time she was done toweling herself and her coat off she was left damp and cold.
“That’s terrible…” Itherael said, though he couldn’t really be of much comfort to this woman, and merely stood by and rung his shirt between his hands. “Do you have anywhere to go?”
“Oh I’m sure I’ll think of something soon enough. I have a few weeks after all. It’s just terrible to hear is all.” She said “I’ve got friends, none of them will want to see me out on the streets.”
“Well that’s good at least… And if push comes to shove you could probably rest here if you wanted.” He said, tugging on his shirt a little.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to stay in a library over night…” She said with a small frown.
“Oh… Well I wish someone would have told me that when I was hired.” Itherael said with a small smile.
She let out a quiet little giggle at his words, and her face lit up with a smile, and a warm glint in her eyes. She had an air to her, that even when she was seemingly at her lowest, could melt hearts, and in that moment Itherael knew he would be forever weak for this girl.
“…My name’s Itherael by the way.” He said, extending his hand to hers, and she tilted her head to the side just slightly, staring up at Itherael as if she were running his name through her mind over and over. Then finally, she took his hand in her own, and shook it.
“Auriel. It’s nice to meet you, Itherael.” She said.
“Auriel…” Itherael mumbled to himself, the name almost sweet on his lips. “That’s a beautiful name… Would you mind if i steal it?” He asked.
“What?” Auriel’s smile fell from her face, and a look of confusion replaced it. Itherael silently cursed himself before he turned towards his desk and he leaned over it to grab his notebook and his pen.
“For a story, I mean. I like to write, but I’m… Well I’m garbage at coming up with half decent names, but yours is… Is really nice, I was wondering if you’d have a problem with me uh… Naming a character after you? Or just making one with your name, I mean…” Itherael said, all but fumbling his way through his explanation, and when Auriel reached for his notebook he relinquished it to her.
“You like to write? Like books?” Auriel asked, glancing around at all of the books around them before focusing back on Itherael’s notebook and opening it.
“Well… I mean I would like to be published someday, but for now it’s just a hobby…” He said with a small shrug. His cheeks were burning with embarrassment, showing Auriel such a mess of work, it’s not like it hardly amounted to much.
“Oh uh… Your handwriting is a little… Difficult to read.” Auriel said as she stared down at the multicolored chicken scratch that Itherael called words.
“Yeah, yeah I know, I’m sorry about that…” Itherael said, ducking his head in shame at the fact. While he was staring down at the floor, his notebook was offered back to him, the top edge of it poking him in the chest.
“So will you read it to me? Just a bit if it’s too long.” Auriel asked, and when Itherael looked up at her, she had that same beautiful smile as before. Her eyes may have been puffy and her skin red from the cold wet weather outside, but it didn’t matter when she smiled.
“Read it to you? Uhh…” Itherael trailed off, not sure if he should have been ecstatic or terrified of the request. He looked up when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and spotted Malthael stood leaned against a bookshelf, waving his selected book in hand. He had been kind enough to read the mood and not interrupt, but he still had places to be. “… Sure, let me take care of him first though."
Auriel looked over her shoulder when Itherael pointed towards Malthael, and she blinked in surprise. "Oh, yes of course. I didn’t know anyone else was here, it’s awful early…"
Itherael set his notebook down on the table and went around his desk to wake the computer up and check Malthael out. Malthael was a nice enough man, quiet, and he kept to himself. It was a blessing as he stayed quiet about Itherael’s conversation with Auriel, but Itherael felt like dying at the knowing smirk Malthael wore on his face as he scanned his library card. He was just lucky Auriel couldn’t see it.
"Have a good morning. I’ll be back next week to turn this in.” Malthael said as he tucked the book away in his backpack, and he gave a little wave as he headed for the door.
Itherael gave a weak wave back as Malthael left, and he heaved a sigh as silence filled the library again. He looked back over to the table to find Auriel staring down at his notebook opened flat on the table, with an amused grin spread on her face. Curious, Itherael rounded the desk and made his way over. He began regretting ever coming into work that day when he saw that she had it opened to a page where he had a few absolutely terrible drawing of a few characters sketched out.
“Ahh that– that’s uhmm… Hmm…” Itherael started, but he found there was no good way to explain it to her without making a fool of himself. “I…like to think I’m a better author than I am an artist…”
“It’s no worse than anything I could do. Probably a lot better actually.” Auriel said with a sheepish smile as she closed the notebook and slid it towards where Itherael was sitting, giving it a little pat. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been poking around in it like that. I hope you’ll still read to me.” She said.
“Yeah. Yeah if you want me to then of course.” Itherael said, relaxing just a little before he sat down across from her. “You said just a little if it’s too long, right? You have somewhere you need to be?”
“No, not today. I just didn’t want to take up too much of your time trying to escape like this.” Auriel said, leaning against the table, her chin rested in the palm of her hand.
“Don’t worry about that, it’s my pleasure.” Itherael said, a smile spreading across his lips before he motioned around them. “We’re not terribly swamped at the moment.”
“Then just start reading, and we’ll go until we simply have to stop.” She said.
Who was Itherael to disappoint? If this was how Auriel had chosen to forget about her troubles for a short while, then Itherael was more than happy to share his work with her. As he started to read to her, he worried that perhaps it wasn’t good enough, that he might bore her and leave her wanting more, but as he glanced up at her during a short break to catch his breath, she simply stole it away from him again.
Auriel’s eyes were locked on him, and she hung onto every work he spoke to her. Even some of his closest friends didn’t care to hear this much of his writing, but as he paused and simply watched her and her reactions to his story, she prompted him forward, eager to know what happened next.
Hours passed, and the two were simply caught in their own little world of adventure and daring feats of bravery. The few breaks they took were simply because Itherael had to get up and do his job after someone had come in to check out or turn in a book. Itherael would handle his work, and Auriel would sit up and stretch out stiff muscles while she waited, and as soon as Itherael was done he would check to see that she wanted to continue before delving back into his story.
Itherael had just sat down after checking in a book and setting it aside with the growing pile that needed sorting when Auriel reached across the table and tapped his arm.
“You’re an amazing writer, Itherael.” She said with a sweet, though somewhat tired smile on her face.
“Thank you…” Itherael said, reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck, his head lowering just a bit.
“You can use me name if you want to, OK?” Auriel said, sitting up a little straighter and holding up a finger to him. “On one condition.”
“Oh?” Itherael glanced at her finger before focusing back on her face, and he could see a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Yeah… I want you to read me all the stories you write about Auriel, whoever she or he ends up being in your mind. Even as you write them, because what’s better than a feeling of 'what happens next?’ after all?” She said.
It was a bit of an odd request to Itherael, though not an unreasonable one. If someone were going to use his name in a story of any kind he would want to know what was being done with his character too.
Something told him that wasn’t the main reason she had made such a request though.
“You’re planning on coming back here then?” Itherael asked, a bit surprised by that realization. Somehow he had figured that after she left, he would likely never see Auriel again.
“It’s nice here. Quiet and peaceful and… You’re here, and you’re nice. Your writing is lovely too, and I want to hear more.” Auriel said. “So if you’d be alright with it, then yes, I’d like to do this again soon.”
Never before had Itherael felt the rush of butterflies in his stomach. Simple words, a request to meet again, but somehow they sounded so sweet coming from her. He never wanted this feeling to fade.
“…Anytime you want. I’m here pretty much every day, except weekends.” Itherael said.
“That’s good to know… Are we done for the day then? Or can we go on just a little farther? It’d be a shame to leave off at such a spot.” She said.
“No, no we can go on a while longer.” Itherael said with a small smile, and Auriel gave him one in return that made his heart skip a beat as she settled into her seat once more.
Itherael continued his tale, letting time melt away and the world around them turn to nothing more than white noise. He had never been terribly good at reading aloud so that other people could hear, but seeing the way she relaxed in her chair, leaned against one arm with her eyes closed as she pictured every scene in her mind while Itherael spoke made it worth every second. A soft smile had settled on Auriel’s lips, and as long as Itherael kept reading it never faded.
'I could have watched her forever and ever.’