Work Text:
Upon taking a break from researching WW1 war heroes for his project, Steve surveyed the library. This was one of the smaller libraries on campus - it didn’t have a cafe, and there were usually at most 15 students at this time, 5pm on a Tuesday. He didn’t recognize all of them, but he noticed this girl he hadn’t seen before, tall and dark haired, who sat directly opposite to him. With a yawn he returned to his work.
Inspired, Steve typed with ferocity into his notes document, feeling himself enter the zone. It was as if he couldn’t see anything other than his computer screen. He was in the zone! It was fantastic. Then he felt something touch his shoulder. Frowning, he shrugged it off and re-focused, but he felt another tap. Annoyed, he turned away from the computer, staring directly in the eyes of that dark haired girl.
She very quickly (and quietly) explained to him that she needed to borrow a lot of books for her research, and had exceeded her borrowing limit, and would he be so kind to lend her his library card so that she could borrow those books?
They didn’t know each other. He didn’t have time for this. There were probably risks to lending your library card - identity theft? Having to pay overdue fees? But her eyes were so piercing somehow. He found himself taking out his library card and placing it onto her hand. She rushed off to borrow the books with his library card before he realized that he didn’t even ask for her name.
Settling back into his work, he was slightly aware that when she was done borrowing his library card, she was most likely going to tap him on the shoulder again to give him the card. He was mentally prepared. It was alright. Except the tap never came, and at 7pm when he finished up with his work he found his library card on his desk along with a note that said: “Thank you, Steve.” She didn’t sign her name either. Sighing, Steve supposed that he’d never encounter this tall, striking girl again.
Except every week, like clockwork, they both showed up every Tuesday afternoon, Steve typing away at his computer and the girl reading a tall stack of books. And every week, like clockwork, she would tap him lightly on the shoulder, and he would lend her his library card. By the third week, he started writing her notes and putting the card on the desk so that she could lend the card without disturbing him. Even so, he was distracted. He would peek at her, observing her little expressions of confusion (frowning) and joy (eyes widening and brightening). And still he didn’t know her name.
The sixth week presented him with a predicament. He would love to continue their routine, yet he was in the midst of needing to borrow books for this one History essay. He couldn’t lend her his card this time. And he didn’t even know if he could borrow all the books he needed.
With his stack of books, he made his way to the librarian and unloaded the books in his arms onto the counter. He watched the librarian scan each book, his heart sinking when the kind librarian informed him that he reached the maximum he could borrow.
At that moment, before he had time to come up with another way, maybe searching online for PDFs of these books that he couldn’t borrow, a voice he hadn’t heard since the first day interrupted: “Here, use this card.” He looked up from the counter and at the brown-eyed girl, who had borrowed his library card and was now returning the favor. He smiled at her, then looked at the name on her library card - Diana.
Later on, all books on his pile successfully borrowed, he walked over to her and tapped her shoulder. “Thank you. I didn’t expect that, but thank you so much.”
Diana laughed. “You’ve helped me so many times. How could I not help you out when you needed it?”
Steve laughed along. “I’m Steve, by the way, as you already know. Second year history major. You?”
“Diana. I study art history.”
The two fell into easy conversation, walking out of the library together to avoid glares from other library users. They compared their timetables and realised that they both had Thursday afternoons off. Wouldn’t it be nice to meet on Thursday afternoons at the bigger library, the one that actually had a cafe? It would, and so they decided to meet on Thursday and have a drink together.
He couldn’t wait for Thursday to come.