Tick. Tick. Tick.

Fingers clicking thoughtfully on keyboard keys.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The hour hand turning slowly.

Tick. Tick-

Natalia stopped, and lifted her head from the computer screen to look out her small window. The sun beamed across the lazy street outside, where people were moving to and from their business as usual. This scene was nothing new, she knew, and turned back to her work.

'Farid crept across the plank, careful not to draw the attention of the ship's captain. His laser gun strapped to his side, the man poked his head around the corner...'

And what, she thought? And what did he see? Natalia threw her head into her hands, exhausted. Would he see the captain standing there, ready to shoot? That would lead to a duel to the death, and could she really kill Farid so soon? Her publicist would have a hissy fit.

Fine.

'The sound of snoring came to his ears. The captain and his men lay strewn about the ground in front of him, all sleeping away what must have been a crazy party. Drawing his gun-'

"N-Natalia?" The hesitant voice drew her from her work, again. "Ms. Natalia, are you in there?"

"Toris, what do you want?"

"Oh- Um, Ms. Natalia... there is a call for you on line three. Something about a package you need to pick up. W-would you be able to get it, or would you like me to fetch it for you?"

"No, it's fine. Tell them I know what it is, and I'm on my way."

Grabbing her coat, the Belarusian woman closed her document, careful to keep her work a secret, and left the room.

"G'day!" The Lithuanian called after her eagerly, which she ignored as she drew the front door shut. Living in an apartment with him could be bothersome, but he made a decent enough editor. He also kept secrets when threatened, and that was what was important.

Shielding her eyes from the sun and swirling snow, Natalia picked her way down the narrow old sidewalk towards the center of town.

The package! The proof copy must have just come off the press! Smiling slightly to herself, she knew what this meant. Another book to put on the shelf. Another check. More proof that she could sustain herself, even without her brother, Ivan. If he didn't want her, she'd show him she could take care of herself full well. Maybe then he'd love her as much as she loved him.

Snow crunched under her feet as she entered the town square, and swung open the post office door. The room was empty, save for a lone worker and a young man who must have been picking up a package himself.

"May I help you?" the woman behind the counter called, stealing Natalia's attention.

"Yes, is there a package for... um, Timur Tsiotka...?"

The woman gave her an odd look, but went to the back room to check. When she reemerged with a small bundle, Natalia signed for it.

"Thank you."

Turning to leave, she was stopped in her place by a pair of strong hands

"Hey-!" Blonde hair flashed before her as she saw her attacker, "What do you think you're doing?"

"TIMUR TSIOTKA!" he was young, the man, with golden hair, glasses, and an infectious smile spread across his face, "ARE YOU A FAN OF HIS, TOO?"

"I-I..."

"THAT'S SO SWEET, DUDE!"

"Could you just, um, let go-"

"WHAT IS THAT?" he peeked over her shoulder, to see what was in the package, "I HAVEN'T READ THAT ONE! YOU'RE A FAN, AREN'T YOU?"

"Well..."

The young man stared at her excitedly, and she turned to the assistant for help, only to see she had disappeared again into the back room. Damnation.

"Would you like to go to lunch? We could talk about his books, and I know this awesome place~"

The boy never stopped talking, did he?

"I'm sure you'd like it, and to talk to another fan~"

What was she going to do about this now? Only Toris knew about the whole...

"YOU'LL COME, WON'T YOU?"

Not those eyes... his bright blue eyes begged her, and she gave in.

"Whatever."

Letting herself be dragged out of the post office, she wasn't even sure why she had given in in the first place.