NOTES: Lizzy's POV. Her and Blondie setting up Darcy's bday, talking. Again, an shortish exposition chapter, just to get y'all all caught up on the details. Next will probably be Darcy's, with is gonna be FUN :) hopefully will post soon. Love y'all! ~Vinny

"This is going to be shit," Lizzy said, defeatedly.

A heavy hand clapped her on the shoulder; the meaty slap accompanied by a quick laugh. "No, it's gonna be great! Trust me, he'll love it!"

Lizzy looked dubiously at Blondie. She gestured around the spacious room at their half-hearted ribbons and wilting streamers. "You SURE? It doesn't look like much of a birthday party to me."

"Exactly!" Blondie winked, "That's why he's gonna love it!"

For Fitzwilliam's birthday, Lizzy had reached out to Blondie to help organize a small (SMALL) birthday celebration. The guest list was miniscule (the birthday boy, his sister, Blondie, Lizzy, and possibly Violette to bring in the drinks) and so far the decorations looked… well… not good.

The one redeeming quality was that, because it was a Saturday, the library was closed. And because Violette's dad was the librarian, he allowed Lizzy to use the space for an hour or two, as long as they didn't get cake on the rug.

She breathed out, and ran her eyes along the shelves and shelves of books. "Yeah, he'll like it."

"Especially when we….," Blondie trailed off as he dashed to the corner, and switched off the lights. Immediately, the chandelier switched off, and the shelves lit up with the off-brand Christmas lights they had strung, giving the room a green and gold sheen. The books fairly glowed, pages twinkling like stars amongst the shadows.

Lizzy laughed softly, admiring the scene. "Yeah, I take it back. It's not total shit."

"Oh! And speaking of not-total-shit, look what I got him!"

Blondie produced a cardboard box with phony wrapping paper, and opened it without tearing. Lizzy peered inside. "Is that… just… ties?"

"Not JUST ties!" Blondie crowed, "It's a whole collection!"

Lizzy fingered the fabric, running it almost reverently between her thumb and forefinger. "Wow.. how many are there?"

"Like twenty?" He guessed. "I dunno. All I know is the first 10 have emojis on them." Blondie proudly held up a yellow sparkly tie with a poop emoji grinning out from the middle.

Lizzy cackled. "Fitzwilliam.. Is going to castrate you."

"Probably," Blondie smiled, his teeth winking in the christmas light's glow, "but first we're gonna get a real good laugh out of it. And also I got him a couple Armani silk ties, so he can't stay mad at me for long."

Lizzy smiled back, though she felt a pang in her stomach. She had no idea what Armani ties were, but she could sense from the fabric that they must have cost an arm and a leg. Or, well, they would have for her. Apparently, it only cost Blondie the tip of a finger, or even less.

"Hey, whatcha thinking about? Your face got all scrunch-y."

Lizzy blinked. She shook her head. "Uh, sorry. Spaced out for a sec." She glanced at Blondie, pawing around her brain for some sort of conversation. "Mmm… Has.. Samantha told you about.. Uh…"

"About you gettin' the job there?" Blondie asked easily, turning to rearrange some chairs. "Yeah, she's over the moon about it! Really needed somebody to help out."

"Well..," Lizzy breathed in through her teeth, "Did she tell you I'm going to go there full time, starting a week from today?"

"Oh, really? That soon?"

"Yeah," she said, feeling a little embarrassed. "I wanted to ask for the first paycheck in advance, and it felt a little weird to do that if I wasn't starting right away."

Blondie put down a chair and turned back to her with a clouded expression. "Havin' money troubles, Lizzy?"

She didn't answer, which was really answer enough.

He scratched his neck. "I was actually kinda wondering about that, with uh… with the barista job. Not— Not to be rude or anything! Just… Well, you know that Darcy'll help you out in the blink of an eye, right?"

"Yeah, I know he will," Lizzy nodded, looking down, "Just… I sorta want to do this.. On my own, you know?"

"Oh. Yeah. I getcha."

"And, if I told him I was having money troubles, then he'd want to just fix it all FOR me. That's what he does— and it's sweet! Just.. not this time."

He inclined his head, understandingly. "So should I.. not mention it to him, until you do?"

"Yeah.. yeah, that'd be good," Lizzy answered, relieved. "I haven't found the right time to tell him yet."

She and Fitzwilliam had seen each other every day, sometimes multiple times a day, and spent every other night sleeping over together. It was a dream come true. She had never been more comfortable with a person in all her life. Lizzy felt like she loved him more every day, but was also starting to understand his personality enough so that her having money problems would just stress him out— and Lizzy knew he was stressed enough nowadays (though she fancied herself to think she was helping with that).

"I- I'm thinking tonight though," she added, mustering a smile.

"Better do it tonight," Blondie advised, solemnly, "Tomorrow's that gala thing at Pemberley Studios, and you KNOW he's gonna be miserable at that."

"Mhm. That's what I'm gonna do."

They nodded at each other, a look of detached understanding passing between them.

"Plus," she said, smiling again, "I needed a little secret extra cash to get him his present!"

Blondie's round face perked up, reverting back into his natural smile. "Oooooh, lemme see, lemme see!"

Lizzy turned away from him, jokingly laying a protective hand over her own carefully wrapped gift. "Uh uh, no chance, buster. It's a surprise for EVERYONE."

Blondie pouted, and stuck his tongue out at her. Lizzy laughed, until the noise was interrupted by that of a phone ringing. Blondie answered it, then held his hand over the mic to whisper, "He and Georgie are on their way."

"Okay! I'll get the cake."

When Lizzy returned, setting down the treat, she hesitated at the table, and touched Blondie's shoulder to get his attention. "Hey… you don't think it's gonna be… awkward, with Georgiana, right?"

"No..?" He frowned, "Why would it be?"

"Well, uh, really the only time I've ever… m-met her, was when she walked in on me and Fitzwilliam.. Uh…"

"OHHHH Oh my god!" Blondie erupted into laughter, which he desperately tried to stifle (unsuccessfully). "I- I'm sorry," he said, still laughing, "Just… wow. Yikes."

"I know," Lizzy winced, her cheeks turning pink at the memory, "I hope it won't be too awkward.. I hope…"

Blondie glanced at his watch and patted her back as he walked past. "Well, they're gonna be here any minute, Liz— we'll find out soon enough!"

Suddenly, to Lizzy, a birthday party seemed like the worst event in the world.

And it was just her luck that in that exact moment, the library doors opened, and the birthday boy arrived.