Old books. The air was filled with the scent of musty old books, and particles of dust danced in the pockets of sunlight from the windows. Perfect silence surrounded Kinu, as she walked the familiar rows, and read each aisle place marker until she found the business section. She picked three books on starting a business, to cover her bases and learn what she already should have known. Then, she dipped into the cookbook section, and grabbed two of those as well.
If she was going to try something new, she wanted new food. Something to mark the turn of an era for the shop. When she rounded the corner into fiction, her heart skipped a beat as she caught sight of a purple and yellow blob eyeing a novel, and jerked back behind the shelf.
Why was he there?!
She could slip away unseen. Just walk back the way she had come and make a run for the door. But she wanted to kill him. Gintoki was going to get her eventually, and she was going to get Takasugi first. Maybe not now though.
But maybe if she went really fast, he wouldn't notice her. There was supposed to be a new release, one about a man stranded on an island with a broken leg that eventually cannibalized his companion; Call of the Psyche. This was the place to get it, since Kinu didn't have any actual money to buy a book right now. Sucking in a breath, the girl pushed herself past the corner and stared at Takasugi. He looked up, expressionless. Still holding his book. So she started going. Holding her five books, the girl sped down the aisle. Takasugi stepped back, narrowly avoiding her as she looked up towards the ceiling. As if she hadn't seen him.
Free.
He hardly noticed her. When Kinu reached the opposite side of the row she paused. That had worked, but she hadn't seen any of the books. She'd completely forgotten to look. Suddenly anxious, the girl looked down at the novels in her arms. Fuck. She had to go back. The girl turned around, glowering at the walls of books, trying to ignore the confused scowl that had fixed onto her. As if he didn't know what her problem was, but it was him! He was the problem! He needed to get out of her aisle! The man squinted at her as she started back, just as fast as before, but when she reached his side, his palm shot into her pile of books and forced her to halt. Gaping at the floor, Kinu refused to look up.
She already knew he was eyeing her. Like something was wrong with her.
"What are you doing?" Hissing down to the girl, Takasugi watched as she shuffled in place. Didn't even look up at him.
Though her head was down, she could plainly see the book in his hands. Call of the Psyche. The cover beckoned her, and she eased down to collect her stack of books, balancing them against her chest.
Glancing up at the one eyed man, Kinu pursed her lips. There was no time to check the shelves. She snatched the book from his hands and took off the way she was headed, scrambling to put it on top of the pile in her arms.
"O- Oi! What the fuck?"
That wasn't a library voice.
Picking up pace, Kinu turned the corner and darted down another aisle. As long as she lost him among the shelves she could make it to the check out and leave without him catching her. She didn't look back. Could hear Takasugi behind her, and only thought about escaping.
"Kinu, get back here!" His voice was significantly lower this time, but she could do no such thing.
She'd already gone through with it. She was committed now.
Rounding a corner, Kinu circled the staircase to the second floor, and the sound of footsteps faded as she threw herself into another aisle and crept through it. Historical biographies. Unfamiliar territory. Slowly moving down the walkway, the girl poked her head around the shelves. A sitting area. That meant the check out was straight ahead of it.
She stepped out clutching her stolen goods, breaking into a sprint. Just as she thought she was free, a form sprung in front of her and snatched her sleeve back. Her books flew overhead and she stumbled, turned a full circle, reaching for the raining constellation of novels, grasped the man beside her, and toppled over.
Momentarily stunned, Kinu stared at the wooden wall beside her. She'd been so close. As she picked herself up she found Takasugi glaring straight at her. Apparently, she'd tripped him too. He deserved it.
"Thievery now? First sexual harassment and now you're snatching books like a common criminal?"
What criminals stole books? The man crawled over her and plucked the novel from the ground to hold in front of her face.
"I'll be taking this."
Grabbing at the book, Kinu pulled it back, but Takasugi's grip was too tight.
"Let go- I found it first!" He sneered down, but she was still clutching it as if her life depended on it.
"Get another!"
"It's the only one!" Takasugi's palm pressed into her face. He couldn't have it! He shouldn't have been there in the first place! This was her library. He should have been doing terrorist things, and she didn't even trust him to return the book after his week was up.
"You owe me!" She hissed back, yanking the book. The man's palm pushed her head back, and she snapped her teeth down on it. With a catch of his voice, Takasugi jerked his hand away, shaking it. Slack-jawed.
"You bit me!"
"I'll do it again!"
Sliding up the floor, Kinu tried to weasel away, but the man pinned her shoulder down. She didn't want to fight against two of his hands. If he managed to grab on with both, she'd lose.
"Give it up, you're not getting it. And I don't owe you anything."
"You left a mark on my neck, asshole- Onii-chan tried to get me-" If Kinu thought Takasugi would fight harder after that she was wrong. He snickered, and the book flew overhead as he let go and covered his mouth. Seeing her chance, the girl turned over and crawled after the book. Left him laughing behind her as she shimmied her way across the wooden floor. As soon as her fingertips hit the cover, she was shoved down by the space between her shoulder blades.
Takasugi grinned down at her, holding the book away. Out of reach. When his weight left her she turned over and pounced on him. The man fell back, pushing her away as he rolled over and growled a few choice words, still trying to keep his voice down. As if he'd be able to just get up and run.
Of course it wouldn't be that easy, the girl had lost her damn mind! That idea was further reinforced when Kinu wrapped her legs around him, refusing to let him escape with the book.
It was hers!
Pausing, Takasugi glanced over the aisles leading to them. Looked down at her as she pulled the book again. Completely unaware of herself.
Okay. This had gone wrong.
He didn't even know if he wanted the book anymore. She didn't seem to realize that her legs were holding his apart, and had practically forced him against her.
"What are you doing?" Glancing down the aisle, Takasugi released the novel. Kinu quickly pushed it over her head. As if that would stop him from getting it. "We're in public," speaking quickly, he peered behind himself. Nobody in the kiddie corner. They could still save face. "let go of me."
"No." The girl raised towards him as she spoke, and Takasugi pushed her back down. This looked awful.
"I'll slit your throat, let go."
"I'll poison your tea." She wasn't giving up.
When the man held her hips down and snatched at the book again, Kinu's gaze snapped down between them. To his palm, flat against her abdomen, and his groin over hers. Finally catching on, she froze and he was victorious. As he leaned back, the girl hurried to whisper up at him.
"I'll scream."
Clamping a hand over her mouth, Takasugi pressed her into the hardwood, dropping nearly as low as she was, and shaking his head. Her legs tightened around him and he abandoned the book. Glanced down at the contact. She was violating him! He hadn't done any of this, it definitely wasn't his fault! All he'd wanted was a library book, and she had managed to infiltrate his afternoon with her weird running, and book snatching, and now she had the gall to do… Whatever she was doing!
"Don't you dare." The girl was still glaring up at him. Didn't grab him this time, but sucked in a breath, as if preparing to do exactly as she said. "No!" He hissed down at her, and held a single finger in front of her face. As if it was a warning. "I'll throw you over my knee right now. In front of everybody."
The girl frowned, and looked above herself. As if considering his threat. Then she sucked in another puff of air and Takasugi scrambled to shove his hand further into her face, swearing under his breath.
"No- I take it back- that's not- you're not supposed to want that!" Frowning, Kinu sank back into the floor. With a sigh, the man scanned their surroundings again. A person. He ducked over her as an unsuspecting man that was engrossed in a book stopped at the opposite side of the aisle. Facing them. Deathly still, Takasugi watched the man as he flipped the page. Silently cursed the girl's slow attempt at sliding from under him, if that's what it was. But he stayed huddled over Kinu, as if he wasn't the victim, and had a reason to hide her. The man turned and strolled by, and a wave of relief shot through Takasugi.
"Are you trying to get fucked right here? Stop squirming." The girl's pulse quickened as his voice vibrated in her ear. Warm, gruff, and low. Her voice slipped, and the hand muffling it squeezed her cheeks as Takasugi shushed her. Why the fuck would she moan?! It was a threat not foreplay!
She could feel his breath on her neck. He was so close that she could smell his cologne. His sweat. Her entire body exploded into deliciously anxious pinpricks, then butterflies. Why was she like this?
When they were in the clear, and the deafening silence of the library settled around them, the man leaned back and glowered at her.
"I'm going to uncover your mouth now." He whispered hoarsely, "If you scream, there will be consequences, and it won't be nearly as enjoyable as a spanking. Do you understand?" As he stared down at the girl she glanced away. Slowly nodded. "This book is mine. Now let go of me."
Still studying the girl, Takasugi carefully removed his palm from her mouth. He scanned their surroundings again, ready to grab her if she made a sound, but her legs miraculously loosened around his. Did as instructed. He sat up, side eyeing her as she scooted back and did the same. Closed her legs.
"We'll talk about this later, book thief." Pulling his novel from the ground, Takasugi stood. He shifted from one leg to the other, and Kinu glanced up at him but quickly averted her gaze before actually meeting his eye. Takasugi briskly walked away. Left her there, to think about what she'd done.
As the man rounded the corner, Kinu took a deep breath. Then she looked down at the pages she'd been holding in her sleeve. If he thought he could stand her up after saying all sorts of weird things to her, he was mistaken. He thought he'd won.
He was wrong.