Librarian treaded through Heaven's halls, his heavy footsteps causing a steady pulse to echo across the walls. As he moved along, he passed the girls' powder room and instantly felt that something was wrong. He didn't always have premonitions, but when he did, they were usually serious, so he obeyed his instinct and entered the room. Being a two meant he could roam in either bathroom without too much repercussion and he felt that this time, such intrusion would be worth the risk.
The moment he set foot inside, he felt that pang of anxiety return tenfold. He moved silently through the room and passed every stall carefully. The last one was the only one out of line. He could hear someone crying behind the door and when he looked down, he could see the white heels of an applicant. He rapped on the stall door and the noises ceased.
"I know you're in there," he rumbled, voice low and powerful. He didn't get a reply. Frowning, he knocked again before issuing another remark. "I'll have the Translators on you," he said. Then he heard the clicking of a lock and the stall door opened.
There, standing in the doorway with bright red eyes was his favorite applicant, Cora Stein. Her brown hair was messy, her blue eyes were teary, she looked pale, weak, and absolutely miserable. He knew exactly what had brought about such a violent display of grief and although it was a touchy subject, he decided not to say a word, to Cora or anyone else. Instead, he only gestured silently for the girl to step out of the bathroom. A sixth sense told him to break protocol just this once. Cora didn't need more pain right now. For a moment, Cora didn't move, but then when Librarian made a second gesture for her to step out of the stall, she obeyed. Her footsteps sounded so heavy. The man dared to open his arms, an unexplainable wave of compassion washing over him. Cora took one look at those open arms and then launched herself into them, still sniffling.
"Come on," Librarian said, voice soft and smooth as he held Cora and patted her back gently. It really was a very unusual thing for him to do but, for some reason, it felt like the right thing to do. So, half-supporting and half-carrying Cora, Librarian led the girl all the way back to the library.
Once he sat Cora down in his private office in the corner of the library, he offered her some tea. She took the cup with grateful eyes, though she didn't verbalize her thanks. She didn't need to, though, Librarian could read faces as well as he could read books. Once he saw that she'd been suitably cared for, Librarian sat down in another chair, began reading, and didn't once look at Cora. To some, this might've been rude or awkward, but Cora understood and was grateful. He was sparing her by not forcing her to talk, choosing instead to let her go at her own pace. He was waiting to see if she wanted to talk. She didn't. Instead, she drank her tea in silence, mind far from the tiny room she now sat in.
It was true, ever since her beloved June Freeman was sent to Hell about a week ago, Cora had been depressed. She took her pain out whenever she had the chance to be alone and that time was always when curfew was past and she was able to slip into one of Heaven's lesser-used powder rooms. Every night since June's fall, she had been going to these powder rooms and just crying because she had no other way of expressing herself and no one to express to. Now, she knew that being out late like this was against the rules, but at this point, she didn't care. She just hadn't realized that Librarian had been near that night. She wanted to ignore him at first, but she knew it wouldn't work. So finally, she opened the door for him and watched him watch her. She expected to be punished, but when he offered her mercy and opened her arms, she couldn't help but fall into them. She needed this. Now here she sat, feeling peaceful for the first time in awhile. She smiled slightly at Librarian, her first real smile in a week, and just for moment, everything was ok.
Time passed and Cora recovered. Every evening after applicant training was finished, Cora would visit Librarian in his private office. Sometimes they would offer light chatter, sometimes they would sit in dead silence, sometimes they'd help each other with tasks, sometimes they would just read back to back with cups of tea at their sides. Every time, no matter what they were doing on that particular day, Cora felt her heart lighten when she was with him. He had been so kind and supportive and now she considered him one of her closest friends.
The feeling was mutual too. When he first met Cora, she was just another applicant. When she correctly answered several of his questions, she became someone with potential. When he learned she hung out with June, she'd become a troublemaker. When June fell and Cora began to mourn but never question Heaven, she had become someone Librarian could really get behind. Now he was making good on that last one and supporting her through her grief. Usually, he would've give her some speech about getting over it or he would've sent her away to be fixed if the grief didn't stop fast enough, but he didn't do it this time. For some reason, he felt like Cora deserved her space and, for that, he never pushed her to get better, waiting instead for her to come to terms with June's fall on her own time. He truly enjoyed her company. She was beautiful, kind, obedient, intelligent. It was a nice change from the normal applicant who was giggly and overly jumpy girl. Of course, it was obvious why they behaved that way, but Cora was level-headed and calm, like himself. In time, he considered her one of his closest friends.
Even more time passed and finally, Cora became a full angel of Heaven. Librarian took a front row seat in her ceremony and behind his passive, almost-bored, expression, she saw his eyes glitter with pride and joy and she smiled back. A real smile. He was the only one she really smiled at now. Following the ceremony, neither Cora nor Librarian made any move to greet each other, but neither cared. Instead, just for a moment, Librarian caught his young friend's eye. I told you you'd do well here he seemed to say. Cora nodded slightly and flashed him a smile.
"I know," she mouthed back and he smiled. He could read lips as well as he could read books.
But there was a small sadness between them. Both knew that with Cora being a full angel now, their nightly visits would have to stop. But we'll still be friends, right? Cora's blue eyes seemed to ask. Librarian felt a dry grin flicker across his stoic face. Even now, Cora was still the same insecure girl he met so long ago. She was still as shy, nervous, awkward, and eager to please as always and he loved her for it. He nodded in reply to her tacit question and she looked relieved as he made his promise. Yes, we'll still be friends.
AN: This is the third and final "story" about the different ways Cora and Librarian's relationship could've gone and this one kept it strictly platonic with neither one ever feeling romantically inclined to the other.