Disclaimer: Only the plot and story belong to me, the two amazing characters (sadly) don't.
A/N: Oops I forgot the disclaimer last time!
To sofihime thank you for telling me about the glitch!
It seems that FF was really stubborn this time and I had to do a little tweaking to get the story legible enough to understand! God, it was alright when I checked it. Just PM me readers if something like this happens again. Any way, silver lining! The story I uploaded was the unedited version (haha amateur mistake, don't remind me) so here is the edited and hopefully unglitched version!
"Thoughts"
"Normal speech"
~V~
It was early afternoon in dimly lit chambers of the library. Library patrons were perusing the shelves or reading in their seats. Librarians flitted in and out the hallways returning, cataloging and handling the books. The sound of pages being turned, the tapping of the keyboard and the occasional drifts of conversation echoed lightly in the crisp air. It was a completely ordinary day. It was a day just like any other day in the silent halls of the library.
"101…S 101…"a man muttered, eyes scanning the shelves for the elusive number.
"Damn, where the hell is it?" he huffed walking into a particularly secluded part of the classical literature section.
As he walked deeper into the dimmer parts of the hallway he suddenly shivered at the sudden blast of cold air that hit him as he ambled through. "Wow, it's cold in here," he laughed, rubbing his hands together to warm himself up. Eyeing the darkened hallways apprehensively, he recalled a story he had heard floating around.
It was widely whispered among the regulars of the library that the classical literature section was known to be oldest part of the library. It was rumored to be haunted. The air was permeated with the smell of worn pages and the books themselves looked like they came from bygone times. The section radiated a feeling of age and times long past; altogether an eerie ambience. The sound was strained in here and the dim lights and tinted windows casted shadows that seemed to slink around the edges of your vision. Books were found propped up on tables as if someone was reading them. Wisps of cold air flew past stunned faces as if someone had passed but when they turned to check there was no one there.
Shuddering slightly, the man pulled himself together and hurried to find his book as quick as he could so he could get out as soon as possible. Suddenly the sound of footsteps rang out in the subdued air.
"Fuck that sounded near," the man muttered.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" he called out. He was met with the sound of silence. Shaking his head to recollect himself, "Damn it all where the hell is the S section anyway?" he moaned.
"Excuse me, the S section is over th-" a soft voice whispered.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
It seemed that classical literature section once more claimed another unfortunate victim. As the scream tore through the library, the librarians simply shook their heads in resignation. 'Must be Kuroko-kun again', they all thought. Yup, it was just an ordinary day in the library, a day just like any other day.
"HOLY F-"
"Please mind your language"
"-ATHER ALMIGHTY!"
"…"
"WERE YOU HERE THE WHOLE FU-"
"Language"
"-DGING TIME!? YOU GAVE ME A FU-
"Language"
"-UREAKIN' HEART ATTACK FOR SH-"
"Language"
"-SHAMALAMA'S SAKE!"
Kuroko sighed and putting a finger to his lips and pointed at the silence sign, "Shhh…," he scolded.
"ARE YOU FUCK- "
"Shhhh…"
"I DON"T GIVE A SH-"
"Shhh…"
"STOP INTERUPTING ME! DON"T TELL ME TO SHUT UP YOU-"
"Excuse me," a powerful voice rang out.
The two turned to the newcomer whose intimidating presence and blazing red eyes quelled whatever urge the man had to shout.
"This is a library, I would expect even a child to understand the proper etiquette needed for it," he said. Although his voice was soft it somehow felt equal to in intensity to as if he had shouted.
"Eep!" the unfortunate victim squeaked. "I..uh…uhh," he stuttered cowing before the overpowering red eyed man. "Am I going to die!?" he thought as the crimson eyes rooted him to the spot and pinned him down under the pressure.
"Excuse me," a soft voice interrupted.
Two heads once more whipped to the voice's direction, "You were looking for S section," Kuroko stated.
"I… ah, yes! Yes I was! So..uh..I gottagosorrypleaseforgivemeIwon'tdoitagain!" he gushed grabbing the lifeline and chose the opportunity to run away as quick as possible.
"You're too forgiving," Akashi smirked.
"S section is the other way," Kuroko sighed.
As they watched the rapidly retreating figure disappear Kuroko asked, "Good afternoon Akashi-kun, what are you doing here?"
"I just simply followed the sound of screaming," he said monotonously.
"That's not what I meant," Kuroko said.
"I know," Akashi replied.
Kuroko turned around and found Akashi standing closely beside him.
"Akashi-kun," Kuroko warned taking a step back.
"Good afternoon Kuroko," he replied.
Narrowing his eyes at his invasion to personal space, Kuroko turned around and went for the furthest table away from Akashi. As he sat down and began to read Akashi took the vacated seat in front of him. Sitting sideways he crossed his legs and tucked his chin on his right hand and began to stare at Kuroko. Kuroko took it in stride and ignored him as long as he could but as the minutes ticked by and the stare did not fade away he tore his face away from his book and glanced up at Akashi.
"Staring is rude," he huffed.
"I'm not staring," Akashi replied.
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm observing."
"You're staring."
"I'm not."
Kuroko narrowed his eyes and packed up his book and stood up. Akashi was eyeing him amusedly as he transferred to the table next to theirs. Kuroko took out his book once more and in a vain attempt to cover his face, positioned it so all Akashi could see was the book floating in front of Kuroko's face. Quietly snickering, he stood up and followed Kuroko to the table, sitting down in the same position once more. Kuroko hearing the scrape of the chair and feeling the intensity of the stare grumbled to himself under his breath.
"What are you reading?" Akashi questioned.
Kuroko ignored him wishing the book could swallow him up and take him away from his lunatic stalker.
"What are your favorite books?"Akashi continued sailing over Kuroko's silence.
"Who is your favorite author?"
As Akashi continued to fire one question after another, without looking away from his book Kuroko got up and moved to another table. Akashi, unfazed repeated his past actions and followed Kuroko once more sitting at his new table.
"What kinds of books do you read?" Akashi picked up.
Kuroko moved to another table and as before Akashi trailed after him shooting off question after question. This repeated for the next couple of tables with Kuroko and Akashi effectively covering the whole reading area.
"Do people usually scream when they meet you?" Akashi asked his latest question at their latest table. Kuroko sighed (he's been doing that a lot lately he noted) concluding that this would continue on forever unless and decided to change tactics.
"Considering the circumstances it appears I am the one who wants to scream since I have a crazy and creepy stalker following me everywhere," Kuroko dryly stated.
Akashi blinked blankly then smiled victoriously, "I'm not creepy," he said trying to sound offended but coming off amused by the whole thing.
"So you're crazy," Kuroko countered.
"Aren't we all?" Akashi replied.
"No, I guess it's only you," Kuroko said.
"You wound me," Akashi said.
"I don't think so, "Kuroko replied.
"Hey! I have a heart," Akashi smiled.
"Where?" Kuroko baited sarcastically.
"You're holding it," he purred.
Kuroko blushed but managed to stutter out a reply, "You can have it back."
Akashi chuckled making Kuroko's blush grow even redder. Kuroko pouted at his laugh and stood up from the table as he quickly walked away he heard Akashi call out, "I'd rather you hold on to it."
"In your dreams!" Kuroko huffed trying and failing to hold his composure against the laughter coming from Akashi
"But reality is much better with you in it!" he called out to Kuroko's retreating figure noting how the blush spread to his ears.
"Cheezy baka!" Kuroko yelled out as he exited the reading area which caused Akashi to laugh once more. Akashi continued to smile even as his eyes followed Kuroko until he disappeared out of sight. Kuroko ran to the safety of his hidden alcove hoping to throw Akashi off his scent.
"Mr. Stalker is too sappy for his own good," Kuroko thought to himself settling down on his window seat.
~V~
"I seriously underestimated him," Kuroko thought.
For the next three days Akashi faithfully kept the pattern he initiated. Everywhere Kuroko sat, he sat too. Every section Kuroko ran off too, Akashi soon followed. Kuroko was starting to doubt Akashi's sanity when he found him waiting in front of the restroom door that one time he had to use the toilet. If the constant hovering wasn't annoying (if not disturbing already) the fact that he randomly appeared at any time of the day was.
"Maybe I need to find a new library," Kuroko cursed as Akashi ambushed him at the entrance of the library. "I haven't even entered the library yet and he's already here!?"
"Patience," Kuroko chanted to himself, "A crazy person is an irrational person, he doesn't know what he's doing."
"I'm not crazy by the way," Akashi added.
"Stupid mind-reading," Kuroko muttered.
Akashi chuckles quietly echoed in the room as Kuroko rolled his eyes at the amused figure.
Suddenly a crash was heard to their left. It seems that someone was clumsy enough to trip while carrying his load of books. Akashi strode over and helped the poor man up.
"Thanks," the man sheepishly said rubbing the back of his head.
"It's alright," Akashi replied, failing to notice how the man he helped panicked and turned pale when he noticed his "saviour". He grabbed his books and hurriedly scurried off to the farthest corner of the library he could find.
Akashi meanwhile turned back to Kuroko only to realize that he was gone.
"He really is full of surprises," Akashi mused, chuckling to himself.
Kuroko on the other hand, bundled himself up in his hidden nook to escape Akashi's clutches. Delighted that he could escape "Mr. Stalker's psychopathic tendencies".
"He's definitely going to ask about this tomorrow," Kuroko moaned. "Might as well enjoy the moment while it lasts," he sorrowfully concluded.
The next day Akashi wasted no time to satisfy his curiosity.
"Where did you run off to last time?" Akashi greeted appearing out of nowhere from the side of a library shelf.
"And I was right," Kuroko thought.
"None of your business," Kuroko said sliding a book back into its place on the shelf.
"Is so," Akashi stubbornly pushed.
"Is not," Kuroko scoffed.
"Tetsuya," he warned.
Kuroko glanced back at Akashi, "Since when are we on familiar terms?" he narrowed his eyes up at Akashi.
"Don't change the subject," Akashi said as he trailed Kuroko to another shelf. Kuroko reached up to a book that was a little bit higher than he could reach. Straining his figure, he suddenly felt another body press against his own and a slender hand reach out and pull the book down.
"Was it this one?" Akashi asked.
"I'm not that short," Kuroko stated reaching for the book.
"And yet I can reach the book"
"You're only taller by a few centimeters"
"And yet I can reach the book"
Kuroko huffed and hugged the book to his chest. Taking a seat at a table near them he placed the book in front of them and began to read. Akashi shrugged and pulled out a seat next to him. The two began to read together, the sound of pages being turned the only noise between them.
"Its peaceful," Kuroko thought.
