Disclaimer: I don't own Toshokan Sensou (Library War) or it's characters. Wish I did but. :)
As the work day came to an end the stacks were sealed and the archives put into lockdown.
This was the most dangerous part of the day as in the regular confusion that occurred as patrons scrambled to get their last minute requests filled caused difficulties.
Most admin staff would have left, heading home or to the dorms, and as the few remaining librarians rushed to finalise the requests. Over 70% of the inner library as well as the archives were left unlocked and unwatched.
The defence force would need to pull guards from the walls to sweep for late leaving patron or those trying to hide. Bomb sniffer dogs would also be used just in case Media Betterment Committee agents had planted anything.
The Media Betterment Committee would often take the opportunity to attack at this juncture of just before closing.
Luckily today ended without incident and the night guard unit took up their positions. Lowering the blast doors behind Iku and Atsushi; the last ones to leave.
"I heard from one of the junior supervisors that the Diet is looking at disarming the Media Betterment Committee and subsequently us too."
Atsushi nodded, having heard similar.
"It's in response to accusations that the Media Betterment Committee has gone beyond being a quasi-military group. The Touma Kurato incident sparked it all."
"So if the Media Betterment Committee lose their guns we do too?" Iku asked.
Atsushi thought for a moment "Nothing in the library laws says we would have to follow suite but if we didn't once the Media Betterment Committee did the Media Betterment Committee would challenge the ruling under the grounds that we were no longer acting in equivalent self-defence and push for the right to carry arms once more."
Iku considered that and smiled. "I bet Tezuka's brothers got a lot to do with this."
"Most definitely I imagine. But I bet it will be more of a compromise. They will swap out their bullets for rubber and their side arms for tazers."
Iku agreed and realised they had arrived at the gate of their home.
Dinner was a simple affair.
Atsushi reheated what remained of the hotpot from the night before.
They ate in relative silence. Commenting briefly on what a library without guns would be like.
More tired than usual, both turned in early. Iku kissed her husband deeply before falling asleep in his arms once more.
The next morning was the beginning of a free day. Iku was first to rise. Stretching and warming up. She was sore in the arms still from the romp in the stacks, and figured that a more aerobic regime would suit her married life better.
Atsushi smiled from the bed at Iku's attempts at doing a complex double hand stand.
"Your body is not suited for yoga" he noted, wiping the sleep from his eyes "You'll always be a free weights and kick boxing sort of girl."
Iku cringed, imagining her already toned body rippling with muscles.
"May I suggest" Atsushi continued "that you focus on your judo?"
"But sex is totally ruining my exercise pattern."
Atsushi laughed "But you're getting better at it with every passing day."
"Pardon?" Iku looked at him intently "Do you mean sex or exercise?"
Atsushi smiled "That would be sex. You still suck at exercise."
Iku harrumphed and swatted his nose with her bra.
"So what would you like to do today?" Atsushi questioned.
Iku looked over at her husband and smiled.
"We can always go to the new cinema or we could try that new tempura place?"
Atsushi raised his eyebrow and looked knowingly at her.
"Ok you got me, both places are right near the shopping mall I need new underwear and I need something else too."
He cocked his head and looked closer at her "Something… else?"
"Yes." She said shortly "Something else."
"Fine, grab your jacket and we can take the train in half an hour."
Iku looked over the assorted stands of bras and other undergarments.
"Can you not just pick something already?" Atsushi whispered.
She had been looking over the same stand for over quarter of an hour and they had already spent forty minutes in this shop alone.
"Look who is talking since we have been married last week you have destroyed three pairs of panties and one bra."
"That was your fancy stuff and in the heat of the moment this…" He waved indicating the tables of panties "is everyday wear."
"Yeah, so?" Iku replied picking up several items but tossing them back.
"The library supplies underwear."
"Which I cannot really complain about, one thing the library does well is makes sure you have underwear. I have thirty sets of the damn things. Standard issue, ten white sports bras for exercise, fifteen grey all-size for combat and five cream push-up for dress."
"And I have ten tight-white and forty grey boxers. Your point?" Atsushi commented.
"The library gives us enough but it's fucking uncomfortable."
"True the cotton-alls are rather…"
"UN-COM-FOR-TABLE. Even you have those pairs of black satin briefs for your free days and I know you wear them with your dress uniforms."
"Ok you got me, but why the hell does it take so long for you to find something simple like underwear. You know your size, pick a colour and buy it."
"Humph…" Iku pouted "because I'm a girl."
Atsushi sighed and sat down with the other men waiting for their partners. A knowing look passed between the other gents already seated.
He guessed that the ring of comfortable seats had been specifically placed where they had for men to sit and wait. It had a small table with an assortment of newspapers and men's magazines.
Atsushi had read most of them at the library but noted with admiration that even the older issues on the table were still in rather good quality considering the apparent use they received.
He picked up the daily newspaper and began reading the headlines.
Iku smiled. Shibasaki's idea was working.
When Atsushi went and sat in the 'men's lounge' she moved to the back of the store.
Along the way she selected four cheap multi-packs panties the simple but comfortable sort most women wore on a daily basis and two new sports bras. Once at the back of the store she found the attendant and gave her the slip of paper Shibasaki had given her.
The attendant read the note and smiled.
"The item in question has arrived and has been wrapped as Miss Shibasaki directed." The attendant informed Iku "As a friend of Shibasaki we have given you a discount. Would you like to pay for all your items here or at the front counter?"
"Here please." Iku replied and pulled out her purse.
Atsushi saw Iku return with two large shopping bags.
"You find what you wanted." He asked.
"Yeah. Won't be any good with the BDU, but at least I will have something to wear around the house now."
Atsushi chuckled and offered to carry her shopping to which she politely declined.
They made their way to the café next door.
It was not quite lunch time but Atsushi felt a bit parched and offered to buy.
They selected a pot of Oolong Tea, something that was different to their normal herbal or native selection.
"So where do we have to go to get this 'something else' item of yours?" Atsushi posed.
Iku blushed "Well it's not far but you will not be permitted to look."
"I guess I can deal with that but…"
"But what?"
"But we will have to go pick something else up too."
Iku frowned "As in I will not be permitted to look."
Atsushi smirked "Exactly."
"Hmmm, is it food related?" Iku asked "Or perhaps for the bedroom."
"No questions regarding mine unless you want questions about yours?"
"Fine." She replied and sipped her tea.
Having already collected the item that she wanted Shibasaki had advised she make a big deal about getting something else, just to throw Atsushi off the scent.
Shibasaki had organised for a second more mundane and obvious item for her to collect at a supply store.
Iku had Atsushi wait outside and ran in. She gave another slip of paper to the cashier who handed over a small odd shaped package to her.
Iku smiled and paid the cashier before sliding the package in with her other bags.
"Got what you wanted?" Atsushi asked.
"Sure did." Iku smiled.
"Fine. Let's go get my mystery item."
They walked down the street; Iku had no idea where they were headed. She had never come this way and the brand stores were unfamiliar to her.
Atsushi pulled her down an alley to a secondary backstreet of tiny side shops.
"What is this place?" She asked him.
"Special; boutiques and other shops."
He led her to a door and had her wait outside while he went in. A few minutes later he reappeared carrying a small brown paper parcel.
"So you got what you wanted?" She asked.
"Oh my yes." He replied and beamed; tucking his parcel into his jacket pocket.
They returned home for lunch deciding that their shopping trip had consumed the majority of their allotted savings for the week, or spending's as they jokingly called them.
Atsushi prepared simple Kushiyaki, skewers of meat and vegetables for lunch while Iku went and put her new undergarments away in the bedroom chest of draws.
Out of sight of Atsushi, Iku hid her special item in her side of the wardrobe. She then put the item from the supply shop, half neatly, in her sock draw as if she had made an attempt to hide it.
Returning to the dining room she could smell the savoury scent of cooking meat. She watched Atsushi standing over the small kitchen grill.
He looked over at her and smiled. Seeing the glazed look his wife got around food.
They ate in silence and when finished Iku washed the dishes while Atsushi tidied the foyer and lounge.
House work was being done in the same method they had been accustomed at the dorms.
Cleaning was conducted weekly:
Monday was wash bedding and laundry.
Tuesday was clean bedroom and other rooms.
Wednesday was clean kitchen and restock pantry.
Thursday was clean living room and vacuum the house.
Friday was clean bathroom and toilet.
Saturday was tidy outside and sweep porch.
Sunday was gardening as needed.
They had eventually decided to take turns with the cooking and laundry was each to their own but they still shared the cleaning duties.
The house presentable they moved into the lounge area.
Atsushi selected another CD to play on the stereo. A moving swing piece from the American pre-war era.
"Well that's different." She commented moving over to let him get comfortable on the sofa beside her.
He pulled her close to him and kissed her neck.
"Relax and let the music take you away." He murmured.
Iku sighed deeply and relaxed into his shoulder; feeling fed, happy and loved.