Grids pried open the lid on a crate, grimacing, "Oh, great. Another book." She pulled the dusty book out, running her fingers over the rune on the front as Cori came over.
He looked it over, considering it and then the students and their computers scattered around his library, "I haven't gone through the new arrivals. Put it in that pile -" He motioned to the stack nearest Mistoffelees. "After I've examined it, you can, um...skim it in."
"Scan it, Mr. Coricopat, scan it," Demeter Calendar corrected him, from where she was standing to one side overseeing the computer students, and smiled in Cori's direction.
He smiled thinly at her, keep his tone just inside the realm of polite, "Of course...scan it."
She regarded him with amusement for a moment. "I know our ways are strange to you, but soon you'll join us in the 20th century... with three whole years to spare even!"
He looked at her over the top of his glasses from where he was skimming another new arrival, "Ms. Calendar, I happen to believe that one can function in modern society without being a slave to the idiot box. "
"That's the TV," Deme said with a sigh. "The idiot box is the TV. This is the good box."
He snapped the tome shut, setting it aside, "Well, I still prefer a good book."
One of the computer students looked up and all but growled, "The printed page is obsolete, information isn't bound up anymore, its an entity. The only reality is virtual, if you're not jacked in, you're not alive," he said as he stalked off.
"Thank you, Fritz... for making us all sound like crazy people," Deme said, both her and Mistoffelees giving the other student a strange look as he left.
Cori smiled thinly again, turning back to his books, murmuring, "Strange, I found myself feeling quite alive this morning."
Mistoffelees managed to stifle his laugh, going back to his books, and Deme arched a brow. "Fritz comes on a little strong, but he has a point. You know for the last two years more e-mail was sent than regular mail? More digitized information went over phone lines than conversations."
The librarian looked at her and shook his head, "That is a fact I regard with genuine horror."
She rolled her eyes. "I bet it is."
He closed the book, frowning, "Are you all quite finished invading my library?"
Again, she rolled her eyes but nodded. "Yeah, let's pack it up guys, and leave him to his moldy old books."
"I've got a bit more to do," Mistoffelees replied. "I'll hang for a bit."
Demeter raised her brows at that. Cori's eyes narrowed at the computer teacher, but he turned to start returning the books that had been scanned to their proper places.
Demeter stopped by Mistoffelees. "You sure are spending a lot of time in the library lately," she said softly. "Everything alright?"
Mistoffelees glanced up in half surprise. "Huh? Oh, yeah, things are fine. Mrs. Maywood used to disapprove of student's sticking around was all, and hey look, shiny new librarian." Demeter considered him for a long moment, almost asking him why he never went home and nodded.
"Alright. Just thought I'd check since it's a change in your habits."
"It's nothing to worry about," he replied, offering her a grin.
Cori paused, listening to the interaction, wondering how much Mistoffelees should be believed if this was a change in his behavior.
After another moment, Deme turned to go.
Cori picked up a stack of books, glancing at Misto, "I'll be around cleaning up. If you need me I'll be back in the Middle Ages."
"Did you ever leave?" Deme shot over her shoulder on her way out.
He tensed, but didn't manage to get off a response before the door closed.
Mistoffelees glanced up once she was gone. "She's always like that," he said. "Just so you don't, you know, take it personally or something."
Cori glanced at him, "Good to know." Mistoffelees offered him a smile and turned back to the computer. Cori slipped into one of the back antechambers to reshelf the books
He came back into the main library several minutes later, his gaze skimming around, "How long do you think she will insist upon doing this?"
"The scanning and computer based system?" Mistoffelees asked, glancing up from where he was scanning the book Grids had set next to him earlier. "Shouldn't be more than a day or two more. You two don't get along much, huh?"
"I don't see how we could, when she seems to see no merit in the printed word."
"I think she sees some merit... you know she's just teasing you right?" Mistoffelees tilted his head slightly, considering the other.
"Baiting. Baiting is the appropriate term. And yes, I rise to the occasion."
"You really do," Mistoffelees told him bluntly.
He sighed, "Well, she knows what to say to get a response." The librarian shook his head, "I just don't agree with relying so strongly upon technology."
"Well, there's also a danger in relying so strongly upon books too," Mistoffelees replied softly. "It's more of a... melding of the two."
"We've had this conversation before, I'm sure of it. I prefer books. That isn't to say I'm going back to carrier pigeons for my messages, but I prefer books to computers and I always will."
"But carrier pigeons are so cute," Mistoffelees teased with a grin. "I'm not saying it's not a valid choice, but you do open yourself up for a lot of mocking that way."
"And eventually I will be able to meet that mocking without responding in kind."
The smaller teen glanced up at him. "A worthy goal," he murmured.
Cori sighed, looking over the books that remained to be put away. "This is going to take all bloody night."
"Probably," Mistoffelees replied, sounding remarkably cheerful.
The librarian's brow arched at that, "You don't seem concerned about that. Don't you have homework?"
"Done any that needs to be done."
"So, would you be willing to assist me in reshelving these books?"
"Sure," he said, bounding up.
"Wonderful," Cori offered him a smile as he handed him some of the books.
Mistoffelees accepted them with a smile, going to put them away. Cori watched him go before picking up another stack and heading to return them to their shelves.
"So, you don't seem to have much outside the library," Mistoffelees remarked, bending down to replace a book.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I've never actually seen you outside the library, except to go save Grids or something. You do actually live somewhere, right? Because I almost am ready to postulate a theory you have a cot hidden in the stacks somewhere."
"I do, I have quite the nice apartment a few blocks away."
"So, in a non-prying way, do you actually have any hobbies?" Mistoffelees asked, glancing over.
"A couple, I don't have much time to pursue them, though."
"Really? I have a surprisingly hard time imagining you with hobbies..."
"Really?"
"Well," he said and blushed slightly. "You're always here. Being bookish. I'd like to imagine you with hobbies."
Cori looked over at him, "Well, they aren't much really."
"Am I getting any examples or do you just want to be vague some more?"
"I enjoy being vague," he smiled slightly.
Mistoffelees turned from where he was still shelving books in surprise and grinned. "Oh?"
"Sometimes."
"That's all I'm getting, huh?"
"Well, we're...I mean..." He shrugged, "I enjoy music from time to time."
"Music? Okay, that I did not expect."
Cori arched an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
"I don't know. I sorta expected you to say cross referencing or something."
"Well, that's a hobby for when I'm here," Coricopat smirked a bit.
That brought the teen up for a minute and then he grinned. "Right, of course. So, music? Anything in specific?"
"Oh, this and that."
"So, just listening?"
He paused for a moment, nodding finally.
"Wait a second... do you play any instruments?" Mistoffelees asked, noticing the pause.
"No?" He turned to finish replacing the books.
Mistoffelees narrowed his eyes slightly. "Uh-huh?"
"I used to play the guitar. Not often, and not very well."
"The guitar?" Mistoffelees asked and a strange expression passed over his face. "I... expected you to say the violin."
He arched his eyebrow, "Does it help if I say it's an acoustic?"
He laughed at that. "Wow... you learn new things every day."
Cori smiled a bit, "Well, I would appreciate you keeping the information to yourself."
"You're kidding right?"
"Not really?"
"Neither Grids or Tugger would ever believe me... you're secret's safe with me." A pause. "Do you still own a guitar?"
"...Yes?"
"Wow..."
"How do you mean?" He turned to head back down and gather more books.
Mistoffelees finally looked back up, biting back his first five reactions. "Huh? How do you mean how do I mean?"
"'Wow' is hardly a normal response to a person owning an instrument."
"Well, it's you. And a guitar and it's..." sorta sexy.
"It's not all that abnormal. Teachers do have lives outside of school."
"Mhm," he said a little quickly. "Because I thought you all slept on cots in your classrooms and met for coffee and meals in the teacher's lounge every day as part of a teacher ritual. Just... it's rather teenage rebellion-isque of you."
He arched an eyebrow, "It's an acoustic guitar. It's not as though I'm playing heavy metal in my spare time."
That got a blink out of Mistoffelees. "That... that alone might cause the end of the world. That right there."
"I highly doubt that."
Misto grinned impishly at him. "I don't know... That tweed with heavy metal... I don't think it was ever meant to be."
That elicited a laugh, "Well, no worries there."
"Good," Mistoffelees said, turning back to the shelves, still grinning.
Neither of them noticed the computer that Mistoffelees had scanned the last book into blinking: "Where am I?"
o.o.o.o
The next morning, Mistoffelees caught up to Grids. "Hey."
She turned, offering him a smile, "Hey. How're you?"
"Doing well," he replied, not quite bouncing.
"You look cheery today."
"Is that unusual?" he asked.
"Well, when I couldn't reach you last night."
"Sorry. Stayed late at the library."
She arched an eyebrow, "And that made you cheery?"
"I know you're not a fan, but I like the library. And Cori. And there was tea."
"Tea...as in the thing that is never spilled?" She arched an eyebrow
He blinked, paling slightly. "I, ah, th... have no idea what you could possibly be talking about."
"Right...just cause I was in a state of seriously not thinking about things does not mean I went deaf during that period of time with Mac."
"No?" he offered. "I figured you weren't, but I was counting on a good level of distraction going on."
"Well, anyhow. We're here." She motioned to the door to the computer lab.
"Right, yes, computer lab. Lovely thing, the computer lab. I shall... go to it."
She arched an eyebrow, "Shall I join you?"
He paused. "If you like?"
"I don't have anything else to do this period."
"Then sure, come in. Though we're not talking about tea, or spilling, or anything like that. For a while anyway."
"Got it. No tea, no spilling."
"Great. We can... talk about that later," he said, pushing the door open, and glancing around the lab that was mostly empty except for a couple of the more dedicated computer students. He nodded to Deme, who arched a brow at the appearance of Grids.
Grids offered her a bit of a smile as she sat down by Misto.
"You know, now that I've gotten you here," Mistoffelees said, only half joking, "I'm tempted to make you learn things."
"I learn things on my own time, thank you very much."
"You are dangerously behind on computers. Do you want to come in for Saturday school or something?"
"I don't use the computer much. Don't have a whole lot of time for it. History is needed first."
"History is very important. But I'd like you to pass all your classes."
"I'll look into it, kay?"
Mistoffelees rolled his eyes and paused as he glanced around at the other's screen. "I know it's just lab time but..."
"But?" his friend asked.
He shrugged. "I have no idea what any of them are working on."
"Well...any ideas?"
"Hm?" he glanced back at his friend.
"Any ideas what they're working on, or what we should work on?"
"None on them, but there's a we to work on?"
"Well...I dunno, I haven't got anything to do."
He grinned and shook his head. "Learning?"
"Ummm...sure?"
"Your enthusiasm must be a beacon for others."
"It's, well, it's learning."
"Yes, how dare it be learning."
"Exactly."
He rolled his eyes, and brought up what he'd been working on, attempting to coach her through it.
Demeter watched the pair, smiling faintly and shaking her head, rising to go look over everyone else's work. "Hey, Fritz," she said. "You and Dave are clocking pretty scary amounts of computer time."
Fritz looked up, briefly, "New project."
"Will I be excited?" she asked, shifting her weight to one leg.
He smirked a bit, "You'll die." She blinked at that, leaning back slightly.
Dave glanced at her, "Sorry, you know how he can get. Yeah, you'll like it, Miss Calendar."
"Oh good," she said, shaking her head slightly as she walked away.
o.o.o.o
Tugger glanced around the quad during lunch, hoping to spot one or the other of his friends. Grids entered the quad, spotting Tugger and making her way over, "Hey."
"Hey!" He said brightly. "How goes with the going?"
She offered him a smile, "The going goes good. How about you?"
"Other than the fact it's a school day? Pretty good."
"You've gotta give school days a break," Mistoffelees said, coming up on the pair. "Since most days are."
"You just like school too much," Tugger informed him.
"I'm with Tugger. Though then again, without school where would I get my news?" Griddlebone asked.
Mistoffelees arched a brow. "News?"
"Gossip, news call it what you will. Nothing yet today, but..." She shrugged.
"Are you expecting any?" Tugger asked.
"No, but this is high school. There's always going to be something."
"I doubt it," Mistoffelees replied.
She arched an eyebrow at that, "Alright, maybe not big news in the whole scheme of things, but...y'know, little stuff."
"Little stuff?" Tugger asked. "Like what, what Bomba's wearing today?"
"Like the fact she flipped out at a girl for having the same shoes. Again. Okay so not even little things..."
Mistoffelees and Tugger both raised their brows. "Are you fishing? You sound like you're fishing a little."
"Fishing? Why would I be fishing?" she asked innocently.
"You have your fishing face on," Mistoffelees replied.
"Is there something I should be fishing for?" She glanced at Misto at that.
"Is there?" he asked, looking away and Tugger raised his brows.
"Misto? Anything to tell us?" Tugger drawled.
"Oh, you're asking too now?" the smaller teen sounded distressed.
"Yup."
Grids shrugged, "It's not lab time anymore."
"Can we never have this conversation? It's a crush, it'll go away."
"So you do have a crush. Who on?" Grids's leaned forward slightly.
"You know I had a crush. We had this talk, I'm sure we did," Mistoffelees murmured.
"Wait, you have a crush?" Tugger asked, brows rising. "And I'm hearing about it now?"
"We did. And we also talked about..." Her eyes widened and she turned to look at Misto.
"What?" he asked, leaning back from the look slightly.
"Tea. We talked about tea."
"W-what about tea?"
"You drink tea?" Tugger asked. "Since when?"
"Since I figured out it tasted good," the smaller teen replied quickly.
Grids studied him for a long moment, "I know one other person who drinks tea. You were really cheery this morning."
"Yes?" Mistoffelees offered.
"...Well, I guess it could be worse."
There was a long pause. "Huh?" Tugger offered and Mistoffelees just blinked at her owlishly.
"Just nod or shake your head Misto if tea and cheeriness this morning have anything to do with each other and with the crush."
"What, cheeriness this morning? You haven't had sex have you?"
"What?" Mistoffelees gaped. "No! But alright, yes, both things have to do with the crush, and I'm going to go find a hole to die in now thank you."
"There's no need to do that, are you forgetting? The one boy I've had the hots for here turned out to be a vampire," Grids reminded him gently.
"Yeah, and I got a crush on a giant praying mantis. Who tried to decapitate me. Who's the crush again?" Tugger added and then asked.
"That's... true..." Mistoffelees admitted.
"See, we've all got next to no luck. At least yours is better than ours."
"It's life on the Hellmouth," Tugger continued. "Though I still feel like I'm missing something important."
Mistoffelees glanced at him and down.
Grids nudged his shoulder with hers, "It's not like we'd tell anyone. It's just the three of us."
"I still don't have to actually say it aloud do I?" he asked.
Tugger looked at him a moment. "You're crushing on a teacher, aren't you?" Off Mistoffelees' gape, he shrugged. "Come on, you're the good nerdy kid. It's like... expected of you or something. Are they at least hot?"
"Not... conventionally..."
"I dunno, in someways you could say so. If put in different clothes maybe. Nice eyes." Grids supplied.
"Wait, why do you get to know who it is?" Tugger asked.
"Cos she guessed."
She grinned at Tugger.
"But really?" Mistoffelees asked, glancing over at her. "You think so?"
"About the eyes? Yeah."
"Not sure I could ever get him in other clothes though... it would be interesting to try." He paused for a long moment before offering quietly, "He plays the guitar too. I think that was a secret I was supposed to take to my grave but he does."
She blinked, "Wait, he plays guitar?" Mistoffelees nodded. "Well, if you like him in those clothes, I guess the guitar could counter them."
Tugger glanced between them. "Tea and clothes," he turned to Mistoffelees, finally understanding. "Oh my God, you're crushing on Cori!"
Mistoffelees blinked and shrugged slightly. "Yeah?"
"... No kidding about the non-conventional bit." Another pause. "He seriously has even touched a guitar let alone ever tried to play one?" Tugger asked, actually much more interested in that than being shocked at Mistoffelees.
"Well, he had to be young once too." Grids reasoned, "Though I don't think I could imagine him then."
"Well, it's harder when he's wearing as much tweed as he does during the day," Mistoffelees said and when they both looked at him squeaked slightly. "Late nights! He tends to take the coat off and roll his sleeves up. It makes him look younger."
Grids just blinked at him for a long moment, "Give me a sec to restart my brain and I'll remember what I meant. Ah, right, I was going to say it's the glasses."
Mistoffelees blushed slightly and glanced away.
"Well. Like I said, it could be worse. At least we know he's not a vampire," Grids offered.
"Nor is he likely to try and cut your head off after mating with you," Tugger said brightly.
"No, he's just twice my age."
"Well, on the plus side, eventually that fifteen year difference is just going to be fifteen years instead of twice your age. The proportions will change!" Tugger replied brightly.
"Course he is still the school librarian til then," Grids remarked.
"Which is only for like... two more years and change. How long is that in the scheme of things?" Tugger attempted comfort.
"Tugger, I'm a teenage boy."
"You're right, that's forever, and you're never going to make it," Tugger amended, voice still bright.
Grids looked from one to the other, "Well, then you're going to have to work through it. We're here if you need us."
Mistoffelees blinked, paused and nodded. "Yeah, yeah I know. And thanks." He hoped it might help.
So, this chapter was rather relationship based. The main plot of the episode hits in the next chapter, really. Misto's crush in this verse is a rather large departure from the main show, but honestly we've never been able to get my Misto muse away from Meadow's Cori muse, and vice versa, so there's that, not to mention their is actually a great/decent level of subtext between Willow and Giles in the show itself that gets pretty much thrown under a bus come season 4, except of course for the great line when Willow sees Giles playing the guitar and says, "Now I remember why I used to have such a crush on him." Also, it occurs to me all his lines about not spilling tea are going to come back and bite Misto really hard in the ass later. Enjoy the chapter all!