I was spending yet another day reading, another day yearning for a love so all-consuming, you'd risk your life to hold onto it.
"...Ahh, that was so amazing!" The bookstore was quieter than usual that afternoon, and I sighed happily as I closed the book I had been reading. And there's no customers, either—I mean, having no customers is kind of a problem but it means I get to read more of— "Did you finish your book, Ria?" asked a sharp yet somehow sweet voice. "Waaaah!!" I jumped a mile as a sudden shadow fell across the counter infront of me. "Wait—Rio?! What are you doing here?" I asked heaving a sigh of relief that it was him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you! I wanted to see you, so here I am." he said, running his left hand through his silky golden hair. "That's okay, I don't mind, but... Shouldn't you be at work?" it was always nice to have him around, but work is important too. "Oh, that. Yeah, I quit the day before yesterday." he spoke languidly. "Right, of course, you—wait, you quit?!" I can't believe what I heard. "Yep, so now I am searching for an even better job!" he smiled. "Right. Again..." We'd had a similar conversation a few months earlier, and a few months before that, and I had to admit, I was a little worried now. I mean, I just don't get it. You are good with your hands, you learn fast, and you're so friendly. Sure you're clumsy sometimes, but—
"So why did you quit this time?" pushing my thoughts to the back of my head, I asked. "Isn't it obvious? I belong to you!" Arghhhhh!! There he goes again. "Since when?" I asked, annoyed. "Ever since the day you saved me, I decided to devote myself to you, body and soul!" after a small pause, he added "But that means I can't really work for anyone else." "So what you're really saying is, you don't want to tell me why you quit." I'd never forget that day three years earlier, when I had found Rio passed out on the street in the pouring rain, and taken him in. And I'll never regret it. You're a great friend. But sometimes it feels like that a big, cuddly puppy dog imprinted on me that day. I smiled remembering the memories I cherished so much. "Hey, I'm 100% serious here! Which reminds me, is the owner here today?" his question brought me out of my trance. "I wanted to talk to him directly about letting me work here with you—I'm sure I can convince him this time!" he looks so cheerful, but... "I hate to tell you this, but he left yesterday on another trip to get more stock. He's not gonna be back for ages." I replied, feeling I'd disappointed him. "Oh no! What am I going to do now?" his lips curved down. I know I should suggest that he find a different job, but he looked like a puppy who'd just been kicked, and I couldn't do that. "Okay, so maybe you can't talk to him directly right now, but why don't we write him a letter about it?" I proposed the best idea I could think of. "What really?" his eyes anew of expectations as he squeeked. "Yes really. Honestly, I could do with the extra help, especially when he comes back with boxes and boxes of new books!" I didn't lie, it'd help us both out, guess that's what they call killing two birds with one stone?
"Ria... You do so much for me, and—that settles it, I'm going to call you 'Mistress' from now on." A minute ago, he was all sad & Gods! He can really be too much sometimes. "Okay, now you are taking it too—" I cut myself off mid-sentence... Or rather, my stomach cut me off by loudly announcing how empty it was. "...You didn't hear that, did you?" I asked, embarrassed. "Loud & clear, I'm afraid. But don't worry, I know you better than you know yourself sometimes." his smile was triumphant as he began to wheel a small cart accross the room. (Wait, is that one of the book carts? When did you manage to—) "I thought this might happen so... Ta-dah!!" there was s cloth covering the cart & he lifted it away in a dramatic flourish. "Oh Wow!" my eyes widened in surprise as I saw the cart filled with fresh truffade oozing with cheese, rose-shaped pastries, candied fruits, apple beignets, honey cakes and more. They were all foods I was used to seeing at festivals. "It's lunchtime for me, too. But I kind of bought too much, and I don't know what to do with it all. So I was hoping you'd share it with me, so it doesn't go waste." he was clearly lying, but he knew I'd feel bad otherwise, this has happened a few times before too. "Well, if you're going to offer, I'm not saying no. Thanks Rio! You're a life saver!" he handed me one of the rose-shaped pastries, and as soon as I bit it, I was beaming at him. "This is SO GOOD!" it's taste was refreshing, but something occurred to me all of a sudden, "Although this is all festival food, right? Is there a festival on today or something?" I asked. "You bet there is! Don't tell me you forgot? It's Róisín Foundation Day!"