More untitled library-fic
Just as a quick break for me from all that post-apocalyptic angst I've been turning out lately, have another library ficlet. Something of a sequel to the first one, and directly inspired by a conversation that happened down thread here.
The word wherever any two people who visited the campus library might meet was that Watanuki did not merely take his job seriously - he lived his job. Even if he had only been taken on there at the start of the previous year, Watanuki and the library had already reached a level of such essential symbiosis that even the oldest of the lecturers found themselves scratching their beards trying to remember a time when the library had existed without him. If it wasn’t for all the shouting, Doumeki would have seriously entertained the idea he’d been genetically engineered just for the purpose. He had discovered early in their acquaintance that Watanuki could, for example, spot a misplaced book from the other side of the building - which was quite an impressive feat even when you didn’t remember just how large that library was. However, his library-related superpowers did not end there.
Like all his best discoveries, this one happened by accident.
He’d been at the library, perilously close to closing time (so close to that it was technically several minutes past) and he and Watanuki were the only ones remaining there. Naturally, this was Watanuki’s fault. Doumeki had been getting gradually slower at finding the info he needed and getting out over the last few visits, mostly due to the fact that since being caught misshelving books a few times too many, Doumeki had been put under near constant Watanuki-surveillance whenever he was in the building. He found it distracting in a largely pleasant way, but it didn’t do anything useful for his concentration for a collection of reasons. It certainly did nothing to get him out of the library faster, much to the librarian’s dismay.
“Aren’t you done yet?” Watanuki complained, hovering by the light switches in a meaningful sort of way.
“One more reference I need,” said Doumeki, holding up a scrap of paper on which the title and call number were scrawled down.
Watanuki snatched it from him, glanced at it and pointed to an upper bookshelf on the far side of the library with barely a thought. “Top middle, third row from the back. Hurry up so we can both go home,” he said, thrusting the scrap of paper back at him.
Doumeki raised an eyebrow, but trudged obediently over to where he’d been pointed. The book was precisely where Watanuki had stated it would be, although Doumeki was fairly sure it was an obscure title that couldn’t be borrowed more than once or twice a year at most. Doumeki was impressed - even the library computers only gave you a location accurate to a set of stacks if you were lucky.
Watanuki checked the book out for him with breathtaking efficiency and hustled him out the door.
Doumeki wondered whether it was too late to convince Clow to change his research topic to include the behavioural adaptations of library employees. It probably was, but there was no harm in a little more side research. Besides, if Watanuki was screwing up Doumeki’s efficiency with his overly-zealous librarian ways, it was only fair he donated them to the cause of saving Doumeki some time too. So the next time he noticed Watanuki hovering nearby while he was in the library, it was only logical that Doumeki should wave him over.
Watanuki approached with all the enthusiasm he might use on a small child who’d probably made a sticky mess and was going to expect the first person who got there to clean it up.
“Where’s this one?” Doumeki asked him when he was close enough.
Watanuki usually did not have any trouble letting his opinions be known out loud, but even when he managed to achieve some restraint, Doumeki could read his expressions like one of Watanuki’s books. Today, Watanuki’s face said ‘Haven’t we had this conversation about that clever little numbering system of ours!?’, but professional librarianism and/or the desire to get dealing with Doumeki over as quickly as possible won over.
“It’ll be over there,” he said, pointing again. “Stack at the back, bottom shelf. Was there anything else you wanted?”
Doumeki was tempted to answer that honestly, but it didn’t quite seem worth it yet, so he said no and went to find his book. Once again, Watanuki was spot on.
After Doumeki had repeated this sequence a few more times, however, his patience may have been wearing a little thin.
“Do you remember back when you used to be able to find these yourself? We do have those computers over there you might have noticed! All those numbers on the sides of the bookshelves that tell you where things are?”
“This is faster,” said Doumeki simply.
“Don’t you think I have better things to be doing?” Watanuki complained.
“You were nearby,” Doumeki shrugged.
“The reason I was nearby is because if I don’t keep you under supervision, I may never find some of these books ever again!”
Doumeki must have looked smugger about that than he should have, because Watanuki looked so scandalised hat he must have caught on at last.
“You do not get to take advantage of that - damn you, stop that smirking! ” he shrieked. “You - you’re like a seagull! Feed you once and it’s impossible to ever get rid of you again!”
“I’ll be done faster if you help me find these books,” said Doumeki, enjoying this new game far more than he should have been.
Watanuki threw his hands up in the air. “Why do I imagine you can do anything without supervision? Why don’t you just send me your lists and let me deliver everything to your door!”
“Sure,” said Doumeki. “You know which dorm I’m in?”
“THAT WAS NOT A SERIOUS OFFER, YOU BARBARIAN!”
“So where’s this book then?” Doumeki asked, holding up another piece of paper.
Doumeki supposed that he’d have to lift his game a little next time he tried asking Watanuki out. There was no rush. The library could provide him with plenty of entertainment yet.
The word wherever any two people who visited the campus library might meet was that Watanuki did not merely take his job seriously - he lived his job. Even if he had only been taken on there at the start of the previous year, Watanuki and the library had already reached a level of such essential symbiosis that even the oldest of the lecturers found themselves scratching their beards trying to remember a time when the library had existed without him. If it wasn’t for all the shouting, Doumeki would have seriously entertained the idea he’d been genetically engineered just for the purpose. He had discovered early in their acquaintance that Watanuki could, for example, spot a misplaced book from the other side of the building - which was quite an impressive feat even when you didn’t remember just how large that library was. However, his library-related superpowers did not end there.
Like all his best discoveries, this one happened by accident.
He’d been at the library, perilously close to closing time (so close to that it was technically several minutes past) and he and Watanuki were the only ones remaining there. Naturally, this was Watanuki’s fault. Doumeki had been getting gradually slower at finding the info he needed and getting out over the last few visits, mostly due to the fact that since being caught misshelving books a few times too many, Doumeki had been put under near constant Watanuki-surveillance whenever he was in the building. He found it distracting in a largely pleasant way, but it didn’t do anything useful for his concentration for a collection of reasons. It certainly did nothing to get him out of the library faster, much to the librarian’s dismay.
“Aren’t you done yet?” Watanuki complained, hovering by the light switches in a meaningful sort of way.
“One more reference I need,” said Doumeki, holding up a scrap of paper on which the title and call number were scrawled down.
Watanuki snatched it from him, glanced at it and pointed to an upper bookshelf on the far side of the library with barely a thought. “Top middle, third row from the back. Hurry up so we can both go home,” he said, thrusting the scrap of paper back at him.
Doumeki raised an eyebrow, but trudged obediently over to where he’d been pointed. The book was precisely where Watanuki had stated it would be, although Doumeki was fairly sure it was an obscure title that couldn’t be borrowed more than once or twice a year at most. Doumeki was impressed - even the library computers only gave you a location accurate to a set of stacks if you were lucky.
Watanuki checked the book out for him with breathtaking efficiency and hustled him out the door.
Doumeki wondered whether it was too late to convince Clow to change his research topic to include the behavioural adaptations of library employees. It probably was, but there was no harm in a little more side research. Besides, if Watanuki was screwing up Doumeki’s efficiency with his overly-zealous librarian ways, it was only fair he donated them to the cause of saving Doumeki some time too. So the next time he noticed Watanuki hovering nearby while he was in the library, it was only logical that Doumeki should wave him over.
Watanuki approached with all the enthusiasm he might use on a small child who’d probably made a sticky mess and was going to expect the first person who got there to clean it up.
“Where’s this one?” Doumeki asked him when he was close enough.
Watanuki usually did not have any trouble letting his opinions be known out loud, but even when he managed to achieve some restraint, Doumeki could read his expressions like one of Watanuki’s books. Today, Watanuki’s face said ‘Haven’t we had this conversation about that clever little numbering system of ours!?’, but professional librarianism and/or the desire to get dealing with Doumeki over as quickly as possible won over.
“It’ll be over there,” he said, pointing again. “Stack at the back, bottom shelf. Was there anything else you wanted?”
Doumeki was tempted to answer that honestly, but it didn’t quite seem worth it yet, so he said no and went to find his book. Once again, Watanuki was spot on.
After Doumeki had repeated this sequence a few more times, however, his patience may have been wearing a little thin.
“Do you remember back when you used to be able to find these yourself? We do have those computers over there you might have noticed! All those numbers on the sides of the bookshelves that tell you where things are?”
“This is faster,” said Doumeki simply.
“Don’t you think I have better things to be doing?” Watanuki complained.
“You were nearby,” Doumeki shrugged.
“The reason I was nearby is because if I don’t keep you under supervision, I may never find some of these books ever again!”
Doumeki must have looked smugger about that than he should have, because Watanuki looked so scandalised hat he must have caught on at last.
“You do not get to take advantage of that - damn you, stop that smirking! ” he shrieked. “You - you’re like a seagull! Feed you once and it’s impossible to ever get rid of you again!”
“I’ll be done faster if you help me find these books,” said Doumeki, enjoying this new game far more than he should have been.
Watanuki threw his hands up in the air. “Why do I imagine you can do anything without supervision? Why don’t you just send me your lists and let me deliver everything to your door!”
“Sure,” said Doumeki. “You know which dorm I’m in?”
“THAT WAS NOT A SERIOUS OFFER, YOU BARBARIAN!”
“So where’s this book then?” Doumeki asked, holding up another piece of paper.
Doumeki supposed that he’d have to lift his game a little next time he tried asking Watanuki out. There was no rush. The library could provide him with plenty of entertainment yet.