it's just too hard

shh, it's a library

𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔤𝔤𝔢𝔯 𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰 𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔦𝔫 𝔬𝔭𝔢𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔯'𝔰 𝔫𝔬𝔱𝔢

☆

"are you going to the library now?" punz asks, seeming confused as dream stands up with his bag in hand.

"yeah," the blond answers, forcing a frown. "i told the librarian i'd help with break today because she already has someone coming at lunch."

"damn man, this library shit is taking up all your time," sapnap pouts dramatically up at his friend. "i feel like we don't see you half as much."

"yeah, i know, it's so annoying," dream agrees, checking his watch to make sure he won't be too late. "but hey, we hang out after school and it means i'll be here at lunch so it's not so bad. anyway, i've got to go."

"oh right, see you, dream," punz says with a smile. sapnap also offers him a quick wave before dream turns to swiftly leave.

he makes his way quickly down the hallway to the library, humming a random tune to himself. right before he enters the doors he realises he was walking quite fast and takes a moment to slow himself down and calm his unnecessary excitement before actually entering.

"dream!" the librarian greets happily, smiling at the blond boy. "how's your morning been, son?"

he smiles back at the older woman, heading over to the desk and, as usual, trying his hardest to ignore george's presence. "good thank you, tabitha. how about you?"

"yes, i've been alright," she nods. "could you put these books back where they need to be?" she asks politely, tapping the tall pile of returns that are stacked on the desk.

dream realises, belatedly, that the librarian isn't going to leave to eat her lunch because it isn't lunch time and he can't help but feel disappointed by the realisation that this means he can't just sit down and talk to george.

she probably wouldn't be too fond of him just sitting there and talking when he's supposed to be helping her.

"yeah, of course," he agrees, dropping his bag on the chair that he would usually sit on if he was doing desk work.

he picks up the books, mildly surprised by how heavy it is, and hauls them over towards the bookshelves. he looks over to george on the way and they don't make eye contact but the brit smiles to himself, making it clear that the other has seen and noticed him.

dream ignores the urge to smile to himself too, not wanting to look weird, and speedwalks to the geography shelves since they're far away from the counter and he can see that at least one in the pile belongs there. he supposes that going far away means he can at least have a brief phone break without tabitha seeing.

he stops at the shelf, putting the whole pile down and beginning to look through for any that may go in a nearby spot.

he finds one on ecosystems and looks through the shelf for author's names starting with k before sliding it into place.