APHRODITES CORNER

ii. it started with a broken kettle

LUNA

"Here you go," Luna mumbled, handing Margot a cup of tea. The expression on Margot's face was familiar; the smirk on the older woman's lips meant that she was ready to gossip. Luna jokingly groaned and hid her face behind her hands. "Who's the handsome young man?" There it was. Luna chuckled lightly, stealing a glance at the lanky man writing in a notebook while drinking his coffee. "No idea."

Margot smirked, turning around to get a good look at the customer. "Anyways, Margot, I have two new book recommendations..." Luna was quickly interrupted by the older woman. "You should go talk to him."

This made Luna let out a loud snort, her hand flying over her mouth in horror as she felt the back of her neck tingle. He was looking at her. Shifting closer towards the table, Luna lowered her voice and whispered, "I will, Margot, but..."

"Yes, yes, I trust your book choices, Luna; you've never disappointed me," Margot said dismissively, already jotting her name in the logbook. "But-" she turned towards the door, surprisingly spry for being 75. "If I'm not satisfied with the books, I'll be back. Good luck with the boy! Bye!"

Luna felt a pair of eyes burn at the back of her neck, chewing down on her lip in embarrassment; she really didn't want to look behind her. "Uhm, excuse me?" Luna flinched as the choking silence had been broken. "Yes?" She turned around, giving him a small smile, really hoping he hadn't heard Margot's -quite loud- wish of luck.

"Would it be possible for me to get another cup of coffee?" He smiled sheepishly, holding the empty ceramic cup. Luna's head bobbed, taking the cup from him. "Thanks... Luna."

     Her face contorted with confusion, not knowing how the stranger had known her name. He was quick to notice the puzzled look on her face "it uh... your name tag" he chuckled, pointing at the pin. "Oh! Oh right. I forgot I had that" Luna replied, sheepishly gripping the empty cup as she escaped back behind the counter.

The embarrassing exchange had Luna frazzled. Making the steaming hot cup of coffee, she chewed on her lip and actively made sure not to look up at the stranger on the other side of the room. His gaze burned on the side of her face, she could feel him watching her attempt to pour the steaming black liquid into the sage green cup.

Maybe this was the reason her hands couldn't stop shaking. Maybe his gaze was the reason she fucked up. Because while pouring, her hands slipped and she dropped the bloody kettle.

It only took a second. The glass shattered and the stranger was immediately on his feet, quickly taking long strides towards the librarian, whose clothes were soaked in the boiling liquid.

"Shit! Are you ok?" Luna didn't hear him, her ears ringing as she fumbled to get the painfully warm layers off her body. Without thinking, she peeled off her soaked shirt, checking her abdomen for any burn marks. Her skin had turned angry red, but to her relief it wasn't peeling or blistering.

She let out a sigh, all the adrenaline made her forget that the man who had ordered the coffee had come to help.

"Are you-"

"Oh my god!"

Jumping at the realization that she wasn't alone, Luna lost her footing and stumbled backwards towards the puddle of coffee and broken glass. She closed her eyes, muscles tensing in preparation for impact.

...Only for it to never come.

Luna peeked out of one eye, finding herself face to face with the stranger who had ordered the coffee. He kept a firm grip on her waist as he watched her with panicked eyes. "Are you ok?" He breathed out for the third time. She bobbed her head up and down, blinking rapidly as she tried to process what just happened. "Can you stand?" He asked gently and she just nodded again. Right at that moment, his deep brown eyes moved away from her face only to widen in realization.

She was only in a bra and jeans. "Oh- uh- here, take my-" he took off his sweater, handing it to a frazzled Luna. Before he could say anything else, he was interrupted by a slew of notifications from his phone. Luna could see that whatever information he had received had gotten to him, as his face suddenly fell. "Shit! I need to leave, you can keep my sweater though, it's fine" Luna stuttered out something in the likes of "wait what?" as she watched the man sprint towards the exit in confusion.

"I really am so sorry about your kettle- and- uh- thanks for the coffee!"

The door bell rang as he closed the door, Luna stood in silence, clutching the green knit sweater she had just gotten from a random stranger.

What in the world just happened.

Honey is typing...
second chapter is doneeeee
I hope it's not shit, tbh I'm sleep deprived and have no clue if it makes any sense.
please comment and vote if you haven't already! I appreciate feedback and would love to read everyone's thoughts on the chapter :)