He walks along the sidewalk with an ashen expression on his face, all but looking like he was being mugged by the person who had wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Not an incorrect assumption, since he was being robbed. From the coffee brewing machine back in the library.

"You know," He pipes up, "You could've just brought takeout and I would've turned the sign on the library."

"No can do, chief." His friend replies, shaking his head. "You my friend, need some goddamn sunlight. Any more weeks spent inside that damn library and you'll look like a fucking vampire."

"I'm fine." He snaps back, wrenching free of his friend's grip before scratching the back of his head. "I go out from time to time. Stock up on food, go to the laundromat, treat myself to a buffet or something. I'm not just holed up in that building, alright?"

"Wait, you went to a buffet? Without me?"

He rolls his eyes. "Last month. You said you were busy."

"Fuck." His friend hissed, biting his thumb before glancing towards him. "... Know any buffet places close by?"

"No." He rolled his eyes again, "And those things are kinda expensive. Like, 'holy shit I'm going to have to budget my food expenses for the week' expensive. You sure you can treat me to that place?"

His friend hums, before glancing towards him with a grin. "... How about we split the bill?"

"Ass."

He punches his friend in the shoulder, and he yelps in pain as his knuckles meet something akin to a brick wall. His friend laughs at the attempts, shaking their head before shoving their hands into their pockets, taking a quick look around them.

"Ooh." His friend pipes up, causing him to perk up and glance towards them, "Well, since I wouldn't want to keep you away from your workaholic tendencies – best friend of the year, by the way – let's just go somewhere nearby."

"Uh..." Frankly, he didn't like where this was going, "Where?"

"That cafe over there." His friend juts out his chin, and his spirits fall as he spots a familiar storefront. He jolts up a second later as his friend lays a hand on his shoulder. "Uh-oh, someone's got you spooked. Not a fun of cafes?"

"Nah, they're fine." He quickly babbled out, brows crossed as he tried to find a way to slowly steer his friend away from that place. While he didn't know if she's currently working there, he'd rather not find out. "It's just that..."

"That...?"

Ah, fuck it. He couldn't lie to save his own ass, anyway. "Well, there's someone there that I really don't wanna see."

His friend frowns. "You got into a fight with them?"

"No." Oh hell to the fuck no. "So don't just barge in there and chokeslam them, alright?"

"No promises are made." His friend mutters, just loud enough for him to hear it, "So, who is this someone that you're so skittish about? Could be anyone, as far as I can tell."

"She's–?"

"She?" His mouth zips shut in an instant, just as his friend grows an unsettling grin. "Well alright, then. Why don't we pay her a visit, yeah?"

This son of a bi– "Not that way, you dumbfuck." He hissed, slapping a hand over his face before dragging it down with a groan. "She works there, part-time. Don't wanna disturb her while she's working."

"Why not?"

"... Duh?" His face scrunches up in confusion. "Like, would you like it if I just burst into your warehouse and tried asking for you?"

His friend pauses for a second. "Okay yeah, you got a point", He agrees, "But think of it like dropping by and stopping for a quick chat. Or you know, needle her a little bit."

... Well, his everything still hurt from a few days ago. Why she thought that it was a good idea to try and get the books herself he didn't know, since she could've just asked him and he'd have done it no problem. Hard to have any fear of heights when you're working in a library, after all... and he would've just pulled out the step-ladder with the safety railing on the side.

"You know what?" He mused, "... Alright. Let's go."

"Sucker..."

"What?"

"Nothing." His friend replies back with a grin, "Come on, chief. Let's go!"

He sighs at his friend's enthusiasm. "You're paying for what I get."

"Sure!"