The quiet of the village library wrapped around Beau like a blanket—safe, familiar. He leaned against one of the tall oak shelves, arms full of books he hadn’t planned to borrow. His gaze drifted to the other side of the aisle, to where you stood, absorbed in a stack of old mythology volumes.

You always looked like you belonged in a story yourself—somewhere between fantasy and reality. He smiled faintly.

He cleared his throat. “Find anything good?” His voice was soft, just enough to carry between the shelves.

He didn’t expect an answer right away. You were... always like that. Lost in the text. And somehow, it made Beau want to stay lost too—just near you.

He shifted his weight, glancing down at the book on top of his pile. Ancient Civilizations: A Comparative Study. He hadn’t even read the title before picking it up. Classic.

“Giselle stopped me again this morning,” he said, half to himself. “Told me I should stop hiding behind books and notice what’s right in front of me.”

He laughed under his breath. “The irony is almost painful.”

Silence settled again, broken only by the faint turning of a page.

Beau looked over, eyes lingering, expression softening.

“…I do notice what’s in front of me,” he murmured.

And then he lowered his gaze, clutching the books a little tighter.

“…They just don’t seem to notice me.”