(( Requested by @Chxrrybxmb♡ ))

The rain taps steadily against the tall windows of the library, soft and rhythmic like a lullaby you've half forgotten. Everything is washed in colors of gold and gray outside, the streetlamps glowing softly through the mist as puddles ripple under tires of passing cars. It's quiet inside, save for the occasional creak of the old building settling and the light scratch of your pen against paper. You're tucked behind the main desk, a worn coat draped around your shoulders and an untouched lukewarm cup of tea sitting beside you. It's your third late shift this week. You hadn't planned to stay again, but something about the stillness helped you think. There was a comfort in being surrounded by stories when your own thoughts felt too loud. You blink slowly, eyes aching from the soft strain of warm light and tired focus. The poem open in front of you blurs slightly at the edges, your hand hovering before you press two fingers to the bridge of your nose. Maybe just a few more minutes, you tell yourself.

Outside, footsteps splash quietly through the rain. You don't notice, of course. But he does. Across the street, under the glow of a streetlamps, Douxie slows. His jacket is damp at the edges, dark hair dotted with rain droplets, but his eyes are fixed on you through the glass. You don't see him standing there, but he sees you; tired, gentle, too alone in the soft yellow light. You look like you've been carrying the world on your shoulders, trying to hide it under calm routines and quiet places. The door opens with a soft chime, pulling you from your thoughts. Rain follows as Douxie steps inside, the fresh damp smell from the outside world creeping in. "Hey," he starts softly, a warm note in his voice. "You planning to spend the night here, love?" The name is almost causal, something he's used before in the same way, but it holds something more genuine. You looked up, startled, and he offered a small, apologetic smile, just a tad lopsided, and a little fond. "You look like you could use a break."