Warnings: some mild stress, a little awkwardness

You were new in town.

York hadn't been your first choice, but you had wanted to go to England and you found a job there.

So York it was.

English was a passion of yours, just like books and your job were, that's why going to England had been a must.

It was no wonder that one of the first things you did in your new hometown was to search for libraries, and choosing the most aesthetically pleasing one to pay a visit to.

It was a beautiful ancient building, the honey colored wood embracing you in a giant hall filled to the brim with books.

The warmth and tranquility sent a smile to your face and you immediately turned to register yourself to get a library card.

You were certain there were more than amazing books here waiting for you, you could feel it.

The woman at the front was an elderly woman, though she did seem quite strict.

You didn't mind, she couldn't know that you treasured books probably even more than her, so it was perfectly fine that she told you to be careful.

You only nodded and smiled and wandered off.

It was an entirely new place to you, you had no clue where anything was situated, which probably only made it more exciting.

You walked around the shelves in awe, not seeing the boy behind you until you heard him speak and turned around to face him.

"May I help you?", you heard a soft, rather shy voice ask you.

The boy stood in front of you was beautiful. He had long dark locks that fell around his face, which was rather odd for a boy in our time, but you loved it.

He had delicate, nearly angelic features and full pink lips, which your eyes were immediately drawn too.

He was taller than you by quite a bit, wearing dark brown chinos and a beautiful yellow-goldish sweater.

His appearance immediately sent a smile to your face.

"I was just... looking around", you smiled at him as you put your hands in your jeans pockets, taking in his appearance.

He looked like a piece of art and he fit into the scenery perfectly.

You immediately knew that you would be coming here more often.

"I'm new in town and I felt like picking up some books", you added and he nodded softly.

He looked reserved but sincere, studying you with care as if he could tell what you liked to read by a quick study of you.

Maybe he could.

You smiled at him again as his gaze lay on you a bit too long, but you didn't mind.

"What do you read? Usually, I mean", he asked you.

"Maybe I can help you, I could suggest some books to you?", he asked and you nodded.

He didn't wear a name tag which was disappointing, and he had forgotten to introduce himself so since you were too awkward to ask you left it at that.

"Everything, really", you answered his questions.

"I mean I love the classics but I can find pleasure in any kind of book. It's mostly the aesthetic of the style of writing I admire, that's why I prefer classics. But if you have modern novels with an amazing storyline you can recommend then I'm here for it", you answered.

"The classics?", he asked and you wondered why he looked so questioning.

You guessed you just didn't look like a person that read classic literature.

You nodded softly.

"Well I can't say I've read them all, but I loved reading the ones that I have", you explained.

He nodded and motioned for you to follow him as he walked through the shelves of books he seemed to know like the back of his hand.

He asked you about a few, Tolkien, Austen or Hemingway, but once he got to the name C. S. Lewis you shook your head.

You had never read the Chronicles of Narnia, but you had seen the movies.

They were some of your favorites when you were a child.

A shy smile spread across the stranger's face as you admitted that you had never read the books.

"They are some of my personal favorites", he explained as his fingers caressed the backs of the books in the shelves, his eyes scanning them until he found what he was looking for.

"I would suggest giving them a try", he said and you nodded eagerly.

You didn't know what it was with the boy, but his kind demeanor captivated you.

"I will, thank you", you said as you reached out for the book, taking it and folding your arms across your chest with the book pressed against you tightly, so you had something to hold on to.

You usually weren't nervous around people, but he was so entirely different from anyone you knew you couldn't help it.

He took you to the counter up front, putting your card up in the system and signing the book out for you to read.

You thanked him wholeheartedly and he sent you on your way out. You still hadn't gotten his name.

You became a regular to the library very soon. The older woman and the bit of staff had gotten to know you and always welcomed you with a smile on their faces, which you gratefully returned.

It was a routine that every time you came to the library the staff that sat at the front would direct you to where the boy you had met on your very first day here was.

You had gotten so used to hearing his suggestions to read, his taste in books was exquisite and you were always giddy to finish the novel you had taken home with you to get back and have him suggest another.

Today was no different.

Holding the copy of 'Pride and Prejudice' you had read over the last week in your hands you faced the elderly woman, whose name was Moneypenny, and she already nodded to you.

"Alfred was in row seven, last I checked", she said and you looked at her quizzically.

Until you nearly slapped a hand to your forehead, of course she meant the boy.

And you were very grateful that she had mentioned his name.

It fit him very well, it sounded so old and thoughtful, exactly what he was like in the time you had gotten to know him.

You blushed and looked at your feet, but Mrs. Moneypenny only chuckled and shooed you away.

You moved towards where the elder lady had told you and found Alfred, leaning against a shelf of books.

He was captivated by a book, his lips slightly open as his eyes scanned the pages quickly. You wondered how many of the books here he had actually read.

Smiling, you stepped nearer until he finally noticed you, straightening up.

Your name escaped his lips as he smiled at you as a greeting.

It was strange to you, you had never told him your name.

The confusion must have been prominent on your face, he smiled softly and nodded towards the book you were holding.

"Your library card. Your name is on it", he explained, which rendered you embarrassed.

You laughed it off, blushing madly, but you began reviewing the book he had given you to read, as you always did.

After a conversation about the book you had read over the week he would suggest new books and you would choose the next one to take home with you.

It was a routine you loved, though you always tried to keep the conversations going for as long as possible, since you never wanted to leave.

You listened to every educated word that left his mouth, soaking up the knowledge he emmitted.

You were more and more fascinated by him and his knowledge and though he was quite shy he could talk about books for hours. Sometimes he did, and you cherished it.

Emily, the granddaughter of Mrs. Moneypenny who sometimes helped with managing the library liked to joke about your relationship with Alfred.

You liked the girl, but the jokes and comments she made were usually sexual and teasing, which only made you blush.

You weren't sexually attracted to Alfred, well actually you were but you had too much respect for him to give into those thoughts. Your eyes sometimes lingered a bit longer than they should, but you always scolded yourself for it and tried not to do it again.

But of course you failed.

It was after a very hard week of work that you realized you hadn't finished the book Alfred had given you to read, but it was your usual time to go to the library.

It wasn't because the book wasn't as good as the other ones you had read, it certainly was, but your work had taken everything out of you.

That was why you were now on the way to the library, after a nearly half an hour long internal debate if you should go when you finished the book or go now to see Alfred.

You had decided that a sincere talk with the librarian was exactly what you needed, not minding the fact that you hadn't entirely finished the book yet.

You felt bad for it, and you were uneasy about the fact that you were indirectly lying to him by pretending you had, but all you wanted to do was see him after the hard week that had struck you.

You were later than usual, but you hurried your way to the library, book in hand.

Once you got there you were met by Alfred at the reception.

You felt the pressure fall off of you as soon as you looked at him.

Smiling, you moved towards the beautiful boy.

He always made you feel more than just welcome.

"How did you like the book, Miss Bennet?", he asked you, smiling back at you.

It was something you had originally started by calling him Mr. Baggins.

You had realized that his shy but caring character fit both Bilbo and Frodo perfectly well and you had called him by their name as a joke. He had only grinned at you.

And now the both of you called each other names of the characters you thought fitting for the other, like the nerds you both were.

"Which Miss Bennet am I?", you asked him, grinning back at him.

You moved further towards him until your arms rested on the counter, leaning forward to talk to him.

When you were with Alfred you could let go of everything around you and just be happy for a few hours. And you loved it.

"Miss Elizabeth, of course", he answered, his smile slightly fading as he studied you.

It made you smile though, you loved Elizabeth, but you wouldn't have minded being Jane either.

"Well, I quite enjoyed the book, Mr. Darcy", you answered and realized what you had said just after you had said it.

It was true, Alfred's shy and quiet but caring nature was exactly the one you thought Mr. Darcy would have as well.

Alfred's cheeks turned quite the shade of pink and he involuntarily took in a sharp breath before getting up to round the desk to where you stood and to take you through the shelves of books to find you a new one to read as he always did.

He didn't seem quite so comfortable as the other times you had seen him, he seemed a little distressed, but maybe that was just your imagination projecting how you felt onto him. Or the fact that you had basically just called him your romantic hero.

You laughed airily and tried to ignore your beating heart.

How could you be so stupid as to say that to him?

You couldn't meet his eyes as you looked at the ground.

"I liked the book. Very much", you said, though your answer was much shorter than how you usually answered.

"That the art student twins were the murderers, I wouldn't have guessed", you said as your grip on the book tightened.

You hadn't finished it, what were you doing trying to bullshit him?

Alfred's brows furrowed for only a slight second, but it was enough for your heart to sink dangerously low.

"It wasn't just the... you... you haven't finished the book yet, have you?", he asked softly, his eyes scanning your face carefully.

Of course he had been able to read you, he was the most intelligent person you had ever met.

"I haven't", you answered and you let your shoulders fall, stopping your walking to talk to him face to face.

What would he think of you now?

"I haven't", you repeated softly, your voice growing softer by the second, "but I wanted to come here", you explained to him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to lie to you", you apologized, but Alfred only shook his head.

"Don't apologize", he answered and stepped a small step closer, his usually reserved stance changing to a caring one, his eyebrows returning to a frown.

He was closer than ever, which made you feel lightheaded.

You couldn't think that close to him, you had to either take a step back or wrap your arms around him and bury your head in his chest.

Of course, you stepped back.

"I just had a hard time at work", you answered as you looked at his feet.

He was wearing boat shoes.

It brought a smile on your face.

Who in this century would put on boat shoes, voluntarily?

The smile gave you enough confidence to look up at him.

"My whole week wasn't the best and I couldn't finish the book but... I wanted to come here", your eyes closed momentarily and you took in a quick breath.

"To see you", you said quickly and took in every reaction he had, or at least you tried to. He just seemed confused, which you had never seen on him before.

"You see, I...", you tried but stopped mid sentence.

"I'm so sorry, I'll go", you said and turned as quickly as possible to leave, but you felt soft fingers gently wrap around your wrist.

You looked at Alfred, expecting to see anger or confusion in his eyes, but instead he looked at you in a gentle way you had never thought possible.

"Please, continue", he said as he scanned your face, and after a short pause you nodded.

His hand never let go of your wrist.

"I... 'you must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you'", you quoted 'Pride and Prejudice'.

It was the first thing that came to your mind, especially after the incident earlier, but it was incredibly cheesy and in retrospect you would have loved for the floor to swallow you whole.

After taking in a breath you again looked at Alfred.

His lips were slightly parted and the look of confusion was back on his face.

"I mean I love the library, but I've been coming here for you", you admitted, and against all expectation it felt good to finally say it out loud.

"I really like you, and I love spending time with you", you added.

Alfred didn't say anything.

For quite some while he simply watched your every move, obviously speechless.

The hand that wasn't held by him went to your hair as you went through it.

"Oh God, and I've gone full on Jane Austen on you", you laughed, which he joined.

Hearing that your eyes again found his, he was smiling now, brighter than ever.

"Would you want to go out for a coffe sometime?", he asked softly, as if you would still change your mind and say no.

You nodded, probably blushing like crazy.

"I'd love that", you answered.

And in his eyes you found exactly what you had been looking for your whole life.

His eyes were classic novels and poetry, but also so much more.