TIME: 22nd of June
PLACE: Cianâs ApartmentÂ
@ciancallaghanÂ
Griffith tells himself he is being excessive, counting the days he hasnât seen them in the library, hunched over a thick tome, a stack of several unopened ones right at their elbow. They liked to sit at over at the far back, near the window that faced the open courtyard, where the sunlight spilled over onto the wooden tables, outlining the words and drawings carved into the grain by the hundreds of students before them.Â
He recalls the first time heâd met them, heading over to that quiet corner when the rest of the library was occupied. They had grey shadows underneath their eyes, the beginning of a stubble on their cheeks as Griffith lightly tapped them on the shoulder, to ask permission to share a table. They startled badly, like a bird pushed into abrupt flight, and Griffith caught sight of the book they were reading. A treatise on the Fae and the role they played in ancient Irish culture.Â
From then on, on Wednesday and Friday afternoons, Griffith would find himself gravitating towards that table, their initial exchanges only consisting of âhi, may I sit here again?â and âthank you, no problemâ. He caught them glancing once in his direction, eyes bright with curiosity, before they flushed and hurriedly buried their nose back into their book.Â
It took, like it did in most of Griffithâs friendships, him baking and offering a loaf of banana nut bread to break the ice.Â
Cian, after that, warmed up to him surprisingly quickly (or at least, he thought they did). Griffith would call them friends, though many would think them mere acquaintances at best, for could they really build a stable relationship on a handful of days spent sitting quietly next to each other, only a smile, some sweets, and short but meaningful conversations exchanged between them?Â
Evidently yes, for Griffith at least, as he found himself standing outside their door, tart and freshly-baked lemon squares in hand, squaring his shoulders before ringing the doorbell.Â
âHi...itâs Griffith King. From the library?âÂ