Chapter Text
The early afternoon shift at work today was exhausting to deal with and especially seeing the same familiar faces in the bookstore every day hasn’t caught Grian's interest nor has ever cared at all.
Grian kept staring at the wall clock all day to get it over with during his shift as if to make the time come faster. It made Grian very sleepy without realizing a customer was at the front checkout.
“Well hello there, do you work here by any chance? This is my first time coming here at the bookstore” new unfamiliar customer waiting patiently for Grian to respond.
Grian looks at the new customer surprisedly while awkwardly adjusting his posture toward the front checkout. “I certainly do work here” coughs nervously “Can I help you find a book or look for anything specific today?”
The new customer man laughed a bit from the nervous vibe coming from Grian. “Nothing specific today, I just wanted to purchase a book from this place where I don't usually go.” he smiled kindly toward Grian.
Grian stared at the new unfamiliar face feature he usually doesn’t come across. A tall brunette man with a scar across from his nose, including scars all over his arms and wearing casual comfortable clothes from a dark green button-down shirt with khakis pants, and loafers shoes.
Very odd to wear at the local public bookstore he thought, and especially the man being handsome that made Grian flustered hard despite having scars on the man's body shown.
He needed to know the man's name and who he was. It caught Grian interest…more than anyone has ever been able to comprehend.
Grian grabbed the book from the kind man and started scanning it. “that should be $5.99 for a book and since it’s your first time being in the bookstore here, it’s free for new customers.”
It’s a lie, and knows it’s gonna come out of his paycheck but he wouldn’t mind it. At least he could try to get the man to come back so he could see him over and over again.
He hoped.
The tall brunette man was surprised by the free purchase of the book. “Really? You sure I don't have to pay for the book since I’m new here?”
Grian nodded while giving back the book to the kind man. “Not today, maybe getting discounts if you come back again for another purchase or discount purchase on coffee that’s from the next door shop.” grian lied again under his tongue but worth the risk.
Even if it means making the kind man come back again, and hopefully Joel doesn’t murder him for trying to give him a discount on coffee.
After all, Joel does own the coffee shop with his wife as Grian thought to himself.
“Oh! Well, that’s very sweet of you, maybe I should come back to this place to purchase more books or even a coffee or two haha” the brunette man laughs.
Grian laughs with the tall brunette man.
God…even his laugh is contagious which makes Grian want to continue making the man laugh more at this ridiculous nonsense.
The man laughed, settled down a bit and smiled at Grian. “I should get going before I get late for my interview job”
He waved a bit of goodbye to Grian before leaving the bookstore.
“W-wait!” Grian hesitated a bit as the brunette man stopped walking a few steps out of the door. “I haven’t caught your name yet”
“Scar!” The tall brunette man yelled while leaving in a rush.
Grian stared at the door with mixed emotions. Before Grian could return to his usual boring routine, he was hit hard on the back of the head by a heavy book from his boss.
“GRIAN! You did not just give someone a free book from my bookstore! You better explain what I heard from a distance!” came the voice of the ginger, curly-haired female behind Grian.
Grian looked back at his boss while rubbing the back of his head. “Do you have to hit my head so hard, especially with a book from Shakespeare?… Give me a break, Gem,” Grian responded sharply.
Gem had been a long-term friend of Grian for many years. She always gave him tough love when he needed it the most on his worst days. Gem owned this bookstore that had belonged to her mother, who passed away when she was 15 years old, prompting her to move in with her grandparents.
She had an older brother who was the same age as Grian, but she rarely mentioned him since he moved out with their father when they were kids. Meanwhile, Gem stayed behind with her mother after their parents' messy divorce. It had been years since that happened, but she supposedly still contacted him.
“Why should I give you a break when you just gave a customer a free book? I’m running a business here, and remember that I’m paying you to work here. So explain,” Gem gently placed the Shakespeare book on the table.
“Gem. I’m obviously trying to make new customers come back for more purchases of books and possibly make them tell others about your shop.”
“You’re lying by the way you say it. Is the guy at least cute and attractive enough to make you want to give him a free book?” Gem started smirking at Grian.
Grian sighed as he facepalmed from embarrassment. “Is it that obvious? I mean, he is the most attractive person I’ve ever seen come in here, and in a way, he’s unfamiliar in this area.”
“Interesting. Anyway, Grian… this free book is coming out of your paycheck.” Gem patted Grian on the shoulder. “Also, you’re free to go since I’m closing the shop early because my brother is coming to town, and I promised to help him unpack his stuff at my apartment.”
Gem grabbed the keys from the wall hanger in the office.
“Wait? Hold on. Today is the day your brother is coming to town and moving in? I thought he was coming to town next month.” Grian looked at Gem with a confused expression.
“Yeah, but he has a job interview here since he’s going to start living here, and I haven’t seen my brother since we were kids. I guess you could say it’s a family reunion, even though I always call him.” Gem gave Grian a gloomy smile in return.
Grian went inside the office to grab his messenger bag and walked out of the bookstore with Gem.
“I’ll see you on Sunday morning, Grian.” Gem locked the door and waved goodbye to Grian.
Grian nodded in agreement while waving goodbye back to Gem.
“Sure, I’ll see you at work on Sunday, and enjoy spending time with your brother!” He grinned with a smile.
~•~
Grian emerges from the shower wearing a towel and lies down on the couch, pondering about Scar.
“Interview…could that be the brother of Gem I just encountered?…certainly not.” Grian takes a laptop from his messenger bag and powers it on to look up Scar's name and locate his social media.
Grian quickly scrolls down to locate his Instagram account and clicks on it. “Let’s check…Scar GoodTimes is certainly linked to Gem.” Grian keeps scrolling down to discover photos and videos of Scar shared during his travels.
He just shared a photo with Gem from the day of the move. "You exceed my expectations."
"We have the opportunity to connect more deeply and understand one another." Grian takes out his phone to text Gem about visiting her home, hoping to grow closer to Scar.
“I should change clothes if I'm heading over to see him, but naturally I'll be seeing Gem too since they live together now,”
~•~
Grian approaches Gem's place, carrying a wine bottle as a symbolic gesture to welcome her brother moving into her apartment.
Grian's heart raced faster as he approached Gem's apartment, eager to see the tall brunette man from earlier at the bookstore. "I've never felt this nervous and thrilled to meet someone I just barely met..."
Just before Grian was ready to head to the front door, he caught a brief sight of Scar with an unfamiliar person, someone he had never encountered, and definitely not Gem.
Grian glanced through the window to better see and hear who the unexpected person was in their apartment.
"Scar!" “I had no idea you had a boyfriend, and as your sister, I should know everything!” Gem chuckles and gives Scar a tight hug.
“We have been in a relationship for one year.” "I wanted to wait until I felt our relationship was strong, especially with the long distance," Scar responds to Gem's embrace.
"Why the long distance relationship?" Gem responds back
“Hmm…” Scar gazes at Cub in reaction to his answer.
“We connected through an online dating platform, and since I live here while your brother travels places. I wished for him to remain in my town, and he also wanted to bond with his baby sister," Cub smiled genuinely at Gem.
Scar lightly kisses Cub on the lips while grasping his hand. “Why not kill two birds with one stone?” "It’s a winning scenario to be with my little sister and the love of my life."
Grian remained still in silence while he listened to their discussion outside.
oh this can't be…this isn't meant to happen…I fell for you instantly and you're already taken.
you were meant to be mine.