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dreamer213 · 1 year ago

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Broken Machines: Between Shadows

Chapter 3: Library Leisure

That week was harsh as Penny and Whitley’s interaction get limited by their schedules, the morning and night classes being the only consistent contact. And while there was text peppered between these calls those were few and far between. Still, both appreciated the little time they had together each day and longed for the chance to meet in person again. Luckily enough that chance came soon than expected, as Jacques announces his departure for another weekend trip to peruse for some potential backers for his campaign on Thursday. This trip would leave Whitley alone til Monday morning with a small mountain of work to complete while Jacques was out. Seeing a window of opportunity, Whitley notifies Penny as soon as he can, and they organize a plan of action.

Whitley would work the entirety of Friday, come down on Saturday, and come back on that night so he could rest and finish his work by Sunday evening. This time frame gave them time to be together for as long as possible without Whitley’s absence being noticed. Spending a day locked in his room to finish a pile of paperwork was not unusual for the young heir.

Penny: But what about your meals? Won’t the maid in charge of delivering them notices if you aren’t there to receive lunch?

Penny asked during their strategy meeting, Whitley chuckles nonchalantly at this question completely unbothered.

Whitley: Oh, don’t worry about that. I skip lunch often when work fuel is high, I’ll just tell her I’m working through lunch and to be disturbed til dinner.

Penny: I..see.

Penny stares at him worried, apprehensive of the fact Whitley casually skipped meals at his size so often that it’s not even recognized as unhealthy to the people around him. But in this case that negligence benefited them so complaining about would be counterproductive. They continue planning their meetup throughout the day til Friday night. Whitley spends much of that working, trying to finish as much as possible. He wanted to leave without the anxiety of unfinished paperwork to do when he returned hanging over his head while he was with Penny. He puts his heart and soul into flawlessly completing every stock adjustment form, upper management complaint, and order invoice in sight! Meanwhile, Penny spent a lot of her Friday texting him whenever she had the chance. Sending encouraging messages, and periodic reminders to take breaks for things like food and water.

Penny: [Don’t forget to look away from your screen and the papers every hour! You need to rest your eyes, so they don’t lose focus, and your vision starts blurring.]

Penny: [And remember to take water breaks too! Three 8-ounce cups at the very least, okay?]

Whitley can’t help but smile at every concerned message she sends him. Knowing she’s cheering him on during his work marathon fuels him to see it through so he can return to her worry-free and accomplished!

During their evening chat, they go over the final details of their rendezvous one more time before bed.

Penny: So, we’ll meet at the station at noon then go to the library for a bit then get some pho for lunch!

Whitley: And tell me again why you want to go to the library for our date?

Penny: Because of common interest.

Whitley: Excuse me?

Penny adjusts her scroll as she straightens her back, sitting comfortably and confidently as she presents her motive.

Penny: You and I both like to read right? So, I thought getting books together would be nice. We only ever read necessary learning materials at the manor and even though that was nice I would still like to read with you. Just for fun, in a more comfortable setting where we can share our favorite stories.

She admits, a blush creeping onto her cheeks turning them rosy. Penny had always found joy in reading books and happiness in stories. For a good portion of her life books were a window into the outside world and human behavior. And the precious fantasy tales she held so seat were often a big comfort to her during more trying times. And knowing that her first love shared this hobby made her want to explore it with him. She wanted to tell him about her favorite fables, how the music he introduced her to had become a part of her fantasies and hear what stories he liked. She wanted them to read books to each other so they could show their enthusiasm more naturally. It was a childish want but still, Penny couldn't help but be enamored with the idea.

Penny: Maybe it was too boring of an idea for a first date after all?

Penny wondered to herself doubtfully, but her doubt soon turns to confusion as she notices Whitley’s peculiar expression. He’s covering his face with his hand with traces of his blushing face peeking through the gap of his slender fingers.

Whitley: Must you be so unbearably adorable every second of the day?

Penny: Huh?

Penny tilts her head quizzically; this cute action sends Whitley into a fit of laughter. God, he loved these little earnest moments with her. Her desires were so innocent and cute that it drove him mad! How could he possibly resist any offer from her when she made everything so adorably appealing?

Whitley: I’ll see you at the station, sweet dreams Penny.

He states with a bright smile. Penny smiles back, not entirely sure of what prompted this sudden burst of joy but was happy that he seemed to agree with her idea.

Penny: Good night, Whitley. Don’t stay up too late, okay?

Whitley: I’ll try, goodnight.

They wave each other goodbye and hang up, Whitley stays up a little longer to double-check his work. Once he’s sure everything’s in order he gets ready for bed but as washes up the scent from his shampoo reminds him of one more thing he needs to do before the date.

The next morning, Penny gets up and has breakfast with her dad, telling him of her plans for the day over bacon and eggs. Pietro, while overjoyed that his little girl has found someone, can’t help but worry about the dangers she could be putting herself in by being with him.

Pietro: Are you sure you’ve got everything covered?

Penny: Yes, Dad. He has his exit and renter route planned out and has assured me that he can sneak out without detection. Besides we’re only going out for the afternoon, so he’ll have plenty of time to get back home before dark.

Pietro: And you’re sure no one’s gonna recognize him here, right?

Penny: It’s highly unlikely, outside of the classical music world Whitley isn’t really that well known. His father is the figure head of the SDC and outside of business or high society events Whitley doesn’t leave the manor often. So, unless they have an interest in the inner workings of the dust industry no one will notice him and even if they did his face covering and that will make it hard to get a clear enough look to recognize him.

Pietro: Okay, just be careful alright?

Penny: I will, don’t worry Dad.

But Pietro couldn’t help but worry, this was a really risky situation she was jumping into! But alas there was nothing he could do; young love was a passionate and thrilling experience and had the tendency to blind those involved. Pushing Penny to stop now wouldn’t just hurt her feelings but push her closer to him out of desperation. Besides he’d promised himself he let her be more independent and this is what she’d chosen for herself, the best he could do was be there for her if anything happens.

After breakfast, Penny goes to her room to prepare for the date, first order of business being her outfit. Since this was all in short notice Penny hadn’t had much time to think about her clothing for the outing, only checking her closet the night before. She hadn’t been able to pick just one look that night before bed but had managed to narrow it down to three, which were now hung on her closet door. The candidates were her pink floral dress, her blue dress with white ruffles and stripes on the bodice, and her sailor look. As she gazes at her options Penny opens the weather app on her scroll and takes a look at the day’s forecast. It wasn’t going to be horrible cold, but it would be pretty windy so short sleeves wouldn’t a good idea. This ruled out the pink dress and left the two blue dresses as Penny’s best options. She takes both outfits off the closet door and inspects them carefully.

Penny: Okay, so it’s either the dress with the sophisticated round collar or the classic sailor dress.

She stares down each of her options, hoping the choice will be easy with the field narrowed to two. But style is much more suggestive than practicality, and with both suiting the weather the selection gets hard as Penny tries to sway herself on either.

Penny: The ruffles on this one would make me appear more mature and serene but it also makes it a little too stoic for where I’m going.

Penny thinks to herself as she studies the round-collared dress, unsure she turns her gaze to the sailor dress.

Penny: Meanwhile the sailor dress so cute and comfortable! It’s a classic look but still very striking! But maybe a little too childish for a date.

She muses internally before letting out a big sign of frustration. Each dress had their good points and drawbacks to an equal degree so selection through simple deduction won’t pan out. During her mission, it was much easier to pick something for a single event that suited her with Whitley and Julia’s help but now on her own Penny found herself struggling at the critical point. Of course, this was different from those high-profile events. This was a date! Her very first date with her first love! How could she not be picky with this?!

After half an hour looking between them, even holding them up to her body while in a mirror for better comparison, Penny still can’t decide which to wear. Growing more and more frustrated eventually she sighs and admits defeat.

Penny: It’s useless, I’m too nervous to pick, and I don’t think Dad has a lot of knowledge on women’s fashion. At least not date-wise. Guess I’ll have to go with the contingency plan.

With a groan Penny hangs both outfits on one arm before retrieving her scroll with the other. Opening her contacts, she scrolls down to Neon’s and hits messages then switches to the camera app. Holding up the garments in a way that both are nicely in frame, Penny snips a picture of them then starts typing. As much as she knows this was asking for trouble Penny didn’t have time to waste nor any other options to ask for advice.

Penny: If I keep it brief and don’t give any details she might not pry too much, hopefully.

Penny silently prayed as she writes out a text before attaching the picture to it. She takes a long deep breath then hits send.

Penny: [I’m going to the library today, which outfit do you think looks better for that?]

Unconsciously holding her breath, Penny stares at the screen anxiously as she waits for the reply.

Up in the Atlas Military Academy, Neon is laying half off one of the top beds playing a mobile rhythm/fighting game on her scroll. It was an off day for team FNKI and the boys had headed down to the cantina for breakfast earlier while she stayed back to sleep in. As Neon hits the final note in the level’s song, topping the leaderboards and claiming the number one spot.

Neon: Man, those kids from Mistral are gonna lose their shit when the servers reconnect and their whole guild’s dropped five ranks.

She thought smugly, proud of dunking on a former pro team who’d lost access to the app when Amity went down. She plans to enter another battle but just as the player hub screen loads a text notification pops up. It’s from Penny, asking for fashion advice of all things! Intrigued, Neon quickly opens up her messages to see the full text and is immediately disappointed to see it’s just for a boring library run.

Neon: Ugh, seriously? At least go somewhere fun if you’re gonna dress up.

She whined to herself as she looks over the photo of the two outfits. It takes her less than five seconds to decide which is better and text back without a second thought.

Neon: [The sailor dress, the other look like the heavy bulky crap my parents used to make me wear to a museum and other upper-crust shit😖]

In a matter of a couple of minutes, Penny receives her much-anticipated reply and is quite happy with the results. Neon’s point about the round-collared dress being too stern wasn’t wrong and the last thing Penny wanted was to seem uptight on her first real date. So, the sailor dress it is! She texts back a quick “Thank you, Neon.” then puts the other outfit back and starts getting changed. Once she has the dress, white stockings, and black mary janes on Penny grabs a brush, hair ties, and a hand mirror to do her hair. She had picked up some beauty supplies and washed and conditioned her hair the night before in preparation for the day. And with this more cutesy outfit on Penny was feeling inspired to do something new. Parting her hair down the middle, she brushes the left half over her shoulder, gathers it up, and ties it into a low pigtail. She checks her handy work in the mirror before moving on to the other side but once she’s finished the second pigtail something clearly amiss. It’s a bit higher and tighter than the first, making the style slightly uneven much to Penny’s chagrin.

Penny: Oops, too high! Let’s try that again.

Penny states, looking into the mirror before taking out the pigtail and trying again. Unfortunately, the second attempt goes as well as the first and she has to try again. A third attempt turns into a fourth then a fifth and a sixth but Penny refuses to give up! She will look perfect for her date even if it takes a hundred times!

Penny: Just focus and keep trying! I know I can get this right!

Penny reassures herself before starting over on the pigtail yet again.

Meanwhile up in Schnee Manor Whitley has just finished proofing the last of his work for the weekend and is getting ready to sneak out. His wardrobe is open as he combs through it for a nice disguise. So far, he had dawned a simple pair of black pants, a white dress shirt, and black leather boots, but he was still looking for a coat suited for the lower city’s weather forecast. Just as he finally finds a trench coat that’s not too thick but not too thin there’s a knock on his door. Whitley tenses at the sound, he made it abundantly clear after breakfast that he was not to be distributed until past sundown so who could be knocking at a time like this?

Whitley: Did someone on the morning shift not get the memo or maybe did someone from the afternoon rotation clock in early?

He ponders, trying to figure out where the error in his order was so he could fix it before his window of opportunity closed. But this apprehension is brief as a familiar voice calls out from the other side of the door.

Mary: Young Master, may I speak with you for a moment?

Whitley lets out a sigh of relief and walks to the door to unlock it for Mary. He opens it and is greeted by her usual aloof stare.

Whitley: Come in.

He states indifferently, ushering her into his room and closing the door behind them. After his first escape, Whitley had no choice but to tell Mary what he was doing and how he planned to continue seeing Penny in secret. Mary was understandably not too enthusiastic about this decision but due to their arrangement there was little she could do about it. They had never discussed anything about his personal life in their dealings because he never had one and now that he had something to hold on to Mary was at a crossroads. She knew how tenacious the boy could be, that’s why she approached him when she did, she also knew how resilient he was from the dark parts of the memories she’d documented from his readings. Whitley was not giving Penny up, that fact was certain enough, and all Mary could do about it was monitor the situation from a distance and help keep things in order.

Mary: To think even the most dedicated of schemers could come undone over a single girl. But I suppose that’s what love does to people, how revolting.

She thought judgmentally as she set the basket of supplies from the garden on Whitley’s desk when he finished getting dressed. After he’s got the coat out, he grabs a page cap and his face mask before walking over to Mary. He could sense her discontent but couldn’t bring himself to care about it, this was a transactional relationship, and her task in it was to help safeguard him until it was time to strike at Jaques. So, who was she to scrutinize what he did for his own happiness?

Whitley: I see you brought what I asked for, thank you, Mary.

He says nonchalantly, opening the basket and inspecting the items inside. He’s pleased with what he finds but his satisfaction is soon soured by Mary’s retort.

Mary: Of course, Young Master. It is my duty to carry out my superior’s orders, no matter how unwise.

Whitley ignores the hints of annoyance in Mary’s tone and goes back to the basket. The contents were the last piece of his date prep, all he had to do was assemble the final product. He sits down and starts putting it together, Mary watching over him with a blank stare. Once he’s got it together, Whitley gets up, puts on the remainder of his disguise, and prepares to leave. Retrieving his secret scroll and his pocket watch, he tucks his little garden project under his arm and walks into the hallway, Mary following close behind. Whitley gives her one last passing glance as she locks and closes the door behind them.

Whitley: If anyone asks for me, you know what to do.

Mary: Yes, Young Master.

She replies blankly. Whitley nods and turns to take his leave but he doesn’t get more than a few feet away when Mary calls out to him again.

Mary: You do understand what you’re risking doing this, don’t you?

This stops Whitley in his tracks, he stifles a sigh and looks back at her with an almost hollowed gaze.

Whitley: Yes, and do you know what you risk by asking these pointless questions?

He states dryly, Mary sucks her tooth in irritation but nods her head in agreement. Though she held great power Mary was still a servant at the end of the day and she had chosen the best master she could hope to find in this freezing kingdom. But with a relationship came a power dynamic and she was dangerously close to making him enforce it.

Whitley: Good. Now go return to Mother, she’ll want her afternoon cabernet soon.

Mary: Yes, Young Master.

With that they part ways, Mary still weary of the whole situation while Whitley seems unbothered by the encounter. Soon he’s out on the streets, calling a cab to take him to the subway station. It takes more than two hours for him to get from the manor to Mantle during midday, but he does arrive at Sovereign Central at the planned time. Whitley wades through the crowd as the train car clears out and makes his way to the main entrance. Just as he walks out of the station Whitley spots Penny approaching for their meetup. A warm smile bloomed on his face as gazed at her, she was dressed so cutely, her hair had been put into braided pigtails, and looked so adorably nervous. Tapping a foot on the ground like a scared jackrabbit as she looked around for him in the sea of people. Her cute anxious expression sparks some mischief in Whitley, and he decides to play a little prank on her.

Moving deep into the crowd, he keeps out of sight while Penny keeps looking to the front of the station waiting for him. With her back turned Whitley sneaks up behind her. Penny’s not paying attention to her surroundings as she scans the area for any sign of Whitley to no avail. Panic starts to set in, and Penny’s thoughts soon become jumbled with worry.

Penny: Did he not make it out of the manor yet? Or maybe there was traffic on the way? Oh, where is he?!

She bemoans silently, foot tapping faster as her nerves get the better of her.

Penny: Maybe I should text him to see if he’s okay?

She pulls her scroll out of her backpack to text him, but before she can dial his number someone taps her on the shoulder.

Whitley: Excuse me, Miss.

Penny immediately turns her head at the sound of his voice and is greeted by the sight of her playful beloved standing behind her, one hand behind his back and the other pulling down his mask to shoot her a cheeky grin.

Whitley: I’m looking for my date, she’s a gorgeous red-haired girl with cute little freckles and the most adorable green eyes, perhaps you’ve seen her around here?

He jokes, delighting in the surprise glimmering in her eyes. But this shock fades into joy as Penny turns to him and wraps her arms around him in a warm embrace.

Penny: Whitley!

She cries, snuggling him close and nuzzling her cheek against his. God, these two, they never seem to get enough of each other. They languish in each other’s warmth as though they had been a part for years instead of just a couple of weeks. Enthralled in his lady love’s affection Whitley peppers Penny’s cheek with tiny kisses then pulls back to reveal the gift he was carrying, a small tricolor rose bouquet. Perfect white, pink, and blue roses plucked thornless, bundled together with soft fillers like baby’s breath and myrtle, and wrapped in cream-white paper tied tight with gold ribbon.

Whitley: For you.

He offers, Penny takes the bouquet with a smile and holds them close as she takes a whiff of them. The scent was strong and fresh, they must have been cut that very morning to still be so full of life and color. It looked like a professional setting but personalize to suit her taste and his romantic expression completely.

Penny: They’re so beautiful, I love them!

Whitley: Take them as a token of gratitude for the inconvenience I’m causing you under by being here. I know this can’t be easy for you to sneak around like this.

Penny: That’s not tru-(hiccup)-well it is but I don’t mind it at all! I want to be able to see you and be with you and if it means I have to break a few rules to do so.

She declares fearless, her conviction burning in every word causing a slight blush to form on Whitley’s cheeks. He wraps his arms around her, being careful not to crush the flowers but still having her close as he’s overwhelmed by her endearing words and nature.

Whitley: Oh, what did I ever do to deserve someone as wonderful as you? You’ll stop my heart dead in its tracks if keep making it race like this!

He gushes, absolutely smitten with his kind and courageous little lover! Penny’s also enjoying the moment, almost dizzied by Whitley’s unrestrained admiration but can’t help noting the stares they were getting from passersby. A young couple in love was a sight to behold in most places, with some looking at them fondly while others seemed disgusted by the public display of affection, and as it turns out Mantle was no different.

Penny: Uh, Whitley?

Whitley: Yes?

Penny: (whisper) I think we’re being watched.

Whitley glances around and catches some people staring at them, some giggle while others sneer approvingly.

Whitley: (whisper) It would appear so.

He sighs, knowing they need to avoid him being recognized Whitley reluctantly releases Penny from his embrace.

Whitley: (whisper) Then maybe we should head to the library before we draw a crowd.

Penny nods in agreement, takes the bouquet in one hand, and offers him the other. He holds onto her gently, intertwining their fingers, and the two take off toward the library. The library Penny chose wasn’t a long way away from the station but still, a fairly decent walking distance, though Whitley didn't mind. He spent a lot of his time walking to and fro in the proverbial caste he called home on busy days, so leisurely strolling down the uneven city streets with Penny was a nice change of pace. They walk a good six city blocks before Penny stops them in front of a colorful corner-side building. The aged masonry was painted white as a base with colorful artwork and graffiti covering much of the rest of the exterior. Some of it looked like children’s scribbles, others more proper illustrations, and the graffiti was neat and tasteful as if drawn for a community project. Despite its size, this place was obviously a beloved and cared-for part of this neighborhood.

Penny: Here we are!

Penny gestures excitedly at the front doors as they stand at the entrance.

Penny: My dad recommended this place to me, it’s where he went when he started reading and where he got a lot of the children’s books he read to me when I was little! Apparently, it was the home of a Mantle scholar Theodore Friedman and one of the few original libraries from Mantle’s beginnings. His family was one of the many who settled in Solitas during the migration, and helped build Mantle in the kingdom’s main city. Theodore spent much of his adult life as a teacher and when he died, he bequeathed his family’s generations of book collections to the city and commissioned his home to become a library so the citizens would always have a place to gain knowledge. That’s what it's been ever since, renovated internally for structural reasons but still, it’s the same library for the people as it always was.

Whitley: That’s..incredibly generous. I guess people were a lot kinder back in the day.

Whitley says almost wistfully, the sentiment of the story reminding him of his dearly departed grandfather, Nicholas. He knew if the kind old gent didn’t have a family, he would’ve done the same and given everything away for the benefit of the city he grew up in and the city he helped build into a capital.

Whitley: Maybe I should donate something to the city in his name when I take over? Something to help remind people of the man who made the name Schnee mean something.

He thought hopefully, lightly uplifted by the idea of cleaning up some of the stains on his family’s name in a way that helps others outright.

Penny: Umm, Whitley? Are you okay?

Penny’s voice snaps him out of his train of thought and back to reality. His musings and nostalgia had momentarily blocked out his senses, a habit he rarely be allowed with how burdensome his days could be.

Whitley; Oh! Yes, I’m fine! Let’s head inside, I’m curious to see what this little historical site had to offer.

Penny: Great, because I really wanted to see if they still have the vintage copy of the girl in the tower!

She chirps cheerfully and they race inside hand in hand. The interior of the first floor was what one would expect of a nice and cozy old library, hard wooden bookcases in neat rows each a different genre, muted-toned carpeted floors to muffle footsteps, tan-colored walls with little flyers about the importance of reading peppers throughout, and the soft smell of aged paper, leather, and ink from library’s collection. The besides the possibility awaiting on the second floor of the building the one standout was the whimsical-themed children’s session. It was a much more open space with the bookshelves being short and colorfully, the walls of the area being painted shy blue with illustrations of clouds and grassy fields on it, small work tables, a standing piano covered in stickers, and a wooden stool at the edge of a technicolor rainbow rug in the corner of the area. At the moment said stool was being occupied by the resident librarian, a slightly tall woman with a dark complexion and purplish red hair in a low puff ball ponytail surrounded by a group of young kids. The woman looks horribly exhausted as she tries to read them a story, not noticing the child’s boredom or the two teens standing at her desk looking for her. Meanwhile, Penny and Whitley wait at the front desk to talk to the librarian, since neither had been inside before both wanted to ask for directions or a map of the different sections so they could spend as much time reading together as possible. But with no guide, they had walked right into an impasse.

Whitley: Where is the librarian? They aren’t supposed to leave the entrance unattended, are they?

Penny: I don’t think so, but they should still be here if the doors were unlocked.

The lovers ponder the whereabouts of the library’s overseer when Penny glances over to the kid's section and sees the tired women reading to kids.

Penny: Wait, I think that’s here over there. Excuse Me Miss!

She calls out, waving her hands in the air to make herself more visible. It seems they had come in at the beginning of the children’s reading hour and Penny’s waving grabs the attention of not only the librarian but the children. Many recognize her immediately and jump up from their spots on the carpet to run to her. Shouts of “Miss Penny!” “It’s Ms. Hero!” and “That’s Ms. Penny!” interrupting the story time and drowning out the librarian’s confused muttering. Soon the kids rush to the front to see her but one lone little girl with bow-bound pigtails, Aderyn, hangs back after noticing the caretaker’s confusion. She tugs at the librarian’s sweater sleeve, causing her to bend down to her level.

???: Yes, Adrai-Uh-Aderyn?

Aderyn: That lady over there, her name is Ms. Penny. She protects us from monsters and bad people and helps us go cross the big streets when we go to school sometimes.

???: Oh, okay.

She says still somewhat confused as Aderyn goes off to join the other kids to play Penny. The poor girl was being swarmed as little children crowded at her feet, playing with the hem of her dress, reaching out to be picked up, asking her where her boots were and if she was there to read books with them. Penny tries to handle them gracefully but can’t help but feel embarrassed as she fumbles in her of her date. Whitley on the other hand watches the display with glee, chuckling behind his mask at her attempts to gently brush them off. One mange to grab her backpack and tries to use it as leverage to climb her back, forcing her to hold him as he pulls up so he doesn’t lose his balance. This inevitably leads to her just putting him on her shoulders, instigating a chorus of pleas from the rest of the children to also get a piggyback ride.

???: Umm, excuse me? Ms..uh..Penny, right?

But the commotion pauses when the librarian finally walks over to greet her customers. The first thing either notice is the heavy bags under her eyes, the second is the dead-eyed stare she was giving them. The poor thing was haggard and looked ready to pass out at any moment, much to the concern of the two teens in front of her.

Penny: Yes, that’s me. Who are you?

Jemma: I’m Jemma, the librarian here. Sorry about the little ones, they can get pretty… rowdy sometimes.

Jemma’s voice is dripping with drowsiness and her eyes are so unfocused she can barely maintain eye contact. Penny can practically feel the tiredness rolling off the woman and pities her deeply. She knows firsthand what a lack of sleep can do to the mind and even though she wanted to enjoy her date Penny couldn’t leave her be in good conscience.

Penny: Yeah, but that’s how kids are. They’re so full of energy it can be hard to keep up with them sometimes.

Jemma: Sure is, most of these..(yawn)..little terrors won’t sit still for half a second, much less the entire story time.

Penny: Oh, that must be so hard for you. Maybe I can help you out with it?

Jemma:…Huh?

Penny: The kids really like me, and I love books so they might pay more attention if I read to them! That and you can take a break while I watch over them!

Jemma: But I don’t need a break though?

Penny: Are you sure? Because you look kind of tired and not very coherent.

Jemma: Yeah I guess..but it’s okay, I just my…(yawn)..little pick me up to get me right.

Jemma walks around to her desk and pulls out a brightly colored can with bold black text on the side. The name “Beast” italicized by black lighting bolts is printed down the side with the nutrition facts printed on the other side. Jemma holds up the can like a prized chalice full of the holiest nectar and given her current state she’s it probably was in her mind. The kids look at the can in awe of its showy design while Penny is a bit bewildered, and Whitley is unimpressed but moves closer to get a better look at it. His eyes widen as he reads off the back of the can while Penny looks at it with mild skepticism.

Penny: Is..is that an energy drink?

Jemma: Yup, the best one on the market. Help keep me up during a midterm marathon, two term papers, and third shifts.

Whitley: And how many of those have you had today?

Whitley asks, bringing everyone’s attention to him and off the can. Despite being there the whole time, the children and Jemma had failed to notice him in the excitement of Penny’s arrival. But now that he had the floor, he was going to use it well. He stares Jemma dead on as she tries to formulate an answer to his inquiry.

Jemma: Ummm..three-No! At least four since 2 am, I think?

Whitley: Well then, you should probably call an ambulance before you drink that.

Jemma: Wha? Why?

Whitley, face surprisingly stern, points to the nutrition facts on the back of the can.

Whitley: Because if what’s printed here is accurate then you’ve already passed the threshold of a caffeine overdose.

Jemma: What?..Wait! What?!

Whitley: It’s a fairly important but under-addressed nutrition fact but the daily caffeine consumption limit for the average adult is approximately 400 MG, 500 MG for an adult faunus. Any more than that can cause an overdose and those energy drinks you’ve been guzzling have over 100 per and well, you do the math.

Jemma: Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me!

Jemma turned the can around and sure enough, one can of Beast had 120 MG, and she drank four of them! Her hands shake from fear and probably her last hit catches up to her and puts the can down on the desk away from everyone else.

Jemma: Oh god.

Whitley: You should probably lay down, maybe start drinking water to flush out your system and you know get some sleep before your veins rupture.

Jemma sits down on her desk chair stunned, the children chirp with confusion and intrigue over the condition of their librarian. Most don’t understand half of what they were hearing but some recognize the gorier words, and their imaginations start wondering with the possibilities. Penny, sensing the seriousness of the situation, tries to give Jemma some space by ushering the little one back to the children’s area.

Penny: Okay, kids, Ms. Jemma needs to take a rest for now so Ms. Penny will read to you all while she gets some sleep!

The children are immediately swayed by Penny’s enthusiastic declaration and cheer at this announcement, dashing back to their places on the mat with barely contained excitement. Whitley follows quietly behind them, and Jemma interjects once as they walk away.

Jemma: Their parents will be back in a couple of hours for pick up, so just keep ‘em busy til then.

Penny: Two hours?.....

Penny hesitates, this task would eat up most if not all the library time she’d planned for but what else was there to be done? She looks to Whitley, worried he’d be disappointed by this turn of events, but puts down his mask slightly to shot her an exaggerated defeated smile and shrugs his shoulders helplessly. He knew the kind of person she was when he agreed to this, and he wasn’t about to ask her to change the part of herself he found the most endearing. The warmth in his smile reassures her and she gives Jemma a happy nod before escorting the children to the reading circle. Penny takes the reins immediately, sitting down on the stool and picking up where Jemma left off in the storybook. She’s very animated with her reading, showing off the pics on every page, changing her voice to suit the characters, and gesturing to fit their mannerisms.

Whitley watches from afar, leaning against the same wall as the standing piano while Penny and the children enjoy storytime. It’s a precious and oddly domestic sight, her entertaining the young citizens of the city she protected with such care was heartwarming. Though it wasn’t great to be sat on the sidelines during their date, but he wouldn’t be greedy. They were getting lunch after this and the smiles on the little ones' faces were too adorable to ruin, so what harm could a couple of hours do?

As Penny reads through different tales and parables, she opens up a particularly famous one. It was a thick book of stories made from nursery rhythms, each keeping the tempo of the song they were associated with. Aderyn’s eyes light up at the sight of the book cover, this was her favorite one in the whole library. Small but determined Aderyn waves her little hand above her head as hard as she can, trying to get Penny’s attention. She spots her just as she’s about to read the first line. Closing the book, Penny looks directly at the shy girl with a soft inviting smile.

Penny: Yes, Aderyn?

Aderyn: C-can we have some music?

Penny: Huh?

Aderyn: Ms. Jemma a-always plays the music when we read that one.

Penny: Music?

Penny looks around for a speaker or radio Jemma might have used but doesn’t see anything nearby that could do the job. Ever observant, Whitley’s gaze quickly snaps to the standing piano next to him. Nursery rhymes were the first thing taught when learning piano after mastering scales due to their simple composition. With that knowledge in mind, he saunters over to Penny’s side as her search becomes slightly frantic. Placing a hand gently on her shoulder, Penny looks back up to see him standing over her. He pulls down his mask to flash her a quick grin then turns to the children, politely waving at them.

Whitley: Hello there little ones, have you all been enjoying storytime with Ms. Penny?

The children murmur and nod in the affirmative, a little confused by the sudden interruption but still enthused.

Whitley: Great, now I hear someone say something about this book needing music. Is that true?

He questions, taping the hard book cover lightly. The children immediately point to Aderyn, the little girl shakes a bit from the sudden shift in attention. With all eyes on her, Aderyn pulls her legs up to her chest and into the fetal position. She makes herself look as small as possible, her voice soft and quiet as she replies to Whitley’s inquiry.

Aderyn: I-I d-did.

She says sheepishly, looking down at her feet not wanting to even make accidental eye contact with anyone. With her gaze to the ground, she doesn't see Whitley stride over to her spot on the mat and kneel down to her level. His shadow overcasting her little form startles her a bit and Aderyn involuntarily looks up only to be greeted with a gently head pat and a soft by smile. With him so close Aderyn could get a better look at him, the young man looked like the prince from a fairytale and like fancy people she’d seen in her mom’s magazines. His gentle stance and tender smile ease Aderyn’s nervousness and she unfurls from her guarded position.

Whitley: Thank you for speaking up. Now that we know how about why we try this again, Hmm?

He muses before standing up and walking over to the piano. Sitting down on the bench, he opens up the fallboard to reveal the keys. He pressed the pedals down with his foot and plays a few sets of scales, switching between each to test the tuning.

Whitley: A little rough but it will do.

He thought before looking up from the keys and over to Penny.

Whitley: Penny, what’s the first story?

Penny: “The Marcher Are Coming”

She states, suddenly there’s a tapping sound coming from Whitley and the piano. He’s knocking on the side to the beat of the nursing rhythm. Soon he stops knocking and starts playing the intro of the song. Penny catches up to the beat and recognizes that he’s counting her in, without much delay Penny sing-reading the story.

Penny: The marchers are coming one by one, Hurrah, Hurrah! The marchers are coming one by one, Hurrah, Hurrah! The marchers are coming up the hill, down the trenches and round again! But they all keep marching one by one, to get out of the rain!

The children clap along to them as move to the next verse, some even singing with her. When the marcher's story ends Whitley asks what the next title is, and Penny happily announces it’s “Fly Away, Ladybug” and he starts playing the opening notes. It was so much fun, playing silly songs for a nonjudgmental crowd while Penny practically sang along. He hadn’t been part of a carefree duet since he was just as little as the children they were entertaining and knowing this moment would become a joyous memory to them made Whitley so happy he couldn’t help but smile under his mask. Penny was also overjoyed, seeing so many of the people she cared for so happy at the same time was almost overwhelming that if she wasn’t so focused on reading, she’d be crying with joy.

Penny: I’m so glad we came here!

She thought happily, turning the page to the next story as they continue. This is how their story time plays out until the parents arrive. The call of a mother for her young son stops Whitley in his tracks and they realize it’s time for pickup.

Penny: Oh, look at that! Your parents are here for pick-up time. Guess our storytime is over.

The little ones grumble at this news, a little upset that their time with their favorite neighborhood hero had come to an end but Penny reassures them that she’ll greet them all during her Monday morning patrol. They take it as win and plead that she come back to read to them again soon before running off to their parents. Aderyn, however, hangs back and sneaks over to the corner Whitley had hidden in when the parents started coming in. As he’s trying hard not to be seen, Whitley feels something tugging at the hem of his coat and looks down to see Aderyn. The girl was gripping the edge of the fabric tight, face full of anxiety and mustered courage. Seeing her obvious discomfort Whitley, getting down to her level again to inquire about her current state.

Whitley: Hello again, Aderyn.

Aderyn:..Hi.

Whitley: Are you okay?

Aderyn:…Yeah.

Whitley: Then why are you over here and in not with your family?

Aderyn: B-Because…I-

The girl looks down, pausing to collect her thoughts and gather up the strength to speak clearly. Whitley gives her a moment to think, sympathizing with her disposition as he knows how hard it is for a child to speak with unfamiliar older people. It takes less than half a minute but feels like ages to Aderyn, until finally, she takes a deep breath and completes her statement.

Aderyn: Your…name?

Whitley: Hmm?

Aderyn: What’s…your name, mister?

She asks, big for looking at him curiously with twiddling her thumbs. Whitley pauses for a moment and clears his throat, trying to ensure what he said next would be clear and concise enough to suspend her curiosity. Though lying to a child was wrong but Whitley couldn’t risk her describing him to her parents later and them putting two and two together as unlikely as it was. Still, he’d taken too many risks already, it was best not to test his luck.

Whitley: I’m sorry, but I can’t say.

Aderyn: Huh?

Whitley: I was cursed by a madman with an odd semblance. Now if I try to say my name my voice disappears and I can’t speak.

Aderyn: Really?

Whitley: Yes, watch. Hello my name is-

He cuts himself off, miming speech while not letting out a single sound. Aderyn stares at him shocked, his lips moved but his voice had disappeared completely! Not a noise leaves his mouth as he “spoke” his name! Whitley pauses, hoping the added silence gives his lie some extra tension to make it more believable. Luckily concerned look in Aderyn’s eyes is the perfect signal that his plan was working and to keep it up.

Whitley: See, can’t say it at all.

He states with a shrug and Aderyn gasps at the confirmation of this “horrible curse”.

Aderyn: I’m so sorry..I didn’t mean to..I didn’t-

Whitley: It’s fine Aderyn, you couldn’t have possibly known.

He reassures, patting the girl’s head gently to soothe her.

Whitley: Tell you what, why don’t you give me a name?

Aderyn: Me?

Whitley: Yes, you! You can call me anything you like so long as it’s not my real name.

Aderyn: Oh..hmm.

Aderyn looks down at her feet, she’d never named anything aside from her teddy bears and her dollies so much less a living thing! Could she even pick a good one? She’d be calling him this if she ever saw him again and no doubt would be telling her friends so they didn’t make the same mistake and force him to lose his voice again. It had to be good, something cool like the names they’d given Miss Penny!

Aderyn: Maybe, Hu-No, Garrett like the man from Mommy’s shows or-No!

Aderyn grows frustrated quickly, the pressure of picking weight heavy on her little head until it becomes too much, and she looks back. Her cheeks are puffed up and tears are starting to form in the corner of her eyes, face reddened from overthinking. Seeing the look on her face Whitley immediately tries to backtrack.

Whitley: Woah! Hey, now! No need to overthink it! It just be something simple like Jack or Ted. In fact, why don’t I just pick one myself ins-

Aderyn: P-PRINCE!

Aderyn cuts him off with a tiny yell not louder than the slam of a book falling.

Whitley: Excuse me?

Aderyn: Y-your name will b-be Prince b-b-because you look like one!

She stutters out, pointing her tiny finger in his face with all the boldness she has in her little body. Whitley stares taking a back for a second then starts laughing. Of course, that would be his nickname, he had been told the same thing in different words for so long that it was practically a second title. But hearing so innocently from a child made him want to embrace it more than other times.

Whitley: Alright, Prince it is!

He rejoices, smiling brightly under his mask he boops Aderyn on her little nose. The gesture garners a laugh from the little girl who giggles hard and holds her nose. Before she can ask any more questions Aderyn’s mother calls out and she waves him goodbye before leaving. With the children gone Whitley was free to return to Penny who’d been seeing the children off in Jemma’s stead as the librarian slept at her desk. He joins her at the front, and they talk a bit as they walk out back onto the street.

Penny: I’m sorry our library trip didn’t go as planned.

Whitley: It’s alright I had a lot of fun, watching you read and play with the children.

Penny: That’s good, I was a little worried you’d get bored standing by yourself. But in the end, you joined in! Thanks for playing the music, by the way. I don’t think things would’ve gone so well if you hadn’t intervened.

Whitley: Oh, that was nothing. Just me getting back to the basics for old times' sake. Besides how could I let my sweet seem lacking in front of her adorable little fans?

He says playfully with a wink causing Penny to giggle before taking his hand in hers as they continue on their way.

It’s another long walk to the restaurant, a nice med-sized east Mistral place called Lucky Paws with a chibi dog mascot printed in the front window. Penny orders for them and Whitley hands her some money to pay before taking her bag and flowers and going off to find them a table. He finds a clean one near the back and takes a seat, looking around the interior. The décor was simple and modern with traditional patterning in black on the green trim of the mostly white walls. Most of the patrons are young college-aged people most of whom look native and some elders of likely Mistrals descent. The young customers order the more flashy dishes, taking pictures of their plates and adding excess hot sauce to their bowls to test their spice tolerance. The elders, however, ordered milder meals mostly made of lean meats, vegetables, and rice, and are comparatively much quieter. The smell generated by the mix of foods and spices is heavenly, the mellow tones of herds and spikes of spice makes Whitley’s stomach growl with hunger. Lucky for him it’s not long before Penny comes to find him holding a tray with a bowl of pho for each of them.

The broth was a transparent brown, thin white noodles filling most of the bowl under it with pieces of chicken, chopped leek, onion, bean sprouts, and cilantro as toppings. The aroma alone is mouth-watering, and the plating is great even through the thick steam coming off the bowls. The moment she sets the tray down Whitley moves one bowl in front of him and the other in the seat next to him before getting up and pulling the chair out for her. Penny sits and is careful not to let her feet drag as Whitley pushes up to the table and then sits back down. With both seated, it's time to eat! Whitley removes his mask, and both grab a set of wrapped chopsticks; unwrapped they appear to be the disposable kind that came fused together. Being unfamiliar with them, Whitley looks around to see how others are using theirs. A man nearby sits down with his order, unwraps his chopsticks, splits them apart, rubs the raw edges together to rub off fractured bits of wood, digs into his food. Whitley copies these motions carefully, applying an appropriate amount of pressure to break them apart cleanly before thoroughly rubbing them together to smooth them out. With chopsticks now miserable, Whitley dips them into his bowl and stirs the surface slowly. When it’s cold enough he grabs a bundle of noodles out of the broth, but before he can lift them Whitley notices Penny struggling with her chopsticks. Her fingers fumble with them as she struggles to get them into the proper grip. Hating the sight of her in distress, Whitley gets up and stands behind her.

Whitley: Here.

He reaches around and puts the chopsticks into the correct position between Penny’s fingers.

Whitley: Grip it with your thumb and middle finger, lightly but firmly.

Penny opens her mouth to speak but connect already has her too flushed to put together a sentence and she does as told. Her cheeks are bright and rosey as she tries to focus on maintaining her grip and not on Whitley’s warm breath breezing on her neck. Once her grip is steady, Whitley moves his hand further up and presses down on her pointer finger with his own.

Whitley: Now move your index on the top stick to shift its position.

Penny moved her finger and the upper stick moves with the limb.

Whitley: Good, now let’s grab some noodles.

He guides her hand to her bowl, sinking the tip of chopsticks into the soup. Penny pinches at the noodles with her chopsticks until she grabs a few strands on the very edge. She pulls them up, blowing on the steaming noodles before bringing them to her lips and eating them.

Whitley: Good job.

He says still behind her, his voice a low whisper in her ear so gentle but alluring it sends shivers down Penny’s spine. She eats a little more to try and keep her composure and seeing her steadied movements Whitley sits back down to eat his own food. It’s cold just enough to eat outright and the taste is amazing. The broth is light but flavorful, the vegetable stock paired well with the chicken and spices adds a nice kick. The noodles are slim, soft, and filling as are the vegetables, and both are deeply enriched by the absorption of the soup. The cuts of chicken are a bit outwardly tough, but the inner flesh is tender and warm from the heat of the bowl. As they eat Penny still has trouble picking up her toppings, so Whitley takes it upon himself to pick them from her bowl and feeding them to her directly. Blowing on each morsel before presenting them to her, making her blush even more as she chomps down every piece.

When they finish it’s time for Whitley to depart and they walk back to the station. They walk hand in hand chatting about how good the food was and what they’d try if they went back another time. At some point, the conversation loses its topic and they just talk about nothing in particular, rehashing things they’d talked about over the phone just to hear each other's voice. Before either knows it they’re in front of the station and their date is officially coming to it’s end.

Whitley: And here’s my stop. Thanks for taking me out today.

Penny: You’re welcome, I had a really...really good time.

Penny’s voice is somber, fingers still intertwined with Whitley’s as she lowers her head. The day had not gone as planned but still, she had enjoyed every moment of their date and being in Whitley’s presence again. Letting him go not knowing when she’d get to be with him again was agonizing, her heart ached as she struggles to release his hand. Seeing her sorrowful state, Whitley pulls her into an embrace just as she had to him earlier that day.

Whitley: I’ll be back soon, don’t worry.

He whispers to her reassuringly, attempting to calm her worried heart. He didn’t want to go but he had no more time to spare and business to take care of. In a moment of adoration and desire, Whitley moves his mask aside and leans down to kiss her. Penny leans in to connect but turns her head at the last moment, Whitley’s lips touching her cheek instead. Both pause as neither excepted the action but seeing the weary look in her eyes Whitley chooses not to be greedy and gives her several more pecks to the cheek before pulling back.

Penny: Call me before you go to sleep tonight, okay?

She asks, slowly letting go of his hand.

Whitley: Of course.

A simple promise of a small but significant act was all they could offer each other to tide themselves over until the next rendezvous. But it was to let them part for the evening.

As Whitley enters the station, Penny waves him off until he’s safely in the building. Once she loses sight of him Penny holds the roses to her chest with one hand and her cheek with the other. She wonders to herself why she’d moved away from his kiss earlier. She had been so receptive of it the first time and she know she wanted more but for some reason, she had dodged.

Penny: I don’t understand I love kissing him, didn’t I? Being close I could hear his heart beating, the feeling of his lips against mine, the taste-

Suddenly it struck her, her instincts had picked up on something she hadn’t and acted on in her best interest at the moment. Her hand lowers to her lips as they curl downward into a disgusted frown.

Penny: Right, he didn’t get a good taste of me back then.

She thought, a cloud of gloominess hanging over her heart and mind as realized how lucky she was to have such honed instincts.

Penny: Good…He won’t be able to tell the difference yet.

She mused, both relieved and bemoaning her circumstances. Adding another wordless lie to her soul as she turns back to the main street and begins her silent walk home.

#fanfic #rwby fanfiction #penny polendina #rwby #beta testers #whitley schnee #fanfiction #cute #fluff #angst #sorry this is so late #had a hard month #pietro polendina

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