Nature's Bounty - Bee in a Bonett
Vanessa slammed down a new stack of books onto the table loud enough that Fish jumped, jolting back awake from where he'd been starting to doze, chin resting on his hand as he repeatedly read the same paragraph for the fourth time.
"I'm awake!" He yelped, nearly falling sideways off his chair in his mad scramble to sit up straight.
"Sorry." Vanessa grimaced, cheeks red as she looked around the library to see if anyone else had been startled by the sudden noise and then carefully looking away as someone across the library glared and huffed at them both before returning to their own book.
Fish leaned back, waving off their disgruntled book neighbour as he crossed one knee over the other. "I know Rune can be an ass but it's been a while since you've been this worked up, Vanessa."
She pulled a new book closer and opened it, pointedly ignoring Fish.
"Come on." He smiled fondly. "What did he do to piss you off so bad this time? You know he likes to get under your skin." Rune was fun but he thrived on reactions, on drama. Fish was pretty sure that was why he was so prone to trying his pranks out on anyone and everyone.
"Bacchus." Vanessa pressed her forehead into her palm, shoulders tense. "Just leave it, okay? Please."
Fish blinked slowly, smile fading as silence stretched between them. Finally, he leaned forward again and pulled the nearest book back to him. "Alright."
Vanessa remained tense for the rest of the morning but had eventually reached out, letting her hand rest palm-up in open invitation on the table between them. Fish had reached back almost as soon as she'd moved, lacing their fingers together in a reassuring squeeze as they continued their endless task of sifting through the library's books in search of any mention of Cybele.
Fish was actually a bit surprised by the lack of information on the goddess in the books they'd combed through. Bovine Bluffs was known for Cybele's garden, if she'd ever actually been there was a moot point. The place was dedicated to her, the Bluffs had a festival for her every year for gods' sake! Shops sold tourist trinkets, couples travelled to the area for good luck in conceiving, for anniversaries. The goddess was so deeply a part of the local culture, so casually referenced she often felt more like a cousin who was away working in the city and would come back to settle down in the Bluffs eventually when the call of home became too strong!
But the books were worryingly empty, plain. Basic and dry. Almost as if someone had taken all the ones with real information out all at the same time. The thought sat at the edge of his mind, slowly taking on a grander shape until Vanessa suddenly sighed and say back in her own chair, separating their hands.
"I'll go look for some more books. I'm pretty sure I saw one about Cybele and a local herb a few weeks ago in the wrong stack, just need to find out if it's still there or if someone's finally put this place into proper order again." She smiled, playfully shoving at Fish's shoulder as she passed when he groaned loudly and slumped down in his chair.
Looked like they'd be there for a while.
