#earthrunes

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The weekend after Beltaine, August pushes the door open to the library, entering with a small stack of books in his hand and a small smile on his face. He pads over to the desk, and starts checking his books in.

Zara floats in from the trods, cradling an armful of books with a potted hyacinth balanced on top.

((Firnost trod is out in the Garden, so she'll wander inside...))

From the garden, to the library. Bronte is perched on one shoulder, tail curled around Zara's throat like a golden necklace.

"Hello?" A feather-light whisper as she enters.

August looks up from the desk. "Zara!" it is a pleased inflection, not volume. "Hello." He crosses to her. "You had a good Beltaine?"

"Oh, mostly, aye. The beach was lovely! I read poetry to Earl in the moonlight, and he painted." A happy sigh.

"That sounds amazing." Fondly.

"The beach. Huh." Pondering.

"Aye. And I brought you a gift! Tis blue!" She sets down the stack and picks up the hyacinth.

"Oh, Zara!" Genuinely touched. "Zara, you didn't have to do that."

"Oh, excuse me. Hello, Bronte." Respectful.

"Pssh, happy Beltaine." She offers it out. Bronte preens as she's greeted. "“Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo, a star shines on the hour of our meeting.”

He takes the (cut? potted?) offering. "It's beautiful. Thank you." He captures her hand and kisses it, bowing.

(potted!)

A mildly surprised look. "My, you are feeling gallant today. It must have been a good holiday. Did I miss anything exciting?"

"Magnus and Dame Claire are engaged to be married." Pleasantly. He turns back to the desk and picks up a wrapped package, offering it. "Happy Beltaine."

"Oh! Exciting. I like Claire. And see? Flowers are the least I could do." Grey lips quirked in a happy smile as she takes the package - giving it a little rattle before she slides her spidery fingertips beneath the overlapped paper.

She rather delicately unwraps - deft hands popping tape rather than tearing paper.

It's.... an odd shape. Kind of a long diamond? Perhaps, unwrapped, it takes her aback. A small, wooden.... coffin. The lid is hinged.

She shoots a look at August, eyebrow raised. "You consulted Earl, didn't you?" A soft chuff, and she opens the little coffin.

"No. I didn't need to." Fondly, watching. Inside is a little tableau. Mini-flowers (wilted), books, tea things, a golden sword (tiny), a little witch's hat.... many small symbols that might remind Zara of August, or vice versa. Things that -they- would recognize.

A soft little sound of delight. "Oh, August! It's so... what a wonderful little tchotchke!" She touches the tiny tea-pot, fingertips grazing the hat, the books... "Did you make this? It's beautiful..."

"Well, I needed help. I did put the box together. The little things, though... I needed help with some of that. And the lining. I did decide on what would go in it."

"And it's perfect. Oh, Mama's black-and-white cookies... is that 1122?" The spider stirs at his name, poking out from behind her ear.

August nods and grins.

"It was hard to get him small enough."

"How did you do all of it?"

He shrugs. "Slowly."

She sets the coffin down and bounces over to give him a hug.

...A bony, chilly hug, mind. But affectionate!

He hugs her back, so warm against her, muscled, vibrant.

A sigh, and she detaches. "I do love it. Thank you!"

"You are very, very, welcome, my friend." Softly, with a smile, touching his forehead to hers, intimately.

Her cheeks flush pink. "Ah.."

He straightens. "How's your summer looking?" He half turns to continue checking in his books.

"Oh, I don't know. Study. Reading. No major plans yet..."

"You're... finishing Junior year, right?"

She bobs her head. "Online, so it feels... odd. Not that I'd want prom with the Heathers. But one more year, and then... oh... oh, maybe I should look at colleges this summer, nu?"

He finishes jotting. "I bet you could get Earl to take you to a prom." Mildly. "And yes, you should."

After a beat. "There are colleges here."

"...Aye..."

She gums on her lower lip, eyes distant. "It... the library does need care..."

"I can only do so much, I'm afraid." He agrees.

"Aye...."

"Well, if not, there are a lot of college in Scarsdale too!" supportively.

"You know, in the area."

"Aye. I liked Sarah Lawrence..."

"Truth, save my family... and the trods, of course... there's little keeping me at the Hollow."