Will blushed as he finished stocking the shelves properly, frowning as he made sure the figurines all were forward facing.
“I don’t have a boyfriend, Bev.”
Bev laughed. “Will…”
He glared at her. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
She shook her head. “Well, I think he’ll be pretty sad if you don’t go visit. I mean…all those other girls that come there every single day asking stupid questions about books just to hear his accent are annoying as fuck and you with your cute little curls and band t-shirts make him smile. I heard from Margot he sometimes waits in the front looking for you.”
Will blushed and didn’t say anything as he moved to another table away from her.
How had it gotten this far?
He’d only worked at the Cooler Than You store for less than a month now, having picked up a second job just to help offset the bills once he quit teaching. It didn’t pay much, minimum wage really, but with this and his tattoo hours he was doing ok. Though he still got a little nervous when he did the tattoos, Jack was nice enough to coach him through it and he had a few clients that asked for him now after a year.
But while the Cooler Than You store was an ok job and he liked his coworkers the biggest thing that happened working in the mall was the bookstore just three stores down.
The Bookery.
It was almost like walking into a dream when you stepped inside, even with the open concept, and the pretentious expensive feel made it hard to even touch anything. But strangely enough it had everything most bookstores had: romance novels, spy thrillers, horror, and even things like comics and manga.
But it also had its owner.
Hannibal Lecter.
Hannibal who wore a three piece suit every single day, and looked like a million dollars. He did not fit in the mall atmosphere at all and despite everything Will found himself developing a huge crush on him because he was so nice.
Like too nice.
He’d even given Will a free copy of Dante’s Inferno when he said he’d never read it, and kept pressing him on if he’d started it yet every time he even walked by but that soon turned into just talking. Hannibal was so easy to talk to, and Will’s face hurt sometimes when he left because he smiled so much.
This job was both the worst and best thing to ever happen to him because while Hannibal was super nice, Will knew he was just that - nice - and so out of Will’s league it was laughable. That didn’t stop Will from going over there, nor did it stop him from being irrationally jealous when the teenagers went there to swoon over Hannibal like he was Harry fucking Styles. He was over thirty for fuck’s sake, and while Will was too he still felt so nervous to be around him.
Why did he have to get a crush on him at all?
“Will…I’m sorry.”
Will looked up and sighed. “It’s fine, Bev.”
“No, I…I know we’re both adults and…I know you’re not exactly super chill when it comes to like dating and stuff. I shouldn’t have teased you.”
He blushed as he frowned folding the Hello Kitty socks.
“I date.”
“When? You’ve worked here for a while, and I’ve never heard you even mention dating anyone.”
He sighed. “I…I just…I don’t have second dates.”
“That’s called one night stands.”
Will laughed as he looked up at her. “You got me.”
Bev smiled. “But…I know you’re gonna get mad when I say this…I just want you to know that Hannibal like really likes you. Really, really likes you. He’s literally come here on your days off and the sad look on his face when I tell him you’re not here it’s adorable.”
“He’s almost forty years old,” Will mumbled, blushing harder, “He doesn’t get sad when I’m not here.”
“Yes, he does,” Brian said from behind them, patting Will’s shoulder, “I gave the guy your schedule the other day, not like on paper I just kinda said it and you’d think I gave him a million dollars.”
Will groaned. “You didn’t.”
“He kept coming here being sad! What was I supposed to do?”
He put his hands over his face and tried not to humiliate himself. His coworkers were nice to him, and they thought this was helping despite him being the oldest worker here. They didn’t mean any harm by it.
“I…is there something wrong? Will?”
Will jumped, eyes wide, and saw Hannibal standing a short distance away looking at him in confusion.
“I…no, no,” he said, forcing himself to smile, “We were just…they were teasing me. Can I help you find anything?”
Hannibal frowned. “They shouldn’t tease you.”
Bev sighed. “God you’re so…”
Will led Hannibal away from her, blushing hard, and toward the horror section which was really the only one he liked.
“Ignore her.”
“You’re well? You’re certain?”
He smiled. “I’m fine. Did you need something?”
Hannibal blinked. “I…yes…” he looked at the figures on the shelf and picked up an axe murderer, “Do you have more of this one? I wanted to make a display for the holiday.”
Will laughed. “Which holiday?”
He blushed. “I….which would fit it best do you think?”
“Halloween? Sweetest Day maybe? I mean he does have a heart in his hands.”
Hannibal smiled. “Yes, that one. I have some horror romance that will be in by then.”
“It’s June.”
He frowned. “I’m planning ahead.”
Will nodded. “I think we have some more in the back, just let me…”
“Got them!” Bev said, running up to them with four in her hands that she pushed at Will, “Here you go!”
He glared at her and walked over to the register. “Nevermind.”
Will rang him up on the figures and paused halfway when he realized they were almost seventeen dollars each. “You sure you want six?”
Hannibal nodded. “Yes, please.”
“Ok.”
He continued and Hannibal’s sigh made him look up for a minute.
“Have you started Dante’s Inferno yet?”
Will blushed. “Um, no,” he said, “I’ve been busy.”
“I gave it to you several weeks ago.”
“I work two jobs, you know?”
Hannibal blinked. “You do?”
Will sighed. “That’ll be…shit a hundred and ten dollars.”
Hannibal gave him his card and he swiped it, handing him the receipt to sign.
“I thought you knew I had a second job.”
“Brian told me you had an erratic schedule, but no I did not. Where do you work most of your time?”
“This is My Design,” he said, taking the receipt when he signed it, “I…I tattoo people.”
“Oh,” Hannibal said, eyeing Will’s sleeve, “I should have known by your…many tattoos.”
Will smiled and handed him his bag. “A lot of people have tattoos.”
Hannibal eyed him up and down, and Will blushed. “Not like yours. Perhaps I…will visit sometime. I’ve always wanted a specific design on my body, but never quite trusted the process. Would you tattoo me, Will?”
Continued in: AU-gust Writing Challenge 2023 - Chapter 12: Book Store
