nealuchi | wilted one

Title: wilted one
Fandom: Bungou to Alchemist
Character(s): Chuuya, Librarian
Pairing(s): None
Genre: Angst
Word Count: 235
Rating: PG
Warnings: Alcoholism
Summary: Chuuya wants to know if he could be summoned from a different time.
Notes:

"Can you summon the same author from a different point in their life?"

The librarian looks over at Chuuya. "Thinking about delving for a grown-up Miyazawa-sensei?" she asks with a smile.

Chuuya doesn't smile back. "Not this time."

"Well… It's complicated. I could probably get a memoria with someone older or younger, but their main transmigration depends on the strongest emotions in their books, so… It'd be hard to maintain both of you here, too, so of course we'll pick the stronger one."

"…Yeah, I figured it was something like that. Tch." The librarian doesn't ask him to go on, but she looks at him long enough that he does anyway. "If you called a younger, happier me… I'd be glad to give up 'my' place in this library for him. You'd be better off with a Chuuya who was sober, even if he was a little weaker, right?"

"…I'm not going to do that, even if you ask me to. No, especially if you ask me to."

Chuuya carries himself like he's all thorns. Don't come close, don't touch him, don't, he'll hurt you if you try.

There's a flower under there, if you know where to look. It wilts a little more each day, and the thorns prick everyone who tries to tend to it. You can't blame anyone who stops trying, but…

It really was a beautiful flower, a long time ago.