"Roman?" Jensen turned, offering his complete attention. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"I-"

"Son- hold on a second!"

The urgency in Jack's voice made Roman turn around in panic. His hands clenched into tight fists, taking hold of his trench coat's thick fabric. He backed up to put as much distance between them as possible.

Roman didn't want to deal with his father. The day had actually started out pretty well, but, unfortunately, his sense of peace had finally been disturbed. Losing his temper, followed by getting into an argument with Jack, hadn't been done on purpose. Preventing things from escalating any further was the most ideal outcome. He really didn't want to be stuck in yet another quarrel with someone who never bothered to listen. Roman just needed to find a way to get Jack to leave-

An arm wrapped around Roman's waist, pulling him against a warm, slightly larger body. He gripped a textured J stitched into the left breast pocket of a fleece letterman jacket.

Jack stopped in his tracks with shocked, wide eyes.

Jensen leaned down, his warm lips brushing against a cold ear. "This is your father, right? Is he bothering you?"

His straightforward question was met with a nod.

The protective arm keeping Roman close tightened by a small margin.

"Well, speak of the devil. I was just about to call you, Ro," Jensen announced with an excited grin. "I'm ready to go whenever you are."

"To go?" Jack questioned with genuine confusion.

"Yeah. We have plans to go to the library together today. I was initially going to pick Roman up from his house, but I just so happened to be passing by when he came out. Which works in our favor. The next trolley should be here soon, so..."

"Oh- I can drive you guys if that's the case-"

"There's no need." Jensen's smile widened. "We like taking the ride since it's on the scenic route. Besides, we wouldn't want to keep you. I'm sure you have other...business...to attend to. I can take things from here."

"But-"

"I insist."

Jensen tugged Roman a little closer. 

Jack glanced between them. His gaze darted to the firm hand planted on his son's waist. 

"...Oh. Oh. I see. If that's the case, then I'll get out of your hair. Roman, I'll reach out again at some point to make plans for our next lunch. I can't say for certain when that would be- just because Rose and the kids have a lot of things going on this month. And we're going to see my family next month. And then we're going overseas for a vacation in the winter-"

"Dad-"

Roman was interrupted by delicate, soothing rubs made above his hip.

"My, what a hectic schedule. So busy. Having all these excursions- you must be quite the family man, huh."

Although Roman hadn't been open about the specifics in terms of his strained relationship with his father, Jensen was observant enough to pick up certain bits and pieces. Declining Jack's initial phone call after moving to Maple Bay said a lot. Roman literally running away from his father and into Jensen's arms was even more telling. Jack ignoring his son's very clear distress to brag about the Rowland family's upcoming plans - well, neither of them felt like listening to that.

Jensen allowed a hint of annoyance to bleed into his words, making Jack deflate.

"Right then. I'll just..."

With a hesitant nod, he gave a quick wave before turning around. His retreating form was watched until his unfamiliar, expensive car drove away.

Roman sighed in relief. "Thank you."

"It was nothing. You wanted him gone. I just did what I could to make it happen."

He couldn't help but smile at such a kind, genuinely selfless act. 

"Were you actually on your way to see me?"

"I was on my way back home after a quick visit to my grandma. But I'm glad we met. I'm not really one for lying, so how about we turn that little fib we told your father into the truth." Jensen reclaimed his arm to put both hands in his pockets. "Would you be interested in coming with me to The Book Nook?"

Roman perked up. Ever since he first heard about the library-bookstore-café, he was overcome by a desire to see the place for himself. He only hadn't gone because his sense of direction was pretty much nonexistent. Having Mikayla's step-by-step guide was the sole reason Roman hadn't gotten lost on his way to her house when he first arrived. Getting to the library alone would be an impossible mission.

Going to The Book Nook with Jensen would give Roman an opportunity to see more of the town without fear of making a wrong turn somewhere.

"Aside from having that horrendous lunch with my father, I don't have any other plans today."

"Then let's go on an adventure."

They both turned to face the street when seeing vintage trolley cars in the distance. 

Roman bumped the shoulder closest to him. "You gonna play the role of all-knowing tour guide?"

Jensen's endearing smile faded into a playful smirk. He looked toward his feet before drawing his gaze back to his friend. "If that's what you want. I'll be the best damn tour guide you've ever seen. Just watch."

*

And he was.

Jensen had taken the Maple Trolley so many times, he knew every single destination they passed when going from Crescent Street, where they boarded, until they reached Cardamom Avenue thirty minutes later. He talked about the different types of eateries they went by, along with explaining the history behind several monuments. Going deeper into Maple Bay also revealed impressive, thriving forests which surrounded occasional parks and outdoor movie theaters. Several farms were seen, people walking around with pumpkins, little baggies to feed animals, candy apples, and other mementos used to celebrate some fall festivals. A large pond surrounded by a clearing was the last substantial view they witnessed upon getting to their designated stop.

Climbing off, Roman looked around at what could only be described as Maple Bay's shopping district. On either side of a wide street, stores lined the sidewalks. People were beckoned over by brightly lit signs, posters about sales, lively music from outdoor speakers, etc. The smell of food from nearby restaurants wafted outward. A few people living in apartments, either above businesses or beside them, took in the sights by relaxing on their balconies.

The environment was an aspect of his old life, but it was one he reminisced about in a fond way.

"You look happy. Is this place a little more up your alley?"

Roman nodded, his steps light and carefree as they kept walking. "I used to live in a big, kind of crowded city. Everything was close together, so I didn't really need to use a car to get anywhere. We had a lot of bodegas, nearby malls, fast food places, things like that. I'm more used to living in this type of space."

"Hm. Noted."

Jensen turned, leading them down a few more roads. He stopped at a large, two-floored building right at the corner.

The Book Nook was printed on a black awning sign with beige letters. Tall streetlamps and potted flowers stood on green lawns around two stone pathways; one leading into the bookstore, and one leading into the café. Tinted windows on the first floor helped to cement an air of privacy for those sitting/browsing inside. On the second floor, colorful light could be seen on the surfaces of nearby bookcases.

Just from standing outside, Roman knew he was going to love the place.

"It's much bigger than I expected," he admitted.

"A lot of our tax dollars go to the libraries, schools, affordable housing, stuff of that nature." Jensen opened the door leading into the bookstore, following behind Roman. "The owners have been in business for decades and have made lots of expansions. The Book Nook started out as just a bookstore. When it became more popular, they added in the café. Then, they decided to use the space above us for sit-in reading."

Roman let his gaze sweep across the room.

The bookstore had a beautiful design of charcoal gray walls and black cherry stained floors to encompass a dark academia feel. Registers lined the front wall with a few cases for books on sale closer to the center. Computers and printers were kept to the side. A kids play area was nestled in a small space close to the wide opening which acted as a separation between rooms.

The café section was much brighter in comparison with its orange walls, yellow bulbs from dangling light fixtures, and electronic overhead menus. Open air refrigerators had a plethora of cold snacks waiting to be bought. A quiet overhead speaker had smooth jazz playing, accompanying the music-inspired paintings hanging around the dining area.

Several people said hi to Jensen when seeing him.

"You're pretty popular."

"I usually come in at this time when I'm working for my evening shift. So I'm a familiar face to some of the regulars. By the way, if you go up there," Jensen pointed to a wide staircase, "you'll find the library. The space makes up the entirety of the first floor. Bookcases are to the side when you walk in. There's a huge area in the back for you to sit and read. You can head on up. I'll just grab a quick snack before I join you. Anything you'd like? I'm sure you didn't eat much with your father, so get whatever you want."

Roman thought about declining the offer. He knew, though, because of their interactions together, one of the ways Jensen showed he cared about someone was to get them food.

Roman took a quick glance through the overhead menu. "I'll just get a medium white tea with two creams and two sugars. For food-food, I'll go for a buttered croissant, a pumpkin bread, and one of those turkey and Swiss paninis."

"Warmed?"

"If that's okay."

"Of course." Jensen nodded in the direction of the stairs. "I'll see you up there."

Toying with his hands, Roman nodded back. He made his way over to the staircase, a hand gliding along the smooth, boxy railing. Upon getting to the second floor, he realized the library had a more intimate, cozy vibe than downstairs.

Long wooden bookcases with volumes upon volumes of literature were spaced out to allow people to peruse without fear of bumping into each other. All around, standing lamps with stained-glass covers bathed the room in warm reds and oranges. Pressed against the back wall, a plethora of sofas, both single seaters and loveseats, were placed atop a large rug. Side tables were kept next to every seat for people to have a place to put their snacks as they read. There were also floor tables and chairs for anyone who liked to read on the carpet instead.

Roman was surprised there weren't any people sitting down at the moment. Still, he considered it a win since he and Jensen would have the space to themselves for a little bit.

Shrugging off his trench coat to drape it over his arm, Roman started walking up the aisles between bookcases. Small white boards on the walls pointed out which genre was located where. He followed a set pathway to get to his most preferred section: supernatural horror/dark fantasy. A few unknown volumes were skimmed over. An occasional book was taken out from its spot to look through the synopsis on the back. In the end, a lengthy novel about underwater cryptids was chosen.

Roman sat down on a cushioned loveseat. His coat dangled over his armrest. A glowing blue button near his leg pushed him into a more relaxed, reclined position. A gentle hum was given in response to the sound of rain picking up. Then, turning onto his side to keep the book propped on his legs, Roman began to read.

The first thing he saw when opening the book was an illustration. A dark, inky ocean was illuminated by random sections of blue. Far away creatures took on strange, winding shapes without any other distinct features. Ones that were closer looked more bizarre. Sea monsters had several eyeballs perched into individual sockets. Bodies morphed in unnatural ways to accommodate for additional, human-like limbs. Joints were bent in all types of directions. Tentacles ended with appendages which looked like they were part fin, part human hand. Faces were nothing more than an explosion of glittering purples and reds mixed into a deep, deep black.

Roman marveled at each individual detail. His finger lightly traced over the name signed by the artist.

Julian González.

A quiet chuckle made Roman look up. He put the open book on his lap to take the snacks Jensen was holding out.

"That's a great one," he stated with a fond smile. "Features artwork by my favorite artist, and is written by my favorite author."

Roman brought his attention back down to the book. He reread the artist's name. He flipped to the front cover to study it again as well.

The Ballad of Silence: by Jessica S. Reed.

Reed...

"You might be thinking it's a coincidence, huh?" Jensen's expression remained happy, yet a certain darkness, one Roman knew well, appeared in his honey-brown eyes. "The author, Jessica Reed, was my mother. The illustrator, Julian González, was my father."

Jensen's apparent use of "was" rather than "is" stood out to Roman. He didn't know much about certain familial issues, except for what Dorian talked about before. Regardless, Jensen's concealed emotions weighed heavily on him. It was easy to see how the topic of his parents really was a sore spot to bring up.

Roman patted the seat next to him. "Well, Julian's art is really beautiful. I'm interested to see how well Jessica's writing is."

Jensen sat down. His food was put on the table to his left. He opened his jacket, revealing a large hidden pocket. A small booklet was pulled out, along with a set of markers kept together by a green rubber band. A pressed red maple leaf acting as a bookmark was set aside. 

"You like art too?" Roman asked with a slight head tilt.

Jensen smoothed out the black and white paper in front of him. "Yeah. I can't draw to save my life, but I do like coloring. Y'know, giving my own character to a picture by the colors I use. Coolness, warmth, richness, intensity- they're all little details you can use to paint a specific narrative, even if what's drawn is completely different."

Roman caught sight of a finished picture on the previous page. While the line art depicted a half hidden sun hanging above a beautiful ocean, uses of dark blues, purples, and greens made the picture feel haunting instead of peaceful. 

He wondered if Jensen used art as a way to show what he was really feeling on the inside.

Keeping his curiosity to himself, Roman leaned back against his seat again. "If you don't mind, I'd like to see how this one turns out."

Jensen peered into bright blue eyes. He glanced between them in silence. His lips parted as if to say something. However, no words came out. They were held back by a rather shy smile.

The two playfully bumped shoulders again before focusing on their own books to pass the time.