Nerdy and the Beast

The voyage home had given Liam some time to recover his strength. He’d spent the first couple of days mildly nauseous and frequently dizzy. And that was to say nothing of how to deal with Emma offering to let him work in the museum. The fact that she wanted him around at all seemed entirely too good to be true and he was worried she’d change her mind.

“Maybe she hit her head too,” Liam muttered. He had decided to handle things one at a time. Getting Laure out of the Sun Sector was the first thing he had to do. Things would be in turmoil with Kamon and a good number of his henchmen gone. Liam had no doubt that there would soon be a bloody battle to see who would claim the Viper’s throne. Despite his emotional turmoil over Emma, his heart felt lighter as he approached Laure’s apartment. Ivan rode happily on his shoulder as he climbed the stairs, knocking on her door.

When she peered out, her eyes widened. “Liam?” she gasped.

“Hi, Laure.” Liam smiled softly and she leaped at him with a small shriek of joy.

“What are you doing here?” she cried, squeezing him so hard he thought his spine might fracture. She was surprisingly strong for being five foot nothing. He gently pried her off, laughing.

“I’ve come to take you away.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“The king is dead,” Liam explained. “I have some money now, and we’re leaving this place. Pack what you want and let’s go.”

“Liam, are you serious? And why do you have a monkey?”

Liam laughed again. “It’s a very long story. I’ll tell you all about it, as we leave.”

“Okay, okay. Let me pack a bag.”

Liam watched her with fondness as she bustled around throwing things into a bag. Her hair was a shade lighter blonde than his own, her eyes a shade darker blue. And she was a ball of sunshine where Liam tended to be reserved and brooding. Laure had an inexhaustible wealth of energy and smiles. He was happy that this place hadn’t managed to beat that out of her.

“I have a gift for you too,” he said, plopping a blue hat adorned with a peacock feather on her head.

“I feel like a proper lady,” she said. She linked arms with him, and they made quite a ridiculous sight strolling down the street.

“So,” Laure said. “Tell me everything.”

They left the Sun Sector behind and popped into a small cafe for lunch while Liam told her all about his wild adventure. She didn’t interrupt except to laugh occasionally and gasp at all his near-death experiences. They had polished off their sandwiches and coffee by the time he told her about the return voyage and Emma’s offer.

“What did you tell her?”

“I didn’t give an answer,” Liam admitted.

“But you want to be with her. That much is obvious.”

“I do. But I…I don’t know. She’s so soft and kind, and I’m just…a wreck.”

“Liam, I hate to break this to you, but you’re pretty soft too.” Laure smiled and shook her head. “You saved a stowaway, and a baby monkey, and you almost died for this Emma of yours.”

“Her life wouldn’t have needed saving if it weren’t for me,” he mumbled. Laure sighed, laying her hand over his.

“My sweet, silly big brother. You’ve got to stop punishing yourself. You are the kindest hearted person I know, and the most loyal. She’d be lucky to have you, and you need someone like her. So, stop sitting around here with that miserable look on your face. It’s quite heartbreaking. You look like a puppy left in the rain.”

Liam made a face at her and she ruffled his hair. “Come on. I want to meet her.”

“What, right now?” Liam protested as she hauled him from his chair.

“If not now, when, dear Liam?”

“In a week?” he suggested. “I don’t even know what to say to her.”

“Now that’s a load of horse shit if I ever heard it. Liam Bardot has never been at a loss for the right words.”

“Laure, I can’t do this. I can’t face her again. What if she changed her mind?”

“You’ll never know until you try. And she didn’t change her mind.”

“You’ve never even met her,” Liam said in exasperation.

“I know you, and what girl wouldn’t love you and your adorable face?”

Liam rolled his eyes but Laure was relentless. She was a tiny blonde bulldog dragging him up the street. She practically shoved him through the doors when he dug his heels in and resisted going in. Ivan made a chattering noise from his shoulder, as if he was also telling Liam to go inside.

“You’re both tyrants,” Liam grumbled, finally letting himself be pushed inside. The assistant, Harry, was at the front desk, looking at them like they were lunatics.

“Is that a monkey?” he demanded, incredulous. “You can’t bring a monkey into the-“

“Liam!”

Liam turned just in time to brace for Duncan’s enthusiastic hug. The boy slammed into him and nearly sent him sprawling.

“Oh!” Laure cooed, bending down to study him. “You must be the brave Duncan I’ve heard so much about.”

Duncan turned scarlet, smoothing his hair. “Yes, Miss.”

“I’m Laure. My brother told me all about you, and I wanted to thank you for looking out for my Liam.” She planted a kiss on Duncan’s cheek and Liam thought the boy was going to keel over.

“Can I help you?” Harry called, sounding disgruntled.

“We’re looking for Emma,” Laure said, when Liam didn’t answer and pretended to be fascinated by a spot on the floor. Harry seemed to recognize Liam and was giving him a bit of a wary look.

“I’ll go get her!” Duncan volunteered. He zoomed away before Liam could say anything. Laure laughed at the look on his face.

“She’s a girl, Liam, not an executioner.”

“I told you, I’m worried she changed her mind. We should just go before we cause a scene-“

“You must be Emma!” Laure pushed past him, flouncing up to Emma and embracing her. Emma didn’t look quite sure what to do with the bouncing ray of sunshine currently talking at her a mile a minute.

“Liam got shy and was worried about coming but I told him he had to come talk to you. I’m Laure, by the way, I suppose I should have started with that. It’s just Liam told me all about what happened so I feel like I know you and I’m so happy to meet you. You’re just as pretty as he said you were. Tell me, does your hair curl like that naturally or do you have a trick-“

“Laure,” Liam interrupted loudly. “What have we talked about, you have to breathe between sentences. Now thank you, very much, for all that. Why don’t you go over there somewhere and ask Duncan about his favorite exhibits?”

He wrinkled his nose at her but she was just smirking.

“Of course. You two kids have fun. Duncan, why don’t you give me a tour?”

Liam ran a hand slowly over his face. “Christ,” he muttered.

“She’s chipper,” Emma remarked.

“She’s a menace. I think Duncan might be in love with her though.”

Emma’s lips twitched. Liam cleared his throat, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“So, can we maybe talk somewhere that’s less conspicuous? Your assistant is boring holes into my head.”

Emma gestured for him to follow her and led him into what must have been her office. She perched on the desk and folded her hands. She raised an eyebrow when Liam just stood there looking queasy. He stood up straighter, trying to suppress his nerves.

“Well. I suppose you’d like to know why I’m here,” he said.

“I am a bit curious,” she agreed.

“I, uh. I had heard that you were looking for someone to dust artifacts and catch people falling from ladders.”

“Oh? And what makes you qualified for such a prestigious position?”

“Well, not to brag, but I’m something of an expert waterfall diver. And I have some experience catching people who fall off ladders. And I manage to keep my apartment clean all by myself. If you need a reference, this dapper gentleman can vouch for me.” He gestured to Ivan, who stood up taller on his shoulder and waved around the slice of orange he’d been munching on. Emma looked like she was trying not to laugh at his antics.

“I must confess though, that I don’t really want to work here due to a passion for history.”

“You don’t care for history, then?”

“I like history fine. Most of it, anyway. But the real draw for me is actually that I’m madly in love with the curator,” Liam said quietly. He was still a bit tentative. “I’m not entirely sure if I really am qualified for the position, Miss Cunningham, but I am dedicated to becoming worthy of it if you’ll give me the chance, and I am a pretty fast learner-“

He barely even saw Emma move as she hopped off the desk but quite suddenly she was leaping into his arms, nearly sending him crashing into a bookcase. She lifted up on her toes and kissed him.

“You’ll have to forgive me, Miss Cunningham, it’s been a long time since I’ve done a job interview. Is this normally how they go? It hardly seems professional.”

“Shut up,” Emma laughed. He tapped her nose, and tucked a loose curl behind her ear. Then he leaned down and kissed her again.

“Does this mean I got the job, or is it just a way to dull the sting of rejection?” he teased.

“Yes, Mr. Bardot. You got the job.” She brushed her fingertips across his face. “But I have a confession too.”

Liam raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“I’ve grown very fond of Ivan.”

Liam laughed. “I can’t say I blame you.”

She giggled, then grew more serious. “And to tell you the truth, I really only posted the position of Ladder Spotter because I was hoping to fall into the arms of a handsome blond adventurer again.”

“Then you’ll be pleased to know, Madam Curator, that my arms are very much at your service whenever you need them.”