Daniel had never expected to work at the library before. For that matter, he'd never truly expected to step inside of one. Despite his love of reading, the social stigma of spending time in such a place always kept Daniel away. After all, libraries were just for nerds, right? His average looks and timid demeanor already left him as a bit of a social outcast. Spending time at the library would surely seal his fate.
At least, that's what the young man thought until one day, at his university's fitness center. While running on the treadmill, Daniel overheard Roger, one of his classmates and an infamous gym-nut, talking to his friends.
"Hey, Roger. You coming to the game this weekend?"
"Nah, man. I've got work Saturday night."
"What!? Bro, you've been way too busy since you got that job at the library. Can't you take a night off or something?"
"Yeah, ditch the nerds and old ladies and come hang with us."
"No way, man. I need the money. And besides, I'm pretty sure my boss could lift more than you two combined."
Listening to their argument as they departed, Daniel took a big drink of water and considered what he'd just heard. Surely it wasn't true that Roger was working at the library? Daniel considered a jock like that to be the exact opposite of a book nerd. But maybe if a guy like Roger could find a place at the library, then Daniel could visit without worrying.
And so Daniel found himself cautiously wandering to the library the following day. Despite his trepidations, he desperately wanted to witness inside. He'd spent countless hours imagining the interior of the municipal library. From the outside, it dwarfed the buildings around it and filled Daniel with imposing purpose. With a deep breath, the young man marched inside, eager to set eyes on the marvelous books within.
As he pushed through the entrance and entered the central atrium, Daniel gawked at the cavernous layout of shelves filled with books, magazines, music, movies, and so much more. He spied Roger in a tight green sweater behind the front counter, cheerfully assisting an elderly visitor. Unsure of whether to approach, Daniel slowly wandered forward, hoping that he wouldn't get recognized. It's not like he and Roger ever interacted in any way. What would he even-
Daniel's thoughts screeched to a halt as he walked face first into a wall. Or at least, that's what he would have assumed. The surface was sturdy and unmoving, but with a soft outer texture. As the young man staggered back with a start, he looked up and beheld the "wall" he had just confronted. Only it wasn't a wall. Merely the torso of a man, apparently in his mid-40s, standing over 8 feet tall and clad in a soft green polo shirt and pressed khaki pants.
Staring up at this mountain of a man, Daniel desperately wanted to apologize, but the words wouldn't form. He could see the ripple of thick muscles under the man's tight-fitting clothes, and he was left absolutely speechless. His heart started racing as blood rushed to his face. What was he supposed to do now?
"Are you okay there? I'm sorry, I must have been in the way." A deep voice cut through Daniel's thoughts as the large man gazed down at him with a soft smile.
"O-oh, no... I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going and..."
"That's quite alright." The man studied Daniel for a moment before continuing. "I haven't seen you around here before. This must be your first time. My library's a bit overwhelming, isn't it?"
Daniel nodded quickly as realization dawned and he looked up in wonder. "You own this place?"
The man chuckled and his smile widened, showing off his rows of perfect shining teeth on his statuesque face. His eyes seemed to glow with joy as his wide body shook jovially. "I do indeed! My name is Dorian by the way." He extended an enormous hand and Daniel timidly took it to shake. Dorian's grasp was surprisingly tender and the feeling of his warm hand wrapping around Daniel's own made the young man blush even more than he already was.
"I-I'm Daniel..."
"Well Daniel, seeing as it's your first time here, would you like me to show you around?"
Daniel looked up with surprise and nodded, eager to see all this library had to offer. The next hour went by in a flash as Daniel was whisked from section to section, getting to see the immense offerings the library contained. He marveled at every shelf and fawned over the sheer volume of knowledge and art contained within these walls. The anxiety Daniel had first felt melted away as he smiled and admired the marvels of Dorian's library.
Amid his excitement, Daniel scarcely noticed the fleeting looks of desire exhibited by his guide. Dorian never allowed his gaze to linger for long, but with each look at the young man, he saw a passion and innocence that filled him with excitement.
By the end of the tour, Dorian wrapped an arm around Daniel's shoulder and walked him to the front desk. "I hope you enjoyed everything here, Daniel."
Daniel smiled and nodded, a few select books in his arms. As he placed them on the counter and Roger began to scan them, the two shared a silent moment of recognition. Dorian recognized their gaze and smiled warmly. "Ah! You two must know each other from school." He turned to face Daniel. "Roger has been a fantastic assistant. His services have been greatly appreciated... but I could always use a bit more help around here. Daniel, would you like to join us as an assistant here as well? I can see how much you love it here and I think you're a perfect fit."
Daniel flushed and nearly dropped the books he was retrieving from the desk. It was the last thing he'd expected to hear, but something about Dorian's request just felt so... right. "I... I think I'd enjoy that a lot!"
Dorian grinned and placed a large hand on the young man's shoulder. "Excellent. Then come back here tomorrow and we'll get you all set!"
Daniel melted in his new boss's grip and couldn't help but blush. "S-sure thing!" Rushing out of the library with his books in hand, Daniel could barely contain his excitement. A new job at a fantastic place was more than he could have wished for on his first trip to the library.
~~~
Daniel's first day of training went quickly and smoothly. Dorian gave him a brief tour of the staff-only areas and Roger explained the computer system and front desk duties. He followed Dorian around and helped return books to their shelves, intimately learning the layout of the maze-like building. Despite his laser-like focus on learning the ins and outs of his new job, Daniel continuously felt his mind wandering to lustful daydreams of his boss. There was something almost uncanny about how attracted he was to Dorian. This enormous, hulking, tender man with a bad habit of standing way too close behind his subordinate. At times Daniel would catch a whiff of his aftershave, a bizarre mix of spices and musty bookshelves. Being in his boss's presence for so long warped his thoughts and made it unseemingly difficult to focus, but for the sake of his job, Daniel pushed ahead.
Shaking himself from another uninvited daydream, Daniel continued entering books into the computer system, just as Roger had instructed. The young man was surprised at how quickly he was getting along with Roger, now that they were co-workers. They spent lots of time during slower hours chatting about school and books they were reading. It turned out Roger was a huge fan of fantasy novels, but didn't want any of his meathead friends to know about it. He'd been burying his face in a book here at the library when Dorian had approached him and offered him a job, just like Daniel.
Over his first two weeks, Daniel continued to grow more and more comfortable with the library. His boss and co-worker would sometimes head off to work in the archives - a room Daniel was informed was off-limits to new employees. During their absence, Daniel would occupy the front desk and return books during slow periods. On one such night, after the last visitors had shuffled out, Daniel took it upon himself to reshelve the last of the books and close up the system for the night. Steering the cart through the enormous aisles, Daniel marveled at the wonder of this job. He laughed to himself, realizing how lucky he was that Dorian had approached him before quickly distracting himself with his job to avoid the intimate fantasy that had already started to creep into his mind. Even now, weeks after becoming an assistant, he still could barely avoid lusting after his boss.