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It was the day before Christmas Eve, and Belle was locking up the library. It was a bit later than she usually locked up since she’d had decorating to do for the Christmas Eve party she was hosting for the library card holders. Maybe that was why why she never noticed the group of young homeless boys that took to the streets at night. Usually she was safely at home, snug with her nose in a book, or out to eat with her fianceé George. But tonight was different.She ignored the handful of ruffians that passed her, tossing crude remarks her way meant to pass as compliments. She had neither the time nor desire to pay them any mind. She had dinner with her fiancé to get to. And yet they drew her attention as they waved goodbye to another young man who seemed to be indifferent to their departure.The man had on a kilt and thin jacket. In the middle of Winter. Belle found herself drawn to him, curious as to why one would wear such light garb in the midst of a cold, snowy evening. “Excuse me?” She asked pleasantly, wondering if perhaps the man needed help with anything. He was leaning against the library, hunched over, long thick dreadlocks casting his face in shadows.“Yeah, excuse ya.” He grumbled in the thick Scottish brogue that Belle had come to grow used to living in Glasgow for as long as she had. As she grew closer, she could a soft groan. He seemed to her to be in a bit of pain, if the way his body tensed was any indication.“Are you alright?” She asked, concern in her voice.“What the fuck is it to ya?” The man’s voice was gruff and broken. Usually Belle might have huffed and lectured him about being polite when someone tried to help them. But when Belle saw the beer bottle sticking out of his chest, all thoughts of lecture left her. She saw him begin to slide down the wall, and she gasped. Reaching out to support him, she could see the extent of his wounds. The shirt was ripped from where the bottle had cut into it to reach his skin, and the entirety of its front was soaked through with blood. “Leave me fuckin’ be, will ya’? M’lads are callin’ me some help.”“It’s nearly Christmas! Who knows when they’ll get here.” She said, lifting him slightly up and making the laborious walk towards her car. He wasn’t a large man, by any means, however she was a smaller woman and in heels no less! Luckily he was able to put forward some help for her. “Come on, my car is right over here. I’ll take you.” She got him into the back seat where he could lay down and climbed into the driver’s seat.“Got a jacket or somethin’?” He asked her, a bit less harsh as he had been talking to her. “Donnae want to bleed all over yer fancy car.” “It’s not that fancy. Don’t worry about it. Everything washes.” She smiled gently, looking up into the rear view mirror at him. The strange man grumbled something about her car being fancier than anything he could ever own, and Belle got the feeling he wasn’t accustomed to the kindness of others. Belle started the car, turning the heater up so he could at least get some respite from the cold. She only wished she could do something for his pain. She pulled out her phone to call her fianceé and cancel their date, something he didn’t much like hearing. “I know, I know we’ve had plans for a week, but this is an emergency. I’ll call you tomorrow, I promise. I love you..” George hung up without responding, and Belle couldn’t help but feel stung by that.“Boyfriend, then?” The voice came from the back seat, startling her. She’d almost forgotten he was back there. She smiled again, to hide the sting of her unreciprocated words. “Fiancé.”“Dinnae mean to ruin yer date night.” He said, sounding awfully drowsy to Belle.“It’s okay. Hey, just stay awake alright?” She pleaded. “At least until we get to the hospital.” She didn’t know much about chest wounds, but she was pretty sure he was supposed to stay awake. He mumbled out a ‘no promises, lass’. Luckily it wasn’t too much longer before they arrived at the hospital. He woke up enough to let her help him through the front doors.“Nosty. Why am I not surprised?” Asked a redhaired nurse with a sigh. “Here, let’s get you into a room.”Belle waited outside, wanting to make certain the man was alright. She had to wonder if anyone would come for him. When no one did, she decided she would stay until she knew he was good enough to be left on his own. She heard yelling from the room, and as the doctor came out (followed by a “Ya dumb cunt!” from Nosty), Belle stood. “Will he be alright?” She asked the blonde woman.The doctor gave her an odd look, examining her. “He’ll be fine,” She said. “You must be the young woman who brought him in. It’s very sweet of you to worry, but he does this all the time. He’ll be fine.”He did it all of the time? “You mean-- he did that to himself?” She asked, shocked. The woman nodded, looking tired. “Unfortunately. It’s some plot to get a place to stay the night. Listen, don’t worry about him. It’s nearly Christmas Eve love, go home and be with your family.”Belle watched the woman walk away, astounded at what she’d heard. He was homeless, and had stabbed himself in the chest with a bottle just to find a place to stay out of the cold for the holidays. And the doctor meant to help people who need it had just told her not to worry about him. Belle wouldn’t accept that.She stepped into the room as the nurse left as well. “Hey, you’re looking better.” She smiled.“Thought you’d be off ta yer fiance by now.” He said, looking her up and down. He seemed surprised to see her.“I wanted to be sure you would be alright.” She told him.“Well ain’t that just God damned precious?” He scoffed, rolling his eyes.She bit her bottom lip, trying to keep her anger from flaring up. He wasn’t used to kindness, Belle reminded herself. “I also thought you might like to come and stay with me. At least for a few days.” Belle noticed the way he gaped at her, and she suddenly felt self conscious. “What?”“You don’t even fuckin’ know me.” He said. “Why the fuck would you bring me into your house?”“It’s nearly Christmas,” Belle shrugged. “No one should have to be alone on Christmas.”“I won’t be alone, I got mah boys.”“Your friends who left you with a beer bottle in your chest?” She asked, raising her brows and placing her hands on her hips. “They don’t seem like the best company.”“Oi! They’re me fucking family, ya got that?” He shouted, starting to sit up only to sit back when his IV tugged at him. “Who’re you ta fuckin’ come in ‘ere and judge us then, eh?” Belle held her hands up.“Sorry! You’re right. I shouldn’t have been so quick to judge them.” She relented. “But it seems to me you have two choices: freeze your butt off on the streets for Christmas, or come and stay in a nice warm apartment with somewhere to sleep and something to eat.” She waited, watching him expectantly. “Ah fine-- ya pushy bint.” He grumbled, fidgeting on the bed. Belle smiled triumphantly. “But only for the two days, ya hear? I’m not a fuckin’ charity case fer you ta make yourself feel better and brag to yer book club hens.”“Book club hens?” She repeated, amused.“Yer the librarian, aren’t ya?” He shrugged. “I dunno what you people do.” She chuckled softly, and somehow the laughter seemed to relax Nosty.“Come on, put your shirt and jacket back on and we can get going.” She told him. Getting in the car after being checked out, Nosty laid his seat back a bit and put his feet up on her dashboard. Belle swatted his feet down. “None of that, I just cleaned it.”“Ah, well pardon me.” He was mocking her a bit, but she paid him no mind. “What do ya reckon yer man’ll say to a wanker like me stayin’ with ya?” Belle shrugged as she pulled out of the hospital. “Who says he has to say anything?” She asked. “We don’t live together. It’s my own place.” Nosty made a thoughtful sound.“And who’s to say I’m not some thief or rapist then, huh?” He asked her. “You don’t know me one bit.”“I know you don’t have a place to stay, and I know I can take care of myself. What else do I need to know?” She asked him. Nosty merely shook his head and pulled out his knife, toying with it. When they got to her building she got out and led him to her flat door, unlocking it and letting him in. The place was nice and warm, and her little black and white fuzz ball of a cat came to greet them. “The fuck is that thing?” Nosty asked. “She is a cat.” Belle told him, giggling a bit as she closed the door. “Her name is Rose.” Belle knelt down to scratch her behind the ears as the cat stretched in front of her as though she’d just woken. “Make yourself at home, Nosty.” Belle said, moving toward the kitchen to get them all something to eat.As she set to work chopping vegetables, she could see Nosty wandering around the small apartment exploring. She wondered how long it’d been since he’d been in a true and proper home. It made her sad. She started them both up some nice hearty soup, and watched as he and the cat seemed to have a staring contest. Nosty made a sharp movement to try and frighten Rose, who just blinked and walked away. From the kitchen, Belle began to giggle. Nosty looked up at her, frowning with something that seemed close to a blush coming to his cheeks. “Ah piss off.” He said, waving her laughter off and plopping on the couch.They ate in the living room, and Belle made sure there was plenty extra soup for Nosty to get as much as he liked. She sat on the other end of the couch with her feet pulled up around her light blue skirt, white pumps that matched her blouse abandoned in front of the couch. They made some small talk, and Belle found that while Nosty could be crude, he could also be charming and funny in his own right. When they’d finished eating, Belle got extra pillows and blankets from her bedroom closet and set them on the couch. “If you want to shower, it’s the second door on the left. There are extra towels in the cupboard and I set out some of my papa’s old clothes if you’d like something to sleep in.” “Yeah alright.” He said, but from the way he was already sprawled across the couch, she had a feeling he wouldn’t take her up on that offer. She smiled softly and moved into her own room. At the last minute, she stuck her head out of the door. “Happy Christmas Eve, Nosty.” She said pleasantly, having noticed it was a bit after midnight.“Uh-- yeah. Back at ya’.” He replied.