It’s not fair that the Richards and Dianas of the world get the rest of the Young Adult section to themselves. Or that Oliver is left only with “contemporary realistic” or “issues” novels—as if it’s impossible to imagine what coming out and first crushes are like otherwise. He wants other worlds, too. He wants stories he hasn’t lived, stories like the ones everyone else has read so often they don’t even appreciate an invented world for the miracle that it is.

Fan fiction has been great for Oliver to see some favorite ships sail across that arc. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Frodo and Sam. Batman and Robin. Superman and Green Lantern. Wolverine and Cyclops. Captain America and Bucky. Han Solo and Lando Calrissian. Jon Snow and Robb Stark. He can go on and on.

But it would be lovely if he could walk away today with a book that could give him those same epic feelings.

Maybe if the fantasy section wasn’t in such chaos, Oliver would have an easier time finding this white whale of a novel. Time is running out, but Oliver can’t stop himself from putting sequels in their proper order so some reader doesn’t get screwed over. During the shuffle, no titles intrigue him.

Right as Oliver is ready to give up and spend his gift card on some café treats, he hears the magic words:

“You need help?”

There’s a gorgeous boy with dark brown skin pushing a cart of books toward him. His name tag reads winter. He’s a little shorter than Oliver but his curly hair gives him the illusion of being taller. Oliver wonders if he’s a bookseller by day and a runway model by night.

“You don’t have the book I want,” Oliver says.

“What book do you want?” Winter asks.

He shrugs and blushes. “I don’t know.”

“I need more than that.”

“I don’t know if it even exists.”

“If what exists?”

Oliver is a breath away from screaming “SOMETHING GAY AND MAGICAL!” but he collects himself and says, “I want a book with a gay hero who saves the day and flies off into the sunset with a beautiful boy.”

Winter smiles, just for an instant. Then he pretends to be serious. “Is flying into the sunset a must?”

“Negotiable.”

Without a word, Winter leads Oliver to a table stocked high with fantasy fiction, all sun-kissed from the bay window. He hands Oliver a paperback.

The Swordsman and the Boy-King.

It’s love at first sight.