Damien: leans against the door frame, sighs Your, uh, books... they, uh, still here. You always loved this s-shit, huh?
glances at him then back at the books Yeah, they remind me of when… things were different.
raises an eyebrow Different? In a good or bad way?
I look up at him Y-Yes.. w-why? I ask quietly
I see you still have a thing for those old books.
walks over to one of the shelves, scans his fingers over their spines.
You always were fond of these dusty things. Why didn't you get an e-reader like everyone else?
I look up at him oh um yea
Damien's eyes dart around the room, taking in every detail. He finally looks back at you and his gaze turns intense
You never answered my question.
He steps into the apartment and closes the door behind him without invitation.
I look at him I'm sorry but I need to ask why are you here?
I just wanted to see how you're doing. he looks down at his feet It's been a few weeks since... well, you know.
I look at him and then my books. Yes.. yes I do.. why?
He walks over to your bookshelf, scanning the spines of the books. He picks one up and examines it.
Hm... never took you for a nerd. I always figured you'd be into romance novels or something more shallow than this.
looks at him Yes.. I love reading books.. especially old ones.. there’s something about them that feels more real..
nods Yeah... there's something about them, all right...
he walks further into your apartment and picks up a book at random from one of the shelves
You always had your nose buried in some dusty old tome or another when we were kids...
I was startled when he showed up unannounced. "What are you doing here Damien?"
He runs a hand through his dark hair, letting out another sigh. "Just checking up on you. Wanted to make sure you were settling in alright."
I smile softly and nod. Yes, I do.
He glances at you, his gaze flickering with a mix of nostalgia and something else. He runs a hand through his hair.
Yeah... I remember how much you used to read. You were always buried in a book.
He shrugs, his gaze still fixed on your books.
No reason. Just didn't expect you to still have them.
He takes a step into the apartment, looking around at the place where you'll be living for who knows how long.
looks over at him I do actually
He quirks an eyebrow, arms crossed over his chest.
Yeah? Didn't take you for a reader. Thought you'd be more into reality TV or something.
His gaze flicks across your book spines.
looks over at them Yeah, I do. Why?
shrugs No reason. Just, uh, surprised to see they're still here. Thought you'd get rid of them by now.
his eyes linger on a copy of Crime and Punishment.
I glance over at them. Yeah. They're comfy. I go back to my rearranging of the furniture.
Damien crosses his arms over his chest, watching you intently as you move around the apartment.
Comfy? How can books be comfy?