rooftops

chapter 41 ~ nerves

"Why the sudden interest in the books?" I point out, beckoning to his hands.

"Are you saying im not a book person?" he gasps, trying to sound offended.

Tubbo lets out a laugh at his words, making Tommy smile. He knows he has an audience.

"Thats exactly what im saying" I confirm, still staring at him with an eyebrow raised.

Wilbur starts to chortle, quickly trying to mask his laughter as a cough.

"I could read any of these" Tommy argues, actually peering properly at the books now.

Wilbur breaks out into a wide smile, watching Tommy with amusement.

"Go on, pick one then" I challenge him playfully.

Tubbos stare is switching between me and Tommy as we talk back and forth.

Im giving myself something to do by messing with Tommy, its become a regular thing over the past 48 hours.

Tommy goes froms shelf to shelf, hands landing on different books.

Every time he gets close to sliding one out from the neat line theyre sat in, he stops himself, going back to browsing between the books.

His hand eventually lingers on one for too long, and I can tell hes chosen.

"Hmm, this one" he says with a cocky grin.

He pulls it out of its place, running his hand down the cover.

Only after he twists the book around so that its layed against his chest for all of us to see as he pulls a dumb pose like the woman on the cover is when I realize what book it actually is

Pride and Prejudice

Tubbos laughing at Tommys pose, and I can hear Wilbur chuckling away beside me.

But im getting lost in my head again, recalling when id last seen that book.

"Whatre you reading?" id asked him in a tired voice.

"Pride and Prejudice, I picked a random book from the shelf and this is what I got" he had told me, wrapping his arm around my waist as he held the book in his other hand.

"What chapter are you on?" id mumbled, toying with a loose thread on his jumper.

"Just started chapter 7, we're being introduced to.." he skimmed the page, looking for somebodys named. "Mrs. Philips" he'd announced proudly.

"Have you read it?" he'd asked me, his hand gently rubbing my back to be sure that im comfy.

"Yeah, a while back, it can be a hard read though" id told him, dropping the thread to snuggle closer into him.

Im snapped back out of my head by Wilburs voice.

"George?"

I look at him, his face puzzled with confusion.

"Shit" Tommy realizes, looking down at the book quickly and then back at me.

"Its okay" I start quickly, but he looks concerned.

"Im sorry, I didnt-" he blunders, shoving the book back on the shelf.

"Tommy its alright" I repeat.

"What?" Tubbo asks, looking just as confused as Wilbur.

Tommy shakes his head, jumping over the back of the couch to sit beside me.

"Its nothing, Dream read it when he was here" I tell them, "its no big deal, im alright"

Wilbur glances at Tommy, a disapproving look on his face.