The Weirdos

26

"Help me carry him to the living room."
Jasper opened his eyes.
"Is it safe to look?"
"Yes, it's safe. Now help me get him to the couch."
Jasper looked down at Narcolepse, then over at where Books was standing.
"How?"
"God, just leave him there, then. It'd probably be best if we did, anyway. He'd chew our heads off if he knew you had touched him."
Jasper scoffed.
"Oh, so it's ok if you touch him?"
Books gave Jasper a bored look.
"Yeah. In case you haven't noticed, he trusts us. He knows us. You... He doesn't know you at all."
"Ok, yeah... That's fair."
Jasper fell quiet. Books sighed.
"Look, it's nothing against you. He's just been through hell and he doesn't trust easily. I'm not completely positive on this, but the more we all get to know each other, maybe he'll try and be at least a tiny bit more civil."
Jasper nodded, then carefully stood after lowering Narcolepse's head to the floor. Books stared quietly at Narcolepse for a moment, then took the first aid kit back to the kitchen. When he returned, he said,
"Come with me to the library."
Jasper followed Books out into the long hallway and down to the library.
"You know how to read, correct?"
Books said as they entered the large room completely filled with bookshelves.
"Yeah."
"Good. Because I'm gonna have you sit and read some books until dinner."
Jasper sighed.
"Do I really need to?"
"Yes. It sharpens the brain and... stuff. You'll learn shit."
Jasper raised a brow. For a smart guy, Books really didn't speak or dress the part. Books still wore his pajamas this late in the day. The brunet began picking books off the shelves and stacking them in Jasper's arms.
"Uh..."
He looked down at all the books, then at the brunet again.
"Isn't this a bit much?"
Books laughed.
"You'll get bored of one and go to the next. That's the point. You switch subjects like in school."
"Oh."
Was all Jasper could think of to respond with. Books settled one last book on Jasper's stack, then led him to a place to sit and read.
"Get page turning and I'll come get you for dinner later."
Jasper nodded and Books left the room. He had six books in total, all sitting stacked on the table in front of him. They weren't small by any means and it made his head hurt already. He didn't even know what they were about yet. Only one way to find out, though. He picked one off the top and opened it to the title page.
The Genetic History of Mutants Through Time
Jasper groaned and pushed it aside, then picked up the next one to read the title.
Mutant Field Guide for Beginners
"Nope."
He pushed it aside and grabbed the next.
A Brief History of Known Elementals
Jasper felt his brows pull together and looked over the book. It was big in size, but... Thin in pages. He gulped and put that in a separate pile. He never wanted to look at it again...
Elementals and their Significance
"Seriously, what the hell are these?"
Jasper shook his head and grabbed for the fifth book.
The Ins and Outs of Being Weird
Jasper stared at the book cover for a long time. It looked like an old journal, the title written in delicate cursive handwriting and the pages all yellowed out, but thick. It was kept closed by a simple elastic band, colored black and looking somewhat new. He wanted to read this one. He really, really wanted to read this one. But, he couldn't bring himself to open it. Not yet. This one would be saved for last. He put it aside and looked at book number six.
Elementals:Where the World Ends
"Seriously?!"