[closed] Oh Captain, my Captain.

[respectedboy]

Dean hadn't exaggerated when he told his roommate that he would be spending most of his time in the library.

He's there now, in fact, dragging a hand along the shelf edge with less excitement than he normally would.  Fiction, non-fiction, reference.  His entire life feels like a laughable farce, now, so what's the difference between books?  Reality

Comments

[paper_due]

Mark left all but his absolutely essential books at home, so here he is in the library, looking for reading material. He's already got something in mind, running his finger over the spines of the books as he checks the call numbers.

And then suddenly there's someone sitting in front of the next shelf. Right where the book he wants should be.

"Um. Would you mind moving a little?"

[respectedboy]

"Hm?"

Engrossed in A Study in Scarlet - one of his favorites by far - Dean glances up and takes in a slightly rumpled student who looks like he's on a mission from God.

"Oh. Oh! I'm sorry!" Scrambling to his feet and out of the way, Dean backs up against the opposite shelf, clutching his book to his chest, and grimaces apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sit down and read, it just sort of happened."

[paper_due]

He smiles.
"I get it, really. I just needed--"
He begins skimming the shelves again...but it looks like The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes isn't here. He thinks at first it's been misshelved, but then he finds the gap where the heavy volume was. And realizes what Dean's holding.
"Oh."
Awkward.
To cover himself, he pulls another book at random.
"This. You can have your spot back."

[respectedboy]

Dean recognizes the look instantly. He's seen it plenty of times before.

"You wanted this, didn't you?"

He holds out the copy of Sherlock Holmes and grimaces apologetically.

"I've read it more times than I can count, I don't need to read it again."