Red X Reader~Bookworm

    Your eyes scanned the fine print paragraphs, after finishing the page you flipped to the next one. And to the next one, then the page after that. You were such a sucker when it came to reading; every afternoon you sat on your favorite velvet cushioned chair in the living room. That chair was placed in the corner of the room next to the fire place that you loved to keep lit during late night readings.

     Reading to you was absolute bliss; It kept you at ease. Your mind raced when reading action or horror, your eyes softened at romance, and your eyebrow seemed to twitch during a good fantasy. Whenever your brother Green got home from work or his morning runs, he always read your expression when you were reading a book.

    When he noticed your face was laid back and your mouth left slightly open, he would ask, "Did they make out yet?" Or when your eyes showed fear and worry, "Are you reading about scary clowns?" He knew you way too well. You didn't mind him though. However, if he brought an occasional friend over, which would most likely be Yellow, they would pester you with questions.

    The only friend you wouldn't mind if he came home with Green, was Red. He was practically as quiet as you. You always thought that Green preferred more talkative friends, but you sure weren't going to complain about it. The most unusual thing about Red was his crimson red eyes. They held emotion, almost as if he talked with his eyes. His appearances were rare though, Green once told you that he lived up on Mount Silver as the Pokemon champion.

    Currently, the time was a little past rush hour, and you were cuddling into the armrest as the words on the page danced in your mind. It was like a symphony from an orchestra. You rested your fist under your chin, and lifted your eyes from the book to look at the dancing flames in the fireplace. A puff of smoke drifted up into the chimney, and a calming crackling sound can be heard as the log fell apart.

    Your eyes glanced at the time, and your lips curved into a frown. It seemed that Green was going to be late from work tonight, and that meant the dinner that awaited him on the table is going to turn cold. You closed the leather bounded book in your hands, and stood up stretching your sore muscles from all the hours reading on a chair.

    You made your way to the house phone in the kitchen, and turned the knob to dial Green's cellphone number. Leaning the speaker against your ear, a series of beeps can be heard until a familiar voice spoke, "Hello?"

    "Green, it's [Y/N]. When exactly are you getting home?" You inquired trying not to sound annoyed.

    "Sorry to worry you, sis. I'm just picking up a friend, and having him stay the night at our place." He answered simply through the phone.

    You huffed in annoyance, "Green! We have only two bedrooms!" You fidgeted with the phone cord as you waited for his answer.

    "Don't worry, sis! I'll be home soon!" You grunted as he hung up his phone on the other side. You placed the phone back on its stand and sighed deeply. Green was sometimes the most rude brother someone could have. You looked over at the kitchen table that had two plates with steak, green beans, and mashed potatoes. The steam from the food when it was taken off the stove disappeared, you sighed again and returned to the living room.

    You took a moment to stare at the fireplace. Just minutes ago there was a log surrounded in orange and red flames, but it tempered down into tiny flames with pieces of coal. You took a metal rod that was leaning against the wall, and poked the pieces of coal making the flames roar taller.

    The peaceful moment next to the heat of the fire was broken when a certain brother slammed the door open making you flinch. You clicked your tongue as you saw Green walk in with Red trailing behind him.

    He took off his jacket and put it on the wooden rack next to the door, "Your not reading a book, that's a first." You grunted and turned back towards the fire hearing his footsteps walking away. "I know you already met Red- Oh! Thanks for making dinner, sis." He called from the kitchen.

    "I decided to do something more useful than order pizza. However, it's cold now because of you," you responded. Once you heard Green trying to pick up a conversation with Red, you retreated to the velvet chair in the corner.

    You picked up the leather book once again and resumed reading. Your thoughts drifted from reality and into the world of your book. Before you knew it, hours passed by. Hours of page turning with the occasional poking if the fire. The rambling from the kitchen was toned down to nearly a whisper, and you enjoyed it. As you progressed later into the night, you here all the traffic from rush hour come to a complete stop. All the car horns and children yelling from outside came to a close, leaving yourself to drown in the peace of nighttime.

    "Where am I sleeping, Green?"

    You turned the page, frowning that you were nearing the end of the book.

    "Is the couch okay?"

    You frown deepened and your shoulders tensed when you overheard Green. When you remembered Red was over and not Yellow, you relaxed the tension in your shoulders.

    "Sure."

    Footsteps came walking towards the living room, and you heard a few 'good nights' get thrown around until it settled into silence again. You ignored Red's presence as he draped a blanket over himself on the couch. It didn't look like he noticed you, and you decided you wanted to keep it that way.

    Your eyes stopped abruptly at the sudden end of words in your book, and that's when you realized you just finished it. Silently sighing to yourself, you closed the book. You regretted making any noise when you saw a pair of bright red eyes peer at you in the light of the fireplace.

    The two of you gazed at each other for a few moments until you broke the ice, "I always wanted to ask you this question. Why don't you talk that much?" You saw Red's eyes alter slightly as he sat up on the couch.

    You saw him shrug as you leaned your head against your fist. "Nervousness? Fear of people not liking you?"

    Red sighed deeply and weakly replied, "I'm afraid that I'm going to say something I regret." Your eyes sparkled slightly when he talked because it was rare for him to even look at you.

    "Do you regret that statement?" You asked slyly, hoping to get an answer out of him.

    "I guess not."

    "Then you should speak more," you said simply. You saw him fall back down on the couch closing his eyelids once again. Letting out a tired sigh, you stood up and went to the kitchen to get a cup of water. When you returned to the living room, you poured the water onto the fire. All of the dancing flames turned into a light steam that ascended up the chimney.

    You took another glance at Red that was now snuggling under his blanket. "Maybe some people are good after all," you whispered to yourself. Yawning silently, you stretched your arms over your head and walked past your velvet chair with the intention of going upstairs to your bedroom. As you walked by the chair, you glanced at the cover of the book you just read laying on the side table. You paused slightly allowing your gaze to study the leather cover, then your eyes shifted again to the sleeping figure on the couch.


    Romeo and Juliet