at one point in your relationship with pope, he started reading before the two of you went to sleep.
his voice had this soft lilt to it, and you swore he'd make the books seem more interesting than they were. in weeks time you felt as if you knew everything about pope's world.
it all happened in the apartment that the two of you had, which was closed to campus, and also was a cozy place to pay rent for easily. you earned your keep working at the university library, and pope worked at a little cafe nearby. sometimes you brought pope back books, a small bundel for him every single time he made a comment about a new paperback or something he'd wanted to try—but you'd never really watched him read. not really.
really the conversation of books had come up as a little joke. you'd noticed him reading one time before the two of you went to bed. he had his reading glasses on, just slightly slipping off his nose as he turned the pages. you swore you saw his lips move just slightly as he read. it was cute noticing how focused he was. completely still as he flicked through the pages.
you stood there for a while, in your white poofy pajamas that you had thrifted. you had brushed your teeth, ready for bed, but a bit curious as you watched pope continue to read.
finally it was after a minute, pope seemed to notice you at all. now there was a stern look on his face, as he put his glasses down, and eyed you up and down. the first time you'd met pope was at the library so of course it took you by no surprise that he read, it just took you by how suprise at how sexy he looked doing it.
"wanna join me?" pope muttered, rubbing his eyes as he leaned over to the other side of the bed to lift the covers. you shimmed in quickly, and then watched him go back to reading. now you looked like a total creep, but you couldn't help it at all.
once again, pope looked up.
"alright, c'mon what's wrong? you've got a strange look on your face," then with a slight shake of a head, pope looked at his book, 'letter to his father,' by franz kafka, "oh man, you're judging me aren't you? listen, i know it's horrible what happens to him, but—"
without a single word, you cupped his face and gave him a long kiss. your hands moved to tug at his hair. pope groaned, the book falling just out of his arms. quickly, you were in his lap, a slight gasp leaving your mouth as you felt his hands on your waist. just as if quickly as it started, both of you were left gasping for air. pope was looking at you with a dazed expression, as you bit your lip to stop yourself from grabbing him again.
"so this is it? kafka makes you hot?"
you glared at him, moving to fix your slightly crinkled nighty. pope had a smile on his face, fixing his ruffled hair. remenants of your slightly tinted chapstick had turned his lips a bit reddish.
you scoffed, "shit. sometimes i don't know why i date you. so stupid for someone—"
pope sighed, pulling you in closer into his arms, "forget it. get back to the part where you passionately make out with me"
and you did just that.
—
extra:
"so you want me to read to you?"
you nodded, a bit shyer than you'd ever been. pope watched you carefully, as his fingers edged closer to the book in his lap. it was something about animals. you inched closer to him, absorbing his heat.
"yes."
(a quiet pause, but you swore you heard what was most important.)
so every night you fell asleep to pope's quiet voice in your ear. sometimes it was about facts, but sometimes it was fiction. but you loved it all. there was excitement in his voice as he first started reading—but then there was this drowiness that would make you feel warmer.
it was these slow nights that you shared with him. questions ran out, and there was nothing but that camity in the air. you'd lay next to his side, and you'd tell yourself it was only to hear his gentle voice, or to watch the light kiss his face you'd listen carefully to everything he had to say, gently grazing over his cheeks as he read.
every night you'd hear the soft flicks of pages and the low timber of his voice, and every night that softness carried you soundly to sleep.
