Musty Books (Tag: Anyone)

Getting back to normal again Astrid just continued on her hot chocolate, now eventually really being able to enjoy it again. To Xions suggestion she nodded friendly as she was drinking at the very moment. "Of course we can be friends!"

"You mean you still want to?" Xion asked. She hadn't managed to keep the surprise out of her tone of voice and off her face. She had almost expected Astrid to laugh her off for even asking.

"Yes of course I do. Why not? You seem to be a good person and ... definitely a caring one." She replied smiling gently at Xion. Sure they might not have had the best start for a friendship but it surely could have been worse and there was no offence coming from neither of them.

"I think you're putting a little too much faith in me," Xion murmured softly. She was more critical of herself than she was of others. She tended to put them on a higher pedestal than herself.

"Huh? Naaaah please, you´re not that bad at all." She replied, trying to support and cheer the girl up at least a little.

She supposed the conversation could have been worse. She attempted a weak smile up at Astrid. "Thanks I guess?" she said uncertainly.

Astrid just laughed a little and finished her hot chocolate as well.

"What's so funny?" Xion asked. She hadn't done anything, to her knowledge that was remotely worth laughing at. "Was it something I said?"

"Nah don´t worry about it. Sometimes when people are just happy about something they smile or even laugh. Well ... at least it´s that way for me." She answered.

"Oh..." Xion murmured. Maybe she would go look at those books later. She would be far too embarrassed to go and do anything about it immediately. Certainly not with Astrid watching her research how to make friends.

"So ... now that we have talked enough about your brother and such why don´t you tell me more about you?" She suggested.

"What do you want to know?" Xion asked uncertainly. She wasn't exactly as special as her brother.

"You can just tell anything you want to. For example what your hobbies are or your favorite food or anyy kind of story from your past." She suggested.

"I'm not really that special though," Xion said. "I... draw sometimes?" She was drawing a blank. For all of her 'wisdom' she was left reeling when she was asked about herself. "I drew the design for one of Zack's tattoos? Mom wasn't too happy when she found out about it but I think it looked nice."

"He has tattos?" Astrid repeated with wide opened eyes. Now that she apparently seemed to have missed. "How many, where, what? No wait, nevermind. I´m here to talk with you about ... you not your brother."

Xion smiled. "It is talking about me though, I draw tattoos. I don't get them myself..." Xion said. She never wanted to mark her skin like that. Plus, when age settled in, tattoos just looked gruesome, not at all like the art that inspired them.

"So only tattoos, nothing else? Mmmmh would you maybe be willing to show me some of your designs somewhen?" She asked smiling.

"Well I draw other things I guess... People mostly." Xion said. She never forgot a face. Not even if she wanted to. She could probably sketch Astrid perfectly from memory if she was called to do it. "Um, I could show you later if you want... I don't have my sketch pad with me..."

"Oh that would be great! I´m actually really interested in such things. Especially since I´m not the best drawer I´m always amazed by the talent of others." She said with a chuckle though blushing a bit of her missing talent in art. Or at least she thought so about herself.

"Oh... Um... I'm not that good. I mean I haven't taken classes or anything like that." Xion said quickly. She didn't want to give Astrid false impressions about her skill set. She just enjoyed drawing for the sake of drawing. It was much like her video game habits.

"So what? I´m still quite sure you´re a good artist. Well at least a better one than me." She replied trying to encourage her.

"You sound like my mom." Xion said. Her mother was always encouraging her with her art. She wanted to see Xion do what made her happy.

Frowning at what Xion just said Astrid looked down on the table and then at the side, clearly feeling uncomfortable as she didn´t intend to sound motherly at all. "Uhm ..."

"It's not a bad thing." Xion said quickly, already regretting her words again. She felt she was only putting her foot in her mouth at this point. "She just says the same thing about my art..."

"Ah okay I see. Feard I had annoyed you." She said smiling again and even chuckleing.