Hal must've thought that being fictional was as good as being non-existent in this world.
Perhaps, for him, coming from another world means he doesn't deserve living the same way as the others. He might've felt out of place. After all, that mindset about having an irrevocable fate stayed with them. Along with that was probably the belief that they're different from humans of this world.
Eli finally realized that bacause of that, him seeing her as a tool was more likely an act of insecurity rather than exploitation.
"When I said that I like reading, there's actually a deeper meaning behind it. It's not necessarily because I don't like being with people. Sure, I'm unsociable but it's not the reason why I read instead. My love for books is pure. More than an escape from reality, I believe that books help me understand it even more. By reading, I learn just as much..." Eli started, letting go of his hand and striding over to a nearby bookshelf.
