Study Session

[halfemptyglasses]

"Oh, good evening, Autor-senpai," Mirai greets when she opens the door to her sparse room. "I'm sorry there's not much."

The plush bed sits unmade, the comforter piled on the end. A small stack of books and papers wait on the low table that serves as her desk next to a few canned juices. Living on the fund for minors provides the necessities but not much else. Still, Mirai can't complain.

"We'll pretty much have to work from the floor," she says, padding over there with stocking feet. "Ah, and please help yourself to something to drink."

Comments

[herr_bookman]

Autor nods again, and then he launches into musing of his own. "That's right. I wonder who pays them, or how you get to be a Cleaner, too--not to mention what magic they use to restore everything that's been destroyed--but, ah, you probably don't need to know any of that for this test. That'd be a Cleaner test."

He smiles apologetically for the diversion, and asks another question. "


What's the difference between an Intelligence Officer and an Interrogation Officer?"

[halfemptyglasses]

"Ah, that... intelligence is about keeping track of information and interrogation is getting it through questioning?"

[herr_bookman]

"Good," he says, picking up another page.

Autor continues quizzing her in this manner, skimming the papers and absorbing her answers. He's proud of her for knowing her stuff.

He ends with a last question, one that has been bugging him for a while since it was only briefly mentioned and not well defined. "What is the Calm?"

[halfemptyglasses]

"That's a period of time when youmu become weaker. It's almost like a hibernation?"

[herr_bookman]

"Hibernation is the word they used," Autor says, setting the last page on the top of the stack. He leans back on his hands and glances at the ceiling, drawing a breath.

"Well, you've done it. You've answered all of my questions, and did quite well, in fact," Autor says, smiling a little. "Are you hungry?"

[halfemptyglasses]

"I did?" she asks, even though he's been confirming her answers along the way. At least it sounds like she has a shot at this.

Mira nods at his next question. "Oh, should we head downstairs for dinner?"

[herr_bookman]

"Yes, you did," Autor says, nodding again. Then he sits up a little, holding up a hand. "Oh, no, we don't have to. If we don't want to, that is. I brought dinner."

[halfemptyglasses]

"Ah? Th-that was a good idea, Autor-senpai. It... I am used to it this way."

[herr_bookman]

And Autor knows exactly what she means, and tries to keep his consternation off of his face. He kicks himself for forgetting that she spent most of her time with the Inami clan in her room. "I'm still glad to see you downstairs," he says quietly.

Autor pulls his sylladex out of his pocket. "Thus do I pine and surfeit day by day, or gluttoning on all, or all away,*" he says to his journal, and out pops his food bag.

The boy rummages around for a while, and then pulls out two large bowls with lids, which he pops off to reveal the homemade udon noodles with tofu and baby spinach, garnished with grated ginger. Steam rises from the food, and scallions and red pepper flakes float in the dark brown miso broth. He sets the bowls on the table, and holds two pairs of chopsticks in his other hand.

*Shakespeare, Sonnet 75

[halfemptyglasses]

Mirai looks into her bowl, inhaling the aroma. "This... is this the udon you said you were going to make?"

[herr_bookman]

Autor nods, and sets her chopsticks down next to her bowl. Making the noodles proved more difficult than he thought it would be, given that Hannibal Lecter stopped by, but Autor isn't about to tell her that.

"Yes," he says shyly, ducking. "I hope it suits. I wasn't sure what to top it with, so I asked Bar."

[halfemptyglasses]

"I didn't know you would bring it so soon," she says, picking up her chopsticks. "Thank you."

[herr_bookman]

"Neither did I," Autor admits, and warmth floods his cheeks. "But I had the opportunity to make it, so I took that and ran, I suppose."

He sips his remaining peach juice, wondering if she'll approve of his efforts. His very friendly efforts. His not crush-like at all efforts. Friends can make each other dinner and eat it in their rooms together. Sure.

[halfemptyglasses]

Mirai picks up some of the noodles, careful how she moves in case they're overcooked. She takes a bite...

"I like it," she tells him.

[herr_bookman]

Autor's shoulders relax. "You do?" he asks, easing into a smile. "I'm so glad."

He sips his broth, and licks his lips, surprised. Autor considered using the milder shiromiso, but he's glad he sprung for the dark, rich awasemiso. The salty, earthy taste is something he's never experienced before, and he absolutely plans to make more recipes with it--especially since Miss Kuriyama seems to approve.

"Do you often have miso, then? I'd never heard of it before this. Or tofu. Or udon."

[halfemptyglasses]

"Oh sure. Those are all pretty common. And seafood, but that's kind of a given since Japan's made up of islands."

The last part spilled out of her mouth almost against her will, and she watches Autor for his reaction.

[herr_bookman]

Autor doesn't react in the way she might expect. He nods, listening to what she has to say, and takes a bite of his noodles. He's clearly practiced with chopsticks enough to get the food to his mouth, but no more than that.

"Oh, that makes sense," the boy says. "By the way, I brought a third bowl of udon if you finish the first one--and, well, if you liked it enough to finish the first one and want a second."

[halfemptyglasses]

She gives an internal sigh of relief and continues eating.

"How much udon did you make, Autor-senpai?"

[herr_bookman]

Autor chuckles, noshing on his noodles. "Just three bowls. Oh, yeah, and dessert."

Friends make each other dessert, right?

"How are your practice sessions with Tahno-san coming along?"

[halfemptyglasses]

"You made dessert, too?"

Mirai wonders if she should invite Autor to study with her more often if this is what she's going to get out of it.

"I haven't had another yet. I wanted to get this done, too."

[herr_bookman]

"Well, I didn't make it this time--I picked it up from Bar, but maybe next time I will," Autor admits, sipping his delicious broth. He likes that better than the noodles, which are thick and heavy.

"Ah, I see," he says, nodding. "Do you know when you'll be testing for your license?"

[halfemptyglasses]

"I don't know. I should probably go while it's all still in my head. Who knows if it's even going to matter? I- I still don't know what the Nase clan is going to do."

[herr_bookman]

Autor rests his chin on his scarred knuckles and his chopsticks in his bowl. "Unfortunately--and this is stating the obvious--you won't know what will happen in your life there until you go live it. I'm sorry if not knowing worries you," Autor murmurs. "And I don't blame you at all; I'm... sort of the same way. I went home less than twenty five times in my almost two years here."

[halfemptyglasses]

"Really? Only about once a month?"

[herr_bookman]

"Well, I was Bound--twice!--for a great deal of time, too," Autor says, taking another bite of his spinach. "But yes, thereabouts. I'd spend enough time at home to get done what I needed to do, and then come haring back to the bar."

The truth is, Autor spent so long reliving the same day that he was ready to die due to lack of variety, and didn't want to go back home once he found the bar. Thankfully, time and the Story started again for him, and he aged properly.

"So I don't blame you for wanting to stay and try to figure things out, or even just rest for a while, or whatever you wanted to do."