Mission 1

[skysmirror]

Who: Xion, Aeleus, and Even
Content: Xion helps take some food to Even, and decides to move in. Because someone needs to make sure he’s taking care of himself.
Location: Traverse Town, Third District, Even’s apartment and lab.
Time of Day: Evening
Warnings: Awkward rubbish family moments?

Xion had been happy to help Ienzo and the others by taking some food they made over to Even’s. She knew for a fact that he’d lose track of time while working on something; the question was to what extent. Her memories of any time spent with Even were hazy, so she wasn’t quite familiar with exactly how necessary it was for someone to remind him about the necessity of things like food and sleep. Ienzo had confirmed some of her suspicions when he’d supported her idea of staying with Even, but she wanted to see for herself.

Of course, there was the question as to whether or not he’d listen to her suggestion. Apparently Even would usually listen to Aeleus, though, and Aeleus had wanted to come along anyway. If she could get support from him, her chances would be much better.

It didn’t take them long to reach Even’s place and knock on the door.

Comments

[defrostedpride]

Even unhooked the freshly-made beaker of Ethers from the support rod and started to decant them into the bottles standing ready. His equipment was not all he could have wished, so he had to chill the mixture himself, lowering the temperature slowly by hand until it finally coalesced. It was one of the more tiresome aspects of this work; had the end product been less useful, he would not have bothered.

The knock came just as he was tipping the last Ether into its bottle. He sealed the lid meticulously and only then went to answer the door.

"What? Oh. Hello?" He wasn't entirely sure what they were doing here. Had he invited them for some reason and then forgotten about it? It seemed unlikely.

[earthshatter]

They hadn't been invited, so Even could at least rest assured that his mind was still as sharp as ever. All the same, there were certain disadvantages to people knowing his general sleep schedule (or lack thereof). As such, when Aeleus had learned that Xion was planning to go see that Even remembered the basics necessities, he'd figured things wouldn't go too terribly amiss if he came along as well.

"Good evening to you as well, Even."

[skysmirror]

Invitations were a concept Xion hadn't been introduced to save in a vague way through Sora's memories. Most of the time she'd simply either knocked on her friend's doors to see if they were in their rooms, or looked for them in places they could usually be found in the castle. She'd apologize for interrupting his work later. For now, she held up the basket she'd been carrying so he could see it better.

"Hello. Ienzo made dinner, so we brought you some. I think Namine put some cookies in for dessert."

[defrostedpride]

"That's a highly flawed logical construction," Even said, but he opened the door wider anyway.

Inside was the storefront, with a few rows of bottles lined up on the shelves behind the counter. It was tidy, somewhat neurotically so, but didn't appear to have seen significant use. Through the door behind the counter, the room behind it could be seen, and that did appear to have seen significant use. Nothing was currently bubbling, but it seemed not impossible that mysterious bubbling would spontaneously commence at any moment. It was that kind of room.

[earthshatter]

Flawed construction or not, their presence didn't seem to be actively disliked, or at least no more so than usual. All the same, Aeleus offered a polite nod as he stepped into the shop. Even could very well have refused to let them in, after all. He was largely unlikely to do so, but he could have if he'd been so inclined. Offering something akin to a brief thanks surely couldn't hurt.

"It's not an inconvenience, I hope?"

[skysmirror]

Highly flawed logical...Oh. Even thought there was a problem with the logic in what Xion had said. She'd thought it was clear enough, but maybe it wasn't. At least Even didn't seem any more bothered by that--or them--than usual and let them in. Once inside, Xion took a look around the room. Trying not to stare, she did do her best to be observant. It wasn't until after Aeleus spoke, though, that she really remembered her manners.

"I'm sorry if we bothered you."

[defrostedpride]

"You're not," said Even. "It's fine. I was finished, anyway." He stole a glance through the open door to check that his row of Ethers was as he had left it and hadn't exploded or grown legs and walked away. Stranger things had happened.

"Just put the basket down somewhere. Somewhere sanitary!"

[earthshatter]

"Of course." Even if Xion hadn't come to visit Even in this capacity before, Aeleus couldn't be surprised by the request that it go somewhere sanitary. Admittedly, he hadn't had any intention of doing otherwise, but there was a sort of habitual pattern that they'd long since fallen into and there was no sense in breaking it now.

"Is there somewhere where it might stay relatively warm?"

[skysmirror]

If it were anyone but Even, Xion might have thought Even was hinting that she might put the basket somewhere unsanitary if he didn't warn her. As it was, she had the idea that he talked that way to everyone. Aeleus seemed to take it as a matter of course.

"Maybe we could put it in the kitchen?"

[defrostedpride]

Even did talk that way to everyone. The time Braig put the sandwiches down on the countertop before it had been cleaned tended to linger in the mind, and this lab didn't have the safety accoutrements Even would have preferred. Or any safety accoutrements, really, unless being only a few steps from the regular shower counted.

"The kitchen is up the stairs and on the left," Even said, gesturing them through. "The oven should still work. I haven't had the time to extract the heating unit. Or any structure to extract it into. Yet." Nor was it in line with lab safety protocols to keep running things in need of heating up to the apartment proper, which put a certain limit on how much he could heat at once.

[earthshatter]

The curve of Aeleus' eyebrow says that he doesn't entirely approve of the idea of stripping the heating unit out of the oven simply for a chance to have something more appropriate to whatever scientific endeavors Even my have in mind, but he leaves that discussion for later. Instead he nods his understanding, though he doesn't head for the stairs just yet.

"Will you be joining us?"

[skysmirror]

Xion had begun walking towards the stairs as soon as she heard the directions to the kitchen, but stopped when Even continued. Messing with the heating unit in the oven didn't sound like a good idea to her, either. It was needed for cooking and keeping food warm, for one thing, and she couldn't imagine how he'd even do it, for another. For a moment she was tempted to ask, but Aeleus spoke first and reminded her of why she'd come in the first place.

"There's enough for all of us."

[defrostedpride]

Even understands Aeleus's eyebrows perfectly. "It's a much better use of resources to have it somewhere it will be of use. Actually, it might be most efficient to move the entire oven down here, if possible...hmm, yes...that would solve the problem of creating a separate structure to house the heating unit..." Better watch out, Aeleus, or you'll be asked to move furniture.

"...You were staying?" He doesn't mean to object, particularly, but it sounds rather otherwise. "I thought you were just bringing alms to the busy."

[earthshatter]

It wouldn't be the first time Aeleus has been asked to move furniture. That said, Aeleus isn't really certain that Even should be thinking about something quite so involved. After all, he might end up needing the oven for its intended purpose some day and wouldn't it be best to keep it in the same place as the rest of the kitchen supplies, in that case?

"Neither of us has anything particular pressing that needs to be done." Besides, it was just as likely that Even would forget about the offering they'd brought, if left to his own devices.

[skysmirror]

Moving the oven seemed like a lot more trouble than it was worth to Xion. It would be heavy, and not easy to move at all, plus it was needed in the kitchen to make food. Or keep it warm, as the case might be. Even seemed pretty strict about where food was kept, and while Potions and Ethers weren't harmful, they weren't exactly the sort of things you wanted accidentally spilled on your lunch.

She nodded in agreement with Aeleus's statement. "We thought we could all eat together." There was certainly enough food.

[defrostedpride]

"...I'm not sure there is enough tableware." Meaning he's quite sure there isn't; Even didn't consider the possibility of guests when he bought necessities. "But I'm sure I can...find...something?"

He isn't entirely sure how this works. It's been a long time, and he was never very good at it. Following them up to the kitchen seems like a start. He does so.

[earthshatter]

"I'm sure we'll be able to find something." If nothing else, Aeleus wouldn't have been at all surprised to find that Ienzo had quietly slipped some silverware in with the rest of the meal. But there was certainly no sense in worrying about it now. If there didn't turn out to be enough, they would simply have to make do.

Still, beyond that, there's relatively little to do until they reach the kitchen, and so Aeleus simply continues on behind Xion.

[skysmirror]

"We can manage." Xion nodded in agreement with Aeleus. Chances were definitely good that Ienzo had predicted this possibility and added some silverware to make up for what Even might not have. If he hadn't, they'd work something else out.

The apartment not being huge, the kitchen was fairly easy to find. Having no idea that it might be rude to do so in a home that wasn't her own, Xion led the way.

Once in the kitchen, she paused. "I guess we could put everything on the counter over there?"