A long day

[Noble]

It was late, almost closing time for the dining hall when Greg walked in. He was exhausted from his day of children and just wanted a hot meal he hadn't cooked, maybe some conversation. Sure Dede was getting good at cooking now, but she was off with some friends for the night, which was why he had allowed the siblings of the younger ones to let the children stay later with him. He sat down in a table near the kitchen door and stretched. He could see into the kitchen, it seemed that not many people were working tonight, especially since Greg was pretty much the only one in the dining hall anyway that had come for some food at this hour. He waited, not wanting to interrupt, for someone to come out, he didn't mind. Just sitting felt good after a long day of running around after kids.

[Felix Darrow]

The water was nice, hot and refreshing as it ran over his hand and he tried his best to rub off the chocolate that stained it, the scars on his hands becoming irritated as he did so. Asking one of the other chefs if there was anyone left in the dining hall he got an answer of one and shrugged his shoulders. Saying he would take care of this person—hopefully more wouldn’t pour in—he dismissed the others and they filed out slowly, but Felix could still be seen moving around the kitchen as the door to it closed.

Like any day it had been long, but no less enjoyable, and he was itching to slump into his bunk bed and be lulled to sleep by his little cousin Mika’s account of how her day had gone and who she thought had been mean to whom. Mixing up a few ingredients Felix made something that took him only a few minutes to make—leftovers of the other foods, mostly—and each ingredient was freshly picked that day. Adding a bit of salt to the broth he chopped a lemon into fourths quickly and poured the clear broth into a plain ceramic bowl. Placing the bowl on a tray he fetched a spoon and put it inside, then the lemon to the side in case the person he was serving wanted some lemon. Next he fetched a simple drink, water, and carried it all out on the tray.

Setting it down in front of his only customer he apologized, “Sorry it took so long, but I decided to send the others home. It’s been a long day.” He flashed a sheepish smile as he caught his guest’s brown eyes and took off his mushroom shaped chef’s hat. A cascade of poppy hair fell down his back, and its color complimented his navy double-breasted jacket that was lightly stained with a spill in the kitchen, as were his blindingly checkered pants. Felix made a note to clean them once he returned home, and felt odd that he and this man were the only ones in the dining hall at that time but perhaps he could strike up a conversation for the black haired boy seemed tired. His green eyes searched his face for a second but he said nothing more as he folded up his hat and placed it in his pants pocket.

[Noble]

Greg looked up from rubbing his yes and smiled at the man. It was a bright smile as usual, but some of the shine had gone out of it, like a lightbulb left on too long. He had seen the rest of the cooks leave the kitchen not long ago and figured this man was the only one left. As the man sat down, Greg chuckled, It's absolutly fine, I'm sorry for arriving so late tonight. My sister is out for the night and i stayed late watching the children. Everyone seemed to want a night off except me, guess you are the same, staying late this way... not that you can leave till I do, part of the job right? Greg looked down to the soup and picked up the spoon to drink some. I appologise if I talk too much, but seeing as you decided to sit down, i figure it's ok. You have skills in the kitchen, whipping this up... What's your name?

Greg looked up from the soup for a moment to study the man, watching his red hair cascade down. It was beautiful... He smirked and looked over the rest of the man. He was slight, but looked strong, his clothes were splattered, a sign of a hard day's work in a kitchen Greg knew that much. He had spent pleant of days in a kitchen for Dede and himself when he had been younger. Cooking had never been one of his favorite activities, but Dede had learned to love it. She was pretty good at it now... he hardly saw the inside of this place anymore. His eyes wandered to the room. It hadn't changed much in the past few years, some renovations and decorations, but it was still the same. That was comforting. In a life where so much had changed so fast, the steadyness of the present was nice.

[Felix Darrow]

Felix chuckled at his companion’s words and shook his head. “I’m Felix Darrow, and I can stay here as long as it takes, I don’t mind staying until morning…although then I’ll have to sleep in dirty clothes.” He shrugged his tired shoulders as he folded his arms on the table and rested his head on them, eyes turned to watch his current company. “You’re a child watcher? I have to commend you for that. I only have one, my cousin, and she’s a handful for me already. Can’t imagine taking care of so many, but they’re so lively I love it when they come to eat.”

He knew this made him sound odd, like some sort of pedophile, but he really just loved chatting with the children who always seemed to have something interesting to talk about. Children were sometimes more interesting than the adults, and their stories were not filled with sadness. Catching the smirk he couldn’t help but have a spark of curiosity fill his eyes and a light pink on his face as the man looked him over. There were only two reasons that a man would study another man’s body, so either this boy was a hunter or he was interested in men. Felix always took it in the latter sense until he got to know someone, and the black haired boy was no exception.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable (but not in a bad way) under his critical gaze he asked, “What’s your name?” Waiting for a response he watched him eat because he had nothing else to do.

[Noble]

He had blushed...cute. Greg mentally shook himself at the thoughts that slipped into his mind. No, this was just some cook, forget it, he told himself, best not to drive him off. Felix he had said right? I'm Greg, Greg Noble. People call me by either my first name or last, doesn't matter to me, I reply to both. I promise I won't keep you so that you have to sleep in those clothes Greg chuckled as the man talked about the child watcher job. Children are hard some days, true, but they are a joy for me, it gets me through the day. Raised my sister, so i figured that it was a good fit when they went looking for people to fill the jobs. He took another spoonful of soup, forcing himself to keep from eating too fast. First it would be rude, second he would have to leave. It felt like forever since he had spoken to someone his age it seemed, it felt good.

Felix seemed almost boy-ish as he leaned down on the tale that way, Greg decided then reminded himself of their age. While adults, they were still children practicly, life had made the decision to make them grow up too fast. He swirled the soup and watched the water spin. It felt soothing. Oh being tired was never good for him, he always did something weird, and he wondered what it would be this time.

[Felix Darrow]

Felix smiled tiredly as he listened to his company speak. “Greg. That’s a nice name, your parents named you well.” He complimented as he rubbed his face on his arms. It was an attempt to make him more alert to focus on the conversation at hand, but the warmth of another person beside him coupled with his pleasant voice were drawing him closer and closer to sleep. Not wanting to be incredibly rude to Greg, who seemed nice, he sat up and intertwined his fingers in front of himself. Stretching his arms out he was able to wake up his senses a tad, but he didn’t notice that his stretching had also accentuated his lightly scarred and burned hands.

“I don’t mind staying; really I don’t, so you can take as long as you want.” He repeated as he lowered his hands to the tabletop and fiddled with them absentmindedly, thumbs circling one another as if in a competition. He smiled at Greg’s chuckle, liking how it sounded and thought it suited him. “You have a nice laugh,” He complimented without thinking as a light blush immediately engulfed his face. He tore his green eyes away from Greg’s face and directed them towards his hands, noticing he was doing something stupid again with his fingers that probably made him look fidgety and impatient.

No, he thought, I can’t be thinking about my guest that way. Shoving those feelings away and locking them up inside where they would have to fight to disturb his conversation he let out a small nervous laugh. Yes, he had thought that Greg was cute as soon as he laid eyes on him and even more so when they began to talk but he couldn’t act like a coy school girl the whole time they were conversing, blushing and averting his gaze every other sentence. What would be the point of their conversation then? It wouldn’t be enjoyable for him or Greg, and as the host he couldn’t subject the poor man to that.

“I know how you feel about that.” He said, referring to his job. “I feel the same way about my job. It’s hard, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” Not wanting to sound like a creeper he made no comment on the sister, but wondered if she was Mika’s age for his little cousin needed more friends (who didn’t?). Still looking at his hands he glanced at Greg to see his reactions to his weird behavior and said, “I hope the soup is to your liking and,” he added a bit shyly, “that you’re having fun swirling it around like that.”

[Noble]

Greg continued to eat as he watched Felix, the way he rubbed his face on his arms, it reminded him of a young child, tired but not wanting to sleep. He looked at the man's hands as he stretched, scarred, poor thing probably from when he began to cook. How else wouuld one get scars on their hands like that. Greg kept himself from catching those hands and looking more closely at them. yep, he decided, I'm acting like a teenager... what is with this atmosphere? He could tell Felix felt it too as he blushed from his own comment about Greg's laugh. He felt drawn toward Felix and he smiled, trying to brush the feeling off. Thank you Felix... Now it was Greg's turn to blush. Was he really doing that so much? He ooked down and nodded. As I said, you must be very talented, to whip this up in the kitchen on your own... I could never be a cook.

The soup was about half gone now.... and Greg felt a small sadness as he realised it. He only had a few minutes he cokd blame on eating to stay, if he stayed after.... What would this guy think? No he wouldn't keep this man any longer than nessary... Greg didn't want to think about the scene he came up with in his head involving knifes and those tired scarred hands... another scar to the back-drop of flesh. No, that would be bad... But he felt as if he didn't want to leave either... but what to say? So... you said you have a cousin right?... How old is she? He kind of wondered if she was Dede's age... if he could get Dede to be friends with Felix's cousin... maybe he would see him agian, without having to come here for food and leave Dede alone at home. It was a stretch, and a selfish idea, but a good plan none the less.

[Felix Darrow]

Ah, he blushed how—

Pinching his wrist Felix’s pain chased the thought away and carried it to its prison cell so it wouldn’t disturb him, but he’d pinched himself so hard that he was aware the skin would become stained the sickly purple-blue color of bruises. Ignoring the lingering pain he hid his hand and under the opposite elbow (the left) and said, “I don’t see why you can’t be one, it’s fairly easy. All we do is use building blocks to make something, but it’s all edible.” He smiled softly at Greg, his pinch doing little to make him unaware of how brilliant Greg looked with a blush on his face.

“My mom taught me how to cook when I was young, maybe I can teach you. If you’d like.” He offered. Felix wanted to see Greg again, to have a conversation with someone that wasn’t just ordering them to do something. Although he respected every one of his colleagues he couldn’t really be friends with some of them for there was a pecking order in the kitchen as well (executive chef, sous chef and so on). But he could talk to Greg like a normal person, and Felix just couldn’t fathom that someone couldn’t cook. What would happen if all the cooks died then? Yes, he was just doing it so the village would have a cook in that unlikely situation. (Or at least he convinced himself that was the reason, though he truly wanted to see Greg again.)

Surprised as he asked about his sister Felix smiled softly and looked at his hands, surveying his bright red wrist he’d purposely injured. “Mika is nine; she was born when everyone died so I’ve brought her up like my own daughter.” He sighed, the topic of his family’s death weighing heavily on his mind. “She was just a month old when her parents died.” He fiddled with his wrist, rubbing the skin to try and sooth it but only succeeding in irritating it even more. His green eyes went sad for a moment as he thought about his mother teaching him to cook and his father hugging him but he quickly roused himself from the stupor of memories and replied with forced cheer, “How old is your sister?”