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[xerxesalchemist]

[Action for housemate] [Trisha, there's someone next to you. He's fast asleep, kind of sprawling everywhere in the bed, all bony knees and elbows, golden hair loose and fanned across the pillows.]

[Action for anyone]

[Van's gotten the basic rundown, even had the entire problem of timelines explained. Now, he's just exploring. He could probably be mistaken for Edward Elric at first glance, the same golden eyes and long gold-blond hair, but his build is different (thinner, for one thing), and he's kind of lost-looking (but not frantic, not obviously looking for anyone), and he's wearing basic Mayfield clothes but no shoes.

Maybe Ed and Al had a brother they never mentioned before.]

Comments

[xerxesalchemist]

[He sits where she places him, tugs the robe closer around his thin frame.]

Thanks.

[He'd offer to help, except the only thing he's good for in a kitchen is hauling in wood for the fires and scrubbing pots and pans and spills.]

[nurture]

[he'll have to get used to being coddled, because Trisha does a lot of that...

she has a lot of time to make up for, too. even if he can't remember as much.

she goes to the stove and sets a few pans going-- eggs, bacon and sausages, toast, some fruit, freshly squeezed juice... he's going to get the full nine yards and be left wanting for nothing!]

I know you must have a lot of questions...

[her voice piques up from the middle of her cooking endeavor where the silence save for clink of pots and pans had settled over them.]

If there's anything I can answer or help you understand, you just have to ask, dear. Alright?

[xerxesalchemist]

[The coddling is going to be the hardest part, at first. He's never really met anyone so nice.]

Um. [What to ask? He probably should ask something, since she offered information.] How long have you been here?

[nurture]

In Mayfield...?

[she puts a finger to her chin, looking thoughtful a second.]

It's been a few months, total. The season is late summer if the heat didn't give it away. It's a little strange to wake up to a different season, isn't it? Or was it hot at home, too?

[xerxesalchemist]

It's always hot there. [During the day, at least.] It's a desert.

[nurture]

Oh! Hohenheim...!

Have you seen snow?

[xerxesalchemist]

[... Snow?]

... No. I don't think so.

[nurture]

Really? [she looks rather delighted at this prospect.] In a few months, it will get cold enough and I'm sure you will see some! There was a big blizzard last year... oh! We can build snowmen with Ed and Al!

[xerxesalchemist]

[Her delight is contagious, and he smiles.]

Yeah. I'd like that.

[nurture]

[his smile melts at her... he can probably see how happy it makes her in turn, and she's going back to cooking practically humming with palpable warmth.]

I know this sounds strange, but...

I'm so happy to see you again, dear.

[xerxesalchemist]

[And "again" is wrong, but he's still happy to see her.]

Yeah. Nice to meet you.

[nurture]

[it feels like no time at all before she has everything cooked and ready for him -- it probably smells a lot better than the breakfasts he's used to for sure.

she's setting it in front of him with eagerness, wiping hands off on her apron with a sunny smile.]

There! Now you better eat up and I expect you to clean your plate, too! You're far too skinny, you know that?

[xerxesalchemist]

[It smells nice (different, but nice), but he's got no idea how to eat the food. In Xerxes, they don't really have utensils, but this doesn't look quite right for eating with his hands.]

Looks good. Thanks.

[Meat, eggs, some kind of fruit, juice, a piece of something (bread, maybe) that he picks up and takes a careful bite of. It's pretty good, but different, and he's hungry.]

[nurture]

[he could eat with his hands... and she'd probably laugh fondly and correct him. her poor husband...]

Can you tell me more about home, Hohenheim?

[the stories he told were old... sad. wistful. she wants to hear what it was like without years of guilt and regret marring it.]

[xerxesalchemist]

[He's going pick up some of the fruit now. He's more used to dates and sometimes figs than to whatever these are, but fruit is always nice.]

What'd I tell you before?

[He doesn't know how much she knows.]

[nurture]

You can tell me from the beginning! Anything and everything!

I want to hear it all from you, even if I might know a little bit from before.

[xerxesalchemist]

[... how does he eat this egg? He's going to take it apart with his fingers, pull it into manageable pieces.]

Master's an alchemist, owns thirty slaves. I'm teaching some of the others how to read and do some numbers. [Really basic, barely literate, but he's been teaching what he knows.] I'm learning alchemy.

[nurture]

[she'll just subtly place a fork in his hand. dear, you're going to make a mess of yourself that way!]

What have you managed to learn now? [the word 'slave' still makes her heart ache...]

[xerxesalchemist]

[But he's used to eating with his fingers! The fork just confuses him, and he fumbles with it, trying to get the egg stabbed and then into his mouth.]

Uh. Basic stuff. I just started.

[nurture]

Can you show me something? Anything!

[she looks so delighted at this prospect

come on hohopapa show off your badass..... newbie skills....]

[xerxesalchemist]

[His badass newbie skills without regaining his ability to do alchemy. This will end well.]

You got any chalk?

[nurture]

[whoops Trisha isn't used to this regain business not having any 'ability' herself haha... this will be fun!]

Chalk? --Mm! Hold on just one second, dear.

[she's going to disappear into the other room and return with children's chalk she bought for the drone children, handing it over with a smile.]

Will this work...?

[xerxesalchemist]

[He shrugs.]

It should.

[He brushes off a spot on the table, then carefully draws out a simple array. Hands on the table, then a careful breath and he pulls for the energy in the earth that he's learned to feel for. But, it's not there. He can't feel it.]

What the hell?

[nurture]

What's the matter?

[his expression is bewildered, and she looks equally puzzled too. did something happen?]

[xerxesalchemist]

It's, uh... [He looks up, backs away from her slightly. She's going to be angry at him for (what looks like) lying to her.] I swear I can do it! It's just not working right now!