Day 62: Breakfast

[baniichan]

A misplaced sense of familiarity met Barnaby the moment he opened his eyes, and the sight of the blank, white ceiling from yesterday morning greeted him. After rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands, Barnaby sat up and felt around for his glasses. Had he blacked out again and wasted an entire night? Where was Kotetsu? And what had become of the man who had seemingly vanished before his very eyes at the end of dinner?

Once Barnaby slipped his frames onto his face, the world came into clearer focus, even if he didn’t get any answers out of it. He was in his room, and someone had apparently stripped him out of his street clothes in favor of the hideous hospital pajamas. Barnaby wasn't sure what he found more offensive -- that someone here had once again touched his things without his permission, or that he’d been undressed while unconscious for the second time since his arrival.

The thought made his skin crawl.

Just as he looked over to find a lump in the bed next to him, though, his assigned nurse came to retrieve him. He would have to confirm Klavier Gavin's whereabouts later. For now, he had no choice but to allow the nurse to escort him into the cafeteria. Strangely, she seemed to be under the impression that he and the other patients had slept soundly the whole night. While he might have assumed it was an act, Barnaby got the feeling that she genuinely believed what she was saying.

Regardless of her intentions, he knew she wasn't going to be any help. Instead of trying to ask her anymore questions, Barnaby left a note on the bulletin board concerning his roommate. If his observations from yesterday were any indication, he'd get some responses, at least. While he could have taken the time to leave something for Kotetsu, Barnaby didn't feel inclined to do so, especially when he knew he probably wouldn't check the board anyway.

He had no appetite this morning, but his nurse wouldn't leave him alone until she'd assembled a tray of fresh, fluffy pancakes for him. Honestly, Barnaby didn't see why some people felt the need to butt into his personal choices like this. At least there wasn't anyone forcing him to eat -- for now, at any rate. He sat down at an empty table close to the wall after setting his food down, privately hoping that she wouldn't try to find a "friend" for him to eat with this morning. He was tucked out of the way, so maybe she would forget about him for a few minutes as long as he didn't draw any unnecessary attention to himself.

Hands neatly clasped on the table, Barnaby didn't look at anyone in particular as patients filtered into the cafeteria for their morning meal. There were too many questions buzzing in his mind for him to focus on the names and faces of people he didn't care about. If Kotetsu wanted to find him, he could. It wasn't like Barnaby was going anywhere.

[For Kotetsu.]

Comments

[idolism]

“What’s so odd about it? Before all you could do was complain about me.” Realistically, Aidou was the one who had done (and still was doing) more complaining about Aigis, but that wasn’t the point.

More odd than that, however, was her so-called ‘favor’. It seemed to take her a moment to collect her thoughts on the matter; Aidou wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or a bad one. Certainly, she was due a favor, but what kind of request could someone like her make of someone like him?

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting to hear, but it wasn’t to be a tutor in the art of humanity. Had he misheard her?

“I did explain that part, right? About my not being human?” His expression was close to a deadpan. Then again, despite being a non-human for more years than Aigis had probably been alive, there was no denying that he had better conversational skills. No contest there. In fact, an infant likely had more skill in that arena than Aigis did. ‘Miss the point’, that was an understatement…

One eyebrow lifted. “Why are you asking me, exactly? Given everything we’ve been through, I’d hardly think I’d be your first choice.”

[no_dont_go]

"It is odd because why would one not wish to warn others about something that is perceived to be dangerous?" As a defender of humanity, warning others about potential threats was just as much of a duty as protecting them from current ones.

"Yes, you made it quite clear that you are not human. But that is the point." This certainly was difficult. Aigis had reasons for her choice in Aidou for this task, but would he understand? Maybe, maybe not. He was an enigma. Still, she would try to make him understand.

"True, we may not necessarily be friends, and I would not wish to burden anyone with the task of teaching me, least of all an acquaintance, but..." She took a deep breath. "To be quite honest, I do not think most humans would understand what it means to 'act human.' They are born that way. You and I, however, were not. Therefore, I would think an education from someone fluid in the art of side-stepping human attention would understand better."

Besides, asking her human friends would likely result in their insistence that she needn't change herself. They did not often complain of her habits, but Aigis did not enjoy losing meaning in translation.

[idolism]

“What would be odd is you hoping my night went smoothly if you still felt that way. If you think you need to warn everybody about me, you should be hoping I die horribly, not that I have an easy time of it. And by the way, if you’re still planning on putting up public service announcements about me one day, I will be very unhappy. And we’ll be even, as far as I’m concerned.”

Yes, he could definitely see why she might be worried about missing the point of things, since it appeared to be happening right at that very moment…

On the other hand, once he took a moment to consider her words, her request made a little more sense in comparison. Side-stepping human attention? That was fairly true; for as long as there’d been peace between their two species, vampires had always had to utilize a variety of ways to keep their existence secret. As society was now, vampires were like a mirror for humans, reflecting back on them the ideal versions of themselves. A part of their world but yet above it.

But were they better at replicating humanity than the humans themselves? Unexpectedly, Aidou wasn’t quite sure about the answer. Could he teach someone to act human or was that more like… teaching someone to be a more humanlike vampire? It was a deep well, one cast in shades of grey, and not at all what he had anticipated stumbling into when he’d sat down in the cafeteria that morning. The dividing line between human and vampire was something better suited for the Academy, for the philosophers and elders. For… well, not him. He wasn’t even eighteen yet! How was he supposed to define what ‘acting human’ meant?

The weird thing was, he couldn’t help turning Aigis’ words on himself. How did he even know how to act or not act like a vampire? He just was. He’d been born one. Like a human, he couldn’t detach himself from his own nature; he’d come into the world with his own feelings and impulses, having never needed to be taught them. The same as a human. Exactly the same as a human.

But a human was still different, and to be one meant… what?

Aigis’ request sounded simple, but in reality it made his mind do some increasingly complex gymnastics. What she was all saying was true: he hadn’t been born human, and he did have to act human. So shouldn’t he have the answers? “Uhh… mmm. I guess, yes. Sort of. If psychopaths can learn how to blend in, you should be able to…”

[no_dont_go]

"I have no intention on doing such a thing," Aigis said, her head tilting to affect her confusion. "The danger you represent is real, but it is not malicious. Unless you were to throw away all scruples and attack with the intent to kill the innocents, then I would perhaps do you say and post a warning to the entire institute about you. However, I do hope that such a time does not come to pass."

Aidou seemed too proud to drop into acting like a feral beast, no matter what the situation. Or else Aigis had been duped by a very, very good acting performance. It would not be the first time.

Backhanded comment aside, Aigis found herself grateful he was even considering her request. She nodded. "I have been integrated into society for several months now, but there are some aspects that I cannot easily emulate even with all the hours of personal study. I need a teacher."

[idolism]

“Whatever, whatever, this is getting tedious! Ugh, actually I’m surprised your friends haven’t given up on you already for being so oblivious to subtext…”

Aidou shook his head as if to ward away further hair-splitting.

“Hmph, I might not be a drooling monster, but I’m definitely not a Human Relations professor! Ha, though you’d probably need a long-lived teacher in your state. It’d take at least a hundred years to make you normal.” He sighed then. “What exactly would I teach you first? Reading between the lines? Sarcasm? Or maybe how to talk in something other than a monotone? No, no, how to appreciate vampiric greatness, maybe…”

[no_dont_go]

"Yes, they are generally very patient with me." Of course, Minato and the rest of S.E.E.S. had known of her ignorance of the world when they first met. For them, explaining everything to her had just become the norm.

If Aigis were to be honest, she agreed. It would probably take even more than one lifetime's worth of teachers to get her through all the subtleties of humanity. Since culture was also a living thing, she could hardly hope to keep up with the changes on her own. She wasn't programmed for that.

"That is..." She stopped. Considered. Nodded once.

"I suppose it is a rather large topic and should be broken down into sub-categories before continuing further. Regardless of professional qualifications, you were my first choice because of reasons I've already stated." She took another bite of her meal. As serious as their conversation was, she still needed to eat. "Androids have no culture to speak of and attempting to learn from observance has failed. If it is beyond your abilities to explain conversational complexity..." Then she would have to ask someone else.

[idolism]

Aidou rolled his eyes, vaguely offended by the insinuation that he was incapable. If he didn’t know better, he would’ve thought the girl was trying to bait him into doing a tedious task for her benefit.

“My abilities are beyond question,” he countered. “I have a genius IQ, you know, and if Landel hadn’t weighted the scales in his advantage so utterly, I would have sent him to a screaming death already. There’s very little I can’t do. But teaching you anything would take time and energy away from our little living situation here. Exactly when do you expect me to de-robotize you?”