Characters: Tsukiyono Omi, Naoe Nagi,
Nancy Wilkens Tsukiyono, and Sarah Templeton
Rated G for General Posturing.
Hefting a suitcase out of the trunk, Nagi set it on the ground with a sigh. It had been a long weekend, with his arrangements taking longer than expected. Mostly because of an unexpected phone call--he scowled. He did not like clients who assumed he was at their beck and call. He was an independent contractor, not a mafia button-man, and if the good senor couldn't understand that, then he might have to take steps.
The rich and powerful seemed to forget sometimes that all the money in the world did little to stop a sniper's bullet. Especially when said sniper was also a telekinetic.
Reaching in, he grabbed another briefcase--this one for his work laptop. Dark mylar and faux leather made it anonymous, with only the elaborate thumbprint locks on the top giving away the value of what was inside--namely, almost the sum total of his livelihood. It was a security risk, bringing it into Tsukiyono's home, but he couldn't afford to be out of touch for three months. Too many things could happen. Empires had crumbled and fallen in less time.
A slam of the trunk lid, and Nagi lifted both cases as he turned towards the house. He was a little later than he had told Tsukiyono to expect him--it was now late afternoon instead of early--but not severely. Smoothing out his expression, he headed for the door. Thus begins the next three months, Came the ironic thought. Here's hoping it passes quickly.
Although Omi hadn't been watching obsessively, he had glanced out the window more often as the afternoon slipped by. He'd expected Nagi to have arrived by this point, and it made him slightly edgy when things didn't go as expected. It was unlikely that any delays had any relevance for him or Nancy, but if something had managed to slip by both him and the paranoid telekinetic. .
The fact remained that he couldn't quite get into his book, and so his attention was instantly caught by a car pulling up in front. Recognizing Nagi's rental with a feeling of relief, he shelved the slim volume and was opening the door as the suitcase-laden man reached the stoop.
"Naoe-san," he said, with a polite nod. "May I take one of those?" His extended hand was stretched towards the larger case, recognizing the computer case by the size.
Nagi nodded, letting him take the suitcase. "I apologize for the inconvenience. I was unavoidably delayed." Deciding no further explanation was necessary, he followed Tsukiyono into the house.
"Please do not concern yourself over it, Naoe-san," Omi said politely. "I'm sure you have had quite a number of unexpected tasks to accomplish." Pausing to let the other man remove his shoes, he led the way up the stairs. "Your rooms were cleaned with the rest of the house yesterday. In the future, you may either take care of that yourself, or let Nance know that you'd appreciate her continuing to maintain them. Whichever would make you more comfortable."
Setting Nagi's suitcase down just inside the doorframe, Omi was careful not to enter the room himself. Whatever arrangement sensei and student made, the least he could do was provide the other man with as much privacy as he could. Meeting the other man's gaze, he lifted an eyebrow slightly. "Would you like to unpack immediately? I thought we could talk over tea and a light snack, but that can certainly wait for a bit if you'd care to settle in."
"Tea would be fine," Nagi said, putting the laptop case on the bed. "I'm sure I will have time to unpack later, if you want to discuss things now." He glanced around the guest room, finding everything to be as he remembered it, then headed back downstairs. Entering the homey kitchen, he had to suppress a smirk. Why do I feel I'm going to be spending a lot of time in here? Suppressing an urge to offer to help, he simply tucked himself into a corner to stay out of Tsukiyono's way.
Setting the kettle on, Omi opened a cabinet to reveal a well-stocked rack of assorted teas. "What is your preference, Naoe-san? It's probable that I have it." He repressed his amusement, not wanting the other man to think himself the target. When really, my addiction to tea would be the joke here. And Nance totally uninterested in any variety I try her on!
"Would you happen to have any Dragonwell? If not, any good green tea will do," Nagi said a bit wearily. Right now he could use the mild jolt a good cup of hot tea would give him. He had no doubt that Tsukiyono had a great many things he wanted to question Nagi about on this whole 'training' process. He needed to be alert and focused, not distracted by fatigue.
"I do, Naoe-san," Omi said with a slight smile, pulling out one of the larger containers. For himself he chose a blend he'd found of white and rooibos teas. Naoe-san did not appear to be in the best of moods; if he was going to make it through the afternoon with his patience intact, Omi had a feeling he would need the soothing influence.
He held his tongue while making the preparations. A few short years ago, if anyone had told me that I would be preparing tea for Nagi in the kitchen of my house in America, where I lived with my telekinetic daughter, and not be so rattled that I filled the air with babble. .he thought, amused. Life certainly could be strange.
As the tray of scones was already prepared from after his baking binge this morning, it was only a few moments before he was settled at the table with the hot water carafe and a small teapot and cup for each of them.
Letting his tea steep for a moment, Nagi gave Tsukiyono a direct look. "So...where do you propose we start? You said earlier that you had questions?" Might as well take advantage of the kid-free time Tsukiyono had arranged, and get any of their...touchier topics out into the open.
"Oh, yes, many questions. I believe I shall set the more specific ones aside until you've had a chance to work with Nance a bit more, and develop your ideas on how to teach her. There are other issues involved in this, of course." Omi paused to pour out his own tea, and took a leisurely sip.
"For example, I'm sure this isn't the only thing you'll be doing with your time for the next three months. I noticed you had a laptop with you. What else do you need? Nance knows better than to ask questions about your other work, and I'm certain two grown men, however prickly, can work out reasonable compromises."
Nagi gave a little shrug. "A fast internet connection should be all I need. We agreed on three months, and I intend to stick to that agreement, whether it be wetwork or otherwise. I wouldn't jeapordize your firewalls with my hacking any more than I would your safety with any wetwork assignments. At least, not while I'm under contract." Even though he ran the risk of going bloody nuts with boredom in the interim...maybe he should pick up a new hobby. Like knitting. Or underwater basketweaving...
"I also intend to pass on any wetwork assignment for the next three months," Omi said calmly, carefully hiding the minor annoyance that caused. Nagi had a point. He had systems in place to cover his own trail, but the patterns had changed with the addition of a third party; moreover, a third party who might reasonably expect to have his own interested persons to dodge.
"You'll find a gigabit ethernet port behind the desk in your study, Naoe-san, and I've modified my firewalls to allow you free access through it. While I appreciate your concern," he nodded gravely to the other man, "I am willing to allow you access as needed if you wish to take the occasional job. I will be continuing my own work in those lines, so with reasonable precautions there should be no visible changes in network activity."
Nagi inclined his head in acknowledgement of the offer. It was gracious of Tsukiyono, if risky, and it was good to know he had the capability should an emergency occur. "Thank you. Barring unforseen circumstances, I've made arrangements so that I shouldn't need to take any work during my time here. Any computer work I do will be more of the...monitoring and back-end programming variety, and no threat to your network."
Reaching out, he poured himself a cup of tea and warmed his hands around it. "Is there a particular reason why you're not taking any new wetwork jobs during the interim? You are not under the same constraints as I am, after all," he asked, only mildly curious.
Omi's lips quirked in a slight smile, and he leaned back a bit in his chair. "In a minor way, I am, Naoe-san. While I am quite . . concerned with covering any trails leading from my professional life to my personal one, the time frame where you will be here would be an especially awkward occasion for those safeguards to fail."
Looking much more amused, he paused to take a swallow of his own tea, breathing in the steam and relaxing further. "Primarily, I think my leaving on a 'business trip' might be inconvenient for you. Normally I pay one of the neighborhood teens to move in and provide an on-site guardian for Nancy. While there are many ways to explain your presence to my neighbors, and I don't doubt I shall need to use several of them, I believe that Sara would find you . . a bit too intriguing on a personal level, for your comfort?" He raised an eyebrow at Nagi, eyes dancing.
"So, you're turning down jobs to protect me from the onslaught of a hormone-ridden teenager?" Nagi asked dryly. "Thank you for that, at least." He thought for a minute, then raised an eyebrow. "How are you planning on explaining me to the neighbors, anyway?"
"I did want your input on that," Omi said quietly. "You do not have the attitudes of someone accustomed to living in America, Naoe-san, so the easiest explanation I have thought of is that you are an acquaintance from my days in Japan. My neighbors understand that I am in the 'security' business, but I have made sure that none of them are inclined to bring the topic up. If we let it be known you work in the same field, they are not likely to ask you any questions," he said dryly. "Perhaps you could have a short-term contract here in the States? Anyone likely to ask would think three months of overseas telephone charges to an employer would be a perfectly good excuse to visit an 'old friend'."
"We would have to be very GOOD friends for me to be staying in your home for three months," Nagi pointed out. "Unless Americans are more casual about such things than I think they are."
"Americans are casual about a great many things, Naoe-san, and they are also creatures of habit." Omi shrugged. "As time goes by, people will notice that you are spending a great deal of time with Nance, and their own minds will supply satisfactory reasons. If you would prefer we use another story, I am open to suggestions."
"They are your neighbors, Tsukiyono-san, not mine," Nagi replied. "You're the one who will presumably have to keep living next to them. Ultimately, it doesn't matter to me what cover story you use, as long as you're not screaming from the rooftop that you've recruited an ex-Estet telekinetic to work for you for the next three months." He gave Tsukiyono a challenging look.
That made Omi laugh openly. He carefully put his cup down and crossed his hands over his stomach, eventually winding down into chuckles, then getting himself under control.
"No, Naoe-san," he said, lips twitching, "I don't expect to be shouting anything from the rooftops. I may have lived in America for the past few years, but I haven't gone that native. Frankly, my neighbors will not expect an explanation to be offered. If any ask, we can simply say that you convinced your employer to offer me a contract as well, when his operation expanded. If we're working together, they would expect you to find living in an actual house more comfortable than a hotel or rented apartment for an extended time frame."
"True enough." Nagi took a slow sip of his tea, letting the flavor spread across his tongue. It was indeed Dragonwell, and he took a moment to savor the taste, watching Tsukiyono carefully. Years had passed since the last time Weiss and Schwarz had clashed, and Nagi was willing to bet more had changed for his rival than just his appearance. With only rumor and reputation to go on, the question remained: did those changes make Bombay more dangerous...or less?
Loathe to break the mood, Nagi decided he had no choice.
"So. What are you going to do the first time I push Nancy until she collapses?"
Omi sobered a bit. All right, straight to the training portion of our business discussion after all, he thought a bit wryly. "Besides make you either carry or lift her up the stairs to sleep it off?" he said mildly. "Not much. It's a necessary part of any training, Naoe-san, for any number of reasons, all of which apply to Nance." He took another sip of his tea, and deliberately relaxed his shoulders again.
"It is a different perspective, looking at training from a father's point of view, and there may come a time when you have to forcibly make me think logically about something. It isn't going to be over the basics, though."
Filing away that reaction for future analysis, Nagi leaned back. "I hope you're right. I don't want to have to worry about defending myself from you while I'm working with Nancy." He flicked his gaze away for a moment, contemplating the cup in his hand. "I'll be honest with you, Tsukiyono. I've never trained anyone before. All I have to go by is my own training, and a good deal of that..." He shrugged a little, trying to stay cool and detached. "Well, it doesn't apply."
There was a sharp 'crack'. Both men looked down at the cup in Omi's hand, which was now split into two neat pieces, and spilling rivulets of tea from the cracks.
Sighing faintly, Omi got up and put the remnants of his cup in the sink, and rinsed off his hand. Back to Nagi, he forced himself to sound calm as he said, "While I plan on leaving training methods up to you in the main, I do need to draw the line at brainwashing and mental conditioning of that nature, yes."
That was certainly....unexpected. Apparently Nagi had further to go than he thought to figure out how Tsukiyono worked.
"We appear to be talking at cross-purposes, Tsukiyono-san," he said, equally calm. "I know very little about mental conditioning except the obvious. That sort of thing was usually best left up to Schuldig." He tried to gauge Tsukiyono's mood as the other man came back to the table. "I was speaking more of the nature of my training. As we have already established that you don't want Nancy using telekinesis to kill--and most of what--and how--I was taught was geared to do exactly that." He raised an eyebrow. "At this point, I'm just hoping that the basics are universal enough that I do not have to follow Estet's example."
"As am I, Naoe-san. I would definitely have to take issue with a course of training which followed Estet's program." He leaned back slightly in his chair, deliberately smoothing his expression to blank calm. "Schwarz is not the only survivor of that organization, and I am well-suited to recognizing the tell-tale signs of esper use. Much of what I have heard from those few others I have met is exactly what I do not wish my daughter to suffer." He gave Nagi a long look. "You were my first choice to train Nancy precisely because I do not believe you would choose to use those methods."
"However, I am aware that if Nance is to learn how not to use her Talent to kill or cause accidental harm, she needs to understand what to avoid. That isn't going to be pleasant for her. It won't be pleasant for me." With a small, crooked smile, he admitted, "And given that you'll be dealing with both of us, I doubt it will be pleasant for you. I'll do what I can, to keep her calmed down, without undoing your efforts. And I tell you now, feel free to tell me when I need to calm myself down. This isn't my most rational subject," he said ruefully, turning his teapot around in a circle on the table by lightly pushing on the handle with one finger.
Nagi let the pause stretch, thinking about everything Tsukiyono had just said--and what he hadn't. God, I wish I had someone to consult with about this... He could call his teammates, he supposed...but Schuldig would laugh his ass off. And Crawford would tell him this whole thing was a bad idea--and he no doubt would be right. Thinking of his team, though, brought up another question.
"Exactly who have you met from Estet, anyway? And what did they tell you?" For Tsukiyono to have run across other psychics...it might be more than just coincidence. Nagi found himself wondering what kind of misinformation he might have to deal with.
"I won't give you names, Naoe-san," Omi said, shaking his head slightly. "They're even more interested in hiding than you are, because they aren't as powerful as any of Schwarz, so they're more likely to be fodder for people interested in useful tools. As to what they've told me, it was enough to make clear that Estet wasn't interested in producing independent thinking or encouraging any tendencies to being your own person. I was especially disenchanted by the way they talked about the mental conditioning they went through," he said, lips thinning. Not that Kritiker didn't do their share, but not anywhere near as extensively as Jans described.
"Hn." Nagi eyed Tsukiyono coolly. All his information on Estet is suspect, then. He decided not to push harder for a real answer. He had to pick his battles, after all, and this one wasn't that important--at least, not yet.
"But I hadn't actually anticipated that you would have a training regimine designed already, Naoe-san," Omi said mildly. "I would expect you'd need to observe and test Nance for a bit, to find out where she is, and what I might have taught her that doesn't actually make a lot of sense." Shaking his head slightly, he shrugged a bit. "Hopefully there isn't too much of the latter, but I'm sure there is some, as I was making everything up as I went along. As you pointed out, I'm not a telekinetic, and my ability to imagine what it's like is limited."
Deciding there was enough tea left in his pot, Omi stood and retrieved another cup. Returning to the table, he paused long enough to take several swallows. "I was thinking you might have some questions about our household routine, and requests to make. We both wish you to be as comfortable as possible, living here." You're twitchy enough just being around me, Omi thought dryly, please DO give me ways to keep it from getting worse. The last thing I need is another assassin living here who's on a hair trigger AND riding the edge because of some annoying little quirk we have...
Just what do you expect from me, I wonder? Omi seemed to think Nagi would have all the answers--if not now, then soon enough. Nagi couldn't help but wonder how much of that seeming confidence was born of desperation. "You've already made it clear that my privacy will be respected, which would have been the main thing. Beyond that..." he gave a little shrug. "Respect the time I spend working or meditating, and we shouldn't have any problems. It's been a long time since I've had to live in close quarters with someone else. I shall try to stay out of your way, but you may have to re-educate me on the responsibilities of a guest."
Omi smiled a bit. "For that, you might want to apply to Nance; she goes visiting a lot more often than I do, and with the exception of the babysitters who are here when I am not, we haven't ever had a guest here. You won't be expected to do chores or anything of that nature; Nance gets twitchy if too much of the cleaning is out of her control, and I'm just as possessive of my kitchen. Ah. . Nance mentioned you had something to ask me, about the furo, Naoe-san?"
A question? Nagi had to think a bit, back to their conversation, before he remembered. "Oh. Yes, that." How to phrase this politely? I don't know how Western he's gotten... "Do you have a preference as to whether I bathe privately or not? I personally do not care, but...there are marks I have which might bring up questions." Tsukiyono would no doubt know exactly what he meant.
Omi blinked a bit at that. "You are welcome to do as you wish, Naoe-san. Nance is no stranger to scars; thanks to Kritiker, I don't have as many as I should, but I have enough. She certainly knows better than to be so rude as to question you about them."
Then he snorted. "Although if she becomes fond of you, and decides you have too many of them, you may have to endure a few black looks for not being careful enough, especially if you manage to acquire a new one during your stay. I assume she offered you the choice?"
"She mentioned the option, yes," Nagi said carefully. "She didn't appear to care either way. Do you? Nancy-kun is still young, but I am not a family member, after all..." He wasn't getting the impression that Tsukiyono was bothered by the idea, but better to be sure.
Briefly, Omi pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is one of the areas where I have to walk a fine line between making sure Nance doesn't seem too strange to her friends, and refusing to deliberately infect her with nonsensical Western notions." He smiled quickly at Nagi, realizing that the other man was concerned about causing offense. "She is still young, and as long as she doesn't care, I let her choose her own comfort level. If she offered, then you are welcome to do as you prefer. I do not have any objections to you using the furo whenever you wish, whether it is in use by one of us or not."
Nagi's shoulders relaxed a little. "Thank you. I appreciate it." Thinking, he added with just a hint of irony, "We'll probably need it, too, once we really start working with things." If he was lucky, working with Nancy would improve his own control as well--or at least maintain it. While his physical prowess was not in question, he hadn't tested himself against another telekinetic of any real caliber since Estet fell.
In the process of rising to put his dishes in the sink, Omi suddenly snorted with laughter and sat down again, hard. "Most likely. Especially if many of your lessons have the effect on Nance the first one did!"
"Oh?" Nagi frowned. "I wasn't pushing her that hard...what happened?" I might have to adjust for things, if she's weak enough that a little exercise like that can drain her.
"I am not entirely certain," Omi said, looking and sounding extremely entertained. "We were eating lunch this afternoon, right before Rabbit's mother came to pick her up. She was looking at me while she reached for the pepper, and found the salt first." Starting to chuckle, he explained, "For some reason, this was tremendously exciting. She started babbling about fingers and Naoe-sensei and something being really cool, while gesturing emphatically and apparently trying to stand up and dance in her seat at the same time. The net result was that she flung herself onto the floor, squeaking happily, and then had to rush away when Rabbit rang the doorbell."
He brushed his hair out of his face and grinned at Nagi. "I don't suppose you could explain what the hell that scene was all about?"
"It sounds like she found part of her answer," Nagi replied. His lips curled up into a bare hint of a smile, and he elaborated for Tsukiyono's benefit. "At least, if I'm interpreting the talking and dancing reaction right. That first day--she was very convinced that she would have to see something to move it. So I asked her how her fingers found something when she wasn't looking at it." He paused, trying to think of a metaphor that would make sense to a non-telekinetic. "It's like...blind fighting. If she relies on her eyes too much, what she can do is limited by what she can perceive."
Omi studied the telekinetic for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Hmmm. I'm not sure I understand all the implications of that, Naoe-san, but I shall think on it." His lips quirked slightly. "It sounds as if you've already made a good start in teaching her to think beyond the limits of what I managed to fumble out, which is clearly a good thing." He glanced at the clock, and smiled again, looking amused for no apparent reason. "Nance should be back within half an hour. Is there anything else you'd like to discuss before she flings herself at you and babbles at an incredible rate about what she thinks she's figured out?"
"Nothing immediately comes to mind," Nagi confessed. "Though it might later." He ran fingers through his hair, trying to think. "What about you?"
"Well, to begin with I should probably show you a few things down in the basement," Omi decided, standing again. "If you have finished your tea?" he asked suddenly, remembering his manners.
That's right, Nancy mentioned something about that, didn't she? Nagi stood up, nodding. "Yes, I'm done. And you're right...we never did get around to that part of the tour, did we?"
Omi took the time to rinse out the tea supplies and make sure the kitchen was neat again before leading Nagi downstairs. "I don't know if you prefer to do your own laundry, or have it done by a dry-cleaner's, but the machines are through those doors, along with the freezers and the water heater. Which doesn't usually give us problems. . . ah. That reminds me." I hope I can say this without sounding insulting somehow. . "I have some idea of what your metabolism must be like. Please feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen or the freezers, at any time. While I would like for you to join us for meals, at least for dinner, if you choose, you certainly don't have to try to adjust your appetite to our schedule."
"All right." Nagi looked around as they descended down into the basement, taking in his surroundings. There was a dizzying array of computer equipment, at least as extensive as his own--he spotted two towers and at least one active server, along with their companion monitors and cabling--a great many peripherals and electronics. Tsukiyono's workstation, no doubt. There was also a smaller computer set up to one side, with papers and markers; Nancy's space, if he had to guess. His eyebrows rose as he felt the rugs compress into some kind of matting under his feet. It looked as if the room served more than one purpose.
The rest of the basement was more typical of a rec-room: Nagi registered a large flatscreen TV, a stereo, and some sectional seating without much interest. "I take it this is where you work?" he asked, already knowing the answer. "You have a nice setup."
"Thank you," Omi said politely, deliberately not gritting his teeth. Knock it off, Tsukiyono. Looking at your hardware isn't going to tell him anything more than living here for months on end will.
"There are really two things of note down here; as I'm sure you've noticed, the floor is padded. We move the couch out of the way and practice down here when the weather is entirely wretched. The other is this." He moved down the wall a short way to where a large abstract painting hung on the wall. Done by the same artist as the ones in the den, his rooms, and Nagi's suite, this one was in shades of teal and maroon that were echoed in the carpet and furnishings, as well as a granite gray. A large rectangle, it came within two feet of both the floor and the ceiling. "If you will observe, Naoe-san?"
Making sure the other man could see, he pressed the recessed area in the wall hidden under the frame. The painting swung out, revealing a steep and narrow set of stairs. "There is a trap-door at the top; the mechanism is another recessed panel in the wall, 3 feet off the ground on the right. It comes out behind the obelisk, and is not visible from the street or any of the windows if you stay low."
Raising his eyebrows at the escape tunnel, Nagi obligingly peered in, looking up the stairs. "I'm betting this wasn't in the original house plan... What precautions have you taken so that someone can't use it as a way in? And I assume Nancy-kun knows how that mechanism works?"
"No, this would definitely be an addition. Nancy has drilled in using it; her height would be why the panel is so low." Omi kept his smile small, and suitable to the subject under discussion. . but he was very pleased by the way Nagi had just referred to his daughter. "As for using it as a way in, Naoe-san," the assassin's smile suddenly seemed like a much less pleasant expression. "I wouldn't recommend it. The mechanism is not designed to function from the outside, and anyone attempting to force it will have just enough time to get their body out of sight before they die."
Glancing back over his shoulder, Nagi had no doubt that Tsukiyono was deadly serious. The former Weiss assassin had apparently lost none of his touch with poisons over the years; and had, in fact, parlayed that talent into a few spectacularly gruesome deaths and one formidable reputation.
In retrospect, maybe the family dinners were a good thing. Otherwise he might get worried about exactly *what* Tsukiyono might be cooking into his meals...
Straightening, his only comment was, "Good. One less avenue of attack." His eyes fell back on the computer equipment, and he turned to give Tsukiyono a probing look. "Would you prefer I not spend much time down here?" He may not have to worry overmuch about his daughter, but I would know exactly what I was looking at if I happened to see something. A definite security risk, I'd think.
Following Nagi's glance, Omi felt his jaw clench, and forced himself to relax. . and nod slightly to the other man, as acknowledgement that his reaction had probably been noticed.
"I'm not in the habit of leaving anything up on the screens, Naoe-san, but I'm not going to deny that having you even see my system makes me edgier than inviting you to reside in my home. However, you have already assured me that you don't intend to try and hack my firewalls." He sighed heavily, and ran a hand through his hair, tugging absently on it. "I shall inform you, if I am working," Omi said abruptly, "which will be at times during the school day, or other occasions where Nancy is out of the house for known periods of time. If you would kindly remain on the upper levels or elsewhere at those times, as you chose, you are welcome to treat this area, as much as the rest of the house, as your living space while you are here."
If he wanted to try and crack my system out of curiosity, it would be a more intriguing challenge to use his laptop anyway. At least he won't expect me to be particularly sanguine about this, at least at the beginning... my poker face has limits. "I thank you for the offer, however."
Nagi nodded in acknowledgement. "That seems practical enough. I will make sure to keep myself occupied elsewhere when you are working." Walking a little bit away, he glanced around him once again, committing the basement to memory. "Tsukiyono-san, we are both highly-trained individuals," he said abruptly. "If we don't give each other space, we may end up killing each other out of sheer reflex. But if we can come to an understanding of what our limits are, at least for the duration of my stay, then I think we will both be a great deal more comfortable with this arrangement. Ne?"
Omi nodded, slowly. "I agree, Naoe-san... but I thought I'd managed to adjust to the thought of you being here. I've been poking at the idea of contacting you for over a year," he admitted, "but I could never think of any inducement I thought might tempt you, and until I had the fact that an untrained Talent can kill herself shoved in my face, I wasn't desperate enough to try it blind." Casting a rueful look at his setup, he shrugged. "The strength of my reaction right now surprised me a little. So far, it's the only real problem I've had. But this is a much newer concept for you, and I'm more interested in giving you the space you need to adapt to the idea."
"I appreciate the consideration, Tsukiyono-san. I just don't want either of us to be blindsided by another unexpected reaction--either yours or mine." Nagi left it at that. No point in beating the point to death. "Are there any other security precautions you've taken that you think I should know about?"
Forcing himself to relax, Omi chose to lead the way upstairs again. He can be down here, he can be down here. . but tomorrow is soon enough to deal with it, dammit. "I will be giving you a security tag, now that you have moved in. You're welcome to examine it yourself, or have anyone you like do the same. All yours will do is identify you as a known element to the security system. It covers the entire grounds, and has sensors at all of the windows, weak points on the roof, and so forth. I have a pager that alerts me to any intruders; would you care to have one?"
"I don't think that will be necessary. If anyone approaches while I'm in the house, I'll know. And if I'm away from the house...," Nagi shrugged. "Knowing won't change much." Climbing the stairs, he paused at the top. "I will need to know Nancy-kun's schedule, however, to figure out what time I have to work with."
"Of course," Omi said mildly. "Would you care to join me in the den? That way I can see the car pull up." Again he looked briefly amused. "And I'll tell you what she currently has on her schedule. Everything except her Aikido lessons can most likely be shifted or put on hold if you need the time."
"All right." Nagi headed for the den, letting Tsukiyono choose the chair he wanted before picking one of his own. He settled into it, crossing his ankles and lacing his hands together. I should have brushed up on the American school system, I see. "How long is she generally in school? And how often does she have aikido?"
"She's in class from 8:20am to 3:15pm every weekday; with transit that knocks out 7:30 to 4:00 block. I don't know how you feel about early mornings, Naoe-san, but Nance tends to become rather hyperactive and focused when she's learning new things. Teaching her before school might result in carelessness in public; at the very least it would distract her more than I would prefer."
Omi tilted his head back, reviewing Nance's schedule in his head. "Sailing lessons were supposed to start in a month, but I'll give her a chance to get hooked on learning new things from you and promise to reschedule them, I'm just as glad to have an excuse not to bring up the music lessons again. . hmm. Nance has gymnastics on Wednesdays at 5:30, and Aikido Mondays and Thursdays, also at 5:30. That's three days fairly well gone, what with homework." He looked inquiringly at Nagi. "I don't know how often you wish to have formal training sessions; I can speak with her about putting gymnastics on hold for a few months."
He was careful to hide his wince. This takes priority, obviously. . I'd cut an Aikido night if it wouldn't be impossible to get her back in. But I think I'll make sure and speak to Nance about dropping her gymnastics for a while in private. . and I think I'll make fudge first. .
"Hn." Nagi grimaced internally, careful to keep it off his face. No wonder Estet never wanted to bother trying to give their recruits any sort of normal schooling, if this kind of schedule was the result. Two days a week wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. "How early does she get up in the morning? And how much time does she have on the weekends?" he asked, forming a tentative lesson schedule in his head.
Omi pursed his lips slightly. "Normally she's up around six, so she can eat a large enough breakfast to face the school day. She also walks the labyrinth. If you wish to use that time, you'll need to work it out with her." He shrugged slightly. "She'll do what you say, as her sensei," -or I will know why- "but I know she would miss the labyrinth very much if she couldn't do it at least a few mornings a week."
Glancing at the clock, he rose and went to the window, absently scanning the street. "Weekends I discourage her from scheduling anything formally. The housework is done on Saturdays, and takes most of the morning. I can take over more of that, assuming I can pry it out of her hands. . I might need a sensei's authority backing me up there," and he grinned quickly at Nagi. "Sundays are completely free; she sometimes goes to visit friends, but I don't think she'd object to devoting the day to study now that she's starting to realize how much she can learn from you."
Omi frowned slightly as he checked the street again. Sara was normally very punctual. Absently he thought out loud, "I can explain to her school that Nancy has a chance to study Japanese language and culture with someone who hasn't lived in America for years, as I have. Her grades are high enough, I should be able to arrange a dropped class and an extra study hall . . I check her homework when she does it here, but that's not necessary, the level they have her wasting her time at, and that would give you time every evening. . Ah," he said, sounding relieved. "There's Sara now."
"How much extra time would that give her a day?" Nagi didn't particularly care what teachers and classmates would think; that was Tsukiyono's problem to worry about. His was how to cram a backlog of training into a minimum of time. "I normally do Tai Chi in the mornings; she will need to join me at least a few days a week. I believe it will help with both her control and her understanding."
He tilted his head, registering the presence of a car pulling into the driveway and people getting out without comment. "I will probably try to give her pointers throughout the day, as opportunity allows. But we will need that time on Tuesday and Friday for intensive work, along with at least one longer session on the weekend." He would prefer more time, but it was probably best to start out slowly, until he found out exactly what kind of pupil he had.
"That would depend in part on how much last-minute punishment work she manages to get, Naoe-san," Omi said dryly, moving to the door, "but at least an hour, I would think." He opened the door to be greeted by a nine-year old cannonball trying to knock him down. Taking the blow easily, he wrapped one arm around Nance and smiled at the teenaged girl at the door. "Sara, please, come in. There are a few things I need to discuss with you."
"Of course, Mr. Tsukiyono," the tall girl said in a soft, whispery voice. She was slouched down to look about an inch shorter than Omi, her pretty face half hidden behind a fall of long brown hair. "I'm very sorry we were late. ." As she followed the other two into the den she caught sight of Nagi and stopped, gulping suddenly and blushing rosy pink. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had company."
"This is Naoe-sensei!" Nancy bounced up and down in the curve of Omi's arm. "He's, um, staying with us," she finished a bit lamely, realizing she didn't know how to explain to an outsider.
Standing up, Nagi gave the teenager a polite bow. "Good evening, Miss...Sara?" He gave Tsukiyono a questioning look. "I'm pleased to meet you." Tsukiyono was right about her enthusiasm. Good. It means she will still have enough energy for lessons after school.
The teen gulped, and blushed redder, somehow managing to take another inch off of her height. She ducked her head and squeaked something unintelligible.
Oh dear, Omi thought helplessly, desperately trying to hide his amusement. I knew this was going to happen, but I didn't expect the hopeless infatuation at first sight! Reaching out to rest a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulders, he said calmly enough, "Sara, Naoe-san is a friend of mine from when I lived in Japan. He's going to be staying here for a spell while working on a local contract." Eyes dancing a bit, he glanced at Nagi.
"Naoe-san, this is Sara Templeton. She's the young lady I mentioned, who housesits and takes care of Nancy when I travel. She's also our designated carpool, which is what I need to speak to her about."
Nancy was leaning around her father to peer incredulously at Sara, and looked as though only 'manners' were restraining her.
"Ah. Very pleased to meet you then, Miss Templeton. I'm Nagi Naoe." Nagi thought about offering his hand to shake, western-style, but decided against it. He wasn't sure if it would make the girl more comfortable or less. Noticing her red-faced embarrassment, he politely chose to let it pass without comment. "That's a great deal of responsibility. I'm sure Tsukiyono-san relies on you a great deal."
"I do indeed," Omi said promptly, which had the perhaps unfortunate effect of completing the girl's slide into hopeless embarrassment, but at least broke the fixed attention she was devoting to Nagi.
Sara gulped, and bowed in a clumsy, unpracticed manner. "It is very nice to meet you, Mr. Naoe. Mr. Tsukiyono is too kind, I would have to drive the Rabbit around anyway."
By this point Nancy was giving the older girl a decidedly disapproving look, her arms crossed over her chest. Omi shook her slightly, and frowned a bit as he ordered quietly, "Nance, help Naoe-san settle in please, before you do your homework." He waited until her face cleared, and let her go; with a chirped "Yes, Omi-poppa," she skipped across the room to stand by Nagi. "Thank you for the ride, Sara, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Sara nodded, and looked a bit relieved when Omi said politely, "Nance's schedule is changing a bit, Sara; would you care to join me for tea while we discuss it?"
"I'm sure I'll see you again, Miss Templeton." Nagi gave her a last polite nod, and then watched with no small amount of relief as Tsukiyono steered the older girl into the kitchen. He looked down at Nancy, and asked, "Rabbit? Is that a friend of yours?"
"Yessir, she's my best friend, she's in fourth grade but I see her in study hall an' at lunch an' gymnastics an' Aikido, an' I go over an' play sometimes," Nancy said as rapidly as possible, clearly wanting to get through her answer so she could talk about something else. But then she distracted herself, frowning in the direction of the kitchen. "An' she isn't anywhere as silly as Sara is. Do I really have to be that silly when I grow up?" she demanded in an aggravated tone of voice.
Nagi blinked at her, then said solemnly. "....no. I don't believe it's required." Lifting an eyebrow, he asked, "Why did her parents name her Rabbit?"
The little girl brightened. "It's not? Omi-poppa said it's a biological function," sounding that out carefully, "and I probably wouldn't notice until too late, but he thought I'd recover quick. I'd rather not do it at all, though!" And then she giggled. "They didn't name her Rabbit, Naoe-sensei! Everyone calls her that, 'cause she's almost as shy as Sara. AND she's the fastest runner at school," Nancy said proudly. "She's faster than the eighth-grade boys!"
"A truly tremendous talent," Nagi agreed deadpan. He began to head back upstairs, checking back over his shoulder to see if Nancy followed. "Do you have a nickname too, then?"
Nancy was obediently following. She still looked like she had something on her mind, but perhaps remembering that her father had given her a task to do, she meekly settled for answering Nagi's question. "Nuh-uh. They tried a few, but none of 'em stuck. 'Cause none of them know about my Talent, and that's what would give me a name."
Nagi's face hardened, his eyes growing cold. "You're best avoiding any such names, then. They're more trouble than they're worth." He entered the guest room, turning briefly to look at her. A telekinetic, still free from Estet...still innocent. She was unknowingly enjoying the rewards of what Schwarz had fought for--even if they hadn't fought for *her* freedom. "You look like you have a question."
"Yessir," Nancy said, her eyes widening. Ack! WhatdidIdo? Don't want to show off, really, just don't have anything else stronger than my Talent to give me a name! She fought herself, barely successful, not to take a step back. "I think I figured out part of what you meant, when you asked me about how my fingers work. Sir."
"Good--Tsukiyono-san had mentioned something about that." Nagi turned, and clicked open the latches of his suitcase. He began hanging up the couple of suits that lay on top, grimacing at the wrinkles. Time enough to take care of that later, though. "What did you figure out, exactly?"
"Well, I was thinking about the wrong thing, at first. At least, I think so now. But I grabbed the wrong thing with my hands, at lunch, and I knew right away, without looking at it, because it didn't feel like the pepper shaker to my skin. That's at least part of what you meant, right, sir? When my Talent touches things, I should pay attention to what they actually feel like, because a rock always feels like a rock." Nancy sounded a lot more subdued than she usually did, answering questions, and she was standing meekly still by the door, warily waiting to find out if she was actually in trouble or not.
"Not always, but usually." Nagi gave her a tiny smile, noticing her hesitation. I must have been a bit more harsh than I thought. "Hand me that jacket, would you?" He made a couple more trips back and forth between closet and suitcase, setting out shoes and other sundries. "Sometimes things can fool you, especially when they're not moving or doing anything that might indicate what they are. You might have a hard time telling the difference between a ball and a really round rock, for instance. But you're right. Usually things have a distinctive feel all their own; and that's what I was doing in the yard. Finding out where things were."
Nancy shot a disapproving look at Nagi's back, but tried not to look sullen when he turned around. Now he wasn't acting like she was in trouble, and he hadn't yelled or given her a punishment, which meant she hadn't made her sensei angry. I hate it when adults get all weird, she thought huffily. But what Nagi was saying was too interesting not to distract her, and soon she was helping him unpack while thinking about what she could do with this.
She didn't realize that the smile on her face was rather similar to her father's wickedest smirk as she said thoughtfully, "But I can tell sizes. And teachers are always bigger than kids."
"Yes, they are," Nagi agreed. He shot her a sideways glance, taking in the smile and watching the possibilities churn behind that thoughtful face. "What else do you think you could use that for?"
Nancy clasped her hands behind her back and shifted her weight slightly back and forth between her feet, frowning as she thought hard. "Well. . I guess I could check, to see if anyone was around, before I went places. And I wouldn't have to turn lights on?" That last suggestion was hesitant, and the little girl didn't look very happy. "But it's so hard to do!"
"It gets easier with practice," Nagi told her. "You're just not used to using it yet. It's like stretching new muscles--it can be difficult and painful when you start, but it will become easier later on." He shut the closet door, and moved to the bureau. As he pulled the drawers open, items of clothing lifted themselves from the suitcase behind him, floating easily to his hands. "And eventually you'll barely even need to think about it. It'll just be something you do."
"Yes, Naoe-sensei," Nancy said, sounding dubious. "I'll practice." She deflated a little. "I can't do it at school to look for teachers anyway."
"Oh? Why is that?" Nagi had a feeling he knew what the answer was, but he wanted to hear it to know for sure. And to decide whether or not he approved.
"Omi-poppa says I'm not to use my Talent at school, ever, and I'm not supposed to use it in public at all unless I'm gonna get hurt. Because people might notice," she said, sounding a little sullen as she looked down at her foot scuffing at the carpet.
She sighed. "He says that some people might be afraid, because they wouldn't understand what was happening, and that's scary. And that some people might want me to do stuff for them, things they couldn't do themselves. I know he's right, but it's so hard sometimes, not to! But then I'll be home, and doing something I should know how to do, and it doesn't work right. If I messed up at school, that would be really, really bad." She shuddered a little. "Witch-sensei notices almost everything. I don't want to do stuff for her," and that was said very fiercely, "and she'd be even meaner if she was scared of me!"
It took an effort of will to keep his face smooth and not betray the sudden spike of rage at Nancy's words. He kept his back to her, his hands paused over the bureau, but inwardly, Nagi was growling.
Fucking normals. Can't handle anything outside of their little sheeplike existence, can they? Why not just tie her hands behind her back and tell her to write with her toes? Especially if it makes them feel better! He struggled to tamp the emotion down, knowing he was overreacting. Tsukiyono's rule was a practical one, after all--a nine year old couldn't be expected to know what parts of her Talent she could and couldn't use without other people noticing. Nagi himself made an effort to be discreet, so as not to be noticed. But still....
That rule will need to change, as soon as she proves capable of subtlety, he thought grimly. Otherwise there's no point to this at all. He could see that he would need to have a serious Talk with Tsukiyono about this.
He gave himself a couple of minutes to regain his composure before replying. "That makes sense. And once you get a little older, maybe that rule will change." It damn well better! "The interesting thing about sensing things like this, is that if you do it right, no one knows you're doing it." He turned, and gave her a stern look. "Make sure to practice it just at home though, until I tell you you're doing it right. If you put too much power behind it, people and animals will feel you 'pushing' at them."
"Yes, Naoe-sensei," Nancy said obediently, looking a little doubtful. What am I supposed to do, if Naoe-sensei tells me to do something that Omi-poppa told me not to? she thought, flustered. Omi-poppa said I'm supposed to do what Naoe-sensei says. . but maybe I'd better talk to him some more about that. "I promise. And I'll practice lots!" Shifting again, she changed the subject a little. "Are you finished unpacking?" asked a hopeful-looking little girl.
"Almost." Nagi floated the last few sock-bundles into their designated drawer, then pushed it shut. The ammo and his back-up weaponry could wait until later. For now, they were safe enough inside the concealed inner wall of his suitcase. "You don't have to keep me company if there's something you'd like to do," he remarked as he straightened.
"Omi-poppa said to help you," she said automatically, "but if we go downstairs again, we can find out what's for dinner!" Nancy looked very eager to do this.
"By all means, then." Nagi pushed the suitcase under the bed, then moved out to the study and set the laptop case on a table. "Dinner is much more important than clothes, don't you think?" He cocked his head at Nancy, inviting her to share in the joke.
"Yes!" Nancy said, very firmly. She didn't seem to notice Nagi was joking, as from her viewpoint he'd simply said something very obvious. She bounced once on her toes, and headed out the door, suddenly catching herself on the frame and swinging back. "Is it clean enough, Naoe-sensei? I dusted everything, and I made Omi-poppa help me flip the mattress for you. It's a little heavy for me to 'lift'," she said, eyeing the bed dubiously.
"It's fine," he assured her. "I haven't found so much as a stray dust-bunny anywhere. Thank you." Nagi headed out the door after Nance's bouncing form, letting her lead the way. He felt sure that Tsukiyono would hear them coming long before they hit the kitchen, and hopefully they'd given him enough time to finish his discussion with Sara.
Indeed, Omi was alone in the kitchen when they entered. As he had told Sara that Nancy would not be going to gymnastics for three months, and that if she went this week he would drive her himself (and sworn her to secrecy, so Rabbit wouldn't be spilling the beans tomorrow), he was probably as relieved as Nagi. The last thing he wanted right now was for his daughter, with her uncanny ability to know when a secret about her was being kept, and Sara to be in the same room.
The smell of the hearty stew heating slowly on the range had hit Nancy halfway down the stairs, and she made a happy beeline straight for the stove to get a closer sniff. Omi looked up, lips twitching, from the bread mix he was preparing. "I think a ravening beast has invaded my kitchen," he teased gently. "You that hungry, chibi?"
"I'm starving!" Nancy said, somehow contriving to suck in her stomach and cheeks until she looked ten pounds lighter. "I feel like I haven't eaten in a week!"
Laughing at her antics, Omi said gently, "That's probably because you've been doing more these last few days than you did in the last few months. Go ahead and make yourself a sandwich." While Nancy was burying her head in the refrigerator, he smiled slightly at Nagi. "I hope you'll find your rooms comfortable, Naoe-san. As you think of things you need, just let me know."
"Thank you." Nagi inclined his head, watching Nancy rummage cheerfully through the refrigerator, pulling out one ingredient after another. "You've worked a new schedule out with Sara?"
Nancy pulled her head out of the refrigerator, looking curiously at her father. "New schedule?"
"Don't leave the door open so long, Nancy, you're wasting electricity," Omi said automatically, letting it carry him through the urge to flinch. "And there's going to be times when either I or Naoe-san will be picking you up, instead of Sara, as sometimes you'll need to practice other places." He ad-libbed smoothly, and Nancy ducked back into the refrigerator.
As soon as she couldn't see, Omi shot Nagi a very dirty look, mouthing plainly, "Shut UP."
Nagi raised his eyebrows at Tsukiyono, firmly tamping down on his first impulse to bristle. Instead he moved to one side, pulling out a chair and sitting down with his back to the wall. "You study Aikido, Nancy-kun? Who's your sensei?"
Nancy came out of the refrigerator for the last time with an enormous sandwich in her hands, and her mouth full. Rolling her eyes elaborately to explain that she would of course answer as soon as her mouth was clear, she shoved her door shut and went to sit down at the table, chewing rapidly.
Omi glanced at her, and laughed. "Nance, everything in that sandwich is already dead. If you take civilized bites, it's not going to escape."
Gulping, the little girl said meekly, "Yes, Omi-poppa." Deliberately, she looked at Nagi while she answered him, a fierce frown of concentration wrinkling her brow as she opened a cabinet door and 'lifted' a plate over to the table to put her sandwich on. "Sashiko-sensei teaches me two times a week, down at the Aikido Center. Then I do my homework there, while Omi-poppa has a lesson with her."
Omi had watched Nancy's demonstration with a slightly quizzical look on his face, but now he turned back to setting the bread machine.
Nagi let a small smile of approval escape as he watched Nancy experiment. Good thing she didn't drop the plate. He glanced over at Tsukiyono. "You take lessons with her as well? She must be very good." He didn't really remember how skilled Tsukiyono was in hand-to-hand--back when Tsukiyono was still a part of Weiss, Nagi had never allowed him the chance to try and use them--but Nagi had no doubt that Tsukiyono was adept, given his profession. Which meant this 'Sashiko-sensei' must be formidable indeed.
Omi twisted slightly until he could see Nagi over his shoulder. "My plan was to visit every dojo in the city, when I was deciding where to send Nance for lessons. After Sashiko-sensei" -his tone for that title as honestly respectful as Nancy's was- "literally bounced me around the room and off two walls during our bout, I stopped looking."
"Bounced you? Sounds interesting...I hope I get to meet her at some point." Nagi had to admit, there was a certain amount of entertainment value in the thought of watching Tsukiyono get 'bounced'.
Figuring he had a pretty good idea what Nagi was thinking, Omi grinned cheerfully. "Come with us Monday, Naoe-san," he offered. "I'd be happy to sacrifice part of my lesson time, for you to actually have a chance to spar with Sashiko-sensei, not just meet her." I don't plan on being the only one, Nagi!
Switching his attention to Nancy, he raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you going to tell me what that was all about, chibi? I assume it has something to do with your great revelation at lunch?"
As he'd caught her between bites, the little girl bounced in her seat. "Yes! It works like fingers, it really does!" At Omi's deliberately exaggerated 'politely blank' look, she put her sandwich down and turned in her chair to answer properly. "I told you about how when I was showing Naoe-sensei the backyard, he used his Talent to 'look' at everything?" Omi nodded encouragingly. "I figured it out! Part of it, anyway, I guess there's probably more," she said, sounding practical. "But it's like skin! Kinda. I can feel the edges of stuff I can't see, and guess what it is!" She was beaming happily.
Her explanation put a very thoughtful look on Omi's face, one Nancy seemed to recognize, because she squeaked happily before he even had a chance to make a sound. He grinned slightly at her, looking mischievous for a moment, before saying blandly enough, "That sounds very useful. When you're done eating you need to get started on your homework, but why don't you make a list of at least five things you think you can use it for, and not at school," he warned with a sharp look, "and we'll talk about it tonight?"
Nagi watched the half-spoken byplay between Tsukiyono and his daughter with confusion, not quite sure what Nancy was so happy about. That Tsukiyono approved of her new trick? Or that he was going to allow her to use it? He filed away the comment about school for further consideration.
"Do you want me to get started on my homework as well?" Nagi asked dryly, giving Tsukiyono a slight smirk.
Perfectly deadpan, Omi gravely assured Nagi, "I'm certain you're old enough to have learned proper time-management skills, Naoe-san."
Nancy, caught in the process of opening the door to the basement stairs, snickered at that, and then hastily looked from one man to the other to see if she'd just gotten in trouble.
Omi didn't react immediately, planning on adjusting his tone based on what Nagi would allow.
"You are too gracious," Nagi murmured, draping one arm over the back of his chair. He should probably return to his room and finish unpacking, but he found himself unaccountably entertained by watching the Tsukiyono family unit operate.
When Nagi didn't get upset, Nancy relaxed a little, but still waited warily to find out what her father had to say. All he did was point at the door with a quick jerk of his chin, so she escaped with a rather amusing air of relief about her, shutting the door behind her with a bit of a bang.
Shaking his head slightly, Omi bent to pull a round glass pan out of a cabinet, and then started hauling out baking supplies. "I am glad Nancy's amusement didn't offend you, Naoe-san. Sometimes she manages to surprise me with what she catches."
"Despite my reputation, I try not to be a total ogre," Nagi said dryly. "I think I can stand to be giggled at a bit." Schwarz stopped biting the heads off babies a long time ago, Tsukiyono. He smirked at the thought.
Omi looked up from measuring sugar into the pan, and grinned. "I won't let word get out, Naoe-san. Wouldn't want to damage your street cred." Putting the pan on a low burner and patiently starting to stir, he blinked at his guest. "I realize you said you'd eat anything, but my meals tend to be eclectic. I hope you don't mind oyster stew and flan for dessert; there's plenty of other options in the freezers if you do."
"If it's at least marginally edible, I think I can guarantee I'll eat it." Nagi sobered, his amusement fading. "I'm many things, but a picky eater isn't one of them." He glanced away, letting his eyes settle on a series of hanging pots and watching their diffused reflections. The past was the past. He refused to let it have a hold on him anymore.
Tucking that response away in the mental file folder labeled Nagi, Omi politely acted as though he noticed nothing amiss, producing a dry chuckle. "By now I'm considerably beyond 'marginal', but I'm not sure you would have touched my cooking if I'd negotiated for this same arrangement three years ago. It took me a few months before Nancy would have anything to do with the 'meals' I produced." Setting the caramelized crust aside to cool, he poured milk into the double boiler to scald, flipping over a fifteen minute egg timer.
"I can imagine." Suddenly uncomfortable under the onslaught of domesticity, Nagi got up from the kitchen chair. "I should probably finish unpacking." He paused at the kitchen archway. "Call me if you need me."
Omi glanced over, pausing in the middle of pulling the entire stack of plates, far more than could be needed for a three person meal, out of a cabinet. "Certainly, Naoe-san. Dinner should be ready in about forty minutes." Setting the plates down, he reached up to the top shelf and started pulling out glasses.