in which informational content is secondary

[subtly_artistic]

In what has become a common occurrence, Bella and Celo are hanging out in the hall kitchen, eating something Celo has baked (today: blueberry handpies).

"How's the squinting coming along?" Bella asks, after she has finished her first and is contemplating a second.

Comments

[subtly_artistic]

"Probably he wouldn't want to definitively know. If he suspected he'd make sure I had some ridiculous number of rings of protection and, I dunno, tell you to be nice to me."

[pythbox]

"Yeah," says Celo, "funny thing, everybody's pretty sure I can't actually get anyone pregnant, but I carry rings anyway." He grins. "And I'm already nice to you. If we had sex I wouldn't suddenly stop."

[subtly_artistic]

"Noted."

[pythbox]

He beams.

[subtly_artistic]

"Speaking of carrying things, how does that work? It's very nifty."

[pythbox]

"How should I know?" he shrugs. "I just put stuff away, and then," a foil-wrapped ring appears between his fingers, "take it out again." He flips the ring back and forth a few times and disappears it back to wherever it came from. "It's great. There's nothing more fun than using sleight of hand to make it look like you're pulling something out of thin air when you're actually pulling it out of thin air."

[subtly_artistic]

"I'd like to be able to do that," says Bella. "It seems really handy. I suppose it's just a nymph thing?"

[pythbox]

"Just a nymph thing," he confirms.

[subtly_artistic]

"Oh well."

[pythbox]

"You could still learn the sleight of hand, though!" he says, grinning.

[subtly_artistic]

"I think I'd rather learn telekinesis. Less prep time, at least as practical," she winks. And she manages to nudge a pie onto her plate without touching it.

[pythbox]

Celo applauds.

[subtly_artistic]

Bella grins. (She has to pick up the pie to eat it, though.)

[pythbox]

That is okay. It is a tasty pie.

While they are enjoying their tasty pies, one of their hallmates - Corrine, the girl who spoke with Celo in the lounge the day he and Bella met - sidles into the kitchen. Celo grins and offers her a pie. She grins and takes it, along with a comfortable seat in his lap. He wraps his arms around her waist and tucks her shoulder under his chin.

"Hi," he says affectionately. "Do you guys know each other?"

[subtly_artistic]

"We've met, yeah," says Bella, "I don't think we have any classes together or anything."

[pythbox]

Corrine shakes her head. "No, I'm in design and Domestic Arts," she says. "You're sutble arts, right? Mm, Celo, this is really good."

"I know," Celo says cheerfully, still snuggling her. "I'll give you the recipe later."

[subtly_artistic]

"Subtle arts," agrees Bella, nodding. She is still nibbling on the second of her pies.

[pythbox]

Corrine beams. "You're my favourite," she says to Celo, giving him a one-armed hug because her other hand has a pie in it.

"I know," Celo repeats, grinning.

[subtly_artistic]

Aww.

[pythbox]

Cuddly!

"Anyway," Corrine says to Bella, "what's subtle arts like? I bet you don't make a lot of pies. That must be terrible."

[subtly_artistic]

"I don't make a lot of pies, no. I can cook some but I'm not as good at it or as serious about it as Celo. Mostly I learn about minds and how to poke them."

[pythbox]

Corrine giggles. "It sounds really funny when you put it like that," she says. "Is it hard?"

[subtly_artistic]

"Some of it is. I'm not very good at telekinesis, for instance. Most of the rest of it is just like - learning to orient myself in an unfamiliar location, over and over until unfamiliar locations aren't."

[pythbox]

"Oh," says Corrine. She doesn't seem like she understood that very well, but she also doesn't seem like she's bothered by it. She nibbles on her pie. Celo cuddles her.

[subtly_artistic]

Bella finishes her pie, decides against taking a third, and starts on a set of flashcards, glancing at the cuddling pair now and again.