A Bowl of Latte

[Ndale]

Without knocking, Ndale swung open the door to the history classroom. He carelessly threw it closed behind him as he swaggered in, running a frustrated hand through his hair. The young man dropped himself rather ungracefully onto the Victorian sofa, landing on his stomach and resting his forehead on his crossed arms. His ankles were up on the arm of the furniture, being too tall to stretch out fully. The feline's tail, connecting to his spine right above the hem of his low riding pants, was hanging over the side of the couch, brushing the ground with each tired flick.

Ndale gave an aggravated groan into the cushions.

[Odqura]

The dean was in his office area lofted above the history classroom making a list of ideas for future lessons. It was late afternoon, dusk on the horizon, and the room was cool for Odqura had only just recently shut the windows against the cool sea breezes. From over the balcony, he heard the door of the classroom below open and shut in such a casually familiar manner, it wasn't hard to guess who had come to visit him. His suspicion was confirmed by the muffled groan.

Od took a moment to neatly straighten the stack of papers he had before him on his desk before rising. Another several moments passed and all that could be heard from the office balcony was the promising gargle and hiss of steaming milk. Finally, Od made his way down the iron spiral staircase in the far corner of the room, and approached the student who had collapsed onto his sofa. On the coffee table before Ndale, the dean placed an ivory china bowl full with a steamy and frothy liquid with a sweet scent that promised caramel.

Od set down his own bowl down opposite it, and stepped past the boy to start a fire going to help chase away the chill that the evening brought.

Outside the large windows that viewed the courtyard, the BAT could be seen, leafy top silhouetted against the hazy blue and goldenrod sky.

[Ndale]

Ndale shifted as Od started the fire, sitting up and dragging a hand down his face. He positioned himself with one leg down and foot on the floor with the other leg folded underneath him. The black pants were slightly wrinkled with the usual lack of care, and the boy's skin was raised with goosebumps where it was exposed from lack of a shirt. Ndale payed it no notice as he sat with shoulders slumped and head lolled to look at the professor lazily.

"Od, what do you think about living here?" He sighed and leaned forward to grab the bowl. Ndale watched the liquid swirl as he tilted the dish back and forth slightly. "Do you like it here?" The boy looked at Odqura as the man poked at the fire, eyebrow raised.

[Odqura]

Od listened to his friend quietly while he eased the fire to life. When he was through, he straightened and tilted his head with a lift of his chin so that Ndale would know he'd been heard. He took a short moment of consideration, but eventually his orange gaze wandered to view his student fondly and with an honest smirk on his face.

"I do." He scoffed quietly, as if amused and surprised by his own response. He turned from the fire as it continued to crackle happily and eased himself leniently onto the second sofa across the coffee table, opposite Ndale. "I find it to be a welcome diversion. Although, on occasion, I cannot deny longing for a bit of.. neon." The look he shared with the cheetah was conspiratory. It was a thing he knew his companion would understand.

The professor crossed one knee elegantly and his gaze fell to his own bowl on the table before him. He leaned down a little, one hand raising to tuck a flippant feather back into place behind his ear, and blew gently on the surface of the treat inside.

"But why do you ask, Ndale?" The tilt of his head, a glimmer in his eye, and the faintest smirk on his face assured that he might already have an inkling. "Haven't you been enjoying yourself?"

[Ndale]

Ndale couldn't help but grin when Od mentioned missing the neon, and he gave a chuckle and nod in agreement. Reclining back against the couch, he slung an arm over the back, the other holding the bowl in his lap.

"I thought it was nice too, at first. Something different, definitely." Amber eyes rolled. "But, I think I have made a terrible mistake. Someone...might have actually fallen in love with me. But, this isn't like how it used to be, this isn't a one night thing. I'm not human, but it's like they think I can be - for them." The boy's shoulders rolled in a shrug. "I can't just leave before they wake up in the morning and disappear forever, we both live here." Ndale pouted. "So no. I'm not enjoying myself." Then, when another thought came to his mind, he gave an angry, exasperated huff.

"Plus, there's this elf! He doesn't even speak English, but he's freakin' adorable! I can't tell if he likes me, or hates me. Total mood swings, I swear. The guy hit me with a banana one day, then is stalking and carrying me through fields the next." An irritated sigh escaped his lips into the bowl as he took a small sip. "Haven't even been able to kiss him yet." There was a pause.

"What do I do, Od?" The question was quiet and mumbled into the latte and Ndale didn't look up.

[Odqura]

Odqura listened to his friend's woes silently, patiently, and with an acceptable amount of concern. A sip was taken from his own bowl, then the china was returned to the table's surface with a quiet tap so that the dean could weave his fingers together thoughtfully.

"I see.." Od's eyes studied his friend another moment before traveling languidly back to the fireplace. "My advice concerning the elf is simple. I know how much you enjoy the chase." The dean deftly flipped into his back and stretched out on the couch with one hand tucked beneath his neck. He gazed up at the ceiling and there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "So chase him. Until you tire." A sidelong glance found the student again. "You are frustrated, but is it not preferable to have him flippant than to have another in love with you? Consider the consequences of pursuing earnestly, and succeeding."

One arm extended to retrieve his bowl of latte, slightly mirroring Ndale with the dish coming to balance on his ribcage.

"As for the one in love with you.. I do not doubt the fact. It is an unfortunate habit of yours to 'lay it on thick' as they say." He smirked again, but the expression was quelled quickly when he put serious thought into the predicament. His long tail came to flop lazily over the opposite arm of the sofa and flicked back and forth, blue feathers sweeping the clean carpet leisurely. Od got the impression that Ndale already had it in mind what had to be done. He also knew that the boy had most likely already tried to let the individual down gently. Gently being key, because unfortunately, the kinder method didn't always get the message across. If Ndale had succeeded in this, he probably wouldn't be seeking Od's help, stretched over his sofa looking so miserable.

"Obviously, my first opinion to voice in this matter is that if your relationship has not progressed.. significantly yet, do not allow it to." He hoped Ndale would know as much, but it had to be said. "Second, I beg to differ. You certainly can disappear. You will not be unknown, but assuredly unattainable." Further explanation seemed frivolous because Ndale would know of what he was speaking. He turned his jaw into the cushion of the sofa so that he could look squarely at his friend. "You are not human, Ndale. Therefore, you cannot be human for them, or anyone. Your solution is uncomplicated; be yourself."

[Ndale]

A large grin crossed Ndale's face, and his tail flicked casually. Od had the strange ability to make him feel better almost instantly. The feline hummed in amusement at his friend's words. The smile lasted as the older man spoke, but he did not interrupt. As the teacher progressed though, through the topics and the logic, the smile was wanned by a thoughtful expression. At the end, he sighed in defeat.

"So...chase the elf, but don't catch him." He frowned, a bit disappointed. He had so looked forward to cornering that boy one day. Ndale shot a playful glare at Od. "I don't 'lay it on thick'. I'm just irresistible. But no, the relationship hasn't gone anywhere." He paused and furrowed his brows. "Just disappear, hm?"

Ndale looked down at his hand, flexing his fingers and studying them for a moment. He chuckled and dropped his interest.

"Maybe it's for the best." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Why do you always know everything, loser?" Ndale huffed.

[Odqura]

Od hummed thoughtfully and shrugged one shoulder against the cushion of the sofa. "Mm, no.. Catch him if it pleases you. But be prepared for whatever new predicament it may invite. And you certainly do 'lay it on thick'. Don't even bother trying to convince me otherwise, kitten, I've know you for too long." His gaze was mockingly stern and earnestly amused.

He remained silent while the cheetah seemed to mull over the professor's advice. A satisfied grin split his face when Ndale admitted Od's genius. "Well I wouldn't be Od if I didn't, now would I? I'm brilliant."

Od kept the bowl steady as he flipped his legs around so that he was sitting up again. "Come now, finish your latte. You're in need of a good bit of 'cheetahing', my friend." A glance out the window panes reassured him that it was not yet too late to be denied a decent run. He was certain it would cheer up the student before they could retire back to the fire and collapse from exhaustion. Now the dilemma... to run indoors or out?

The bowl was tilted up and the contents downed. Od placed the empty dish on the tabletop, deciding it could be left for now. Dishes could be cleaned later.

[Ndale]

Ndale scrunched up his nose and stuck his tongue out playfully at his long-time friend. Chuckling, the young man hopped up off the couch. With two swigs - since he couldn't finish off the bowl in one - he downed the drink and set it on the table with a dull clink.

"It's been awhile since we ran together." Ndale grinned. Never one for much modesty, especially around someone like Od who he's known for years, the young man only sauntered past the couch for more room before he dropped his pants. Though, there really was no problem, he was covered entirely in spotted fur only a moment later. His tail swished happily as he shifted his weight back, stretching out his front legs and feeling a satisfying pop in this spine, snapping a reluctant vertebra back into place.

"What did you have in mind, Od? I'm in the mood for something interesting." Ndale smirked and chuckled, shaking out his fur.

[Odqura]

The dean was unfazed by his student's lack of modest, being quite used to it. Ndale was similarly someone Od felt comfortably around, but he dismissed himself to the iron staircase regardless, swiping up the cheetahs discarded pants as he passed. He folded his friend's garments as he took the steps into the balcony-office portion of the room, and placed them neatly on the seat of his desk chair, soon joined by his own clothes. For a brief moment, he was entirely covered in goose-flesh despite the comfortable temperature of the room, and then blue and black feathers sprouted down his spine and engulfed his arms. Flip-flops were left behind as the dean found a perch on the rail of the balcony, before swooping back down to the lower level to join his student.

Stepping up beside the cheetah, the raptor shook his head, feathers ruffling briefly before settling down neatly again.

"Mm, something interesting?" His head tilted to eye the outdoors. It was safe and spacious out there, but not particularly interesting.

The dean stepped past his student, heading for the door of the classroom that would lead into the hall. He tail swished languidly behind him. One foot lifted to hook the large talon on the handle, and eased the door open. He glanced back over his shoulder at Ndale with a crafty glint in his eye.


(( coni where should they gooo?? D; ... x3 ))

[Ndale]

Ndale's tail flicked in interest at the glint in Od's eye. He knew the man well enough that such a light would be translated to something ingenious in that brain. Grinning and shaking his head, the cheetah playfully batted at the feathered tail of his friend as it glided by him.

Trotting up to Od, he rolled his shoulders. This was going to relieve a lot of stress, he just new, and he would feel better because of it.

(( hmm, I have not idea. I should be somewhere inside though. xD That would be fun. Library? Ballroom? ))

[Odqura]

Od scoffed at his friend's childish batting, purposefully allowing his feathers to swipe at the cheetah's face as they passed back.

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