(Untitled)

[future_fessah]

[Layton has been waiting at the restaurant for... a bit longer than he would have intended to. Not that he was one to make a fuss, but this was rather tardy of his new roommate to be so late. On the bright side, at least the DR seemed to provide free beverages. Money didn't seem to have been a discovered concept here yet

Comments

[notsolegal]

[Clive strides into view a moment later. He's not running, but the flushed cheeks and the fact he's short of breath suggest that he has been.]

S-sorry. I lost track of time, there's this one room that's... Well, never mind. I'll show it to you later, maybe. Sorry again, anyway, I'm not usually so awful at this...

[He sighs a bit and slides into the chair opposite Layton.]

I... hope you weren't waiting too long?

[future_fessah]

Not very long at all.

[Only abour an hour.]

I'm just glad that you made it, since I was concerned that- ...nevermind. There certainly are some unusual rooms here, so I hope none of them have been bothering you too much.

[Pushes a menu towards Clive.]

[notsolegal]

No, it... it's nice, see. I just got a little distracted up there. You'll see what I mean when I show it to you.

[He glances down at the menu.]

What are you having?

[future_fessah]

I'm going to be a tad on the bland side and go for the goat's cheese tatin.

So, perhaps we can go there when we're done here?

[notsolegal]

Well, I suppose it's something other than tea. I'll have the chicken salad, I think.

After...? Well, I don't see why not.

[future_fessah]

Unless you have other plans.

[Awkward thumb-twiddling.]

[notsolegal]

...nothing concrete. And, besides, it's barely out of our way at all. You'll like it.

[future_fessah]

I'm sure I will. So, no hints at all as to what this place is?

[notsolegal]

That would be too easy, though.

[He grins, leaning his elbow on the table and resting his chin in hand to watch Layton.]

I wouldn't want to bore you, Hershel.

[future_fessah]

[Smirks back, putting his tea cup down.]

But the puzzle has not even been told, Clive. All that I have to go on is that you've been to a room that is apparently close by, but you were breathing as if you've run for some distance and you appear to look very cold.

Am I to assume it has been snowing indoors?

[notsolegal]

Good work. But the indoors part isn't entirely correct, and the cold part is more bad circulation than that place.

[He moves his free hand to touch Layton's cheek in demonstration.]

[future_fessah]

[Layton shudders a little at how cold his hand is.]

Are you... saying that you've been outside? I haven't heard of anyone managing to leave the building yet.

[notsolegal]

Not quite.

[He traces a line down Layton's cheek with one fingertip.]

It's a room that appears to be outside. There's no discernible ceiling, and I haven't found an end to it yet, either. Oh... but in terms of actually getting outside, you can go up to the roof.

[future_fessah]

Really? That sounds so very fascinating.

[He all but gets to his feet right there.]

It would be wonderful to explore and see how it works, assuming you remember where the door is.

[notsolegal]

Well, after dinner, then.

[He flags down a waiter to make their order, then leans back in his chair to regard Layton.]

...I'm glad you came here, you know.

[future_fessah]

Insofar as meeting you goes, so am I. But... at the same time I want to go back to the university. It's just a shame that we couldn't go back together.