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[subject_lj_here]

[[Millitimed to before Gordon and Alyx re-enter the Bar, and after Chell finishes her first round of tutoring. My, but I'm caught between a rock and a slow place.]]Chell had been spending her days and nights in the library, alternately reading and sleeping, since she finished with her first bit of tutoring. The freedom granted to her by no

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[is_still_alive]

A woman slides onto a stool next to her, ordering a glass of water before seeming to stop at the sight of Chell.

"You were the one asking for a tutor?" she asks, tones warm, but fairly neutral all the same.

"I'm sorry if I've got the wrong person."

[subject_lj_here]

"Yes--" sob "I was." Sob, sob. "Are you qualified? You read--" sob "--the note?" Chell, if anything, is strong. She can be strong for a disinterested stranger. Besides, this water in her eyes is annoying.

[is_still_alive]

"Yes, and yes," GLaDOS says, in as comforting a voice as possible.

"You are still open for tutoring?"

[subject_lj_here]

"Yes, I am. I have two tutors, but more is always--" Sniff. "--better, especially for--" Sob. "--second opinions. I would appreciate any help I can get."

Chell gives a small smile, ignoring the tears.

(Come into my parlour, said the spider to the fly...)

[is_still_alive]

GLaDOS mimics the smile, sitting primly on her barstool.

A pause, and then, "You said your name was..?"

She's learned a handful about human behavior while at Milliways.

Mildly short-term memory loss is included in these things.

[subject_lj_here]

"I--" Sniff. didn't. It's Valerie." Sniff "And yours?"

The eye-welling starts to dry, and this annoys Chell, so she rubs at it with the back of her hand.

[is_still_alive]

"Elle."

It -- seems to be a respectable human name.

[subject_lj_here]

"Nice to meet you," Sniff. "Elle." The crying is mostly gone now. "What are your" Hiccough. "areas of expertise?"

[is_still_alive]

"Anything, really," is the answer.

"I've studied many things."

Hahahaha. Ha.

[subject_lj_here]

"Well, I still need to learn social graces, history, geography, biology, higher math... general information, such as things normal people do and enjoy. That's all I can think of off the top of my head."

[is_still_alive]

"I could definitely cover science and math," GLaDOSelle offers.

[subject_lj_here]

Actually, the mun comments that GLaDOSelle is a rather pretty name.

"That's good to know... most I have talked to have specialized in other fields. I know physics, but not... calculus, I believe it's called? Or anything besides basic shapes and figures."

The mun also groans at her memories of being taught non-calc-based physics.

[is_still_alive]

It is, in its own way.

"Calculus," GLaDOS affirms.

Then, happily: "We'll work our way up."

[subject_lj_here]

"That sounds like a good idea. I learn very quickly, so no worries on that front. It was rather... inbred." Chell would rather not go into the details.

[is_still_alive]

Brightly: "Icebreakers now, teaching later?"

[subject_lj_here]

"...ICEbreaker? Why would we be using a hacking software?" Yes, Chell was maybe possible reading a book on malicious programs. Yes, she dislikes computers that much.