(Untitled)

[bookish_nanao]

Name(s): Nanao, Byakuya. [closed]
Location: Outside Byakuya's office
Week: 32
Time: Thursday afternoon.
Rating: G. They're going to drink tea.

Comments

[prideb4thefall]

Byakuya, for once, was not doing paperwork. It was rather stacked neatly to one side of his desk (completed, of course), next to several ancient looking books. The books, although old, were nonetheless in impeccable condition, testimony to the spells Byakuya had cast on his library. His housekeeper had, of course, kept the spells up to date.

As far away from the books as possible, was the tea. The books were charmed to be impervious to liquids, but Byakuya was not taking any chances.

"It is open, Ise-san," he said, as he did every Thursday.

LATE!SPEED!POST =/= FTW

[bookish_nanao]

Nanao entered and closed the door gently behind her. "Thank you, Kuchiki-san" she replied, inclining her head in a slight bow. It was not so much respect for his social rank as for Byakura himself.

She kept her eyes from straying to the stack of books at the end of the table. Though she was eager to browse through them, she would wait for her host to get around to it. (She had only two days to do so! Speed would be essential.) "I trust you are well?" she asked.

<3~

[prideb4thefall]

"No thanks is required," Byakuya replied, as easily as his formal manner ever was. He enjoyed Nanao's company, more so than the majority of other staff, simply because she let him be. Her own manner and sensibilities, in addition to her intelligence, did not hurt either. She came from similar stock to him, although perhaps not as illustrious, and while blood was no longer a primary concern to Byakuya, he was grateful sometimes to be in the company of someone who understood the complexities of the pureblood life.

He caught the woman eyeing his books and carefully prevented his good humour from showing on his face. Of course, they were what had interested her. Nonethless, tea was a tradition between the two of them, and tradition ought to be observed. The several variations his housekeeper had owled him were already set out, ready for Nanao's perusal.

^^;

[bookish_nanao]

At his response Nanao didn't smile, but her shoulders relaxed a little. It was comforting to have these familiar rituals to slip into. The weekly infusion of tea and sanity was a welcome relief from the maddness around the school.

She sat in the chair opposite him, looking over the teas he had set out. Nanao had come to have a great deal of respect for Byakuya's housekeeper and her taste in tea. "Are their any you would recommend?" she inquired. "I scarecely know where to begin."

[prideb4thefall]

Byakuya noted the woman relaxing slightly, and was glad (in a Kuchiki sort of way) that he had been able to help. There were several people in the school who most likely deserved their shares of humiliation such as Kristoph Gavin, but Ise Nanao was certainly not one of them.

"By all means, sample them all," he offered, speaking more words in that single sentence than he often did in an entire conversation. "Isumi-san has noted your tastes as well as my own; I am sure she has supplied something suitable."

[bookish_nanao]

Nanao opened her mouth to respond that excellent teas such as were arranged on the table needed to be savored and appreciated individually. Then she recalled again that this was to be their last meeting.

Silently, she chose a delicious-looking green tea. While waiting for the tea to brew, she carefully kept her eyes off the books at the far end of the table. Instead she noted the neatly stacked paperwork, and wondered briefly the two of them were the only ones in the school who actually kept on top of it all.
"You've been in good health, recently?" She inquired.

[prideb4thefall]

It was entirely possible that this entire set up was a rather elaborate bribe to convince Ise Nanao to stay at Hogwarts. Not that this wasn't a time-honoured tradition between the two of them, but Byakuya may have put a small amount of extra effort in to this particular meeting. As one of the few sane members of staff, Byakuya had a vested interest in keeping Nanao on board.

"Indeed," he said replied, choosing not to mention the altercation with Godot. Usually, he would have enquired after her own health in return, but in this case, he did not wish to bring up any unpleasant memories of the previous week. Instead, he poured the tea, waiting for her to choose her cup before taking a sip of the other. "You have impeccable taste, Ise-san," he concluded.

[bookish_nanao]

Nanao took a sip from her own cup, savouring the wonderful taste. It was far better quality than the her own tea, but as much as she would have liked, she would never be able to afford such exquisite tea on her meagre teacher's salary. Not with everything she spent on her plants.

"It is hard not to when the selections are of such high quality, Kuchiki-san." She countered, sure that every blend of tea laid before her would be just as delicious as the one she was trying now. She took another sip, marveling yet again at just how different tea with a large pricetag could be.
Nanao wondered for a moment if it would be considered ridiculous to stay on at Hogwarts for the tea.

[prideb4thefall]

Not everyone deserved their luxuries, but Ise Nanao was one of those who did, and Byakuya did not mind supplying them for such a dedicated and serious teacher. Too many of the staff at Hogwarts treated the position as if it were a right rather than an honour.

Oh, and he liked the woman. Maybe.

"I will pass your compliments on to my housekeeper," he replied evenly. "I am certain she will be pleased to hear her choices are appreciated." While Byakuya could certainly taste the differences in quality teas, he had no idea how to go about choosing them. One of the consequences of a misspent youth, perhaps.