Re: Checkin’ In….with the Genius

[Archer Caughey]

"If they feel like having them." And that is all he said about feelings. And he said it when she was in the bathroom. To himself. Just so happened there were a whole lot of feelings Archer didn't feel like having, but without his scotch doing what scotch did…well he had little say in it.

Besides to do other things. Not much to do while she while she was out of the room, at least standing there in the front room anyway. He was tempted to go down the hall, into the left wing to check up on Lumie…but he knew what would happen then. He'd get involved in his work, start measuring this, testing that, and he'd get lost in the mission he couldn't say anything to her about.

So he stayed put. Walked over to one of the front windows, and looked out, sliding his hands into his pockets. Thought about a few things while he watched the activity on the road. How long it'd been since he'd had a truly stiff drink. How long it'd been since he'd seen his sister. And the reasons behind both of those things, he thought about those too. Archer couldn't forget a damned thing, so it made it doubly worse when there were things that he felt remorseful about that he wanted nothing more to forget.

"Nope, not trying to kill you." Archer said that after he heard her come back into the room, turning around with a bit of a smile before what he said next. "Sure are plenty of ways to do that, in the alchemy world. But between you and me?" He leaned forward a bit, holding his hand to the side of his face to half cover his mouth and maximize the foolery, "Not a good thing to teach the teenagers. Whenever you say to them 'do not try this at home', that's right about when they run off to try it at home. In my experience, at least." Al looked pretty mature for her age, and considering her job, Archer'd never thought to consider the possibility that she was one herself. And if he knew who her mother was? Boy, would he be singing a different tune right now. The 'Don't Want Azlin To Kick My Ass' tune. But he didn't know.

It was almost a crime when a genius didn't know things. Never ended well.

Her questions about the gum, he pretty much expected them. Truth be told, he expected questions like that before the person agreed to be a guinea pig, but…better late than never, maybe? In this case it would work out, because Archer was able to say, "No." Immediate and total confidence. "But if you want a third arm, I've got a potion that'll - " pause, he had to think it over, could that particular potion really guarantee…, " - yup, that'll do that for you just fine. Where it grows from though? That would be entirely up to you. Bit tricky, applying that particular potion to that particular use. But I think it could be managed. No, I know it can." Archer had some other thoughts about the usefulness of a kind of particular third arm. But that was locker room talk…not to mention there was a totally different potion to manage that.

[♥Allissya♥]

It was probably a good thing that when he made his reply about feelings that she did not hear them. He could thank the water that had been running in the sink for that. That could of opened up a whole can of worms. A can that is best kept closed, for the most part, least in her opinion.

Least he was a guy that knew if he went into the room with Lumie that he would get wrapped up in something. Most men didn’t think that way, they thought they could just go and peek real quick, and not say be back in a minute and in reality come back in a couple of hours as if it was only that one moment. The man had good qualities…not that those words were going to be spoken out loud either.

When he said he wasn’t trying to kill her she grinned. “That’s reassuring.” Oddly enough it was. She had no reason in the world to trust the man. Not one. Except Gwen said he was nice. She was getting the feeling that Gwen would say a serial killer was nice, if they were to her. But the man didn’t look like a serial killer. And she wasn’t as easy to kill as she had been back before she found out what and whom she was. Then when he spoke up again she started to laugh. “I know! They are crazy aren’t they? Always doing what you tell them not to do.” A impish grin slipped over her features as she looked at Archer. “Though some teenagers might surprise you.” A firm nod of her head, but before her age came busting out, because it was rare that her real age popped up in any manner of act. Even when she was younger she always got told she seemed older then she was, but she had her moments. Then it hit her. “So…if Lumie wasn’t here, you would poison me?” Curious gaze was watching him, and if he did not know her he wouldn’t be able to tell if she was serious or joking.

Could you imagine if she told him, so you know Gwen, do you know our mom as well? What if her mom and him, well she didn’t want to think about that, and she knew how her mom was, and well those thoughts would not make her a happy camper. It was best not to bring any of that up, and to leave the unknown unknown for now. Never ended well for whom? Happy endings …what?

She normally did not volunteer to be a human guinea pig this was new for her. Perhaps it was the one and only time she did such a thing. Though truth be told if she came around and he asked, there was a good chance like 80% she would do it, but she would have to learn to ask the questions first. A soft breath was released that she hadn’t realized she was holding, as she moved further into the room, she hadn’t fully entered the room again, but she stopped near him, not in his personal bubble though. A shake of her head, her face was grinning though. “I shall keep that in mind, though I am able to manage pretty well with the two arms that I do have.” A small pause as she looked around the room a bit, not really spying anything in particular as she spoke, before looking back to him. “I haven’t gotten any complaints….” And he could take that in whatever way he wished.

[Archer Caughey]

Wasn't the thing about killers that you couldn't really type them by looks? But despite that it was Al's lucky day because Archer wasn't one, even though like he said he had some potions on hand that could do some smooth, quick killing. Had he ever personally used one of them before? No. Had a couple left his shelves to be placed in the hands of others who intended to use them? Yes. Those were some real specific people with real specific goals, though. Archer didn't just hand out potions like that as if they were Halloween candy.

He handed out totally different potions on All Hallows instead of candy.

"Not when it comes to curiosity I wouldn't." Archer firmly asserted that point. "Because that's where it comes from, the I-was-told-not-to-do-this-at-home-but-I'm-gonna-anyway. It's instinct, ingrained in all of us and teenagers just haven't totally gotten a handle on their curiosity-o-meters yet, that's all. And those that never get a handle on it? Well, rumor has it they become alchemists." He was obviously talking about himself, which is why he flashed her a fool's grin as he lightly scratched the back of his neck. One of Archer's fidgeting habits, the man wasn't too great at just standing around having a conversation. He was more at home doing.

As for if Lumie wasn't here, the grin only grew. "Well Al, if your job is for a company as high profile as you said it is, logic tells me that killing you wouldn't be the best course of action. Holding you hostage for a huge heaping ransom, now that's where the real possibility is." Would he ever do that to her? No. But he was serious in the way that if there were any nefarious people out there that had their eye on her, chances are it'd be for something like that. Which, on the plus side, is better than just straight-up being killed, right?

When she came into the room farther he moved away from the window. Going over to the couch and picking up the folder of material she brought over, he shut it and put it on his desk. He'd only glanced through the information, and figured it couldn't do any harm to give it a closer read later on after Lumie clocked out for the day. "Two arms, two legs, one head. That's the solid way to go if you ask me."

[♥Allissya♥]

Oh yes! They were tricky buggers weren’t they? Killers that is. Actually she could be a trained ninja assassin and he wouldn’t even have a clue. Would he? Was she? Maybe. Secrets were hers until someone unlocked them. Just think of the possibilities. Al liked when she had lucky days! Whew she wasn’t volunteering for anything that would kill her. It would hamper her being his guinea piggy if he killed her off or made it so she wasn’t useful anymore, wouldn’t it?

If Al had her way she would soo be trick or treating at Archers door. Maybe she would even spiff up the GDS uniform she wore when she first met him. Maybe.

Laughter it bubbled up and escaped from her as she looked at him. It was cute, she couldn’t help it, and well why would she? She was just being…her. “I always did wonder what happened to those that never out grew that stage.” The girl did have a inquiring mind. And a brain for facts. Facts were good. Facts were things that you could hold other things too.

Now he had her attention, because that was very true, in fact she had been warned about such a thing. How it very well could be a possibility. A small switch of how her weight was distributed as she rocked on her feet a bit, fingers now that both hands were free lowered to loop into the belt loops on her jeans. “Actually, my boss did warn me about that. There is actually a lot of training you have to go through.” Or maybe not at all company’s but Winston had her in all kinds of training, really she was like a ninja. Shh. Very flexible to be able to get out of tight spots. She gave a small shake of her head, “He about flipped when he found out my age, when he hired me he had thought I was older then I am, and he said he couldn’t place my life in danger.” Hence the special classes. Enough on that though right? It had her thinking and that look of thought was on her face, slightly off center for her gaze wasn’t focused on him anymore, it was more of thinking about where she was working at. The docks were not the best place for a girl to be going, especially a young girl, by herself around those less then polished members of society.

Shake of head was given to clear those thoughts. The previous ones, before she cast her glance back to Archer, whom had moved so she positioned herself so she would be facing him. He had brought that thought that lingered in the back of her head to the forefront, and she needed to clear that once more, letting it linger in the back as a small voice back there. Then that head was nodding. “I totally agree with that. Why mess with what we were given.” And her luck if she did something odd would occur.

Now maybe she felt bad for him, because he did look lost, without being in the room with Lumie. “If you have a book I can read while you wait for the next batch to be ready, you can go help the boy with the experimenting?” She wasn’t trying to escape, it would make sense for her to stay and give him input on the gum, but she didn’t want him to miss out on what he would want to be doing. She knew how it went, if things were reversed the man would already be in her office so she could be multitasking. And she wouldn’t think anything less of him if he took her up on the offer.

[Archer Caughey]

"That's a good boss." In Archer's mind no job could be done well without the proper training. Which is why even though Lumie huffed and puffed that Archer was being too much of a nanny when it came to letting the boy help him out, the genius still took the boy through things step by step. Precision was something lost on most people because they didn't have the patience to nurse and cultivate it, but it was the cornerstone of any science - especially alchemy.

The mention of age though. Archer had to stifle the look. Not a wtf look, the keen observational eyes of the scientist look. To deduce. He purposefully kept his eyes on his desk a little longer to help him fight the urge to scrutinize her, moving a wayward pen back to its cup of fellow pens while he redid the math of what were obviously his incorrect former assumptions. How old had he thought she was? No, more importantly - was it a similar estimation that her boss had made? What would a man who put such emphasis on training and had a high profile company guess, would that be higher or lower than his own theory? And what would be an age that would make her boss the businessman 'flip out'? Calculations were made and revised in a manner of seconds and he didn't say another thing on the topic of age. Which was probably revealing in itself.

He skipped right to her next comment. "I tell myself the same thing all the time when it comes to exercise." Said as he turned away from his desk and flashed her a wan ole grin. A joke, obviously, but at the same time Archer wasn't known for pumping iron. Which was probably obvious, the genius was a six foot lean bean pole machine. The fact he didn't eat like he used to probably helped the lean along.

Archer was looking right at her when she asked about a book to read, so his face was pretty priceless probably. "A book?" With the way he echoed her with such doubt a person might wonder if he'd ever heard of books before, but it wasn't that. It was the total opposite, "I uh…" His steel trap mind was reviewing all the books he had in his lab, and not a single one of them had a title under ten words - because every single book in his place was serious high science. "…have a television in the den, that'll probably do some stuff?" Key word: probably. The only time that TV turned on was when Sam came over, and Archer paid no attention to how she worked the thing because that was something he didn't want to know or remember. He'd only gotten the TV for research purposes, and that tense project was long ago put in the done file. To the point where he'd ever made Sam take all the DVDs with her, every single season of that creepy ass show.

Sometimes the goings on of his alien brother really freaked him the f'ck out.

Television aside, Archer slid his hands into his pockets as he added, "But don't let me keep you just to chew on something, I don't know how long it's going to be for Take Three." Especially because Lumie was doing this round of it on his own, and the addition of the final two ingredients had to be done with some serious precision. "Since he's the one making it I can probably just persuade him to taste it…at least I think I still have some money left in my wallet." Ha, ha. The genius grinned. Hopefully Lumie didn't hear that.

[♥Allissya♥]

Oh she was fond of her boss, and when Archer said that he was a good boss, her head would give a nod. He really was a good boss. “He is a very good boss.” There might be a bit of a sound like the girl was talking about a favorite brother, nothing that should imply anything else, for there never had been anything between the two. Even if they worked long hours together, and she knew his mind better then he did at times, it was nothing sexual. It was the fact of how when you were constantly with someone you could basically read their mind.

To Al age was just a number, it wasn’t anything that would determine much, though she knew not a lot of people agreed with her assumption. She hadn’t given out her age though, just that she wasn’t what people thought she was, which was a good thing. Look~wise she didn’t look old, but the way she handled herself, had people guessing her older then she really was.

Now she laughed as she looked over at Archer, her head was slightly lowered so her gaze shot out through the side, lingering on him as she took in his form. “You must have one of the best metabolisms ever. I am jealous.” She was, she was rather thin herself, and she did eat whatever she wanted but. “I jog two miles every morning…and I work out at the gym for cardio and strength training three nights a week.” Thankfully there was a gym not only at the office but at the Inn she stayed at. It made it easier for her to get her training in. Oddly no matter if she trained at the office or at the Inn she had not once ran into someone else. She did not tell him about the dvds of dancing with the stars she had brought with her as well. It took a lot of energy to try to get those moves down, at least in the beginning.

The look on his face, had her wondering if he thought she couldn’t read, because that was about it. She had not expected him to have some cheesy romances laying about. She expected he would have scientific things laying about, she was a quick study, and she liked to learn. When he asked the question she gave a slow nod of her head, almost as if she was talking to someone that needed that sort of reply. “Yes, a book, you know lots of pages with words on them, in-between two stiffer pages that make up a cover.” He was a genius, she knew that, but maybe such things as a simple book were beyond him. A glance over to him, for she had looked around the room almost skimming, for a example. A small frown. “Well if you don’t have any books….I guess that could work.” If she could get it to do something, she never was a big tv watcher. She preferred to read, thought it exercised her brain more, and she liked to keep it sharp.

That’s what family was for.

She looked over to Archer, and decided to use his logical mind, as well as her own self. “If he did not try the last version how will he be able to tell you what is different?” Really she was a willing - as long as he gave her a shot afterwards - participant. “Unless you are trying to get rid of me.” Eyes looked down at her feet a moment, before casting a glance with those bright leaf green eyes from under lowered lashes, before she spoke again. “Which if you are, you can just say it.” Not much for beating around the bush. But then he said the bit about if he had any money left and well, she was curious, a whole new curiosity. “Have you eaten recently?” She wondered if he was like her when she was in the middle of a project that she totally forgot to eat, because she could see that, and with him being a man and the boy a growing teenager, maybe he would let her be useful? Then he wouldn’t have to feel bad about her waiting for the item to be done for her to taste.

[Archer Caughey]

There were a lot of ways he could have answered the metabolism question. Most of them would get into his post-death problems, and he didn't want to damper the discussion. No, more than that. The man couldn't get drunk, so there was no hiding from what thoughts would domino from thinking about his death a few years back. So he avoided it entirely these days, if he could. "In that case why be jealous of me? That's a lot better than me sitting on me arse." He said it that way because he was watching his language. For some reason, arse just sounded more delicate than ass, even if they were the same word.

Not that he always sat on his arse. Right now he was in the middle of science! When she went on about books, she got back from him something that was probably more of a smirk than a smile, "Yeah, I've heard of those. I've even got one that's made of genuine papyrus, not a lot of people can say that." Course it was wrapped and stored in a temperature controlled environment and Archer would rather risk walking the plank or bungee jumping off a bridge than opening the cursed thing, but that wasn't the point now. "Besides that one, they're more formulas than reading. Encyclopedic."

Logic was tricky business, especially with the genius. "That's a good point, if I needed to know what's different between the two. If this were an experiment that was a…taste test, or a comparison/contrast kind of deal testing the affects of different chemical compounds on the gum base. The flavoring issue is more of just a courtesy for the client, though, all I need to know is if this batch doesn't taste like shit. Which Lumie could tell me - which anyone but me could tell me, really - without tasting the batch before it." Unlike the gum compound which had been a first time mix, the two ingredients Archer had told Lumie to add for flavoring were common additives in his lab. The man happened to create a lot of potions that tasted like shit which needed their flavoring fixed up without affecting the active ingredients. In any case, Archer was already pretty sure the additives would fix the issue.

The 'get rid of me' thing, that kind of threw him off. If she was looking at the floor she might have missed his facial expression, showing that he was totally thrown. A wonder of, wasn't that what I was supposed to do? "Well yeah, kind of." A grimace followed. That didn't come out right, which was totally just the way of the world when it came to Archer and social graces beyond cracking genius jokes. His logic did not extend to the emotional plane. Never had. This moment would have seriously gone better if he had a few. Scotches, that is. "In the way of letting you off the hook, right?" He sounded uncertain now. Second guessing what was the polite thing to do here.

Which is probably why there was still confusion in his voice when he answered about food, "No, I mean, not since morning?" As for Lumie, the kitsune ate like it was going out of style. There were probably bags and plastic cups and fast food containers in the den and kitchen that could attest to that, because that's what Archer and Lumie pretty much ate while whenever the boy was here. Ah, the unbalanced diet.

[♥Allissya♥]

When one did not know much about the person that they spoke to, it was easy to slip a unknowing foot into one’s mouth, when one was not corrected it was easy to keep said foot in mouth. The one thing that Al was, was a bit intuitive, so if she said something and there was no reply to it, she wouldn’t push it. Well she might if she knew someone but in the beginning she did not. A soft laugh, “Because I would love to be able to sit about and not have to worry about gaining weight.” A shake of her head, “Guys have all the luck…you grow old gracefully, men get handsome and distinguished, women get old and ugly.” Okay so she knew that girls judged themselves harder then men did but that didn’t matter! Men sucked!

Hey he was the one that made it sound like he did not know what a book was. That wasn’t her fault, thankfully he did know what they were. Her head was shaking. “I think you are the only person I know that can say that.” It was very true and she wasn’t going to ignore that. She gave a small nod of her head. “That makes sense.” Almost spoken to herself.

Hey! If she knew that then she wouldn’t of had to say it, but she didn’t know and without knowing completely everything, which he wouldn’t say, she had responded in something that would be logical! So points! A small nod of her head, “That is very true…then.” She would give him that one, it made sense to her. There was no prior knowledge for her to know that he was used to having to add additives to his experiments for things to taste better. It was only the second time she had come to harass…err visit with him. The first time was a favor for her sister, the second was a favor she took on her own, for him due to the first.

She had been looking at the floor so she totally missed the look. But her head did snap up when he admitted he was trying to get rid of her. She had not expected him to flat out admit it! Well, okay maybe a gentle nudging in a way, but not a flat out well duh of course I am trying to get rid of you. “Your trying to get rid of me to let me off the hook?” Now that did not quite make sense, but she gave a gentle shrug of shoulders, no reason to say anything else to that one, was there?

Okay and then he said he hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and that wasn’t good, the man needed to eat. People needed to eat it helped. Or rather she liked to feed people. “Are you a picky eater? Anything more appealing to you then other things?” Yes she was asking what he liked to eat, even if the man said he was trying to get rid of her, she had the day off. And she was going to do something with it…and if he didn’t give any hints, she would be left to her own devices, because once her mind was made up on something it was hard to get her to change it. There was a hint of uncertainty in her, on her insisting on the feeding of the man and the young man if he was still there when whatever she made was ready, but unless one looked at her they wouldn’t be able to read it upon her. Hopefully the man didn't tell Al that he just ate whatever he found laying around or stuff out of can.

[Archer Caughey]

Growing old gracefully. Ha. Ha. At least Archer kept the reaction on the inside as he thought about his prematurely greying hair, lifeless grey eyes, dead taste buds and the short shopping list of other weird problems that a normal thirty-five-year-old would never be dealing with. That a normal eighty-five-year-old wouldn't be dealing with. All because he got tossed on the unnatural path of coming back from death. "I don't think there's anything ugly about getting old, man or woman. Or any part of the life cycle. Moving through the circle of life to death is a pretty holy deal where I'm from." And Archer the scientist was also a man of the cloth back in Conaill. Unexpected considering the logician he was but true, it was part of his training from the Elders from boyhood up. "To scientists, too."

"Anyway," said like a man who hoped the conversation about the biological science of homo sapiens was over, "What I meant was that lab work isn't exactly wham bam done is beautiful, we're just on Phase Two and Lumie's going to be done with the next batch in a couple, and I didn't want you to think I was being rude when I went to check it out, or that you were obligated to stay here while five minutes turned into ten turned into…" He made a vague gesture with his hand, resisting the urge to rub at his forehead. Archer suddenly had a feeling that he was rambling himself into something ruder than saying he was letting her off the hook, when his intention was to ramble himself into something politer.

So he'd just abandon that ship, and try to catch the next one out of port.

Slipping his hand back into his pocket, Archer headed for the hallway. Answering Al over his shoulder. "No, I'll eat anything. Because it all tastes the same to me - literally." Which is why if Al went through his cupboards she'd see a lot of canned spagetti in there, and a lot of boxes of oatmeal. The former was lunch and dinner, the latter was breakfast. When he didn't grab something at his favorite bar, that is. But going to Tír na nÓg didn't happen that often these days, considering his precious scotch did nothing but wet his whistle.

"Lumie though, you might want to ask him? Not that I've ever seen him turn anything that could be called food down, but you never know. The lab's on the way to the kitchen." A nod in that direction, he expected that Al was going to follow since making food seemed to be her aim. Starting down said hall. "I can't really promise that there's going to be much in there though, I definitely don't have anything that's exactly….fresh…" Including milk. The man didn't even have a carton of that in the fridge. Welcome to the lab of the bachelor, Al.

[♥Allissya♥]

But he wore it well! If he was a girl, the premature graying would not be attractive at all. People would just think her old. Even if she tried to wear it well. The dead taste buds was a downer, but on the plus side if he ate something that tasted like crap but was good for him, he wouldn’t know it didn’t taste so good, so really everything he could say it was good. And that would be a unnatural path, surely if he wished for it not to be so, he could find some scientific way to fix things, being that he was a genius and all that, right? Now when he said man or woman he had her looking at him, it was one of those look at the face and see if someone was being honest or pulling your leg sort of looks. Head tilting just a smidge to put her chin at a angle, before she realized he was speaking the truth. “You’re the first man that I have heard say such a thing.” From the tone of her voice, it was clear she didn’t know what to make of that. Okay so she didn’t spend much time with scientists, but she spent a lot of time with men, most of her co-workers were men. The sort of men that dressed in the business suits but had that wolf whistle down to a t.

Now there he went again. Just when he said something that was nice, he was talking about things. And she had to peer at him. “So you think you need to entertain me?” That’s what it sounded like, when really she would have been just fine reading a book, even if it was a encyclopedia of sorts dealing with scientific things. But she wasn’t about to admit as much to him, her brain was always questing for new knowledge and ways to categorize the information she did get. But then again, maybe he thought if she was left to her own devices she would get into something, yet he had offered up the tv. Now that’s where she got confused. One moment he is trying to kick her out, and the next he is all about here I have a tv you can try to see if it works. And they said females sent mixed signals! Huff!

Now when he said that everything tasted the same she thought about that. A pause, but as he was going down the hallway she couldn’t help but follow, it was easier to chat to him that way wasn’t it? If she had stayed put it wouldn’t of went very well. So those legs carried her at a distance behind Archer, perhaps when he wasn’t looking she might just check out his rear as he was walking away from her, couldn’t blame the girl could you? Well some might but she wasn’t there for anyone’s approval. “You being such a smart man, a genius at that, should know that’s not good for you to eat the same things all the time. Even if it all tastes the same.” If he didn’t realize that then he wasn’t all that much of a genius in her book! Of course, this was all before she looked in his cabinets.

“Lumie! That’s a good idea.” She really could cook, even if Archer couldn’t taste it, the fact being he needed to eat other things. A smile was given to Archers back. She felt her steps halt just a moment, hands coming up just a bit in motion. A deep breath. “Nothing fresh….that’s okay…I can run out to the grocer. If that’s okay with you? I mean…if you will let me use your kitchen?” She really hadn’t planned on using his kitchen she was going to see if she could find a place near by that would rent such a thing, or if she had to it was not to far from the office, okay it was, but she would of went there, they had a nice kitchen, and she wouldn’t get any questions. At the Inn, there was a chance that people would come into the kitchen and ask about it.

When he got to the entrance of the lab, she was right behind him, not in his personal bubble though, right outside of it. Like on the verge of the personal bubble popping, but that was because when he stopped she hadn’t been paying attention and took one step to many. And backing up wasn’t an option, that would be way to obvious and she wasn’t touching him. She could if she reached out her arms fully extended but she wasn’t doing that. And then he was walking again and she would peer around him, to wait a moment to ask Lumie the question, she wanted to make sure the boy wasn’t counting or anything, she did not want to distract him.

A moment that looked like it was a good time, she would pipe up. “Lumie…I am going to cook some food for Archer and you….what are you in the mood for?” Food wise, mind you, he was a growing boy right? And he surely knew that Archer didn’t care what they ate, because if he had been working with him so long, he would have to know about Archer’s dead taste buds, which she didn’t quite know but had given a hint!

[Illuminado]

Lumie was busy separating the ingredients for the gum into different litle bowls. careful measuring, and good preparation. its what Archer always told him.and Lumie being the good apprentice that he was was always quick to do what he was told. Despite all of the grief that he often gave Archer.

Of course when he heard a voice suddenly behind him. he tensed up and flinched. which caused his careful measuring for this particular bit do go a bit off. something that brought a great slump to the boys shoulders when he turned around. of course with the mention of food the boys face absolutely lit right on up.

"It's lunch time? really? Lunch time usually isn't until later!um, I want a double cheese burger with bacon and chili! oh oh! and I want fries too, with only cheese on those. Catherine says too much chili is bad for you." Catherine would also give lumie a thrashing if she knew he had chili cheese burgers for lunch almost every day.

[♥Allissya♥]

A small grimace crossed her features when she saw the slump of shoulders, right after she spoke. She had not tried to make him make a mistake, and that was clearly written upon her features as she shoot Archer a quick sideways look. Turning back to Lumie so when he perked up she felt herself give a small release of breath. Seeing his face light up at the mention of food meant that it was a good thing, Archer had given the choice of what to eat over to the boy.

Not that it sounded very healthy, but she had not put a restriction on what she would make. She actually looked as if she might be pondering just a moment. “It’s not lunch time yet, but by time I get the food and cook it, it should be that time.” Archer said he really didn’t have anything there. Nothing fresh, she knew she was going to have to run out. The trick was if Archer was going to allow her the use of the kitchen, which had her smiling over to him. “ I promise if you let me use the kitchen I will clean it up afterwards.” She knew some people were not the sort to clean up after themselves and others didn’t like others to use their kitchens but if he didn’t have fresh items, it didn’t sound like he used it often. A grin back to Lumie….before she remembered the slouch. “Sorry about the distraction.” She really was and he would be able to tell that in her voice. “And to much of anything can be bad for you.” Oh there wasn’t anything in that voice of hers, not at all, nope.

She wasn’t asking the guy for money, nor did she want any of that, she had asked if she could cook. It was her treat as they said back home. If she would have been better prepared, and maybe in the future Lumie could actually have the handmade chilli for his fries and burger, but as long as that needed to sit, on low heat, she figured he would have to go with the store bought stuff. This time.

Note to self, mom always said that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, that wouldn’t work with Archer. Not that she was looking into getting into anyone’s heart at the moment…it was just a phrase, and it caused a puzzle what would get….anyways. If he allowed her to use his kitchen, there was a good chance they would have a dinner cooking for them as well, once she would get a sight of what she had to work with.

[Archer Caughey]

The signals…yeah, he didn't have a clue what he was doing. Which was a rare position to be in for a genius like him. It spawned from a secondary rarity - Archer was having trouble pinpointing. In this case, he couldn't figure out why Al wanted to stick around the lab during science time. Besides Sam - well, and Lumie… well okay, and Killian - no one had ever asked to hang out while Archer was busy at the beakers. But those three couldn't wait to put their fingers on his chemistry set - they didn't see science as a spectator sport. So considering the only other time he'd ever had knocks on his door was a client visitation or someone coming to shoot the breeze, yeah Archer figured Al was the latter and as such he figured she wanted him to entertain her.

He didn't say anything more about it though. Or the fact that he was the first man to say whatever he had about aging. With either subject he'd just dig a deeper hole, and Archer wasn't looking for part-time work as a ditch digger.

So he kept the conversation focused on food. He lofted a brow at Al when she tossed in her two cents in the name of diverse nutrition, and gave her a smirky look. "I didn't say I only ate the same thing, I just said it all tastes the same." True that. Even though his trips to Tír na nÓg had tapered off until October, his diet was more than what was in his cabinets, thanks to Lumie's visits which always begot take-out mania. "I'm just not picky is all. You know, like a guy." That was his attempt at humor, even if his thoughts were still weighting him down a bit heavy. The joke being that he was a guy.

And of course, he'd turn that humor on his teenage friend, giving Lumie a high dose of smarm and smarty-pants. "Jeez, Lumie, didn't you hear the lady? It's not good to eat the same things all the time…" Pointed look given to the kitsune boy, a pointed look making a point. Thanks to his photographic memory, it'd take Archer some time to count up all the times he'd seen Lumie wolf down exactly what he'd just told Al to make. Razzing aside, he wasn't going to veto what Lumie ordered because…well, he wouldn't be cool Uncle Archer if he did that, now would he?

Not that he didn't notice that Lumie mis-measured, or why it happened. But he wasn't going to make a big deal about it, and he wasn't even going to mention it to the boy when Al was there. Archer could be thick sometimes, but he wasn't that thick. He knew bad timing would make Lumie embarrassed, and he didn't want that. So instead he turned to Al, and gave a permissive shrug. "Sure, kitchen's all yours. I can't promise that I left it clean after my last culinary revelation, but it's all yours." While it wasn't spic and span, Archer was at least 99% sure there were no mold cultures growing in there.

[♥Allissya♥]

Al might like to put things in their respective categories but she often didn’t fit into other’s preconceived categories. It was true most people that were not itching to use his science toys in the lab, probably did expect him to entertain them, Al just was enjoying being away from work and the Inn. Not that she had any complaints about either. As for the other’s itching to get their fingers upon his chemistry set, she couldn’t blame them, but she wouldn’t mind getting her hands on a different chemistry set then his young apprentice….least she hoped.

But he was! Most men well, they were not thinking the same way that Archer did, and that was a positive. About aging that was.

It was a good thing that she hadn’t looked in his cupboards, because it would take more then a smirky look, to convince her that he actually had something of a healthy diet. Not that she was miss health food, but she ate a nice mixture, with the healthy doses along the way. A glance was given between Lumie and back to Archer, it was almost as if she had bit her tongue, almost. Because instead of the awkward silence, because she thought better of words that had been on the tip of her tongue, she spoke of something else. “Yes, from what I hear, most guys are not picky about food.” Words were carefully chosen, not giving out any personal information oddly, but more about in general.

One could see the wheels turning in that head, she was going to scrub down the kitchen before she started, then she would cook and clean up after herself as well. Plans. Plots. She could concoct them with the best of them. She would be making a exit shortly, but first she needed to know. “When I get back, do you want me to knock, ring the buzzer or what?” She didn’t want to cause another mishap, which she was sure she had by Lumie’s reaction, and she didn’t know the best way to make sure that it didn’t happen…and yet get back inside to the kitchen she was told she could use. She moved a bit on her feet almost a light rocking, because she was slightly anxious to get started.

[Archer Caughey]

Since Al was about to start her mission, Archer figured the best course of action was showing her out. That way Lumie could be left to deal with the aftermath of the measurement mistake on his own, and maybe Archer could talk to the boy about it while Al was gone. So the genius gestured down the hall, indicating with his hand that she should follow him. "One teenager and one set of dead taste buds, you don't get less picky than that."

They went back the way they came, to the very same front door she'd knocked on earlier in the day. On the way there, Archer glanced over his shoulder at her as he answered her question. "You can use the side door, it's right off the kitchen. I'll go ahead and unlock it now before I head back into the lab." And he really did need to head back into the lab. Not that Lumie's mistake was a set back, because it wasn't, but Archer'd left him with the lion's share of the work for a while now and this was for a client. To keep on schedule, Phase Three really needed to start happening by the end of the day.

Pulling the front door open, Archer stepped aside so Al could pass through. Grey eyes looking over at her, he mustered up a smile. Because he didn't forget anything, ever, he remembered the nature of her job. And maybe it was half that, half because he was sort of the eternal bachelor, that something didn't sit right about having a woman with a career like hers cooking him dinner. Which was progress for Archer, man of traditional values that he was. But he wasn't going to say that to her, he didn't want to seem ungrateful or like he was negating what she wanted to do.

Best to just keep the door open for her, and smile. Hard to screw doing that up, so here's hoping.

[♥Allissya♥]

He had a point, she didn’t think that you could get less picky then that. Back home she had tried dating boys her own age, and they were not very picky about food at all. One of those dates they went to the local burger place and the guy mowed down on some of the grossest foods all mixed together, it wasn’t a pleasant sight, so his words got a small nod of her head. “True.” She gave him the point.

She followed along with him easily enough, it would be silly to start questioning on where he was leading now, especially seeing she was about to go to the store. Sure he could be the evil genius that was planning on using a human sacrifice for something but that thought wouldn’t enter her head. He seemed like a trust worthy guy. Seeing he told her where the kitchen was it wouldn’t be so hard to figure out where the door was, because she had not yet exactly checked out the kitchen. “Thanks.” For the kitchen door being open for her.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t trying to engage the man in a conversation, but she knew he had things to do, and she had stuff she wanted to get done, in his kitchen that was. She could respect that due to the nature of her job. When he pulled the door open, he would get a smile, because that was actually a nice thing to do, and a rare thing for someone to do anymore. She would of said thank you again but it seemed she was saying it an awful lot, which was why the smile widened a fraction. It was okay she was cooking him lunch, okay so she planned on dinner too, but only because she liked to cook. It was a relaxing hobby for her, and it wasn’t so much fun to cook for one. This way she could cook quite a bit because it was a man and a teenage boy she was cooking for. “I figure when the food is ready, Lumie’s nose will bring you guys out.” That was her way of saying she wasn’t going to go into the lab and possibly disturb them, so there wouldn’t be any more accidents because of her popping in. But she wasn’t going to say anything.

Once she was outside she slipped out of view rather quickly, her shoes picking over the road . It wasn’t like she was running away, she wasn’t held against her will, but she wanted to get to the grocer and get back because she was planning on scrubbing his kitchen before she started and once she was done. Entering the store she would pick out what she needed for the double cheese burger with chilli and the cheesy fries. Now after getting those ingredients she could have been done, but she wasn’t she picked up a dozen fresh eggs, a gallon of milk, some butter, grease, along with the fixings for a nice pot roast with veggies. Not that he said he wanted a dinner, but she was going to make him one. Walking around the store she paused in front of a crock pot, she was debating the best way and that seemed to be it…the food could stay in there until it was ready, and then it would switch over to warm to keep the food warm and yet not burn, so it was added to her cart. Then it hit her, she didn’t know what pans he had…pans were a big thing. She debated running back and doing a sneak peak, but that would waste time. So the set of pans and pots made by Tfal she would grab the set, it had more then what she would need, but she could take them with her…unless she decided she was going to be cooking for him again, which he might allow, it really did give her pleasure. Then she thought about that, utensils, those would be needed as well, and she went down further the aisle and grabbed a set of plastic utensils. And some paper towels.

Once she had everything that she thought she could possibly need, which did include a spoon rest, for the utensils that she was in the middle of using to set upon and not make a mess anywhere else, she took the now full cart up to the cashier. Once she was rang up she didn’t even blink at the amount that the lady told her. The pans were what caused the price up, along with the crock pot but those were necessities in her mind. And men never noticed things right? A smile was given, as she slipped out of the store, with her purchases in bags. Now she had walked there, and now she had a ton of stuff, but the good thing about this grocer was it wasn’t quite normal, nor were the carts. One could push the cart to where they were going, and once it felt it was empty it would auto return to the store. Once the door greeter punched in the code to the cart Al would give him a small tip, because he provided a service, and out she went.

Once she reached Archer’s she would take a moment to find the door that he said for her to use, and pushed the cart up next to it, but not inside of that. That would of felt weird to her. After unloading everything she turned at the door with the last bag of groceries in her hand, to watch the cart reverse itself and then high tail it back to the store. Hoping it did not run anyone over in it’s haste the thing was like a rocket. A grin watching it, before she turned her attention back to the kitchen. First things first she would put the ingredients that needed to be kept in the fridge there. Opening his fridge for the first time it was rather bare, but not any longer. The milk, eggs, drinks and other things were put inside. Even though Lumie did not mention what he wished to drink she had taken it upon herself to get a few things, though he might be the sort that only drank water, but no teenage guy she knew drank water for everything. Then she took out one of the sponges she had gotten and the dish soap that smelt like green apples. Hot water would be ran in the sink which she would clean out first, before putting the stopper in and making the dish water, with hot hot water. As the sink was filling she turned to the box with the crock pot in it, unpacking it, she would take the lid and the pot itself and set them in the hot water. Which she turned off. The pack of sponges that she had bought were opened and one was tossed in with the dishes and one was set on the counter. The spare sponge was set underneath his sink if there happened to be room there, still in the plastic. The packaging from the crock pot was put back into the bag. The bag was then set on the floor next to the door but not in the way. The second sponge was picked up and she scrubbed the counters and the stove top, and anywhere else that might look like it needed it. Said sponge would be set next to the sink but not in the water with the new dishes. Next she washed the crock pot pieces that needed it, and did the same with the new pots and pans with the respective lids. Once everything was washed and was drying in the air. She would start to get the food ready.

The roast she was going to leave for him for dinner, was going to take the longest, on high it needed at least five hours. She went and pulled out all the ingredients that was going to be needed for it, and got to work rinsing, chopping the veggies which happened to be carrots and potatoes, and trimming the execess fat off of the meat. Grabbing the crock pot she would assemble it before pushing the buttons, it was battery operated because she was unsure of his kitchen and outlets, she put the meat, veggies some water, and mushroom onion soup mix, placing the lid upon the pot and let it start. Thankfully it was something she could just set aside and work on the next meal.

Which she would, washing her hands again before she started, she was very good at washing her hands. Then frying pan would be put upon the stove, along with the pan she was going to use for the chili and the pan she was using to fry the fries in. The chili would be made first, and then set to a simmer, next she made up four patties for that was the amount that would fit in the pan at one time, it did make her miss her griddle at home, she could cook a good 8-10 patties at one time. The bacon was frying and the fries were getting cooked in the grease at the same time. Once everything was done, the fries were put on a dish, sprinkled with a bit of salt, but then covered in cheese, which due to the heat of the fresh out of the greasiness melted quickly. Next she assembled the burgers, before she started frying up four more patties, because that was how much meat was bought. Fresh bacon was made for the next round, along with the fries she knew they were boys and she started another round of those while stirring the chili. Once those were done she would mimic the last action, of putting everything together, before turning off the stoves four burners. The frying pan was taken over and wiped first with a piece of paper towel before the burger grease, which happened not to be to much because she used the leanest meat, and once the paper towel was done it was put in the bag next to the door inside the box. Then the frying pan was put in the soapy water again, the same was done to the bacon pan. The chili pan was empty and tossed into the sink. The only pot that was left was the one with the grease, it was turned off and set back, with a lid covering it. That one she was debating … she needed a jar or something but it needed to cool a bit more.

Dishes were getting done before to long it was always best to wash them when they were freshly made and not to be put off. And so they were washed, once the dishes were cleaned, she took the sponge that she had washed the oven with and looked at it. It wasn’t greasy which it could have been so she used the sponge to clean up the stove top and if anything had fallen on the counter. Letting out the water she rinsed the sponges and squeezed out the water. Now all she had to do was wait for the smell to hit the guys and them to get to a good spot. She wanted to let him know about the roast, and the gravy that was in a jar just in case. Normally she didn’t like jar gravy but she wasn’t going to be there in five hours and if he wanted it it was a personal choice.

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