Summer fic challenge, part 5.
Sep. 21st, 2013 05:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
merikuru posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
volieredeatoriOMG YES DOOOOOOOONE
"No," Aster said stiffly, folding his arms and keeping his eyes trained on Richter's face, refusing to look down at the book he was offering even the slightest bit. "Absolutely not. I'm not reading it."
Looking thoroughly nonplussed, Richter just blinked for a few moments before lowering the book, absently setting it aside on the workbench. How strange, he'd been positive he'd found something Aster would like... "...Should I even ask?" he said finally, folding his own arms and staring right back, unable to help but feel slightly unnerved by how the human's stare never even wavered. "The last I knew, you couldn't get enough of that particular subject. Or...did I remember wrong?" Though he knew very well that he hadn't. When it came to Aster, he rarely, if ever, misremembered.
"...No, you didn't," Aster admitted, finally squirming in discomfort and looking away. "It's just, well, I just...no, never mind, it doesn't even matter! I don't want to read it, I'm not reading it, end of story. That's my decision and that's all that matters! So, so just...let it be! Okay?"
Richter couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, looking at Aster a bit oddly. Really, the way he was acting was so...puerile and childish, so very unlike his usual agreeable maturity; it was as if he'd regressed to a much earlier stage of life all of a sudden. Or, he thought suddenly, maybe not regressed, but... "By the way, Aster...if I remember correctly, you've been researching how Summon Spirits grow and mature lately. You wouldn't happen to be comparing their life cycle to a human life cycle, and abruptly realizing you skipped completely over your own rebellious stage, would you? And you're not trying to make up for that, are you?"
Aster choked slightly, going an amusing shade of annoyed red and flailing at him. "O-of course not! Why would I do something as stupid and childish as...as..." But he soon deflated and calmed somewhat, his expression twisting into a dark, sulky stare of resignation. "...It's not working, is it?"
"No, it's not," Richter agreed, unable to help but smile a little at how accurate his theory had ended up being. "Should I bring the book back later?"
Aster pouted and turned away. "...Yes. I mean, no! I mean, go away."
"You little rebel. Get back to work." Richter chuckled and patted Aster on the shoulder, picking up the book again and walking away.
"No," Aster said stiffly, folding his arms and keeping his eyes trained on Richter's face, refusing to look down at the book he was offering even the slightest bit. "Absolutely not. I'm not reading it."
Looking thoroughly nonplussed, Richter just blinked for a few moments before lowering the book, absently setting it aside on the workbench. How strange, he'd been positive he'd found something Aster would like... "...Should I even ask?" he said finally, folding his own arms and staring right back, unable to help but feel slightly unnerved by how the human's stare never even wavered. "The last I knew, you couldn't get enough of that particular subject. Or...did I remember wrong?" Though he knew very well that he hadn't. When it came to Aster, he rarely, if ever, misremembered.
"...No, you didn't," Aster admitted, finally squirming in discomfort and looking away. "It's just, well, I just...no, never mind, it doesn't even matter! I don't want to read it, I'm not reading it, end of story. That's my decision and that's all that matters! So, so just...let it be! Okay?"
Richter couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, looking at Aster a bit oddly. Really, the way he was acting was so...puerile and childish, so very unlike his usual agreeable maturity; it was as if he'd regressed to a much earlier stage of life all of a sudden. Or, he thought suddenly, maybe not regressed, but... "By the way, Aster...if I remember correctly, you've been researching how Summon Spirits grow and mature lately. You wouldn't happen to be comparing their life cycle to a human life cycle, and abruptly realizing you skipped completely over your own rebellious stage, would you? And you're not trying to make up for that, are you?"
Aster choked slightly, going an amusing shade of annoyed red and flailing at him. "O-of course not! Why would I do something as stupid and childish as...as..." But he soon deflated and calmed somewhat, his expression twisting into a dark, sulky stare of resignation. "...It's not working, is it?"
"No, it's not," Richter agreed, unable to help but smile a little at how accurate his theory had ended up being. "Should I bring the book back later?"
Aster pouted and turned away. "...Yes. I mean, no! I mean, go away."
"You little rebel. Get back to work." Richter chuckled and patted Aster on the shoulder, picking up the book again and walking away.
