Aren't You Hungry? (Seb)

[Vincent Meian]

It was actually somewhat amazing how lovely the weather in Pilot Ridge was during the summer. While the winters were noticeably colder than what he'd experienced in most of Japan, the summers were a bit more mild and certainly less humid. The air here in the mountains was dry and warm, yes, but the sheer greenery kept it from being dehydrating.

It was beautiful, even if it made him miss his home country a bit.

Simply because it was a nice day, the trainer decided to (for once) eat his lunch outside and perhaps doze a little in the warm rays. It wasn't something he often did, but today was so relaxing - even his students had been less rambunctious than usual today, adding to the decrease in stress. So, with a nonchalance in his stride, the tall man left his office and wandered outside to the school courtyard.

Surprisingly, it was rather busy - there were a number of students having picnics and playing games, chasing each other around and fiddling with their powers, doing homework (or at least pretending to). Despite his relaxed mood, however, Vincent felt disinclined to wander into the fray himself. Students generally checked their behavior when an adult was around, and it seemed like a waste to limit their amusement simply by being there.

Instead, he walked to the pond, where the school koi swam in beautifully clear water. It was a relatively large pond, but certainly not a lake - it would take less than two minutes to walk (slowly) around its edges. There were reeds growing from the side and various flowers in bloom along the shore and around the stone benches, giving the whole thing a very peaceful vibe.

Sitting on one of the benches was a young... boy? A student, certainly - they were too young to be on the faculty. Very gender neutral, however, at least to the trainer. They were a very slender person, with white-blonde hair shading most of their face as they sat on a bench and stared at the water. Vincent was almost concerned that he'd disturbed the teen, but it appeared that he hadn't even been noticed at all.

So, ever polite, the older man cleared his throat to get the student's attention. "Please excuse me," he started, "would it bother you if I joined you?"

The (very) tall man gestured with one hand towards another bench, his kerchief-wrapped boxes swinging slightly with the motion. His other hand held a thermos, and the dark sunglasses on his face glinted slightly in the bright sunshine.

[Sebastian Bolstad]

Sebastian had never been a fan of the warmer months. His pale skin and fine complexion tended to react badly to more than a few minutes or so of bright summer sun before he began to resemble a lobster and ended up spending several days sore and peeling. He always longed for winter and the snows it brought; it was far easier to wrap up and stay warm whilst still enjoying being outdoors than it was to stay cool outside without burning into a cinder. High factor sunscreen did help, but only to a certain extent and only when he actually remembered to put them on.

Today he had thankfully, the small spray bottle tucked into his bag where it sat underneath the bench. A light blue and white striped shirt covered his torso, worn over loose navy slacks that were cut off mid-calf. It was a little more casual than he was used to wearing when he was out and about somewhere but it was too warm for anything more dressy. Even Dust and Storm, his pet gerbils, had been too warm to want much attention that morning.

As the carp swam lazily in the cool waters, basking near the surface in the warmth of the sun, Sebastian watched them with calm curiosity. Watching their movements was incredibly peaceful, almost hypnotic, and after all the worry in his mind over the past few weeks it made a delightful change to let himself switch off and enjoy the quiet bubbling of the water. He had begun to feel stifled shut inside the vast building; he was already feeling a little better for being outside, despite the unceasing warmth of the sun.

In the background he could hear other students wrestling and chattering noisily but the blonde paid them no heed. So far he hadn't had an overly bad experience at the school, but he thought it was probably only a matter of time. In a place full of freaks and abominations against nature, it was a melting pot of chaos and disorder. He was certain he would experience their vileness soon enough.

The sound of a throat being cleared caught Seb's attention and he looked in the direction of the newcomer, brushing a long strand of blonde hair away from his face and revealing his wide blue eyes. The man would have towered over Sebastian even if the teenager had been stood, and he suddenly felt incredibly small and vulnerable.

Placing a polite smile on his lips and a cheeriness he didn't possess into his voice, Sebastian's eyes were the only give-away to his wariness of the adult. “Good afternoon sir. It would not be a bother at all, please, feel welcome.” Sebastian indicated to the bench with a scrawny hand, trying to keep his insecurity out of his voice and partly succeeding. “It is a beautiful day to be outside... Would you care to use some of my sunscreen? It wouldn't be pleasant for you if you burned.”

[Vincent Meian]

Vincent was fairly good at reading people, but even if he wasn't he was more than used to the scrolling upwards of people's faces and eyes as they tried to comprehend how tall he was. It was something he'd dealt with for years, and he patiently waited for the teen to finish gawking and answer. He didn't see it as rude, really; people like him didn't show up out of the blue every day.

"Thank you." The tall man sat on the bench, leaning back a bit to enjoy the warm sun and stone before sitting back up and untying the cloth knot. Looking up at the blue sky again, the trainer nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is."

Glancing over to his companion, however, he shook his head. "No, although I thank you for offering." Vincent was well-tanned regardless of the time of year simply because he spent so much time out of doors. That, and his skin had a natural olive tone to it and darkened nicely by the end of the summer. Truth be told, it irritated his wife to no end, who (like Sebastian) would burn to lobster red in moments without her own protective layers.

As he placed the lacquered box aside and unscrewed the thermos (which held a wonderful iced tea), the tall man realized what was missing. It was lunch time at the school, and this skinny youth was sitting here with no food. Pouring the lid of the thermos (which also acted as a cup) over halfway with the earthy liquid, he sipped at it, then asked, "Are you not eating lunch with your peers?"

He didn't want to pry, but if this was a fasting he thought the blonde had done enough of that. Any more and he would drift away on the wind.

[Sebastian Bolstad]

Sebastian didn't mean to appear rude by staring up at the stranger, he was simply unused to people quite so tall and, as he only stood at five foot five himself, the man did tower over him as he sat on the bench by the pond. A carp jumping with a splash to catch a fly pulled Sebastian's attention back away from the man, and blue eyes resumed watching the fish circle lazily in the warm water.

Seb watched the man unpacking his lunch out of the corner of his eye, attentive in case he was addressed again but not prying into what he was doing. He smiled softly as the man turned down his offer of the sunscreen, inwardly delighted with the way he spoke. It was reassuring to know that even in this building of abominations there were still those who could speak correctly, and indeed those who were willing to extend their courtesy to him. “You are most welcome, sir. Please feel free to let me know if you change your mind.”

Slipping off his blue and white plimsolls, Sebastian let his bare toes burrow into the short grass. It was cool and refreshing, and his smile brightened slightly. However, it slipped off his lips again when the gentleman enquired about his lack of lunch.

Sebastian had gone into the cafeteria shortly before coming outside but hadn't stayed in there for long. Between the noise and the stench of melted cheese and the other teenagers shovelling grease and sugar laden foods into their mouths like they were all starved, Sebastian's stomach had been turned and he'd decided to skip the salad bar for today. He might be a freak like them now, but he still had his standards and had no intention of making his curse any worse than it already was.

He hesitated a moment before responding. “No, sir... I'm not hungry. I don't have much of an appetite.”

[Vincent Meian]

Speaking politely was mostly a cultural thing for the trainer. Unless he was at his absolute most blunt, Vincent tended to mind his manners without fail. The fact that English was his third language compounded that, and he took great care to say exactly what he meant. So, with an appreciative nod of thanks, he sipped at the iced beverage in his hand and enjoyed the sun on his shoulders.

His next question, however, seemed to have been taken on just the polite side of rude; the boy's nose wrinkled slightly at the mention of food, and it was either the cafeteria meals or the other students that gave him such an expression.

Considering that the school cooks were quite good, the Japanese man wasn't quite sure how to take that. He did, however, manage to keep from letting out a skeptical noise of derision at the idea that Sebastian wasn't hungry. The blonde was a teenager, and despite what they said, teenagers were always hungry. Especially at this school.

"I understand," he settled, his tone moderately unsure but respectful. "However, if you find yourself at all hungry, I have more than enough to share."

It was true, too; the bento box he had packed earlier was stacked three layers high, filled with sushi that had been on ice in his office since this morning, sticky rice with only a hint of salt, pickled and fresh vegetables, and even a couple small onigiri that) while from the day before) were still soft and edible with their pickled plum cores. And while it was true that just moving made the trainer burn an insane amount of calories, Vincent also was very active in his sessions. Hence, so much food. He'd also made more of his fruit-filled "breakfast bao", but those were currently in the staff lounge, likely being eaten as they spoke.

[Sebastian Bolstad]

Vincent wasn't too far off in his assessment of the blonde; Sebastian was indeed hungry but he still had his standards. Fifteen years of his parents rather unorthodox schooling had left their mark firmly on his mind, and he knew exactly where foods that he perceived as unnatural led. They were one of the plagues that had led to the current ugly state of the world; freaks flying around causing chaos and upsetting the true order. Unnatural foods, technology and the drop in decent humanity. Sebastian had failed to meet his parents expectations, but he had no intention of falling even further off the rails than he already had done.

But oh, the food the older man had did look so interesting.

Sebastian's stomach growled in protest, the blonde curling his legs onto the bench and laying an arm across his abdomen to try to quiet its complaints. Normally he would have been devouring a fresh green salad by now, and indeed would have been had the cafeteria not turned his stomach so badly. A salad for himself, and a few morsels taken back with him for the gerbils. He'd have to make a detour to grab a few lettuce leaves before he headed back to his dorm.

Offering a small, polite smile to the man, Sebastian shook his head. “Thank you for your offer, sir, but I believe I will be fine.” Blue eyes returned to the koi in the pond, but despite Sebastian's best intents, they flicked occasionally to the completely unfamiliar contents of the box in the man's hands.

[Vincent Meian]

Catching a glance towards his food, the trainer gave a skeptical raise of hi eyebrow at the countermanding evidence in play; the decline of food and claim of not being hungry... while the same being's stomach complained loudly towards being empty. The hiding motion added even more to the disillusion. While he didn't know what made this boy think that he couldn't ask for food, Vincent really didn't like seeing children go hungry, even for a single meal. It was one reason why he started cooking as a child.

"Have you ever tasted Japanese cuisine?" he asked, holding out the box that held the fresh and pickled sliced vegetables and riceballs. "If not, I would be happy to share with you."

Hopefully, this would get the boy to eat, inviting him to try something new. Most kids if hungry would eat anything in front of them regardless of what it was. A number loved to try something new simply because it was new. Hopefully, he could invite Sebastian into eating something in the same way.

[Sebastian Bolstad]

When the man questioned him Seb gave a small shake of his head, the blonde eyeing the proffered box. He had to admit it did look pretty and appetising, but fifteen years of teaching were hard to undo and he turned his eyes away. “No, sir. I haven't tried Japanese cuisine. It does look very good, though. Do you prepare it yourself?”

In truth, Seb had never tried much of any cuisine. Brought up on a strict diet of plain, basic food that had been tampered with as little as possible, he found it very difficult to imagine why anyone would want to eat anything so massively processed and unnatural. However, since the box was being held out for him it would have been rude not to take it, so he did with a soft “thank you”.

Staring down into the contents of the box like it was something from another planet, Seb was a little relieved that he could recognise the vegetables at least. Chewing his bottom lip slightly, he faced the older man again. “I'm sorry, sir. I was taught not to eat...” he thought for a moment, trying to choose his next words carefully so as to cause the least possible offence. “Eccentric foods. My parents taught me that they can lead to health problems.” Such as becoming an abomination, just like he had...

[Vincent Meian]

"Yes," the trainer stated affirmatively. "I did so this morning. I thank you for the compliment." He released the box section with a bit of relief and sipped at his tea once more. The items in the bento were hardly processed - all of the Meian family food was fresh and organic, courtesy of the local market, and Vincent never used preservatives in the making of meals.

So it was with great surprise that the tall man heard Sebastian's next words. Eccentric foods? Really now. "I can assure you that I have not tampered with the meal in any way," he assured the boy. "The dish is quite simple and very nutritional. I am sure you will not become ill."

Had he realized what Sebastian's parents had taught him about food being a source for metahuman powers (and said powers being abominable), Vincent would have gone to Sean at the next moment of convenience. Certain frames of mind needed to be rectified immediately, lest it turn into self-loathing or discriminatory violence.

[Sebastian Bolstad]

Continuing to let his bare toes run through the grass, Sebastian placed the box on his lap and fished a hair tie out of his pocket, using it to secure his long blonde locks back into a neat ponytail. He detested the feel of hair on his face as he was eating, and he knew that he would have to at least try something if he didn't want to possibly upset the man that was trying to be so kind to him. “The technique is interesting. It must have taken you much time to perfect it.”

Nothing about the food in front of Sebastian seemed simple, but he supposed that it was compared to the grease and sugar-laden junk that the other students had been shovelling into their maws in the cafeteria. It seemed to be free of cheese at least. The stench of molten cheese turned his stomach quicker than almost anything else. “I believe that you haven't interfered with it, sir. It's just... very different from what I am used to eating. Thank you for sharing it with me.”

Picking up a slice of raw vegetable, Sebastian studied it for a moment before hesitantly placing it into his mouth. The flavour was familiar at least, and he found that it went down easier than he had imagined. As he picked up another raw slice he muttered under his breath. “I'm already sick anyway.”

[Vincent Meian]

"I have been cooking for myself for many years," Vincent affirmed. "If you would like, I am not opposed to giving lessons." Despite not being the school's culinary instructor (who was a pleasant yet shy individual), the Japanese man was very assured of his skills and frequently was seen in the cooking labs helping students with one project or another. Or even their meals, as certain cases may have been. He enjoyed it, and thought that as many people as possible should understand the joy of culinary arts.

The boy's politeness was astounding. Even above that, the trainer appreciated the way Sebastian spoke carefully and directly without using slang or idioms. It was a way of speaking that was far easier to understand than those of his peers. "It is my pleasure," he answered with a slight smile. "I hope that you enjoy it as much as I."

However, at the boy's muttered statement, Vincent's face creased slightly into a look of concern. The boy was pale, yes, but ill? Should he not have seen someone in the infirmary about this? "You are unwell?" Vincent clarified. "Should you not see the school doctor?"

[Sebastian Bolstad]

Sebastian gave a small nod of his head as the older man talked about how long he'd been cooking, but his expression dulled slightly at the offer of lessons. Beyond the preparation of simple salads and grilled chicken the blonde had almost no experience with cooking; he wouldn't even have a clue where to begin with preparing something as complex seeming as what was staring back at him from inside the box. “I thank you for the offer, sir, but I am afraid I am very poorly versed in the culinary arts. I fear I would make a burdensome pupil.”

Popping a slice of carrot into his mouth, Sebastian couldn't help the slightly odd face he pulled as he realised he had gotten a pickled one instead of a raw one. The flavour was completely unfamiliar and alien to him and he had to fight the urge to spit it out, but once the sharpness had settled a little on his palate he was rather surprised to find that he didn't overly dislike it. The next slice went down much easier.

Then Sebastian winced slightly as the man spoke, inwardly cursing that his muttered words had been overheard. The man wasn't supposed to have heard that. His words fumbled for a moment as he thought of how to reply. “I... I umm... No, sir... The doctors cannot help me with it.” That was true at least. No matter how much Sebastian had begged and pleaded all the way to Hammel, one thing had been made very clear to him; his ability was permanent. No matter what he did, he was cursed for the rest of his life.

[Vincent Meian]

Vincent shook his head. "I doubt that very much," he answered, giving the boy a gentle smile. "I have known students that have burned water." Such as his wife. "I am certain you underestimate your ability. How will you learn if you do not attempt?" Cooking was indeed a tricky art in some respects, but often times it just came to following directions. Once he'd learned how to cook Italian foods, Vincent's whole world broadened when it came to meals - he was sure it would be the same way for Sebastian.

The trainer couldn't help a slight chuckle at the expression on the blonde's face when he ate a pickled carrot. Given that his girls had grown up with Japanese cuisine (among those of other nations), it had been some time since he'd seen such a reaction. "I can tell that you have never eaten pickled vegetables before," he noted. "What do you think of the flavor?"

The expression of concern deepened mildly. If it wasn't a physical illness that a doctor could help with (or it was something permanent like his daughter's genetic disorder), he really shouldn't be prying into it. However, the ailments of students concerned him, regardless of whether they thought it could be helped or not. Sometimes, all someone needed was another person to talk to. "If you do not wish to speak, I will not pry; however, if there is something troubling you, I am willing to listen."

[Sebastian Bolstad]

For that Seb was at least a little comforted – he wasn't a star chef but at least he'd never made a complete mess of a meal. It was hard to fail dramatically when the extent of the meal involved grilling a chicken breast and preparing raw vegetables to go alongside it. “I have never had much of a chance to attempt before, I am afraid. At home we did not cook very much in the way of elaborate foods.” He indicated to the box in his hands. “Certainly nothing as elegant and refined as this, at least. I am sure my attempts would be poor in comparison. Thank you for your kind offering, though.”

The soft chuckle from the lips of the older man caused a faint twitch of a smile to cross Sebastian's lips. It was a reassuring sound and helped ease a little of his nerves. The blonde shook his head slightly. “Yes, sir, this is my first pickled vegetable. It is not an unpleasant flavour, just very unfamiliar to me. How is something like this prepared?”

With a slightly sad sigh Sebastian tucked a wayward strand of hair behind his ear, blue eyes focussing on the box so he didn't have to meet the older man's gaze. He didn't want to talk, not really, and yet he had the feeling that to refuse to do so might just lead to further questioning down the line. He was quiet for a long moment, and when he did eventually speak his voice was quiet and distant, dejected. “It is just... this. This curse. I tried... I tried so hard to stay good and pure, but...” He shrugged softly and rubbed at his eye with the heel of a hand. “I failed... I did something wrong, and now I'm here...”

[Vincent Meian]

"I assure you, it is quite simple to prepare," the tall man laughed, gesturing off the compliment graciously. It'd been a while since he'd been this formal yet candid with someone, especially a student - in a way, it reminded him of a few conversations from his years at Eisai. "Failure in trying is simply a portion of learning and not an excuse to resist trying. Thus, if you wish to learn, you are only required to ask."

Which, of course, Sebastian then did. "It is very simple," Vincent assured him. "The vegetables are seasoned with a spice and placed under pressure for a number of hours. The usual spices are salt, vinegar, sugar, shoyu, or miso. Each one give different flavors and is used for different foods. For many of those vegetables, I have used sugar and vinegar together for a.... a sweet-salty flavor." He wasn't sure if the boy would understand his meaning, but was fairly confident in it, given that the both of them had tasted the food already (Sebastian just now, and Vincent previously).

The trainer had just about dropped the subject and was just finishing eating a piece of the salmon roe sushi he'd packed when the blonde spoke up again. Immediately, his attention was on the younger male, and he listened with growing disbelief once he understood the context implied (which took a moment, given his lack of mastery with the English language). "Uso!" he replied, forgetting himself in the moment.

After a second, he'd composed himself and stated more clearly (and in English), "You speak of having metahuman abilities, am I correct?" This subject needed to be clarified very specifically, and if Vincent was going to give any advice, comfort, or a verbal berating... well, he needed to know the context. Misunderstandings hurt people and relationships more than anything else, even lies; such he had learned during his life.



Uso! - an expression of disbelief, literal translation meaning "lie" but used more as the expression "Seriously?!"