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[effiomsfavorite]

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[atypical_echo]

[Oh boy. This... That was a lot more than Mark was expecting. He watches the guy silently, and he can almost see it. How lost he is. How confused. And so Mark reaches out to touch his arm.]

You've got a room here in the hotel. So here's what we're going to do. We're going down to your room, we're going to introduce you to the wonders of Thai food from room service or take out or something, and I'm going to sit down and we're going to talk about it. Because I really needed someone to explain a lot of this to me too. I may not be able to talk about the guilds as much, but maybe I can help a little bit.

[He smiles at Huvrye because the guy needs a smile right now.]

You saved me from being lost. I owe you the same in return.

[effiomsfavorite]

[He looks down at Mark's hand on his arm and listens. He honestly wasn't sure what he'd been expecting at the end of this - he's not sure what he'd been expecting at all, except for bringing someone who'd been stranded back to civilization - but he'd never considered this to be an option. A meal and a talk. Compassion and help, from someone who wasn't expecting anything of him. A lifeline.]

[Deep down, some small, neglected part of him unfurls and starts to warm, and another part curls protectively around it. He can't trust anyone like that - not anymore, or maybe just not yet - but maybe this is a start.]

[And he really does need someone to talk with.]

[He meets Mark's smile with one of his own, small and achingly genuine.]

Thanks. That sounds great.

[A beat, and then:]

I should probably get you off this roof first, huh.

[atypical_echo]

Ah, but see, here's the thing. Since we're just going inside...

[Mark smiles and moves away to the stair well door. It takes very little work to get it open, because he's used to doing it.]

I used to come up here to take pictures. I know my way down. Come on. What's your opinion on spicy food?

[effiomsfavorite]

[...if he knew about the door, why was he so worried about getting down-]

[But Huvrye's not about to question that - not in the face of Mark's kindness towards him. Instead, he follows.]

I don't know. I don't think I've really had it before.

[Mess hall food - especially mess hall food for homunculi - is functional, not fun.]

[atypical_echo]

[He'd explain it if asked, but for now he's just guiding the man inside.]

See, that's a shame. But I guess maybe where you're from doesn't have Thailand, so it's fair.

[effiomsfavorite]

Yeah, we don't.

[Thai food coming from someplace called Thailand makes sense, though.]

[It doesn't take long to get down to Huvrye's room - he has one on a higher floor and it's been great - and he opens he door and lets Mark in. The room is messy, in a used-coffee-cups and laundry-on-the-bed sort of way, but it's not too bad. Hard for a guy who's used to living in an apartment the size of most people's closets to mess up an entire suite by himself in less than a week.]

Sooooo how do we get Thai food here?

[First things first.]

[atypical_echo]

[Not that much of a mess at all, and he doesn't mind what there is.]

You learn how to order food online yet?

[effiomsfavorite]

You can do that?

[He knows the internet can be used for communication, but he'd just figured it was some sort of advanced radio. The idea of getting food there too is mind-blowing.]

[atypical_echo]

Yeah man, age of information. I’d be happy to show you this.

[He grabs out his phone and pulls up the door dash like app.]

[effiomsfavorite]

[One of the upsides of being taller than most people is the ability to look over people's shoulders. Huvrye is trying not to crowd Mark, but he's definitely watching intently.]

I don't think I have that one on mine.

[atypical_echo]

You can add it. Apps are easy to add actually. This one lets you order food from nearby restaurants and people will bring it to you.

[effiomsfavorite]

[He's definitely still looking over Mark's shoulder.]

Okay, food first, and then that.

[Priorities.]

[atypical_echo]

[Of course food first. Mark pulls up the Thai place.]

Any allergies I should know about?

[effiomsfavorite]

No?

[Said like it's a foreign concept - which, for Huvrye, it kind of is.]

[atypical_echo]

[Well that’s good to hear.]

Alright. What about cultural rules about meat, and how is your tolerance for spicy food?

[effiomsfavorite]

[...okay, he needs to set some expectations.]

I'm used to mess hall food. Just pick something and I'll try it.

[atypical_echo]

[Mess hall food? Mark winces and then orders another three things. The poor guy.]

Thank fuck for guild cards, right? Because we’re going to teach you some good foods.

[effiomsfavorite]

[Okay, yeah, Mark gets it. Good to know.]

I keep waiting for them to make me pay it back, but they haven't yet, so. [He shrugs.] I'm paying.

[atypical_echo]

They didn't ask me, after I left. And I basically started a business.

[And photography wasn't cheap.]

[effiomsfavorite]

Huh. Good to know.

[He probably needs to start thinking a little bigger, if that's the case.]

[...he has no idea how to even do that, and he pushes it to the side for now. Things to worry about later when he actually has some time to think.]

So how long does the food take to get here?

[atypical_echo]

Well, it depends on how far the restaurant is, how much you’re ordering, and how busy they are. Based on my past experiences with this place it’s twenty-five to thirty minutes, but maybe a bit longer. The question, really, is how do you want to pass the free time until then?

[effiomsfavorite]

You can show me how to get the thing on my phone, and then, I dunno, we can talk?

[How do you pass free time with another person? With a friendly civ? He doesn't really know, but he's willing to figure it out.]

[atypical_echo]

[Well that works. Mark nods and gestures for his phone. Time to teach the guy how to do adding apps.]