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The blush he had been staving off thanks to that angelically cheeky ghost showed itself with full force. Not again. "Um.... Thank you then." What else was there to say without stabbing himself in the foot with words? Not the bunch of 'You matter to me too, Ama' or 'But you're already one of those comforts, and I'm not doing any hiding' or a - hey! Quit it! He's trying to cool off those tomato-red cheeks of his and someone was definitely enjoying the show to the fullest.

"Um. Good question, actually. I think he's a ghost. If ghosts were in charge of keeping the living's lives safe. Except that he's doing a bad job of it." An eye for an eye, so a bunch of failed traps for a rush of emergency procedures. "The person he's taking care of seems to run into more trouble than he can handle, anyway." His head dropped onto the table, tangly hair drooping slightly. So tiring, having to actually buckle down to work for once that did not involve the consequences of his own actions. Ah, better not look so depressed in front of her! Sit up, sit up!

Oh yeah, that. He fished the silver cross out of his coat pocket to show her. "It's just this, actually." Something else saved from the times of regular exorcism and faith healings. "A bit of magic and a quick punch to the face usually shuts those kind up." Not a stranger to cocky prankster spirits, then. And perhaps a bit of a warning to a certain someone if he did not quit trying to fill his mind with shipping scenarios? "He's used to it, I guess. His charge did come in to ask for one too."

"You're too nice, Ama," he sighed. Dang that memory, he'd already said that, but he could not help making a visual check at the door. That privilege of allowing people in, technically it was not his. He would have to explain that too, later. Such a procrastinator.

"Maybe. Got to ask him, but not when he's after our food. Or shipping his charge in for his life to be saved again." Not like he started seeing them so much more after they got their hands messed up in stuff they probably should not have, but then... His research would probably not be as content-intensive as it was. "If things like a little cross can hurt him, it certainly doesn't show." Could have been a myriad of factors, both pre-death and post-death. He would not know which.

"Here? Or in this place in general?" Just in case anyone else barged in on their conversation, was that why? Can't blame her for that, two hijacks were more than enough. The only other (hopefully!) person would be right outside the door, to which he gave a quick nod of the head to. "The warden's right outside, if you're wondering if any more of the walls have ears. He's.... Well, I think you could determine whether or not he's trustworthy enough to not say anything on your own." Oh, he's actually smiling? Okay, a very barely hint of one, and already the tiniest cracks were spreading at the ends of the smile. And they quickly fix themselves once he drops the smile. Someone's determined not to mangle his own face in front of her. "I doubt he has taken note of anything he has heard, however."

Oh, that question. That one question, the most asked one out of the very small pool of questions that he had no answer for. "..... I have no idea," he mumbled, brute honesty substituting for that oh-so-familiar self-doubt. "I don't remember any reason to start. Medicine was intensive enough as it is without a side job." Amnesia was an awfully convenient excuse, nearly too convenient. But this was no epidemic, and he had no hand in that tangent. Probably. He hoped. It was enough to know that it had nearly prematurely because of his own doing.

Candied rice somehow did not sound very appetizing, even for someone who had the sugar intake of a photosynthesizing plant. And he was quite sick of having rice nearly every day thanks to Marie being a self-proclaimed 'rice bin'. "That's okay. I'm not particularly partial to rice anyway."

He shrugged. Somehow, there was not enough space to squeeze in that question between cries of help and possessed beings making off with his food? But then again, one could also argue that he himself technically did not need food, so he should know the answer to that question. "Sort of, I guess. The good thing about it is that they don't suffer lasting damage from it, so I don't need to start picking up those kind of procedures yet." Missed the point by a mile again, has he?

"He probably dropped by after you came in. Otherwise, you'd be sitting in the waiting bay outside now and I'd be getting a um, note about it." More like one of the quieter versions of a stern lecture. Sure, he was not the kind to laugh, but the very disappointed sighs held more than enough impact to hold as a scolding to keep in mind. And also - he was hoping that she would not dash off to chase him or something, whatever it was cats did around birds. There were enough incidents of torn feathers as it is. "Hmm... This place does have its fair share of um..." Stuck tongue. What would one call a bunch of people that were randomly displaced and each tacked on with memories and circumstances that did not make any sense? "... Not like they'd say anything, to be honest. There have been a lot more stranger cases that happened here, so I think most of the people in the know would not mind having you around. Much." Spit out that open invitation or she might mistake it for something else! Or a wandering spirit might just take it and run with it!

His attention got dragged back to the piles of things scattered around the room. "Oh, um, not really. Just some books to shelve and instruments to put away." He nearly got up and resumed his unpacking, only to get reminded that he had a guest and he should not leave her sitting at the table. Right. He could do it later, it was not like the books would pout at him if he did not attend to them at once.

At the mention of pasta, there was a small 'hhmph' of amusement from just beyond the door. His response? A defeated sigh. ".... That... That would be great, actually." Better than the unspoken joke that the cafeteria food was, and a change from uh, tacos. Of course, he was starting to learn that with her around the kitchen, the pasta was going to be anything but typical. Who knows, perhaps an office-full of pasta or pasta and bunny-shaped toppings?

"Ummm...." Caught, aha! "N-Not that it's important, but.... Um..." Well, then the amount of scuffles they got into must have been only comic relief, then. No need for sudden bandaids or anything, phew. "Just in case things happen. There are always exceptions, are there not?" Like she was one.

The thought of her doing all the cheeky pouts outside with the warden trying to prevent her from rushing in? Amusing! But maybe not so much for either of them, so don't bring that up. "You could make an appointment though, that could... oh wait." Half-baked jokes aside, he was still here for a reason. This room was clearly not made for regular appointments. "... Never mind."

If this was supposed to be his annoyed face, then it was not. Just the same old frosty stare, this time directed towards the door. Wishes came true, alright. "N-Nothing. Nothing important, just..." He ended up shaking his head. How to explain that pasta was the topic that he was pretty keen on avoiding but nearly always came up during talks about tomatoes and food in the hospital? That's it, nobody's ever going to let him forget that.

".... Not at all." Words that came automatically. Nothing was at all a bother - not until he got sufficiently annoyed, that is. Her? Hmm, what could she do that would possibly annoy him? Popping by nearly every day? Making a scene in front of his coworkers? Presenting the possibility of getting embarrassed in front of a couple of select people? Strange, the answer he had was no, no and no.

A strange, yet fanciful idea. Of course it would take such a work-oriented fellow to think of it. "Tangibility... Hm. Get something equally intangible to work with? But then I can't touch the instruments if they're intangible. Or turn something intangible solid? That would be easier. Question is how?" Irrelevant mumblings aside, someone should really learn how to put aside his work for once and socialize. This practice is not going that well.

"That... That was not the point." Had not expected her to go through with the whole 'injury' thing, huh. But it was Amarante, so just merely tricking the poor nurses with a feigned injury was not enough. "Don't, though. An emergency operation's much harder to get through than your think, and I don't think you'd like staying in the wards waiting for your turn." Actual... Slight fear? He should get someone else to work on her if that happened. Wait, what was that? Whatever happened to that old thought of 'just do it, he could do it'? Uh oh. Someone might just need to stand in after all.

He should just lend her his cookbook and be done with it. She can flip through it and see what he likes. And he slaps that hand that reaches for the side drawer before it does anything stupid. Surely he would not be able to finish all the food that she would bring if she managed to even skim the recipes! But then again it might have been retribution for trying to flood her with those - oh!

"..... Ah." Completely forgotten. How could he? Made even more obvious with the sudden flustered - no wait, she would finish it. He did expect her to do so, anyway. And he would keep a promise. Even if it meant getting laughed at all the while during preparations. And fretting over arrangements. And work. And sleep. Such problems of having someone by your side, always, always. "A promise is a promise, Ama. I'll uphold my end of the deal."

Better not show her just how flustered he really was. Good thing he had such a stony face, if the sudden nervous sweating was noticeable. Once again, with the questions of what to wear, how to not overdress, how to smile, smile, smile! No, hold off the smile practice until she leaves. She did not need to see that. It's not even Halloween.

Strange. Training had taught two contrasting ways. "Dexterity sixteen, roll a sixteen and above, sum both and most skills should be - I mean! I should stop that." That was not applicable in their current situation. Not that he was governed by things like hard-wired orders or fanciful chance throws, not anymore. Perhaps once a upon a time, but now not so much. Rolled a one, however, and his perception for her little flattery is still next to nothing. "Still have a lot to learn. And so little time in a day." Hah! More like so little courage, or more specifically, wanton disregard for ethics. But laws were laws, he could toe the line as long as he did not show anyone just exactly how much he had wrecked through it already.

True, that. His colleagues were going to have such a hard time. "That's okay, I know you wouldn't do that. Dragging me out of here by the collar seems likelier than you doing that. Wait, no, I mean, no don't do that either." A mistake, and now he was just stepping on his own foot. Hold that tongue! Telling her that he'd put aside free slots would mean she was just filling up a day's worth of time, and saying that he can make special time for her meant that he was neglecting patients in favor of seeing her, and saying that he would spend as much time as possible would make him look bad, not much better than a clingy person - oh! How to go about doing this? He's gone and messed up now! What to do, what to do, the awkward silence dragging longer and longer and - he'd better drag in the next topic, stat!

"I... I doubt so." Not that much, if he kept his hands to himself. And any curious watchers locked up. And nice and calm before the stipulated time, of course. That would be a bit harder. It was very unpredictable, that situation. Much less the topic of alcohol. "... Not at all. Coffee is fine." Noodles abound! Surely she did not want to go through with watching an intoxicated fellow taking all the wrong turns at the wrong crossroads! Not that the drink itself was what he was worried about, but well, alcohol came in more forms than just liquid, did it not? Besides, that taste... He'd stick to the adulterated kind in the OT's dispenser bottles any day. Not the kind to have bitterness as an introspective outlet, huh. "Or, if you don't want coffee, then um... Ice cream? Yogurt? Shaved ice? Cold pudding? Jelly?" Except that the last three weren't exactly drinks, even if they did share the common 'freeze your teeth' theme. And all had the incapability to be significantly bitter. Go brush those teeth and drink water after all that sugar!

"A city. Perhaps more, depending on power level." Succinct and to the point - had he done that before? Perhaps. An accident, thoroughly cleared up of course. But still not very easy with the idea of being strapped up to a table for experiments, even if he was slightly partial to doing that himself. Can't guarantee that 'own safety' thing. Seriously, he did not need that.

She had? Oh yeah, she had. Such impeccable memory, not. "I understand. Everyone needs some alone time now and again." If only they'd stop using his office as said alone time venue. "You included, of course. It's also best time for snacking, because you have an actual reason to be mad at somebody if they came in to steal your food." Someone was very protective of their munchie stash, to the point of tangential non-sequiturs. "Uh... That does not mean anything. Sorry. Off topic again."

Ah, Already worried that her little date would have so many party crashers. She was learning, he guessed. But it was not a nice thing to be learning, of course. "Never mind about that. I'll take special care to make sure no one else decides to interrupt. As much as I can, that is." The level of exasperation in his tone was there, no thanks to all the various interlopers, and it was only what, how many times he had seen her? But then again it was either the kind of people who would blow their way through walls and doors even if they so much as stood between them, and the kind of people who could walk through said walls and doors anyway. Mostly. Tin can not withstanding, they weren't exactly the most dangerous people she could meet.

Understatement of the [insert time duration]. She could just as easily walk down the halls and get lost. For no reason other than someone wanting to mess with her. Perhaps the severity of things he had seared his own retinas with made all these more 'inexplicable' happenings so 'mundane' to him. Possessed dolls and night-stalking apparitions were just the tip of the iceberg. She did not need to know about those now, then. Ignorance was such a safety veil.

Oh, she was going to not tease him about that? Great! Not that the thought should have struck him earlier, but he should have been worried. She could just pull out all the stops and do the teasing with the ears, tail, possible figure and embarrassment if he somehow got dragged into a bath with her if neither were already frozen the moment they stepped in. Isn't that supposed to be nothing to gawk at by now?

Dragging it back to food before he could fry an egg frozen on his own face. "Okay. All for then, if you're fine with it."

What. Okay. That was supposed to be an 'or' choice, not an 'We'll take it all' choice. Both of them. Come on.

"Sweet and cold, sweet and cold... Hold on." Leafing through that recipe book, aha! Transportation not being the problem, but would she like this? Or that? And which of these were classified as non-kidney-exploding? And still could be presentable in a relatively calm manner without overdoing it. What was it with these two and going overboard for all the little things?