Xander awoke hanging halfway off the sill of a towering window overlooking the sea. It was still too dark to make out anything beyond the whites of the waves crashing against the jutting rocks at the base of the cliff. Xander angled his temple against the decorative window, and he watched the collage of colors slowly take form upon the horizon. First came the blue, a reflection of the sun off the vast sky, and the first telltale sign of day. Second came the yellow incandescence of the initial rays of light that crawled their way across the sky, shining off the sparse clouds. Third, and Xander's personal favorite, the red hues that formed on the fringes of the yellow light as the atmosphere subtly stole a small amount of yellow and green from the rays of light. The colors combined to form the perfect combination of colors. [i][color=coral]A composition of beauty with no room for the darkness the night harbors[/color],[/i] thought Xander.

Satisfied with the painting that splashed across the sky, Xander planted his dangling arm on the sill, swinging his other leg off the sill so that both legs hung off the side with his back to the wall. Jumping down a distance close to a story, Xander landed with a blunt but quiet thump as his boots touched the worn brick floor. The barracks was silent and had yet to begin the bustle of preparing for the day, the usual humidity and comfortable heat made for the perfect conditions of sleeping in. Xander nimbly stretched with the surprising feline flexibility, a yawn escaping him without a noise. He strode to the doorway of his sleeping quarters, hefting a knapsack he had prepared prior to his brief nap.

Xander worked his way out of the barracks and to the public kitchens. Methodically, he opened his knapsack and began to take simple utensils and carefully assorted boxes of ingredients out, splaying them out across the kitchen's vast counter-top. With the meticulous method of a chemist but with the pace of a combatant in the Coliseum, Xander filled the kitchen with the familiar smells of his cooking. 4 breakfasts and 4 lunches, filling the 8 ingredient boxes he had used up were cooked, prepared for elongated missions, sharing, or simply because Xander was carried away with his cooking (most likely the latter). He cleaned up after himself and promptly left the kitchen after packing his meals.

With measured strides but apparent haste, Xander made his way to the main hall of the military base. He had stayed to view the sunrise slightly too long; accordingly, he was running slightly behind schedule. His serious expression quickly melted away into a measured, polite smile as he spotted both Eilis and Akauta talking. Unfortunately for Xander, his unpracticed smile appeared more as an awkward expression of surprise, adding a sort of humor to his sharp features. [color=coral]"Morning Princess and Commanding Officer Akauta,"[/color] Xander smartly bows in a half servile, half respectful manner, shifting his look to Eilis as he raises his head,[color=coral]"Eilis, hopefully your morning has been pleasant."[/color] He offers forward kindly before suddenly coming to a realization, [color=coral]"By any chance, have either of you had breakfast yet? I happen to have a few extra meals."[/color] In all honesty, Xander was readily looking for praise for his cooking, though he never showed it in his expression. Eilis was not unfamiliar with Xander offering meals as he often would after sparring matches between the two of them as a "payment from the loser".