[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/190120/b458a81531631a6916fa9413063c5f80.png[/img][/center][right][sub] Interacting with: [@Hero] [@Trainerblue192] [@Scribe of Thoth][/sub][/right]
Content to sit quietly and listen as Lilie rattled off her plans, Aaron noticed Salem’s return a second before Lilie did. While he didn’t react as outwardly as Lilie, he still made a painful hissing sound at the sight of Salem’s bloody knuckles, barely containing his wince. Yeesh, maybe this [i]was[/i] meant to be more of a punishment than training. If he was being taught by a Noila instructor, then he was either exceptionally stubborn and rebellious, or they’d been told to make this class a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget. 

Aaron was just a child when he went through etiquette training, and while he’d [i]definitely[/i] gotten his fair share of the switch and even the metal rod from time to time (not to mention a number of other, more creative punishments), he didn’t remember ever being beaten to the point that he needed medical attention. Still, Aaron was no stranger to split knuckles; after all, Lucan hadn’t gone nearly as easy on him as his other instructors had. If experience was any indication, then Salem probably wasn’t feeling a lot of pain at the moment. Tomorrow, though… 

Salem’s attempt at keeping good spirits was admirable, and Aaron would have respected it if not for Lilie’s subsequent panic. She was obviously horrified, probably rightfully so from her perspective, and Aaron let her get it out of her system before placing a hand on her forearm and shaking his head, hoping to calm her down. 

[color=f0d705]“That’s probably not necessary,”[/color] he told Lilie gently, referring to finding Aine. [color=f0d705]“Don’t want to develop a dependence on life magic, remember? It’s usually best to let minor injuries heal on their own.”[/color] He turned a more critical gaze to Salem’s knuckles, examining them for a moment. If memory served, then he’d probably been ordered not to seek anything beyond the most basic medical attention, but he’d spare Salem some dignity and leave that detail out. [color=f0d705]“Although, a trip to the infirmary would be wise. You’ll want those cleaned and bandaged up for sure.”[/color] 

Before he could move the conversation to lighter subjects (as Salem was apparently trying to do), Aaron felt his watch buzz, displaying an unknown number. He frowned at it for a moment as he took out his phone and politely excused himself from the conversation, taking a few steps away from the table. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense to be getting a call, but there was only one person who had his number who didn’t have a contact yet, so it must be… [color=f0d705]“Hello? Max?”[/color]

[hider=Call with Max]
[color=8585AD]“Hey. Our… mutual friends ditched me with this stupid dog and Eric- err, Eris forgot to tell me where his dorm even is. Is there somebody I ask about that?”[/color] Max grumbled back into the phone.

Shelving his incredible surprise that Max bothered contacting him at all and his confusion at the mention of a dog, Aaron’s brow still furrowed at the question. He lowered his phone for a moment, covering the microphone to look back over to Salem and Lilie. [color=f0d705]“You two went to the administrative building for dorm matters, right?”[/color] he asked, regretting having to bring up what must have been a sore subject at a time like this. To his credit, though, Salem nodded.

Aaron nodded back his thanks and raised the phone back up to his ear. [color=f0d705]“...The administrative building is probably your best bet, sounds like that’s where the student housing offices are,”[/color] he finally replied. He cast a cautious look back at his friends and turned a little away. [color=f0d705]“Do you happen to know where our… [i]friends[/i] went off to?”[/color]

[color=8585AD]“Dunno. Probably some tea party where they can gossip more or whatever le- vampires do in their spare time. Eris looked pretty happy but he had some stupid actor persona on the whole time so I couldn’t tell if it was genuine.”[/color] There was a brief pause on Max’s end. [color=8585AD]“My guess is your dorm, Eris acted like he was spending the night.”[/color] 

Oh good, there was that stone in his gut again. [color=f0d705]“Ah-hah…”[/color] Aaron was loath to think too hard about why Eris would be spending the day at his dorm, and even less excited to think about what he might find when his curfew rolled around, but he chose to hope that whatever was going on between the two of them would end before he needed to be anywhere near it. 

[color=f0d705]“Thanks for the heads-up,”[/color] he replied, pushing his suspicions from his mind and moving the topic away as quickly as he could justify. [color=f0d705]“Did you ever find out what happened to your first partner? Maybe administration can shed some light on that as well.”[/color] He paused a moment to think. Salem’s things had been moved, presumably because he was being transferred to the Astorio dorm, but Eris would be living in the regular dorms, so was there any need to move? [color=f0d705]“Could be that your dorm didn’t change, although I somehow doubt Mr. Samael would agree to moving into a second-hand dorm,”[/color] he decided, although he really couldn’t be sure about the former. 

Max let out an audible groan. [color=8585AD]“No idea. Eris said he bought me out or something along those lines. Guess I’m quality merchandise or something. Supposing my dorm did change, did they go through all my stuff or am I expected to collect it myself?”[/color]

Aaron tugged on his free ear. Salem’s dorm had been cleared out because he’d been moved, yes, and his more dangerous belongings had been confiscated by the sounds of it, likely due to the investigation. Likewise, the rest of his things had probably been searched. But to Aaron’s knowledge, no such suspicion had been cast on Max. [color=f0d705]“...I’d expect they moved it,”[/color] Aaron replied hesitantly, [color=f0d705]“but either way, I’m sure a visit to the housing office would be smart. Did Mr. Samael give you any tasks in the meantime?”[/color]

[color=8585AD]“Feed the dog and make sure it doesn’t shit in the house. Why, did you need my help licking Varis’ boots clean?”[/color] There was a pause on Max’s end, hopefully so he could kick himself for being such a jackass, before he continued. [color=8585AD]“That was a joke,”[/color] he added flatly. 

Aaron wasn’t convinced. A strangled noise or two escaped his throat as he processed the insult, a mixture of anger and shock flashing through him. What was [i]that[/i] for? He had been nothing but polite since meeting Max, but apparently Max felt like taking his scorn for vampires out on him.

Aaron sighed. He wouldn’t usually have paid such an insult any mind, and he was pretty sure that Max was probably just frustrated and lashing out, but after baseless reprimands and arguments and piercings and [i]Ralph[/i], Aaron was still feeling a little more snarky than he usually let on. [color=f0d705]“Is there anything else you need my help with? Kick-starting lethargic magic, for example? I [i]just[/i] now thought of a new technique you could try.”[/color] 

Max let out a ‘pfft’ noise in response, sounding equal parts dismissive and amused. [color=8585AD]“I think I’ll be alright. Gotta make these professors earn their tenure somehow, right? Thanks, though. Really.”[/color] 

As quickly as Aaron’s annoyance struck, it was gone again, and he had to concede a chuckle. That little noise Max made made him sound like Eris, and something about the two of them being similar despite Max’s incredible distaste was too funny for Aaron to stay mad. [color=f0d705]“No problem,”[/color] he replied sincerely. [color=f0d705]“Let me know if you have any more trouble, I’ll see what I can do.”[/color] 

[color=8585AD]“Right, I’ll forward you my complaint letter before the princess gets it so you can tell me my wording was too harsh. Oh, and give Eris a hard time for me if you get home and he’s sitting there. Bye.”[/color]
[/hider]
Aaron needlessly nodded, smirking. [color=f0d705]“Have a good night,”[/color] he replied, before dropping his phone back in his pocket. Maybe Max wasn’t so bad. Hopefully. It would be nice to make something of a friend out of Eris’ mage; if tonight was any indication, he imagined they’d be seeing a lot of each other whether they liked it or not. 

He walked back to the table, offering Salem and Lilie an apologetic look. [color=f0d705]“Sorry about that, [i]Max[/i] of all people needed my help,”[/color] he explained, not bothering to retake his seat. He looked between the two of them, letting his hand rest casually on his pommel. [color=f0d705]“Want to head to the infirmary, then?”[/color]