Gull hits the books

[Gull]

Gull sits in the inn, his songbook open to his right, a scroll unfurled to his left. He's placed his mug at the top of the scroll and his pitch pipe at the bottom to keep it from rolling up. As he reads the scroll, he takes notes in his book, pausing every so often to pick at scabbed-over scratch on the back of his hand. He's tense, hunched over his work with his head dipped low.

[Drixar]

Drixar approaches the table where gull is studying, a book tucked under his arm and a plate in each hand. “You know” he starts, setting one plate in front of gull, revealing a fresh apple crisp. “Studying is extra boring if you don’t have a snack”

[Gull]

Gull startles when Drix addresses him and puts a hand over the scroll as though to conceal it. It's only very briefly; he blinks and pulls his hand away, shifting deliberately into a more relaxed posture. He notices the dessert Drix is holding and smiles broadly. “Oh, now that would hit the spot indeed.” He takes the plate from Drix’s hands then pulls out the chair to his left so that his friend can join him. “To which chef shall I send my compliments?”

[Drixar]

Drix sits down and places both the book and the other plate in front of himself. “You can thank junior chef Drixar of course, and the recipe page I found that I think I could recite from memory now.” He laughs, cracking open the book of stars to pull out a recipe that.. has seen better days

[Gull]

Gull laughs affectionately and shakes his head as Drix shows him the crumpled recipe. “Well, if it tastes half as good as it smells, it'll be delicious.” He pops a spoonful into his mouth and closes his eyes blissfully. “Mmm. Oh. Twice as good,” he mumbles around his food. After swallowing, he opens his eyes and points at Drix's book with his spoon. “More recipes, junior chef?”

[Drixar]

“Hm? Oh!” He grabs at some of the pages that are still tucked into the book. “Yes and no, some of these are recipes, some are sketches… uh this one just has numbers? I forget what that’s about. But really it’s just a pile of whatever my brain latches onto.” He takes a bite of the dessert himself. “And right now, baking is the call”

[Gull]

"Baking's good. Stick with baking." Gull leans over and squints at one of the loose papers. "Ooh, shortcake? Y'know, I could get used to Baker Drixar." He eats another bite of apple crisp and picks up his pen, doodling a steaming pie in the margins of his notes.

[Drixar]

Drix laughs at the compliment from his friend. “Ooh and what are you working on here? I won’t snoop if you don’t want me knowing of course”

[Gull]

Gull's relaxed smile crystallizes, suddenly bright and brittle. "No, of course! It's, uh..." He swallows as though steeling himself. "Scripture. NOSian scripture." His tone is nonchalant but his eyes are fixed on his notes. The tips of his fingers whiten as his grip tightens on his pen.

[Drixar]

Drix raises an eyebrow. “NOSian scripture? I didn’t take you for one to study religious text.” Noticing his friends tense posture he switches gears. “But you never know what you could learn! Or if you discover it’s crazed writing from someone unaffiliated you get to make fun of it”

[Gull]

Gull relaxes slightly, very slightly, and shakes his head. “I'm not,” he replies automatically, then pauses. “Or rather, I wasn't. I suppose I am now.” His tone is odd, the emotion in it hard to pin down. For a moment, he stares at something past the page and says nothing.
The moment passes. Gull shrugs. “This is the real deal: the words of Paravox Olt as taken down by his acolytes. Francis assigned it to me to study. He intends to ask me questions on it later.” He smiles sheepishly. “I more or less agreed to be Francis's student and that involves less mysticism and more academics than I expected.” Gull speaks of the text and his studies in a lowered voice that's unusual for him. That, plus his darting eyes, the way he squirms, his newly invigorated picking at the scratch on his hand, gives the distinct impression that Gull is feeling embarrassed.

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