He closed his journal and looked at the clock with a sigh.  Midnight, he mused, rolling the word over and over in his mind.
    Bryan had been studying for the exam Christopha was giving in the morning, and as his custom of writing before bed, he’d been up reading and writing for the last four hours at his desk.
    I’m glad Andarlin put me in the staff housing area. No roommates to deal with, he silently thanked the Academy Headmaster.
    That was, until there was a sharp, quick knock at the door, barely audible.
    Slowly pulling himself out of his chair, he went to open it, thinking it had to be someone with something important. It was, of course, midnight, and most of the campus was asleep, save for the guards, and a few of the necromancy teachers.
    He cracked the door open barely to peer outside, in case it was a student who’d lost his way. None of his classmates knew where he stayed. He liked it that way too. But no student was at his door. It was Christopha, looking very tired, yet more elegant than he had ever seen her before.
    She looked around cautiously, then to him on the other side of the door, “Bryan?”
    This really caught his attention, “Yeah?” he asked, opening the door enough for her to see it was him, trying to keep his voice down so not to wake the other staff members.
    “Can,” she began, “can I come in?” she asked quietly.
    “Yeah,” he said, opening the door for her and moving to the side, “yeah, sure.” He closed it slowly behind her, looking concerned at her appearance.
    She definitely looked sleep deprived, but ready to sleep on a moments notice. She had let her hair down, and was wearing a long, peach colored silk robe, that probably came from one of the Oriental nations that Redhurst had visited.
    “Something wrong?” was the question he didn’t even have to ask, but he did anyway, waving to the couch for her to sit.
    “You,” she paused to cross the room to sit, giving a slight smile “you might say that.”
    Pitiful smile, he thought, yet raised an eyebrow, moving to sit in his chair back at the desk, turning it around to face her. “Well, I’m no psychologist, but I’m all ears. What’s up?”
    Christopha sat on the couch, sighing softly as she slumped into the cushion.
“You remember this last week, how I brought in that speaker to show how a blade can be animated to defend a spellcaster?”
    He nodded, “Yeah, Eliza Brastorich, wasn’t it?”
    She nodded a little before continuing.
    “She and I were roommates back in the days of my fighter school. And we haven’t really kept in contact over the years,” another pause. “I kinda made the mistake of offering to share my room with her, so she wouldn’t have to stay at the inn. And she thinks I want to catch up on everything. She won’t stop talking, and I can’t find the way to tell her to stop. She’s a great friend, but for Goddess sake, I need my sleep.”
    Ah, so this is why she’s been looking so ragged the past couple days. The lack of sleep has finally caught up with her, Bryan thought.
    “And, what makes it more uncomfortable,” she continued, off on a rant, unable to stop herself, “is she’s asking me if I have a husband or a boyfriend, or a lover, or any form of the above. I don’t, of course, but she’s already got two children, a husband, and is still showing off her skills. I just can’t compete with that.”
    Then she stopped, realizing what she had just said to him. She suddenly felt embarrassed that she had told him that last part, and felt her cheeks flush red barely. He was one of her students, and none of this was something she’d normally tell someone, even those close to her. Bryan had helped her out before, but not on this level.
    “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said all that.”
    Bryan just smiled, “It’s okay. I understand for the most part. And I can help you out on that first part. Go crawl into my bed in there, and sleep. The alarm is set for seven, just warning you now.”
    He got up again to cross the small distance, “But as for the second, I’ll just mark that up in the ‘Christopha-hasn’t-had-enough-sleep’ category and let it go at that.”
Christopha smiled softly, relieved of having to ask to sleep there on her own, and slowly got up from the couch.
    “Thank you Bryan. I’ll owe you one for this.”
    “No problem. Just get some rest. There’s that test in the morning,” he said, trading places with her and flopping on the couch.
    “What?” she looked at him astonished, “Not going to sleep in your own bed with me? I have to be all by my lonesome?”
    “That’s,” he honestly said, even if he knew she was joking, “yet the second comment I’m putting in the ‘not-enough-sleep’ category,” he smiled. “Go on. The bed’s not all that big anyway. We’d both wake up in a bit of a compromising position anyway, if you know what I mean.”
    Christopha just chuckled lightly, “Okay then, sleep well Bryan,” she said, heading into the bedroom.
    He heard her get into the bed as he stretched out on the couch, waving his hand towards the lights, willing for them to go out on their own.
    In the dark, he could hear her breathing.  She had already fallen asleep.
    Silently in the pitch black, he cursed himself for being a decent guy once again, and got up while he was thinking about it and closed the door to the bedroom, to give her extra sense of privacy.

----

Morning came, and the alarm went off. Christopha rose from the bed, looking around, remembering where she was from the fuzziness of sleep.
    She reached over and turned the alarm off with a bit of difficulty. It was a digital clock.
    “Too many buttons,” she muttered, pulling herself out of the comfort of bed, and reaching for her robe in the chair next to her.
    Slowly she slid into the silk robe, walking to the bedroom door, cracking it open to peek out into the living area.
    Bryan was still asleep on the couch, oblivious to the alarm that had gone off a moment ago.
    Good. Let him sleep, she said to herself, sneaking out of the room, attempting to get past the sleeping student of hers. She paused to look at him, brushing a free lock of hair out of her eyes. I’ll let him take the exam later. He’s been studying too much and not getting enough sleep.
    She started again towards the door, but only took a single step before realizing what she just thought to herself.
    “What on earth am I saying?” she asked herself out loud, and much louder than she had meant. Immediately she clamped her hand over her mouth.
    Too late, she thought, seeing him stir in his sleep. She could have sworn she saw his eyes snap open then shut again.
    She stood there for a moment longer, waiting to see him rise, but he didn’t. She silently hoped he was still asleep, and resumed to creep towards the door, and slip out into the hallway. Once the door was closed ever so softly, she rested against it, staring out into the empty space between the staff doors.
    What had she even started thinking along that line of thought? She’d never even considered doing anything so accommodating to a student before. Not even to one of her own co-workers.
    He had let her have a place to sleep that night, but that was something she was sure he was willing to do out of kindness. She’d seen him do things for other students, and never ask for anything in return, even though he could have demanded a high price. Christopha was pretty sure this was just another one of those cases, and he wouldn’t bother her with any requests. He just wasn’t that kind of person.
    Then again, she almost hoped he was.
    It took her a moment to realize she was standing there in her robe still, and it would look very odd to see her in front of Bryan’s room, in her night clothes. She quickly made her way back to her quarters and got dressed for the day. Class was to start in an hour.

----

    Bryan slowly woke later, confronted by the emptiness of his quarters when he was the only occupant.
    Painfully he turned his head to look at the clock.
    8:30 a.m.
    She hadn’t woke him up.  Class had already started, and she was well into the exam.  She did that on purpose, leaving him there.  He could tell.
    Why? he asked himself, groaning as he pulled himself off the couch, and went to the wash room to clean up a little.
    “Does she want me to fail?” he asked out loud, talking to himself again in front of the mirror and sink.  He turned on the water on hot, and let the Redneck-improvising of the Ever-Flowing Sink do it’s work (this was one of his own divinations.  It was a lone decanter of endless water flowing up into one of two pipes to be hot or be cold, then back out one pipe to empty into a sink with a tiny bag of devouring in the drain.  He rigged it himself a week after he came to Redhurst, and was quite proud of it).
    “No.  She wanted to pay me back,” he reasoned.  “I mean, why not?” another question to the un-answering mirror.
    He washed his face and trimmed up his beard a bit, freshening up with the deodorant he brought with him.  ‘But she still should have gotten me up.’  He had expected her to make some kind of noise to wake him.  She was, after all, a member of staff and faculty, and his teacher.
    I’ll go talk to her after class lets out, he said to himself, turning off the water and getting his clothes on for the day.  He made sure to stretch out for the day, betting Christopha was going to make him practice on his sword-play and hand-to-hand with Deshahnn (a big, heavy guy that made most of his wizardly comrades think he was more into the fighting form of study).
    As he started out the door, he peeked outside first, down the hallways to make sure there were no students wandering about the halls looking for a staff member.
    Instead of a student, Headmaster Andarlin was there, headed strait for his door.  He looked to be in a bit of a rush, but was at the same time restraining himself for some reason.  Had he found out about last night between the teacher and student, letting his mind make the worst of things?  No.  The Headmaster’s expression was all wrong for that.  It was something more of concern and worry.
    “Something wrong, sir?” Bryan asked first, stepping out of his room and closing the door behind him, locking it as usual.
    Usually when Andarlin looked like that, it had something to do with the spy they knew was on the campus.  As far as Bryan knew, he and Andarlin were the only two, save for the spy themselves, who had any knowledge of the spy, and they had been feeding false information out systematically, preparing a chance to find out who it was.
    The elder elf came close to him, breathing a bit harder than what a normal person would after walking.
    Wizards, Bryan thought to himself, holding back a chuckle, just another form of nerd.
    “Bryan, before I begin,” Andarlin started, first doing his job as the Academy Headmaster, after he caught his breath, “why aren’t you in class?”
    “Oh, ah, sorry, sir,” he began to reply, not prone to show signs of who took his bed the night before, “The alarm clock didn’t go off.  I’m pretty sure I set it though.”
    “Alright, but you know you’ve missed that exam with Christopha today, right?” Andarlin asked, doubtful of the answer.
    Bryan nodded, “Yes, sir, and I was just about to go talk to her about that after class lets out,” and stated, starting to walk down the hallway.
    “Good, good.  Now,” the Headmaster started, walking with Bryan, “I was told just now that you started an argument between two of your friends.”
    A tilt of his head, a look of disbelief, and Bryan asking “I did?” was all the reply he got.
    “Yes.  And they’ve broken into a fist fight over it.”
    “James and Marcus,” he groaned, rubbing his beard in frustration.  “Did they hurt each other too badly?”
    “No, no, nothing serious.  Just a couple black eyes and bruising,” Andarlin said, giving Bryan a sigh of relief.  “But I asked them what the argument was about.  They told me that you suggested it to them.”
    “Yeah, I did,” he admitted, “The age old question of who would win, but with a twist.  Astronaut or caveman.  I thought it would keep the occupied and get them off my back for a while.”
    “Well, that’s not the problem.  Now some of the faculty and staff have taken sides on it.  I’ve seen them arguing in the hallways about it.”
    “Oh crap,” Bryan said, know this would turn out bad in the end if they didn’t do something in the end.
    “Yes, exactly.  I need to know how to tell the ones who are arguing who would win, so we can stop this.”
    Bryan stopped, and turned slowly to Andarlin, looking like he didn’t believe what he just heard.  “You’re kidding me, right?  It’s a philosophical question that can’t be solved.  It’s not supposed to make people fight, it’s supposed to make them think.  Honestly?  It would end in a draw.  They’d leave each other alone, get along together, or kill each other at the same time.”
    “Oh,” the Headmaster said, trying to think of a counterpoint, “But what if-“
    “No!  No ‘ifs’.  It’s all pointless,” Bryan stated firmly, unwavering in the answer.  He almost was angry about the whole subject, honestly thinking there wouldn’t have been a problem with the question, but obviously he was wrong.
    “You sure?”
    “Yes.  I’m sure.  Tell anyone who asks, that they both lose.  It’s the only way to end the argument.”  Again, he was stern about it, even to the Headmaster, he had that habit.  While he had been there, Andarlin acted as both a peer and a figure to look up to.  Right now, the Headmaster of the Academy was acting like a peer, though several years older than Bryan.
    “Okay, that seems fair,” he replied, but that hadn’t eased his composure any.  There was something else.  That little bit about the argument had been something to open the conversation.
    They founded the corner, heading towards the gymnasium.
    “Anything else on your mind?” Bryan asked, wanting to make sure the air was clear for Andarlin to speak later.
    The Headmaster nodded slowly, his tone going a bit more serious than it had been.
    “Yes, very perceptive of you Bryan.  There is,” he said, looking about where they were, “But you probably need to get on to class.”
    There it was.  A silent signal they had both agreed on when something had to deal with the campus spy.
    Bryan nodded, “Yeah, probably.  I’ll come by your office later.  Does that sound okay?”  Another signal.  The Headmaster’s main office was bugged for listening, and they both knew it, but his private office was protected against anything like that.  This was just another way they fed the spy, choose the main office or the private.
    “Yes, please.  Just head on up when you’re done with classes,” Andarlin said, turning to leave Bryan to continue to the gym.
    As he watched Andarlin leave, he wondered if what they were doing was right.  Hunting a spy was one thing, but feeding the spy was dangerous on its own.  If they screwed up, things could go sour real fast.
    Bryan’s train of thought was interrupted by the students being let out of Cristopha’s class in the gym.
    As they passed him, a few of his classmates poked fun at him, saying as they went by that he was in some deep touble (though that wasn’t the word they used).  Probably true, but at lead Deshahnn was among the leaving group.  He just laughed them off, and continued past them, into the gymnasium.
    Christopha was in there, gathering her equipment slowly, and looking preoccupied by thought.  Unlike the Headmaster, this looked to be a sincere personal turmoil she was concentrating on.
    “Now, Andarlin looked something like that, but it was for another reason entirely.” Bryan swaggered towards her, casual as ever.  He was casual with all his teachers, but not like he was with her.  In a way, he revealed more of his home-grown Texas sense of style and attitude, all without realizing what he was doing.
    She nearly fell over, snapping her head around to see where he was, a little yelp of surprise coming from her.
    He wasn’t expecting that, and jumped a bit towards her, even though he was too far away to make the catch if she had fallen over.
    “Sorry,” he smiled with a chuckle, “didn’t mean to sneak up on you like that.”
    The gym was empty, save for the two of them.  His words echoed softly against the cool stone walls.
    She smiled back, absently replacing a lock of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes.  “It’s alright,” she replied, “but since you’re here now, and not for class, you can help me get all the equipment away.”
    Bryan frowned a bit, but went to help anyway.
    “That’s what I came to talk to you about.  You didn’t wake me up,” he started to argue, then paused in thought, “Why didn’t you, anyway?” he asked, picking up the spare practice swords they used for class.
    That question caught her off guard.
    “I, uh,” she began to stumble over her words on the first sentence she thought of, “Well, you had put up with letting me sleep in your room.  I, uh, thought it only fitting that you could take the test when you were fully rested.”
    Yeah, like he’s going to believe that, she thought to herself.
    “Okay,” he chirped back with a nod.  He didn’t believe her, but he could tell she was uncomfortable with the subject for right now.  Bryan started hanging up the blades on the wall in the order he first recognized them by; rapiers, broadswords, then the long swords.
    Wow, he bought it, she thought, looking surprised briefly.  She watched him reach up to put the first of the rapiers away.  He had been there for one semester already, and had come to the campus as a skinny computer-nerd.  Now, he was filling out, gaining muscular build, and was more of a sight to look at.
    It only took a moment for her to realize she was staring.  Sure, he was wearing his shirt, but she had seen him without it before, and now found her mind imagining that it wasn’t really there.  She turned away, feeling her cheeks go flush, composing herself.  Christopha had never thought of a student like that before.  Why now?
    “So,” she heard over her shoulder, “What are you doing for lunch?”  Bryan asked, picking up one of the broadswords and hefting it a bit, reminding himself how heavy it had been when he started taking the class, and not realizing what he had just asked her.
    “What?” she spun around to face him, not believing what he just asked her.
    “Just wondering what you’re doing for lunch, that’s all,” he restated what he had asked, placing the sword between the two heavy-duty hooks mounted in the wall for it.
    “Oh,” she said, starting to stumble again, “Probably here, as usual.”
    “Now that’s a shame,” he chuckled, “We travel all over the place, find new, and intelligent forms of life,” he was standing, making the quote he knew she wouldn’t understand more dramatic, “and you don’t even leave the campus for even half an hour to eat a good lunch.  Where’s your sense of adventure?”
    She paused, and a look of a bad memory resurfacing creased her face.  Not enough time for her to turn away this time, though had she thought of it, she would have.
    “I’m sorry,” he quickly apologized, taking the hint that he had touched on something he shouldn’t have, “I didn’t mean to-“
    “It’s alright,” she interrupted him, shaking off the memory before it had a chance to take hold of her mind. “I guess you’re right.  I’m just as bad as all these wizards around here,” she tried to smile.  She was hiding something, he could tell.  He knew how to hide things like memories, even from himself.  “I’m guessing you were going to suggest somewhere?”
    “Actually, I was.  Where are we right now?  Malca?” he questioned her, knowing she’d have the destinations memorized for the campus.
    She shook her head, closing her eyes to recall the calendar of locations.
    “If I remember right, we’re in your world right now.  Some place called Russia.”
    Bryan rolled his eyes a bit, “Oh, great.  That helps, but still, Russia could be a continent on its own if it could.  At least I know how to get to a place with good food now.”
    “Bryan,” she took a step forward cautiously, not really believing he was asking this of her, and not believing she was about to ask this, “are you asking me out?”
    He blinked, coming to grips with the conversation they had been having.
    “I, um, I guess I am,” he admitted, “Sorry.  I know I shouldn’t be, but I’ve seen you at lunch on occasion.  You really don’t have anyone around you who laughs or someone to talk to normally, do you?”
    “I-I do.  Andarlin and the guar-“
    “The guards.  I know.  I’ve seen them at the table with you.  It’s all business, as far as I’ve heard.  You just don’t look happy a lot of the time, that’s all.”
    He was right, she wasn’t.
    He hung up the last of the swords, while she was in silent thought.  Before she could think of anything to say, she found his hand on her shoulder, and his soft smile.
    “If you’re up to a good lunch, and someone to talk to, meet me at the send off station at noon, okay?”
    She didn’t even blink, here eyes still focused more on what she could have said at that instant, then more in the moment for giving a reaction.  Bryan patted her shoulder gently before heading out the gymnasium doors, going towards the Dean’s Tower, and leaving her alone in her thoughts.
    Christopha just stood there, thinking for a long while.  She felt disturbed slightly at the thought of a student, and a younger man at that, asking her out on a date.  But she liked the idea at the same time.  It helped boost her ego just enough to bring a smile to her lips.
    Then the idea of her job and position a Redhurst got in the way.  She was a teacher, a member of faculty, and a representative of the campus.  Having a relationship with a student (one of her students) just wouldn’t be allowed, if found out.  She could be ejected from her position, and have Bryan expelled at the same time.  That just wouldn’t be right.  She liked him too much to put him in that situation.
    “I’ll just have to pass on lunch Bryan,” she whispered out loud, “maybe dinner at your place.”  That thought made her smile.