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“Calm down!” Faust huffed as he straightened his hat after Shino and Heath rushed past him to get to the front door.
Nero fell into step next to him and pushed his hands deep into his apron pockets with a grin. “They’re excited. Ain’t every day Teach invites us over for a lesson!”
Flustered, Faust tried to brush it off. “Well, no, it’s just easier to bring the class to the garden.”
“Of course, of course!” Nero laughed.
“Oh, shut up,” Faust frowned as he stepped into his own living room to join his students who had rushed ahead.
Shino bluntly pointed out, “You bought more chairs. Took you long enough! This one with the cushion is for Heath, right?”
“Shino!” Heath scolded as he shook his head. “That’s Mr. Faust’s.”
“Oh, right. Because he’s old,” Shino nodded wisely.
“SHINO!” Heath practically hissed.
Nero couldn’t contain his laughter as he plopped down in the chair that was clearly the most uncomfortable looking. “Hear that, Teach? The kids think ya need the cushion ‘cause yer old.”
“Nero….” Faust scolded as he glared at his friend.
“Don’t worry Nero, I can use magic to get you a cushion too,” Shino proudly stated.
Heath shook his head silently in embarrassment.
“Whoa, hey now. What’re ya tryin’ t’ say?” Nero stumbled over his words, the shock clearly evident on his face.
Faust couldn’t stop the smug upturn to his lips as he placed his hand on Nero’s shoulder and explained, “It’s because he thinks you’re old.”
“Teach?!” Nero gasped and looked up at Faust in mock hurt.
“Oh stop it,” Faust ordered as he gave Nero’s shoulder a playful push.
Nero’s clear laughter filled the room in response.
“All right. Settle down. I don’t care who takes which seat, just do it quietly,” Faust began his lecture.
“Yes, sir,” Heathcliff politely responded as everyone settled in for the lesson.
With a wave of his hand, Faust made worksheets and quills appear on the table. “I want you to use these identification sheets as a guide when you’re in the garden. Please be careful as there are many rare and dangerous plants back there. Even some of the ones we’ll be using today for medicine are poisonous in the wrong doses. Don’t eat anything until you’ve shown it to me, is that understood?”
A chorus of “Yes, sir,” "Yeah," and "Sure thing," responded.
Faust nodded and said, “Good. Once you’ve collected the appropriate plants, bring them back in and I’ll go over your work before we begin making the medicines. I’ve given each of you a different one to make, using different plants. That should help stop any cheating,” Faust narrowed his eyes at Nero as he said that last part.
“Hey, hey! Why’re ya lookin’ at me?” Nero threw up his hands in defense.
Faust hummed, “No reason.”
Grinning and laughing, Nero pointed out, “Ya know I’m good with identifyin' herbs, I got no reason t’ cheat!”
Faust responded with a cheeky, “This time.”
“Teach!” Nero let out a wounded cry.
“Please look over your sheets and if you have any questions just ask. Everything will be located within the garden fence, you will not need to wander off,” Faust explained.
“What’d you get?” Shino asked as he peeked over at Heath’s paper.
“It says it’s an elixir to stop a serious cough and restore easy breathing,” Heathcliff read off his paper. “Oh that sounds helpful!”
Shino frowned, “It looks harder than mine. I got a simple pain reliever. Hey, Teach? Don’t you think I’m capable of the complicated stuff too?”
Faust sighed and kindly explained, “Heath’s very good at complex and detailed work, so his recipe is suited to his skills. His work is complex and useful, but will require a very specific situation to be of help. I’ve given you something simple, effective, and widely useful. Every team gets hurt and needs a simple pain reliever. This will make you a valuable asset to your team.”
Shino brightened and sat up straighter as he looked, a little smugly, at Heath. “See? He thinks I’m a valuable asset!”
Heathcliff smiled softly in return and nodded, “You are, Shino.” After a moment of hesitation, Heathcliff ventured to bring Nero into the conversation. “What did you get, Nero?”
Nero hadn’t really bothered to look at his paper yet, he had been letting his eyes wander around as he contemplated lunch. Sitting up properly he said, “Ah, let’s see…I got an ointment to aid healing and a…whoa that’s complicated….”
“You got two? Why did he get two?” Shino demanded.
Faust sighed, “Nero is already skilled at plant identification so I gave him extra work.”
Heathcliff leaned over to try to read Nero’s paper. “What’s the second one?”
“Uh…it’s a ‘complex cure-all for life threatening curses.’ Teach, this list of ingredients is massive. Ya sure ya got all this back there?” Nero sounded hesitant to believe it.
“Of course. Nero, our team is often put into situations involving curses because I am the expert on that topic. I have put all of you in danger because of my specialty knowledge and if I fall to a curse while on a mission, it will be invaluable to have someone who can offer assistance. You understand what I’m saying, right?” Faust explained seriously.
Nero nodded, his eyes turning serious. “I get it. But does this really work? Ain’t cure-alls usually kinda bogus?”
Faust nodded, “Mostly they are, yes. This one, however, does have some merit to it. It still won’t handle the strongest curses, and it can’t break them either. What it can do, though, is stave off the worst effects long enough for more skilled help to arrive.”
Heathcliff quietly asked, “But, aren’t you the most skilled help?”
Shino proudly answered for Faust, “Of course he is!”
Faust sighed, “Don’t worry, I should be able to save all of you in any situation where being saved is possible.”
Nero’s voice was quiet as he muttered, “Then this is….”
Faust cleared his throat. “Yes. Anyway, it should buy you enough time to get me to someone like Figaro who may be able to do something. Now, that’s enough of that. If there’s no more questions than you can take a basket from near the back door if you need one. Remember do not taste anything without showing it to me first!”
Heath and Shino both nodded and gripped their papers seriously as they went into the garden, the weight of Faust’s recent words casting a shadow over their joy and serving as a stark reminder of the true purpose of their lessons.
“Hey, Teach,” Nero called out from his seat, not making any attempt to move.
“What is it?” Faust asked, not unkindly.
Nero narrowed his eyes at his paper before finally speaking. “This recipe, it’s important, ain’t it?”
Faust took a breath and let out a pained sigh before agreeing, “I guess it is. It’s important for my survival anyway. In the past I would have been inclined to just let the curse have me and be done with it but….”
“But, ya don’t wanna die anymore?” Nero asked, his heart both heavy and hopeful at the same time.
“Well, I guess that’s right,” Faust adjusted his glasses. “I’m sorry I’m being so selfish, making you learn something just to save my life,” he sincerely spoke as he rested his hand lightly on Nero’s shoulder.
Nero answered, “Ain’t selfish. I’m happy to help with anythin’ when it comes to makin’ sure ya don’t die.”
Faust was momentarily flustered by Nero’s seriousness and pulled his hand away before crossing his arms and huffing out, “Good! Please do show me what a good student you can be, Nero Turner.”
The serious moment dissipated as Nero grinned up at Faust and in his normal casual lilt offered, “I’ll do my best.”
Faust followed Nero to the door and gave him a little push out as he shoved the basket into his arms. “You’ve got a ‘massive’ shopping list. You’ll need this,” he teased.
“Yeah, yeah,” Nero said as he rubbed his neck and wandered off into the garden, basket in hand.
Faust stood in the doorway, arms crossed, and watched the scene unfolding before him with a serene smile. Early afternoon rays of dazzling sunlight kissed every inch of the garden. He seemed to be enjoying watching his students pick through the bountiful garden that he’d nurtured and grown all by himself, working tirelessly over the years.
Shino and Heath were happily chatting as they looked for the proper herbs. Shino’s list was far shorter than Heaths, and with his outdoors knowledge it wasn’t too difficult for him. He’d finished quickly and rather than coming to Faust to check his work, he’d spent his time following Heath around.
Nero was diligently making quick work of his list, almost as if someone’s life currently depended on it. Even as Shino and Heath laughed, nothing cut through his laser focus.
Faust’s smile turned a little melancholy as he realized Nero’s diligence was for his own sake, now that he had been given a task that may one day save Faust’s life. He frowned as it settled into his heart, that he’d yet again been a burden to Nero.
It wasn’t long before Shino and Heath came running up with their baskets ready for inspection. Faust gave one last look out at Nero, who was still working tirelessly at collecting the large amount of items needed for his recipes. With a small sigh, he turned and ushered the kids back inside.
Once inside, Heathcliff worried, “Shouldn’t we wait for Nero?”
“It’s fine,” Faust answered as he pulled Shino’s basket over to go through it.
Shino let out a proud little huff as he pointed out, “I won!”
“What did you win?” Faust asked, absentmindedly, checking Shino’s work.
“I was the fastest,” Shino declared, matter-of-factly.
Faust sighed and explained, “It wasn’t a race. Rushing with medicine is dangerous. The herbs can heal or they can kill. You have to be very certain of your work and part of that includes not rushing to the finish line. What would you do if your haste poisoned your master?”
Shino looked a little deflated as he gripped his hands into fists and remained silent.
“You’ve done well though, everything is correct here. You collected far more than necessary, however, and these herbs are precious so you’d do well to pay attention to the quantities while you’re gathering,” Faust praised Shino.
Shino nodded, clearly still shaken by the reminder that careless rushing could hurt people when it came to medicines.
“The tools you need are set out on my work bench over there. I’ve removed anything dangerous, so feel free to use the space as you need. You can work there, at the table, or in the kitchen if you need. You can get started, Shino,” Faust instructed as he handed the basket back.
Heath looked a little nervous as he handed over his basket for inspection. “I think I got everything right,” he offered, hopeful.
Faust carefully inspected the haul and nodded approval. “You did excellent work, Heath. Everything is correct, and you’ve been very conscious of how much you’d need. There won’t be much waste.”
“Thank you!” Heath beamed at his teacher as he took back his basket.
Faust instructed, “You may go join Shino and begin working on your medicine.”
Heath nodded and then cast a nervous look out the back door, “But Nero….”
“Nero’s fine,” Faust said as he gave Heath a gentle pat on the head. “I’ll be in the doorway so I can keep an eye on all of you at the same time.”
“Thank you, Mr. Faust!” Heath bowed and smiled as he rushed off to join Shino in his medicine preparation.
Faust wore a content expression as he settled down to oversee all of his students. The warm and fond smile on his face was something few would have imagined a year ago, but now it was a common sight when he was with his fellow Eastern wizards.
Nero was still working at a good pace, but it didn’t look like he was close to finishing. The bright sun was still beating down and finally prompted Faust to stand up and pull an old sunhat off the hook near the door before walking out to join Nero.
“Wa?” Nero exclaimed as Faust settled the sunhat onto his head without warning. “Oh, Teach. Sorry, I was so focused.”
“Don’t get burnt,” Faust said as he glanced down into the basket to see how much progress Nero had made. “Oh, you’re nearly finished.”
Nero nodded, “I did the easy ones first, so I’d feel less pressure on the hard ones and could take my time.”
“That’s very wise,” Faust agreed.
“‘Been workin’ like yer life depended on it, Teach,” Nero said, only half joking.
Faust’s voice caught around the lump in his throat as he muttered, “Nero….”
Grinning, Nero asked, “When’s lunch? Ya had me prepare all that before we came. When do I gotta switch gears from student to cook?”
“Right…I made you prepare lunch earlier too….” Faust trailed off as he sunk his teeth into his lower lip.
“Teach?” Nero questioned in confusion.
Faust shook his head, “No, it’s nothing. We can eat after you’re finished with the gathering, if Shino and Heath are both at good stopping points.”
“Sounds good!” Nero said as he went back to his work.
Faust hesitated a moment, as if having something to say, before finally pulling himself away and going back in to check on Shino and Heath.
Nothing catastrophic had happened while he was gone and it seemed Shino was nearly finished with his simple task, much to Heath’s dismay.
Stepping up beside Heath, Faust kindly asked, “Is everything going okay?”
Heath nodded, determined, before glancing over at Shino’s work.
“Heath,” Faust muttered. “I’ve given you a complex task. You’re doing very well. Remember what I said. There’s no race to the finish line on this task. You don’t think Nero’s doing poorly, do you?”
Heath looked flustered as he answered, “Of course not! Nero’s looked so complicated….”
Faust laughed lightly, “Yours is complicated too, Heath.”
Heath nodded and focused back on his task.
“Done!” Shino called out and raised his hand, as if waiting for Faust to check his work.
“Let me see….” Faust moved over to turn his eyes onto Shino’s work. He checked over all of the ingredients leftover and then checked the smell, consistency, and taste of the simple medicine.
Shino looked anxiously at him, awaiting his appraisal. “I was careful. I don’t want to poison Heath.”
Faust laughed as he verified, “Well, this wouldn’t do that. You did well. It’s not perfect, but it wouldn’t cause any ill effects. You’ve just made it stronger than my recipe called for. You need to be careful of that in the future though. Other drugs it will make a difference for.” Faust ended his assessment by giving Shino a fond pat on the head.
“I’ll do it better than Heathcliff next time!” Shino exclaimed.
“It’s not a contest,” Faust said, again. “We’ll be having lunch soon. You’re free from lessons now, so it’s up to you how you spend the rest of your evening as long as you don’t cause any trouble or get hurt. You can go outside, but don’t wander off. You need to stay on my land.”
“Done,” Nero said, sounding a bit exhausted, as he walked in and hung the sunhat on the hook near the door. With a huge sigh of relief he placed his overflowing basket on the table.
“I’ll check it,” Faust said as he sat down and pulled the basket close. He frowned, “Nero these are wrong….”
“Ah! No! Sorry!” Nero pulled the basket back over and rummaged around in it, pulling out some herbs and dividing the quantities of others. “Here, now check,” he said, sliding the basket back over.
“Nero…were you shopping for yourself while doing my assignment?” Faust looked sternly over his glasses at his student.
“No good?” Nero chuckled and rubbed his neck as he awaited his scolding.
Faust tried not to smile as he said, “I thought you said you were working like my life depended on it?”
“Uh….” Nero trailed off. “Sorry, Teach. I got carried away.” He grinned and then tried his usual show of flattery and diversion to get himself out of his predicament. “It’s just yer garden is so good and all I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to add some of these to our lunch. Ya really know yer stuff when it comes to makin’ herbs grow.”
Faust hummed playfully as he straightened his glasses and went back to checking over Nero’s work.
Shino wandered over and pointed out the obvious, “There’s so much. That’s gotta be at least a hundred different things!”
“149,” Faust and Nero answered in unison.
Letting out a low whistle, Shino humbly offered, “I take it back. Nero wins.”
Nero laughed and ruffled Shino’s hair, “Thanks, kid.” He turned to Heath and asked, “Do ya think you’ll be at a good place to stop for lunch in about 20 minutes?”
“Yes, I’m almost finished, actually!” Heath answered.
“Wait, Nero,” Faust stopped his sorting of the herbs and offered, “I was going to help you with lunch….”
Nero shrugged him off. “It’s fine! It’ll take ya a while to check over everythin’ and make sure I ain’t gonna accidentally poison anybody. I’ll start lunch prep and it’ll be ready when ya are.” He didn’t wait to hear any complaints and instead headed straight to the kitchen to wash his hands and get to work.
Biting his lip again, Faust sighed in worry, before going back to carefully checking all 149 of the plants Nero had collected for the curse medicine. The healing ointment would only take 10 of them, and Nero had carefully made sure to gather extra of those to account for their use in both recipes. Faust smiled to himself as he realized he should have expected as much of such a skilled cook.
While Nero prepared a soup and some sandwiches for lunch, Shino hovered around Heathcliff as he finished making his medicine. The whole time, Faust continued with meticulously checking Nero’s work. It was partway through that he was struck by a sudden idea and walked over to his work bench and took the scale over to the table.
Nero looked nervously over his shoulder and into the living room, “I didn’t know ya were gonna weigh ‘em already….”
Faust answered, “I wasn’t, but….” he placed a bunch of herbs on the scale and checked their weight. Then another, and another. He finally looked over at Nero in astonishment. “Nero, these are all very close to accurate measures already. Some of them are perfect. How did you…?”
“Oh,” Nero chuckled, relieved, as he stirred the soup. “I guess it’s just ‘cause I’m so used to cookin’ I got a decent feel for how much is there.” He hastily added, “Don’t worry though! I know the curse stuff has to be super precise. I’ll measure everythin’ when I make it!”
“I never doubted you, I just….” Faust was totally bowled over by Nero’s skills.
“Hn?” Nero tilted his head and questioned.
Faust shook his head and went back to verifying Nero’s work. “No, it’s nothing, just…good work, Nero. Really, very good….”
“Well, thanks, Teach!” Nero casually tossed over his shoulder as he went back to his cooking.
Heath called softly from across the room, “I’m finished, Teacher.”
“Oh, good. I’ll be there in a minute, I’m nearly finished checking Nero’s work,” Faust said as he looked over the top of his glasses to Heath.
Heath waited nervously as Shino told him, “Don’t worry. I know you did it perfect! My master is just that kinda guy.”
Faust looked up from his work as he began putting the herbs carefully back into the basket. “Speaking of perfect. You get full marks on this part, Nero. I can’t find a single thing wrong. You were meticulous.” He took a small breath before looking into the kitchen at Nero and sincerely saying, “Thank you.”
Nero smiled in return. He brushed off the praise, “Wasn’t any worse than shoppin’ to feed a whole manor full ‘o people. Ya know, it wasn’t a burden or anythin’.”
“Ok, let’s see what you’ve done, Heath,” Faust said as he stood and walked over to the work bench. “Hmmm….” he hummed. “As expected of Heathcliff. This is very good. You have the opposite problem from Shino, though. It’s a little on the weak side. It could have simmered a bit longer to be thicker and more concentrated. It’s still perfectly useful this way, though. I see no reason to deduct points. Good work!”
Heath’s shoulders collapsed as he sighed in relief. “Thank you.”
Faust smiled at his two young students and reaffirmed, “Great job.” Then he considered his other student, and glanced nervously to the kitchen. “How’s the food coming, Nero?”
“It’s ready whenever ya are,” Nero answered as he brought a platter of sandwiches over to the table.
Everyone rushed to help him. Faust cleared away the rest of Nero’s classwork, and Shino and Heath brought over the dishes. Working together they had the table set for their meal in no time.
Nero ladled soup into bowls and carried them over as Faust filled a pitcher with water.
Settling in for their meal, Nero joined them last, as he got caught up trying to start cleaning and Faust had to force him to come sit down.
Everyone waited for a moment, afraid to reach for the sandwiches. Shino was waiting for Heath, but Heath was waiting for Faust. Nero was waiting for everyone else to go first. They always had this awkward moment unless someone was actually serving the food.
Finally Faust sighed and said, “Fine,” as he reached out and took a sandwich off the platter, which prompted Heath and then Shino to reach for their own portions.
Nero waited to see what was left and then selected his own food from the bits leftover.
Faust couldn’t help but frown as he noticed Nero selected his sandwich with care. He had avoided the largest one, which Shino was already eyeing. And he’d also left the smallest one, which was just about the size Faust may reach for if he wanted seconds. And, it goes without saying, that he left the one that looked the most appetizing, as surely it was what Shino would want for Heath if he wanted a second helping.
As Faust took tiny bites of his sandwich, interspersed with sips of his soup, he said, “This is delicious, Nero. I really like the flavor of the broth. You were right about the herbs you selected. Thank you for making it for us.”
“No problem,” Nero said as he ate every last bite of his own food and then patiently waited to see what everyone else was going to do.
Shino was fast to reach for the nice looking sandwich and put it on Heath’s plate without even asking, as he grabbed the biggest one for himself. “Thanks, Nero! It’s good,” he blurted out as he rushed to eat his seconds.
“Thank you, Nero,” Heathcliff politely added.
Faust didn’t make a move for more, until finally Nero lifted up the plate and offered it to him. “Seconds?” He asked.
“No thank you. It was delicious, but I’m full,” Faust explained.
Nero frowned. “Did I guess yer portion wrong? Normally ya eat a little more than that….” he worried.
“You can have it, if you want,” Faust offered, hopefully.
“There’s plenty for both of us. I made enough for two each, ya know,” Nero explained as he tried again.
Faust averted his eyes before caving. “All right. I guess I can have some more, but just….”
“Just a small one, right?” Nero finished his sentence and held the plate out for him.
“Yes,” Faust replied and then let out a small sigh.
Nero laughed, “I figured.”
After finishing their meal, everyone rushed to help Nero with the washing up until Faust pointed out, “Nero, you’re not finished with your classwork yet. Shino and Heath, we’ll leave the cleaning up to you.”
Nero reluctantly pulled his hands out of the soapy water in the sink and dried them off, leaving Shino and Heath to finish up. “Ok, ok,” he said as he joined Faust at the work table where his basket of herbs was waiting.
“Nero….” Faust began, but trailed off.
“Hn?” Nero hummed.
Pausing a bit too long, Faust finally said, “Did you read through this recipe yet?”
Nero nodded, and answered, “Yup.”
“Do you have anything to say?" Faust asked, as if fishing for something.
After a moment, Nero shrugged. “No. I understand.”
Faust hesitated again, before saying, “All right.” Finally he added, “And Nero….”
“Hn?”
“I’m sorry.”
Nero let out a small chuckle at Faust’s apology before shrugging and casually saying, “Gotta do what I gotta do. Can’t fail Teach’s lesson! Have ya seen him when he’s mad? Scary!” He winked cheekily.
Faust couldn’t help the small smile forming on his lips as he let out a little huff and settled on, “Oh shut up.”
“Ok! Here I go, I guess….” Nero screwed up his mouth in concentration as he began working.
Faust watched him for a moment, with a difficult expression on his face, before going to join the kids at the sink. “Nero’s going to really need to concentrate for his, so when you guys are done, you can either go outside, or stay in here and read or something quiet. I have the spare room made up for you so you can go up there too, if you’d rather.”
Shino and Heath quietly nodded, both looking at Nero with sympathy.
Faust prepared a pot of tea for himself and then settled into the chair near the fireplace and picked up a book. He frequently looked up to see how Nero was doing, but stayed silent.
The kids went outside for a while, but returned a few hours later as the sun was dipping lower in the sky. They entered giggling, and a little sweaty, but quickly stifled their laughter as they realized Nero was still working. They both stopped in their tracks and then gave Faust a confused look.
Faust glanced at the clock and realized they were probably hungry for dinner. He stood up and nodded to them, holding his finger over his lips and then motioning for them to go upstairs.
They both nodded and walked up the stairs as quietly as they could, without a word.
Moving as lightly as possible, Faust made his way to the kitchen and began preparing a simple dinner.
The sound of someone other than himself in the kitchen distracted Nero. “Oh? Is it dinner time? I’m sorry, I was concentratin’ on this….”
Faust returned from the kitchen and explained, “It’s fine. I’ll make something simple and send the kids to bed. We’ll be staying the night, I guess….”
“Wasn’t that the plan? I mean, ya knew how long this would take,” Nero pointed out.
Faust hesitated then explained, “Truthfully, I didn’t think you’d do it. I gave you two recipes because I figured you’d complain about the second one. I only ever really expected you to make the ointment.” He averted his eyes away from Nero.
“Ya thought I’d complain?” Nero asked, a little hurt.
“Well, no I….” Faust backpedaled. “It’s just…you’re not usually very enthusiastic about lessons so I figured….”
Nero gave a wry smile before agreeing, “Yeah, I see what ya mean.” He focused back on his work and the two fell back into silence for a while.
Faust made quick work of making a dinner of salad, vegetable soup and some leftover bread from lunch. As he was dishing everything out, as quietly as possible, Nero called over to him.
“Faust,” Nero interrupted.
“Yes?”
“I wouldn’t complain about somethin’ like this,” Nero said, firmly. He looked back at his intensely complicated work and then nodded to himself. “Ya don’t wanna die. I’ll never complain about helpin’ ya with that,” he practically whispered.
Faust breathed, barely audible, “Nero….” He stood for a while, in the kitchen doorway, just watching Nero’s diligent work. It was an odd reversal to be the one standing in the kitchen and watching Nero work at a desk. Usually it would be Faust at the table, grading papers or something, while Nero worked hard at the stove.
He’d called Nero lazy several times in the past, but standing here now watching him work, Faust knew just how wrong he’d been to ever think that. Nero might enjoy things like naps or relaxing, but he was never truly lazy. Anything that was important he would do, and often without complaint or prompting. Any time someone seemed hungry, he would set to work, tirelessly. Endlessly he was working to keep people fed, happy, and safe. Faust’s heart clenched in his chest as he realized how lucky he was to have a teammate like him.
He finally pulled his eyes away and with the help of a quick spell, carried the portions for Heath and Shino up to their room. With a polite knock, he asked, “Can I come in?”
Heathcliff called through the door, “Yes!”
Faust entered the spare bedroom and found them playing a game of chess, both sitting on the rug in front of the fireplace. “Oh? That’s somewhat surprising, I didn’t realize Shino played chess,” he said as he placed the tray of food on the desk.
“Heath taught me! I like it, it’s good to learn strategy so I can guard him better,” Shino explained, his expression serious.
“It’s just a game, Shino,” Heath replied, half exasperated.
Faust joined them and held his hand to chin as he pondered the board, noting that Heath was in a prime position to win the game within 3 moves. “I’ve brought up dinner. I’m sorry it’s not as fancy as what Nero would have made, but it’s edible,” he explained as he pulled his eyes off the chess board and looked at his students.
“Will Nero be working a long time still?” Heathcliff asked, worried.
“Probably until after midnight,” Faust answered.
Heath’s face contorted in concern. “That’s so long. Isn’t there anything we can do to help him?”
Faust shook his head, “Unfortunately, no. The best help you can be is to just try to keep quiet so that he’s not distracted.”
“You gave him a very important job, didn’t you?” Shino cut in.
Faust’s eyes rounded in surprise before he set his lips in a grim line and nodded. “Yes, I did.”
“Well then, Nero should be proud!” Shino declared.
Heath looked confused, “Why is that?”
Shino happily explained, deadly serious, “Because, his leader gave him a very important job to do. It means he is trusted. Maybe he’s even trusted the most out of all of us. I’ll beat him someday, though! Teacher, you can rely on me too!”
“Of course I can,” Faust laughed. “And I do. I rely on both of you also, but this was a task suited to Nero’s skills. The recipe is very long and complicated and involves a lot of different preparation methods. It’s almost like cooking.”
Heath looked a little relieved, but still said, “I just wish I could help him. He must be exhausted.”
Faust thought for a moment and then said, “In that case, why don’t you make some sugar and I’ll take it down to him. I’m sure he’d be grateful for the energy boost.”
“Oh!” Heath brightened at the idea and went right to work. “Shino, you should make some too.”
“Right! I’ll make the strongest sugar and it’ll give him enough energy for days!” Shino exclaimed.
Faust nodded and explained, “It can be a little way to try to pay him back for everything he does for us every day.”
The kids both nodded and began forming a few crystals of sugar at a time. They quickly filled the small dish that had carried their bread for dinner.
“I’ll take this to him. You two hurry up and eat before it gets cold and make sure you go to bed at a reasonable hour,” Faust ordered as he took the plate and left the room, closing the door behind him.
He looked down at the small plate of sugar crystals, both varieties instantly recognizable as either Shino’s or Heath’s by their differences. Heath’s were meticulously formed little stars, but Shino’s were slightly less refined, and very large. There was no doubt they’d pack quite a punch.
Faust smiled at their work as he held out his hand and formed his own sugar crystals to add to the pile. Several perfect stars formed on his hand, with neatly rounded points that would never do harm to the inside of the mouth. They shone in a rainbow of muted colors as the dim lights hit the angles. He added his own distinctly recognizable offering to the plate.
Quietly coming down the stairs, Faust hesitated at the foot of them for a moment to watch Nero still hard at work. He seemed to have reached a part of the recipe that required several finely ground herbs to be mixed and then boiled together with a very precise amount of water, until the water evaporated and a paste was left. Faust’s heart ached again as he watched him work.
Nero didn’t flinch in his concentration, even as he reached up to wipe his brown on his sleeve. He did, however, finally pull away his attention for a moment as Faust carefully placed the plate of sugar down next to him. “Sugar?”
“The children wanted to help you somehow,” Faust explained.
Nero narrowed his eyes on the 3 distinct forms and then asked, “Just the kids?”
“Well…I….” Faust trailed off. Finally with a sigh he answered, “Me too.”
Nero laughed. “Even though yer the one who assigned this to me?”
“I’m sorry,” Faust apologized, sounding a bit miserable.
“Don’t worry ‘bout it,” Nero casually rebuffed as he pulled a piece of Faust’s sugar off the plate and plopped it in his mouth. He let the sweet energy melt over his tongue before saying, “I’ll accept this as yer apology.” He gave a playful wink to his teacher before turning back to his work.
Faust added a bowl of soup and a plate of salad and bread to the area next to Nero’s work, before also bringing him a cup of tea. “It’s not much, but there’s some food here too, if you have any time for it. If you’d rather coffee or something just let me know. I’ll be down here with you until you’re finished.”
Nero didn’t take his eyes off his work as he said, “Ya don’t gotta stay up. It’s fine, I’ll finish it.”
“No, it’s just….” Faust worried.
“Ya don’t trust me?” Nero asked.
Faust rushed to set him right, “It’s not that! I know you’ll finish it. I just don’t think you should have to do everything alone. It’s not really any help but….”
Nero smiled to himself as he worked, “Nah, it’s a big help, actually. It’s nice just havin’ ya around. Thanks, Teach.”
“Just…call me if you need anything,” Faust offered before heading back to the kitchen to eat his own meal.
“Sure,” Nero answered, as he carefully measured out some water that he had just purified via an arduous and lengthy process. Then he added, “Also….”
“What is it?” Faust asked, ready to assist.
“Just so ya know. Ya also ain’t gotta do everythin’ alone,” Nero said, without looking away from his task.
Faust didn’t answer right away. He thought over his words carefully before finally replying, “I already rely on you more than you realize, Nero.” Without further explanation, he finally went into the kitchen and had his own dinner.
After eating, he quickly cleaned everything up and then returned to the living room and settled in with his book.
The evening continued on in peaceful quiet, the only sounds the occasional clink of Faust’s teacup, and turning of his pages, mingling with the faint sounds of grinding herbs and mixing potions from Nero’s work. The sun set and with the last rays of light sinking out of view, the quiet mundane noises were suddenly mixed with the summer insects joining the song of the night.
Faust would occasionally look up from his book and watch Nero work for a while, but every time he did, he felt a small tug at his heart, that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He was equal parts grateful for Nero’s willingness to learn this medicine that may someday save his life, and also sorrowful at the fact he had to put Nero in this situation in the first place.
As the darkness truly settled into the living room, Faust waved his hand and the candles sprung to light all over the room. The action made Nero realize the lateness and he silently reached for more of the sugar and swallowed it with a gulp of the now cold tea.
Faust pulled himself from his seat and went to the kitchen to start a new pot of tea. After it was finished he brought a fresh cup out for Nero, taking the old one away. He also reached for the soup bowl but Nero stopped him.
“No, I’m gonna eat it, I won’t waste something ya worked hard cookin’,” Nero explained as he placed his hand on Faust’s to stop him, even as he didn’t look away from his work.
“I’m just going to reheat it for you. I know you don’t like it when magic interferes with food, so I was going to heat it on the stove,” Faust explained, his voice a hushed whisper to match the hour of night.
Nero finally looked over at him and smiled somewhat weakly, exhaustion evident on his face, “Thanks, Teach.”
Faust nodded, even as his heart clenched in pain again as he looked at Nero’s weary eyes, trying to stay awake and focused. Nero still hadn’t removed his hand so he could take the soup bowl away, so he gently reached down and removed it, placing it on the desk. He gave Nero’s hand a gentle pat and explained, “I’ll be right back with it.”
Nero nodded, looking down at his hand awkwardly, as if he’d completely forgotten about it. He reached for more sugar to help with his rapidly deteriorating state of alertness.
Pulling himself away, Faust took the bowl of soup to the kitchen, where he poured it back into the pot and waited for it to warm up again. As he stared into the soup pot, wondering what must go through Nero’s mind every day as he did similar work, he again was hit with that painful feeling in his chest. He scrunched up his face in worry as he wished he could find some way to repay Nero for even a fraction of the things he did for their little team.
His eyes scanned the cupboards trying to think of anything he could do, no matter how small. His gaze came to a stop on the canisters of flour and sugar, and he recalled all the times Nero baked cookies for the children to cheer them up and urge them on. He also recalled all the times, just like earlier today, that Nero purposefully took the worst selection of the foods. Not that anything Nero made was ever bad, but he’d always take the least of it for himself.
Every time Nero made cookies and decorated them, Faust would watch him personally eating the one that he’d messed up the decoration on a little bit. Any time he prepared a beautiful plate of food, he’d select for himself the one that hadn’t turned out quite perfect. Without fail, Nero would work his hardest, and take any mistakes for himself.
Faust’s heart ached for Nero, for all his kindness. Every little tiny thing he did for everyone, every day, and so often with no more than a few words of thanks. He knew those few words were enough for Nero. Just knowing he was appreciated and respected was enough to keep Nero’s heart full, but Faust wanted to do something else.
His eyes fell back to the soup that was now bubbling and he hurriedly poured it back into the bowl before taking it back out to Nero, who was still hard at work. He looked beyond exhausted, but because it had been asked of him, and it was important, he kept going. Nero always kept going when it was important, Faust noted.
“Here, it’s warm again. If you find a moment, you should eat some,” Faust said as he carefully set the bowl down next to Nero.
Nero’s eyes cleared for a moment as he glanced over and said, “Ah, Thanks, Teach. Appreciate it! I think I’ll be done in a few more hours….”
“That sounds about right. You’re right on track, then. Good work, Nero,” Faust offered, in all sincerity. He worried a bit as he looked at the clock on the wall, which read 5 minutes until 11. “Nero….” Faust tried to find more to say to encourage him, but he faltered, before finally settling on, “Really, good work. You’re very reliable.”
“Thanks,” Nero chuckled, as he reached for more of the sugar to help fuel his final hours of work.
Faust wanted to kick himself for his lame attempt at encouragement and praise. As sincere as he was, he knew it just wasn’t enough to truly get his point across and fully thank Nero for his everyday kindness and thoughtfulness. And it certainly wasn’t enough to thank him for his willingness to put in this much work just for something that might save Faust’s life one day.
Before Faust could get too far away, Nero asked, “Yo, Teach. I gotta question. I think I know the answer but….”
“What is it?” Faust asked, turning back to look at Nero, even though his attention was still focused on his work.
“Why can’t ya make this yerself? I don’t mind doin’ it, I just wondered if there was a reason,” Nero asked as he carefully used a pestle to grind more of another fragrant herb.
Faust considered his response for a moment, before settling on the most direct answer. “As you probably suspected, much of the effectiveness of this comes from the sheer amount of time and careful attention it takes. It’s almost more of a blessing, really. A blessing on yourself is a useless endeavor, so for this to work, it needs to be crafted with much care and attention by someone else.”
Nero nodded slowly. “So it’ll only work if I really put my heart into it, eh?” He sounded half teasing, but the seriousness underlying it was impossible to miss.
“Simply put, yes. I guess that’s how it is. I’m really sorry for making you do this,” Faust apologized again.
“I understand,” Nero replied before glancing Faust’s way for a moment and reassuring him, “I’ll give it my best shot.”
Faust smiled weakly back and offered, “I never doubted you.”
He made his way back to the kitchen and without fully thinking it through, or even stopping to wonder if Nero would appreciate it, he pulled the flour and sugar canisters out from the wall and began pulling other items from the cupboards. He worked as quietly as possible, doing exactly the sort of thing Nero would do in his position.
It may not be Nero’s favorite food, but it was something. He’d watched Nero do this for the children in the manor countless times, and he’d admired the thought, care, and effort each time. He placed his large glass mixing bowl in front of him and rolled up his sleeves. He didn’t bother with it much, but he did own an apron, and because he was determined to do this the way Nero would appreciate it best, without magic, he pulled it out of the drawer. He tied the long gray apron around his back, so it covered his outfit well. A deep breath later, he opened an old worn book of handwritten recipes and truly set to work.
In a role reversal, as Nero sat at the maledictor’s work table and meticulously measured out herbs for a curse related medicine, Faust precisely measured out sugar and shortening. He cracked 4 eggs into the bowl, careful not to get any shells in. He selected a nice wooden mixing spoon from the holder, one he had actually purchased after Nero complained about his old one, and began beating the mixture.
Next he added in the vanilla and some buttermilk that he had to make by using a small amount of lemon juice with the fresh milk, as he didn’t have any on hand. Once the ingredients were well mixed, he pulled another bowl down from the cupboard and measured in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. He mixed it all together well, before adding it slowly to the first bowl and combining it all to form a firm dough.
He set his oven to heat and then placed the dough into the ice box to chill. While he waited he began cleaning his mess, again, using human methods and foregoing the ease of his magic. He washed the dishes and cleaned the counters and even brushed the flour mess off of his apron and onto the floor, before pulling out a broom and sweeping it up.
His work pace was diligent, but not rushed. He tried to do everything carefully in turn, just as Nero was doing now with his own task. Faust had no interest in rushing this moment, as part of the reason he hoped it would get his message across was the very time and effort that it took.
The oven finally reached the temperature required, with a beep. He pulled the dough and also a hefty amount of butter from the ice box, which he placed near the oven to warm up quickly. He then pulled out a baking sheet and greased it before dropping spoonfuls of the dough on it. Happy with his work, he placed the tray into the oven and set a timer for 8 minutes.
As the cookies baked he began making the frosting, first creaming the butter with a little vanilla and then sifting in a large amount of confectioner’s sugar. He mixed it until he achieved a smooth and fluffy consistency. A dash of milk finished off the recipe as the timer on the oven beeped.
He pulled the delicious smelling cookies from the oven and placed them out to cool, before dropping more spoonfuls of the dough onto the sheet and returning it to the oven, this time setting the timer for slightly less time to account for the already warmed baking sheet.
“Faust?” Nero called from the living room.
“Yes? Did you need something?” Faust responded.
“Nah, just wondered what ya were doin’. It smells really good,” Nero called back.
Faust smiled to himself and considered that the first part of success. He had elicited the coveted praise that his baking smelled good, from the best cook he knew. “Just making a late night snack,” he called back, unable to hide the happiness in his voice.
When Nero didn’t respond again, he went back to work, this time dividing the frosting into a few bowls and then mixing coloring into them to achieve a few shades of blue and a beautiful buttery golden yellow. The colors reminded him of Nero’s hair and eyes, but they were also the colors of a wheat field against a beautiful blue sky.
The next batch of cookies finished baking and with that Faust pulled them out to cool and turned off the oven. While he waited for the cookies to cool enough to frost, he again worked on the dishes and keeping his workspace tidy. He knew Nero would never approve of a messy kitchen.
After the cookies were quite cool, Faust took a small bite of the worst looking one. He was relieved to find that they tasted as good as they smelled. He wagered they were not quite a match for Nero’s own, but considering what he was up against on that front, he figured it was okay to come in 2nd place.
Carefully arranging them from worst to best looking, he started from the worst in order to practice his frosting and decorating skills properly before working on the ones he hoped would be for Nero. He used all his dexterity and careful attention to spread the shades of blue onto all of them as a backdrop.
Quite pleased with his work, he then considered for a moment, before rolling two cones of parchment paper and filling one with blue frosting and the other with the yellow. After snipping the tips off of them, he first pulled over half of the cookies and began practicing his lines, as he piped a large raindrop on each of them, similar to their county’s emblem.
He was happy with his work. He figured, again, that it wasn’t as nice as something Nero could do, but it certainly didn’t look bad. He moved the cookies aside and then pulled over the others. He used the pale blue in the icing bag to pipe little clouds on half of each cookie and then switched to the yellow.
Taking a deep breath, he carefully began piping lines of the yellow buttercream onto the lower half of the cookies. When he was pleased with that, he switched to using tiny, quick flicks of the piping tip to add little grains to the top of the stalks. It wasn’t detailed, but it was as close to a wheat field on a beautiful sunny day that he could manage with his limited decorating skills.
He hoped that the obvious thought he’d put into creating an image that Nero would like, just like his mana area, would help get his message across. He knew that if anybody would understand what went into this sort of work, it would be Nero. Finally nodding at the finished cookies, and deeming them complete, he let out a relieved sigh.
It still didn’t feel like enough, but it felt more helpful than sitting in his chair reading a book, while Nero worked tirelessly just for his sake. He carefully transferred the best cookie of each design onto a plate and put them aside for Nero. He pulled the worst ones aside for himself, and then put the others in a container to save for Shino and Heath when they woke up.
Knowing the job was never fully finished until the kitchen was spotless, he then spent a while cleaning everything up and setting everything right. Once he was truly done he took a moment to admire his work, looking at the two plates side-by-side. The difference in quality between his best attempt and his worst was easily evident. He understood Nero’s inclination to eat his own mistakes, but that didn’t mean Faust thought he should have to.
He poked his head into the living room to see if Nero was at a good spot to interrupt, as he thought his gift may seem a bit shocking to him and he didn’t want to distract him. Seeing him finally eating the soup and salad from dinner, Faust took a breath and found his courage.
Without a word, he placed the best plate of cookies next to Nero, before walking the worst ones over to his chair and settling in again. He realized he still had his apron on, and with a sigh, used magic to send it to the kitchen, as he poured himself a new cup of tea from the pot on the warmer.
Taking a sip of his tea, he stole a glance across the room to see if Nero had reacted at all to his gift. What he saw made his heart nearly shatter, as it was not the reaction he had intended.
Nero was staring, dumbstruck, at the cookies. His eyes were narrowed in a pained expression and tears glistened at the corners as they welled up and threatened to fall.
Faust sat silently, unsure of what to do.
Finally, Nero’s voice cracked and broke the silence with a painful chuckle, “What’s this for, Teach?”
Faust pondered his response before earnestly offering, “Everything. It’s…it’s just for everything, Nero.”
Nero nodded, as if he understood. He scrunched up his face to try to will the tears away as he turned and looked to Faust and said, “They look amazin’. Did ya give me the good ones, or were they all this great? I might have t’ watch out so ya don’t surpass me in the kitchen.”
Blushing and looking away, Faust explained, “Trust me, they didn’t all look that good. You still win.”
Nero laughed and mused, “So ya gave me the best?”
After a moment, Faust looked back at him and answered, kindness overflowing from his expression, “Yes. Because you deserve it.”
“Damnit, Teach, I’m tryin’ t’ work here, ya know,” Nero blurted out as he messed up his face again to try to regain his composure. His exhausted self had little energy left to put up barriers or wear a mask to keep his cool when faced with such honest emotions.
Faust smiled into his cup of tea and explained, “And you’re doing a splendid job.”
Nero pulled his gaze away from Faust and looked at the cookies again before adding, “They look too good to eat, ya know.”
“I think they taste pretty good too,” Faust offered, a bit cheekily.
“That so?” Nero asked, before carefully breaking off a bit and placing it in his mouth. He let the sweetness cover his tongue and he felt the different textures of the creamy frosting and the crumbly melt-in-your mouth cookie. “Yeah, they do. Thanks for the snack, Teach,” Nero said as he savored everything about the moment, before turning back to his task.
Faust smiled contently to himself as he considered that perhaps Nero really did get his message. He hoped it would be enough to keep Nero going for a little bit longer - the knowledge that he was truly appreciated and cared for. By the sudden perk in Nero’s mood and energy level, Faust thought that it just might be enough.
The pages left in Faust’s book dwindled, the pot of tea cooled, the candles burned low, and the plates of cookies sat empty, all showing the passage of time as the night wandered on. Finally Nero called from his work, “Faust, I’m done.”
Faust didn’t hesitate to put his book down and go to check Nero’s work. Nero was the picture of exhaustion as he fought to keep his eyes open. Faust pulled over the small bowl of medicine with care not to spill a drop. He carefully inspected the color, smell, consistency, and taste, before smiling and whispering, “You’ve done it perfectly.”
Nero looked as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders as he practically collapsed onto the desk. “Thank god,” he muttered into the wooden work surface his face was pressed against.
Rummaging in the faint light, Faust pulled two small vials out of the stacks of implements on his work bench and then with the greatest of care, poured the inky blue-black medicine into them. He placed a cork stopper in each and then carefully sealed both by dripping the blue wax from a nearby candle onto them. Next he carefully tied a ribbon around each. He grabbed a quill and wrote labels in elegant cursive letters, ‘Curse Cure-all, Brewed 7/23/xxxx, by Nero Turner,’ before neatly affixing the labels.
He slipped one of the vials around his neck and carefully hid it under his cassock before holding the other out to Nero and saying, “Keep this somewhere safe. You did excellent work.” When Nero didn’t reach out to grab it, Faust finally looked at him properly and found him sound asleep at the table.
Faust’s eyes softened as he smiled, full of love and admiration. He gently whispered, “Here, Nero, take this,” and placed the vial into Nero’s fingers. Nero stirred just enough to grasp it, and then drifted off again.
With his heart full, Faust waved his hand and cleaned up the dishes and put out the candles, before uttering his spell again and using it to help him carry Nero upstairs. Normally when they stayed over, Nero slept on the sofa in the living room, but Faust didn’t have the heart to place him there tonight after everything he’d done.
Faust gently placed Nero in his own bed and then tucked him in. He looked down at him and carefully brushed his hair out of his face before giving him a soft pat on the head and whispering, “Thank you for everything, Nero. Sleep well.”
As quiet as a mouse, Faust slipped out of his room and went down to the living room, where he settled into the sofa. He was about to, yet again, get a small taste of just how much Nero’s constant kindness and willingness to give to others cost him.
The next morning Faust awoke, sore and a little grumpy, and vowed to himself that he’d purchase a bed for Nero for the next time they slept over. Where he’d put it, though, he had no idea. “Well, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it,” he muttered to himself as he sat up to the sounds of Shino and Heath descending the stairs looking for their breakfast.
It wasn’t until he went to get up to make breakfast that he realized there was already a delicious smell coming from the kitchen. He’d been beaten to the punch by none other than one of the hardest working men he’d ever met in his life.
“Yo, Teach! ‘Mornin’! How do pancakes sound?” Nero asked, with a huge grin on his face as he stepped into the living room from the kitchen.
Faust felt that pang in his chest again, as he overflowed with admiration for the man before him. He couldn’t believe his insanely good luck to have a person like Nero as his teammate, and even more than that - as his friend. “That sounds amazing. Thank you, Nero.”