Page 40 of A Whisper of Cinders

I look up at the board, biting my lip as I try to pick something to eat. The options seem endless and I am a little overwhelmed. The fact that I barely recognise anything that is on the list makes me even more nervous. I’ll just order something random, like…

“You need some help?” Aramis asks, his voice soft and gentle.

I push my shoulders down, releasing my lip from between my teeth. “Yes, I’m sorry, this is all —”

“A little overwhelming,” he continues. “I get it, no need to worry. How hungry are you?”

I want to say I’m starving, but my stomach isn’t used to eating large servings of any kind of meal, no matter how delicious they might be. “I’m hungry, but I…can’t eat much, because…”

He holds up a hand. “You don’t need to explain if you don’t want to. I’ll order different small things, is that okay?”

I only manage a small nod. He is so considerate, which is a balm to my aching heart I didn’t know I needed.

Aramis places our order and I walk past where all the food is displayed. Everything looks fresh and oh so delicious, I want to taste it all. Some meals are prepared at the moment, others, like fruit bowls, stand in the cool temperature, ready to be eaten.

At the end of the meal display, Aramis waits patiently for our order, and I walk over as all sorts of food are loaded on two trays.

I move to grab one of them, but he is faster and takes them both, each in one hand. I follow him towards a round table, the seats looking very comfortable. The students that were lounging before have mostly disappeared, which chases away the uneasy feeling that was settling inside my stomach. It does make me wonder…

“Do people always eat this early?” I ask, watching as Aramis spreads the plates across the table.

“Early? I think your internal clock is a little off,” he says jokingly. “It’s nearly ten o’clock. Most of the students are in their classes right now.”

His response gets lost in all the food that is currently on the table. I could probably survive a week with it. I open my mouth, close it, and open it again. “Aramis…I’m truly sorry, but I can’t eat all of this, no matter how delicious everything looks.”

He sinks his teeth into some kind of pastry, my attention lingering on the canines that are currently on display. “I know, I know. No need to panic, I ordered most of these things for myself.” He waves his hand over the wide assortment of mouth-watering dishes. “Scoop up whatever you want until you’re full. I’ll eat the rest.”

I observe him, noticing only lean muscles, the fact that I can even see it through the clothes he’s wearing, says enough if you ask me.

But I do as he says, grabbing one pancake and loading it with some fresh fruit. There is something creamy standing next to it, it looks like a dairy product, but I can’t name it.

“Is this…?”

“Yoghurt? Yes! Freshly made from a farmer not that far away from here.”

Yoghurt, that seems right. Okay, I can try that. The plate in front of me looks so appealing, but I guess that is easy since I’m used to more basic meals in Anima.

I pick up a piece of fluffy pancake and add some yoghurt and fruit on it as well. I put my lips around the fork and shove the food in my mouth and…

Oh. Oh.

Flavours explode in my mouth. It tastes sweet, creamy and there is also a hint of sourness that swirls in my mouth. I close my eyes, letting out a small involuntary moan.

“Glad you like it,” Aramis says, amusement coating his voice.

I swallow, a little embarrassed, but continue eating. As I devour the pancake and fruit salad, I let my gaze roam past him and try to see what view the windows have to offer. I catch a hint of snow-covered pine trees, but that is all I can see from this distance. Aramis catches me staring. “Would you like to take a look?”

I nod. “If that’s possible, then yes, I would love to.”

“Of course, are you finished?”

I look across the table that is now nearly empty, except for a few scraps. I managed to eat more than I anticipated, but I am more than satisfied. “I am,” I say finally, cleaning my mouth with the napkin he hands me.

“Perfect! Let me clean this up and I’ll be right with you.”

I offer to help, which he declines, but I help him load everything on the trays. He picks them up as if they weigh nothing and walks over to where I see a rack for dirty dishes.

I rise from the chair and walk towards the windows. What I couldn’t see from where I was seated, is that the cafeteria is actually some kind of mezzanine and there is a whole other area located underneath it.