Then Terel will happily learn economics principles from his beautiful girlfriend while eating delicious barbecue for like forty five minutes minimum.

"You sure do eat a lot."

"Really? I'm just getting your money's worth. All you can eat, see."

"We're gonna become tycoon imperials. We can spend some money."

"Alright, guess I'm done then."

The bill comes to 44 Kavased. Or 920 Metis.

She pays.

How late is it?

Maybe eight or nine o' clock? Sun was setting when they sat down, but the town is still busy.

"I'd better do some actual homework before bed."

"Yeah. Should I leave you to it? I don't wanna distract you too much," though I'd follow you to hell if you wanted me to, she doesn't say.

"Hmmmm... Honestly, it's been a pretty stressful week and nothing's due tomorrow and I kinda want a little more distraction." 

She grins. "I can provide exactly as much of it as you want, then."

He restarts their chat about computers - internet architecture is fascinating and bears some resemblance to networked call crystal infrastructure - while they walk back to his apartment.

She will have some questions about crystal network infrastructure as well, this is really cool.

It mostly works like phone switchboards! With some really clever cheating to cut down the computational needs that only rarely causes wrong connections. The best networks have automatic redirecting and signal boosting.

And oh look they're in his apartment again.

Presumably Terel has at least some homework to do before he wants to be distracted...?

Yes. He dashes off a report on the golemcrafting team's meeting and answers slightly condescending questions about the potion they made in lab today and how it works, ala college chem labs the world over. And then he's done for the day.

And now he has no more duties. They could spend the time until he has to sleep doing a variety of things.

"Oh? What do you suggest?"

"I could lecture about stuff..." she starts, taking a step closer. "All those sciences..." Another step. "Or you could read a book and recommend me one..." She's close enough he can smell her terribly pleasant vankire scent.

"A book could work..." He steps back and reaches for a random pair of fiction novels on the top of a bookshelf in a way that makes his shirt lift up and the front of his pants ride down just a bit, lingering that way for a second.

Going by cover illustrations one of the novels is what passes for sci-fi here. The other has a picture of some sort of rocker girl wielding a large sword-axe-thing.

Cover illustrations what cover illustrations there is delectable boy here.

And you know what he wins she is now close to him again much faster than she ought to be and whispering very softly into his ear, "I think I have a different idea of what we could be doing."

"I think I agree. Er- remember to do the strength thing." He waits a moment so this properly registers, then kisses her. Those two novels can wait on the floor.

Strength thing has been done since she walked into the apartment and now her arms are full of nerdy boy and he gets wingsnugs with his kisses.

Eee wingsnugs-kisses. "These are so fluffy and soft." Kiiiss. "It's almost cheating you know. D'you get feedback from 'em?"

"Yep, they are fully functional in all their respects. And what exactly are we cheating on?"

"Being comfy! You know what, I can't properly appreciate them like this-" Goodbye shirt.