A few seconds, and: "Yes?"

"I have made progress on my Ansati and would like to not end up with a terrible accent because I only ever practiced it on paper."

He laughs, and says in Ansati, "Congratulations."

"Thank you!" she says in Ansati. "I made--some of the progress, though, not all progress, I--say some things but not most things?"

"Well that's adorable," he says. "What do you think of finding a nice sitting room and a book I can read to you?"

"Good!" she says cheerfully, still in Ansati.

"How about one of my favourite books, then—"

The book in question turns out to be one of the lesser-known epic poems from the very early days of the Ansati Empire. The rhythm is complex in places but very pleasing to the ear, and Serik reads it well. There are a lot of descriptions of bloody battles which he is probably getting more out of than the author intended. He happily pauses between stanzas to translate any vocabulary she hasn't encountered yet.

She hasn't encountered a lot of that vocabulary. It's beautiful poetry, though.

It is!

And even when she doesn't recognize the vocabulary she can tell where the gory bits are by the tone of his voice.

Yes, yes she can.

She will definitely ask for clarification on that vocabulary.

He has a great time translating all those passages and unpacking the idioms and metaphors.

See, this is the kind of living language thing you just can't get from solo study. Or...almost anyone else she could have ever learned Ansati from, she supposes.

And it's fun!!

It is! He makes such delightful faces when the subject has to do with the myriad ways a human body can be damaged!

It's so nice that she approves of his faces!

They are exquisitely expressive.

It's true.

And maaaaybe tempting her to say something unwise.

Well, if she doesn't say it, he'll never know of her temptation.

Is he sure? She can also make some pretty expressive faces.

He'll never know what she would've said, at least. He may be getting the idea that some temptation is occurring.

She is definitely making tempted faces. But she won't say anything. At least not until the poetry's done.

He finishes the book. He puts it down. He smiles at her.