Crispin and Cain: Advice

Cain wrung his hands. He and Aven had been getting closer lately, and he was wondering when and where he should ask if she wanted to be his girlfriend. He had racked his brain about where he should go to ask for advice when he realized it was a stupid question and he should just ask Crispin. As of late he had been closer to Crispin than nearly anyone else. It should have been his first thought!

Thinking he was probably still around, Cain made his way down to the basement and went to the classrooms at the end of the hall before knocking on the door Crispin's usual classroom.

"Professor Crispin, are you in there?" It was a redundant question considering Cain could see him through the small privacy window on the door.

Crispin swiveled around in his chair to face the door. He had a large bowl in his arms.

Through a mouthful of mashed potatoes he said "Oh! Hey! Come on in, Kandi! I was just finishing up my dinner."

Crispin swallowed the rest of his potatoes in a single, seemingly painful, gulp and pulled a mug of ale from his hat as he stood up to let Kandi in.

Cain grinned, used to Crispin and his potatoes. "I see that. You doing anything else, like grading papers? Or, can I spare a moment of your time? Friend to friend?" He looked around his room a bit warily, making sure no one else was straggling behind for some reason. It seemed to be only Cain, Crispin and Stephen anywhere in sight. Most of the students were in their rooms.

"Oh. Uhh. Sure! I'm not doing anything at the moment... or.. any-- other... moment. Have a seat! I would love to talk!"

Crispin had a smile on his face. He likes being anywhere where he is of use to someone.

"What's on your mind?" Crispin said with a friendly tone.

Cain smiled-- or... grimaced a bit? It was hard to tell.

"Ah, yes, well..." He scratched the back of his head, trying to think of how to phrase his concerns. "Aven and I have been getting closer lately, and I've just been--" He stuttered and tried again, "What I mean to s-say is.... I don't know how to..." Words wouldn't come for a moment. His face was already red(der than usual) and now he was simply embarrassed.

"I was just wondering how to... ask if she would like to... make the relationship a bit more permanent. Maybe like... being my--" he said the next word very quietly, "girlfriend."

Crispin leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment.

"I'm glad you came to me Kandi. But, i mean, who else would you come to? Someone who ISN'T a chemist? I don't know."

Crispin leaned forward and took a sip of his Ale. Crispin sat still for a while in deep thought.

"Relationships and Chemistry are part of the same whole. Chemistry is the study of chemicals and what atoms get along well enough to make said chemical... Or how... Volatile it will be..." Crispin said now with a darker tone

Cain made a face. He wasn't sure he wanted any relationship of his to be volatile.

"Okay... so... what do you think?" He said warily. He didn't know much about Chemistry, but he had assumed it was a Science thing. So was it Science and Love? He should ask a Halloween resident, he decided. They did much more science than people in Christmastown did.

Crispin cleared his throat and took in a deep breath

"You relationship is like an oxygen atom and you and your girlfriend are like hydrogen atoms being attracted to the same oxygen atom relationship and you just gotta keep moving with the flow and don't try to oppose the natural current your electrons are making because Jack knows that your electrons will throw a hissie-fit if they can't get a-mingling with Aven and that oxygen atom relationship you know?"

Cain blinked a few times. "I'm terribly sorry, but... no. I don't know what you mean." He was used to Crispin's usual relation of science to... well, everything, but he was still a bit lost as to what 'elekdrawns' or 'adams' even were.

Crispin drooped his head and gravy dripped off the brim. He remained motionless for a second then threw his hat across the room, spilling potatoes, turkey, stuffing, ale, and plates on its way.

"Okay."

Crispin stands up and starts to write on the chalkboard. He draws 3 circles one big one and 2 small ones. He labels the big on "Relationship" and the smaller ones "You" and "Aven". He drew 3 arrows. One going from "You" to "Relationship", one going from "Aven" to relationship, and the third going from "Relationship" to a teardrop shape Crispin just drew that he labeled "Happiness"

"This is you, and this is Aven. You are both hydrogens and this guy, Relationship, is an Oxygen. Now. When 2 hydrogens cozy up to an oxygen it makes this one up here. Water or ,for the sake of this demonstration, Happiness. Are you following me?"

Understanding now, he nodded. "Okay... that makes sense... so.... then..... when? How? I'm so confused. I've never done this before," he admitted, now looking at his hands in his lap for a moment before focusing on the board again. "How do I know she's ready? I know I am, but..." He trailed off.

"Hmm" Crispin thought for a moment. "What kind of person is she? Outgoing? Introverted? Is she more aggressive than you?"

Cain chuckled. "I wouldn't say aggressive, but... yes, she's probably a bit more outgoing than I. We're close to even, she's just less afraid to say exactly what she's thinking, I suppose." He thought. "Yes, that's how I would describe it."

Crispin smirked. "You tell her as soon as you can muster the courage to do so."

Crispin stood up, nodded his head, then swooshed his trench coat and disappeared.

Cain sat up, stiff as a board and looked around the room. Who says things like that and then disappears? Crispin. Crispin does. He waited patiently, putting his feet up on Crispin's desk as he waited.

There is a load flap sound. Crispin is back.

"Heh... Forgot my hat... heh..."

Crispin walks over to the side of the room where his hat landed. He picked it up and walked back over to his desk and picked up Stephen. He looked over at Kandi and grabbed his candy cane and bolted out the door.

Cain sighed lightheartedly before snapping at the mess on the floor to clean it up, grabbing his cane and walking out the door, not sure if he was any better off with Crispin's advice than he was before. Still though, the man did have a way of making him feel better.