Cipher

Chapter 8: Babysitting

"This is taking forever; I can't believe we got roped into babysitting," Isaac groaned from his place on the couch.

"Really?" Cipher asked keeping an eye on Aaron. "It is Saturday night and we have no previous engagements. I find it very believable. And informative."

Isaac sat up and gave him a look, although after two weeks he shouldn't have been surprised. "It is believable," he sighed. "But that's not what I meant."

"Oh, right. Exaggeration, hyperbole. Why is that?"

"Why is what?"

"Why is it necessary to exaggerate?"

"Because... I don't know. Ask Mr. Wulf on Monday. He's the English teacher, not me." Isaac flopped back on the couch.

Cipher turned back to Aaron. They were building things with his blocks in the middle of the living room. Isaac said he was four years old; he seemed small to Cipher. He knew that human development took more time, but it was still strange to observe rather than simply reading about it. By Aaron's age Aeolians were usually a year or two into their schooling already.

"How about this?" Cipher put the last block into place on one of the castle's towers.

Aaron silently shook his head, dark curls bouncing, and took several of the blocks from Cipher's tower, adding them to a different tower.

"Is he ever going to talk to me?" Cipher asked, looking back at Isaac.

"Eventually. It takes a while for him to warm up to new people."

"I have been living here for nearly two weeks now and he has yet to speak to me."

"Hey, at least he acknowledges your existence now," Isaac laughed.

"I suppose." Cipher paused. "Are you hungry?" he asked the boy.

Aaron nodded mutely.

"What would you like to eat?"

Rather than answering he got up from the floor and scurried to the kitchen. He returned with a small-ish rectangular box which he handed wordlessly to Cipher.

"Mac-n-cheese." Cipher read aloud turning the box over in his hands. "Is there preparation involved?"

"Yeah, but it's not that hard." Isaac answered before turning to Aaron. "You know we can order pizza if you want. Mom left money."

Aaron simply shook his head and looked expectantly at Cipher.

"Very well," Cipher said. "We will make mac-n-cheese." The two headed to the kitchen, Isaac trailing behind.

"I am unfamiliar with these things." Cipher said, reading the box. "Where do you keep butter and milk?"

"I'll get it," Isaac walked over to the refrigerator. "You can just grab a pot and fill it from the tap."

Aaron pointed out which cabinet held the pots and pans.

"Which one is for mac-n-cheese?" Cipher asked staring at the variety of cookware.

Isaac sighed, "I'll get it."

"I apologize for not being more helpful." Cipher said standing aside.

"Nah, it's cool. I can't exactly blame you for not knowing this stuff."

"Food preparation is not central to my culture as it seems to be here."

"That makes sense, I guess," Isaac said, taking the pot to the sink.

Cipher flinched as water spurted from the tap. "I still do not understand how you all use so much water." He said eyeing the sink warily.

Isaac half-laughed, putting the pot on the stove to boil. "I still can't believe you guys don't use any."

Cipher watched as the water came to a roiling boil. It was strange to see the water move so much and not go anywhere.

"Now we need to pour the noodles into the water," Isaac instructed.

Cipher turned the box over the boiling pot.

"Wait! Not the packet too!"

Cipher's hand immediately shot out to grab the packet even as it fell into the boiling water.

"Cipher!"

"What?" He asked packet in hand.

"You can't-- your hand!" Isaac cried, eyes wide.

"I got the packet," he said holding it out to Isaac. "I believe it has minimal damage."

"Minimal-- Cipher, you just about stuck your hand in boiling water."

"Is that bad?"

"Bad? Is you hand okay?" He asked taking the packet in disbelief.

Cipher examined his hand "it feels strange."

"Burned?"

"No," he paused like he was searching for the right word. "Damp, perhaps?"

"Damp." Isaac spoke slowly, not quite believing the words. "Boiling water and your hand only feels damp."

"Yes, I believe that is the right word. I am not positive, though. I do not have much experience." he continued to study his hand. "Perhaps due to the steam?"

Isaac sighed, a hand over his eyes. Aaron's impatient tug on his shirt pulled his focus back to the present task. "I know," he said patting Aaron's head. "A few more minutes."

Cipher kept looking, wrist to fingers, front to back.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yes, it is just strange."

"I swear you're going to give me a heart attack," Isaac muttered walking away to let the noodles cook. Aaron just smiled up at him, happy that dinner was almost ready.

***Author's Note***

Thank you for reading! Don't forget to comment and vote :)

I have more chapters written, but I still have to write a few between here and there, so the next update may take a little bit longer than usual.