By all appearances, Professor Trishna hadn't budged an inch since Sasha had first entered the Astronomy tower a half hour before.  The man was still stretched, face down, along the whole length of the couch with one arm and one leg draped off the edge of the couch and other leg folded awkwardly over the arm rest. 

There was nothing abnormal about seeing Professor Trishna passed out on one of the couches in the tower. Sasha was guilty of doing so on more than a few occasions himself.  But, usually when Professor Trishna fell asleep in the tower, he was strewn lazily amidst piles of paper and work and he didn't drool - or snore - quite as much.  Even though he was fast asleep, when Sasha had first entered the tower a short while before, it was clear the man's unconscious state was not due to the usual tendency to keep odd hours. 

After setting his bag down, Sasha had left the tower, making his way down to the kitchens.  He'd returned within the half hour armed with coffee and whatever breakfast he'd managed to convince the elves to give him. 

Sasha hadn't intended on rousing the man.  Whatever the cause of the professor's current state of delirium was, it probably wasn't going to be helped with a pre-breakfast waking.  He crossed the tower and set the makeshift breakfast, along with a couple aspirin from his own stash (Sasha wasn't fond of regular English tea; he'd walk to the nearest muggle village to restock on aspirin to avoid drinking willowbark tea) on the desk before turning to exit the room once more. 

He would have made it out of the room without incident except, by the time Sasha had hoisted his bag to his shoulder, Kepler had come out from wherever he'd been creeping to greet the Ravenclaw by entwining himself around the boys feet.  Sasha jumped, dropping his bag in an effort to avoid stepping on the cat.  What followed was like a mad scientist's chain reaction machine.  The heavy bag of books fell and hit the floor, startling Kepler who squealed took off across the tower.  The cat took a flying leap across the sleeping professor to perch on the back of the couch, finally giving an annoyed mrrwol in the bag's direction. 

The night before had left Tapendra quite hungover. While not as unusual an occurrence as it really should have been, the professor's usual habit was to withdraw to his quarters below the classroom to sleep it off and then lay in bed feeling sorry for himself.

But the issue with Maiko had left him ruffled and upset. He'd come back and paced the tower for upwards of an hour before the exhaustion and drunkenness had overcome him and he'd sprawled over the couch.

Therefore, when Kepler bounded off his head, he awoke with a start and a loud snorting sound. The world was muzzy and spinning, and his head hurt. His stomach chose to remind him he hadn't eaten, too, and he could smell food.

"Mmm? Whossat-" His first words were not very intelligent, and he followed them up by half falling off the couch onto his hands and knees, hand grasping the couch arm for balance and stability.

"Ugh, Sasha?" He asked, assuming it was the boy. Cyhirae was rarely up here too early in the day. "What time is it?"

Sasha winced, sympathetically, at the professor's false start.  It didn't look like the man had hit the floor hard enough to be painful but it was clear he still wasn't very pleased with his current state of existence.  It did confirm Sasha's first hunch had been correct, though, and the aspirin sitting on the desk next to the breakfast was a fitting offer. 

"Sir," Sasha offered, confirming his identity.  Then, just in case there was still any question, "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to wake you.  I thought you could use some breakfast, though.  And, then the cat." 

The boy hesitated a moment, torn by the now familiar conflict between what seemed fitting and what was appropriate.  But, he'd pretty much lost touch with appropriate somewhere about the time he'd returned to the hungover professor's tower with breakfast.  Opting for fitting over appropriate, Sasha crossed the tower and reached down to help Professor Trishna back on the couch.   

"It's still early, sir," he answered.  For the professor, at least.  With the help of the various potions and charms Mr. Morgan had taught him, Sasha rarely slept more than a couple hours a night and, frequently, went up to two or three nights in a row without sleeping at all.  The previous night had been one of the sleepless ones as Sasha worked to catch up after the busy Hogsmeade weekend.  "About a quarter before seven.  I wasn't expecting you to be here."

Tapendra rubbed his forehead, giving up on his attempts to rise and waving a hand at Sasha vaguely, sitting with his back to the couch cushions. "S'alright, Sasha, I needed to get up early today anyway," he managed, one arm supporting him as the other rubbed his face.

Oh - he felt like he'd been sat on by something. His head hurt and his stomach churned with hunger and upset.

"It feels early," he admittedly, just barely keeping his head from resting against the couch's arm and lulling him back asleep. "Seven...mmmhm. So 2am was 5 hours ago - burgh."

He sniffed, eyes still closed. He turned his head slightly, looking at Sasha without his eyes being open - following the sound of the boy's voice.  "In my desk somewhere, there's - it's a little bottle of black stuff. Not ink," Since this was important clarify. "It'd have a white label with a vomiting dragon on it. Could you - would you mind fetching it? And if you have some, something like, um. Water."

"You do?  You have a midnight class with the first years tonight, though." 

The doubt in Sasha's tone was probably obvious enough to cut through even the fogginess clouding Professor Trishna's mind.  Sasha certainly wouldn't normally question the man's schedule - it was, after all, none of his business.  But, he was also well aware that none of the Astronomy classes met before lunch.  Given the man's current state, and the length of the day, one did have to beg the question of how much he really needed to be up this early. 

The Ravenclaw's brow furrowed but he straightened up and moved over towards Professor Trishna's desk without comment.  The Astronomy Professor staying up until two in the morning was hardly unheard - it was certainly common enough for it, alone, to not be cause for concern.  His current state coupled with whatever unescapable reason for an early rise, however, was. 

Sasha hesitated, momentarily, before starting to shuffle as quickly (and non-intrusively) as possible through the professor's desk until he found the flask.  He took it, the egg sandwich the elves had provided and tugged the bottle of seltzer water from his book bag and sat on the floor next to the professor.  Sasha uncorked the flask and placed it in the man's hand before opening the water bottle and holding it for whenever the man needed it. 

"Just a fun weekend in Hogsmeade?" he asked, tentatively, not wanting to pry but unable to ignore the sizable amount of worry.  "Or, are you ill?  Should I get the nurse?"

Did he? He did. Damn - well, he'd just sleep in tomorrow and skip his swim, he supposed. Or take a map later in the day, which was probably more sensible.

"Mmm, it's just star gazing. Provided they don't knock themselves out with their own telescopes - ouch," he rubbed his head as Sasha returned with the bottle. "Provided they don't do that, I can relax. They're a talkative bunch, though. Bet they'll try to sword fight with their scopes if I don't keep an eye on them."

He took the small bottle with an expression of concern. The smell that emanated from the flask was not a pleasant one, smelling rather like molasses that had been mixed with asphalt. He took a deep breath and chugged a decent swallow of it, having to cover his mouth as he instantly gagged. The anti-hangover potion was a thick, grainy liquid, and its taste was best described as appalling.

Swallowing, Tapendra grasped for the water bottle and when he had it, he slammed it back, chugging.

"Ugh! You'd think they could make that taste less like licking a new roadway," he said, coughing and setting the water bottle aside, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. Still, the stuff worked and worked quickly; already, he felt better (or was that the taste making him not notice the feeling of the hangover?).

Tapendra snorted at Sasha's comment. "Night out with Aileen and Maiko," he said. "There's nothing wrong with me that wouldn't make Tulojow tell me to stop drinking. Or to stop being such a ninny."

Sasha grimaced sympathetically as Professor Trishna seemed to come to the realization that Sasha was right.  He did have class later that evening and another night's sleep would be a long time coming.  "It's a shame Hogwarts doesn't have TAs," Sasha commented as much to himself. 

He watched and waited, quietly, as Professor Trishna downed the potion and water in quick succession.  "It'd probably just encourage wizards to drink more than they already do," Sasha commented when Professor Trishna lamented about the potion's appalling taste.  He pointedly held out the sandwich.  Greasy food always seemed to be the thing his Oma craved the morning after a heavy drink so he assumed it had to do something.

"Night out...oh.  You were being a ninny?"  There was a beat before Sasha realized what he'd said.  He clapped a hand over his mouth, face turning scarlet.  Of course, what had been said between Professors and staff at a ... whatever they'd had that had involved this much drinking ... certainly classified as none of Sasha's business. 

"I'm sorry, sir.  I didn't mean ... I know it's none of my concern.  I ... should I go?  I should probably ... I'm sorry."

"Hah! You're probably right," he said, and took the offered sandwich with a grateful nod. The potion worked its magic happily enough, but the growling in his stomach was now building up and the fact he was hungry was keeping him nauseous. Hangovers. Even with magical cures, they were annoying.

The sandwich was food - he almost didn't care what the contents were. He took it and bit in, chewed again with all the delicacy of someone who didn't care how fast they ate something.

He stopped chewing, however, at Sasha's words. He looked up at the boy in surprise, blinking slowly. But Sasha's face confirmed the words really had come from him. The boy's over-reaction was downright comical, frankly.

Tapendra had been called a lot of things in his life; 'ninny' ranked somewhere around 'beanpole' (or perhaps 'fusspot') on the insult scale, as far as he was concerned. Given the company he kept, he'd been called considerably worse things on a daily basis for about 20 years - affectionately.

Still, it was odd to hear it from Sasha, and Tapendra gave in and laughed. "Oh, something like that," he said, smiling.  "Oh, don't apologize. It's true, anyway. Aileen and Maiko are...not the best pair of drinking partners." He was going to stick with Ignan, in that respect.

There were times Sasha's filter and years of etiquette training served him well.  There were other times, like now, when they seemed to fail him completely and leave him hanging. 

Professor Trishna's laughter helped the awkwardness some, if not the blush.  The red in Sasha's features even crept a bit further up his face.  But, at least Professor Trishna didn't seem angry or offended.  Sasha grinned awkwardly and shrugged, settling back down. 

"For the record, I wasn't, you know, saying you're a ninny.  I was just ... repeating.  What was said."  Sasha shook his head and drew his bag over and dug out a musli bar from a front pocket.  "I'm not sure why they were calling you one, either-" which, again, was all so none of his business.  He, of course, wasn't going to comment on the viability of either the counselor or Professor Reid as drinking partners. 

Sasha peeled the wrapper and took a bite of the musli bar.  "Not that it matters much," he offered.  "But, I don't think it's true.  I mean - they probably know stuff that I don't but ... you're considerate and optimistic.  Not foolish."  He wasn't going to say ninny, again. 

"People are talking about me again? Hmph." Tapendra drank some more of the water, feeling that odd combination of annoyance, embarrassment and amusement that he felt when this unsurprising fact was revealed. "Oh, I can think of a variety of reasons - the fact I stick to screwdrivers, the fact I like science. My choice in t-shirts and tendency to squeal when someone makes sandwiches." He chuckled softly, the water bottle at his lips. "My muggle father, serial killer mother..."

Another gulp of water taken, he wiped his lips and sat on the couch with his elbows on his knees, hands coming together to clasp the bottle as he took a few deep breaths. The potion's effects were taking hold, and he could feel his head clearing - enough so that when he looked up at Sasha, his blue eyes were focused, intelligent, rather than the dazed and tired they'd been before.

"Hah! I am a ninny, then. Men are meant to be selfish and pragmatic!" He snapped his fingers, shaking his head.

That said, he glanced down at his attire - jeans, a t-shirt. The usual, really. "I need to change," he announced, getting to his feet and wavering for a moment. Then he ran a hand through his hair. "I was planning to see Maiko today - about you. And, you know, that.. situation. I brought it up last night and she got defensive."

The Ravenclaw wasn't sure what he was supposed to say or if he should even say something.  Though tempting, to comment on Professor Trishna's choice in attire or family complications seemed to stretch beyond the boundaries of appropriate conduct.  Even though Sasha now often felt more comfortable in the Astronomy tower than he did back in his own home in London, he was still a student and Professor Trishna was still a professor.  And, his Head of House, at that. 

"People gossip about everyone, sir."  To varying degrees, yes.  And, Professor Trishna did attract more than his fair share of gossip. 

"Hah! I am a ninny, then. Men are meant to be selfish and pragmatic!"

Sasha scowled and, despite himself, shook his head.  When he spoke, it was with a more pointed tone than he'd been expecting.  Or, intended.  "That's the type of thing my father, er- stepfather would say.  He's probably the furthest thing from a ninny.  I, for one, am glad you're not like him, sir." 

The Ravenclaw nodded his head and pushed himself to his feet, taking Professor Trishna's assessment of his attire as a dismissal.  But, when the professor mentioned their conversation the previous night, Sasha hesitated. 

"Oh.  I'm sorry.  I didn't intend for you to get in trouble, sir.  If it's ... what did she have to get defensive about?"  It had been her, after all, stalking Sasha.  He couldn't understand why she'd get defensive.

Tapendra frowned at Sasha's comment. He'd meant the remark sarcastically, but Sasha was nothing if not good at missing the sarcasm of things. He stood, brushing his pants off - but when he straightened up, he was smiling. "I'll take that as a compliment, then," he said, hand patting Sasha's shoulder in his usual warm manner.

He sighed, though, and shook his head; he still didn't quite understand what Maiko's argument had been, drunk or not. "She said I was too emotionally involved to make a proper judgement of the situation you're in, or to judge what she's been doing in response to it." His smile faltered, and while he didn't say it aloud, he spoke gravely for a moment.

"She's probably right about the closeness, but frankly - she doesn't, and for now can't, know the full truth of your situation." He patted Sasha's shoulder again. "And I have no intention of letting her in on it, either. But...I would like to talk to you about that, again. Soon."

Wait.  What did he mean?  Professor Trishna had become too emotionally involved?  Sasha looked around the tower then down at the half-empty bottle of water.  "My ... situation?"  Did Professor Trishna simply referring to Kronos?  Or, was he commenting on the excessive emotional involvement as well?  "You mean, with Malvivicus?" 

"Sir.  If I've done anything inappropriate, I really ..."  Besides the obvious, of course.  He would be sorry if he got Professor Trishna in trouble but he had come to count on the support and help - even if a bit awkwardly.  "I haven't really been sure what ... what's appropriate.  But, if I'm supposed to be doing something different..." 

There was little ambiguity when Professor Trishna said he wanted to talk about the situation again.  Sasha knew he was referring Kronos, specifically.  Sasha knew better than to expect that to be a casual, light-hearted conversation, but he was surprised (and grateful) the professor had kept his promise and hadn't said anything to the counselor.   He nodded.  "If we must." 

"You haven't," Tapendra assured him, with a slight sigh. "Don't worry - you're just fine as is, Sasha," he said, thrusting his arms out to pop his wrists. His entire body felt the need to be popped; must have been the awkward position he'd decided to sleep in the night before.

"We must, I'm afraid," he added, as he headed for his desk, opening the drawers in a search fr his comb. He ought to shave, too, he supposed - not that he could tell what his beard looked like. He ran a hand through the stubble.  "Don't worry about it."

All of it was a lovely distraction from the elephant that had been sitting in the room for weeks - Kronos. He had to find ways to cope with that situation, and soon. It couldn't continue...or, rather, couldn't continue without more information. Of course, he'd have to think of a way to explain it to Sasha - and to get some answers.

"Other than that," he started, when he located the small black comb, "Miss Biladeau-Yukawa claims that she's doing this for your own good, and... what did she say?" He imitated her accent as he spoke, though with his deep voice it still sounded considerably different. "I’m not making ‘im worse. Impossible. Sasha’s perceptions of reality are warped."

He ran the comb through his hair, shaking his head. "She also maintained it wasn't out of character for you to cuss about a professor in the presence of another professor."

How often was it the case that not worrying about something was easier said than done.  He didn't know what Professor Trishna had planned - he didn't know how determined the man was to intervene.  Somehow, someway, Sasha needed to convince Professor Trishna that everything was alright - that the professor's concerns were misplaced.  But, at least, that would be a concern for another day. 

Sasha wasn't very skilled in the art of procrastination but, in this case, he was willing to practice. 

"She's trying to make me fat for my own good?"  Sasha retorted before catching himself.  "I feel like I'm a pig she's fattening for the spit.  I can feed ... I can find food for myself.  I ... how does she even know my perception of reality!  I ... if she thinks I have a warped sense of reality, she needs to study Einstein!" 

Sasha wasn't entirely sure when he'd started pacing the room but he suddenly became aware that he was facing the fireplace for the third time and drew up short.  The Ravenclaw wasn't entirely sure why the counselor set him on edge so quickly.  There were plenty of professors - especially amongst the visiting Durmstrang staff - who were more formidable and intimidating and frustrating.  But, none of them bothered him the same way.

"Cuss about professors ... I don't cuss about any professors!  She's not a professor.  She's a shrink.  And, I don't need one."