7 PM

The thumps above Elixa's head gave her hardly any cause to stir from her comfortable corner of the couch. It was most likely her roommate besides, who sometimes had plenty enough to do that he oft forgot to keep a light tread about his step. Their landlady had pre-emptively reinforced her side of the ceiling with her own charms, of course.

After a few moments of intermittent footsteps above silence fell in the flat. It never really lasted; Arc did remember eventually. Besides, now a large feline had come to join her onto the couch, leaping up onto the leather and stepping primly across it to sit down next to her. For a couch in the vicinity of a kneazle it remained entirely claw-free. She never did find out what Arc said to his animal companion about it.

Her fingers absently buried into his soft fur as she continued reading. Rustle, considering himself the kneazle of the flat and therefore everyone in it belonging to him, accepted the morsel of contact gracefully, brushing his cheek and head against her hand to coax her to keep petting him. She obliged, of course.

Then her erstwhile roommate showed up right at the foot of the couch. She looked up at him, and then did a double-take at the man being clearly dressed and carrying a duffel bag to boot - an item she rarely ever saw him use. "Hey, Lix. Do you have any plans over the weekend?"

Seeing her raised eyebrows, Arc smiled sheepishly and continued. "I'm off to Greece for the weekend with my mother. She's wanted to visit her parents in a long time and they want to see me just as much as they want to see her. I just need an eye on Rustle, that's all - he's getting a bit fat and I suspect he's been getting into the pantry for fun. He's heavy enough as he is and he thinks sitting on my chest is a good idea for when he wants breakfast. Don't feed him any extras, please."

He hesitated, as if he was about to sit down on the couch with her - and it was clear from how his gaze darted between the couch and her that he wanted to sit down for a while. In that moment perhaps a chance for something to be said awaited its turn...

...and passed.

"I'll be going now." He shouldered the bag properly, adjusting the strap. "I'll see you on Sunday."