A/N: Kind of a belated response to writing the latest chapter of the current project. It's not really funny, but given how much I've been thinking about the sequel, I felt a need to write something like this. So needless to say... subtle spoilers/hints for both Survival and its sequel.
"Lock picking?"
TK jumped. He hadn't even heard Cody approach, much less make it to where he had holed himself up in the corner of the reading room.
"Yeah," he shrugged, grinning a little as he held up the book. "I figure it might be useful."
Cody just frowned at him. "You're not planning to start unlocking everything and steal everyone's diaries or something, right?"
TK had to laugh. "No way," he answered, inserting his paper bookmark and closing the book. "I'm just interested in lock picking, that's all."
Cody sighed, putting his hands in his pockets. "Well, I guess it has to come in handy some time. Just don't let me catch you trying to unlock the bathroom while Mimi's in it or something."
"Hey, I have integrity, you know!"
Cody laughed, picking up his own book. "I know. Anyway, don't get too caught up in reading, dinner's in half an hour."
TK waved cheerfully. "Okay!"
As Cody left the room, TK sighed and reopened his book. He hoped it hadn't showed that he had actually been slightly nervous, as there was a reason why he was reading this book. Quietly, he turned over the bookmark, gazing at his rough sketch of the lock mechanism he had been trying to figure out.
I feel kind of bad not telling him the real reason why I'm reading this. At least it's hard to guess.
Remembering the reason though gave him another burst of encouragement, and he quietly returned to reading.