A low groan, or in some cadences, a long grunt came from Mlynar as he pulled himself up from his… floor? He scowled seeing that he hadn't even made it to the bed in his room, nor had he pulled the privacy shade. It seemed that his inebriated self found the floor more comfortable… Well he wasn't often wrong in that regard. A slight flash of pain overtook his head and he growled once more.
"Mmm, five more minutes~" Mlynar felt his upper ears twitch at the sound of another voice.
"Snrk, the gears turn the other… way…" Multiple voices.
"Hah… Objection…" Several voices. Scowling, he stood up to his full height, and scanned the dorm room. It was a big studio type room, which wouldn't be as uncommon on the landship, but the Doctor insisted on being the one to share the room with its other occupant. Neither he nor the original occupant had voiced any opinions against sharing it, but also didn't voice an opinion for the partnership upon actually meeting each other in the flesh. There was an understood level of tension simply by the nature of their backgrounds, but they kept an understanding cordial.
Now he was somewhat glad he had a large room, as he didn't think the five other occupants would fit comfortably in a standard Rhode Island segmented dorm. He spotted Elysium, somehow sleeping by hanging upside on his desk. Mlynar scowled, noting that the desk itself would need to be recognized since he saw the loose players he kept there knocked off. (In all honesty the Liberi had no actual room of his own, opting many times to sleep in either a communal dorm or sleeping in other people's.)
Jordi, the thin Aegier boy, Mlynar saw was curled impossibly small in corner. How someone so gangly and tall could curl into a ball that small was a question that others would spend hours questioning. Mlynar had no reason to ponder about it, and was more concenered if he would be alright when he woke up. Mlynar had also shook his head upon seeing the boy had used a stack of books as a pillow, which was certainly unique.
He saw Deszcz and Lavinia nestled beside each other leaning against a bookshelf with several books scattered around them. He had a vague recollection of dragging Deszcz alongside Lavinia to their dorm, but then the unconscious Deszcz requested for an emergency restroom and his dorm was nearby. She vomited that cocktail of drinks she had partaken in last night while a rather tipsy Lavinia had noted the books in his room and ended up reading one to the point of falling asleep. Deszcz had collapsed on top of her after she left the bathroom. He vaguely remembered taking the blanket off his bed and tossing it onto them before collapsing at the foot of said bed now that thinks about it.
As for the final occupant, Mlynar had no idea when his roommate had returned, but it seemed that his roommate had returned from his mission, but William Fichte Czerny was in the shared area of the dorm room. A cup of what Mlynar had always assumed was tea in his hand as he leafed through a book. It seemed that Mlynar had also slept through much of the original breakfast hour of Rhode Island, when he checked his watch he let out a grumble seeing it was 10:00am, but also noted that there was a small platter of cold fowlbeast cuts and bread set on the shared table of their dorm right beside the Elafia. A basket had other food stuff including a large earthenware pot, some jellies, and of course coffee and tea.
"Good morning Herr Mlynar."
"Good morning Czerny. When did you return?"
"I had arrived last night, but required a checkup due to my oripathy, so it seemed I missed our recent change in occupants in the room." Mlynar let out an exasperated sigh at William's attempt at a joke. "Leithanian humor is not for everyone I assume."
"No it is not." Mlynar pulled a small stool from underneath the table and sat down. The two would often share a meal, though neither could tell if it was due to convenience, usually one or other would work late into the night on their work or personal projects, and would bring the other some breakfast to wake too. Or due to timing, many operators said they shared a "wavelength" whatever that meant. "There was a celebration, the Doctor wanted to welcome new operators into Rhode Island, some simply wanted to drink. Many did both."
Czerny let out a short bite of laughter before grabbing some of the bread and meats for a breakfast sandwich. Although, Mlynar thought, it would be moreso a brunch than a breakfast at this time. The earthenware pot was also emitting a faint aroma despite its sealed lid. Lifting it gingerly, noting its weight and heat, Mlynar had set it down before lifting the cover. A smell of cooked muddled wheat alongside spices, fruit jam, and dried fruit stuffs. Strong enough was this smell, that some of the occupants of the room awoke.
"Uwah~ Ah, morning Czerny!" Elysium yawned before plopping down at the table. Mlynar nodded, and a faint "guten morgen" from Czerny was given to the man before he looked at the tea and food on the table. "I hope you don't mind—"
"Let yourself be at home," both men responded. Elysium laughed as Mlynar munched on bread and Czerny poured the Liberi a cup of tea. He had offered a cup to Mlynar as always, but much like many times prior, Mlynar refused it politely, and a dark look that always followed made Czerny cease his attempts. Instead, Mlynar had taken and poured himself a cup of coffee, the drink helping reduce the pounding in his head.
His mind, as always, was troubled around this time, and he almost didn't notice the tall form of Jordi standing awkwardly. He was red from the cheeks to the tips of his ears as he seemingly looked as if he wanted to disappear into the wall.
"Uh, s-sorry, Senor Mlynar. I did not mean to—" Elysium interrupted the boy by swinging an arm around his shoulder and shoving a piece of bread into his stammering mouth.
"Don't worry about a thing Jordi! I've crashed at their place before, they always bring enough food for like, ten people!" Mlynar and Czerny decided not to voice their thoughts, especially the ones about the food. Recently they had only done it cause Elysium would usually end up eating more than the both of them combined or would drag Operator Thorns with him after a night of drinking. Luckily for today it seemed Czerny or perhaps Matterhorn had the foresight that people would be sharing rooms after the drinking party, both with the preportioned amount of food and the type of food which would help a hangover.
Jordi chewed on the bread nervously before Mlynar cleared his throat.
"It's fine Jordi. Come, sit, food digests better when you're seated."
"And the two ladies in the back, you may join as well. It's not often we have more than Elysium, but it's understandable after the night's circumstances." Mlynar turned to see Deszcz and Lavinia, one looking notably more abashed than the other. In frankness, the other Kuranta woman would end up crashing in their dorm as well, notably when it required overtime. Mlynar and Czerny's room was quite convenient a location for Deszcz own workplace at the legal department of Rhode Island. It also didn't help that when she went out drinking, she would also drag Mlynar and others with her as well.
"I'm sorry for imposing." The red of Lavinia's face was much richer than the drunken hue from last night, Mlynar noted. Deszcz meanwhile was already moving to sit down and grab some of the pottage that had begun to fully entrench the room in its rich smell. So nice it was that even Mlynar could not stop from spooning himself a bowl.
Deszcz was already eating it happily, after having spooned another one for Lavinia, who stared rather confused on her end.
"It's…" Mlynar thought for a moment for the Victorian word for it. "Porridge? Mashed wheat and some berries, both jam and dried."
"It's a dish shared between Leithanians and Kazimierzians," Czerny added after spooning his own serving with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Lavinia noted the dish before dipping a spoon into it. Taking a cautious mouthful, she found the sweetness reminiscent of her own breakfast. A small smile took her lips, much to the mirth of Deszcz.
"Try it with some more brown sugar!" Deszcz had a rather large spoonful of brown sugar in her hand ready to give some to Lavinia.
"Too much sweetness in the morning isn't good for productivity." Mlynar's voice cut the woman fast. "Also, the sweetness gets too overpowering."
"Well, it's a good thing it's a weekend and I don't have an old man's tongue." Elysium laughed at the prod, and Jordi almost choked on the little sandwich he made. Mlynar narrowed his eyes tiredly but didn't respond. Instead pulling a newspaper and cracking it open.
"And the defense rests. Seriously, who still reads newsprint? I can understand for court documents, but a tablet is much more convenient!" The morning continued like that, a sort of strange comfort that Mlynar took that he tried not to compare to the past. Though he noted staring at the others in front of him, there's some differences in the company of then from now… Though perhaps only a little different.
"I have to disagree. There's something nice about a book than a tablet." Lavinia spoke up now. "Less eye strain for one, but also it forces on to be active in reading."
"If only messengers could carry tablets instead of letters… Though I think that would be heavier now that I think about it."
"A lot of older documents in Iberia are still written on paper. Though, I think because the salted air harms the electronics when they're in use."
"Classical music can only be properly read on paper. If I ever saw someone pull a tablet for their sheets, they would be laughed out of concert hall."
"You all don't understand the march of progress! Your antiquated ways will be left in the dirt!"
Mlynar stood.
"Does anyone need anything taken back? The day grows and we cannot spend all our day in the room." Eyes stared back at him before those who were finished began to put their dishes into the basket. "I will return this to the mess hall." Without another word, Mlynar turned on his heel and left the room.
He didn't return to it that day, opting instead to apply for a weekend work hour which were given to him easily by a very hungover Doctor when Mlynar found them. The look on Mlynar's face did not leave much room for discussion.