It may come as a surprise, but Matt is actually up. Not exactly awake, but puttering around the kitchen. The smell of coffee brewing fills the front rooms, and he is leaned into the fridge, pulling out ziploc bags of vegetables.

Bernie, on the other hand, is nowhere to be seen, though the occasional thud or other noise from the main bedroom implies she might be awake. Or at least up.

There's a knocking at the door - a quick series of raps that may or may not sound overloud, depending on your judgement of how early it is.

Matt pulls the door open. He isn't exactly bleary, but looks like he's gotten too little sleep. "Mmm?"

A moment or two more of noise from the room, and then Bernie pads out to see what the commotion is, barefoot and combing her fingers through rather tangled curls.

There's something intensely irritating about cheerful people, sometimes. Especially when you've not gotten much sleep. Whatever this quality is, Cameron's got it in spades, this morning. "G'day. Nice mornin'. Not interrupting anything, am I?" He tests the theory by having a quick peek inside. He's probably gotten here on foot, and by the faint sheen of sweat on his forehead, he's probably run the whole way, after Summer left for work.

Matt snerks. "Hmph. Mornin' yersel'. What brings ye by first fing in th' day?" He leaves the door, a tacit invitation for Cameron to enter, and returns to the stove. Soon the smell of bacon and eggs joins the aroma of coffee.

"Hey." Bernie adds her own sleepy greeting, with a little wave of one hand before she wanders over to the couch and drops onto the corner cushion. "Mornin'. You wanna hand in there, Matt?"

Still peeking about, Cameron decides to step in and close the door. "Smells good." he notes, before taking a look around and answering the question. "Well, Summer hits work early on Fridays, and I thought I'd get some shopping done. Except I only sorta just remembered that none of the bloody stores in this city are open til nine or 8:30am at the earliest." The Aussie gives Bernie a slightly crooked grin.

Matt waves a hand dismissively. "Joost finishin', actually. Gotta eat it before I run for the corn." To Cameron he nods. "Aye. Because most people who work in 'em gotta eat, neh?"

Bernie grins back, albeit tiredly. "Guess that's goin' well then, huh? Whatcha shoppin' for?" She leans back into the sofa, now that she doesn't seem likely to have to get right back up, and gestures vaguely down the length of the couch, offering a seat.

Cameron frowns for a moment. "Corn.. cob... Job? And yeah, well. Everyone's got their hours. Luke and I get done by 5:30, most days. But yeah. Just in the area, anyway." He accepts the invite, and dumps himself down heavily onto the couch, limbs flopping into comfortable positions, quickly. "This and that." he grunts, noncommittally.

Matt brings a plate to the couch and a steaming mug of coffee. To Bernie he notes "Left ye a mug out." Sitting and starting on his eggs, he smiles at Cameron. "Yer welcome, by th' way."

"Mmm?" Bernie asks, glancing to the kitchen, and then spying the mug. "Oh! Thanks." She pushes out of her seat and heads over to get caffeinated, and pick up some breakfast, as well. A thought makes it through her tiredness just as she turns to go back, "...hey. You hungry, Cam?"

Cameron raises an eyebrow at Matt. "Welcome to? Uhm, thanks...? Oh, and no thanks, I already ate." He winces vaguely. "And ran. Gotta let that settle for a bit."

Matt smiles, fork halfway to his mouth. "Well, Oi notice yer not on the bawn." he glances at his watch occasionally as he eats.

Bernie grins, and points her fork at Cam as she drops back into her seat on the couch. "He's got a point, there. So, this an' that, where d'you pick somea that up? 'cause I think we're down t' th' last dregsa them, y'know?" Sip. Mmm. Coffee.

Cameron laughs, and winks at Matt. "Remind me to buy you a decent bottle of Jamesons, or something, to show my gratitude, while I'm out. And this and that? I dunno. Just little things. New razor blades. Some different deodorant. Maybe a shirt or two. Flowers for Summer. Whatever. Dad's been putting money in me bank account every fortnight, it seems, and I've amassed a fair bit of money in there, what with not having spent any of it. So. Brief splurge to celebrate freedom and give people gifts." The Aussie gives Matt a sly grin, now. "And I've been tellin' people you're the Elder, too, for the moment. S'm interesting reactions."

Matt grins. "Probably because Oi've got a fookin' day job. When's the last time /that's/ 'appened?" He stands, taking his empty plate back to the sink to rinse it.

Bernie watches a moment, and goes back to focusing on her own food. "'s good, by th' way. Thanks," she remarks, before finishing off her bacon. "So... like what kinda int'restin' reactions?"

"Different flavours of surprise, disbelief and suspicion." Cameron notes, cheerfully. "And fortunately, I can still tell folks I'm an ignorant cub who's probably hard of hearing, and a dumb Aussie, to boot, if they get upset. Hasn't happened yet, though." The sly grin remains. "I'm liking the idea of Elder-by-default." he adds.

Matt shrugs, retrieving his coffee mug. "Oi 'aven't 'eard about anyone else standin' up. If they doan't like it, they can challenge me, assumin' they show up to th' Moot. Twenny-ninth, roight?" He tousles Bernie's hair as he goes to the closet for his jacket. As usual, it doesn't close properly.

Bernie grins, reaching up to neaten her hair again, such as can be done, anyway. "Is it? Anyway, yeah. They'll get useta th' idea soon 'nough, I s'pect."

Cameron grins broadly, though there's still that touch of mischief to his eyes. Smacks of rebellion, this. And there's not much he's happier with than that. "Counting the days. Luke reckoned he might take you on sometime, when he's got the time... ranchin' seems to be keepin him busy, mornin' noon and night, but." the Aussie supplies, conversationally. "I haven't seen the others, really. Something else I'll do while I'm in the city. Keep looking people up. Eamon, for one. Though I'm not sure I'd wanna tell him too much about your assumed Eldership. He'll probably challenge you for it because he's Fostern. Dunno."

"Well, gotta run." Matt heads for the door. "If Eamon wants it, he can take it. Oi'm not 'ard ta find, roight?"

Cameron gives Matt a brief nod, and smiles - slightly askew. "Have fun, or at least try." he chuckles, and stretches out on the couch a little more.

"What time'll you be in?" Bernie inquires, "...an' work well, an' all."

Matt stops briefly in the doorway. "Late. Double shift. Try an bring somefin' 'ome though. Need ta restock th' church."

Cameron just scratches at his face a little, after Matt lives. "Alright. Church... vestry? Pantry? No... Church... temple... no. Fridge. Hmm." Stumped.

Bernie nods. "A'ight, cool..." She finishes the last bite of eggs, and stands again, more awake now, to rinse her own plate, and flick the locks closed on the door behind him. Cam's attempts at translation get a laugh. "No, really Church. He brings leftover stuff from th' rest'rant, like steaks that got overdone an' shit? to th' Church." A pause, as she considers the cub, "...which's a Gnawer hangout, you know that, yeah?"

Cameron raises an eyebrow, and nods, grinning. "Yeah, that was my first thought, actually, but I never figured him for the Gnawer-caterer. And with that joker, half his bloody words never fit, anyway."

"'course they fit, you jus' don't see how right away," Bernie retorts, with a quick grin that settles down into a rather fond little smile as she sips her coffee. "...anyway his theory's, otherwise th' stuff'll go inta th' dumpster an' like as not they'll get taken from =there=, so this way he's just cuttin' out th' middle step."

Cameron mutters, "No, they still don't fit, cause he's using the wrong bloody words... Honestly, what's the point of communicating..." and then shrugs. "Yeah, well. S'a good idea to drop off the stuff folks can still eat, but. Redirection, and so on. Anyways. Nice place."

Bernie gives Cam an odd look, as if having trouble parsing =his= language, but ignores most of it for the moment, glancing around the apartment as if she didn't see it all the time. "Yeah, it is, innit? Max's s'posta paint th' walls, but she hasn't got 'round t' it yet."

Cameron grins. "Yeah. Nice look, but. Not ugly, but not yuppie."

Bernie snickers. "I don't think we got yuppie as an option. 's too expensive, for one thing, plus ew, an' anyhow," she waves idly at a small, obviously handmade sign on one wall, made from magazine letters, ransom note style, "this's =Bohemian= Decadence, after all."

Cameron nods. "Yep. Suits y'all pretty well, I reckon. Urban bohemia. Living as y'feel." He smiles, still looking around the walls. "Step up from some of the places I was living in, last year, anyway." The smile only slightly smaller, and he hmmms thoughtfully.

"I like it," Bernie replies, and finishes off her drink, setting the cup on the coffee table and giving a little stretch. "Mmf. So you're hangin' out with Summer a lot now, huh?"

Cameron nods, thoughtfully, still studying the apartment. "Mmhmm." An affirmation. "Most nights. Most mornings. Whenever she's off work."

Bernie half-curls into her corner, pulling her knees up beside her, and smiles. "Cool," she says, simply.

Cameron chews on his lip, frowning just a little as he thinks. "So, what's prices for rent and stuff around here? Uhm... like, uh... maybe a little better class than this place, even." He blushes quickly. "Uh. I mean... uh. Well. I didn't mean that this place isn't good enough or anything, s'not like that, and it's really cool, and everything, and I love the whole 'bohemian decadence' concept and all that shit, but, uh..."

Bernie sticks her tongue out at the Theurge, though she doesn't look too upset. "...but you're lookin' for somethin' more upper-middle-class?" she teases, and then shrugs. "I dunno. We don't pay rent. I think there's li'l books at th' supermarket that have what's available, though."

Cameron rubs the back of his neck, sheepishly, and mutters, "Need a job, first..." He clears his throat. "Yeah. Well. I'll crash where I can until I /can/ afford somewhere real nice. I mean real nice. I'm not sleeping on a mattress on the floor again. I definitely won't have Summer doing it." He sighs, and gives Bernie a half-smile. "Grrr. Adulthood. Sucks ass. Putting it off as long as possible, but I've got this horrible feeling it's already caught up, and's just waiting to pounce."

"Yeah, I'm in favour of beds," Bernie agrees, glancing over to the rooms, one with a bed, the other just with a sleeping bag and some other linens, then back. "'least you had a mattress, though, yeah? Unlike, say, th' attic. I gotta get a job, too. I mean, even without rent, there's other bills, an' plus I gotta pay for school, soon." She pauses, considering, and muses half to herself, "...might be a mortgage too, I dunno. Prolly oughta ask."

Cameron sighs, and leans back in the couch, turning quickly reflective. "Yeah, well. I dunno. The mattress stank." He shakes his head. "Never underestimate the value of clean sheets." he mutters, bitterly. "I dunno. Just... yeah. Sleeping on the fucking floor is almost better. I dunno. Maybe I can bloody get a place built. Somewhere not in the city. Or take over something or /whatever/. I dunno. Gotta figure out whether I'm city or woods, or what?"

"No reason y'can't be both, is there?" the Gnawer asks, with a light shrug, "...though admittedly you gotta keep th' house one place or th' other. An' yeah, I'm all over clean sheets." The flat =is= neat and clean, if not completely tidy, one has to give it that.

Cameron twists his mouth a little. "I feel just a little bit more Theurgey when I'm in the wolf, actually. Like, uh... I dunno. I guess I just feel a little more in touch. And in the woods. Here? I gotta be harder and more.... I dunno. More 'old' me. Dunno if I like that. You know what I mean? Y'ever spent heaps of time in the Caern?"

Bernie considers. "I dunno 'bout =heaps=... how much's heaps? But, yeah, I kina know whatcha mean, I think..."

Cameron shrugs, and grumbles, "Like the last four frickin' months, with nowhere else to go..." under his breath, and looks up to nod. "Yeah. I reckon you do. There's folks seem more comfortable in one place than the other. Reckon you and Kaz, and Matt here'd be a lot more comfortable living in the city than out in the Caern with the likes of Sepdet and Nightflash and stuff."

Bernie nods a bit; it's not an insult to her, at least. "Yeah... though, I mean, I like it there, I wouldn't wanna hafta =only= be here =all= th' time..." She stretches a little, then recurls into place. "Yeah."

Cameron smiles a little. "But it's more like a holiday, than home, right?"

Bernie tilts her head, considering that, and nods, smiling a little. "Yeah, that's 'bout 'right, I think. I mean, not like =Disneyland=, obviously, but... kina like goin' t' your grandparents'. Place y'like t' be, y'kina belong there, but not act'ly home."

Cameron nods. "Right. I just can't shake the feeling that it's sort of in reverse for some folks." He hitches a shoulder. "Maybe me, too. City's exciting and all, but... I dunno. It just makes me feel a little sick. Maybe from just seeing everything I see here, or whatever. People."

"Well," Bernie replies, rather matter-of-factly, "....that's why it needs us here. Someone's gotta take carea th' place, right? I mean, otherwise, th' Wyrm an' Weaver'd =totally= overrun it."

Cameron nods after a moment. Reflective. "Yeah, I know, it's kinda where the /real/ fight is. There's just so much shit. I dunno. I think I'll wind up living here. It's just... enh. I dunno. It'd be like really hating work and living there. Still." He shrugs. "Gotta do what we're born to do."

"Go predestination," Bernie mock-cheers dryly. "...yeah. When I went home, I was tellin' Dad how I was gonna go to SCCU this fall, yeah? An' he was like, why? 's not like I have a choice in what t' be when I grow up." Her gaze falls down to her feet, settling on them a few moments, and she bites her bottom lip once, lightly. "Doin' it anyway. I always planned t' be th' firsta my family t' go an' I don't really feel like lettin' this change it... y'know?"

Cameron straightens up in the couch and shakes his head a little, cheering up. "Yep! I always figured I wasn't gonna be like the others. I got good grades. Couldn't do much better, really, without making up new types of scores. I figured I'll go to college, too. But. Anyway. That all depends on my slim chances of actually finding any work that'll /let/ me live where I wanna, and if Summer actually wants to, either." He clears his throat, blushing. "I mean, she probably won't wanna move out, or move in with me, I dunno. I haven't asked. ANYWAY. Enough about me. What've /you/ been up to? What course you gonna do?"

Bernie half-smiles at most of that, still regarding her feet, and runs a hand through her curls. "...computer science, prolly. I mean... there's like metric shitloadsa things I'm int'rested in, yeah? But I figure, I like computers, an' it pays pretty well an' it's somethin' you c'n sometimes do on your own schedule, y'know? So, like, maybe it's somethin' I c'n balance with ev'rythin' else."

Cameron chuckles. "Yeah, well. I figured that's what I'd do, too. That or art. I dunno yet. I know they're both things I wanna do. And, uh.." he chuckles again, a little sheepishly. "I know I'm not bad at either. So. Why not? And they're both... heh. 'Garou friendly' subjects, I'm guessing. I mean... I doubt on a regular job, "I'm sorry I'm not up to par, but I was out late last night, killing things you can't see, in the sewers." works. He laughs drily. "Get fired for doing drugs, more like."

Bernie grins a little at that, and nods. "'s 'mazing how Matt manages it, 'f y'ask me. Though, I'm prolly gonna hafta do it too, an' real soon, now, t' be able t' go t' school at all... I dunno how much luck I'm gonna have doin' what I =useta= do, so it might be good that we discovered my previously unknown talent for makin' pizza."

Cameron laughs. "Oh, you have to show me, some time. I've pretty good at a few things, if you chuck the right ingredients my way, but pizza is beyond me."

Bernie grins, briefly. "'pparently I c'n throw a mean crust. 'f I had a car... an' I could drive... I'd maybe look inta, like, deliv'ry, 'cause hey, wouldn't we be great for that? Hard t' mug, for sure..."

Cameron chuckles. "Yeah. Thinking maybe of getting a job in security or something. Do a quick bit of glabro-shift, mid-swing, or when you're about to take a punch... Heh. Wear gloves and a face-mask, and you'd be set." The Aussie grins broadly.

Bernie giggles, and nods. "Yeah! I won'er, think you c'n shift jus' =part= t' Glabro? Like, just your arm, for th' punch? Hmm..." She eyes hers speculatively. "..anyway I gotta handle that sharpish. Enrollment's real soon, now."

Cameron frowns a little, and lifts up a hand. "Now, I've /seen/ Kit do this, and I did it before, like... nearly without thinking about it. But bugger me, the last few times I've tried..." He eyes his hand for a moment, and when nothing happens, he sighs. "Ahh, I'll get the hang of it, I'm sure. 'parently there's blokes can do it /mid-swing/, like... nearly crinos, even, just to deck a guy without thinking. Or catch bullets and shit. I dunno. I can't quit get the hang of furrin' up my hand."

Bernie tilts her head at that, and then looks back to her own hand again, with more intent, this time. Her brow furrows a bit as she concentrates on it, flexing her fingers wide apart. "....I c'n tell this's gonna take some doin'," she decides after several seconds.

Cameron snorts. "You don't say. I've /done/ it. I /tried/ explaining how to do it to Jerv and his mate, but I seriously don't have a handle on it. I'm gonna have to ask. Heh. I tried seeing if it was one of those zen 'don't think about it' style things, but I don't think so." The Aussie drops his arm and shrugs. "Ah well. Useful for a city sort, anyway. Maybe you could go half-man with your whole body, and just shift your face, so you're not a walking veil-breach."

Bernie glances sidelong at Cameron, with a decidely wry little smile. "'ve you =seen= me in Glabro?" she queries, more rhetorical than serious. "...but I guess it'd help on th' teeth front, anyhow, yeah. So school though... are you startin' this s'mester too?"

Cameron leans back into the couch, relaxing a little and shaking his head. "I seriously doubt that I'll Rite in time, and I've probably gotta sit some exam or something for entry, anyway." He grins crookedly. "I might be allowed into school, still. Finish up senior, just a year late."

Bernie shifts her position, sitting up straighter. "I'm skippin' th' last two years... testin' out, y'know? No point tryin' t' go t' public school an' deal with all th' 'rou stuff. Not gonna happen, pretty sure. Anyhow I c'n learn anything I miss out on in college or on my own, an' what else is there, Prom? No one woulda asked me anyhow. So hey." She eyes her empty coffee cup. "Y'want somethin' t' drink?"

Cameron nods, murmuring "Water'd be a real treat..." then laughs. "Oh God. An American 'prom'... now there's something I'd probably wanna miss." A strange gleam enters his eye. "Heh. You know, if I asked Rina to go with, she'd probably love to. All the guys, and half the girls would just /DIE/ with envy." He cackles a little, with malicious glee, defeated by a sudden thought. "Except I wouldn't make it there, if Summer knew I was going with anyone other'n her. So. Moot point. Yeah. Think I'll try for direct into Uni."

Bernie pushes up from the couch, and pads into the kitchen, bare feet quiet against the floor. "Luckily I never cared much 'bout prom an' shit like that t' start with," she comments, pushing her curls back over her shoulder and sounds as if she at least mostly believes that. Suddenly, she giggles a little, blushing. "Rina'd maybe go with me, too, 'f she wasn't jokin'. Bet THAT'd get int'restin' reactions." She giggles again at the image, and shakes her head, filling a glass with chilled water for the theurge.

Cameron stretches, taking up a lot of the space left by Matt and Bernie. "Yep. She's a good sport. Do worry a little about her, though. She's got more scars than most've the Garou I've seen. Not real happy about that, but I don't think anyone can stop her. God knows I've tried."

Bernie returns with the water and a soda for herself, looking interested. "Yeah? Di'n' know that. Though, um. I guess I've kina been avoidin' her since she was claimin' to, uh, have th' hots for me. I mean, not totally, but I don't see her a lot..." She flushes pinker, and sits down, offering the glass. "Li'l uncomfortable with that."

Cameron sighs a little, and looks at Bernie, starting to grin. "Startin' to think that maybe she does that a lot, then. You aren't the only one, by a long shot. Still. Had a chat with her recently. Don't think there's much chance of her picking up either one of us. Sounded to me like she had her hands full." He accepts the glass of water and starts to drink. Muttering under his breath, "That bloke better be mustard." He grins again at Bernie and tilts his head. "School the biggest thing on your mind, then?"

Bernie giggles. "Well, I di'n' think I was, I jus' di'n' wanna BE one. Don' think I go that way..." Still quite pink. "But good, anyhow. Mustard?" she queries, leaving the question while she answers the other, "...biggest thing on my mind... I dunno. Maybe... I mean, there's all sortsa other stuff... but I guess gettin' a job t' start school's the biggest plan at th' moment. 'f that's what y'mean." She pops the lid on her Coke, and takes a sip.

Cameron nods, in the affirmative. "Right. Ah well. The age for it, I guess. Figure I'd have been at Uni for six months, by now, actually. And finished me holidays. Oh well. We'll see. Maybe I'll only be a semester off." He sips at the water, and notes, "Mustard means like... 'the Real Deal', by the way."

Bernie ahhhs, and nods, filing that away. "I was thinkin', like, mustard... hot stuff? Only mosta it isn't. So, okay. Good t' know." She pulls her knees up to her chest, wrapping her free arm about them, and has some more of her Coke. "Speakin' of Ritin', shouldn't you be, soon? What's left thatcha gotta do?"

Cameron shrugs, getting a blank look. "Buggered if I know. S'gettin' to the point where I've waited as long as Matt did, and people are startin' to talk about Ritin' me. Luke reckons three weeks, maybe, cause I'm overdue or something. Eamon's apparently also thinking of sending me to Ireland for it." The Aussie sticks his tongue out, and makes a face showing what he thinks of that idea. "I'm no freakin' pixie, I'm a Scot." he grumbles.

Bernie laughs softly. "Matt hadda go t' Ireland, an' he's not a 'pixie' either. 'course he hadda go t', like, Umbral Historical Ireland. Ran there. So I wan'ed his Ritename t' be Walks-On-Water, but for some reason he di'n' go for it..." she says, looking mischevious. "...glad it'll be soon. I mean, 'bout time."

Cameron mmms, and nods. He finishes up the water, downing it all at once, now. "Rusty told me a disturbing story about his Rite. S'not exactly going across the road for a cup of sugar. Coupla times he could've died, and his mates. Dunno if I'm exactly looking forward to the whole 'lets go dive into danger' concept."

Bernie pushes a stray curl behind her ear, and nods. "...I was scared," she admits, "...worked out okay, though. But yeah. I wouldn't do it 'less I felt like I really was 'bout ready t' handle it. 'cause mosta th' time, it =can= kill ya, 'f y' fuck up. 'cause it's not like school finals, 's real life, an' if you pass other people's lives are gonna d'pend on your judgement an' shit too, sometime."

Cameron smiles ruefully. "They often do, anyway. Anyway. If there's something else I've gotta learn, no-one's telling me what it is. So. I guess I'm ready." He shrugs. "And I'm not exactly scared. I'm just kinda disappointed, maybe. I really hope I don't die, because everything up til now would've been a bit of a waste, don't you reckon? I've got /way/ more fun to have before I'm ready to go down." He grins at the Raggie, with this point.

It gets a grin in return. "Totally," she agrees, taking another sip of her Coke. "...there's =tonnesa= things I wanna do, yet. Some of 'em I c'n even get away with!" she adds, the last bit with a wide-eyed, bright innocence that isn't quite one hundred percent sincere. The grin slips back into place, though. "I'd think you'd have some kina spirity rite, wouldn't you?"

Cameron rubs the back of his neck. "Well, uh... maybe. I guess. Thank God I can talk to 'em, and understand what they're sayin', but. I'd be totally screwed, if I couldn't." He grins quickly. "People're a lot more willing to listen to you if you're speaking their language, and not makin' 'em translate."

Bernie snickers. "Unless they're French," she remarks, and stretches a little. "So, y'know. 'f they're wearing a beret, watch out."

Cameron sniffs. "Bah. Americans and the French... they're apparently quite nice to Aussies."

Bernie grins, and shrugs. "I wouldn't know; comin' here's th' first time I got outta SoCal. But from what I hear..."

Cameron chuckles. "Funny thing about the French. Reckon maybe it's because they don't like people assuming that just because almost all of 'em can speak English, that they should be expected to do so for you, upon request..."

Bernie shakes her head. "Nuh uh. No, they get pissed on when you dare t' try an' speak =French= with less than perfection in your phrasin' an' Parisian accent, an' =insist= on manglin' English at you instead an' makin' you use it too, or so I'm informed."

Cameron laughs. "Mangle English... Gotta say. Lookin' at perspectives, here. You lot mangle English more than the English do." The Aussie just... giggles.

"Maybe so, but I'm doubtin' more'n th' =French= do." Bernie gets the distinct feeling Cameron's missing the point of the joke completely, and gives up on it, just finishing off her soda.

Maybe. Or maybe not. He's finding /something/ funny, at least. Cameron sighs, with a small, secretive smile on his face, and looks about the room again. "So. Anyway. Were you going to do anything today, or are you happy to have me bum around til lunch time, whereupon I get to make you something purely orgasmic for the taste buds?"

Bernie giggles, and shakes her head. "No real plans for th' day, nah. Feel free t' create a midday meal that elicits screamsa ecstasy." She blinks once, blushing, and looks like she really can't believe she said that. "..or even a normal one. That'd be fine."

A midday meal that elicits screams of ecstasy... Cameron looks Bernie up and down consideringly, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Well... if it's good enough for Matt..." he chuckles.

Bernie turns even pinker. In fact, she pretty much reaches red, and pops up from the couch, snagging the glass of water and her empty soda can and fleeing to the kitchen.

Cameron looks a little shocked and surprised for a moment and then bursts into disbelieving laughter. "Oh, God..." He pauses for a little bit, and then starts laughing again, turning a little red, himself.

Bernie takes somewhat longer to refill the glass of water than one would expect to be strictly necessary, and is down to a rather lighter shade of pink by the time she grabs a Guinness off top of the fridge and makes her way back to the couch, offering the now full glass back wordlessly.

Cameron is still stifling embarrassed giggles when she comes back, and eyes her with a mixture of worry and amusement. "Uhm. Sorry." he murmurs, then starts giggling again. "Oh dear."

"Hush b'fore I dump it on you," Bernie manages, the blush flaring up again for a few moments, and reclaims her seat with all the dignity she can muster, curling back into the cushioned corner.

Cameron starts drinking from the glass of water, trying to stifle laughter. Oh dear. It wasn't meant to be that embarrassing, for /that/ reason... He has to work at stifling it, though, and winds up drinking the entire glass in one breath. "I'll, uh... get some more." he murmurs, standing up and moving quickly for the kitchen. When there, he just starts giggling again, and murmuring, "Oh no..." quietly to himself.

Bernie sighs long-sufferingly, and pops the lid off the bottle with the usual fierce glance. Although it's possibly fiercer than usual. She sips at the drink slowly, and just waits for Cameron to recover and return.

Cameron comes back looking suitably chastened, and with another glass of water that he sips at a little more slowly. "Sandwiches could be better, eh?" he murmurs, still eyeing her a little worriedly. Man, that's an oops.

Bernie eyes the theurge back -- though without quite letting their gazes meet. "Possibly," she agrees, a bit dryly, and lifts her chin a fraction, "...what?"

Cameron shakes his head, looking away. "Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just thinking." He sits himself down on the couch and hides his face behind the glass of water.

"About?" the Ragabash prompts, still watching him, but going back to the gradual business of lowering the liquid level in her bottle. The pinkness is fading, nut not yet gone.

Cameron lifts his eyes to the ceiling as he drinks. "Not much. Cultural differences in humour, and such. Little things." He smiles a little.

Bernie relaxes a bit, replying with a somewhat noncommittal little, "Mm."

Cameron nods sagely, and continues to drink, slowly. "Yup." He thinks for a moment. "What'd you do when you went to school? I mean, what'd you do in your free time, etc?"

"Read, mostly," Bernie replies quite promptly, "...hung out in my sorta-park, played RPGs, watched TV, played pranks, shit like that. How come?"

Cameron ahhs, and shrugs. "No reason, really. Just thinking. You know, it's stuff like what you do in your free time that makes you who you are, sorta. Or at least, shows what you're used to, and stuff."

Bernie pushes that stray curl behind her ear again, and sips her beer thoughtfully. "...'bout you, then? What'd you useta do?"

Cameron gives a faint snort. "Not much interesting. Well." He blushes briefly and then just gives another snort. "Heh. Some of the same, I think. Probably a hell of a lot less, is all. Come fifteen, and it's 'cool' to drink... Enh. De-railed a little, but things're cool again. Not much, basically. Got into trouble with friends."

Bernie half-smiles. "Oh. An' messed with th' computers in th' library at school. Almost forgot that. Was a dorky tomboy geek back then; what a shock, seein' as I've changed so much, huh?" she asks, dry again.

Cameron chimes in cheerfully, "Better'n bein' a harlot."

The half-smile gets even more sardonic for a moment. "That position in my fam'ly was already filled. Plus, not so much an option I really had open t' me, but hey. Yeah, prolly happier th' way it was," Bernie decides, taking another sip.

Cameron snorts, and gets a somewhat rueful look. "You'd be surprised what's open to you if you try." he mutters.

The curl gets pushed behind her ear again -- will it never stay? -- and the Gnawer shrugs a little. "'s possible I s'pose. I really wasn't int'rested though, so I dunno."

Cameron peers at his glass, and feels free to head for the kitchen again, with a mild 'huh.' at the girl's comment. Again, lapsing into silence.

Bernie glances over her shoulder to follow his travels, this time, and sips her beer once before asking, "Huh what?"

"Nothing. Just thinking. Same as before. Same things. People bein' different and stuff." Cam returns with more water. Thirsty boy... must've run in homid, or something. "Ahhh, but my feet're tired and I haven't even started the day. Reckon it'll be paws on the way back."

Bernie pokes at the Fianna with a toe. "Couldja be more evasive, please? You're still betrayin' there might be somethin' actually on your mind." She sticks her tongue out at him, briefly.

Cameron laughs and lets himself flump, though he doesn't splash any water in the process. "Actually, if you could read my mind, I'm sure you'd be real disappointed. Not much goin' on up there, like I said. Pretty much blank, even. Just tired. Planning my day. Thinking about something that'd be pretty neat to sketch. Random dots of inspiration." He taps his skull. "S'pretty boring up there, right now."

"What'd be pretty neat t' sketch, then?" Bernie inquires, curling her legs up again. "...'d like t' see morea your drawings, sometime. 'f you'd let me, an' all."

Cameron shrugs noncommittally. "Sure. S'nothing special. And the idea? I don't know." He grins broadly. "Which is kinda why I was thinking about it. Just thinking of something that I could do to sum up the city, or at least... the contrast. Something beautiful and something ugly, and still show that it's full of people. And preferably add a dash of hope, so I don't wind up hating it."

Bernie leans back again, getting down to about the last third of her Guinness, and smiles a little. "Well. I wanna see it when it's done, then, I guess." She pauses a moment, and then looks a bit mischievous, "...so how many sketches of Summer've you done, now?"

A quick flicker of guilt gives the answer before he gives it. Too many. "Oh, not many." Cameron mutters, reaching to scrub at the hair on the back of his head. "Hardly any at all." Yeah. Look forward to telling her why you had to go out and buy a new sketchbook, don't you, idiot... "Which kinda reminds me. Gotta get some more supplies. Pencils and stuff. Doesn't take long to wear 'em down, if they're 2B. Got four new ones - one week? Bam. Teeny pencils."

"So, only like three or four sketchbooks worth then, huh?" the Ragabash teases, catching the initial reaction. "Tch. Better get t' work, I mean, people'd think y'di'n' like her or somethin'." Relenting, she agrees, "...yeah. I don' even draw, an' sometime I c'n go through pencils God knows how fast anyhow."

Cameron grumbles, "She has an interesting face, and it's good to be able to be diverse and do stuff from memory anyway..." as he keeps rubbing at the back of his head. A quiet hint of happiness there, though. At least the attention's no longer on 'lunch'. "I'd like to use charcoal or something. I dunno. I gotta go see what sort of places there are for supplies. And get a job. Gotta get a job."

One could fairly expect Bernie to be happy to leave that section of conversation behind as well, and there's no indications to the contrary. "Yeah, think I'll do s'more on that front t'day too... an' I think there's an art store down by Wal-Mart, 'bout two blocks south. So you c'n check there."

Cameron ahhhs, and nods. "Yup." He takes a few swallows, apparently lying back in thought again.

Bernie appears content to sit in silent thought while she finishes off her beer, and leans forward to set the bottle on the coffee table. "Mmph," she remarks, stretching a bit, "...thinkin' I oughta shower an' dress properly. You're welcome t' hang out here meanwhile, but 'scuse me a few, yeah?"