Research Never Rests (Talvas)

 A/N: Somebody please give Talvas a raise...I'm not actually sure he gets paid...

Prompt: Research never rests

They say research never rests, and apparently neither does Master Neloth. “I’ve never seen him rest, even for a moment. He’s seemingly always going!” I confide in Valan one day during one of his occasional visits to the tower. “It’s because he sleeps with his eyes open.” Is all the blind man has to reply. “Watch, I'll show you, come on.” He gestures for me to follow over to where Master Neloth sits at the small desk unmoving aside from small movements from breathing, and with his eyes open. Valan waves a hand repeatedly in front of his face and yet gets no reaction. “He’s asleep, see?” He does it again and once more Master Neloth makes no movements aside from breathing. “He’s done it for years, you get used to it. Fyr sometimes does the same thing.” Valan explains, patting me on the shoulder and walking back toward the small library set up in one corner of the lab. He runs a hand along the books sitting on the shelves before picking one and finding a spot to sit. “I thought you were blind?” I say as he goes about beginning to read the book, pointing out his folded up cane next to him, a signifier of his blindness. “Legally blind, Talvas. Legally.” He reprimands me “I still have some useful vision. Besides-“ he then turns the book around and holds it up “large print.” he points to the bold text written in a size so large I can read it clearly from where I stand across the lab. I never knew we had books like that sitting around here. While Master Neloth has me reorganize the bookshelves every so often I very rarely get to look at the contents. “Why are you standing there like a dumbfounded Guar don’t you have things to work on?” I hear a very familiar voice ask me and give Valan a look that silently says “he’s standing right behind me isn’t he?” Valan nods slightly to confirm, and that confirmation is followed up by a not particularly gentle slap to the back of the head while being told to get back to work. Master Neloth must have woken up from his nap, and it seems to have made him cranky. “Research never rests, and apparently I never get to either.” I mumble to myself while getting back to my lab work. I suppose I could always borrow Master Neloths spell book and see what I can learn myself, most of what I learn is by observation, anyways. I would have to get by Valan first though…and unfortunately he really does seem to never rest, at least when he’s around Master Neloth. The two of them are really one strange pair when put together, they simultaneously seem to dislike each other while also being upset if the other is hurt or in danger. A very odd friendship built over two centuries, though I suppose that’s typical of the Telvanni, now that I think about it. Why did I join these people again? Even if they may not like to rest, and research has no need to, I need a nap. A nap, a day off away from insane mages, and a bottle of shin.