013 ✤ closed

[akito]

Characters: Tiny Nerd #1, Prof. Big Nose, and Burnt Cinnamon Roll
Date: March 18th
Location: Metal Sector
Situation: Tiny Nerd #1 is getting his tiny nerd lessons from Prof. Big Nose and Stuff Happens and they both run into Burnt Cinnamon Roll.
Warnings/Rating: PG-13; likely to be references of an abusive childhood


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Akito doesn't trust Callaghan - not entirely, at least. But it's enough that he visits the man every second afternoon to be tutored in the subjects he should have learned years ago (at least in his mind). Basic mathematics and physics were both a breeze to complete, and Akito has now moved on to advanced calculus and advanced physics, though his previous knowledge of physics is making it fairly easy to learn as well.

Sometimes he wonders if it's only because Callaghan is a good teacher (something he's never had before, no offense to Miss Tomita), or if he actually is the genius everyone at home claimed he was. Compared to Tony he's nothing but a moron, Akito knows. But some days, when he looks at a question and instantly just knows the answer, he feels like he lives up to the title. His brain absorbs the information like a sponge, and it doesn't take long for him to master whatever Callaghan throws at him.

Today he has a notebook filled with what he's pretty sure are correct answers to the questions he was given the other day. They'll go through them together, making sure he was doing everything correctly (because he has to show his work, which is super annoying when your brain tells you the answer is X or Y before you can even go through the steps. but it's important for trouble-shooting and so does so without complaint), then Akito will copy down another one-hundred questions to answer for the following lesson and learn a new concept if deemed ready for it.

He thinks today will be a new concept day. At least, he hopes it will be.

Akito knocks on Callaghan's door politely, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he waits for an answer. He's bundled up more than usual; shivering despite the extra layers.

"Hey! Professor Oyaji! It's really cold today, so please answer quickly!"

Comments

[pushtheboundaries]

Robert Callaghan has been insistent that his students don't just understand the answer to X minus Y; he wants them to understand how that happens. How completing the square plays in to further concepts, because if they can't grasp the basics, when they do eventually get stuck on something he'll only be able to help them so much. The goal of a teacher, at least to him, is to render the student capable of spreading the knowledge yet further- and if they're just regurgitating what he says, then he hasn't succeeded at all.

So, yes, he has Akito showing the work. He has Akito repeating answers to him, and he has Akito doing the same sort of problem over and over with only minor adjustments. He is, in this regard, merciless - but at the same time, the honest smiles Akito gets when he proves himself competent make what frustrations he endures all the worthwhile. And he honestly does look forwards to Akito moving on, and to moving up.

He hasn't really realized how much he missed it all, until he's come across it again.

Even so, the past few days have been a bit...hectic. With the reintroduction of a certain man he hadn't missed, he finds himself only so able to focus on the lesson plans. And when Akito knocks on the door, he's tempted to ignore it, brush whoever it is off-

-and then he remembers. School day. Robert grimaces despite himself, the brief thought of calling in sick crossing his mind; then he sighs and pushes himself out from his desk, calling out a 'Just a moment' as he moves for the door.

When he reaches it, he can at least fake a thin smile, quickly moving aside to let Akito in. "Don't let all the warm out," he says, the home-made heater off to the side merrily humming away as it works at the air. It's only so efficient, but at least it's better than burning firewood.