"Hm?" the pale man hummed, looking up slowly from where he'd been spacing out and open-eyed dozing against the bookshelf. Reaching up and rubbing at his eyes with one hand, Declan yawned and nodded, reaching out for the book. A moment later he was sitting cross-legged with the book in his lap, pale eyes scanning the pages.

"I'm sorry I'm not very talkative right now. I didn't think I'd be so tired after the trip and patrol," he admitted, glancing up at Aoba with an apologetic smile. "I don't have another patrol, though, so we can just explore and research. I look forward to a shower, though," he sighed, stretching this way and that until his spin crackled softly, a relieved sound passing his lips.

"If you come across any books about Japanese military history and culture, I'd like to read that, too."