http://dreamsofwords.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] houseofcards_rp2012-10-17 05:40 pm
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[OTA] Moves like...Kelly.

If he was really honest with himself, Alasdair was really more of a Donald O'Connor than a Gene Kelly. More energetic, more frenetic, something of a grinning goofball on the dancefloor. Of course, he wasn't on a dance floor right now. He was sitting in a chair like a normal human being, flipping through a copy of H.P. Lovecraft's Tales for the sophomore class, with his iPod on.

But doing something like this, while sitting in his chair with Lovecraft like a normal human being...was probably not actually so normal.

Then again, if you had moves like Gene Kelly Donald O'Connor, you probably wouldn't really care.
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[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Did she get the wrong room? Did she come in at the wrong time? Should she go away now and come back later with the last of the essays she had to do about the reading she'd missed?

Most likely that's a no to all three. She still knocks politely at the doorframe, though.

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Sadly, she waits to knock until Alasdair's on the bit of the dance that involves tap on the chair. But at least he has the grace to not quite fall on his ass.

"Hey, Leigh," he says as he drops down to the floor. "Brought your homework?"

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-19 12:04 pm (UTC)(link)
She's doing her very best not to giggle as she enters, but her smile has a wiggly quality that's not entirely hidden. "Yessir. All caught up with everyone else now."

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-19 01:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"I didn't think it would take you very long," Alasdair says with an easy smile. "Next week we're starting H.P. Lovecraft. Evil octopus gods are pretty much always popular."

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-19 03:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Headtiiiiiiilt. "They letcha teach you about that? Isn't that kinda way different from elves and wizards and hobbits and dwarves?"

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-19 03:42 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh, I'm not teaching evil octopus gods, Leigh." He gives her a mostly earnest look. "I'm using the evil octopus gods to demonstrate the gothic novel form."

Something like that, at least.

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-19 04:17 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh yeah, evil gods are about as gothic as you can get. I don't see where the octopi... puses come in. They're not scary." Eileen has set this 'fact' firmly in her mind.

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-19 05:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well..." He scratches his nose, possibly because this aspect hasn't been put to him before. "Imagine if the octopus was taller than a skyscraper and wanted to destroy the world."

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-20 12:42 pm (UTC)(link)
"...okay, that might be horrific, but it's not gothic. Not dark and spooky or anything." She wrinkles her nose. "I'm totally gonna be wrong when we start reading, aren't I?"

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-20 07:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"You might be." He sets her essay on his desk and smiles. "I think Sophie was going to put up a display at the library, if you want to read ahead."

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-21 02:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"Prob'ly will. I should read the stuff that won't be on the list so's I don't spoil myself, right?" She stuffs her hands into her pockets. "Um. Can I ask you a question?"

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-21 07:37 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh, I always read ahead in school, myself," Alasdair says. "It doesn't do any harm, really." He looks up, though, shifting to the chair behind his desk. "Sure, shoot, Leigh."

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 01:23 am (UTC)(link)
"Um. What do you- I mean- what if-" She's looking down, fingers laced together so she doesn't fidget. Finally it all comes out in a rush. "Whatdoyoudoifyouthinksomeonelikesyou?"

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 01:45 am (UTC)(link)
...Oh. Well. This conversation was always a fun one, and Alasdair reaches up to scratch at his head. "Well," he said. "It depends, I suppose, on whether you like them, too. And what way you like them." Friends required more delicacy, after all.

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 11:07 am (UTC)(link)
"Um. I guess I like him okay? We're friendly. I mean... I'm not really sure about dating yet, but that's, y'know, general, not specific." She tugs on a lock of her hair uncertainly. "And he asked me out on Halloween, so..."

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 01:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well, if you're not sure, you could tell him you'd like to go, but as friends." Alasdair leans his elbows on the desk. "If you find you like him more, after Halloween, you can maybe give the dating thing a try. If not, then you can just be friends."

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 02:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'll do that, I guess. But, but what if it's weird? Awkward?" She fumbles with her words, not really sure what she's trying to articulate. "I mean..."

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 04:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well, it might be." It probably would be, considering these were fifteen year olds they were talking about. "But you have to give chances as much as you've got to take them for yourself. If you're really not interested, though, tell him no." Better that way.

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 04:42 pm (UTC)(link)
She bobs her head thoughtfully, thinking over his advice. "Right. Thank you, sir."

There's a pause, and then she asks, curious, "Was it like this for you when you were my age?"

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 05:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh, yeah." Alasdair grins at her. "Confusing as hell, every single day, and it seemed like there weren't any right answers." Which, in part was because it was true.

"Don't worry, it eventually starts to make some kind of sense."

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-23 09:57 am (UTC)(link)
"When? When I'm, what, twenty? Older?" These are relevant questions, teach. Such relevant questions.

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-23 12:55 pm (UTC)(link)
"I haven't the faintest idea." He sighs, then. "I haven't quite gotten there myself, but I'm assured that it does in fact happen eventually."

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-23 01:30 pm (UTC)(link)
That is not an assurance that inspires confidence in you, Mr DeWitt. In fact she's suddenly less inclined to take your advice. "But you're, like..." She scrunches up her face, trying to judge. "Way past twenty-five. That's pretty much forever."

[identity profile] dreamsofwords.livejournal.com 2012-10-23 02:18 pm (UTC)(link)
It's the price of honesty. He just, when he was her age, got tired of the adults who pretended they had all their shit together when they really, really did not.

It's a thing. "Not quite forever."

[identity profile] allthesamemask.livejournal.com 2012-10-23 02:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"Close enough." Romance. So impractical. So confusing, apparently for years and years.

Sigh. "Well, thank you anyway. And um, sorry for my handwriting. I rushed it a bit." And had to rewrite a page when it got smudged with jam, but he doesn't need to know that.
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