Fandom High Welcome Picnic, Front Lawn of the School, All Day: Part III

[bigdamnprincipal]

Yes, there were more tables and chairs here. No, they were not allowed to be used for making a bonfire. Eat something hot if you're still weirdly cold.

[OCD is up! This is the SECOND post for general mingling. Use this post if your browser can't handle the comment load of the first mingling post. Roommates, fake siblings and teachers are here.]

Comments

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

Although he was starting to wonder if this whole attempt at being social and present was a bad idea, Cal still hung around, although slightly apart, just quietly watching and trying not to think.

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[intraspective]

At some point Ino wandered over to him. "Hey," she said, considering him. "You okay?"

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I'm fine," Cal answered, although he wondered if the question was just a general conversation starter or if he looked like he was upset. Or perhaps it was just his general passive dullness again, leaving people not sure what sort of mood he was in. Because he wasn't upset. Just a little annoyed, and a little overthoughtful, when he preferred to not be so...ponderous.

He also couldn't help wonder if this was going to lead to another bout of irritation if Amber saw him talking to Ino, what with how he practically ruined her whole day by mentioning the other girl's name. And so what if she did? What was it to her, anyway?

"What's up?"

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[intraspective]

To Ino, really, standing on the edges of a crowd and looking thoughtful translated to upset. Ino, however, made no pretense 'bout being anything other than social, so she settled for giving him a mildly dubious look.

"New students!" she said, trying to be slightly less gleeful than normal about it, because he didn't look exactly like he was in the mood for gleeful. "I've met a whole bunch of them."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

Cal wasn't in the least bit surprised about that, and it did get a small grin out of him. "I haven't," he admitted, but he'd hope that it wasn't that shocking to her that he wasn't quite the social butterfly that she was. "But it is exciting. It means I'm technically not a new kid anymore."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[intraspective]

Not that shocking, no.

"It also means that you've got a Fandom right to try and break peoples' brains," Ino informed him. "Which is always fun."

A beat.

"Have you met at least one new person?"

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

If Cal had wanted to, he probably could have started breaking brains in his own style the day he arrived, but he had distinctly decided to give over that right, regardless to the situation. One hand abandoned his pocket to run sheepishly through the hair at the back of his neck.

"Uh, not yet."

Probably not at all, today, either. He hadn't quite decided yet.

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[intraspective]

Ino gave him a Look at that.

"Okay," she said, after a moment. "I'll give you a pass on that because at least you came. Michael didn't, and Liir's currently a kitten, so... yes. You're way further in my good graces than any other of my anti-social boys."

...not that Ino kept track or anything. Totally not. Honest.

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

Any other of her boys? That got an arch of Cal's eyebrow, a little, and a slight frown. He wasn't sure what to think about being categorized in some sort of collective like that, although part of him was telling him that he should be over joyous with relief over the fact that she would so easily categorize him amongst other males. Really, though, had he given anyone any reason to doubt his masculinity?

Instead, he focused on something else. "A kitten? If I were to see him now, would I find him all covered in ribbons and bows?"

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[intraspective]

Ino meant it, really, in only the best way possible. It was totally not her fault that she had erm... a certain type of boy, and liked the challenge of their anti-socialness.

Totally not.

She eyed him, and his frown. "No bows.... right this minute," she said. "But I've got, um, a lot of pictures that might have ribbons and such all over him."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

"Dear God," Cal stated with the utmost stoicism, "may I never turn into a cute, tiny creature in your presence."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[intraspective]

She just laughed. "Liir didn't protest at all! He's a very sweet kitten, just purred and wanted scritches."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

Well, Cal supposed that Liir and Worf were just a bit different, personality wise. Just a bit.

"Doesn't matter," he said. "I still wouldn't want to be in his shoes. Er. Paws."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not_in_the_book]

"Hey," Ronan said, smiling -- not quite warmly, nothing so intense as that, but certainly welcomingly. "Lot of people around."

He'd spent years being anti-social. He knew what it was like. Besides, the guy looked vaguely familiar for some reason.

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

"Isn't that usually how these things are?"

Cal asked the question before even drifting his eyes over to the guy but, when he did, he lifted his chin and gave his belated, "Hey," back. "You new here?" he asked, figuring that, even if he wasn't, he was clearly new to Cal, although...oddly? Not entirely. His head tilted a little. Either way, technically new to Cal, and therefor he met his quota of at least one person, which should satisfy Ino.

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not_in_the_book]

"Nah," Ronan replied, giving the chin lift back, with a slightly wider smile. "But I was away last term, if that's when you came in. Had some stuff to take care of at home." He held out his hand. "I'm Ronan."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Cal said, eying the proffered hand for a moment. Just a moment of hesitation before realizing that he really should take it, and did so, making sure his grip and shake was hopefully firm, and that he wasn't too obvious in retracting it as soon as possible. "That's when I came in. I'm Cal."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not_in_the_book]

"Pleasure to meet you, Cal," Ronan said, as he shook the hand. He didn't notice anything odd about when Cal retracted his hand. "I have to admit, I feel a bit out of the loop, now, with two terms-worth of students to catch up on." He paused. "... You look really familiar."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

A statement like that started to make Cal feel really nervous, but he tried his best not to show it; he laughed a little, mostly a breath of air with his slight smile. "Yeah? You ever spend much time in San Fransisco, 1974, '75ish?"

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not_in_the_book]

"Nope. You spend any time in Ireland, circa the early 2000s?"

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank God. The last thing he needed was to run into someone who realized he looked vaguely familiar because they'd seen his burlesque show.

Cal wondered how strong the relief showed on his face before he smiled a little and shook his head. "Nope. Never been out of the States until I started going here and the island started sailing all over the globe."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not_in_the_book]

Ronan nodded, shrugging. "Who knows, then?" he asked. "We probably just each remind each other of someone else. Anyway, how're you finding Fandom?"

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

Maybe that was it. Although Cal couldn't think of anyone who Ronan looked (or sounded, so it couldn't even be that accent) like, so perhaps it was just one of those weird things that just happened. "I like it," he said, frowning a little with surprising sincerity as he said it. "It suits me really well..."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not_in_the_book]

"I think a lot of people find that, in the end," Ronan replied. "It's certainly been... a lot of good, for me."

Re: More General Mingling (Summer 2008 - 2.0)

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

"Same here," Cal nodded a little. "So...Ireland. That where you're from?"