Study Hall -- Friday, October 28th

[principalconnor.livejournal.com]

Sarah isn't in the room, but the words "Help yourself" have been hastily scribbled on the blackboard. There's a stereo playing incredibly random music on her desk, along with some junk food and pizza, a TV with a video game hookup, and a pool table that has almost magically appeared in the corner. The puppies are wide awake and playing under Sarah's desk. It's almost as if she's bribing the students.

(OOC: My job sucks. Still not done yet. *headdesk* *headdesk* *headdesk*)

Comments

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

As Hank walks in, he bends down to scratch behind the ears of a few of the puppies and grabs a Coke. When hee spots the pool table over in the corner, his eyes light up and he heads over.

After racking up the balls, he carefully inspects and selects a cue, chalks it and starts playing solo. He's obviously enjoying himself.

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

Han puts down the book and walks over to the pool table. He watches for a while. still keeping one eye on the door. Apparently the object was to use the stick to make the white ball hit the other balls and knock them into the holes in the table. He'd seen varients on it in a hundrend worlds.

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

After sinking the last ball, Hank rests his cue against the side of the table and starts retrieving the balls from the pockets.

"Grab a pool cue, Han. Do you want to play regular or 9-ball?"

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

"Regular, I guess." The basic didn't vary too much across the galaxy.

He pulls a cue off the rack, still looking thoughtful.

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

Hank racks the balls in the standard triangle of 15, then rolls the cue ball down to Han's end and points to the cueball mark on the felt.

"The cue ball starts there. You get stripes or solids based on the first ball you sink."

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

Han nods and sends the cue ball hurtling in for a break. "Looks like stripes."

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

Hank is impressed, but not terribly surprised, by Han's immediate grasp of and skill at the game.

"Keep going until you fail to sink one."

Hank leans back, fully prepared to either watch Han sweep the table or take a shot when Han misses.

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

[[ooc: you're playing with someone who can get drunk, be tossed out of a blanket with a handful of darts and hit three bullseyes before he comes down. Or, also drunk, stand on his head and win at ring-toss. That is Daley canon.]]

He knows it's more than a simple game of pool, but sends the 12 and 15 into opposite pockets anyway, not saying anything. He lines up his next shot, for the 10.

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

Hank watches Han sweep the table, smiling sardonically most of the time. After a few minutes, he says, "You know, I'm quite glad that I didn't offer a wager on the outcome of our game."

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

Han smiles wanly. "Hustling pool's a lot easier money than illegal street vending or pickpocketing." He sinks the 11. "Cops don't hassle you much either."

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

"Unless you're hustling a cop, of course. I'm sure they get a tad peeved then."

Hank grins. "When did you learn to play this well, anyway? I've seen pros who weren't this good."

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

"Granddad taught me to play when I had to stand on a chair to see over the table. After he died, playing helped keep me fed. Hunger is a terrific motivator, Hank. And," he goes for a slightly flashier three-rail shot with the 13, "I had some lessons from men who were the best in the galaxy. I had to be good at everything that people do at leisure."

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

A shadow passes across Hank's face and in a somber and quiet voice, he says, "Yes. Hunger is quite the motivator. You adapt as best you can..."

In a slightly less somber and slightly more concerned tone, he asks, "Do you want to talk about the other situation?"

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

"Not really. Let's just say I did something really really stupid and now Bagoas thinks I don't love him. I'm going up tonight to talk about it, make it up to him if I can. Because I do love him."

He knocks another shot in. "It's just that I'm scared to death. I stood and lied to the face of the most dangerous man I know. I foul this up, and--" He lets it hang and aims at another ball.

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

"Mmm."

Hank pauses for a few seconds, then continues quietly, "I know you do, Han. It shines through whenever you're talking about him."

He then focusses his attention on the mostly-empty table and jokes, "You should know that, if I were an asshole, I'd trip you so I could get a turn at the table. It appears that I'm going to have to find something that you're not so good at for our next game. Well, that or blindfold you."

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

"You can still beat me at chess eight times out of ten. But I'm working on getting it down to seven. Hand-eye cordination, Hank. If I want to fly fighters, I have to have the best."

He clears the table, then picks up the cue ball and makes it "walk" across his knuckles before flipping and turning it like Jareth did in class.

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

Hank toothily grins. "That is quite true, young Master Solo. How are you staying in practice, since you're not flying at the moment?"

Hank spots Bagoas, but doesn't mention it to Han, instead commenting on the ball trick. "Did you pick up that particular trick in your youth as well? I can't quite see the survival value of being able to make a melon dance on command."

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

"Fine wiring work, computer games, pool." He gives a half smile, racking the balls again "Knitting."

He gestures for Hank to have the first go. "That little trick is actually very useful. You get something sparkley and pretty, stand so the sun hits it just so, and make it dance all over your hands. It works best if you're about 10 and really cute. And everyone stops to watch what you're doing. Your partner picks their pockets."

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

Hank raises an eyebrow in mild disbelief. "Knitting. Well, you did say that you made that present."

Hank lines up his shot and makes a clean break, sinking the 1 and 13 balls. "Solids. So basically, you ran a distraction ploy. Nice."

Hank sinks the 5 and circles the table, looking for the best shot to take next.

[12parseckessel.livejournal.com]

"One of the many useful things a psychdroid will teach you in the better juvie detentions." Han's next laugh is half scoff. "Of course, the next bust was for peddling non-union knitwear on a public street without a license."



[[I'm doing about 4 PW windows and sewing. Shall we just let them play pool?]]

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

In a cheery falsetto, Hank pipes, "'But officer, I didn't know I neede a permit! Perhaps I could interest you in a nice pair of mittens instead?'"

In a normal tone, Hank grins and tells Han, "You were quite the law-breaking little imp, weren't you?"

Hank takes his next shot and sinks the 3, incidentally lining up the 2 for a perfect line shot. He makes it, but scratches the cue ball at the same time.

"Dammit. You're up, Solo."

Hank sits back to watch the spectacle that is Han on a roll, thoroughly prepared to enjoy the rest of Study Hall playing pool.

[persian-eunuch.livejournal.com]

*looks in* *sees Han playing pool* *walks right back out, heading to the cafeteria to read and have lunch*

[bluemanoncampus.livejournal.com]

Hank catches sight of Bagoas as he's leaving and watches the door for a few seconds to see if Bagoas comes back in.