fandomhigh | Fandom High Welcome Picnic, Front Lawn of the School, All Day: Part I

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!event: welcome picnic

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

Whatever aspect of the island made sure the weather was nice on picnic day didn't seem to be able to control the temperature. It wasn't freezing, but it would definitely more comfortable out on the lawn with a coat on. Thankfully, the conditions were just right for a bonfire in the center of the lawn, so people could gather and stay warm once they'd made their introductions.

Once the tables and chairs were set up and everything was properly glittered, all that was needed were people!

[OCD is up! This is part one of the picnic, specifically for meeting siblings, roommates, and teachers. The rest of the picnic is happening here. Since it's outside, the picnic is open to all students, teachers, and townies!]

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"A place," Liam clarified. "It's a bakery, though they specialize in gingerbread. Best you'll ever taste."

That wasn't opinion, that was just pure fact. There was literally nothing that could compare to Madhura-made baked goods.

"I do like gingerbread," she admitted.

It wasn't quite as sweet as a lot of cookies, though she ate those too, in moderation. She also liked molasses cookies for the same reason.

"That settles it," Liam said. "Sometime later this week, maybe? After you've had a chance to get a feel for the new kids."

And given that one of them had already declared intentions to wrest control of Student Council from her by blackmail, Nina was definitely going to want to scope out the new kids.

She grinned up at him. "You know me too well!!!!!!!! That sounds perfect!!!!!!!!!"

The nerve!

"I'm looking forward to it," he told her, the grin he'd been sporting at her spontaneous declaration of his knighthood settling into something softer. Warmer.

"In the meantime, I do need your help with something," he added."

She'd been all set to just revel in the happiness she felt at that smile and then he'd said--that.

"What's wrong?????" she asked immediately.

"Nothing's wrong, kiddo," he assured her. "It's not serious." A beat. "Well, no, that's not entirely correct. It is something I take very seriously, but it's not the kind of serious you're probably thinking."

In other words, he didn't need her help with something involving work.

He needed her help because she was Nina. Not that he'd gotten to explaining that part yet, because he was maybe babbling a little.

Nina's face was settling very clearly on worried now, Liam, because he was babbling and he didn't do that often as she stared at him.

"It's about Prompto," he clarified. Tried to clarify. Because that worried expression was- well, he wanted that cleared up as soon as possible, because that was distressing. "I want to get to know him better. But I think I make him a little nervous?" That time a few weeks ago when he'd come by the Trooper Station with cheesecake, the kid had looked like he'd wanted nothing more than to sink into the floor and disappear.

"So I need to figure out something the two of us can do that might- help put him at ease, a little."

Edited 2021-01-03 02:03 (UTC)

Nina's anxious expression washed away as she facepalmed, giggling.

"Oh, nooooo, ohmygosh, Dad, that's a tall order!!!!!!!!!"

But she'd try! Once she got done giggling.

"Nina!" Liam admonished. Tried to admonish. "I don't want to mess this up," he admitted.

Honestly, part of her giggling was out of relief that it was just, like, that.

"I know," she said, reaching over for a quick hug, if he'd let her.

"Like, his main hobbies are photography and video games," she said slowly, thoughtfully. "He'd probably like laser tag a lot??????? And he uses guns and is a bodyguard to a prince, if you wanted to take a more business-like approach........"

Hugs were good. Hugs were great, honestly.

"Did you miss the part where I said I think I make him nervous?" Liam said, his tone dry. "I think we'll probably want to work up to the guns. Laser tag sounds like a good idea, though." He gave her a sheepish look. "I don't think I've ever played a video game. The closest was probably the time with the machine that allowed me to experience other people's memories..." as he pulled away from that hug, one hand slid down to his thigh, rubbing at it slightly, as if to soothe away an ache.

A phantom ache, brought on by the sensation of a limb not being there anymore. A memory that wasn't his, that he knew full well wasn't his, but still felt every inch as if it belonged to him.

"There's different kinds of nervous," she replied, frowning a little as he rubbed his tight. "Professional situations are sometimes easier than personal ones."

A beat.

"Are you okay????????????????

"Hm?" Liam said, jerking his hand away from his leg and curling it into a fist. "Fine."

Well. Not really. But that wasn't the sort of thing he wanted to get into in public.

"I suppose. I just don't want to give him the wrong impression."

"If you say so," she said, a touch doubtfully, but willing to let it go since... public space and all.

"Then laser tag and, like, paintball," she said, nodding. "Followed by food?????????"

Nina hesitated a little, not sure what to say, before adding carefully, "Pick places that have, like, a choice of options from healthy to unhealthy, though???????"

He flashed her a grateful look for that, since he knew how persistent she could be when she really wanted to know something. Perhaps if she asked sometime when they weren't surrounded by dozens of other people, he'd go into more detail. But for now he was just going to take the out.

"Most places with actual good vegetarian options tend towards the 'healthy' end of the scale," he said. "But I think I could make that work." If they ended up at someplace where Liam's options were 'salad' or 'other salad', eh. He'd deal. Look, he had cannibalism-related PTSD triggers around certain foods, he understood issues even if he didn't know what Prompto's in particular might be.

"There's nothing wrong with healthy," she said quickly, then stopped, looking a bit frustrated.

"He'd hate that I said even this much about it," Nina admitted. "And, like, it's not life or death, so I'm not willing to say more, even to you, Dad."

She loved him and she loved Prompto but Prompto's food issues weren't for sharing by anyone but Prompto. Who, in all honesty, barely shared any of it with her.

"Like, if you say you're vegetarian and a place is really good, did he want to try it out???????? He'd be down for that, he's willing to try new things???????"

Just? Be... careful?

Liam frowned thoughtfully, remembering something Prompto had said during that visit to the Station.

The mice and I have that in common, he'd said, after Liam had mentioned that the mice loved food.

"Well, if we do go somewhere to eat, I promise I won't- make a big deal out of it. Or push him into anything," he told her. "Okay?"

Nina looked deeply relieved.

"Thank you," she said earnestly. "I really appreciate it!!!!!!!!!"

"Well, I appreciate the heads up," he told her solemnly. "I wouldn't want to stick my foot in it and make a mess of the whole getting-to-know-you thing."

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

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