Relationship Skills, Friday Period 3

[tellmehowstuffworks]

Yennefer greeted the class with a brisk, "Today we're going to talk about peer pressure," and that was as far as she got before she had to consult her notes. "Which is...pressure from your...peers." A very helpful explanation, to be sure.

"Ah yes, the dangers of... peer pressure," Jaskier added, also a bit lost on that one. Was it because they were the popular kids or too headstrong to follow a herd? A true mystery! "Which can destroy a relationship. We think. I never met any of the other Witchers to confirm."

"Nor did I," Yennefer admitted somewhat reluctantly. Did Geralt think his family was too cool to introduce them to? Was that it? "Peer pressure is when your...peers...which apparently means your little friends, not the nobility, in this context...pressure you to do something you don't want to do because..." again she had to consult her notes. "'Everyone else is doing it,' or, 'All the cool kids are doing it.' Good grief, are those reasons? Don't fall for peer pressure. It's clearly very stupid."

"So, perhaps avoid that," Jaskier suggested. Like the idiot who went out into the world and latched onto a tragic hero who smelled like onions and brute forced his way to fame.

"Break up into pairs," Yennefer suggested, "and one of you can attempt to convince the other one to do something, and the other one can practice saying, 'No,' over and over. And perhaps the first person can meditate on taking 'no' for an answer the first time, just a thought." She waved a hand dismissively. "Go on, then."

Comments

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

There was a missing piece there, though. "Where are you staying?"

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

Ah... Yes. The part she was avoiding.

"Oh, I'm fine. I can always get a room at the hotel for a few days if I need to."

No, no, she couldn't not if she was going to pay first and last month's rent and a security deposit. But he did not need to know that.

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

There was something in that which Marc couldn't quite put his finger on. Unfortunately this was one of those nuances of conversations that Steven was much better about than Marc was.

"If you're sure," Marc said, leaving it open for her to say if she wasn't.

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

Look, it was summer, she loved the woods. Sleeping out there for a few days was, well, just like when she sat out there for hours communing with the trees, except there was sleeping too.

"Mmmhmmm, I'll be fine."

She would, too.

"So aren't you supposed to be trying to convince me to commit a felony or something?"

Oh, distract and evade! Very nice.

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

"Already told you robbing banks wasn't worth it," Marc said. Which was in every definition not the assignment but still, it was sort of stating a point of view with the intention of getting the other person to agree with it. "Are you in trouble?"

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

"In trouble?" Nell was legitimately confused. "Only if I actually try to rob a bank, I imagine. Slightly inconvenienced? Yes, but nothing that's a problem."

That was her story and she was sticking to it.

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

"If you're sure," Marc said again. He was pretty sure there was a problem but if Nell wasn't going to talk about it he wasn't going to push.

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

"I don't want anyone to worry about me," Nell said.

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

Marc gave her a look. "You realize that's exactly the kind of thing to say to make people worry about you, right?"

Not that Marc cared about people, of course.

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

"I'm sorry," Nell said. "I'm honestly not used to having anyone worry about me to begin with or pay much attention to anything I'm doing."

She hesitated, looked at the teachers, then pulled out a piece of paper.

Worst case scenario, there's a lovely spot in the forest where I go to sort of commune with the land.

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

Marc frowned when he read it. Then, because he'd talked with that older version of Nell, he did have to write back and ask:

You're turning into a tree?

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

What? No!

It's just a nice place to be. I've spent the night there lots of times.

Well, a couple of times when she dozed off.

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

Marc gave her a look as if to point out asking about her turning into a tree hadn't been an unreasonable question all things considered.

You're camping the whole time?

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

Sure. It's summer, so it will be fine.

Neither one of them knew the logistics of what was required when she did that. And since no one was standing by ready to cut her free from the rest of the tree while it bled all over, it was probably best.

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

Well, it was the time of year for camping and Marc had slept in worse places.

Try not to get kidnapped by raccoons.

(Steven was going to have such strong opinions about this when he found out.)

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

The treees will tell me if they're coming and I can make them stay away.

But I don't think anything will bother me.

Nell was relieved that Marc wasn't bothered by this. It was a perfectly reasonable decision. Of course, if he'd known that the camping was just her curled up with her blanket he might wonder. Still he was fairly pragmatic as Nell was.

(Undoubtedly.)

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

It was Marc. It wasn't a 100% guarantee him knowing that would change his mind. There were many reasons why Steven was going to have strong opinions about it all.

But this seemed to be settled as far as Marc was concerned so he moved on to replying, Shame you can't teach Stark that trick. Bet he'd appreciate it.

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

Nell smiled, feeling much better. She didn't know why she'd been concerned Marc wouldn't like it. She should have known better.

If I could I would.

Might be able to tell them to leave him alone, though.

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

If he were there Steven would have such strong opinions about trusting Marc's judgement on the wisdom of an idea. But he wasn't so as far as that went there was only silence.

Could ask if he wanted that I guess. Don't know how it works.

Marc meant she could ask. Marc obviously wasn't volunteering himself for more conversations than he had to.

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

Lucky Steven wasn't there then.

He's my teacher Nell felt the need to point it out.

We don't just chat together. And how would I even bring that subject up? I technically don't know anything about it.

Listening to radio was rarely on her agenda.

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

Marc considered this, then wrote back.

I'm not letting you peer pressure me into talking to someone.

There may have been a smirk when he handed that over.

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

Nell grinned when she read it.

But everyone's doing it.

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

Since it was technically part of the assignment, Marc replied to this by writing NO in big letters over Nell's sentence and sent it back.

Re: Activity Time

[mylandmyrules]

She was giggling.

All the cool kids are doing it.

Not that I have any idea who the cool kids are supposed to be.

Re: Activity Time

[hasaknightjob]

Nobody interesting.

(Though for the record Steven thought Marc was pretty cool.)