un: j.griffin

[onebetter]

Hey, newbie here with four (4) questions! I'll try to make this short and sweet.

1.) What's the top 5 books in the library that you absolutely have to have read?
2.) How much does the STAR Club actually work with Runes in practice?
3.) Best free time places in Soleil? I'm fresh from the USA, France is all new for me.
4.) Any recently enrolled undergraduates up for a study group kind of thing? Can totally be casual and involve nice cafés etc. I figure I'm not the only one who came here from half the world away and needs to meet new people.

Comments

[onebetter]

[ Eugh, that grin is infuriating. James continues to scowl. ]

Improve your reading comprehension instead.

[marmoron]

Heh. You just make it too easy.

[Grinning, he starts pulling on his boots.]

You should probably fix that one first.

[onebetter]

[ That's it, Keith is getting a pillow tossed at him from up on James' bed. ]

Asshole.

[marmoron]

[Oh what the -- Keith blocks with his arm, laughing.]

You really wanna pick a fight, huh?

[A beat.]

Shouldn't you be doing that with someone who's uh... a little easier for you to take on.

[onebetter]

[ Keith is laughing and for a second James is genuinely startled by it. Laughter doesn't have a place between them - he can count the number of times he's heard Keith laugh at all on one hand. Is this place changing him so much...?

And then Keith makes his second comment and sentimental thought as well as the softer expression James had momentarily been wearing get swiped away instantly. ]

What, you're really going to retaliate a pillow by slicing me with your flame sword? You never knew where to stop.

[marmoron]

Why would I retaliate with my sword? I don't need to rely on magic to fight you.

[THIS IS.... APPARENTLY AN EARNEST QUESTION.]

[onebetter]

Because that's the only area in which I am so clearly outmatched by you?

[ Realizing just how arrogant Keith's original comment had been? Not fun. ]

[marmoron]

Oh.

[Boots on, Keith straightens up and tosses the pillow back at Jsmes.]

You wish.

[onebetter]

[ James catches the pillow effortlessly. ]

I don't wish, I know.

[marmoron]

[A shrug.]

You can think what you want.

[onebetter]

And you can remain arrogant but wrong.

[ Time to fluff this pillow and lay his head down on it again because well, clearly he is not at all invested in this conversation, look at how chill he is because he knows he's right. ]

[marmoron]

[There will be absolutely no such looking in James' direction. Instead, Keith picks up a roll of ace bandages from his table and plops it into his bag. His tone's staying flat, disinterested.]

Yeah. Arrogant of me to forget that sitting on your ass studying all day builds up strength and reaction time better than physical training. Guess I forgot we live in some crazy alternate reality.

[onebetter]

I do train, you know?

[ He hasn't really done it since coming here but that's only a few days.]

[marmoron]

[That one actually gets Keith to turn and actually look at James. A slow up-down-back up look at his roommate as he's lounging on his bed. His conclusion?]

Uh-huh.

[onebetter]

[ Yeah, because lying down for five minutes negates muscle build, jeeze. James pushes himself up on his elbows and scowls. ]

You think I'm lying.

[marmoron]

No? I just don't think you can beat me, that's all.

[onebetter]

Hmph. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.

You heading to the gym?

[marmoron]

[He's not gonna eyeroll at the proverb. Okay maybe he'll eyeroll just a little.]

Yeah.. You coming?

[onebetter]

Seems like.

[ Because there's no way he'll just leave this?? James climbs off the bed and tosses some sports clothes in his bag.]

[marmoron]

Suit yourself.

[He'll likewise shove a change of clothes in his bag.]

But don't say I didn't warn you.

[onebetter]

Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time.

[ Time to slip into his shoes.]

[marmoron]

Kay. You can back out whenever you want to.

[But Keith's not going to say anything further on this particular matter. He puts on his jacket, slings the bag over a shoulder and opens the door to start heading out.]

[onebetter]

[ James follows after in silence. Normally he'd be making all kinds of small talk now, but now he's with Keith and it's not the same as it'd be with anyone else. Awkward.]

[marmoron]

[See, this awkwardness is exactly why Keith is just not even sure why James felt obligated to tag along on this?? Is he just a glutton for awkwardness, who knows. But for what small thing it's worth he does wait for James to emerge from the room before actually heading out of the dorm building. Good thing the walk to the gym isn't that long.]

[onebetter]

[ The silence lasts for a little longer as they simply walk alongside each other. The argument has died out and now it's hard to fill its place. James eventually makes an attempt.]

Why did you even start training this much?