shieldacademyau | [Mingle-Log] Only non-alcoholic beverages in the punch bowl...

[This is an open mingle log. You do not have to be part of the community to post in this thread. Consider it a test-drive of sorts to get your voice or meet new characters!]

SHIELD Academy
Open House
Everyone is congregated in the spacious auditorium of the SHIELD Academy. The noise level is probably a decibel below deafening and the lights are probably a little dimmer than what might seem normal for this time in the evening, but it doesn't seem to bother anyone as they just carry on. There are banners strewn about welcoming all first years to a new chapter in their lives while others welcome the others back for another year at the Academy. Refreshments are served up on stage while other tables set up around the massive room are home to pamphlets and flyers for clubs and classes. Special electives and advertisements for training sessions are also littered amongst the tables.

Make a few friends, find old ones, look into clubs that catch your interest. This is open house for all returning students and prospective students, so hang out, hit up others and just mingle!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Do you see a corner here? Because unless someone's gone and made the invisible wall thing happen, I don't." He's joking, of course, and offers her a hint of a smile as he takes her flyer, if only to get it out of his face. It's easy to see what she's doing here, and he doesn't even pretend to be fooled by it.

But he couldn't deny that he'd considered it already. He just wouldn't be admitting to it.

"Planning to take me away from your friend's thing? That is her, right - archery?"

Yeah, he sees right through it, and they both know he sees right through it, but Lydia can't help herself at times. Hopefully he can forgive her.

She makes an mmm non-committal noise. "Don't be so binary. Being in one doesn't mean you have to give up the other unless you're piling on extracurriculars so much you don't have room to breathe. Besides, it's good to appear well rounded on your transcript."

She's glad he took the flyer. "You going to BLT's after-party?" Lydia always knows about these things.

"Yeah, yeah. Maybe I'll join if I don't have anything better to do." Spoiler alert: he doesn't - not while he's here, anyway. And she's right, it won't hurt.

"Of course I'm going. It's not a Lydia Martin party," he says, bowing his head slightly to her, "but it'll be better than this. And we won't have to worry about the freshmen looking like lost puppies." He wouldn't seem like it, with the stoic way he's been meandering the hall here today, but Gale has always loved a good party. The boys aren't bad, but Lydia has always thrown the best in the school, and everyone - freshmen aside - knows it.

Lydia would be well pleased to learn of Gale's confidence in her capacity as a social coordinator! Not to mention, she tends to soak up compliments like sunshine.

"Very good. Then I'll see you there. And are you adequately prepared for a new crop of girls gazing at you in mooncalf faced wistfulness?"

Because it happens. They don't come to SHIELD Academy for that sort of thing, but well, it's high school. And it happens. Watching Gale try to navigate the sea of adolescent girl flirtations is admittedly one of Lydia's favorite pasttimes.

He snorts. It's not as if Gale's unaware of the attention, but it's never mattered that much to him, even if he has taken advantage of it on a few interesting occasions.

"I think they might be a little young, don't you think? I wouldn't want to break any hearts." He shakes his head, chuckling at the ridiculous thought.

"Oh, honey." Lydia grins at him, shaking her head. "You're going to pound on their little hearts with the heel of your shoe whether you realize it or not."

She lets him ponder that, instead turning to other topics. "So I'm thinking about doing some focus on mission analysis this year. And maybe trying to get a little more headway self-defense wise. Think I can manage it? Do you have your projects already set?"

Gale doesn't have a reply for that. What is there to say? He can't do anything to stop them, and he's not even trying to get them to like him in the first place. As far as he's concerned, he bears no fault in this.

"I haven't put much thought into it yet," he admits instead, shrugging a shoulder. "Judging from last year, you can use a little more practice in self-defense, but mission analysis is right up your alley."

Up goes her brow. "Were you actually paying attention, or was I just that awful?" But she's aware of the entrapment inherent in that question, so she moves on along. "Make you a deal; I'll help you with whatever science course you've got - or math, if you prefer, if we don't wind up in the same one - and you help me get my marks up in self-defense. Good deal?"

He actually smiles at the suggestion - partly because it's clear he got her on that one. Lydia isn't bad in self-defense, not by any means, but there are still a lot of ways that she can improve. So he offers her his hand to seal the deal. "Good enough for me."

"We'll see who's getting the better of the bargain." she replies, smiling back at him. Getting Gale to smile is a fleeting and rare opportunity, and she fits her hand into his.

"So I'll see you at the party, then."

"We'll see," he agrees, raising an eyebrow in amusement. Even Gale likes a good challenge. "And yeah, I'll be there."

She grins up at him again. "I'll keep an eye out for you. In the meantime, try not to look too bored, okay?"

Perhaps the question is rhetorical. Merrily, she sails off into the throng, quite happy to hawk her flyers to all who come within range.

[Mingle-Log] Only non-alcoholic beverages in the punch bowl...

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject