Haunted House College AU

[worthallthis]

While the army is covering tuition, it doesn't cover living expenses, and temporary work on-campus is better than temporary work off-campus. So when the drama department managed to raise funds for a haunted house in one of the frat houses, James put on his best "I can kill you with my pinky" look, a shabby suit (shabby is really all he has, so, lucky), and his growing out hair loose around his face and "interviewed" for a spot as in-character for a creepy fucky as possible.

He had to refuse the first offer to be one of the ghosts inside. Dropping the character and donning a slightly sheepish smile, "Really not that keen on jumping out an' scaring people. Especially the ones that get punchy when they're scared." When the interviewer looked at his resume, saw his army tour (the whole "captured and tortured" thing isn't on there, but it doesn't have to be), she just nodded and stuck him at introductions and taking tickets. The pay isn't great, but it'll cover meals for a while.

So he shows up for opening night, gets his face done all pale with stage-make up and his suit a little spruced up with a very fancy shirt underneath from the costume department, and takes in the faces of the other people who'd been brought on.

Comments

[shadowsran]

"That'd be your first mistake! Believe me, you will lose shirts in this fight." And she will, of course, be procuring one for him anyway, not that she'll put up a fight about it now. Maybe later tonight, even - one extra stop is hardly anything. "Preparedness, Barnes!"

[worthallthis]

"Wait, lose shirts? Why would I lose shirts?" He gets the sudden mental image of a sleeve catching fire, and swivels his head around to look at her incredulously.

[shadowsran]

"Oh, you-- you really don't cook, do you?"

She laughs, one hand at her stomach.

"I mean, like, stains. You're going to get stuff on you, it's inevitable. Aprons aren't a fashion statement."

[worthallthis]

"I'm not gonna lose shirts to stains," he says, still surprised. "Stains come out, Misty, Jesus. I thought you were saying there was going to be a knife outbreak or shirt-sleeve fires or something. But if you insist, I'll try and find an apron."

[shadowsran]

"Spoken like a guy who's never had a run in with cocoa products that meant business," and there's a real effort to sound ominous that can't quite withstand the grin plastered firmly across her face. "Do what you want! Not pressuring, just saying."

He'll clearly end up with one either way.

[worthallthis]

Maybe the Goodwill has one for cheap. Or one of his neighbors has one he can borrow. If there are any that know how to cook any more than he does. "Spoken like a guy who can get all kinds of stains out of clothes. Maybe not cocoa," he admits, "but other stuff."

He gives her a sharp grin, aiming to show he's teasing rather than judging, and adds, "Maybe you need lessons in laundry, too."

[shadowsran]

Enjoy the dressed-up mock shock on display, Buck, few ever see it. "Oh, do you think that's it? Because hey, anytime you want to write up a presentation, I'd be all ears--"

There's no not ending it with a nudge, it just isn't in her.

[worthallthis]

"Just you wait, I'll have powerpoint slides and demonstrations and shit." No, he won't. That is way too much work. But if they have stain problems, he's still pretty sure he can deal with them

[shadowsran]

It lands; a laugh, as high as it is conversationally brief. "I'll keep my eyes peeled for that, then. Fingers crossed the homework's easy." They pass her building. A third of the way there. "Any other secret talents you're waiting to spring on people?"

[worthallthis]

He opens his mouth, then shuts it, looking a little less light-hearted. He makes an attempt, though: "Nah. I'm not really that talented at anything but looking creepy and calculating psychics equations." And killing people. But that's not a fun talent. He does note her stop from the night before, and passing it up. Guess it really is to the party store.

[shadowsran]

"I'm gonna have to respectfully disagree on account of most people are good at plenty more than that and you seem fine," she replies, "But I can't argue it specifically yet, so I won't. This is me putting a pin in it."

There's certainly a lot she could say to his clear thinking in a perceived crisis, but the longer she can go without reminding him of it the better. Hell, even thinking of it herself. Egh. "Humble's something."

goddamn I thought I replied to this ages ago, whoops

[worthallthis]

"I dunno, don't think I'm that good at being humble, either," he says, dragging his tone back light again. "I've got gorgeous hair, after all, and I absolutely know how to dress right."

ain't that just the way

[shadowsran]

It gets a laugh, which was presumably his intention. She's an easy lure back to the lands of levity and humor. Used to needing it on hand, herself. "Ahh, complexities, layers, nuance. Painting a real interesting portrait for me, thank you for the honesty." Whether or not it changes her actual understanding remains to be seen. "Milk it a little and you'd be a shoe in for some bigger theater roles, just keeping that out there."

seriously spent a few days wondering why YOU hadn't tagged :P

[worthallthis]

"Nah, spotlight ain't for me. Not in any role where I can't hide this, anyway." Up comes the metal hand, still in its glove from the show. "Maybe shove me at the lights or something, if you really want to drag me into all your hobbies. Engineer and all, I'd probably be okay at it."

H A H

[shadowsran]

Hardly seems worth hiding, but then, people have felt self conscious over even less. Not her place to judge, and so she doesn't. Deliberately speaks nothing to that, and hardly signals beyond a gently disbelieving little perk of her eyebrows.

"I promise that's not my goal, there will be no dragging you into everything I take an interest in. Just so happens that you left a good impression, and interests align enough for baking to be something fun, probably. Although I hadn't imagined the engineering end. Probably a cool thing too, but I'll let it slide."

Unless baking doesn't work out. He's neat, deserves to be out and about.

[worthallthis]

It's less being self-conscious and more not wanting to be taken away and experimented on, Misty. The less people know about the freaky, way-too-advanced arm grafted to his skeleton, the safer he figures he is. He answers her disbelieving eyebrows with a pointed quirk of his own, but also doesn't comment aloud. "I mean, technically taking a class with you was even my idea," he points out dryly.

[shadowsran]

The bliss that is ignorance. She really hasn't seen anything like he has before, but it's so easily chalked up to advanced prosthetics being tested by some brave young soldier it's easily brushed off. Not her business.

"You're right! Would you look at that, you're really coming round. A go-getter. I'm glad you chose to take baking with me." That dryness is noted and instead of nudged back, folded neatly into her momentum. "Nice to get volunteers, honestly."

[worthallthis]

"Ha ha." He rolls his eyes at her, but it's amiable. They're coming up on the shopping center with the party store in it, right about where the turn for his own apartment complex is. "See you tomorrow?" And then next semester, it seems. He's definitely going to be checking his schedule tonight. This is the closest he's come to making a friend since the war, so. Might as well see where it goes.

[shadowsran]

"Definitely! G'night." No lingering chatter when they've both got places to be and presumably rest to catch up on; statement, a little wave, unbroken stride.

The next night being the last, the turnout is similarly staggering. Not the crowds seen previously, but a steadier stream of individuals, smaller groups all seemingly realizing this was the final opportunity to duck in. It's less an immediate exhaustion, more a test of stamina. It's another frenzied break, everyone filtering through only just quickly enough to eat and move on, but the sendoff afterwards is better. A fresh case of drinks, a store bought cake, delayed cleanup time to ensure everyone gets a send off. Small, but pleasant.

Misty's propped up on a counter top, quick to extend a bottle once she's spotted him.

"You did it! Congrats, stuck it out like a champion. How're you feeling?"

[worthallthis]

"Like I need a three-week nap," James answers wryly, but he accepts the bottle with clear relief and a smile. "That's more people in a four-hour span than I've dealt with since fucking basic." But it means he can afford the nice grocery store this week, for some bulk items he was running low on, so. Worth it.

"You have a good time?" he asks her, popping the cap off his beer for a long pull while she answers. Also, he's eyeing that cake with clear greed.

[shadowsran]

"And we're all coming out stronger for it. There ought to be medals for this kind of thing." She needs to scrub the stage makeup off, a hot shower, a gallon of water and a nap, but one would be hard-pressed to guess it by looking at her. Something like a runner's high has been attained. "I did, definitely. Best part I've gotten, great turnout, catering's better than last year, dare I say the company's been pretty good..." A pointed tilt of her capped water bottle in his direction as she follows his gaze. "Hoping I get a sliver of that before you and the poltergeists demolish that poor unsuspecting cake."

[worthallthis]

"Well, clearly that means I get us both a piece right now, before it's vanished." He pushes off from the counter where he'd been leaning and pads over to collect a few slices. His might maybe be a little bit bigger than hers. And he's scraped some of the frosting off the cardboard to add to his.

He's starving, what can he say. He offers her the one that is clearly not his.

[shadowsran]

"I'll make a note of the bravery, jumping into the thick of it. Thank you." As if he could have lost his life, charging into the cake foray. There's a grateful little bow of the head as she accepts her plate, eating in small half-forkfuls to allow speedier returns to conversation.

"Also officially enrolled in baking course, so by this time next year I'll either have burned the campus down or be making the cakes, here. Cheers to that."

[worthallthis]

"Wow, now I really have to sign up, can't leave you hangin' like that. What if you need rescue from the horrible ovens?" he says with a lop-sided sort of grin. "Haven't done any of my classes for next semester yet, but I'll get on it this week."

[shadowsran]

"Exactly, see, I'm applying some pressure now to make sure you don't skip out on me. Ovens would get me, and you would feel responsible." There's only so faux-smug someone can look over a slice of bright orange cake, but she's going for it. "Core stuff comes easy just taking me awhile picking the extra-curriculars. I'm thinking maybe wood tech, too. Might come down to some coin tosses."