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]

My place if you don't mind? The walk's half the fun. Snow's not bad but it's windier than it looks, maybe spring for a scarf and gloves. I'll be on the steps.

A seasoned winter explorer, she's prepared nearly minutes after sending the text. It's early enough in the season she can stubbornly cling to her skirts, but has to accept lined leggings or risk a miserable outing. Her coat is thin, but whenever he shows up he'll find her looking far from uncomfortable. A little nip in the air, is all.

"Hey!" Comes the proper greeting. "Thanks for being a good sport about the short notice."

[worthallthis]

Oh wait, does she mean now? He frowns at the text, then scrambles to get some clean clothes on. ... and to shave, oops, he hasn't done that in a couple days. Then he jogs most of the way to her place to save time, grateful for the changes that'd been made to him at least in that he's not out of breath or even sweaty when he hit her block.

He does walk from the corner, because running towards where he can see her waiting seems kinda dumb. "Hey. So is spontaneous your thing?" But he's smiling as he says it, hands in his pockets.

[shadowsran]

"Not always, I promise." Laughing, up a hand goes to rub the back of her neck. "Didn't want to waste the atmosphere though, we've got the snow finally and this is about when the sun starts setting earlier - don't want to send you home in the dark."

Seems only considerate, charitable as his speeding over was.

"And I'm thinking the cafe tonight, which'll take a minute unless you want to drink and walk."

[worthallthis]

"I'm at your disposal, Misty," he says mock-gallantly. "This is your surprise trip, and my procrastination on a class project, so I'll let you take the lead here. Whatever you wanna do, I will be happy to try out."

[shadowsran]

"Such a gentleman," she coos, followed by a laugh as she hops off the steps. The trip to the cafe can be a meandering one then, more scenic than a beeline would be. He'll know to follow.

"Nothing too exciting to start, just see the place all snowy and watch the little side street with cocoa. Start you off easy."

[worthallthis]

"I have seen snow before, Misty," he chuckles, but not in a way that makes it sound like he thinks it's a waste of time. He does indeed fall in beside her, looking around, hands in his pockets. The metal one is especially cold-seeming after the job to get here, the rest of him warmed up nicely. "New York gets it pretty regular."

[shadowsran]

"Novel to me, then, respect your snow guide's awe here." Not everyone has the fortunate to roll in from a cooler climate. "And this is the first real one of the season, you know? You're getting to see the whole town just a little blanketed, before it gets all cumbersome and turns to slush."

Her pleasure with the afternoon is worn plainly. Every other passing flake is a source of excitement.

"And cool enough cocoa'll feel good, always better when it's actually warming you up. Too early for the lake, but sightseeing's nice."

[worthallthis]

He smiles and bumps her shoulder lightly. "I don't think I've had cocoa since I was a kid. I take it I'm in for a treat."

[shadowsran]

"You serious? If I weren't brought up in such hot spaces I'd have never stopped with it. You're in for an experience, then." It's warm chocolate, how could anybody go long without it? In the service, maybe, but not back home. It's so accessible. Her shock runs humorously deep. "Hot cocoa, walk in the snow, it's gonna be magic."

[worthallthis]

He chuckles at her. "I believe you." He's been a coffee aficionado for a long time, and it just edged cocoa out, he thinks. He hasn't really thought about it. "Tell me how you've been. I never got any bird pictures, not sure if that's good or bad."

[shadowsran]

"Oh, I didn't want to bother you!" Laughing, one hand goes to the back of her neck. "I heard projects were coming up in a lot of programs on your end, figured maybe it wasn't the time to be spamming you with pigeons."

Friends of kind-of friends, of course. She doesn't have any fingers on that pulse. "I've been good! Quiet. Settling into the season, waiting for snow, ticking off more classes. Bracing for final projects before things totally turn over, waiting on Christmas break...excited. I like winter a lot. No disasters to report, glad to say. You?"

[worthallthis]

"Work and classes," he shrugs with a sheepish little smile. "Literally nothing interesting at all, unless you want stories about jerks who tell me to rearrange their groceries after I've finished bagging 'em, or want to hear about tensile calculations." He's pretty sure neither one is going to be fun to hear, much less to tell. "What classes are you in this semester?"

[shadowsran]

"I'll take names of jerks, if you've got 'em." Up go the fists, for a joking little jab at the air in front of her. The spirit is willing. "Only one math, I'm a little less eager to chip at those but there's always one required. Moving along in biology, which is cool, uh, a course on how detective novels developed, costuming, gearing up for baking. Mostly pretty fun stuff! I'm liking the load so far, it'll be a good winter.

[worthallthis]

That makes him actually laugh, not just chuckle. "You're not gonna beat up my customers, Misty, c'mon. It's just how people are. Sounds like you got a busy semester going, anyway. No time in there for tracking down jerks." Also, he's a little surprised by her enjoyment of biology, when every single one of her non-required courses appear to be electives.

[shadowsran]

"That's what you think now, and that's what they think, until I come in with the--" Grinning, she mimes a haymaker. "Won't stop me from going in if I catch 'em in the act. If it ever gets bad you should try the kitchens on campus, there's no public to face."

No idea what she'd do without it; pleasant and mindless, very little interaction with anyone not also cooking.

[worthallthis]

"What kinda pay is that like?" He'd written off campus jobs as both being more competitive to get than regular around-the-city jobs, and probably not likely to pay enough nor get him enough hours. "Also, still can't cook."

[shadowsran]

"Pay's nothing dazzling, but you manage about as well as you would any cafe. Hours can make up the gap, if you put in for the one open nearly all night."

Her elbow prods gingerly at his, as she continues, "Not about cooking. You memorize a recipe on a card and make however much of it people on the other side are taking, it's not a test of creativity. Or there's always dishes. Or there's like, the coffee places in study areas, but I don't have any experience there."

[worthallthis]

He considers it. Dishes would be a problem with a metal hand, maybe. Hell, cooking might be, too, he really doesn't know. But he could probably use some extra hours on top of the bagging, considering how much he eats and he'd really rather like to have some actual savings someday, so he asks, "How crowded does it get in there?"

[shadowsran]

"Dishes is just one person off in a nook. You spray stuff down and take them to a washer, sometimes they might add a person for Christmas? Definitely no fitting more than two there anyway. Cooking's a couple people making separate chunks of something-- one person's just cooking beef all day to go in ten other things, someone's baking rolls, someone's chopping one or two vegetables..."

So on. They've rounded a corner, and with a gentle tug at his sleeve she speeds up a touch. "It's just up here, that little one past the smoke shop."

[worthallthis]

He snorts a little laugh, letting her steer him, matching her pace. "Chopping vegetables, I bet I'd be good at that." He may not be quite the original flavor, but he's still handy with a knife. "I'll look into it. You work there?"

[shadowsran]

"Mhm! Kitchens mostly, but I might look into picking up space in the cafes. It's nice, you're just doing the same couple things so as long as you keep pace you don't have to focus on too much."

But more importantly - they've arrived. A bell signals their entry, and the interior is fittingly cozy. Varying shades of brown and red, hardwood countertops and tables, yellow lighting. There's a predictable coffee smell, with an undercurrent spice and chocolate.

"You can get whatever, but again, I highly recommend the hot chocolate." The menu, to make up for the size of the place, is surprisingly varied. He's got options.

[worthallthis]

"You're the guide here, I'll take your recommendation," he chuckles, and follows her up to the counter, fishing for his wallet and looking over the options anyway. "You can get it with cinnamon or nutmeg. Huh."

[shadowsran]

"I do both, but I'm a glutton-- half my bill's extras, when we're really getting into winter. I can spot you on this, by the way-- I'm dragging you out, it can be my treat." For politeness' sake she won't fight him, but it hardly feels fair to invite someone out to make them spend their own money.

He's got a moment to deliberate while she gets through her own order, minimal extras for sake of time and not making a sweet tooth look childish.