[action] the cafeteria - backdated to sunday

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[Slouched in a chair with his feet kicked up on a table, Zephyr lounges in the cafeteria. There's a duffle bag thrown on the table next to his feet, and in his hands, it looks like there are two pieces of paper: one being his schedule and the other his acceptance letter.

He sighs as he tips his head against the back of the chair.]

What a drag...

Comments

[dumpsterdives.livejournal.com]

[ Kiden glances around the cafeteria. It's so packed that she debates just going into No-Time and enjoying the lack of thirst or hunger she feels there. On the other hand, on today's menu is a thick peanut-buttery noodle dish, and Kiden, as a rule, enjoys eating, especially Chinese. (...Estharian? Whatever.)

Finally spotting a free seat, she makes her way over and unabashedly sits down before anyone else can claim the spot. There's someone already at the table? Oh well! ]

Hey, move your shit.

[ That's all the warning Zephyr's gonna get before Kiden's tray comes down next to his booted feet. ]

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[Zephyr glances up from his papers, watches as Kiden sets her stuff down on the table, and then waits several seconds before grabbing his bag and dropping it unceremoniously on the ground with a solid thunk.

It takes a good few more seconds before his feet are off the table as well.]

You're welcome.

[dumpsterdives.livejournal.com]

[ There is a 'thank you', it's just quiet and muffled around a mouthful of noodles and souds more like 'shanks' than anything else. Kiden continues to eat for a few seconds, before Zephyr's continued presence at the table inevitably draws her eyes. They land on the papers, considering. She swallows before speaking, at least. ]

Just got in, or just got here?

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[Zephyr stares at his papers for a moment longer before setting them on the table. He glances over at Kiden briefly and then looks away; a frown tugs at his lips.]

Just got here. [He seems pretty irritated about that, but the way his gaze flicks to the course schedule and seems even more annoyed may suggest it's not just being in a different world that bothers him.]

You?

[He looks over at her again.]

[dumpsterdives.livejournal.com]

[ She makes a mental tally. ]

About six days.

[ She nods to his schedule, gathering noodles on the end of her chopsticks. ] How much bullshit have you gotten signed up for?

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

Eight to five, Monday through Friday.

[There's a bit of a pause after that.]

That normal?

[dumpsterdives.livejournal.com]

[ She arches a brow at him, incredulous. ]

How many classes are you even taking?

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[He looks at his schedule. There's a long pause afterward.]

Twelve.

[dumpsterdives.livejournal.com]

[ Frowning, she reaches into the back pocket of her jeans and pulls out a well-worn piece of paper (http://dumpsterdives.livejournal.com/1350.html#cutid1), slapping it down on the table. ]

Nine is the minimum, so that's what I got.

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[He reaches over and drags her paper over to get a better look; seems like they don't share any classes.

Zephyr pushes her schedule back toward her.]

Not like I like studying either. I just want it to be over with.

[dumpsterdives.livejournal.com]

[ She takes it, wrinkling her nose. ]

To do what? Be one of their 'mercs'? Join their army?

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[He gives Kiden an one-shoulder shrug.]

Beats being a student. It's boring.

[dumpsterdives.livejournal.com]

[ She responds with a shrug of her own. ] Hey, you get free food. [ She motions to her dish. ] Plus a bed and whatever. Worth sticking around for, by my standards.

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[Alright, she's got a point. Plus, this place is better than a certain other school of learning he's been at before.

Still.]

Won't you still get that stuff even after you graduate? And paid?

[He's assuming here; Zephyr's not the type to research the place he's just ended up at. Not yet at least.]

[dumpsterdives.livejournal.com]

[ Was it the school of hard knocks? Because Kiden has a diploma. ]

Yeah, if you stick your neck on the line for them. You gonna risk it for total strangers? They can fight their own battles. [ She takes another bite of peanut-laden noodles, motioning at him with her fork as she goes on. ] Besides, we get paid plenty already.

[ As proof, she fishes her Amethyst ring out of her pocket, watching the little stone glint in the light. She'd sell it, if it wasn't her meal ticket. ]

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[You could say that Zephyr comes from the school of hard knocks, the seminary edition.]

No different from being a Hunter back home. [He shrugs and looks at the ring Kiden pulls out. In turn, Zephyr fishes out his Bloodstone one. He stares at it for a moment before shoving it back into his pocket.]

You talking about the sponsorships?

/wanders in here

[subjected]

... New cadet?

[ Have a particularly serious-looking, uniformed young woman who was just passing by... though unfortunately, the fact that she stopped to say anything has very little to do with altruism.

And she's pretty sure she already knows the answer to her question anyway. ]

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[Zephyr adjusts the slant of his slouch a little so he can look at who's talking to him. He cocks a brow.]

Yeah, I am. What about it?

[subjected]

Here it's generally frowned on to put your feet on the table.

[ But for all the potential snottiness of her words, they are, as almost always, completely neutral. You know, in case he just doesn't know. ]

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

There a rule or is it just frowned upon?

'Cause I don't mind dirty looks.

[He's not trying to be disrespectful--not more than usual at least. Really.]

[subjected]

I'm asking you to stop. It shouldn't be necessary for those cleaning the cafeteria to wipe dirt off the tables too.

[ Is it actually a rule? She has no idea. Doesn't matter. ]

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[Zephyr looks at her for a long minute before finally swinging his feet off the table.]

Not like they don't wipe the tables down anyway. Bet my boots are cleaner than some of the food disasters that get left there anyway.

[subjected]

I appreciate it. [ Yes, she's pretty much just blatantly ignoring what he said. However, she takes an obvious breath before continuing. ] Whether you like it or not, there is a certain image to uphold for those trained here. It's best to stay in the habit of not drifting away from that.

[easilytriggered.livejournal.com]

[Zephyr rolls his eyes and then lazily gives her a two finger salute.]

Yes, ma'am. Will be sure to look over the Code some more, ma'am.

[His tone of voice suggests that he's about as interested in doing that as watching paint dry.]

[subjected]

[ And suddenly her voice dips a bit lower at that - dangerously so, even - although her expression remains almost entirely unchanged. ]

I think it would do you well, Cadet.

[ With that, she just turns to walk away. Not that of a good impression on both their parts, probably. ]