xp_logs | Today after classes, in their dorm (Reply)

Angelo was in the dorm, flopped out on the bed with a book. He'd been mildly surprised to find the room empty, since classes were over for the day, but figured Shinobi had his own places to be and he'd show up eventually. So he was just reading and relaxing.

He'd been by the room briefly after classes, but it was a very short stay, and before Angelo had gotten in. Now that Shinobi's had a chance to get in a much-needed smoke and have some lunch, he lets himself back in with his laptop and a few textbooks tucked under one arm, closing the door behind himself before offering up the customary "Hey."

Angelo glanced up with a smile. "Hey. How was your first day on the faculty?" he said, teasing slightly.

"I'm not on the faculty, as they're so eager to remind me," Shinobi replies with a shrug, forcing a grin as he makes his way over to his bed, dropping down to sit and shifting his textbooks over to the nightstand while he pops the laptop open. "But it was alright, I suppose."

Angelo turned to look at him in slight concern, aware that the grin is forced. "You okay?"

Shinobi waves a hand dismissively, giving up on the grin and letting it be replaced by a slightly pensive expression. "I'll live. It just took a bit longer for the powers that be to see me do wrong when I wasn't than I expected, I suppose. I'm overreacting."

Angelo frowns, not liking the sound of that. "What happened?"

"I offered a suggestion on how to deal with Amanda, said I'd try 'bribing her into not transmogrifying her classmates in the future'. I think they took that literally." Shinobi rolls his eyes, glancing towards Angelo with a smirk. "It was bound to happen sooner or later. They were rather disappointing me up 'til now, not crying wolf at me, and all."

Angelo nods, still uneasy. "Well, they try to be good about that. Not judging people by their past. Or their family, as the case may be."

"They're good about it, seeing as it took a month and a half." With another shrug, Shinobi looks down to his laptop again, fingers beginning to dance across the keys. Three cheers for homework. "I shouldn't dump on you, though. How're you doing?"

"I'm pretty good", Angelo answers, leaning back against the headboard, hands locked behind his neck. "Wish the vacation had lasted a bit longer, though."

Shinobi grins a touch, nodding once. "I can understand that." He pauses for a moment, pursing his lips as he considers something. "Now, feel free to tell me to go to hell for nosing in, Angelo, but.. what's eating at Paige? She's not sounded like herself on the journals lately." Aroundabouts when Jono came back from the shadows, but he keeps that to himself.

Angelo's face darkens, but he's always had trouble not answering direct questions, and this one is no different. "Things are getting to her", he says slowly. "There's some... complicated stuff going on, and I think it's wearing her down." A flash of pain appears in his eyes, and is gone almost too quickly to notice.

Especially difficult to notice when Shinobi's eyes are on his laptop. "I know how that can go," he replies thoughtfully, one hand leaving the keyboard long enough to rub at the nape of his neck. "If there's anything I can do, let me know."

"Will do. Thanks, man. And the offer's open to you, too."

With a slight grin, Shinobi pries his attention away from his work, inclining his head towards Angelo. "Very much appreciated. Really."

Angelo grins slightly in return, leaning back on the bed. With a woeful attempt at subtlety, he asks would-be-casually, "Is there, uh, anything you'd like to talk about now?"

"Besides a bad feeling about that LeBeau guy, and a sudden, vehement wish I didn't speak French?" Shinobi counters, grinning lopsidedly and looking down to his laptop again. "Not particularly.. though you have reminded me about an e-mail I should send to Emma soon. Thanks."

Angelo scowls at the mention of Remy, having not missed his flirting with every pretty woman in the mansion. "No problem. So what's your gripe with LeBeau? Apart from the obvious, of course..."

After a moment's consideration, Shinobi half-lays back against his bed, propping himself up on his forearms. "Apart from the obvious? I'm not sure. Just having a Star Wars moment, I guess, though I hesitate to say it in so many words for fear that something to have a bad feeling *about* will occur as a result." He smirks at himself. "Can't be too paranoid in a house like this."

Angelo nods, understanding. "Yeah, I get you. Not like we have a shortage of bad things happening..." He trails off, remembering the explosion and wondering where Alex is - and if he's safe.

"You'd think it was a soap opera or something," Shinobi agrees, tilting his head back so that he can look towards the window, if upside-down.

Angelo laughs quietly. "Certainly seems that way a lot of the time. God knows some of our love lives could stand to be more simple..."

"Best way to ensure that is not to date in the first place, but that's hardly any fun," Shinobi chuckles, grinning lopsidedly and lifting his head back up.

Angelo grins for a moment, then it fades. "Not as much fun, but it might be easier. If it was an option..."

"It's always an option," Shinobi counters, eyeing Angelo thoughtfully and awkwardly lifting his shoulders in a shrug. "It just isn't always an attractive one, for one reason or another, that's all."

Angelo sighs, dropping his head back against the pillows. "Maybe you're right. Just don't think I could..." He trails off again.

Shinobi nods in understanding, offering Angelo a slight smile. "Ah. That 'complicated stuff' you mentioned, I gather?"

"That'd be it", Angelo acknowledges. "Jono's all tied up in it..."

"Ah. Jono." Shinobi nods again, briefly making a little bit of a face as he looks to his laptop again, though he doesn't sit back up fully.

Angelo nods, noticing Shinobi's reaction to Jono's name but not mentioning it. "He and Paige were - are - well, I'm not sure. Not together, but... something. It started before I even got here."

Shinobi nods thoughtfully, finally straightening back up. "I get the impression that they might not be sure, either."

"No, I don't think they are", Angelo answers quietly. "Which means I can't be sure what the hell me and Paige are, either."

"Tried asking?" Shinobi questions, looking towards Angelo with a slight tilt of his head. "In my experience, that tends to work."

Angelo shakes his head, eyes lowered. "I told you, things are already wearing her down. Don't want to make it worse..."

"So you're going to let yourself be worn down too," Shinobi replies, more of a statement than a question. "Look, if the girl fancies you, she's not going to take some concern about her well-being and where the two of you stand as an insult, alright?"

Angelo nods with a weak smile. "Alright. Just... it's not easy, y'know?"

Shinobi nods sympathetically, cracking a wry grin. "Oh, believe me, I know."

That gets Angelo's attention. "Really?" he asks, grinning slyly.

Rolling his eyes, Shinobi grins amusedly, arching an eyebrow at Angelo. "And if the rumor mill decides I know, there will be maimings," he chuckles, waving a hand dismissively. "But yes, I know all about the awkward thing."

"I won't say a word", Angelo promises. "But come on, you have to give me more than that."

"Where's that written? The bylaws?" Shinobi shakes his head, smiling wryly. "Sorry, mate, no go. I fancy my insides on my insides, you know?" He pauses for a moment. "But if you see me sporting an eyebrow or tongue piercing in the next few weeks, it means things are going well."

Angelo chuckles. "Fair enough. Good luck with that."

He grins oddly, briefly glancing down to his lap. "Thanks. Haven't exactly done this before, you know? Sort of flying blind."

Angelo laughs wryly. "Guess we're in the same boat, then. Well, not *exactly* the same, if you're saying what I think you are, but... I've never been this serious about anyone before..."

"I've never *dated* before," Shinobi counters, smiling wryly and turning his attention back to his laptop. "I mean, I never had *friends* before I came here. Spot of culture shock."

Angelo blinks. That, he wasn't expecting. He finds himself at something of a loss for words, unsure how to react.

The reaction doesn't seem to bother Shinobi, since Angelo was hardly the first person to react so visibly upon hearing this bit of news. He seems content to let the silence hang as it will, taking the opportunity to get some more typing done.

Angelo keeps the silence a little longer, then changes the subject, since he still doesn't know how to respond to what Shinobi last said. "So how'd you find the first day of classes? Taking them, I mean, not teaching."

"It was.. different than what I'm used to," Shinobi replies after a moment, making a thoughtful noise. "But in a good way. Just going to take a bit of getting used to."

"Think everyone gets that when they first arrive here", Angelo tells him. "Haven't met anybody yet who says this place is anything like what they were used to."

"Good point. At least the homework's easier, for the most part.. first session with Emma's yet to come, though." With a wry grin, Shinobi casts a brief look towards the closet, thinking a moment before returning his attention to his work.

Angelo raises one eyebrow. "Sessions with Emma? Sounds interesting..."

"Business courses and the like," Shinobi replies casually, smiling to himself. "No big deal."

Angelo nods. "Okay. One-on-one tuition, though? How'd you swing that?"

"I've already had schooling in it," he chuckles, giving Angelo an amused look. "I'm not the only one getting sessions with her, Angelo. It's not that big a deal."

"Hm. Okay." Angelo pauses, before asking carefully, "You got any plans for when you finish here?"

"One or two," Shinobi responds without missing a beat, returning his attention to his homework. "Nothing's written in stone yet."

"Sounds like you've planned more than me, anyway", Angelo says quietly. "I don't really have any idea at all."

With a quiet laugh, Shinobi grins to himself, shrugging his shoulders. "It isn't as if you have to know right this instant, Angelo. You've got plenty of time."

"Yeah, I guess", Angelo answers, before continuing, almost to himself. "Don't think college is an option, though."

"Why not?" Shinobi looks over his shoulder, quirking an eyebrow curiously.

Angelo's mouth twists in something like amusement. "That would be where the past comes into it. Outstanding warrants."

"You rebel, you," Shinobi blinks, developing a lopsided smile. "Okay, so, no *standard* colleges.. you could do all your studying here. How many business owners does this place house? Three? Four? You'll be *fine*."

"True", Angelo answers thoughtfully. "Hadn't thought of it like that."

He flashes a cheerful grin. "Well, that's what you've got me 'round for, innit?" Shinobi muses, wiggling his eyebrows as he looks to his homework again. "I'm sure Emma could find something to do with you.. and if all else fails, I likely could."

Angelo looks up sharply. "For real?"

"Sure, why not?" Shinobi blinks, seeming genuinely surprise the question would even come up. "I mean, Shaw Industries is going to be mine someday, and even if it somehow isn't, I could just start up something of my own, probably. You're welcome to be involved somehow, if you want to."

Angelo still looks rather shellshocked by the offer. "That... would be great", he says slowly.

Shinobi glances over towards Angelo, offering him a warm grin. "Well, then. One less thing for you to worry about. Happy to help."

"Thanks", Angelo says sincerely. "If I can ever do something in return, you just ask."

"Don't worry about it," Shinobi chuckles, keeping his grin. "But if you know of a restaurant in the city that's a little fancy.. not insanely fancy, but fancy enough to have tablecloths.. you can call us even."

Angelo grins in return. "Ah, now that I can help with. Jake gave me a recommendation and some cash, a couple of weeks ago - I'll write down the address for you."

Shinobi brightens, his grin widening. "Brilliant. Thank you, and remind me to thank Jake, next time I see him. Her. Him." He blinks a little before shaking himself, shrugging it off.

"Him, I think", Angelo tells him. "It is confusing, though."

"Just a little bit," Shinobi agrees, smiling wryly. "Mostly for him, though, I imagine. Nice guy, though."

"Yeah, he is", Angelo says with a smile. "Generous, too."

"Very. Reminds me.. I owe him a couple smokes, and after the last few days, I'm sure he'll be very happy to have them."