closed // jump down on jump street

[justashotaway]

WHO: Kaz, Derrica, Laura, and Tavin
WHAT: Four bright-eyed, bushy-tailed youngsters go to Nevarra's preeminent university in search of knowledge. And state secrets.
WHEN: Mid-to-late Kingsway
WHERE: University of Markham, Nevarra
NOTES: OOC deets for 21 Jump Street are here.

PART ONE


Combination salon + rager, with room for arguing over Great Issues of the Day and also getting crunk.

This is not their best work.

PART TWO


This, on the other hand? They're pretty good at.

Derrica and Tavin distract admin while Kaz and Laura get in and out of the Dean's office with all the records they aren't supposed to have.

Comments

party

[taxonomy]

Was he so young at salons? Was Demetra? (Younger, certainly younger but that's high society and making the introductions early obviously, have to get your foot in the door before it can be slammed shut in your face.) Lately he's managed to skip the bulk of them since he's been out in the field doing some sort of work, or his invitation "unfortunately missed me" (never lost, that would be unfair to the poor courier doing his or her level best to reach him in the line of duty.)

At least he knows how to make one glass last the length of three, eyes flitting Laura's way and some instinct of Orlesian boys at similar parties rising up as he just about stops himself tripping over a skirt on the way over.

"Ah my friend! Here I find you at last! And surely," he pauses a moment, probably can't call this boy fellow associate that'd be weird, "mages are a topic better left for our neighbours either side, all the trouble they've been having is a reminder not to spoil our evening."

Why say five words when fifty will clearly be the far better option? Anyway--

"But Gaelan," he leans in, conspiratory grin just for Laura, "rumours abound."

[justashotaway]

Laura decides, once Tavin has swooped in next to her, that she is grateful for it. He starts to talk, and it sounds exactly like the things other people have been saying: smooth, self-assured, ready for an argument. By comparison, Laura is two of those things at best when she attempts to speak, and smooth is not one of them.

So she falls silent and watches their target respond. Tavin can steer the conversation, and she will listen for what sounds true--and what does not. (She would try to sniff it out, but the smoke has deadened some of her sense of smell. It's vexing.)

He's a weedy young man, his teeth almost too big for his mouth, and he rolls his eyes dramatically. "Maker save us from talking more about Gaelan. If that brainless sod ends up ruling Nevarra, I'll move to Orlais."

[taxonomy]

Note to self: do not think of dear old Berto or he will slip up and commit a faux pas that won't be forgiven here by students with more ego than is good for anyone. Fragile at this age.

"Come now," a hand almost touches his arm, a casual little gesture with his glass, "he can't be all bad - he's here isn't he after all? Not in Orlais where you can buy your way in with mother and father's money. And...he's youth on his side. We've not had that in longer than even our parents have been alive, Andraste preserve us."

Look, sometimes your king is old. And useless. And should have died some time ago honestly if he had any decency.

[justashotaway]

"A Van Markham hardly needs coin to buy his way anywhere," the boy sniffs, taking on the beleaguered attitude of someone to whom the world has been extremely unfair. "Why bother, when he can simply say his name?"

Laura listens, aware that she must play an active role in this conversation if she wishes to report back that she found useful information. "What is brainless about him?"

"What isn't? Spent his whole life at the top of the world, comes down to the rest of us here at the university and expects everyone to lie down at his feet and tell him he's brilliant." He takes a long draw of his glass and adds, "He's the kind of shallow that doesn't care about anything that isn't about him. Like the fact that mages--"

They aren't likely to get more from him--she feels certain of that. Without a word, she turns and starts walking away from him, in search of someone else to discuss Van Markham with. Tavin, she assumes, will either follow or find something else to do; there is no value in continuing to entertain this particular boy.

[taxonomy]

About to say something about it that would probably see him thrown out because this is why Tavin, generally speaking, doesn't go back to teach anywhere because he doesn't miss this sort of student at all whatsoever, he's relieved at Laura stopping the words in his throat. They'd be a bit of a giveaway for someone trying to pass even as an older student.

It is on the tip of tongue, glass up at his mouth to mutter and you don't because Tavin was probably that boy too, and this one, in the fashion of any boy who has the standing to go to any university. Convinced of their own cleverness until cut down by someone more clever. Always a humbling and rude awakening. No one likes it too much but how one swallows it - or doesn't - tends to pave the way for how they mean to go on. Again, can't go about saying that so he drinks.

"Yes well it's been smashing we'll have to do this again sometime but if you want a little advice? Whining about someone isn't the way to get ahead or how to talk to girls, enjoy your night." And he's off, after Laura, needing something stronger if this is what tonight is going to be-- "He'd bore a Darkspawn to death, c'mon why don't we try that one over there, one of the girls, the girls always knew the gossip when I was at university."

(Tavin that's a huge generalisation and also you were that lanky embarrassment so maybe that's why they laughed at you.)

"Or we could lurk about at a group, have a listen then sidle on in if it's getting good, I mean, part of me did expect the man of the hour it's a party, all of them used to show up all the time before."

[justashotaway]

Laura does not know what girls in universities know, nor whether groups are better for finding the discussions they need--but Tavin seems confident. He has clearly done this before, if not under orders of espionage, and Laura is willing to trust his experience. Possibly, she can earn from it.

(At heart, too, she feels out of place when she is alone in this room. She knows how to silently accompany someone else at a gathering, even if the gathering itself--and the hold Tavin doesn't have over her--are entirely different. There is no way to end up adrift if she is standing at his side.)

"Yes," she agrees, glancing over at the girl he's pointed out. Whoever she is, Laura thinks she looks like she belongs here--though that might just be the fact that she is laughing at something, her eyes smiling along with her mouth. "Do we approach her or sidle?"

[taxonomy]

Here we see the male zoologist attempt to approach a female, a dangerous affair rife with risk. The female, you see, is younger than he, and though less travelled, she is in her territory and he is an outsider who runs the very real risk of maiming should he displease her.

The female will, if provoked, eviscerate him without remorse. The male has everything to lose and yet...he cannot retreat without making the attempt. This is why he does not approach alone.

Best to have back-up in this particular scenario.

"Last time I talked to girls this age at parties they'd call you a lurker," does he sound offended, maybe he does, he likes lurkers, they're actually very straightforward beasts and rather beautiful in their own way why should it be an insult in the first place shit wait he's getting distracted-- "or sweaty or something if you lurked. We'll say hello."

(Hi his name is Octavian Nestor Sokolov he was rubbish at talking to girls at parties when he was a student, maybe because the spectre of his mother loomed with plans for a wedding.)

"We were just saying," hi Laura he's going to take you down with him sorry, "how dull an affair this all is, accidentally talking to Mister Mages over there because that's exactly what you want to talk about at parties, isn't it?"

"Oh he's even worse in classes, we almost got him a box." Attention gained, a glance up and down but she could turn away at any moment.