In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Nowherewoman on 27-05-2021, 15:41:25</h2>
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				Title: <strong>In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nowherewoman</strong> on <strong>27-05-2021, 15:41:25</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/64/a1/eb/64a1ebbbcf4fdbd74d30ee3e374e3270.jpg)</div>"A cooking class? Are you <em>serious</em>?"&nbsp; Renée sounded more angry than incredulous. "So, what? Now you're going to put on a little apron and be <em>domestic</em>?&nbsp; Probably for some <em>man</em>?"<br><br>Annnnd there it was. The primary reason she and Celine had broken up.&nbsp; Oh, there were other issues, among them the fact that, for all her professed liberation, Renée didn't really accept bisexuality as a thing, and was surprisingly vanilla in the bedroom. That would have been fine, more or less- tolerable, anyway- without Celine's ex's insistence on turning every little disagreement into a polemic on sexual politics.&nbsp; Most of the time, she wasn't even aware she was doing it, so Celine had cut her slack for almost two years. Ren was smart, gorgeous, and funny when she wasn't being an ass. At some point, though, enough was just fucking enough.<br><br>"Actually,&nbsp; Ren, I'd like to be able to eat something that didn't come out of a can or a microwave bag. Maybe once in my life," Celine drawled, knowing she was being a bitch, regretting it even as venting that way gave her pleasure.&nbsp; Another point of fracture. Neither of them could cook worth a damn, but Renée had made a fetish out of it, insisting on living on ramen and commercial soup and zapped veggie pizza rather than 'submit to the patriarchy', or something. Not that Celine had a lot of time to do the Martha Stewart thing, between grad school, a teaching assistantship, and a side job at the local library. But <em>Christ</em>- wasn't 'The Movement' supposed to be about self-improvement and self-determination?<br><br>"By the way," she plowed on, voice saccharine, making sure her former lover couldn't fire off another salvo, "I found those sweat pants you were missing. Wadded up behind the couch. I don't want to know how they got there. I washed them, and left them on the kitchen table. You can come get them when you drop your key off. Before four, please. I won't have much time between teaching and yes, going to my horribly sexist, reactionary cooking class. I'd rather you not be here. In fact, I insist you not be."<br><br>"Cel, wait-"<br><br>"Goodbye, Renée." Folding her retro phone in slow motion, Celine laid her head on the back of the couch and squeezed her eyes shut. No crying. She didn't have time to redo her makeup, simple as it was, before she had to leave. And Renée hadn't been totally wrong in her philosophy- a woman showing weakness in academia, especially one in a position of authority, was like dumping fish guts in shark waters. She couldn't count the number of times she'd been mistaken for a secretary on campus, even in her own office. That misimpression had been quickly, some times savagely corrected. But still, it happened.<br><br>No tears.&nbsp; Move on. Other fish in the ocean. Blahblahblah.<br><br>In a few minutes, she was fine. A quick glance in the mirror to be sure her face hadn't melted, and she was off to the grind.&nbsp; At least that night she'd do something fun.
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Esoterica</strong> on <strong>29-05-2021, 22:43:01</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/EyoWOSf.jpg)</div><br><br>Marcus Alexander had never been in a cooking class before, and he did not know what to expect as he entered the college campus, and head towards the culinary arts area, stepping through the door to the melody of smells in the air as he entered. Someone had just cooked a pot roast, or something of the sort, the hearty smell of the meat and the herbs used to season it were heavy in the air. It filled him with nostalgia and bitter sadness as his mind went back to the last time he had had a pot roast that smelled anywhere near that delicious.<br><br>He had been dating a woman named Amanda Hart. She was vibrant and full of life. She was ba[/floatleftrely eighteen when she died in a car accident. He found out just as he was going to check on the pot roast dinner with fruit potatoes and seasoned vegetables for their anniversary dinner. It nearly broke him. Time healed the wounds but he knew he would never be the same.<br><br>Marcus was filled with a little bit of sadness as he smelled the food, and he had to push it away. He had had therapy for over a year to deal with his grief, and he had learned in that time not to dwell in the sorrow, and not to let the fact that a woman that he had loved had died rule the rest of his life.<br><br>He smiled briefly at the thought of her, and then pushed it away, and decided to let it go. It was morning, it was a new day, he had entered a new class, and he was about to learn the art of cooking in a new way, and he was excited about this and he was going to have a great time, meet new people, and maybe even a friend or two in the process. And he was going to get to eat some delicious food. What could be better?<br><br>Marcus accidentally bumped into a young man as he entered the classroom, and smiled as he looked up from the ground where he had been deep in thought back to the man and met his kind eyes. "Excuse me, I am sorry I was not watching where I was going. Do you know if we have assigned seating areas or how the hell this is going to work? I am totally lost this is my first culinary arts class. I have no idea what goes on in here. Besides the cooking of course. I know it isn't basket weaving or sewing or some shit."
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ophelia Ryan Alexiou</strong> on <strong>30-05-2021, 17:53:48</strong>
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				At nineteen, Finnén Holý was, really, just a kid, in some respects; raised by an excellent foster father and foster mother, with an elder foster sister to boot, he'd had all the support he could ask for and then some besides. Now, off to college for his first year at nineteen, his foster parents and sister paid the full weight of his tuition to attend an excellent university with a highly diverse course spectrum. For him, the cooking classes were just minors, taken for personal interest and also for the credits gained from taking on a culinary arts minor. Also, he liked cooking, and had learned a lot about it from his parents and sister. Not his biological parents, of course, his real parents and his real sister, the people who had actually raised him and invested time and energy in his health and wellness.<br><br>This class, taught by one Professor Rafa Godric, was about him learning even more about cooking and self-sufficiency. If anyone thought he wouldn't take it serious because it was just a minor and not his major, they were going to be very handily proven the wrong. He happened to be the sort who threw himself into more-or-less everything he did. If the professor were a man who could see past the dichotomy of major or minor, the freckled redhead felt confident he would like him, or at least, tolerate him as better than some of his classmates. Not a tall boy, by any means, at all of five feet eight and a half inches and one hundred sixty-five pounds, but toned. Exceptionally so, in fact, from the fact he swam every day and rode horseback every weekend, growing up, and maintained a healthy diet, to boot.<br><br>All right, a mostly-healthy diet, at any rate, aside from a sweet tooth that he carefully managed. He considered himself fortunate, as he listened to girls from one class to the next gossiping about their exes, that he hadn't any of those. Not to say he was a virgin, for he most certainly was not, and while he was considerable as a single man about the market, well, he didn't have any exes. No one to grieve over having committed suicide, or dying in a tragic accident, or being murdered, none to hassle him with the need for a restraining order against a domestic abuser or a stalker.<br><br>Granted, his sex life was neither ordinary nor orthodox, but at least it had neither ghost nor lunatic in his closet. A few rainbow-sprinkled sheep, maybe, but no ghosts or lunatics.<br><br>Either way, entering the classroom and pushing those things from his mind to focus his mind on the culinary arts they were to learn about now, he blinked when someone bumped into him and then questioned him about stuff. He shook his head in answer to that, <strong>“It is all right. Sorry, I do not know. Freshman year and first time ever at a culinary arts class, so I don't know if we sit or stand or any of that. I learned to cook at home from my parents and my sister, though, and it was so relaxing that I wanted to learn more, so here I am. Guess we'll find out, together? My name's Finn.”</strong>
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nowherewoman</strong> on <strong>31-05-2021, 04:25:53</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/64/a1/eb/64a1ebbbcf4fdbd74d30ee3e374e3270.jpg)</div>Celline was early, of course, having been trained in the 'on time is late' mindset. And yes, there was an apron for her, so she had a fair bit of time to feel stupid before the class started. Even more so since there were a lot of kitchen tools she didn't even recognize, to say nothing of knowing them by name, or what they were used for.<br><br>There was an instruction handout for the evening's project- a Mediterranean omelette- the recipe itself buried behind a self-laudatory bio of the teacher. He didn't seem to have a Michelin star, which was about the only cooking award Cel knew anything about, mostly form watching Gordon Ramsay court death in reruns, but if he were to be believed, he'd copped nearly ever other trophy there was to be had in cooking. Which made her wonder, a bit, why he was teaching a bunch of semi-suburban non-chefs in the evening, rather than snorting coke off a naked waitress, or whatever chefs did on their off hours.<br><br>She wasn't one to be intimidated by another person's c.v., and since omelettes, so far as she knew, were basically scrambled eggs, she figured she could handle it without causing an evening news-worthy incident. To distract herself from exactly how stupid she felt in an apron- and fuck you, Renée- she people-watched as the other students drifted in. They were an odd blend of college types, young professionals, and frumpy middle-agers trying to fill the hours. One young man, barely out of his teens, caught her eye, as he was sporting a shockingly bright head of ginger hair. He was quickly engaged in conversation by a somewhat older guy via he ancient convention of bodily collision. One of them caught her eye, and she realized she was rather staring, so she smiled and made a show of reading the chef's bio again.<br><br>Renée would laugh herself sick, if she could see Celine acting as if she joined the class to use it as a hookup mechanism. Or, worse, like a silly teener.
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Esoterica</strong> on <strong>06-06-2021, 15:29:41</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/EyoWOSf.jpg)</div><br>Marcus realized he had no idea where the aprons were. He looked at Fin. "It looks like we both need to come up with aprons, and my guess is, you have no idea where they are either right? I don't want to ask the instructor and look like an idiot since everyone else in the class seems to have figured out where they are. Maybe we can ask someone in the class."<br><br>Marcus looked around, trying to decide who would be the best to ask. There was a stuffy looking blonde standing in the corner with stuff spilled all over her apron already, and next to her, a good looking somewhat older dark haired woman that got his attention. "One minute, my new friend. Let me ask that woman over there where to find the things we need to get rolling here ouck? I'll be right back."<br><br>Marcus did not wait for Fin to answer, and make his way over to Celine, glancing for a moment at the clueless blonde that decided to partner up with her, and then back to Celine. "Um do you know where the aprons are, Miss? My partner and I over here need aprons, and the professor seems to be busy watching Gordon Ramsay on his tablet, that is a little intimidating to me. And I heard he is a bit of a stickler. I don't want to get marked down for not reading the instructions for how this class works, and not knowing where we find everything." He lowered his voice and said. "And what is up with Legally Blonde here? How is she covered in tomato sauce already. We haven't even been instructed to start."
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ophelia Ryan Alexiou</strong> on <strong>08-06-2021, 00:11:43</strong>
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				Finn nodded a little in answer when Marcus commented about knowing where they were found. As Marcus left to ask someone, Finnén Holý decided the smartest thing to do would be to wait patiently. A part of him meant to go ask the professor because the professor was the professor and the professor should be compatible with questions from students with an earnest desire to learn. However, since Marcus said he'd be right back, that meant he could just wait patiently. He pulled out his smartphone instead and roamed through his schedule for the week, instead.<br><br><strong>“All right. Let's see. Class, class, class, <em>more</em> class. Let's see about the evenings. Saturday appears free, guess I'll have to figure out what to do tomorrow. Well, chances that I get some dick are <em>about</em> dick right now. Sunday, karaoke. Monday, swimming. Tuesday, need to talk to the savate instructor about joining their dojo and find out if evening classes are a thing for that. Wednesday ... I know, I'll look into that indoor mountainclimbing thing they have near here since that's my free day each week,”</strong> he was mostly talking to himself, in the privacy of being alone with nobody in immediate earshot.<br><br>Granted, a couple of the other students were looking at him funny for talking (even if not loud enough for them to hear) before shrugging with the realisation that sometimes hearing it out loud helped for some people. It did for Finnén, sometimes. Granted, it got him in trouble once or twice at home with his foster family, who were the real family, but nothing he couldn't handle.
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nowherewoman</strong> on <strong>08-06-2021, 00:17:19</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/64/a1/eb/64a1ebbbcf4fdbd74d30ee3e374e3270.jpg)</div>A soft voice broke in on Celine's reading, and she turned to see one of the pair of guys from by the door at her elbow. Up close, he was cute, a bit on the glowery side, like a catalogue model or 'Third Guy in Boy Band.' She wasn't a swoony type, but she liked his eyes, so it took her a second for the meat of his questions to register.<br><br>"Oh, the aprons? In the locker over there." She gestured, with a smile, and caught herself Vogueing just the tiniest bit. Oh. My. God. Rebound Central. Was she <em>really</em> such an alley cat she needed to flirt with some guy- who looked to be&nbsp; nearly ten years younger than she was- just to get over finally pitching Renée out of her life. His even younger friend was now engrossed in something on his phone- maybe they weren't attached at the hip?&nbsp; She really needed to stop thinking that way. "I had to go hunting, too."<br><br>Letting her eyes drift over towards the blonde- who was hella cute, but also seemed to be about as dense as a fence post- she smirked, lips curling up and eyes crinkling. "She brought her own sauce...and wanted to be sure it was vegan. Only, see, the lid wasn't on tight..." She let that sink in for a second, the went on, a little archly, "I wonder what she's going to do when she realizes we're making omelettes today. I'm betting on hairflip and walkout, though we might see a bit of a row with the teacher first."<br><br><em>You donkey!</em>&nbsp; Exploded from the teacher's iPad, and he had the grace to look embarrassed, at least, as he shut it off. "Very well, class," he belted, in a rather clearly put-on French accent. "Since it looks a sis everyone has at last arrived, let us begin. The secret to a perfect omelette is the temperature of the pan. And making sure your eggs are well-whipped."<br><br>"Eggs?" The blonde's head came up, face a perfect study of a traffic-transfixed deer. "Here we go," Celine whispered, nudging her new acquaintance.
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Esoterica</strong> on <strong>09-06-2021, 15:52:57</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/EyoWOSf.jpg)</div><br>The Professor quirked a brow at the blonde, as she said something about eggs. He did not look very impressed with her obvious surprise about the fact that they were about to cook some eggs.<br><br>"Yes, Miss. We are cooking eggs. For an omelet. What did you think we were cooking?" He inquired. "Let me guess. Spaghetti? If you are covered in that sauce for any other reason you are even stupider than you appear."<br><br>The young blonde looked stunned at his words. She could not believe that she was this wrong about what was going on from the looks of it, and she was stunned that she had been called out for it. Tears poured from her face. She dropped the spatula that she was holding, and ran out the door, without looking backwards.<br><br>"All right ladies and gentleman. Let's get to making the omlet. I will be handing you a printed out recipe. If you have any questions or need any assistance merely raise your hands. When we are done, I will be tasting the dishes that you have created to see how well you have done, and let you know if there are any issues, so do not eat anything until I have given the word."<br><br>Marcus grabbed his apron, then went over to Fin. "How about we work together, Fin isn't it. You and, well it looks like the lady over here doesn't have a partner now." Marcus said gesturing in Celine's direction. "We can figure out what the hell we are doing together. It's just an omlet, I suppose it wont be that hard, but we will need to group up for the rest of the course, and there will be harder things coming later on, so we probably will want to prepare for those things to eventually come."<br><br><br><br><br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ophelia Ryan Alexiou</strong> on <strong>12-06-2021, 08:31:17</strong>
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				<strong>“Yea, name's Finn. Sure, we could work together. Mediterranean omelettes aren't actually all that hard. It's a lot simpler than it sounds,”</strong> he replied, having grown up as a foster-child who had spent the better part of the last thirteen years with one family, who had adopted him. A family that happened to be of Mediterranean, more particularly Hellenic, origin. He didn't know what kind their professor wanted, or what ingredients he would have available, but he had become quite proficient at the making of them.<br><br>His sister, Xene, and mother, Xanthippe, both preferred Mediterranean omelettes when they had eggs for breakfast, though his father, Aimilios, preferred his eggs over easy. Still, tiganites were the all-around favourite at the Galani household. Even if he retained his lawful name and they had never changed it, the reason was to pay homage to his ancestry, if not the parents he'd been taken away from. Shaking his head out of the abrupt reverie, however, he smiled and waved to the woman, apparently named Celine, politely. For Marcus, he nodded, <strong>“Sure. I don't mind making a threesome of it if you would prefer. I'm going to ask the professor if there's a specific ingredient list he wants or if we have some wiggle room.”</strong><br><br>He offered a raised hand for Professor Godric, and waited to be called on, at which point he would enquire of whether they were obliged to use the same herbs, spices, and other ingredients, or could do something more uniquely their own.
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nowherewoman</strong> on <strong>20-06-2021, 14:04:06</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/64/a1/eb/64a1ebbbcf4fdbd74d30ee3e374e3270.jpg)</div>The suggestion of substituting ingredients went over about as well as it might have on any one of the Ramsay shows the instructor seemed to fawn over. In fact, his whole style seemed to be based on the successful, foul-mouthed gutter rat chef.<br><br>But hey, at least Celine had traded up in partners. The two young men were as different in personality as chalk and cheese, but all three of them shared a few eyerolls and knowing winks at the teacher's over the top antics, even as they did their best to follow his instructions. The quiet boy, who had introduced himself as Finn, seemed to actually know what he was doing, raising the question of why he'd even come. But Celine was glad of the company, especially when it came to flipping the omelette out of the pan, a process she made a complete botch of.<br><br>Hey, the eggs still tasted good.<br><br>After they'd cleaned down their station- predictably, Celine had made most of the mess- she walked out with them.&nbsp; "Well, it tastes better than my local diner," she confessed, "but if you figure in the time and, in my case, the wastage, and it's a lot more expensive." The reached the corner, and she started to turn east towards home, thn paused. "Speaking of eating local- either of you up for coffee? I know a great place nearby. And they don't make you grind your own beans," she added with a smirk.
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Esoterica</strong> on <strong>27-06-2021, 19:46:55</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/EyoWOSf.jpg)</div><br>Marcus perked up at the idea of getting some coffee with the attractive dark haired woman. It sounded like a lot of fun for the three of them to get together. Maybe a friendship would come out of this. Who knew?<br><br>He smiled a little at Finn and the woman and then he said. "Coffee would be great. I am not doing anything this afternoon and I don't have any more classes until tomorrow evening. I could go. What about you, Finn? Do you have anything to do?? Could you come with the two of us? Tell me you drink coffee? Everyone drinks coffee right?"<br><br>He paused and said. "Except the Briish. They drink tea, and vampires, they drink blood. But you aren't British. Or a vampire. So we ought to be good here." He hoped that the other man said yes so he could get to know them both better.
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ophelia Ryan Alexiou</strong> on <strong>28-06-2021, 17:50:12</strong>
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				The brisk, casual walk alongside of the other two had been fairly relaxed. Quiet by nature, Finn had said little along the way, save but perhaps an introduction for the sake of being courteous, but when the woman asked about having coffee, he thought about it. Marcus perked immediately, which solicited a minor tilt of the head in answer from Finn, and as Marcus rambled a bit about the British and vampires, he saw an opportunity to, at least attempt, present a touch of humour.<br><br><strong>“Actually, I am a vampire. Of the caffeinated day-walker tribe, ”</strong> Finn replied dryly, <strong>“Coffee sounds lovely. Perhaps with a side. Making breakfast this late in the day makes me peckish.”</strong> Probably the most he'd said all day at this point, but that was progress. Right?
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nowherewoman</strong> on <strong>28-06-2021, 18:32:21</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/64/a1/eb/64a1ebbbcf4fdbd74d30ee3e374e3270.jpg)</div>Celine gave Marcus a bit of a 'WTF' look, then giggled. At least he had a sense of humor, and a passing clever one. She was just as glad that Finn decided to come, as well- it let her get away from her earlier fears that she was desperate for companionship, took the whole thing out of the dangerous 'potential date' zone. Honestly, being alone for a while sounded like a good plan, in a romantic sense, but the best way to be single and NOT depressed was to have friends you could hang out with. And, as looked likely with Marcus, at least, be silly once in a while, rather than having to be Mom-serious all the time. And Finn had bought in far enough to make a caf-vamp joke, so, yeah. The evening was improving.<br><br>"Dude, don't label my food!," she chided Finn. "Free the eggs from the tyranny of social expectation!" Gods, now she sounded as if she was making fun of Renée. Which she was, sort of, but since the pair of guys didn't know her ex- (so she hoped), the joke went south.&nbsp; "Seriously, though- it's a coffee shop. Pretty much all they do is breakfast food, so if the omelette set you off... though their hummus is pretty good." They kept up with her usual manic walking speed, as well, which ws a nice change. Not that Ren had lagged, she just...oh, fukkit. That was over with. Why did she even keep thinking about it?<br><br>"Here we are." She hadn't been kidding- the place as pretty close to hand. Opening the door, she bowed a bit indicating that Finn and Marcus should go ahead of her. More fucking with gender roles- Renée would have approved. "Maestros. Maestri? Whatever. You both cook better than I do, so after you."<br><br>OK. Maybe she wouldn't approve. Who cared?
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Esoterica</strong> on <strong>01-07-2021, 23:06:54</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/EyoWOSf.jpg)</div><br>Marcus Finn and Celine were seated by a beauitful busty redead who was gorgeous but dumb as a box of rocks. She some how managed to mess up the orders of the three college students. Grillled Cheese, Chicken Soup and A Patty Melt became Green Tea, a Turkey Sandwich and a Muffin, something not even close to what was ordered. Marcus was not impressed. The woman did not wait to see if the order was correct before running off to the back.<br><br>"Um iust wow, the service here is deplorable. Have you eaten here before?" Marcus inquired. "This is my first time. And my last. I have a tip for Rose over there, Don't be a waitress."<br><br><br>"But I guess I shouldn't be too hard on her. It may be her first day or something. Should we cut her a break? Whatdya all think? Marcus inquired. "I am not trying to come off as an asshole but our order, it was not that fucking hard." Marcus said as he took the Coffee and said. "Who wants a Green Tea noone ordered?"
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				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ophelia Ryan Alexiou</strong> on <strong>02-07-2021, 22:48:26</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>“One moment. I will be <em>right</em> back, I <em>promise</em>,”</strong> Finn replied, taking the Green Tea despite having ordered a Patty Melt which was pretty much a cheeseburger with grilled bread instead of a bun. He'd more-or-less changed his mind about what he wanted to eat, anyway, but he wasn't the sort to idly take a fucking he hadn't asked for, either. Excusing himself politely being done, he went to the counter.<br><br>It took a few minutes, rather than just the one, but he returned with a tray that contained the proper grilled cheese sandwich and the chicken soup. It also came with a large cup of sweetened black tea for him, as well as a plate with two perfect raspberry pancakes with raspberry drizzle across them, and a touch of whipped cream. Setting it down and taking his plate and glass from it, he nodded as he sat back down, <strong>“There. That's better. Got an assurance that she's new, apologies from the establishment, complementary replacements, and the phone numbers of the manager and supervisor. I told them I would make no promises, but I'd think about it.”</strong><br><br>Mostly joking about the phone numbers he took a fork to his pancakes and was soon enjoying a nice bite of fluffy, fluffy, pancake-y goodness.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nowherewoman</strong> on <strong>06-07-2021, 21:49:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/64/a1/eb/64a1ebbbcf4fdbd74d30ee3e374e3270.jpg)</div>"For such a quiet sort, he is rather an Alpha, isn't her?," Celine murmured, watching Finn tear grimly off after their server. "I'm guessing you didn't know him from before?"&nbsp; After a sip of water- Rose had gotten that right- she nodded. "But I'm here early, usually. Like, opening early. I teach an early seminar, so i stop here on my way to campus. I've never seen Red reading Impaired before."<br><br>When Finn returned with their remade orders and told of his threats, she grinned at him. "I hope you didn't terrify her<em> too</em> badly. She brightens the place up." A mouthful, and she rocked her head in a 'meh' manner. "Should have stuck with breakfast.&nbsp; Their egg croissants are really pretty good." Looking the pair of guys over, she smirked a bit. "Don't take this wrong- but you both look like undergrads. Is that how you heard about Ramsey Redux?&nbsp; Activities board?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Esoterica</strong> on <strong>07-07-2021, 18:10:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/EyoWOSf.jpg)</div><br>"We really have that look do we now?" Marcus said with a smile towards Celine and then Marcus. "I don't know about him because as I said, I just met Finn today like yourself, but yes I am undergrad. I am not in the Activities Commitee or whatever you call it though. I heard about the cooking class and it was recommended to me but I did not find out it was taught by 'Chef Ramsay' until it was far too late to undo it unfortunately."<br><br>"So what are you majoring in? I am actually majoring in Psychology and Philosophy. I want to become a counselor and help people who are having problems, marriage, mental health, drug addiction, overcome them. As righteous as that sounds. I also woulen't mind figuring out the meaning of life but I probably will get that in Bible School not in college. Anyway, what are you two studying?"<br><br>"Anyway, I'd like to ask, are you two into more progressive relationships, modern relationships if you will? Perhaps I am being forward in asking but, what are we all looking for here? What are we open to? I personally am a little unsure exactly where everyone's head is in all this? I...well I kind of like you both and find you both attractive. If I am out of the ballpark for what what we are all open to, just pretend I did not say anything and lets go back to eating soup and sandwiches.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ophelia Ryan Alexiou</strong> on <strong>11-07-2021, 04:44:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>“Doctorate studies in Marine Engineering and a Master's Degree in Architecture. As for your other question, I prefer alternative-lifestyle relationships. I would say more but that'd be a bit more blunt than is proper in the current setting. I am open to both of you, you're both quite lovely to look at and seem quite nice. Also, in case you're wondering why I took culinary arts as an elective, I simply like cooking and have always found it relaxing, and wanted to learn more recipes and better techniques,”</strong> Finn answered before taking a bite of his pancakes and a sip of his tea.<br><br><strong>“I have to say, their orientation of new employees is troubled at best, their food quality is pretty solid. I think I like this place. Not so much the quality of their newest waitstaff, of course, but the food's good. Good call, Celine. Thanks for bringing us here,”</strong> Finnén offered, politely, to the woman across from him. She had a certain beauty about her, and he liked women as much as men and he liked folks that were androgynous just as much as either. His sister told him the correct word was <em>pansexual</em> and to be ready to use a pan to threaten anyone who asked if he was attracted to cookware, because it was an old and rather rude and annoying "joke."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nowherewoman</strong> on <strong>17-07-2021, 04:39:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/64/a1/eb/64a1ebbbcf4fdbd74d30ee3e374e3270.jpg)</div>Celine covered her spit-take rather well, she thought, only coughing a few times. "Well," she murmured when she could speak again, dabbing at the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "That's a jump. From food criticism to hooking up?"<br><br>One the one hand, it was hella abrupt, and not at all what she'd had in mind when she'd invited the guys out. Or when she'd signed up for the class, which she was already thinking of sloughing. Not because of the, ah, intense turn the conversation had taken, but because the teacher really was a bit of an asshole, and she dealt with plenty of that sort to fill her schedule already.<br><br>On the other hand, it'd quite a way to put the final stake in the Renée thing, wouldn't it. Even if it was just a fling, and they were kind of young. <br><br>On another hand- slut much?&nbsp; A threesome with two complete strangers? What, some sort of...revenge fuck? She ran out of hands long before running out of points pro and con.<br><br>"Well...I'm flattered." She was, actually. It felt good to have someone just come out and say they found her attractive, without there being a bunch of baggage attached.&nbsp; The baggage, naturally, would come later. "And you're both pretty cute..." She shook her head.&nbsp; "I have to be honest, though. I'm just off a relationship- as in, kicked them out of my place for good just this morning. And I'm a TA at the Law School- contract and IP law," she added, with a quick nod to Marcus to acknowledge his earlier question.<br><br>What would it be like? In bed with two other people at once? Intense, she imagined. Though the plumbing could get a bit complex.&nbsp; "I just...I'm not really in the market. On the market?&nbsp; Whatever the term is."&nbsp; As a consolation prize, she gave them a weak grin.&nbsp; "But that doesn't mean I'm against hanging out again."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Esoterica</strong> on <strong>17-07-2021, 18:42:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/EyoWOSf.jpg)</div><br>Marcus smiled a little and said. "Ok that was awkard. Let's take a step back then. Get to know each other. Become friends and then who knows. Sorry if that was akward or off putting. Let's be real we can't exactly pretend that didn't happen. But I guess what I mean is let's not let the fact I opened my big yap be off putting and too awfully damned weird."<br><br>"If you still are good with hanging out, that's cool with me if it is with Finn. There is a party this Friday in A Lounge in Carter Hall. Right before that I have reserved one of the rooms to study in. Maybe we can do this again, minus the akwardness on Friday? What do you two think about that? If you have nothing planned and don't have any classes or have to work that is?"<br><br>"Anyway other people will be there and I promise its not going to be an orgy or something weird like that. Just an ordinary party where we can hang out again if the two of you are down? What do you say?"<br><br>With that the waitress came over to the table and she cleaned up the table and gave the three of them their bill. They were almost done so it was close to time to go.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ophelia Ryan Alexiou</strong> on <strong>23-07-2021, 13:59:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>“We could play badminton, go horseback riding or swimming, play tennis or volleyball. I'd suggest computer games, but those aren't really something we could do all three of us at the same time, while spending time together. I feel like physical activities and going to restaurants we've never been to before is about the limit of what I can think of in terms of stuff we could do together,”</strong> Finn added, unfazed by the awkwardness of Marcus' words and Celine's reaction to it, <strong>“Oh. We could also learn some new activity together, like surfing or snowboarding. Friday sounds .. uh, fun. Bit of a nerd, never been invited to a party before, so I don't know if I know what to expect on that.”</strong><br><br>Finn had only blinked at the part about an orgy, though. He preferred to have sex in a more private venue, but something more publicly-visible was somewhere or other on his bucket list. Just as a breaking out of his nerdy shell and living a little kind of thing. When it came time to pay, he pulled out his credit card, signed his name, left a 10% tip because the waitress may have been inept, but at least she was nice. A friendly demeanour was, honestly, of equal importance to knowing what you were doing and getting the order right. He also included a little note about an herbal remedies store he knew about and a memory supplement she could try, with a little smiley face, before handing back his own receipt.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nowherewoman</strong> on <strong>29-07-2021, 21:38:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/64/a1/eb/64a1ebbbcf4fdbd74d30ee3e374e3270.jpg)</div>"I think badminton might be a little lopsided with three of us," Celine teased Finn lightly, then modified her response: "Though I'm bad enough at things like that, it might work out. I know the Carter lounge," she continued with a nod to Marcus.&nbsp; "I went to a mixer there a few years ago."&nbsp; She didn't think it was necessary, especially with these two, to mention it had been an LGBT+ mixer. Or that it was where she had first met her now ex-.<br><br>"Have they started allowing alcohol there?&nbsp; They didn't when I was an undergrad. It'll be kind of quiet, if not."&nbsp; Which...might not be such a bad thing. And she had papers to grade and a fuckton of reading of her own to do. No reason not to do it in agreeable company. Slowly, she nodded. "Sounds good. Friday's a light day after my office hours.&nbsp; Say, five thirty?&nbsp; I can grab some pizza."&nbsp; Plans made, they settled up, and parted on an awkwardly friendly note.<br><br><hr><br>Which did not explain why, at four forty-five on Friday, Celine was far more focused on her outfit and makeup than she was on the work she need to bring with her. The make-up, at least, should have been simple; she never wore much and when she bothered at all, it was pretty simple. this time, though, she agonized over matching the tiny bit of blush she was going to use with...her underwear, of all bloody silly things.&nbsp; Was she <strong>seriously</strong> considering a threesome with a couple of undergrads? Whom she barely knew?&nbsp; Or did she just not want to look like somebody's aging advisor at a party?<br><br>Was she really going to a <em>party</em> with a couple of undergrads? What the hell was going on in her head?<br><br>Clothes, mostly. She finally settled on a slightly longer skirt (https://i.pinimg.com/564x/32/fd/de/32fdde1811c7866f83fb53fec2880f3d.jpg)&nbsp; than she would have worn if she'd been going out with a few GFs her own age, but one that still fit fairly snugly across her slender hips and lamentably flat ass. Selecting a top was another challenge, so she went the easy route and donned a fancy sequined tank top (https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a5/1c/d5/a51cd59b1b4044ca402a24a7d90f656d.jpg). Which she tried both with and without a bra, finally deciding that the glitter from the sequins did enough to hide any other motion if she went without, small as she was up there. Heels, of course. Strappies. Because every professional woman MUST wear heels, according to the conventional wisdom that she loathed. At least they improved the line of her rump a bit.<br><br><em>Oh my GOD. Am I really worried about that?&nbsp; What am I, seventeen again?</em><br><br>She did, finally, get herself out the door, books, flat chest and butt, and all. Only about ten minutes late if she was going to be there at the stroke of five thirty. At least she'd had the sense to order the food ahead: two pizzas, one veggie one half meat, with garlic knots and a few other whatnots. Of course, now she had to carry all the crap the three blocks that separated campus from her fave takeout place.<br><br>At least, she thought, as the elevator door finally dinged open on the Commons floor at Carter, she was making an entrance. Of a sort.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Esoterica</strong> on <strong>08-08-2021, 21:49:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/EyoWOSf.jpg)</div><br>Marcus was late for the party at the Commons area. He hated being late when he was the one who invited the other two to come, but, he had been out somewhere, and he had lost track of time.<br><br>The Grecian had been preoccupied all day since the dinner with Finn and Celine. His mind kept going back to the last relationship he had, with a woman named Rebecca, and his last memories of going to the morgue to identify her body.<br><br>Rebecca Hamilton had died in a car accident. It had been very sudden, and unexpected, and he had lost someone that had meant a great deal to him, and had impacted his life dramatically. He had loved Rebecca. She was his first everything. After losing her he had started to take a different approach to dating. Well it was not really dating at all. He had a series of one night stands and hookups that were meaningless, trying to get the pain out of him and forget everything that happened and to essentially move on the best he knew how without actually getting serious about anyone.<br><br>Marcus had been at the cemetary, and the last thing he wanted to have to do was explain that.<br><br>The Commons Hall was a large lounge area, with several couches, a chair, a few tables, and it was filled with snacks of all kinds including cookies chips crackers, and it had all kinds of pizza boxes, Chinese food, sodas and McDonald's bags strewn about. The hall was a mess and noone was even drunk.<br><br>Marcus started looking around for Finn and Celine when he finally caught sight of Celine. He did not know where Finn was or if Finn was even there yet, but if he showed, Finn would be there any minute. Hopefully he showed.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ophelia Ryan Alexiou</strong> on <strong>09-08-2021, 13:33:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Finnén Holý had, in fact, already arrived. He had attired himself in fashionable garments, suited to the warm, seasonable weather. He stood in a sleeveless button-up shirt of patterned white and ash grey with a column of black buttons, and cuffed, white Bermuda shorts with a belt of braided black leather. The outfit rounded out with a pair of white ankle socks with a grey stripe about the top, and a pair of white and grey sneakers from the recognisable Skechers brand.<br><br>The shirt looked a slight ruffled, but it did not appear as if anyone (or anything) had (or could, for that matter) ruffle him. A bit unfamiliar with the party environment, here he remained nonetheless, and early-arrived, even; the host had been quite personable, too. Sociable until they had other arrivals who distracted them once they had made sure Finnén felt welcome and knew where everything was located that one might actually need for the evening. He'd mentioned a couple rooms upstairs readied in case someone felt they may pass out, needed a moment of peace and quiet, or were horny and getting laid but didn't want the entire party as an audience.<br><br>Someone had grabbed him and slapped him against a wall and made out with him for about ten minutes. They had, then, pushed off him, apologised for their abruptness, and then thanked him for playing along, because they needed to dissuade someone from bothering her. He'd had to comb his hair all over again, but hadn't bothered with fixing his shirt. Fortunately, he didn't have to wash off any lipstick since she had not been wearing any, for which he was quite thankful.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nowherewoman</strong> on <strong>17-08-2021, 01:01:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/64/a1/eb/64a1ebbbcf4fdbd74d30ee3e374e3270.jpg)</div>Well. So much for studying. Some undergrads, being undergrads and thus cheerfully, adorably clueless and irresponsible, had clearly decided they'd had enough, and had started the party early. At least someone had the foresight to grab some food despite it- probably the Student Activities Committee which, from her experience, was made up of upperclassmen, who were also grinds, often single, and did the job not so much to go to the parties and events as to get the Service points for their Greek organizations and their grad school apps.<br><br>She should know. She'd been on it, once upon a time.&nbsp; Before she'd figured out some things about herself, among which was: undergrad sororities were BS.<br><br>Stepping lightly among dancing couples (and a few trios), and averting her eyes form a few folks who were already getting a bit frisky, she set her burden of pizza down on a corner of one of the tables, near the rest,&nbsp; snagged a plate, and helped herself to a couple of pieces. At least they wouldn't starve. A few people she knew- some of her own students, for fuck's sake!- waved or called greetings, and she thought her face must have been clashing with her outfit. Why the hell was she there, dressed like a teeniebopper, meeting up with a pair of...<br><br>The thought froze when she saw Marcus at one end of the room, looking dead at her. Damn, he <strong>was</strong> cute. And to his credit, looked almost as awkward as she felt. Feeling a thin smile creep onto her lips despite herself, she juggled bag and plate in order to give him a bit of a fingerwave.&nbsp; Getting over to him required a little more dancing, as the crowd started to grow, but she made it without losing either part of her burden.<br><br>"Hi- HI!" Someone had bumped up the volume on the boombox just as she'd greeted him. "Best laid plans and all that, right? Hope you don't have an exam coming up." Moving a little further out of traffic, she scanned the room. "Any sign of Finn?" She'd been looking forward to a&nbsp; beer, too, but no sign of it here. Not that she was surprised.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Esoterica</strong> on <strong>18-08-2021, 01:00:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/EyoWOSf.jpg)</div><br><br>Marcus quirked a brow at the sight of someone turning up the boombox, and spoke loudly trying to be heard over it. "I have not seen Finn yet, no. I wonder what happened to him." Just as soon as he had spoken, Marcus did catch sight of Finn, and he smirked in the direction of the redhead. "Speaking of the devil, here he is. I wonder what kept him?"<br><br>Marcus made his way across the room, snaking in and out of the crowd apologizing to a few people as he stopped dead in front of Finn, finally having the other man in sight and in reach of him. "Hey Finn. I see you are late too. Celine was already here when I got here, well I guess that isn't really that important. Can you believe how quickly the study session unraveled into debauchery? What the hell right. I don't really need to study that badly, luckily."<br><br>He started back over to where Celine was standing, once again snaking in and out of the crowd that was beginning to gather. He got himself some chips and dip, and then grabbed a soda. "Would you two like something as well? Its not cold but fuck it right? Beggers cant be choosers, I do suppose there is ice in the cooler. Well hopefully anyway. I would hate to think they forgot to get it. Cause warm soda really does suck."<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Ophelia Ryan Alexiou</strong> on <strong>18-08-2021, 23:50:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Finnén laughed when Marcus found him, and then told him he was late, <strong>“Late? I was the first one here. Second, I suppose, if you count the host, but I'm not sure anyone counts the host as having attended their own party since that's kind of obvious and obligatory. Not sure I would call it <em>debauchery</em>, but I was a little shocked by how fast it went from work to playtime.”</strong><br><br>When Marcus led the way back to Celine, Finnén followed, feeling relaxed, <strong>“I am good for now, but thank you. Just wondering what we should do. We'll look really out-of-place if we start trying to study anywhere around here, and I doubt we'd be allowed to use one of the guestrooms for anything other than the sex they're set aside for. Host's expecting people to get boned and laid tonight, so, guestrooms are set aside for it. Don't think he'd like us taking one away from people by using it to read books.”</strong>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: In the Mix [Esoterica+NWW+Ophelia Ryan Alexiou]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Nowherewoman</strong> on <strong>08-09-2021, 21:41:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/64/a1/eb/64a1ebbbcf4fdbd74d30ee3e374e3270.jpg)</div>It was strange, how awkward and uneasy Celine felt as she wallflowered in a corner and waited for Marcus to either find Finn in the burgeoning crowd, or come back empty-handed. She was a grown-ass woman, for God's sake, even if some of her colleagues didn't always treat her that way. But here she was, in a house full of mostly, if not entirely, undergrads, getting lit and loud and...was that pot she smelled? OK, she wasn't going to go all hall monitor, but if the place happened tog et raided, she could kiss her fellowship goodbye. She was a<em> fucking </em>Law Student.<br><br>There was the energy, too. Raw, full of untamed potential. had she ever felt like that when she was that age? Not that it was<em> that</em> long ago, thank YOU,&nbsp; but she'd always been a bit of a bookish sort, the one who told jokes no one got. In another generation, she probably would have been the kid who always got called on to run the slide projector in class.<br><br>God. Hadn't that been another of Renée's complaints?&nbsp; That she was always by the book, by the numbers, <em>alles im Richtung</em>?&nbsp; Which...was a funny accusation, coming from a woman who had gone out of her way looking for things that violated her own sense of propriety, so she she could get pissy about them. Didn't make her wrong.<br><br>She couldn't say if she was relieved when her two new friends picked their way back over to her- or disappointed. Two friendly faces, anchors in the storm- but had she wanted to let herself get swept away? Well, she wasn't finding out tonight. No mid-life crisis pre-30 for her.<br><br>Finn's comments on the likelihood of them being able to study made her laugh. he was right- the place already looked, sounded, and smelt like a frat house. If they could find a space, and defend it from being invade, the music would still make it impossible to think. "Let's at least go outside, out of the crush?," she suggested. "We can raid the food on the way past."&nbsp; She thankfully accepted Marcus' offer of a soda, though what she really wanted, needed, was a cold beer. Or a nice glass of wine...
			</dd>
		</dl>
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