Scorpius Campfire, Saturday afternoon

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

Rodney got hit in the head with a gumdrop as soon as he walked outside. He frowned at the sky for a moment before shrugging and going back inside.

A few minutes later, Rodney returned to the campfire armed with a large beach umbrella, a bucket, and a laptop. He set up the umbrella over a seat and placed the bucket just outside the covered area. After settling himself as comfortably as possible, he popped open his computer and began working. Periodically, he reached into the bucket and ate a random piece of candy. He wasn't all that picky about sweets so he really only paid enough attention to what kind of candy it was to make sure he didn't accidentally eat a lemon drop. That would be bad.

[Yes, Rodney does actually live here. His mun's He's just been antisocial. Campfire is open!]

Comments

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

The umbrella was big enough to cover the seat on the other side of Rodney's so he had no objection. "Go ahead," he said. "It's a free campfire."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"But the umbrella, I would assume, is yours," he said with a faint smile. He looked around thoughtfully.

"I'm certainly glad it's candy and not those desserts from the last time. Less mess, at least."

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

Rodney nodded his agreement. "And it's in convenient bite-sized pieces," he added as he ate another one out of his bucket.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I haven't tried much of it. I'm not familiar with what might be inside some of the chocolate."

He leaned over a little to look at the bucket.

"Would you know?"

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"Well, that's the thing about chocolates: you never know what you're gonna get. And I cannot believe I just quoted that," Rodney shook his head in a gesture of self-disgust. "Anyway, the point is, unless you have any food allergies, you just have to try them and see."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"None that I know of, but anything with coffee might produce interesting results," he admitted before pulling his own bag around and opening the flap to look at what he'd gathered. He pulled a few from it before lining them up on his thigh.

"You're right, though. I'll just have to see."

He turned from the chocolates to offer his hand.

"Liir. We were in Inventiontronics together."

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"Oh, right. I'm Rodney," he said as he accepted Liir's hand. Rodney tended to forget little social niceties like introductions most of the time. "That was a pretty interesting class."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He nodded, just a bit quickly. Rodney might be able to pick up the tight, uncomfortable nature of the move.

"Definitely interesting. Though I don't know what to do with my invention. It had seemed so important then..."

He shrugged.

"What did you make again?"

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"Mine was the one with cold fusion," Rodney said off handedly and without noticing anything odd from Liir. "It would have had amazing practical applications, but the results were too unpredictable," he tried not to sound too disappointed. "Which one was yours?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"The memory device," he said. "The, er, backup mechanism."

Goodness, it all sounded so pointless now.

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"Right," Rodney said as he ironically failed to recall it. "I suppose it could be useful to someone suffering from Alzheimer's," he suggested. "Well, as long as they aren't to far gone, that is."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Possibly. I read about the disease while I was doing research, but I don't know much more about it than was mentioned."

He shrugged.

"I'm sure it'll find some use."

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"There you go, then," Rodney said before eating a jelly bean.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He picked up one of the chocolates and popped it into his mouth then.

Hmm.

Mint.

"What are you taking this semester, if you don't mind me asking?"

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"Galactic Vacationing, which has potential, and Flight and Flying, which is not one of my strong suits," he answered. "I don't think I'm cut out to be a pilot."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I prefer my broom," he said as he went for another one. Orange. He liked chocolate and orange as a combination. He might have to make some of those muffins he'd tried once.

"For flying. And Galactic Vacationing has been all right. It seems to involve running away and dressing one's self so far, and I can certainly handle that."

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"Broom? That can't be safe," Rodney stated skeptically.

"Yeah, I wasn't huge on the running part. Hopefully, there won't be anymore of that."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"It's perfectly safe," he said with a shake of his head.

"Amber has a fear of heights and she didn't even have any trouble with it."

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"I'll take your word for it," Rodney lied.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"If you like. Though I'd be happy to show you if you change your mind," he said as he picked at another of the candies.

Coconut. That was nice as well.

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"No, no, nonono," Rodney emphatically shook his head. "That will quite alright. I mean, I wouldn't mind watching as I'm sure it's fascinating in an aerodynamic sense, but I've no inclination to try it for myself."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"It's sitting on a broom," he said with a faint smirk. What was fascinating about that? "And the broom moves. That's about it."

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

So much for trying to show polite interest. Usually, Rodney didn't bother. Then again... "Isn't that uncomfortable?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Liir was about as socially aware as a block of wood, generally. He could learn individual people given some time and pick up on discomfort well enough, but anything beyond that was a little beyond him.

"No more than, I think it would be, a 'bike'?"

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"Well, bikes have some form of seats, at least. That's got to be better than just a handle. Unless your broom is modified somehow," he added.