Second Floor Common Room, Monday Afternoon

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

Bowl of cereal in hand, Andrew flopped down on a couch and turned on the television. He flipped through the channels, finally landing on an episode of Dirty Jobs.

"Oh, Mike," Andrew said aloud, "I do so appreciate you reassuring me that life isn't that bad." He could always be working in a waste water treatment plant.

He sighed and tugged on his shorts. Going commando wasn't nearly as comfortable as he thought it would be.

[CR open!]

Comments

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Good ideas," Ned said, tapping the side of his head with his finger like that helped the thought processes. "The types would determine cooking times and temperatures. I wouldn't want to burn pudding and cereal. I might try one of these this week. I haven't gotten to really bake since I got here."

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

"We have a pretty well equipped kitchen here," Andrew said, nodding towards it. "Are you on the second floor?" Andrew lived right next to the common room, and loved being able to prop open his door to smells of delicious things being fixed in the kitchen.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"213," Ned answered, nodding. "We can use these kitchens?"

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

"We can," Andrew replied. "I'm Andrew, by the way." He couldn't recall if he had said that or not, or, for that matter, if he had met Ned yet. The past few weeks had been pretty much horrible.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I'm Ned," he said, giving a little wave to stave off any attempts at a handshake that might happen. "Good to meet you, Andrew. You on the second floor too?"

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

"I am," he said with a nod. "I'm right out that door in room 201. Feel free to stop by whenever." Andrew felt rather lonely in his room at the moment.

"I have video games," he added.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Video games?" Ned repeated. "Like Pac Man video games?"

It'd been awhile since he'd played anything like that.

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

"Um, no," Andrew replied. "Like Boom! and other first person shooters." He quirked an eyebrow. "I could probably download a flash version of Pac Man for you if that's more your speed," he offered.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"No, no, that's okay," Ned said. "Last time I played video games, it was Pac Man and it was for maybe ten minutes. I haven't played video games in...years."

Poor sheltered Ned.

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

Andrew blinked, unbelieving. "Wow. What do you do in your spare time?"

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"I haven't had a lot of it until recently," Ned admitted slowly.

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

"Oh, you were a child laborer," Andrew said with much sympathy. "That must have really sucked. I'm glad you're here." He was prone to jumping to... interesting conclusions.

"Newsboys is one of my favorite musicals," he added, wanting Ned to realize he understood the plight of working children.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Child laborer?" Ned repeated, making a face. "No, no, no I wasn't. I wasn't in a place that had a lot of video games."

Or anything stimulating at all.

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

Andrew's face should have indicated the he thought an existence lacking video games was just as bad as being a child laborer. "Video games were one of the few things my aunt was more than happy to let me have," he explained. "Anything to keep me in my room and away from her."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Huh." Yeah, he had not grown up that way. "I...got a book sometimes."

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

Andrew frowned, realizing the conversation was moving dangerously close to talking about family issues, and he really didn't want to get into that.

"What kind of books do you like?" he asked. "I have a pretty good selection of sci-fi and fantasy novels in my room. I've got you total covered if you're into the serializations of Space Battles."

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

Luckily, Ned was just fine with avoiding family issues. "Anything that's not boring, really. I try to avoid dictionaries. I like action and maybe some history."

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

"You can borrow anything I have," Andrew offered. He wasn't too worried about not getting them back, he had his name, number, and address written inside the front cover of every book.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Thanks, that's really nice of you," Ned said, grinning. "I'd let you borrow something of mine but I have a few cookbooks, some oven mitts and a scarf, really."

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

"You never know when you'll find yourself in need of a good scarf," Andrew pointed out, smiling.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"They keep your neck and chin warm," Ned added. "Very helpful. Who wants numb lips?"

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

"I'm firmly against them," he stated before taking a big slurp of milk out of his cereal bowl. "Can I get you anything else?" he asked. "Some juice? Toast?"

He rather liked Ned.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Juice is always good," Ned said and looked hopeful. "Does this place have orange juice?"

[wannabe-pan.livejournal.com]

"Does this place have orange juice," Andrew said dismissively with a wave of his hand. "Of course it does!" At least he thought it did.

He hopped back up and went over to the fridge, "Orange juice!" He held the carton up and smiled.

[death-and-pies.livejournal.com]

"Ask and I shall receive," Ned said, smiling. "Did you want any? I could go dig up some glasses."