Fourth Floor Common Room [Saturday Afternoon]

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

There wasn't much to do in his room. Weekends were nice but they could be kind of boring if he left himself think about it. So, he'd gamely foregone another nap to come down to the common room and prop himself up on one of the chairs.

If he was gonna be bored, he could do it where there was some form of entertainment. There was television, potato chips and that was all he really needed to cure some of his boredom.

[Open CR, of course!]

Comments

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen had been out running, needing to work off some energy. After she'd cleaned up and headed back to the dorms she found herself not quite ready to go back and sit in her room. She checked the common rooms on the way up, smiling when she finally found one that was not empty. "Hello, Hannibal."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Hey there," he said, giving a little wave. "Happy weekend."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"Definitely," she said with a smile. "Are you enjoying yours so far?"

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Being able to relax is always enjoyable," he replied with a nod. "Can't say I mind a weekend like that."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "I'm afraid I'm not always good at relaxing."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Relaxing's easy," he said and ate another chip. "It just means you don't do anything. Or you do something but it's mindless."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"It can be hard to quiet my mind," she admitted. "I'm so used to being busy."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Just takes practice," he said easily. "Spend a few times in bed, napping the whole time. Read magazines, watch movies."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"Stay in bed and nap?" she said, eyes wide. "I'm not sure I could do that."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Why not?" Hannibal asked. "Just involves not getting out of bed."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"But and... and do what?" she asked. "Just lie there?"

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"That is what you sometimes do when you're lazy," he replied. "You just lay around and laze."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"I... don't believe I've ever done that," she admitted.

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

Cal had rather enjoyed detention this time and it had him feeling oddly social, as well as still quite dapperly dressed. He couldn't help it; he loved the feel of a good jacket and tie sometimes. And somehow he'd obtained a pipe, although it was anyone's guess where. Ironically, it was empty and merely for effect.

"Anything worth viewing on the television, good chap?"

Cal was going to blame this all on Tennant. All. His. Fault. Damn theater.

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Some movie," Hannibal said, waving to the television. "There's explosions and bad guys and a hero so it's not too bad."

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

"Indubitably," Cal said, puffing his empty pipe thoughtfully at the TV before breaking character just enough to plop into a chair. He settled in with a bit of a groan, head tilted back. The last week had been a long one, but he let the relaxation settle in for just a moment before lifting his head again.

"How are into it are we?"

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"About an hour," he said, glancing at Cal and the pipe. "You some old timey detective today?"

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

Cal gave the pipe another puff before waving it Hannibal's wave. "Very astute deduction, my dear Winston," he said, speaking from the corner of his mouth to get the right sound. "Blame detention; we did a whole murder mystery thing, and it just stuck to my bones."

Later, he'd be spending the rest of the night hammering out something on his typewriter, he could just feel it.

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Riiiiiight," Hannibal said, nodding slowly and making a note to never get detention if he could help it. "Did you solve the mystery?"

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

"Hell no," Cal said, snorting a bit, and then puffing at the pipe again. "I hear a blood curdling scream, the last thing I'm going to do is go investigate."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"True enough," he said and laughed. "I'd make someone else go and stay where there was no screaming. Nothing good happens around blood curdling screams."

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

"Exactly. Stay somewhere safe with bright lights and people around you. Can't go wrong there, right?"

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"That's the logical way," he agreed. "What'd you end up in detention for?"

[not-a-mused.livejournal.com]

Oh, she was going to kill him...

"Amber," Cal said, loftily reassuming his character as he lifted his chin and pipe, "gave me mono."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Amber gave you the kissing disease?" Hannibal asked, frowning.