Third Floor Common Room - Saturday Morning

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

Claire was still in an excellent mood after her conversation with Jon last night. She decided to pass on the trip into the city and instead headed for the common room to make breakfast in an effort to meet some new people.

Anyone making their way past the room would be welcome to enjoy some pancakes with blueberry topping, strawberry topping and/or whipped cream. Because, yes, Claire was kind of a dork and went the red, white and blue route.

There was an appropriate holiday movie on the television.


[oooooopen common room!]

Comments

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"I can eat a lot," Claire said. "But not this much. Help yourself."

She did catch the faint smile though. "Is everything okay?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He put his notebook down for the moment to head for the counter.

"Thank you, Claire. And... yes, I suppose everything is fine. I'm just, well, newly single once again. It wasn't anything I was really ready for, no matter the fact that I had some warning in a way."

He pulled out a plate and a fork before hunting around for the honey; he preferred it to maple syrup usually.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "I don't have any personal experience with breakups, but I can imagine they aren't easy."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"It wasn't so much a breakup as a 'move on'," he said with a slight wince, the kind one uses when another person strikes the needle on the head a little too well.

"It wasn't exactly going to work with her in Minnesota and myself here for another two years at the very least. She didn't need that. And I've... survived worse."

He pulled a few pancakes onto his plate.

"How've you been? I trust you enjoyed the picnic?"

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

Claire nodded at his explanation. "I actually skipped the picnic," she said. "I wasn't feeling up to dealing with quite that many people. So, I figured making breakfast this morning was my way of meeting some new folks."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Then should I retire to the couches and leave room for the new lambs?" he asked with a mild laugh.

"I'd hate to foil your plans."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"It's okay," Claire assured him with a giggle. "Talking to people I already know is nice too."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He flopped on a nearby couch with his breakfast and smiled up at her, even a little proud that he'd made her laugh.

"One does one's best. I didn't actually get to talk to much of anyone at the picnic either" though he'd gone, thank you Ino "but seemed a good bunch, if looks are anything to go by. And I only noticed one shirtless boy this time around."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Well, if there was only one shirtless boy, I'm glad I didn't waste my time," Claire joked. "Apparently these new girls are falling down on the job."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I suppose you'll have to give them a sound talking to with their pancakes," he agreed with a faint smile.

"Though I'm sure the blueberries will soothe any bruised egos on that front."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

Claire laughed. "Hey, I got a boy to take his shirt off during my first picnic and now he's my boyfriend."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Oh? I'm sorry, I don't listen to radio as much as I should," he said, the smile a little more faint than it had been. He didn't like that it'd done that, he scolded himself for being ridiculous, but he couldn't really help it.

"Who's that?"

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Oh, it's okay," Claire said. "Do you know Jon O'Neill?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I recall meeting him at one of the fires," he said after a minute, "and he was very nice, so if that's him, then yes, I believe I do."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"I think he's pretty nice," she said with the kind of smile only a teenager with a new relationship can manage.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Liir knew that smile. He'd worn it a couple of times himself.

"I'm sure you do. Congratulations on that."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Thanks," Claire said.

She felt kind of bad being all cheerful about it when he had just become single though and she tried to figure out a good neutral topic of conversation.

"Is this your first Fourth of July?" she asked.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He shook his head.

"I've been here for another one, last year, but a holiday is a holiday and one in which we aren't turning into girls or becoming toddlers or having to dodge falling pastries is a holiday I like."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

Claire laughed. "I'm just hoping it won't be like Texas with every moron getting drunk and trying to blow themselves up."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Especially as there's a good likelihood of people here being able to accomplish the latter."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Of course, at least here there are people who could heal them," she pointed out.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"There is that. But not whatever else they blew up, more than likely."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Exactly," she said. "I could do without drunken idiots burning down the town."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure someone would step in before that happened," he said, trying to be hopeful.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"That's... true," she realized. "I like watching the fireworks displays though."