Wendy the Werewolf Stalker Campfire [Wednesday Evening]

[icecoldfrost]

It was beautiful outside this evening, and so Emma found herself out by her cabin's campfire; cigarette in one hand as she balanced her notebook on her knees. It was easier to work on her creative writing assignment out here than in the cramped quarters of the cabin, and if she didn't like what she wrote, well, she could always burn it.

And really, there was no downside to lighting things on fire.

[open!]

Comments

[bitten_notshy]

Jack found his way out to the campfire and plopped down on a log a few feet from Emma. "What are you working on?" he asked, with a general wave for the rest of the group.

[icecoldfrost]

"In theory, my creative writing story," Emma replied, wrinkling her nose as she crossed out another line. "Sadly, I highly doubt I'm going to be writing the next great American Novel. At least not anytime soon."

[bitten_notshy]

"So sad," Jack commented. "I would think you'd have lots to say."

[icecoldfrost]

"I have plenty to say about a variety of subjects," she responded, "the trick is making them fit a story instead of becoming an essay or an editorial."

Still, she grinned at him over the remains of her notebook. "And what sort of trouble have you been up to, Jack? Anything I can turn into a tale of adventure and intrigue?"

[bitten_notshy]

"Not unless a date with Rose qualifies as adventure and intrigue," Jack reported. "I had to inspect a wedding dress in the Criminal Justice class, but that's just a lurid and sensational case."

And of course Emma would never want to hear about the lurid.

[icecoldfrost]

"Jack, are you withholding gossip?" Emma asked, completely scandalized. "I'm shocked and hurt, and I thought boys weren't supposed to see the bride before the big moment?"

[bitten_notshy]

"Please, nothing so lurid as that," Jack laughed. "It's the murder for Criminal Justice this term. Some sod kidnapped a girl and tied her up in a wedding gown for months, then locked her in so there'd be no air and she'd suffocate. We're supposed to figure out who did it, but right now the suspects are 'everyone on the naval base' so it may take some time."

He raised an eyebrow. "You think I'd get married and not invite you?"

[icecoldfrost]

"Well, if it was a shotgun affair, you may not have had time," Emma pointed out. "One of these days, you're going to get caught flirting by someone's older brother, and you'll be in trouble."

[bitten_notshy]

"I'd flirt with the brother," Jack quipped lightly. "If nothing else, that would confuse him."

[icecoldfrost]

"You can't have both, greedy Jack," she teased. "That's not fair to everyone else if you go around scooping up all the cute ones."

[bitten_notshy]

"I can hardly scoop them all up; there are only so many hours in a day," Jack teased. "Anyhow, there's someone at home. All I do is flirt."

It was possible he had an exceptionally broad definition fo flirting.

[icecoldfrost]

"Who needs sleep when there's fun to be had? Somehow I don't see you letting a little thing like the limited hours in the day spoil your adventures," Emma laughed.

Really. She listened to the radio and had been on the receiving end of his flirting once or twice. 'Someone' at home or not, Emma doubted that Jack had the same definition of flirting as other people did.

[glacial_queen]

Karla grinned at Jack. "Three times in as many days? Why Jack, I do believe this is a record. Shall I start getting ideas and writing them in my journal?"

Like she had a journal.

"Kiss kiss," she greeted.

[bitten_notshy]

"Is it polite to say kiss kiss back?" Jack wondered, not for the first time. "And I'm curious what kinds of ideas you would get, Karla. Hello!"

[glacial_queen]

"You can say it," Karla said cheerfully. "So long as you didn't try it. As for ideas, naughty ones of course! I'm a little unsure exactly what those ideas would entail, but I bet Emma would help me come up with some details."

[bitten_notshy]

"As if you need help," Jack said, smirking. "You practically had written a romance novel about Leto and I when you saw us Monday."

"And kiss kiss, Karla, in the most platonic way."

[glacial_queen]

"Oh, I wouldn't label it a romance, Jack, I assure you," Karla retorted with a sly grin. "Though if you'd come upon someone, topless in the woods, standing next to Leto, who wasn't wearing any pants, you wouldn't immediately leap to certain conclusions? Have you met our fellow students?"

[bitten_notshy]

"Many of them," Jack said. "And I probably would have thought much the same, though I don't think Leto fancies me. He has Alice."

From the slight stress Jack put on the last name, it might be (correctly) assessed that Jack wondered about Leto's taste, there.

[glacial_queen]

"And from what I hear from gossip and the radio, he occasionally has Arthur as well. And a little bit of cuddling with Fiona, though I don't think that's really romantic," Karla said, fairly unconcerned by it. "The world Leto and Lady Ghanima are from is much more lenient about such things than this world is. I believe he cares for Lady Alice a great deal, but they have an understanding."

[bitten_notshy]

"And I understand understandings," Jack said, also unconcerned. (If a bit jealous of the Arthur part. Arthur was pretty and Jack was only human.) "It's more that -- oh, you most likely don't care about this, but it interests me. Leto doesn't like Tony, I'm not terribly fond of Alice, yet I get along fine with Leto. Which goes to show we aren't who we have feelings for, I suppose."

[glacial_queen]

"I care," Karla said, a little surprised. "I like you and Leto and Tony very much, and Lady Alice is quite friendly. I think the dislike between Leto and Tony involves a misunderstanding that resulted in hurt feelings in another party that both males are close to," Karla had no intention of going into that story. After all, it was Dinah's and not hers to tell. "And I know Lady Alice is strange, but" she shrugged, "so am I. But it is interesting how two people can like each other a lot, but dislike the other's friends intensely."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack had a pretty good idea why Leto and Tony were at war, but he nodded along with Karla's explanation; it was close enough, and not worth the retelling in any case. "You think you're strange, Karla?"

[glacial_queen]

Karla just smiled. "Are you trying to tell me I'm not? I know I'm strange. Even at home, I'm considered a little odd. I generally don't mind too much."

[bitten_notshy]

"I might have different standards for strange," Jack clarified. "Your world is different, and you don't bore me at all, but you don't flaunt it the way Alice does. Take it as a compliment."

[glacial_queen]

"Well, I'm glad I don't bore you anyway," Karla said. Her tone was teasing, but her eyes and smile were kind of grateful. "Sometimes I wonder if people think I flaunt my Craft. I don't mean to, it's just a part of who I am. It's like I've been dropped in a world of the blind and am now feeling a bit guilty about using my eyes."

Karla wasn't actually trying to be insulting, though she realized that being considered 'blind' could be taken that way. Wincing, she said, "I just mean the thought of using Craft is odd to me. Sometimes I feel guilty for using it when others can't and then I feel stupid for feeling guilty."

"Did any of that make sense?"