Foul Bachelor Frog Campfire, Sunday Afternoon

[lockestheway]

It was Peter's birthday tomorrow, and his parents hadn't even called yet.

Which was fine. He didn't need the old coots anyway. Maybe he'd hear from them tomorrow? In fact, not having to deal with his parents at all meant that he'd gotten his essay for the week finished far ahead of schedule, leaving him time to... well, research the next essay.

Mostly.

Still, after a week of being locked inside because of the cold, he supposed he could take his desk outside with him now that the weather was nice and mild.

Which was where he was working now, fingers flying over the holographic display. Just don't expect him to light the fire.

[[ open! ]]

Comments

[dollpocalypse]

No, this wasn't Topher's actual cabin, but that didn't stop him from parking down at the campfire upon spotting Peter. Because that was just his style. He also may have chosen a spot on the same exact log. Things like personal space weren't all that important to him, no.

"You know, it works better if you, like, light it," he advised Peter helpfully.

[[I'm actually going AFK for a couple hours fairly soon, but what the heck.]]

[lockestheway]

"Then I guess you'd know what to do next, right?" Peter asked. He wasn't looking up from his display at all, personal space violations or none.

Though he wasn't exactly as fond of them as Topher seemed to be.

[dollpocalypse]

"Nah," Topher said, wrinkling his nose.

And then he was onto a new topic.

"Dude, I swear, these cabin assignments are way worse than last time," he proclaimed. "On top of that Tony kid -- who is so not qualified to be a park ranger, just FYI -- I have that girl Ramona in my alcove, and she's... kinda violent."

Hence the black eye.

[lockestheway]

Peter looked up at Topher's face, and was thoroughly unsurprised to find the black eye. "I don't know why anyone would do that to you," he said. He was clearly not even trying to hide the fact that he was lying. "Please tell."

He could use a laugh.

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

Kenzi stared at this guy a moment, then grinned. "TERRI! It's been so long! Did you ever escape the gators?"

[going afk soon, but had to do it.]

[dollpocalypse]

Topher froze. It was that chick! That chick who died!

"Hey, you made it out okay," he said, reaching out to clap her on the shoulder like someone who didn't have enough shame to be embarrassed. "Good for you."

[[No worries! :D]]

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

"Yeeeah, I was relieved. That the gators didn't gnaw my arm off." Kenzi grinned like someone who really didn't have any shame. "Or traumatize me by making me a a different gender, somehow."

[geewhizfellas.livejournal.com]

Butters was a little disappointed to see that it had gotten warm again; what kind of August was warm? But he was definitely not going to let it spoil his afternoon as he sang to himself ("Lu lu lu") and went to find something fun to play at or maybe someone interesting out by the campfires.

And he found one!

"Well, hey, there, Peter! What'cha workin' on there?"

[lockestheway]

"Me? I'm just getting some advance research in for a school project," Peter lied fluidly like a lying thing. "Butters! My man! What have you been up to?"

[geewhizfellas.livejournal.com]

"See," said Butters with a laugh as he had a seat on a nearby log, "that's why I get all my homework done of Friday, right after school, so then you have the whoooooole weekend!"

That, and his parents would ground him if he didn't, but that was neither here nor there.

"And, gee, I haven't been up to anything real interesting or nothin'. Just the usual. Workin' hard and playin' hard, you know what I am saying?"

[lockestheway]

"Not... really," Peter said, honestly. He peered across the unlit fire at Butters. "But that's some kind of 20th century ghetto slang thing, right?"

Hey, sometimes it paid to play little mister lost-in-time.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Tony should be forgiven for only noticing the display Peter was using rather than the man himself. Because that was damn cool looking, okay?

"Hardlight?"

[lockestheway]

"Obviously," Peter said, without looking up. For... at least twenty seconds, at least.

Then he did. "Hey, Tony. What's up?"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"We're not in the Artic anymore," Tony replied. Because 'thwarting your plans' wasn't a good answer.

[lockestheway]

"Yes, the temperature kind of tipped me off," Peter said, smugly. Because his plans hadn't been thwarted in the slightest. "Gone walkabout yet? The new mainland seems a little more hospitable than the old one."

[dollpocalypse]

There was significant awkwardness when Topher edged his way over to Tony. The kind of awkwardness that could only come from fighting invisible reptiles in the snow together.
"Uh," he said. "I, uh. I think one of my toes froze off when I threw my shoe at that gator."

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Tony cleared his throat. Because he had no idea what Topher was referring to. No. Idea.

"I'm less inclined to feel bad after you kneed me."

[dollpocalypse]

This was a fair point.

"You were a girl!" Topher protested. "It shouldn't have hurt!"

Which made him think about -- things. Scary things. He shuddered.

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

Aha, it was the other guy! The guy who'd told her to go for help!

"So I'm really sorry, but you were right: no one believed me about the pythons."

[back fairly early this evening.]

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

She never brought the military to help!

"Gremlin bite," Tony assured her. "Not me. Really not me."

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

"You're not a heroic park ranger?" Kenzi gasped, then snapped her fingers. "Suck! Although, good to know you didn't start the gator apocalypse like the other guy--" She waved at Topher, "--Said you did. Talk about throwing someone under the bus."

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

Yay! No longer an Ice Age! Yay! No longer responsible for small animal people!

"Hey, dude." Kenzi wandered over, eating marshmallows out of a bag. Hmm. Get her a fire, and she'd be three for three on yay-things. "Whatcha working on?"



[also going afk v. soon, but it's been too long!]

[lockestheway]

"Just some research for the Young Democrats," Peter lied smoothly. "Hey, Kenzi. What's going on?"

Nice-guy facade still well on, thanks.

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

"I am no longer a zookeeper!" Arms up in victory! "And we're somewhere there might be people!" She cocked her head. "Well, I can hope, anyway. Young Democrats? Seriously?" Oh, Peter. Kenzi pities you and your priorities, guy.

[lockestheway]

"It's never too early to start your political career," Peter said, brightly. "It'll look good on my transcripts."

Oh god, he'd have to stab himself.

...and Peter thought 'world domination' was a perfectly good priority, Kenzi.