2nd Floor Common Room | Sunday Afternoon

[pursuedthestars]

There were bowls of pea soup in his room that would just not go away. They smelled and they looked gross and that was just...not cool. He didn't want to spend anymore time in there than he had to so he'd headed down to the common room and taken refuge there.

Of course, the pea soup was appearing in the fridge but Jim could grab something to drink and close the door on said soup in the common room. He flopped down lazily on the couch and stretched out before he turned the television on.

It was Sunday so he figured there'd be football on some channel. Jim didn't even really keep up with the sport but it was probably that, infomercials or holiday movies. He'd choose football. For now.

[Open, of course]

Comments

[arsenicmauls]

The only reason Gert was venturing outside her room today was because the mistletoe seemed to be gone. She was not braving that kind of awkward situations again. But since the coast was clear, then yeah, she happily take a break from what she was guessing was an overwhelming new obsession with pea soup on the part of her roommate.

"Thank god it doesn't smell like processed vegetables in here," she announced as she entered the common room. "Hey."

[pursuedthestars]

"Pea soup?" he guessed, looking up and giving her a wave. "Unless that's just me with the pea soup and other people are getting other vegetables."

[arsenicmauls]

"Yeah, pea soup," Gert agreed. "It's an island thing? That's good to know, 'cause I thought Maddie was just getting really pushy about sharing her snacks."

She flopped down on a nearby couch. "Wow. Surprised the TV isn't all Christmas movies, all the time, these days."

[pursuedthestars]

"Football trumps Christmas movies," Jim said, shrugging a shoulder. "And I'd rather watch people hitting the crap out of other people than another sappy romantic Christmas movie any day of the week. This is more fun."

[arsenicmauls]

"Me too, actually," Gert decided. "And I'm not a sports person at all usually. But if all the holiday cheer was annoying in October, it's progressed to sickening by now." She kicked her legs up onto the coffee table and groused, "Good thing we have a whole, what, two weeks between the end of all this and the start of people making a fuss about Valentine's Day instead?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Not a fan of Valentine's Day?" Jim asked, amused. "I kinda like it, actually."

Maybe for reasons that weren't quite in tune with the spirit of the holiday but oh well.

[arsenicmauls]

"I don't like any holiday you can't escape from because everyone keeps shoving in your face how cutesy everything is supposed to be," she grumbled. "You like it? Really?"

She was a little dubious, yes.

[pursuedthestars]

Jim shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah, why not? First, the chocolate's good. Second, I tend to enjoy the company that comes my way. Third, I get flowers. What's not to like?"

[arsenicmauls]

"I never thought of you as a sappy candy hearts kind of guy," she shrugged. "Usually those people are the same ones who get all emotional over Christmas movies and family-themed commercials. But, hey, that's one less six-week period when you have to be annoyed by everything, so good for you."

[pursuedthestars]

"Sappy candy hearts?" Jim made a face. "I like the attention, Gert! And I tend to get a lot of it around that day. Who wouldn't love it?"

[arsenicmauls]

"But you don't like Christmas," she said curiously, raising an eyebrow. "What's the difference?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Never said I didn't like Christmas," he pointed out. "I just don't wanna watch Christmas movies today. I like Christmas. People give me presents and there's mistletoe and a lot of food."

It had a lot in common with Valentine's Day, actually!

[arsenicmauls]

"You're surprisingly easy to please, Kirk," Gert observed. "That's fair, I guess." She was the exact opposite, but not everyone could be that cranky. "You going anywhere for the holiday?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Nah." He shook his head. "I don't think it's Christmas back home so no point in going there just to be bored. Figured there'd at least be some people hanging around here."

[arsenicmauls]

"Yeah, I think so too," Gert said. "All the people with unsatisfying home situations. Or no home situations at all. Might actually be nice for the dorms to be quiet for once." Though she did add, eyeing a bowl of soup that had just appeared on the arm of the couch she was sitting on, "Assuming all the weird crap goes away."

[pursuedthestars]

"You think that'd actually happen?"

He wasn't so sure but he liked your optimism, Gert! It was nice to hear.

"I still have to get a few gifts for a few people," he added. "Christmas shopping is not one of my favorite parts of the holiday."

[arsenicmauls]

"Well, my feeling is the island saves its weird crap so it can unleash it on the maximum number of people possible," Gert noted. "Like how a lot of the really hellish weeks happen right after alumni gatherings."

Well, it made a kind of sense, as long as you were talking about a sentient island with logic and intellect.

"So, fingers crossed," she concluded.

Shifting on the couch, she mused, "Yeah, I guess I have to get some gifts too. For Karolina and Victor at least. Who're you still shopping for?"

[pursuedthestars]

"Natalie," he said because she was hard to shop for and he wasn't a good shopper in the first place. "Karolina. I might get a few small things for other people but they're the big ones."

[arsenicmauls]

"I barely know Natalie, but at least Karolina's easy to shop for," Gert said with a slight grin. "She likes everything."

[pursuedthestars]

"Does she?" Jim asked, trying to get some good gift ideas for her now. "Like...stuffed animals? Or is that too young for her?"

[arsenicmauls]

"Nah, she'd like that," Gert assured him. "I mean, put some thought into it, but I'm pretty sure K's a cuddler. Maybe a stuffed animal bird or something."

[pursuedthestars]

"What are you gonna get her?" Jim asked curiously.