2nd Floor Common Room, Saturday Morning

[dwarvenswagger]

Thorin had not woken up to the sound of hundreds of dwarves breaking camp. That had been the first tiny hint that things were not as they had been when he'd fallen asleep last night. The second hint was that the ridiculous 'roomba' that he'd had years ago had attacked his foot as he escaped the room he had been given.

Yeah, that had factored in.

He was definitely back at that school and away from his people until the island felt it well and good to release him. How lovely.

For now he was going to enjoy a cup of coffee with only a little lot of guilt over having such a luxury right now.

[[Open!]

Comments

[not_a_moonie]

Alana wandered in, braids pulled into a messy bun and grumpy expression on her face.

"Have you seen Hazel?" she asked. "Short girl, black hair, horns, wings, probably thinking I'm going to lecture her when I track her down?"

Honestly. Staying in the dorms would be bad enough withher daughter, let alone without her.

[dwarvenswagger]

"...no, I cannot say I have seen anyone described as such," Thorin replied slowly.

[not_a_moonie]

"She must have left while I was still asleep," Alana mused. "Kids, right? Beg you to visit, then they're out the door the first chance they get."

[dwarvenswagger]

Thorin's experience with children was limited, okay? Very limited.

"As you say," he settled in diplomatically. "There is coffee."

Like that made up for wayward children.

[not_a_moonie]

Well, it wasn't as though Alana was an expert on dwarven fertility issues. Or that she necessarily would have cared if she'd known.

"Thank all the gods," she muttered, and went to pour herself a giant mug. She'd decided that wherever Hazel had gone, finding her could wait until she had life-giving caffeine in her. "I'm Alana, by the way. I know I saw you around, but the names --" She shrugged. "They get fuzzy."

[dwarvenswagger]

RUDE. But accurate. Damn messed up gender ratio. THANKS, TOLKIEN.

"Thorin Oakenshield," he replied with a slight bow that was probably charming for some. "At your service."

[not_a_moonie]

"Good to meet you," Alana said. "Or meet you again, if that works better."

She frowned at the kitchen. "I swear, they haven't upgraded this place in 20 years. Makes me wonder what they do with the tuition money."

[dwarvenswagger]

"Spend it on kidnapping students?" Thorin suggested. But maybe that was just him.

[not_a_moonie]

"They sure never seem to run out of money for that," Alana said wryly. "Oh, or food. Or glitter."

[thegreywaren.livejournal.com]

"I don't like it here."

Ronan had woken up in a place that wasn't the Barns. It took a second for him to realize where he was and his mood had immediately soured. Not that that was much of a change from how his moods typically were.

He didn't recognize the other person in the common room but he didn't care either. He wanted to complain.

[dwarvenswagger]

Hey, how many dwarves did he know in his life? Wait. Don't answer that.

"No one does."

[thegreywaren.livejournal.com]

Ronan scowled and shook his head.

"Do I know you?" Well, his tone had lost some of its grumpiness. "You seem familiar."

[dwarvenswagger]

"Thorin." And then as a sort of afterthought because it was still new. "Oakenshield. At your service."

[thegreywaren.livejournal.com]

Ronan searched his memory before he finally recalled Thorin.

"The remote control guy," he said, smirking when he remembered that. "Ronan Lynch. You look a little more...grizzled."

To say the least.

[dwarvenswagger]

"And you look... distinguished." That was a nice, neutral term for 'gettin' old', right?

And it was the beard, wasn't it? He finally got his awesome beard.

[thegreywaren.livejournal.com]

It was a pretty insane beard. And he meant that in a good way.

"Been through some things leaving this place, huh?" How else would he have gotten a beard like that?

[dwarvenswagger]

"...a few, yes." SOBBING AT THE DISPLACEMENT OF HIS PEOPLE. "And you?"

[thegreywaren.livejournal.com]

"If I hadn't been through shit after twenty years, I'd be dead," he said dryly. "Or some creepy cat person."

[not_a_moonie]

"Some things don't change," Alana said lightly. "Hey, Ronan. Seen any girls who look like me but with horns?"

[thegreywaren.livejournal.com]

"...no." He shook his head. "But I also haven't really been looking for any kids. Not my main concern right now."

[not_a_moonie]

"Wouldn't be mine either, except the whole reason I'm here is Hazel talked me into doing the reunion," Alana sighed. "She's a freshman now. Guess she found something more interesting to do than breakfast with mom."

[thegreywaren.livejournal.com]

"I'll be sure to keep an eye out for small children," he drawled. "Shouldn't be too hard to look for some horned kid though I probably won't go out of my way or anything."

Of course not.

"Your kids goes here?" He didn't know why anyone would want to spend time in such a small place.

[not_a_moonie]

"I'm stunned," Alana deadpanned. "And yeah, she does. Apparently my stories made the place sound a little too exciting. I think she would've stolen a rocket to get her if I hadn't let her. Do you have kids?"

[thegreywaren.livejournal.com]

"No." He shook his head, frowning. "And I don't want them. I've got enough crap to deal with that isn't chasing some kid around to change their dirty diapers."

[not_a_moonie]

Alana flashed a quick smile. "The diaper stage doesn't last too long," she said. "Cleaning up after them ... that's a lifetime thing."