Room 528, Early Monday Afternoon

[icecoldfrost]

Half the room seemed rather desolate, much like some empty spaces in Emma's mind; where the thoughts of her friends usually thrummed quietly as they went about their business on the island.

She'd skipped the welcome picnic for a spa treatment and massage, and today was packing up most of her winter clothes and some books to drop-off with Hank. She wasn't going to be needing them before school started, unless the island decided to do Christmas in July, and it was something to do that was productive with her hands. And it made the room seem not so gloomy

Things were getting tossed into one of three piles; donate, keep, or store, as Emma used Triela's old bed for sorting. And if she was humming along to the radio - which she had turned up rather loudly - well, people were just going to have to deal.

[OOC: Door and post open!]

Comments

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

Despite the influx of new students, Effy too was finding it disturbingly quiet with chunk of people she had known disappearing off to their futures. Her perfectly planned timetables did have some gaps labeled 'friends' and it was in one of those, she brought herself up a couple of floors.

"Not taking off as well, are you?" she asked. Where she'd normally do some subtle doorway loitering... this was Emma, and she suspected it wouldn't have quite the same sneaky effect.

[bitten_notshy]

Strangely enough, her phone rang. Jack was sure Emma was fine -- but after the last month, he wasn't willing to go too long without checking in on what was going on in Fandom. He was starting to formulate an idea that might help with that, but it wasn't one he could act on without making a few calls. The one to Emma was first.

[icecoldfrost]

"No, I've got a job and they're letting me TA again and mold impressionable young minds," Emma replied, tossing a bunch of clothes into the 'donate' pile. "This is spring cleaning, and an excuse to go shopping."

[icecoldfrost]

A distinctive ringtone caught her attention, and Emma bumped her sound down a bit to answer the phone. "I didn't do it," she said as she flipped it open. "You can't prove a thing."

[bitten_notshy]

There was a pause, and a skeptical tilt to Jack's voice as he answered.

"Interesting. Then how do you explain the fact your fingerprints were on the teakettle?"

[icecoldfrost]

"From a prior engagement, of course," she replied. "Those could have been there for ages."

[bitten_notshy]

"Now what are you doing, frequenting the Home for Unwed Mothers?" Jack asked, trying not to laugh. "Is there anything I should know?"

[icecoldfrost]

"Nothing that's any of your business, Mister Priest," Emma retorted cheerfully. "Perhaps I was doing charity work, or merely exploring."

[bitten_notshy]

"Not much to explore there," Jack said, equally cheerful. "But what else have you been up to, when you aren't ministering to the less fortunate among us and finding all sorts of trouble?"

[icecoldfrost]

"At the moment? Sorting clothes to go in storage," she sighed. "Dreadfully dull, but it gives me an excuse to go shopping for the season. And what about yourself, Jack? Summer so boring already that you're going through your phone book?"

[bitten_notshy]

"I still have some final papers to do," Jack sighed. "Not boring in the least. Actually, I had a thought I wanted to run by you -- strictly for your opinion, of course."

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

Being just across the hall, there was no way Toby could miss the fact that someone's radio was blaring quite loudly. And being the naturally nosy curious type that he was, he had to go investigate.

"What're you listening to?" he asked, leaning against the open doorway.

[icecoldfrost]

"Do I get to write one of your papers?" Emma was possibly too thrilled at the idea of trying to stymie one of Jack's professors. "You give the best presents."

Say no, Jack.

[icecoldfrost]

"No idea," Emma admitted. "But it's loud, and that's good enough for now."

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"So asking you to turn it down wouldn't fly, huh?" he asked lightly. Not that he'd actually planned to.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack had the strangest coughing fit before he could answer. "Actually I was thinking about spending the summer on the island, since I've been out there every other week anyhow. I wouldn't inflict my coursework on anyone."

[icecoldfrost]

"Are you feeling all right, Jack?" Emma asked sweetly. "That sounds like a nasty cough."

Emma, you are a Bad Friend sometimes.

Then what he'd actually said sunk in, and she blinked in surprise for a moment. "Here? But I thought you loved London, darling." And, well, Sebastien.

[icecoldfrost]

"Not that you actually planned to," she quipped. What? Traumatizing the freshmeat was fun! "The dorms get too quiet and boring during the summer."

[bitten_notshy]

"I've been reliably informed London won't go anywhere in the next three months," Jack said solemnly. It was distraction from discussing his 'cough.' "And my other commitments seem like they can manage without me."

Or, Sebastien had found a salon he liked and was scarcely home, and Alistair was out of town for the summer anyhow. It was complicated, as usual. The island felt simpler.

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Well, no," Toby shrugged. "We've only just met and you're already calling me boring? I'm wounded, here," he said, clutching his hands over his heart.

[icecoldfrost]

"Well, we'd most likely be more entertaining than whatever summer job you could find," Emma mused. "We still have the vikings."

[icecoldfrost]

"No you aren't, there isn't a single wounded thought in your head," Emma retorted, flicking her fingers at him. "You're just bored, and trying to strike up conversation with your loud yet incredibly attractive neighbor."

...what? HE WAS.

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"What's the point of clearing out if you can't fill up the gaps you made?" Effy commented, a little smirk tugging at her lips.

[icecoldfrost]

"Exactly," Emma confirmed, pulling out a scanty, spangly top and considering it before putting it back in her closet. "I'm feeling a desperate need to spoil myself with pretty things, so why not make more space? I'm half-convinced that shopping could solve the problems of the world."

Well, not really, but it helped Emma repress her problems.

"So where have you been? I haven't sensed you slipping about the dorms lately. I thought you ran off and abandoned me to the freshmen."

[bitten_notshy]

"Still?" Jack sat up more in surprise. "I thought they'd stay for the weekend only. How are they they settling in?"