SWIMMINGGEDDON.

[wwistful]

WHO: Murdoc Donoghue and YOU
TONE: Fun, WHIMSICAL, horrifying
RATING: PG-13 and onward
WHEN: September 7th
WHERE:  The Lake.
WHAT:  After this Murdoc realised the children (and staff) of Hogwarts were in dire need of swimming lessons.
STATUS: Ongoing

[GATHER AROUND CHILDREN it's a warm summer day and the lake is perfect for diving into your sudden but inevitable deaths. You should all be dressed in your swimming trunks (which you clearly have don't even lie) because Murdoc sure is. He's determined to conduct this in the best manner he can, though he wasn't quite expecting the turn out to be so large. People who can swim are welcome to become his assistants because he could probably use the help.]

Comments

[wwistful]

[Murdoc appreciates it, really. He hadn't expected so many people to come along. While he's good at teaching in large groups, it's hard to keep an eye on everyone at once.

Taking a brief break, he pushes himself onto dry land and stands next to Coulson, feeling very under dressed.]

Afternoon, Coulson.

[thegluethatbinds]

Good afternoon, Professor Donoghue. It seems you've got a lot of interested students in swimming. I hope the classes have been going well.

[On the contrary, even he feels slightly over-dressed. But swimming trunks would expose the scars on his body, especially the prominent one shaped like a giant werewolf bite around the right side of his body. That would raise too many awkward questions. His arms and legs have their fair share of scares from previous missions.]

[wwistful]

I'd be lyin' if I said I wasn't surprised. [He smirks, looking out over the crowds.] It's hard to tell who's here for a lesson an' who's here because they want to sun bathe or muck around.

[Murdoc has his share of scars too, but his past is no secret. He's also hairy enough that it's not really that outstanding.]

I'm goin' to take a wild guess an' assume you won't be gettin' in today?

[thegluethatbinds]

No, not today.

[It's a bad habit, and he really shouldn't, but one hand rubs the area near his collarbone, scarred flesh right underneath.]

I wouldn't want to scare off your students.

[His tone is light but somewhat dry, and he's really joking. Really.]

[wwistful]

[It doesn't go unnoticed, but Murdoc doesn't comment on it. He's only just gotten out of the habit of running a hand over his face.]

If they can stand seein' me in a pair a trunks, I'm sure whatever's under your clothes will go unscrutinised. [He hums in amusement.]

S'probably better to have someone watchin' from over here anyway.

[thegluethatbinds]

Unfortunately, bite marks don't make very good impressions, and I'd rather the students pay attention to your class than discuss my scars. They're not as important as learning how to swim.

I'll keep an eye out for the students, though there are other teachers around as well. I saw Professor Matteris speaking to some students just awhile ago.

[wwistful]

The rumours make for entertainment. Someone asked if a girlfriend gave me mine. [He smiles sheepishly.] Better not to give them fodder.

[There's a little grimace at that.] I doubt she'll be much help.

[thegluethatbinds]

[Coulson chuckles a little, but he can't help but agree with Murdoc about that. Donoghue's comment on the Charms professor does strike him as strange though.]

Professor Matteris? She seems capable of controlling and dealing with students.

[wwistful]

She's here to laugh at me.

[He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, keeping his arms crossed over his chest.]

[thegluethatbinds]

[He blinks and raises an eyebrow, before turning to look at the woman.]

Well she teases a little, but it's nothing harmful.

[wwistful]

She's probably a lot friendlier to you than she is to me. [So. Not. Huffing.]

[thegluethatbinds]

Have you known her long? They say familiarity breeds contempt.

But to be honest, I'm sure she doesn't mean any ill will to you.

[wwistful]

Since I was eleven. [That warrants a small smile.]

She enjoys gettin' a rise outta me. [And he means reaction not. The other thing.]

[thegluethatbinds]

[Coulson's mind wasn't even going there, so no worries Murdoc.]

Does she do that to everyone?

[Because that might explain the 'cute' comment the other day.]

[wwistful]

She does, but it varies from person to person. [Aka I am special to her.]

[thegluethatbinds]

I'll keep that in mind the next time I speak to her. Honestly though, she has been taking care of the students. I really don't think she's here to have a joke at your expense.

[wwistful]

If you insist.

[He shifts his weight, feeling like a child now.] I may have been a tad harsh.

[thegluethatbinds]

Maybe just a little bit. But she does enjoy teasing people, so you're not quite off about that.

[wwistful]

I've known her for years, Coulson. Of course I know that much.

[Grunt.] It's stupid.

[thegluethatbinds]

It could just be her way of talking with people. You'd know better than I do.

[wwistful]

It would seem that way, yes. It can be confusin', I suppose.

[He pauses, knowing he doesn't want to discuss her anymore.] How was your summer?

[thegluethatbinds]

[Likewise, he lets the topic drop.]

It was good. Professor Mercer showed me around London actually. We celebrated the 4th of July together. I travelled a little, checked out Cornwall and Devon, before I headed up north to Edinburgh.

[He grins, a bit embarrassed.]

Learned the hard way what Scots mean when they say they wear a kilt the way a Scotsman should. But the trip's been interesting and enjoyable and I wouldn't mind exploring more if I survive the school year. I'm starting to realise that school children are, in some ways, sneakier than the average law breaker when it comes to smuggling in Fillibuster's Fireworks into class.