The clowns are back in town

[innocent_insanity]

WHO: Kurloz and people at or around the Ravenclaw table!
TONE: Light, silly?
RATING: PG-13 for language
WHEN: Morning 17th February
WHERE: Ravenclaw table, Great Hall
WHAT: Herbert extended a welcome to Kurloz to join him at the Ravenclaw table whenever for chit-chats. Kurloz takes him up on it.

Look at that clown. All covered in skeleton-like face-paint so early in the morning, and on a Sunday of all days! Unfortunately for the intellectual students of Ravenclaw table, that there clown wouldn't be sitting with his fellow strangers in Slytherin.

Nope, he's on his way to join his buddy Herbert in the pond of blue and bronze!

Cue one lanky teen flopping gracefully next to said Ravenclaw with a broad grin and a wave of his hand.

Comments

[innocent_insanity]

sounds sick enough.

Kurloz smiled and fiddled with his robes, dusting his hands free of crumbs.

better than what i got planned.

[preanimator]

"What are you doing?" Herbert asked politely - he's not sure what he imagines the other boy does in his spare time. He's never really thought about it, but he supposes maybe wild things, with that makeup.

[innocent_insanity]

probably drawing.

[preanimator]

Herbert didn't say anything for a few moments, his lips pursed, then he glanced down at his hands resting against his crossed calves.

"We could. Hang out later. I mean, if you want to see what I'm doing, or just ... I don't know. Go over homework or something, if you need help." The offer was made awkwardly, but it was genuine - the Ravenclaw didn;t bother with that sort of thing out of politeness's sake. He felt like he'd just lost a friend in Bruce - Kurloz being as nice as he had been was almost a lifeline to hang on to, to keep from drowning in a sea of bitterness and self-recrimination.

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz blinked with surprise and slowly began to smile almost shyly.

sounds fucking sweet motherfucker. if you don't mind, i mean.

[preanimator]

"I wouldn't have offered if I did," Herbert said, gaining a little confidence since Kurloz actually seemed pleased with the offer. He can't imagine why, but hey, maybe he does need some help with his homework? He smiles, then, a little dryly. "You'll find I don't care much to put myself out just to be polite."

[innocent_insanity]

makes you a tough cookie to get a good bite out of but doesn't stop a fucker from being seven flavours of motherfucking mouthgasms.

Eyebrow waggle, Herbert just got it.

[preanimator]

The smaller boy blinked, then let out a startled caw of laughter, cheeks reddening. "I don't believe it's possibly to have that kind of physical reaction from oral stimulation alone," he said after a moment, sniffing, though it was hard to tell if that was his form of a joke, or if he was really that exactly.

Maybe a little bit of both.

[innocent_insanity]

don't knock it until you've tried it bro.

Kurloz winked salaciously and grinned, looking for all the world like one of the puckish faeries that lived to joke around.

could make for a pretty fucking awesome research experiment, you dig?

[preanimator]

"It would be difficult to note down observations until after the experiment was over," Herbert pointed out, taking Kurloz's expression exactly how it looked: as a joke. "But I suppose some adverse conditions must be overcome in the name of real science."

[innocent_insanity]

if you ever decide to make this a thing that be happening, let a brother in on the practical experiments yeah?

[preanimator]

"I'm fairly sure I would get no other volunteers," Herbert admitted, but honestly, he was tired of feeling sorry for himself. It was not much in his nature - to feel beleaguered and misunderstood, yes, and angry at the world, but not pathetic and alone. So he shoved any further thoughts on that aside, and smiled, a strange mix of shy and coy. "But I believe you would make an excellent subject, regardless."

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz's shoulder shook with laughter and he grinned at Herbert.

consider it a fucking done deal if you get rolling on it.

[preanimator]

Herbert wasn't sure if that was some slang he wasn't sure of, or if Kurloz was not-so-subtly saying he should get to work on this line of 'research'. He thought he might be okay with either, and then wondered at himself for being so eager to make out with this boy he didn't even fancy. His cheeks colored a bit again, but he continued on as though the thought wasn't flustering him.

"Well, as I said, I'm putting time aside later for personal research." Reluctantly, he stretched out his legs and then slid out of the alcove. "I need to get started on my own homework, though. Do you want to meet in the library, or maybe later today?"

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz grinned and dusted the pasty crumbs from his hands and robes.

library sounds sweet, bro. see you by the entrance?

[preanimator]

"Yes, all right," Herbert agreed. He was already starting to regret his decision - he didn't study well in groups - but despite his makeup, Kurloz could be so innocuous. It was probably fine, and anyway, he did like feeling like the one with the knowledge. It would be all right. Probably.

God, he hated trying to navigate social situations with people he didn't really know.

But after running back to his dorm (and thankfully avoiding seeing Tony or Bruce again - he was going to do his best to make that a habit) and fetching his books, he did come back to the library, to meet the Slytherin by the entrance.

[innocent_insanity]

As promised, Kurloz was waiting at the entrance, sketchbook in hand and bag hanging from one shoulder. When he saw Herbert he grinned and twiddled his fingers in greeting.

[preanimator]

Herbert nodded his head in return - it looked like he might have combed his hair somewhere along the way, as well, and changed his t-shirt for something cleaner. He slowed so they could walk into the library together, and then immediately made a beeline for the tables back by the restricted section that he liked to study at - they were usually less crowded because the light wasn't as good back there, something easily corrected with a spell.

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz followed easily and sat down, relaxedly setting out his sketchbook and communication gear before charming the quill and staring up at Herbert curiously.

so what're you working on now?

[preanimator]

"Just Charms homework. Or do you mean my research?" Herbert asked, pulling his book out and some parchment.

[innocent_insanity]

was both actually.

Kurloz flipped his sketchbook open, grabbing a pencil and beginning to doodle random little faces on a spelled smudgy page.

[preanimator]

The inkpot and quill came next, and then the book was flipped open to the right page. Herbert talked as he started to write, glancing up at the book every now and then, or flicking his eyes over to Kurloz.

"I'm designing a spell that measures life energy. All living creatures have it, of course, but I want to find a way to measure and extract it. Then it might be possible to take the energy of living things and transfer it to a corpse, reanimating it. Human and animal should be compatible, or at least the more complex mammals. But I have to be able to know what I'm dealing with before I can consider how to transfer. That's the problem with most wizarding research - they don't properly record and measure the data. Like ... take a bone regrowth spell or potion. How much bone is regenerated? Is it stronger, weaker than the previous limb, or is it simply restoring what was? Are some people more resistant, or is there overgrowth for others?"

Ah, that boy can talk.

[innocent_insanity]

Kurloz is happy to listen to the boy go on, glad to see the boy getting really into something. Well, other than kissing of course.

Seeing the boy's face grow animated, Kurloz kept watching before beginning to sketch the Ravenclaw's different facial expressions as he kept talking.

[preanimator]

"I'm going to have to run multiple experiments with different animals, which might be difficult. Most students here are really overprotective of their pets." He paused for a few moments as he jotted down a few sentences, then went on, "I suppose I could use some of the owls, but that's nowhere near enough variety. And I'll need readings from people, too, so I'll have to get multiple volunteers in varying states of health."

There was another silence as he looked down at his paper and added an inch or two to his essay, then mused, "Maybe some of the professors would let me take readings on them ... quite a few of them are really old."

He really did have a quite animated face as he talked - the icy blankness disappeared entirely, to be replaced with brow furrowed thoughtfulness, bright and smiling excitement, or wide-eyed empathetic enthusiasm.

[innocent_insanity]

no harm in asking - they're all kindsa open about all sorts of fucking shit around here.

Kurloz turned a page to begin a detailed, almost frighteningly life-like portrait of Herbert smiling.