Profs need to socialize, too!

[grandhighwizard]

WHO: Teachers!
TONE: Snarky, interesting, fun?
RATING: All the way up to R for grown-ups talking and language
WHEN: March 20th
WHERE: Staff table in the Great Hall, or a teacher's lounge, if Hogwarts has one
WHAT: Just a general mingle thread for the grown-ups at the school
STATUS: Ongoing

Everyone can feel free to do different threads or whatnot!

Comments

[grandhighwizard]

[Rhys is drinking tea that smells suspiciously fruity, and perusing a Potions journal, but he'll cheerfully accost anyone who heads his direction.]

[nosigntospeakof]

[Sal really isn't terribly up for socializing tonight. The poor guy just found out his older brother is dead by having his blood ghost show up for Parents' Day.

But, as usual, he's sucking up his feelings for the good of the many.]

[psiignlanguage]

[Cyrus is kind of wrapped up in grading papers. He stays excluded from Parents' Day, mainly because he's a momma's boy and misses her.]

[psiignlanguage]

[He's not lifting his head, but he'll make a comment on the tea.]

Raspberry peach zinger with ginger and cloves, right?

[grandhighwizard]

[ ... heh.] You forgot the blackcurrant leaves. Miraculous for stimulating the nervous system. [Does lift his head, fixing the Runes professor with a curiously intent look.]

[psiignlanguage]

[BRO. BRO. HE FEELS YOU.]

Speak. Something's troubling you.

[psiignlanguage]

I suspected it was black currant leaves, or blackberry.

[He's quiet for a moment, still not lifting from his work.]

Is there something interesting about the side of my head?

[nosigntospeakof]

Hm? Oh, no, I'm fine, Cy. Just still a little distracted from all the excitement over the weekend.

[psiignlanguage]

There's more than just that, isn't there?

[He lifts his head from his combined studies and grading.]

Something is troubling you. There's a difference between being distracted by something positive, and something negative. Speak.

[grandhighwizard]

There is! It's just crawling with all sorts of thoughts, escaping your ear holes, isn't it?

[psiignlanguage]

Enlighten me. What am I thinking of, if you seem to have such a clear image of the thoughts bouncing about within my skull?

[nosigntospeakof]

[Sal lets out a sigh, lowering his head onto his forearms resting on the table.]

Family things. Issues with Karkat and my brother.

[psiignlanguage]

[And Cy takes a seat right next to him.]

What's going on?

[nosigntospeakof]

[Sal rolls his head in his best friend's direction, his eyes tried.]

His father showed up to Parents' Day with his mother.

[psiignlanguage]

[Cy's not exactly in the loop in regards to Sal's family.]

...And?

[grandhighwizard]

Onikous. [chidingly] That would be just rude. I can't see what your thoughts are, unless I really tried, and that would and INVASION of PRIVACY.

[psiignlanguage]

No need to raise your voice.

[He lifts his head, finally looking towards him, pushing up his glasses, almost with a bit of a means to egg him on.]

But if you're so interested, there is absolutely nothing of interest residing within my mind right now. Merely wondering if some of my students play me for a fool.

[nosigntospeakof]

And...neither of them were what you could call alive.

[psiignlanguage]

[Oh.]

Sal...

[He sits there silently for a moment, and then reaches out and places a hand on the others shoulder. He knows what it's like to lose family.]

I'm...sorry.

[nosigntospeakof]

[He swallows before shifting his arm to lay his hand on top of Cy's.]

Thanks.

Karkat saw them first and he was so upset. I felt awful, still feel awful for him.

[Fuck his own feelings, the orphaned thirteen year old is the one who matters here.]

[psiignlanguage]

[He feels that slightly awkward ping from feeling the returned contact but remains composed.]

...Have you checked in on him since? He may really need the rest of his family right now.

[grandhighwizard]

Now that sounds interesting to me. [Rhys says, his odd blue-purple eyes meetings Cy's dead on.] Kids, playing someone like you for a fool - there's a story there.

[psiignlanguage]

[Cyrus--who had turned his face back to his work, angles his head to catch Rhys's eyes. And hello anxiety building up again!]

And just what do you mean by that?

[grandhighwizard]

Well, aren't you something of a genius? How would they catch you off your, haha, guard?

[psiignlanguage]

I don't fancy myself a genius. Intelligent, yes. But I'm far from a genius.

[He glances at him, somewhat suspiciously.]

I almost feel like you're threatening me.