For Angus, lunch was the greatest meal of the day. There was very little that could top the wonderful feeling of making it half way through the day and celebrating with something that involved bread. His tray was currently stacked with rolls, salad and enough meat to feed a chroven. He was a growing boy.

Angus looked about and saw mainly younger students milling about. He knew a lot of people but many of those present were just aquaintances. None of his sports buddies were there. Angus shrugged to himself and made for an empty table. As he sat down he got a funny feeling. It was as though he wasn't wanted...

Angus took a bite from his first roll. The table would have to get used to it. He got out a small army knife from his pocket and used the blade to carve his initials on the table. His name was on it now, it couldn't complain after that.

Athrym entered the cafeteria with a troubled frown on her face. She hadn't seen Nauleth since the morning of the 21st, and whilst it was a given they had seperate classes and lived in seperate dorms, she at least expected him at lunch yesterday. After the way it had rained last night, she admitted she was worried about him, pacing her room, looking out into the night from her dorm window. Half expecting him to knock on her door, she'd spent most of the night laying awake in bed. This morning had found her in a foul, worried mood and she'd STILL not seen him. Scanning the cafeteria for their table, she almost did a double take. There was someone at their table. Not just someone. The same someone who had come bursting into Naul's room. Angus Worthing. Sportsman. Heartthrob. Apparently. Eyes narrowed, she stalked through the students and tables, field radiating like a cold front. Reaching the table just as he finished carving his name, she dumped her satchel on the wooden surface.

"This table is taken." She said, voice like ice.

"I know, by me." Angus said, chewing a bit of lettuce and beef slowly.

He loved beef. He swallowed his mouthful.

"You look very familiar, did you ditch the masquerade the other night too?" He asked, knowing her vaguely from old classes but feeling he'd seen her recently. "Now that was a wild night!"

He looked at her bag, wondering where this was going. He wasn't used to open hostility. He was likable, damnit. He liked to be liked.

"Do you want me to mind your bag while you get food?" He asked, trying to smooth things over a little.

Athrym's temple throbbed and her eyes flashed. She didn't like jocks, they were so big headed. Placing her hands on her hips, she spoke very low.

"You think your being funny? Don't tell me you don't recall dancing and pancakes. You know, in my dorm, its rude to burst into peoples rooms unannounced. Clocking fool." Placing a hand on the table, she leaned down and pulsed her field in a threatening manor.

"Get your own table before I make it so you never ever compete again." She said through clenched teeth.

Angus blinked at her.

"We danced? I haven't had pancakes in ages... Are you sure you don't mean someone else?" Angus tried to remember. "I'm sure I've never been in your room. I don't frequent the girl's dorm!"

Her field was feeling rather confrontational.



"No." He said, picking up a piece of carrot and crunching on it. "I don't see your name on it."

He pointed at his initials. Signed and sealed. Ha.

"Gods, it's just a table, lighten up." He said, wondering why the girl in front of him was so crazy.

That did it. This no good smart erse was the breaking point. Grabbing his plate, she pushed it off onto the floor. Drawing in her field, temple throbbing and fingernails digging into her hand, she began forming the familar spell in her head. Lashing out, she grabbed the boy by the front of his jacket, temporarily blinded by rage at the fact he was bigger and a male.

"It's our table, and your not invited. Your a clocking idiot! So drunk you don't even remember breaking into Nauleths room and...when..." Her cheeks turned a bright red. Talking a deep breath, she shoved him away and growled.

"You are not clocking worth the waste of effort." Thoughts of expulsion filled her head and she tried to calm down. If only the others were here. Crossing her arms, she glared at him.

"My lunch!" Angus shouted. "You killed my lunch!"

His eyes widened as she grabbed his jacket.



He had been known to get a bit tipsy... The shove hurt less than being yelled at by someone he didn't know.

Naul's room... Naul's room...

Right! He thought he recognised those breasts. The face too, once she got angry.



"You're batshit crazy." He said plainly. "Sorry for crashing your night though."

He looked at his plate, lying in pieces on the floor. He mourned it quietly.

"Out of interest... Just which dance did I do?" He asked, warily.

He had a few of them. Some of them were quite crude.

Three days after the Masquerade and Nauleth was already regretting the pact he made with those three boys on his hall. In homework. He'd been up to his eyeballs in Quantitative. For two days. It was ridiculous ... fascinating, not very difficult, but simply overwhelming by volume. (Of course, it was entirely worth it, despite the fact that he'd hardly found time to see the very girl he'd gone to all the trouble for.) Oh, and he'd felt only slightly under the weather after the heavens opened during his walk home from the Stacks and visiting Fidelia. Gods, did it pour. It was miserable.

The boy was only slightly a pathetic mess of sleeplessness and sniffles. He was miserable.

He was unprepared for the scene at his table as he shuffled through the line, hardly interested in the contents of his tray. Half-way across the Cafeteria, he saw Athrym and smiled, following her platinum hair toward the shining object that was their—

Clocking hell. Not now, Angus.

Naul rolled his eyes and stepped up his pace.


He heard that and flinched, coming up behind Athrym and following Angus' gaze to notice the tray of food on the floor. This was far from a good start to the lunch hour. In fact, this was a very, very dangerous start to the day entirely. He was too tired and too sick for this.


The boy set his tray on the table loudly, purposefully, threateningly. He seemed to have his field under control, but the edges were frayed and annoyed. Initials were carved in his table. His clocking table. He fought back a frustrated sneer, tearing his eyes away from the fresh scratches and reaching a hand out to rest on the blonde's lower back. The boy noted her blush, and while he had not heard what she must've said, he could guess. He was there now and he hoped his touch was a definite warning not to implode.

He sniffled and gave the taller boy before him a deadpan expression, "Two things: One, please don't call my girlfriend crazy. Bad things happen. Unpleasant things. Unless you're me." His face became a wry smirk, one side at a time, "And two, I highly doubt it really matters which dance you did, since Athrym still might kill you. There'll be no pancakes for you, either, if she does."

His dark eyes strayed back to the obvious letters on his table, crestfallen that he had yet to have an opportunity to do the same first. It stung a little.

He sneezed.

"I can... avoid saying it, I suppose." Angus said, watching them both warily, raising both hands slowly in supplication. "I would like to point out though that I have had my person threatened already and my very lunch extinguished, for sitting down."



"Oh, that one." Angus said, so he had done the pancake dance. "But I'm too pretty to die. You told me so... You or Hazelton..."

Angus' hands were still in the air at this stage but he had yet to leave his seat. On one hand he didn't want to make any sudden movements. On the other he just didn't want to leave his seat.

Slowly, painfully slowly, both his thumbs raised.

"Sooo... Did you have a nice time at the ball?" He said, trying to change the subject artfully. "Bet you both looked very nice."

Compliments, couldn't go wrong there.

He shrugged. He had always found it hard to be angry at Angus. He was funny. He had a penchant for trouble that was rather enviable. The taller boy had the kind of humor Naul appreciated but did't have. He'd never been able to get away with those kind of jokes; it would have been entirely beyond his abilities if he had even tried. However, the boy had crashed drunk into the wrong room at the wrong moment. It had been more than just a little embarrassing, but at least there had been no apparent negative consequences.


Naul groaned, rolling his eyes and sliding his tray towards Agnus, "Well, you probably deserved it, but whatever. Have mine. I'm not hungry." He openly glared at the initials, resisting the urge to wipe his nose on the back of his uniform sleeve, "Next time you want to piss on the table I clocking paid for, ask my permission first ..." The dark-eyed boy snickered, adding with a hint of humor, "And you might want to work on your penmanship. Damn."


Naul refused to comment, deciding it better he keep his hand on Athrym and his expression mostly blank. He was pretty sure it wasn't himself, but he wasn't about to come to any definite conclusions.


It was hard not to laugh. The dark-eyed boy made a valiant effort to keep a straight face and all hints of humor from his voice, but it was really difficult. He sneezed again instead.

"The Masquerade was nice enough, but it paled in comparison to my date and her costume." Naul answered quietly, blushing at his own thoughts of how lovely the girl was out of her dress as well. A grin teased the edges of his features, but he realized suddenly that the three of them were at an impasse.

Athrym had every right to be upset, but Naul knew there was little to do. It had been an accident, and he wasn't about to complain about the results of all the chaos. Everything really did seem to float along more smoothly when you were in love.

He stood there awkwardly, wondering if he should be asking Angus to leave.

The blondes temple was almost dizzying in its throbbing. Biting hard on the inside of her cheek, she tried to count to ten. She wanted to hurt this prettyboy. Suddenly there was a familiar field behind her, although it felt worn as it touched her lightly. A clattering bang on the table announced his arrival and a gentle hand on her back. Turning her head, the blonde saw him and her heart raced. Nauleth! She wanted to throw her arms around him and smother him in kisses. But they were in the middle of the cafeteria..and there was still an idiot sitting in front of her. Something was off about the white browed boy. Her anger started to simmer off, blue eyes showing a little concern.



The girl suppressed her own smirk, looking back at Angus with a sort of more controlled anger.



Her blue eyes looked the sportsman in the eyes, unwavering. She wanted him to move. She didn't like people.



Athrym blushed deeply at the mention of the ball. Her jaw might have relaxed a bit and her temple hurt less. Thoughts of the amazing night left her a little mushy, loosing the ability to retain anger. Glancing at Naul, she smiled very slightly.



Her smile widened and her anger finally dissolved. As long as she wasn't looking at the stupid jock. Turning to face Naul, she kissed his cheek, then looked at him with a frown, placing a cool palm on his forehead.

"Are you feeling alright? You sound terrible. Where have you been? Listen, don't worry about this, come and sit down." Giving Angus a look that said, This isn't over, she pulled on Naul gently, guiding him to a seat. Maiming was temporarily put on hold for her concern for her boyfriend, soon to be fiance...hopefully. As long as Margol didn't think it unbenificial to the family name. Sitting beside the sick boy, she glanced at Angus.

"You can stay, I guess, if you clocking scrape your name off the table." Her voice was reluctant.

"Oh, thanking you!" Angus said happily, taking the tray and digging in.

He ignored the rest of Naul's argument, as much as he was ignoring that the tray he was eating from was a potential biohazard.



Angus fought the urge to ask if she was planning on eating their own young when the time came. He also resisted any comments about the dress not being so nice he didn't feel the need to get her out of it. He was sure they'd all be able to laugh about it someday.



And t'was love that tamed the savage beast and saved Angus from a nasty demise. He wracked his brain and decided that she must be the Athrym Bruthgrave he'd heard of. Master duelist that liked to cast Pain. Angus was all for the hurts that came with the sporting field. He wasn't for the hurts that came from standing in front of another human being while they threw spells at you.

Angus didn't like to duel.

"I can attempt to do that." He said magnanimously, he took a bite from the pasta Naul had gathered and then pulled out his knife again.

Scraping it off would leave a nasty hole in the table, so instead he just turned his initials into part of the shell of a turtle. The turtle was smiling. It had a little trail of bubbles leading behind it.

Nauleth smiled weakly at the blonde's concern, grateful for her acquiescence toward Angus. He was in no mood for anything more than an exchange of words; even that was strenuous, sinuses aching. The boy sat down willingly, leaning his elbows on the tabletop, chin in his hands,

"I walked home in the rain from the Stacks—from Fidelia's—on the second. The storm was clocking terrible. Oh, and I've been doing way too much homework. I told you, Ath," His tone was devious as he managed a playful grin from under his bangs, "I made quite the deal to win your bet the night of the ball."

He chuckled, knowingly, watching Angus turn his crudely written initials into a turtle with a bit of idle curiosity.

"Oh gods, that is so much better. Or something." The dark-eyed boy shook his head resignedly, teasing simply because he could. His tone was light; he was far from malicious, "The bubbles make the piece complete. Now my table is a work of art."

Naul turned back to Athrym, pausing to look away and sneeze, sounding tired and only a little pathetic, "I've missed you. I haven't been hiding on purpose."

The blonde tried to ignore the woodcarving, looking intently at her future fiance.



The girl managed to look embarrassed and stern all at once. Brushing her fingers through his hair, she shook her head.

"Your a kenser Nauleth, why didn't you stay in the Stacks? I am pretty sure Fidelia could have written you and excuse." Her voice was gentle and concerned. She even tsked.



The blonde made an aww sort of face, leaning over to kiss his forehead.

"It's alright, I understand. We all get busy sometimes. Now, you just stay here. I am going to get you something warm to drink, and soup." Standing, she glanced at Angus' creation as she passed.

"Bubbles? Interesting." Sniffing haughtily, she went to go play nurse for the dark haired boy.

The boy chuckled at the girl's chiding but gentle remarks, "I didn't think to ask, to be honest, nor did I really want to put up with that kind of hassle. I didn't expect the rain to be so clocking bad."


Naul grinned stupidly, content to comply to Athrym's doting attention. He wasn't that ill, but he wasn't about to object to being taken care of. It was rather endearing in an embarrassing sort of way.

"Okay." He set his elbows back on the tabletop, watching the girl leave quietly.


Waiting until after the blonde was out of earshot, Naul leaned his head forward into his hands with a distracted, happy sigh. Then, he sneezed again and was forced to ruin his almost puppy-ish moment with a loud sniffle.

He smirked at Angus from under his white-streaked bangs, mumbling sheepishly while watching his food disappear in abandon, "I'm going to clocking marry that girl. Hopefully. Eventually. As long as her father doesn't refuse or call for my balls on a silver platter, anyway."

((P.S. The regular lunch crew is welcome. Come on down any time.))

"Mhm." Angus said around a mouthful of lettuce.



Angus patted Nauleth's shoulder, thinking that even though Athrym was probably going to murder him for existing, that they did look very happy. He was going to mock Naul later for being a sook though. Sighing, really? Terribly unmanly.

"Good luck, man." Angus said, wondering at how love had tamed the slightly angry teenagers. "I'm sure it will all work out."

"We'll probably kill each other. Or destroy small, helpless villages." Naul added, distantly, bemused and yet perhaps a little nervous. He laughed after a few moments of awkward silence, rolling his eyes, "It'll be ridiculously fantastic ... or terrible."

He smirked, "Or both."

Ellie noticed there was a new boy at their table - their table! it felt so exciting to think of it that way - and slipped into her usual seat with comfortable familiarity.

"Hi, Nauleth," said the small girl cheerfully, picking up her sandwich and chewing quickly. She swallowed. "Can't stay long. Got an examination in Living. Hello," she added shyly, looking over at Angus and giving him a small wave. She felt sure that he shouldn't be carving up the table, but Ellie had changed, and she certainly wasn't the type to snitch on someone anymore. "I'm Ellie, what's your name?"

Angus' travel plans gained a new sense of urgency. He didn't know if there was an appropriate way to say "I completely agree that you and your sweetheart are going to kill us all! I also think you will have cute children."

Angus took an enormous bite of his roll so he wouldn't have to say anything. He chewed quickly and made a non-commital sound.



Angus waved back, finished his mouthful and smiling widely. Little kids were cute.

"Angus Worthing, it is a pleasure to make your aquaintance." Angus said, doing a polite bow and smiling widely. "Nauleth, I'm surprised! You meet the most delightful people and never introduce me to any of them."

He elbowed Nauleth slightly under the table, urging him to play along. He liked playing the older brother. He'd never had younger siblings and he imagined he would've enjoyed playing that role.

Ellie was amazed that the older boy would be so friendly, especially when it had been relatively hard to gain the friendship of Athrym and Nauleth. She assumed that she was moving up in the world, and grinned.

"Did you all have fun at the Masquerade?" she asked innocently of the two boys. "It was ever so elegant." Aware that small talk was not valued at this particular table, she offered a juicy bit of gossip. "I think I saw Professor Figg getting drunk! His face was getting redder and fatter, and he was staring at Professor Devut's..." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "...rear end!"

Angus bit his lip, not wanting to offend a younger student's sensibilities by saying he'd skivved off the ball. He lost it at the mention off Figgy checking out Devout. The younger girl managed to surprise a laugh out of him.

"Figg? You're kidding me!" Angus said, moving his head closer to her level, eyes sparkling. "Didn't know the old historian had it in him, go the Fig!"

Angus rubbed his hands together.

"Next time they host one of those things, you need to sit next to me. You have good eyes." He said, loving each and every opportunity that life presented to him that proved his professors were real people and not born from pods.

Fowler hurried into the cafeteria, like usual, and headed towards the group's lunch table, also like usual. He was still in high spirits from the ball (Ellie had liked his flower, and that was as good as gold for the boy), and even though his professor last class had given a huge assignment that would most likely require two days worth of research in the library, he still couldn't break his smile.

Dropping his books to mark his seat with a thump, he grinned broadly at Ellie. "H-h-hello, El-ellie! L-l-lovel-ly d-day, d-don't y-you th-th-think?"

He was still grinning when he turned his head and spotted Angus. Wasn't that the older student that had almost pushed me down the stairs, to see if I stuttered as I fell too? Oh gods, I hope not.

((Eeek! He's not that kind of boy, I swear!))



So many new people, he'd never picked Naul as the brotherly type. Yet, here he was, surrounded by young admirers. Angus thought it was rather sweet. Nauleth was like the proverbial onion and Angus quite admired that.

"I promise I shall never tell the other guys that you have a heart the size of Anaxas. I swear, it's like you have a whole fuzzy side I've never heard of before." Angus whispered to Nauleth, sounding heartily impressed. "You must teach me your sneaky ways."

Angus waved at the new addition as he arrived at his table. The table he had appropriated. The turtle table.

"Hello, old boy. Name's Angus." He said, taking a quick bite of pasta again before extending his hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Nauleth grinned broadly, almost excitedly at the question, color rising to his pale cheeks as he opened his mouth to answer, only to shut it again. Any fun he'd had would most likely be a little over the younger girl's head. He satisfied himself with a nod, keeping the realities of his enjoyment to himself as a service to Ellie's innocence. It was for the best.


The dark-eyed boy sniffled as he smirked in amusement, the tid-bit of gossip reminding him that he had his own curiosity to pursue should Frederick arrive at the table. He wasn't sure if the boy would, but took a mental note to ask about the ... older woman the feral boy had seemed to enjoy dancing with instead of Alisoina. Not that Naul had any idea what happened after he left the Ball; for all he knew, the feisty red-head got her chance to spurn more than just himself. He hoped so, anyway.


Angus' comment elicited a genuine laugh from the sick boy, who shook his head and started to comment—


Only to sneeze as Fowler conversationally appeared at the table. He blinked and smirked, returning his cheek to his palm, elbow on the tabletop tiredly. Briefly, Naul tried to think back on lunches before he was so social, but found only a boring smear of darker, more frustrated times in his memory. Granted, patience in such a crowd was still an occasional struggle, worth the discomfort for the payoff of amusement.


"I can't do that. Everyone needs their secrets." The dark-eyed boy grinned mysteriously, "I'm not sneaky, just misunderstood." He tilted his head to look at Angus directly, speaking with a contained sort of threatening tone, quiet but slightly amused, "And you'd better clocking keep it to yourself."

Athrym gathered a creamy chicken soup and a large mug of tea, along with two baguettes. Almost as an after thought she got herself a rather enticing looking serve of garmon pie. Walking with the tray between her hands, she kept her icy glare, to stop any possible bumps on her person. The idea of hot liquid foodstuffs spilt on her was altogether disturbing. As she closed in on the table she could see Ellie and Fowler. Focusing on Nauleth, she walked, placing the tray on the table in front of him and sliding into her chair.

"There. Now eat, but not that bowl. Thats mine. Hi Ellie, Fowler."