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Another day full of lessons and activities halfway to being completed. Frankly while everything they were learning was informative and interesting in its own right, Hawthorne couldn't wait to get to Grendel. They had a plan and were sticking to it with what some professors have called 'tunnel vision.' Was there anything wrong with having focus? So what if they didn't have many other interests to distract them? There were so many others in their class who were too easily distracted that the professors could spend their worry on, why bother with the young hybrid? Being social was nice but sometimes severely overrated when the company kept couldn't understand you. Spending time outdoors wasn't a problem, either; they could do their studies and homework and other things outside as well.

Today was a good day for that. Lunch was always a good opportunity to do something besides stuffing their face (although it was pizza day and if there was one indulgence that the hybrid couldn't deny, it was the sweet sweet grease of pizza.) With napkins aplenty in hand, Hawthorne made their way to the communal courtyard and looked around for a good spot to sit. There were a lot of people out here surprisingly and but there was a spot near a rather dour-looking boy that was just about perfect. They offered a friendly-enough smile to the boy as they calmly came over and settled in on the spot they had chosen, pizza in one hand while the other was taking out a needlepoint wheel from their bag with the beginnings of a pattern on it already. An experiment that Hawthorne was toying with. They'd already unwoven it at least three times before just because it wasn't quite right. Maybe lunch time would be the time to get it right.

Well, this pattern was off to a better start than the last one at least. Now....where to go from here? Hawthorne had pulled out the needle with the thread still in it and hovered it over the design as they were trying to figure out where to take this. They could finish this section out in this color and try continuing with another? Pausing for a moment to chew on some more delicious cheesy goodness, they pulled out two other bundles to compare the colors to the one they had already; something a little more neutral? Or something that clashes a little to make it pop? Hawthorne decided to try the clasher just to see what it might look like and sat down their food so they could finish the current stitch and set up the new one in the new color.

Hawthorne was not even paying any sort of attention to the boy trying to flash his grump. Truthfully, they didn't even think he was talking to them; they were aware of his words but he was probably talking to someone else. After all, Hawthorne had made sure to give the boy plenty of his own space as well as their own. The most that came from the hybrid was that their ears twitched a bit but their focus was entirely on the needlepoint wheel in front of them and the pizza they were eating.

Hawthorne's ears tilted a bit as they pondered the pattern deeply, polishing off the pizza quickly; they even ate the crust! Hmm...that looked nice, actually. The color clash wasn't too obnoxious...but it was just enough to draw attention and make it pop. That's what they wanted; something that made a statement. They smiled satisfactorily, straightening up now and finally releasing their focus enough to hear that the grumpy boy was talking to them.

His words made Hawthorne's ears tilt in mild confusion and earned an eyebrow raise, the hybrid looking around them for a moment. They had left the boy plenty of his own space; he even had more light and a comfier place. Hawthorne didn't mind where they had chosen to be. "I'm not invading your personal space. I did not sit next to or close to you, I found my own place and I am minding my own business." They shrugged a bit. "You still have your regular spot....and I found my own for today that suited my needs. I see nothing wrong here." Their voice was gentle and even as they spoke, no hints of being perturbed or annoyance. They figured they could reason with him if they laid out the facts.

Hawthorne could tell the boy was irritated.....but they had no idea why. Was it really such a big deal to him that he have pretty much half a field's worth of space to himself? That was unreasonable. What did it matter if Hawthorne shared the area he was designating? It's not like they were sitting right next to each other.....THAT they could understand and would have gladly moved to give him more space. This, though.....

"I understand....and you can continue to sit there for as long as you like. I am not trying to force you from your place." Their voice remained calm and level and they just looked at the boy with a stare that seemed slightly curious. "I do not understand, however, why you feel the need to have as much space as you seem to be indicating. I am not making an effort to bother you in any way. Why can I not remain where I am as long as I am not being a bother?" It was a simple, logical question....one that Hawthorne had a feeling was going to be met with an illogical reasoning of some sort.

The boy was tensing up; Hawthorne could see the muscles clenching in his face and caught the clenching of his fists in their peripheral vision. Well....if he intended to hit them, then so be it. The hybrid was sitting there, watching him and waiting for the first blow.....but it didn't come. He was hesitating. What was going through his mind? What was he so angry about?

If he always sat alone here....and kept such a wide berth of space between him and everyone else....did that mean he had no friends? Well, with his sour disposition they weren't entirely surprised...but still...it was kind of sad. Hawthorne couldn't really say they were a social butterfly, either, but....they just never really found people they clicked with...not yet, at least. Maybe someday..

When the boy threatened them, they just blinked at him...surprised that he honestly chose not to strike. The dirt landed their apron and shoe, which they just casually brushed off as if it were nothing. It really was nothing, thruthfully. It could be washed. As he was leaving, Hawthorne thought back to their fleetig thoughts. "....You must be very lonely..." They said aloud, a hint of sadness in their tone. They shook their head and put their things back in their bag, standing up with their tray. "...See you later."

There was no malice or sarcasm to their voice...just a calm tone with a hint of softness to the statement. With that, they turned to walk away and return their tray to the cafeteria. Perhaps they would see him again another day. Hopefully he would be doing better than it seemed he currently was.