Even though it was hot, he noted, as he was dressing the sky was darkening in what he hoped signaled rain. The last few times they’d had rain it hadn’t done much to break up the heat. It was still hot - too hot even with the sun hidden by storm clouds. Sighing, fingers running through his hair, he pulled on the shirt he’d picked out and hurried on his way outside and to his car. He had a date and he didn’t care to be late, they were on a tight time crunch due to his classes this afternoon. He knew he’d sworn not to date, to not get involved with anyone, after seeing what the future held for him and whoever he loved…but he was human. He was human and people needed such contact and he needed someone, hadn’t he always though?
Turning on the radio he let the music play to relax himself, something classical, as he headed for the DCU campus. He’d told Katya where he was going and informed her that she could let herself out if need be, she was able to unlock the doggie door but that it looked like rain; which he knew she detested more than he did. He could, to make up for her being inside all day, pick up some books from the library for her on his way home from classes in the evening.
With plans for the day in mind he made his way through the city to the campus and the nearest parking lot to where he was due to meet Aiden. Glancing at himself in the mirror, once he got out of the SUV, he hurried inside, since it did look like it might rain soon; hopefully after they got to the rock climbing facility. Pushing open the dorm buildings door he stepped inside and immediately started to look around for Aiden.
On the other side of the common room, the dark haired boy raised an arm in the air to signal the ashen blond over. “Ey!”
Dressed in exercise attire Aiden gathered his shoulder bag and shoved his novel inside. Knocking back the last of his lukewarm late, he tossed the now empty cup in the compost bin then turned his attention back to Alex. “You ready to go?” he asked with a fairly excited look in his eyes.
Looking over to the other he felt a smile tugging at his lips, and let it show, as he watched the other throw out the now empty, he assumed, cup. “Yeah, Good breakfast?” He questioned the other with a raised brow as he looked over the other to which Aiden merely shrugged in indifference.
“It looks like it’ll rain soon, so lets get there before it starts to pour.” He didn’t think it would be wise to get caught in the rain on a motorcycle even though Aiden’s reason for wanting to take his bike for easier parking made sense; Alexandre wasn’t about to complain. He rather enjoyed taking the bike, by mentioning that he didn’t mind paying parking fees for a garage.
Alex had gone with clothing for the occasion also, an underarmor shirt and pants that fit to him nicely, and sneakers. None of his usual clothing was to be seen on him this morning, he had a bag in his car with normal clothing. He’d put it there last night, so he didn’t forget, and decided to make mention of it. “I have a small bag of clothing to change into, after this, if I can bring it on your bike.”
Aiden looked outside and grimaced, dark clouds were indeed rolling in. “Perhaps we should postpone this for another evening?” At this point in time he didn’t want to have to turn around and ask the other to drive. It was a pride thing if anything. Hanging out had been his idea and he had volunteered to drive; passing it on to Alex just felt… wrong.
“I mean, we can try to beat the storm… but it might mean coming back we’ll either need to take the bus or deal with being soaked to the bone.” Not that public transportation bothered him, it was in fact his primary mode of transportation, he just didn’t want to leave his bike downtown till he could come back to pick it up. That… and Alex didn’t really seem like a bus kind of guy. Then again he could have been imposing assumptions upon the other based upon his attire and how he held himself to a higher regard.
“And taking a bike home could be dangerous anyway…” He ventured as he thought of the slick road, two wheels, and the turns and such. It could be really risky to them both, and the idea of taking a fall didn’t appeal to him much. It had been his idea to do rock climbing and he felt bad that the plan would be ruined, he had been looking forward to it. “We could take my car.” Really an suv.
At least they could spend some time together? Even as he said this though he heard the distinct roll of thunder, long and low, before a flash of lightening lit up the common room and was followed by thunder which he swore shook the windows in their frames. The rain came moments later, heavy and hard, and he sighed and even slumped a bit before looking up at the other. “I’m not going back home.” Not in this, not when he’d get soaked and he couldn’t spend his time with the other as he’d wanted to.
“I’m staying...perhaps up in your room?” He asked after a moment.
Aiden made a bit of an undignified ‘humph’ sound, Talk about s**t luck. The weather station said it wasn’t suppose to rain till after noon today. In one moment it looked like they would be taking an alternate form of transportation and then BAM before he can even accept the offer… rain.
Raking his fingers through his hair, the bluenet boy looked utterly defeated. “Just can’t win.” He said more so to himself rather than Alex. Seemed their friendship would be based on happenstance and random a** circumstances. Oh well... hopefully they would be able to laugh about it later.
“We should probably hang out down here for an hour or so. I think my roommates, or at least one of them, are still asleep.” Three guys one small dorm room; made it hard to invite people in when they seemed to have rotating sleep schedules. Aiden offered his friend a rueful smile, a silent apology at best.
“Alright, but what to do down here?” He did consider tv, or perhaps some sort of talk. He was still in clothing fit for rock climbing and taking a look down at himself pulled a face. “I wonder if I can make a run for the car and get my clothing…” It wasn’t what he wanted to do but the clothing in his bag would be more comfortable to be wearing right now, since he wasn’t doing any rock climbing today.
“Once your roommates are up we can move up to your room.” He didn’t much care for hanging out in a common room with random people he didn’t know who could make assumptions on...what? For some reason his mind had wandered to that topic and he couldn’t say he knew why. But he couldn’t guess why he thought other things either where it concerned Aiden.
“I would be happy to run to the car for you that way you don’t have to worry about getting wet. Or…” There was a pregnant pause before he offered up an alternate suggestion. “We could go down stairs to the small gym and see if the racquetball court is available.” It was still early enough that most students were either sleeping in or in class already. Yes it did mean that they might get sweaty but it wasn’t like they weren’t already dressed for the activity.
The offer was a nice one, and had the ashen blond turning his head from the other for a moment. Shaking his head he smiled and would have commented, would have said that he’d go get his things, if it weren’t for the others next suggestion. “You have a racquetball court here? In a dorm building.” He said, surprise settling across his features before his hand came up to momentarily block his face, as he ran his fingers through his hair.
“You’ll have to show me. I’ve never played racquetball. I’d like that though, at least I didn’t get dressed like this for no reason.” And it would give them a productive way to spend the morning. “Lead the way.” He’d get his change of clothing later, hopefully by then the rain will have eased or stopped.
Turning on his heel Aiden led Alex down the hallway to the elevator on the other side of the dorm. Built on a hill where the primary entrance was at the top of the hill, there was actually a whole other level beneath them. “I’m fairly certain each dorm has a small gym some racquetball courts and a work out room for when the primary facility is closed. Kind of like how hotels have a place to exercise for their guests.”
The closer they got to the gym, the louder the sound of balls bouncing off the hardwood floor became. Go figure, they’re probably taken… To his surprise, however the two rooms were empty. “I guess someone is practicing tennis.”
“Here,” Aiden passed Alex his bag. “You go reserve that room and i’ll go get the racquets and a ball.”
Following the other Alexandre was just a step behind the other, as he listened to him. He really didn’t know about what the other dorm buildings had and didn’t have, he had only been to one other dorm building and only to a dorm room no where else. “I suppose the other buildings could have similar, it would make sense.” Though a racquet ball court? He could understand a gym but a court for a game? Not really, it seemed a bit...odd at least to him.
Shaking away the thoughts, mentally anyway, he could hear the same sounds as Aiden as they got off the elevator and made their way to the courts. “Tennis also…?” Ok, again unexpected and another sport he wasn’t any good at but at least he knew what tennis was and how to play. “Is there a sign out sheet somewhere?” He questioned the other, sheepish and perhaps a bit embarrassed to be sounding so clueless.
“There is a sign out sheet but we’re also required to leave our student ID with the person in charge of handing out equipment just in case something happens.” Aiden laughed in remembrance of the time one of the first year students threw such a fit that he threw the racket at the wall which bounced back and hit him square in the face just because he had stepped on the ball and fell on his a** in front of some of his buddies who all started laughing uncontrollably at him and threatened to tell the girl he liked what happened. Embarrassment made people do stupid stuff.
“You’re going to show me how to play - right?”
“I can’t say I know the rules of the sport. But I can tell you how Jenna and I use to play when we were younger.” Guilty… even though he looked like he was a sports fanatic, he wasn’t. Didn’t mean he didn’t know how to improvise and still have fun.
It only took a few minutes to get what was needed before he returned to offer Alex a choice between a dark blue or a beige rimmed racket. “Rules are simple. The ball must hit the wall then bounce once before hitting it back. You can hit it as many times in a row as you want but you must call it. The round ends if it bounces twice, or hits someone.” One thing his sister was good at; getting the ball to make a v-line for him, which is why he just now added that last rule.
“Not going for individual points here but rather to see how long we can keep it going.”
“At least you know more than me.” Came the achen blonds response. He was clueless where as Aiden at least had some form of a clue on how to play, through games could always have the rules tinkered with when they were being played just for fun and between friends. How often had he and Lily done such when they’d been young and playing together? Same with his cousins, the few times he spent time playing games with them and not avoiding them as he was often found doing.
When the other did reappear with the rackets he went for the blue one with a smile, not his favorite color but one he did favor for various reasons. Blue was a rather calming color, at least for him, but also he looked good in blue and it was his uniform color as well. Yes, he had a liking for the color.
“Ok, that sounds easy enough.” That said he reached for the door and pulling it open he stepped inside with a glance back to the other. “Come on, lets see if we can do this.” And not injure themselves or each other, that he felt might be the bigger challenge. If anything it sounded like this impromptu game would prove a good way to alleviate some of Alex’s pent up feelings towards the events that had taken place at the fun house just last week.
Sleet Tempest Snape
Backlogged to some time early January when the 2nd quarter typically starts
