Post by Walker Gregg on Jul 8, 2012 23:58:48 GMT -5
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The school was enormous. Not just the main building, either (though that topped off at an unnecessary five stories, if the orientation brochure wasn’t exaggerating the basement), but the entire campus was huge and sprawling. Walker had started to think the size was a little excessive, but then he’d reached the dorms. It was midafternoon, so the dorm was the center of traffic as students – mostly boys, but with a smattering of girls as well - rushed in and out, most talking at the top of their voices. They couldn’t even go easy on the dorms. Walker stood a few feet from the entrance to the boys’ dorm and frowned up at the long, two-story building. He had thought he might be able to pick out his room from outside, but there were so many windows…
“S’cuse me, Mister, do you need help?”
He started in surprise at the voice and dropped his attention to source at his left. For a brief, panicked moment, he was sure it was going to be the short, oily man finally having caught him. The boy smiling politely up at him was short, even though Walker pegged him somewhere in his early teens, and seemed surprisingly unresponsive to Walker’s reaction. Suspicion reared its ugly head, and Walker frantically tried to figure out who this kid was and why he had come to talk to him…and then Walker considered what he looked like: a grown man (because he knew he looked older than his twenty-two years) wearing a large backpack and holding the hand of a three year old boy. He decided the teenager must have thought he was a dad come to visit one of the students.
“No, we’re fine.” He fished a smile up from somewhere and hung it out where the kid could see. “Thanks anyway.”
He was nervous – actually, if he was being honest, he was scared as hell – but he didn’t hated letting anyone see it. Especially kids. He was usually pretty successful, but this time he just couldn’t be sure… The kid just shrugged, mumbled, “If you’re sure,” and then shuffled back into the flow of students. Walker watched him go, his hand tightening around Toby’s unconsciously.
When he was finally certain the boy wasn’t going to turn about and try to kill him or kidnap Toby, he glanced down at his son still standing obediently beside him. Toby was watching, his blue eyes wide but unafraid – trusting him. “Papa, are we gonna hafta run again?”
He’d do it, too, if Walker said yes. He’d do it without hesitating and without complaint, too. It made Walker’s heart have a strange sort of spasm as it tried to collapse and swell with pride at the same time. Smiling through the urge to tear up, he squatted in front of his son and took hold of his arms. “No, Buddy, we don’t have to run. We’re going to stay and live here for a while so I can learn some stuff.”
Toby nodded like he understood, “Like the hotels.”
“S’cuse me, Mister, do you need help?”
He started in surprise at the voice and dropped his attention to source at his left. For a brief, panicked moment, he was sure it was going to be the short, oily man finally having caught him. The boy smiling politely up at him was short, even though Walker pegged him somewhere in his early teens, and seemed surprisingly unresponsive to Walker’s reaction. Suspicion reared its ugly head, and Walker frantically tried to figure out who this kid was and why he had come to talk to him…and then Walker considered what he looked like: a grown man (because he knew he looked older than his twenty-two years) wearing a large backpack and holding the hand of a three year old boy. He decided the teenager must have thought he was a dad come to visit one of the students.
“No, we’re fine.” He fished a smile up from somewhere and hung it out where the kid could see. “Thanks anyway.”
He was nervous – actually, if he was being honest, he was scared as hell – but he didn’t hated letting anyone see it. Especially kids. He was usually pretty successful, but this time he just couldn’t be sure… The kid just shrugged, mumbled, “If you’re sure,” and then shuffled back into the flow of students. Walker watched him go, his hand tightening around Toby’s unconsciously.
When he was finally certain the boy wasn’t going to turn about and try to kill him or kidnap Toby, he glanced down at his son still standing obediently beside him. Toby was watching, his blue eyes wide but unafraid – trusting him. “Papa, are we gonna hafta run again?”
He’d do it, too, if Walker said yes. He’d do it without hesitating and without complaint, too. It made Walker’s heart have a strange sort of spasm as it tried to collapse and swell with pride at the same time. Smiling through the urge to tear up, he squatted in front of his son and took hold of his arms. “No, Buddy, we don’t have to run. We’re going to stay and live here for a while so I can learn some stuff.”
Toby nodded like he understood, “Like the hotels.”
Until he got inside.
Walker knew what the school was for, but that wasn’t quite the same as seeing it. Toby hid his face almost as soon as they stepped through the door, and Walker hated to admit that he was a little jealous he didn’t have somewhere to put his own. A kid scaled all over like a lizard darted across the ceiling above him, laughing past his leg at a boy further down the hall. A girl passed him as he started up the stairs, all her attention on the orange-eyed boy walking sullenly beside her. Walker nearly stopped them, but decided against that when he got a second look at the boy – some things just weren’t worth it. The second floor wasn’t much better – he nearly crashed into a tall boy at the top of the stairs, and was only saved by the other’s quick reflexes that made him flare his wings and twist, the feathered appendages sailing overhead. That was nearly it for Walker, and he paused against the wall and seriously considered just running for it – he could practice on his own just as well as here, right?
“Papa, where’s our room?” Toby’s voice snapped Walker back to reality, and he glanced down at the paper in his hand. The room he’d been assigned – to the disconcertingly enthusiastic laughter of the secretary – was halfway down the dorm. He told Toby this as he started moving, keeping his eyes on the goal instead of the people this time.
It took only a few minutes to find the door in question, but Walker still checked that he had the right number (54, which Toby insisted on verifying himself the third time Walker checked). When he finally decided he couldn’t stall anymore – and Toby was starting to squirm anyway – he jabbed the key in the lock, twisted it, and pushed the door open.
“Holy…” He trailed off, conscious that Toby was at the “sponge stage” in which he learned everything he wasn’t supposed to, and just stared at the room inside instead. He wasn’t sure what he should have expected, only that he never would have thought of this.
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and one man in his time plays many parts
[/center]note:I can change any of the information you'd like. ^-^
mood:Not bad
tag:Rufus!
credit:jacksome111@caution 2.0!
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