Room 330, Monday Evening

[genesishero]

Jetpacks. Jetpacks had been pretty much exactly what Evan had needed today, and he hadn't even been aware of that fact until he'd strapped one on and flown around the Danger Shop in class. It made him thankful that he hadn't just sat that one out, today. After the way his break had gone, he'd probably be well within his rights to. But then, what

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[notacokeperson]

So Evan hadn't really specified where to come talk but Karina had taken a look at the student directory and then taken a guess.

The door was open a crack and so, since her hands were full (two bowls of chocolate ice cream!), she sort of nudged it open with her foot.

"Evan?"

[genesishero]

Oh, wow- ice cream. Evan blinked up and stared at them for a moment - when was the last time he'd eaten? Before turning a tiny attempt at a smile toward Karina.

"Hey, Karina." He chewed the inside of his cheek as Ozzy picked himself up and bounded over to investigate the newcomer in the doorway. The puppy's mood definitely didn't reflect his own. But that was why he was so happy to have him around right now. "Um... Meet Ozzy."

Introductions first, see?

[notacokeperson]

Introductions were important.

Karina wondered what her odds were of not tripping over the dog with her hands full and, after a second, figured she'd give it a go. So there was Karina, sidling around the dog.

"Unfortunately," she said conversationally to Ozzy, "I didn't bring anything for you. But you're adorable, did you know that? As soon as I get my hands free, you're getting scritches."

She offered Evan one of the bowls. "It's cold," she said. Mostly because it was a thing to say.

Karina was a bit awkward at this. Shut up.

[genesishero]

"It's ice cream," Evan agreed, accepting the bowl with a tiny nod of his head, and then staring down at it quietly before realizing he probably ought to say more than that. "Thank you, Karina. You didn't have to..."

But he was pretty hungry, come to think of it. Not that ice cream was a proper meal, but for the time being, it would do.

Ozzy, tail wagging merrily, trotted into the room alongside Karina. New friend, yes!

[3girls_1core]

Sholeh had spent all of yesterday and much of today napping after a fun-filled week of Turkey adventures, but as soon as she was up, she was bouncing towards Evan's rooms, face and arms extra-freckled and hands brimming with postcards.

"Evan!" she chirped from the hallway, knocking on his door. Sure, it was a little open, but that didn't mean she could just waltz right in. "Evan, it's Sholeh! May I come in?"

[genesishero]

Well, Evan wasn't barging toward the door, but the excitable puppy certainly was, nosing it open and wagging his tail, bouncing up to brace himself with his paws on Sholeh's leg.

"Ozzy, c'mere, boy." Evan really didn't mean to sound so tired. He was happy to see her, after all. He'd missed her, a lot, while he was away. "No jumping on people. You know that."

One really stretchy arm reached across the room to gather the pup, who was still wiggling excitedly at the prospect of playtime. Evan certainly hadn't been feeling up to it lately, after all.

"Sorry, Sholeh. We're working on that... Come in?"

[3girls_1core]

"Hi, Ozzy, hi!" Sholeh said, bending over and giving the desperately-needed scritches. "Oh, I don't mind. It's cute."

But she let Evan scoop Ozzy up and away. It was important not to interfere with training, after all. She followed Evan's arm into the bedroom--and frowned a little. Call it vanity, but she'd expected Evan to be, well, a little happy to see her. Maybe not jumping up and down like a wiggly puppy excited but...more than this.

Her bright smile dimmed a few watts and she suddenly felt ungainly and awkward. "Hi?"

[genesishero]

Evan, in turn, was all too aware of the change in Sholeh's demeanor, which meant that he was ducking his head a little, eyes on his knees. That was his fault, wasn't it? Especially since, in her arms, he was pretty sure there were the postcards that she'd promised to write for him.

"Postcards?" His voice went a touch quieter. "I- I wrote... one. I meant to write you more, Sholeh, I swear, but then, I--"

... Had spent a few days dealing with things that made filling out postcards a little difficult.

"'M sorry..."

[pulseof_life]

Yeul had not seen Evan since before break. While his shift was later in the week, she had nothing really pressing to do tonight (or any night, truly) and so wandered up a floor and down the hall.

She pressed her hand flat against the cracked door. "Evan?" she called. "Are you in?"

[genesishero]

Any other night that he got traffic like this, Evan might have been kind of amused. There were a lot of girls coming to see him tonight, weren't there?

Mostly, it just brought to mind the fact that his Uncle Cluster probably would have teased him to no end about this. And, with that little pang grabbing at his chest, he pulled in a small breath and glanced up at the door. At least by now, Ozzy had tired himself out, and was napping at the foot of his bed.

"I am," he replied. "Come in, Yeul."

[pulseof_life]

She stepped inside and let the door fall mostly closed all over again.

"I do not have any real reason to visit," Yeul admitted lightly. "I just thought I had not seen you for awhile and realized I wanted to."

[genesishero]

"I'm probably not going to be really great company for a while," Evan warned, biting his lip as he looked up at Yeul. "There's... stuff."

That summed that up neatly, didn't it?

"How are you? Take a seat?"

Manners. He remembered he had those.