[FIN] Nerd Pow Wow (Alg & Chester)

[iloveyouDIE]

Alg sat at a stone table in the quad at the college. The rain it seemed was staving itself off but he'd spend so much time indoors over the past stretch of time, that he was having a current preference for the outdoors - the sky - and with fall impending the chill suited him.

He had a paper cup of tea, steam drifting from the top, and a notebook on which he drummed a pen in agitation.

Alg was muttering, "Jolene," the pen smacked the paper in agitation, "jolene, jolene, bloody ******** jolene.."

sxmerdle

oh god lets see

 

[Smerdle]

Chester still got an adolescent thrill when he heard teachers curse, so it was really too bad that he hadn't been close enough to hear it this time. He did notice Algernon's regular tapping and general agitation, however, and curiosity got the better of him.

"Professor Mercer?"

He detoured from his path to approach, hand settled on his bag to hopefully prevent him from looking as awkward as he felt. "Do you need help with anything?"

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Alg glanced up, his cross look of concentration melting somewhat, "Chester... how are you?"

He motioned to the bench opposite him. There was some relief to be interrupted, his expression saying 'I'm begging of you, please, sit down.'

"Just working on some creative writing exercises."

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

Chester took the mental suggestion and sat, brushing at the table before settling his bag there. He knew the professor was an author, a famous one at that, but he didn't have a clue what sorts of writing exercises would require such intensity. All of them, probably.

"Oh. What kinds?"

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Well I, ah," Alg stopped drumming his pen and rubbed his forehead, "Took a short break so I'm trying to stir the juices. Try new things."

He tapped his cellphone, "So I've got some randomly generated scenarios... lines.. character names.. Just for fun."

The professor lifted and dropped a shoulder in a shrug, "So this lady here 'Jolene'," Alg tapped the paper, "Is in a bit of marital disarray."

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

"Ah, yes. Romance is probably a good way to go with these things. Even... messed up romance, I guess." He folded his hands. Disarray sounded so proper. Chester wondered if there was any furniture throwing or hair pulling in Professor Mercer's novels.

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Alg chuckled, "Yes I think, I'll mix it up though. Maybe some monsters? 'No no don't take my man Lady Dracula?'" It sounded stupid, but it was a writing exercise. And it was October which meant Halloween things were on the mind.

Alg liked this time of year.

"Settling in with the new school year?"

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

"Jolene versus Lady Dracula." He smiled. "I would read it."

"Things are going well with school." As much as he loved attending class, he had plenty of things to learn outside of it these days. All of the time he spent wandering around on the other side made it kind of difficult to get all of his work done, but he was managing it. "They're better than I thought they would be, at least."

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Alg laughed a bit, "Oh please don't encourage me."

"Good. What are you taking?" Alg had a few preferred students but he'd found himself checking up on others, the kids who were wrapped up in all this nonsense, more so than the others. Perhaps he was concerned they'd find an adequate balance. Some didn't even bother trying to go to school.

"I think I saw you had Professor Bains?" Alg scratched his jaw, "He's a great teacher. Always good to take him just because you can."

smerdle

really pushing this lyrics thing lolol

 

[Smerdle]

It was tough, with everything that was going on, and he had considered putting off school for another semester, but in the end, Chester wasn't the type to give up. Or he wasn't the type to give up repeatedly when he had already failed and humiliated himself once, at the very least.

He shrugged, clearly still amused. "It's just an exercise. Silliness should be encouraged. And I do have Professor Bains this year. Good to know."

iloveyouDIE

100% approv
i haven't stopped laughing this whole time XD

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Thankfully Chester didn't seem bothered by the fact that the Professor seemed aware of his classes or schedule. it wasn't like he had it memorized, he just liked to make sure certain people he knew were doing alright.

Alg glanced down at his writing, deciding Lady Dracula was not as sinister as she seemed and was in fact a bit jealous of Jolene. Both women, both smitten with the same lover, both jealous and threatened by one another.

It wasn't terrible. He scribbled in some dialogue about 'your beauty is beyond compare, your locks of auburn hair, with ivory skin and eyes of green'... then he thought it sounded much too poetic and began scratching things out.

"How's your.... other learning going?" The older man glanced up.

smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

His lack of disturbance was born from equal parts ignorance and arrogance, but had he realized the professor had peeked in on his schedule, he wouldn't have minded. He would see the intrusion as separate from his parents', concern rather than curiosity. Besides, anything Algernon found out about his whereabouts or his wavering grades would have explanations he was already aware of.

"Oh! It's fun. Difficult, but entertaining. I met a ferrety otter creature who taught me something. I can't quite describe it." He shrugged. "I met Detective Mercer... over there... a little while ago as well. He implied my umbrella reminded him of yours." Chester smiled, amused despite the weird turn that conversation had taken. Probably just a strange day for Jeremiah.

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"Ferrety... oh, Gloom?" Alg smiled a bit, "Shadowy weasel fellow?"

Mention of Jeremiah made Alg wonder if it was truly his husband or if it had been while his fetch was replacing him. He wouldn't tell Chester this, instead just smiled and glanced down to scribble something about 'your smile like a breath, your voice is like a summer rain'.

"You must be improving," Alg nodded with an approving look. "Jeremiah is a bit more advanced than myself I think. I can't compete with him really."

smerdle

screaming

 

[Smerdle]

"Gloom, yes." Chester probably shouldn't have been surprised that the creature was a well known fixture of that place. "I do think I'm improving, but from where I'm standing, you and Mr. Mercer look the same, power-wise. He is a bit more intimidating physically, but that's probably for the best since he's not a teacher. Does he do that... glow thing here too?" He gestured at his eyes.

iloveyouDIE

 

[iloveyouDIE]

"I've been teaching Gloom to read," Alg smiled a bit, "In exchange for a bit of magic lessons. He's a good one so far as othercreatures go.."

In mention of powers Algie sort of dismissed with a hand flip, "He talks about powers the same-" that physically Jeremiah had more impactful powers but Algie's in their subtletey, could be just as powerful. Not that most knew the extent of what he could do.

"Oh yes the eyes. On this side they don't glow so much as shine." Alg chuckled, "You know there's nothing like having him wake up from his sleep with shining animal eyes. Like having a cat or a raccoon in the bed... or an elf from dragon age."

The professor shook his head, "We've got two cats and between the three of them there's nothing I can do to keep from jumping out of my skin everytime I turn the corner in a darkened room and have the three of them spooky eyes looking at me."

smerdle