for mrballisticdummy: romantic? cabin snowstorm college au option 2

[questionsonly]

The Harvard/MIT shared retreat had gone well enough. So well, in fact, that Warren James Kepler, who had gone without egg in his ramen for three months to pay for this stupid goddamn trip, wasn't about to leave early when everyone else did given the storm rolling in. As far as he's concerned, he knows how to manage a snow storm (growing up in Chicago had it's benefits) and he knows how to make due, so even if he gets stuck here, that just means he has a longer vacation than he'd paid for. Which is a good thing. Plus, he gets the whole place to himself!

...at least he'd thought so before he realized that there was one of the MIT guys still passed out in their bunks.

"So... did you want breakfast, hot stuff?"

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[mrballisticsdummy]

He leaves the pepper jack where it is. It's not the right brand.

"Oh yes, absolutely," he says, walking around the counter to sit at the table. "Mm, you know, when I woke up this morning, I thought it was all going to shit, but this isn't so bad. Thanks for not being completely weird."

[questionsonly]

“‘Completely’ weird?” He asks with a raised eyebrow before he continues to dig in. He’ll put the cheese away later.

“Well, I guess I’ll thank you? For not being boring.”

[mrballisticsdummy]

"Yes." He stands by that. "Look, if you're too weird, you fall into the trap of being annoying and that just - isn't going to fly."

He leans forward. "But you should be glad you got stuck with me if you didn't want boring. Remember that guy? Uh...oh what's his name? With the dark hair? Mr. Buzzkill? That guy would have been a nightmare."

[questionsonly]

He laughs and shakes his head.

“Don’t remind me. And,” that comes with a single waggle of a finger, “don’t tempt me to be too weird. We’re stuck up here and I’m just enough of an asshole to look you in the eye and say something creepy just to see your face.”

[mrballisticsdummy]

Daniel dips his spoon into the bowl and lets out a noncommittal grunt.

"Try me," he says. "But remember...we'll have knives later. So, you know. Keep that in mind."

[questionsonly]

"That just makes it worse!" he says with a laugh and a shake of his head. He eats a few more bites before he admits-

"I just want to keep making you smile. It's going to make me do something ridiculous eventually." He puts his spoon down before looking Daniel right in the eyes and sounding soul-dead, intoning- "...they'd never have found his body."

Before he can't help it and he breaks out into a chuckle.

[mrballisticsdummy]

There's some sort of intense whiplash he gets from those two statements. The first catches him completely off guard and he nearly drops the spoon while the second?

Does exactly what it's intended and he can't help the laugh that's nearly a giggle that's nearly a snort.

What the fuck?

He stares at him in disbelief, a little caught off guard. A little...intrigued.

A lot intrigued.

"Alright, Warren. Well, to be fair? I definitely believe you could hide a body. Which, for a not-criminal lawyer...is kind of a weird skill."

[questionsonly]

He snorts in reply to that as he head over to the bread box and opens it up, pulling out a baguette that one of the girl had grabbed that was very nearly about to go stale. Making it perfect for extra soup. He'll cut a chunk for himself and offer it silently with a quick raise.

"You don't know many contract lawyers. They're way more blood thirsty."

[mrballisticsdummy]

"I don't know many lawyers," he admits, taking the bread and letting the crust soak a moment in the broth.

"But if they're anything like you...I can believe it. But that's kind of what you have to be."

[questionsonly]

He'll sit down again and get his own bread soaking, sopping up the broth before taking a bite and sighing in delight. That's very good.

"It is indeed. I'm sure it's the same near you. I've heard how it gets during intern season."

[mrballisticsdummy]

He grunts out a response to that, picking apart the bread and finishing up the last of the soup. Every last noodle.

"Eventually, yeah. But right now? It's really the undergrads that are the problem. Fresh faced eighteen year olds. Thinking they're going to be the next Carl Sagan and then realizing that they are staring down the barrel of ten years of no social life outside of Barry from Trig who gave you his notes one time and thinks that you're his best friend and wants to show you his rig, which you think is code for his computer, but is really some sort of weird basement filled with something, but you don't know what it is because you got the hell out of there before you could figure it out."

Certainly not speaking from experience.

[questionsonly]

He might just be staring a little at that little... ramble. But it doesn't seem to put him off so much as make him tilt his head thoughtfully. Once Daniel pauses to catch his breath, Warren makes a decision.

"So no one in that whole department will just look at someone like you and go 'hey, you're hot, want to make out'?"

[mrballisticsdummy]

The only indication of the absolute chaos and static that is Daniel's brain is a momentary hesitation and a bit of a stutter. He's quite proud he kept it that chill.

There's something so calm in Warren's confidence, like he knows exactly what he's doing. Like he's already ten steps ahead. It should infuriating, and it is, but in a way Daniel doesn't really mind.

"Uh, w - well, not my department? The astrophysics guys, though? Definitely."

[questionsonly]

Warren grins and nods to that, seemingly satisfied.

"Good. I'd hate to find out there's an entire school full of geniuses? the bright lights of our future? and none of them with the sense God gave a rubber duck."

He starts cleaning up the cheese and the rest from lunch.

"Lucky astrophysics guys," he says more quietly.

[mrballisticsdummy]

He hears that and just stares. Once is a fluke.

Twice? Is a sign. He's not an idiot. When Warren's done cleaning, Daniel slides his hands in his pockets.

"So - about those knives?"

[questionsonly]

Warren turns with a big smile at that and nods, drying off his hands as he starts looking around for something they can use. After a moment, he bounces as he sees the perfect thing, some sort of bog standard wood carved thing that was hanging flat against the wall. He reaches up, takes it down and turns it around.

"Bet I could slap a bullseye on here and it'd be perfect leaned up against the wall."

...who the fuck cares if they chip a few things? No one would assume it was them, after all.

[mrballisticsdummy]

"Bet you could," he laughs. "You do that. I'm going to get changed." Since he's still in his pajamas from the morning. Also...he needs a moment.

To get his fucking act together.

He turns, back to where his suitcase was.

[questionsonly]

He nods and heads over to his notebook, pulling out page to start drawing a bullseye with his highlighters. He's even doing multiple colors for different 'point' totals.

But he'll wait till Jacobi's back before he throws any knives.

[mrballisticsdummy]

He returns in jeans and a sweatshirt, hands in his pockets, inspecting his work over his shoulder. "Hm. You think you can hit that?" he wonders. "I don't know..."

[questionsonly]

He glances over at Jacobi with a quick, sharp grin.

"I know I can hit that. I'm curious to see what you can hit, though."

He'll walk over and, the target set, he'll show Jacobi where he's collected the steak knives from the kitchen; not the best but-

"I figure it'll take a little adjustment? But we'll figure it out."

[mrballisticsdummy]

"You're cocky," he says with a snort, picking up one of the knives and testing the weight. They're nice but a little unbalanced for throwing, so he'll have to take that into consideration.

Easy.

"Wanna bet on it?"

[questionsonly]

He chuckles and shakes his head.

"Not cocky. Sure. And... just as sure of you. A bet? Would imply I don't think you can. And I do... think you can."

He tilts his head teasingly.

"I want to see how good you are."

But his tone doesn't seem like a dare. It seems like he's excited to see Jacobi show off a skill, and do well with it.

[mrballisticsdummy]

Daniel rolls his eyes, but he's not offended by it. "Then get it set up and let me show you," he laughs.

He - does kind of want to show off. He takes the knives, choosing two that he likes the best.

[questionsonly]

He gestures to the board across the hall, leaning against the wall and propped up on a few pillows.

"Have at it. I'm watching."

[mrballisticsdummy]

The first throw goes far and wild, still hitting the board, but he's completely unfazed by it. He's still getting used to the feel of the knife, after all. It's a little unwieldly in his hands, but he makes his adjustments, calculating in his head. The second shot is much of the same, but once he goes and retrieves them, a better sense of how they feel, he lines up again and throws again, hitting the paper almost dead center the first time and not far off the second.