(Untitled)

[frogleygoof]

Week Name/Date/Time: ‘Natural Disaster’ / Friday, 17 February 2006 / 3:09 PM.
Location: Grounds, Courtyard
Open To: Thatcher
Currently Involving: Troy

So. Maybe things were looking the slightest bit up. He'd spoken to Lolita as well as Hanna, had a week to chill out and get rid of his mardy, and all-around, Troy was feeling a lot better. He'd meditated

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[frogleygoof]

Muscle powerhouse? Troy couldn't say he wouldn't be terribly happy about being considered that. Of course, he never saw himself as such. Also, he couldn't deny that part of the reason for his Friday jogs was perhaps to pick up on birds.

At least at the start, of course. That may have originally been the case. Not now, with this "Birds are trouble and I'd prefer to NOT be kicked in the crotch again over one" phase he was in lately.

OH WELL! Troy wiped a bit of sweat off his brow, eyeing Thatcher with an amused expression. "Morning? Did ye' just wake up or summat?" he laughed out loud. "You lazy Gryffindors, cor blimey!" he patted him on the back as he caught his breath. "Mebbe' you should jog with me, make it a regular thing! And as long as you keep moving, it'll be plenty warm, ol' chap!"

Troy laughed and threw the ball up in the air, catching it and grinning over to him. "Well, get a breather, quick. Reckon you're the best rugby partner in the school, after all!"

Ah, and to think, a few days earlier, Troy WOULD have probably punched Thatcher's lights out. Or at least attempted to. Well, sometimes you just needed a bit of a cooling-off period.

[cthatcherhale]

"S'not morning?" he replied, still trying to catch his breath. "Reckon I've been out running longer than I thought. Swore the sun had hardly rose when I stepped out!"

Ah, if only there was a bird about to catch him saying that! Day full of jogging - MANLY MAN! Bugger them for being off somewhere else, then. Grinning, he pulled his arms up over his head to stretch and gave Frogley a knowing nod. "Threw my day off a bit, actually.. normally I run between breakfast and my first class, but I was off making myself available for that Winchester girl and shrugged off my morning classes AND failed to get out for my run."

One should note the use of 'that Winchester girl', as she only became 'that Winchester girl' when Thatcher was talking with his mates or, well, anyone aside from Alexis. He wouldn't dare make it seem as if she were anything more than 'that Winchester girl' to him, lest his machissmo be implicated.

"Day sort of left me," he added, summing it all up. "Bit of rugby, then? I'm in. Pity we don't have many others to join in. It'll just be you and me, and I think we both know you'll right kick my arse."

[frogleygoof]

Troy grinned and laughed, "Bloody 'ell, mate! I'll have to step my own game up a bit, shall I?! If I'd have known you were a Marathon Man, I wouldn't have challenged you so easily!"

His brown eyes furrowed the slightest bit, hearing of Lexi. "Ah, Lexi now? Lovely girl she is, great company. Told her I'd help her with Egyptian hieroglyphics the other week, care to join us?" he jokingly asked. "She's a good enough excuse for slacking on the ol' fitness, I say."

"I wouldn't give up that easily, Hale. I'll go easy on you," Troy grinned, jogging down to the other side of the courtyard, with the ball. "Two people is FAR enough to get a good scrimmage in. 'S all in the effort, it is! Sportsmanship at it's best! Adversity!" he called out, trying hard to think of just about any other manly, athletic synonym his brain could come up with.

[cthatcherhale]

OH, EVERY BLOODY GUY HAD THEIR BLEEDIN' PAWS OUT FOR ALEXIS, DIDN'T THEY?!

He wanted to throw his arms up in defeat and drop to the ground in sorrow just at the sound of Frogley making some study date with her. BLOODY EFFIN' HELL, EH? Yes, yes, she WAS A LOVELY GIRL and quite frankly, Thatcher didn't want to hear that opinion from anyone but himself! All playboys were allowed that one certain bird that they wanted to hoard from all others, and bloody bullocks if Alexis wasn't his. These other.. other.. oh, what was the word that Avis used? Blarmy blarmocks or whatever didn't need to be pawing at her! She deserved a kind, caring bloke who, ironically, was actually nothing but Thatcher, but he'd claim her for his own if it at least meant that the other blokes wouldn't be trying to get at her knickers.

But he had to swallow it all down, as voicing his concerns over said hieroglyphics study would blow his whole cover.

He smiled again as he jogged over to his own position, ready to scrimmage. If he took Frogley down a bit harder than normal, he could at least chalk it up to Fighting in Lexi's spirit. Not that he'd let Frogley know that, of course. IT WAS ALL INCREDIBLY SECRET. "Affliction?" he added, looking for manly, athletic synonyms as well. "Manly calamity? Right on, mate. I'll be sure to take it easy on you, though. Heard Ben left you scraping to move."

Ohhhh, yes. He went there. Jokingly, of course.

[frogleygoof]

Every other bloke may have, but NOT Troy Frogley! Heavens no! Troy was only a friend of Lexi's, after all, and had meant it in the most innocent of ways! Well, perhaps this was part of the reputation he was meaning to leave behind, after all. Contrary to popular belief, Troy did NOT want to shag or snog any female ever. In fact, he was starting to not even want to snog anymore unless it was. . .er. . .Lolita. Fine. He'd admit it. At least to himself, if not to anyone else.

Ironic that here Thatcher was assuming Troy had his eye on Lexi, and Troy was assuming Thatcher had a bit more than his eye on Lolita.

Never mind that threat, of course! Troy was trying the whole ignoring the problems trick that had worked for the previous six years.

Troy laughed and spun around, about to throw the ball until he heard that bleedin' git's name in his ear. Ben. Well, it took a lot of that 'ignorance is bliss' thought to get it all out of his mind. The mere mentioning made him want to punch the bloke again.

He held the ball back in both hands, biting his lip a bit, laughing to himself and shaking his head. "Oh yeah, Hale. Full body cast, that was. Plaster and all. Had to drink food from a straw," Troy rattled off. "Any news on how he held up?"

[cthatcherhale]

...well, it had to be said that Thatcher wouldn't mind a bit of Lolita. She was like that dangerous puffer fish or whatever it was that they had to cut so carefully in Japanese food to avoid poisoning the eater. You knew it could kill you, but really, didn't you at least want a taste? But, if he ever did snag that Lolita, it wouldn't actually be out of like. It would be out of acquisition... yet another reason why he was NO GOOD for Alexis Winchester. She didn't need someone in her close, personal life that thought of all women except her as some sort of precious cargo to load and unload, trade, barter, and otherwise donate to foreign trade companies when one had it's fill.

But nevermind that! Thatcher just realized that he might have hit a chord!

Smiling broadly, he nodded. See, Thatcher had this talent of dragging people's names into conversations when they really didn't need to be there. His most famous move was the 'Well, I heard from so-and-so' when so-and-so hadn't really told him a thing. He implimented this here.

"Oh, of course," he replied, giving his friend a wink and nod. "Left that git in a right awful state. According to Avis, he's still recovering. Regrowing bones is a painful process, you know, but the nurse thinks he'll make a full recovery..." Dramatic pause! "...one of these days."

[frogleygoof]

If only Thatcher knew. Except Troy didn't just want a bit. He was under the impression he had these deep feelings for Lolita. Every joke of hers, every rolled-eye, every sarcastic comment. . .made his feelings even stronger. He had a feeling she'd never let down her defenses, if that's what they were, but didn't exactly care if she did or not. Troy found happiness in the weird crush he had on her.

But nevermind that as well! There were more important matters! As to how Thatcher was CLEARLY getting Troy.

Too bad he had to wink and nod at him. In a way, Troy hoped he HAD broken a few bones. Though he did NOT like the idea of that curly-haired bird with the loud laugh even being associated with Connelly! "Well well well," Troy said matter-of-factly. "I'll send a fruit basket or a get-well bouquet of flowers or summat up post-haste, I will. Besides, that Av girl must be all torn up over it. Perhaps I'll apologize," he said, adding his own wink.

[cthatcherhale]

Had Thatcher knew, he would have had to inform his friend immediately that he was an odd little masochist.

"You should!" Actually, he imagined the onslaught of drama such a gesture would bring. Ben was perfectly fine, albeit gloomy, and someone sending him a get-well bouquet of flowers to show sympathy for his 'injuries' would set the other boy off to a point that would actually amuse Thatcher. "But I honestly don't think Av cared as much as she should have. Fiesty little one, she is. She likely saw him for his weaknesses, turned up her nose, and promptly stomped away." Yeah, right. Wistful thinking if anything. But totally not Avis.

"What was all that about, anyway?" He just had to know! He was practically in the middle of it all anyway.

[frogleygoof]

Troy was far too naiive to even consider that, even though it really did tend to be true. How else could you possibly explain the fascination with birds who seemed to only frown at him whenever he passed by?

"Reckon Connelly likes pineapple or kiwi? Has to be a bloody good basket, after all," Troy joked, merely tossing the ball over to Thatcher. Ah, if only Avis didn't care. It was a comforting thought, at least to Troy. He half expected her to be sleeping at his bedside night after night, weeping into hankies, professing her undying and sympathetic devotion to the git, a regular war nurse in some sappy historical fiction muggle movie, really.

"Well good for her. Reckon she's got the right idea, though she should stomp right on over to me, " he shook his head with a smirk.

Troy's arms went limp at his sides and he kind of stared up to the sky a bit, face contorted in thought. "I don't really know. The bloke just started to babble to me about this Avis bird. Thought I was trying to snag her or summat. Being a right git about it, too. Really, I'm still clueless. Have you asked him?"

[cthatcherhale]

"Have I a death wish?" he replied as he caught the ball and tossed it about in the air above him. "No, I don't hate myself nearly enough to actually ask him about it. Ben's got a nasty right-hook. Though, why would he care if you wanted to snag her?"

Well, if that didn't confirm his suspicions, nothing would.

"I wouldn't mind snagging or snogging or shagging her m'self, but he doesn't come after me. Or at least he better not." That actually deemed a pause and a look up in the air. Why didn't Ben attempt to attack him anyway? If whatever happened between Avis and Frogley was enough to set him off, surely his blatant flirtations with her would do the same! But at the same time, Ben likely knew Thatcher wouldn't really act on it too much at all, if at all period. Well, that wasn't particularly true, but in Thatch's mind the fault laid on how it was deciphered. Something like that.

"Pineapples, by the way," he quickly added as he tossed the ball back to Troy. "Did you do anything to Avis to make her think you wanted her? She'd likely tell Ben about anything that happens, you know. They're close."

[frogleygoof]

Troy pointed a finger at Thatcher, as if he came up with something brilliant. "EXACTLY! Why WOULD he?! That's the question! Bloody good question right there, it is. He kept on saying he wasn't with her or anything." Shaking his head, he continued, "No idea. I didn't even want to really snag her. Sure, I wouldn't have MINDED, but you know. I just thought she was. . .kinda cute. Because she is. Kinda. Too young, o'course, but. . .something. In an odd way. Maybe it's just me."

Raising his eyebrows a bit at Thatcher's statement, he shrugged it off. So okay, it wasn't just an oddity on Troy's part. Catching the ball, only to kick it over to him, he replied, "Nope. I just smile at her now and then. Maybe tried to say hi on my broom or summat. I don't even know the bird, that's the odd thing. Don't think she's ever said a word to me." Well, that there may have been the fascination in the first place.

They're close. Well, THAT hit him right in the stomach. "I dunno, Thatch. I could use a bit of 'elp on that one right there. On this whole blood mess, really."

[cthatcherhale]

"Oh, I doubt it's just you," he replied with a furrowed brow as he jogged out to catch the ball. Spinning it in his hands for a moment, he added, "Regardless to if Ben likes it or not, she's caught the eye of many a bloke. Most just don't dare act on it. Which, Frogley, gives you ten points in my eyes, as you've gotten closer than practically anyone."

Well, aside from himself, but that was all details.

Tossing the ball back to him, he continued. "I'll tell it to you the way I see it - if Ben does, in fact, like Avis, he'll never act on it. He's too stubborn. Bull headed. Gryffindor. He'll chase off all of her potential suitors, but not do anything on his own. I'd give my life for the bloke, he's just that good of a friend of mine, but I'll give it to you straight. Avis deserves better than to be this beautiful, charming, fantastic bird that goes her whole life without at least a snog."

[frogleygoof]

Well.

Perhaps this was the boost he needed. And really, from who he least expected it from!

Hrmm. Maybe it did pay to be a bit optimistic at times. Even when he was negative, it all had a way of coming back and being positive. Funny thing, life.

He narrowed his eyes a bit and nodded, feeling satisfied and happy now. "Well. . .good! I say," he grunted boyishly. "Bloody brilliant, really."

Troy laughed, now kind of liking that bird again. If for some odd reason, really. "Well it won't be me, sadly. That bloke's made it clear if I so much as look at her, he'll kill me. Whatta' loss, eh?"

[cthatcherhale]

Maaaaaybe Thatcher was looking to start some drama. This school year wasn't near as dramatic as it could have been, har har. Playing one friend against another was a bit desperate, but really! In Thatcher's mind, Frogley was just what Ben needed to make him make some sort of move on Avis. And in the meanwhile, Frogley would get his fill! AND, Avis would finally get the attention she deserved! All around brilliant. Only person who wouldn't get anything from it was Thatcher... no, actually, he would. He'd get to be the onlooker. That was always a bloody blast.

"Ben just needs to get off it, then," he replied with a nod, folding his arms over his chest as he watched his friend. "He's depriving the poor bird more than anything. I reckon I could always talk to him about that as well, but Ben's never really the type for a lot of.. chit-chat, I suppose. Can't think of the right word for it. He's not the 'Let's sit about and talk about our feelings' sort." Though, if Ella Fitzgerald was to come to life tomorrow and set Ben down for a heart-to-heart, there was a strong possibility that Ben would fold.

[frogleygoof]

Bloody good thing that Troy was just oblivious and ignorant enough to not pick up on ANY of this supposed dramatics or such. In Frogley's mind, Thatcher must have just been concerned. . .er. . .for his health or summat! Of course!

"No bloody kidding," Troy grunted back. "Git's a bloody tosser about the whole thing, depriving or not." He shrugged, "Meh, not my place. I have better things to do than worry about some sod like him." Like. . .Lolita! Or something along those lines. "Be my guest, you can help the poor deprived bird. Someone has to, I do suppose."

[cthatcherhale]

Well, suggesting Avis to him was a better alternative to what had been mentioned far too many times that week - Alexis. Now, it wasn't that he'd prefer Avis TO Alexis.. he could just handle comments about Avis ten times more than ones about Alexis. Again, he liked to think that no one knew how he felt about Alexis, and that he did a bloody fantastic job lying about it. But he openly admitted fancying Avis, so where was the spoil in people mentioning that?

Suddenly, he found the fact that both of them had given the other the name of 'Git' pretty damn funny. Git this, Git that. It was pretty funny to him. Regardless, a little clarification was in order. "Now," he replied, chewing on his bottom lip lightly, "Ben is a good mate.. like you, you know. But I'm with you on this one. He either needs to catch or get off the playing field."