Let's play ball! (OTA - nudge to Kurt as I reckon this could make for a fun game!)

[hunt_the_devil]

The arrival of the ping-pong table had been in John's humble opinion one of the most exciting things to happen in a while in camp. Not that he'd go around telling everyone this fact, he instead had played it cool. John had avoided the rec room in hope that the interest and level of activity around the ping-pong table would die down enough so that

Comments

OOC - this is the new base thread so EVERYONE can tag in on it now since we've got some onlookers!

[hunt_the_devil]

John barely had chance to acknowledge the arrival of Jessie before the return shot, the ping-pong ball was hurtling through the air towards the white line at a surprising speed. John grinned, diving forwards and just managing to hit it upwards but in the process crashing into the edge of the table with a loud 'ooofff.'

However his dramatic efforts were futile as the ball went straight up in the air and promptly landed on the floor beside the table, bouncing a few times with a sharp tap against the floor.

"Dammit!" John never swore but it wasn't in frustration but sheer amusement at the fact he had truly met a suitable ping-pong match. "1 point to Kurt. You get to serve then."

John scooped the ball off of the floor and threw it to Kurt.

Re: OOC - this is the new base thread so EVERYONE can tag in on it now since we've got some onlooker

[fuzzylittleprob]

Kurt threw up his hand in triumph as the ball hit the ground and John swore. Letting go of the wall he dropped to the floor, grinning like a bastard. John was good! He snatched the ball that was tossed to him and waggled his eyebrows in the blonde's direction. "You bet on the right horse, frauline." But he shot a happy smile in John's direction.

"One serving zero."

Kurt made a nice, gentlemanly service across the table.

Re: OOC - this is the new base thread so EVERYONE can tag in on it now since we've got some onlooker

[flowlikemagma]

As Kurt scored, Allison threw an arm up and whooped, grinning at Kurt before looking at Chris.

"Eat it!" She laughed. "You're doing great, John! Keep it up!"

The ping-pong table and the two teleporters might have been the greatest thing ever to come into camp. For the first time since arriving and not on a mission, she wasn't bored.

[hunt_the_devil]

John didn't mind the thought of losing really, though no doubt Bradley would bitch and moan about the money until John paid him back. Kurt was a worthy opponent but thankfully it was early days and John had no intention of bowing out the game just yet.

"Thanks Allison, with friends like you who needs enemies!"

John tapped the ball back just as gently not wanting to get into a full on battle of skills just yet. It was nice to have a bit of conversation as well as a game too.

"So Kurt where were you before you came to this place?"

[fuzzylittleprob]

The question almost made Kurt miss the ball entirely because the truthful answer was running from a crazed mob that wanted to kill me. He hit it back. Lightly.

"Bavaria," he said, shrugging. "I was a circus performer. We got... bought out." And really just about sold into slavery, at least in his case, but he didn't mention it. Everyone was smiling and there was no reason for his sobstory to bring them down. "Are you a cowboy?"

He couldn't not ask.

[hunt_the_devil]

It was John's turn to nearly miss the ball, he was lucky that they were only half playing at the moment, conversation taking over their focus. John tapped the ball at the last moment letting out the laugh he'd been trying to hold in.

"Me?! A cowboy? Nahh... always wanted to be one if I'm honest." It was the first time anyone had ever actually asked him outright what was with the cowboy hat. Most people just insulted it or laughed at him but no-one had ever asked if he was a cowboy before. Again the ball returned and John tapped it back again the smile not leaving his face.

"My Grandma used to line dance, brought me up in a household of country an' western. I guess she influenced me quite a bit."

[fuzzylittleprob]

"I bet you could be a cowboy if you wanted to be," Kurt said honestly, nodding to John. "Just need a horse; riding is a snap. And some room to roam." He hit the ball back, keeping the game simple for the moment. "Of course, all the snow around here does not help."

[hunt_the_devil]

John caught the ball on the bat, bounced it once before hitting it a little more forcefully this time. It was a subtle hint that they might be playing nice for now but John still had tricks up his sleeves, just incase Kurt got any ideas!

"You reckon? I've not ridden a horse before though I wouldn't mind givin' it a go sometime. Maybe the next place we move to I'll get a chance to go out horse ridin'. So what about you Kurt, you ever dream of being somethin' else?"

[fuzzylittleprob]

There was a smile for the trick but Kurt wasn't going to be outdone. He caught the ball on his own paddle and bounced it.

Kurt would have loved to have been a pirate; he could sword fight with both hands and his tail, climb like a demon... but ever since Stefan had died the dream had soured. Stefan had been the one to band with him in order to fight imaginary scoundrels--without his brother it just didn't seem so fun anymore.

He shrugged as he bounced the ball. "I am here, ja? So maybe yes. But are we going to talk, John the Cowboy, or are we going to play?!"

With the last word the ball dropped from Kurt's paddle and he smacked it back hard, slicing it to the right.

[hunt_the_devil]

John noted the lack of an answer but he knew better than to pry, especially as he had to concentrate on the ball that arching off to the right at speed.

He disappeared appearing just in time to hit the ball back and spend it spinning off to the left, knowing fully well that the opposite direction would be expected.

"Oh we're gonna play, just was givin' you some time to catch your breath. You know, so you don't get all hot an' flustered with the pace."

[fuzzylittleprob]

"Or maybe you are the one who can't keep--" Kurt had indeed started the opposite way and when the ball cut back a hissed swear cut off his sentence. He reversed direction faster than a man should have been able to, lunging.

He caught the ball. It sailed over the net and he sailed into the wall, disappearing just before he hit it. Pink smoke walked up the painted surface as Kurt reappeared a few feet from the other corner of his side of the table, his momentum obviously intact through the teleportation. He twisted through it and skid to a stop where he had started, ready for the ball John would be returning.

Re: OOC - this is the new base thread so EVERYONE can tag in on it now since we've got some onlooker

[cover_your_ears]

Jessie's hand went to her mouth when John 'oofed' into the edge of the table and missed the ball. "Sorry, John."

She hadn't meant to distract him. The blonde girl whooped when John missed. She'd obviously bet on Kurt. Jessie sat down next to her on the couch and continued to watch the match.

"I'm Jessie."

[hunt_the_devil]

John would have laughed at Kurt's reastion if he had enough time to or hadn't been suitably impressed with the way in which Kurt had teleported at the very last moment. John had never tried to see if he could teleport halfway up a wall or mid air, sure he could teleport mid movement but it was all about momentum and movement.

John had to teleport to catch the return ball which was more central than his original position. He'd perhaps been a little over confident but John wasn't up for losing. Hitting the ping-pong ball with an impressive amount of force John watched as it bounced on the opposite side of the net torwards Kurt, he backed up knowing that the return ball was going to be faster and go further.

[fuzzylittleprob]

Kurt wondered if this game wasn't going to get a little ridiculous... a thought that put a wide smile on his face. It felt good to be happy, to have a fun challenge, to burn off some of the tension that he'd been collecting for the last few months.

To get his mind off Jimaine.

The thought distracted him suitably, her brown eyes as they'd melted into view, the anguish on her face as the wind had pulled at her hair. The ball hit him right in the cheek and fell back to the table.

Kurt blinked, grabbing it more out of habit than thought as it started bouncing away. "Scheiße," he said quietly, tossing the ball to John for his serve. Kurt shook his head and looked at Allison--though Jessica he saw was here now and so the comment included her as well. "All the beauty in the room distracted me," he sighed melodramatically to John. "It is like being blinded."

[hunt_the_devil]

"I'm sorry! I wasn't aimin' for your face!"

Catching the ball John, for a moment, was tempted to ask if Kurt was alright, he had seem lost in his own little world as the ball flew towards him. But the comment about being distracted by all the beauty in the room eased his concerns. "Aww shucks Bradley I don't think anyone's ever called you beautiful before."

John bounced the ball off of the table a couple of times before catching it.

"Hows about we change the rules Kurt? Make this game a little more interestin'?"

[fuzzylittleprob]

The joke at both Bradley's expense and his own made Kurt laugh quietly. When John offered to perhaps up the stakes of the game, however...

His eyebrows raised and then a grin cut his face in half. And behind Kurt, though no one could see it, his tail was flicking.

"I am thinking that is a good idea," he agreed. "After all, with two such advanced players as ourselves it was bound to get boring quickly."