[Open/Active]

[greeneyedhealer]

Characters: Hakkai, OPEN
Location: Outside
Time: Afternoon after classes
Content: Relaxing...
Warnings: None

Comments

[mutedsilence]

He wasn't the only one to enjoy a quieter moment, when the weather was suitable for it. Besides, it was in those quieter moments that one could learn things that people might never have expected. A lesson learned in the earlier years of his life, and one that served so very well now.

But that was hardly a reason to not speak to people all the same. He'd only just gotten here, after all, and it wouldn't hurt anything to get to know some of his fellow staff members.

"Do you mind if I join you?"

[greeneyedhealer]

Hakkai looked up upon hearing the others voice. "Yes, of course. I always welcome company." He looked at the other for a moment "Judging from your appearance, I take it your a teacher as well?"

[mutedsilence]

"I am," Tseng answered with a nod as he pulled up one of the nearby chairs. How logical the assumption was in a school where it was possible (if not terribly probable) a student could take a different form. But Tseng would have hoped that even then there would have been a slight difference in the way they acted.

"Tseng," he added, by way of introduction.

[greeneyedhealer]

Hakkai knew that if this was a student, they wouldn't be acting so calm. Most of the students he had seen were, for lack of a better word, easily excitable.

Not minding the short responses, he passed a cup to Tseng. "I'm Hakkai, pleased to meet you."

[mutedsilence]

Who could blame them? Realizing you weren't like the other people your age was bound to stir up a variety of interesting emotions. More so for the empaths, but again, that was a minor detail.

"Likewise," Tseng answered, taking the offered cup.

[greeneyedhealer]

Hakkai couldn't help it. He was a people person and naturally curious. "So what do you teach?" He took a sip of his tea, enjoying talking to another person. There just weren't enough teachers here that enjoyed a good cup of tea.

[mutedsilence]

Fortunately for him, Tseng was perfectly willing to answer questions. It didn't hurt anything to be polite and it wasn't going to be nice enough to sit outside for much longer. So he'd sit and talk and enjoy himself. He couldn't spend all his time working, after all.

"Tactical Strategy and Japanese. You?"

[greeneyedhealer]

"I teach Passive Abilities. There may not be a lot of students with such abilities, but if I can help even one it makes it worth it." He poured some more tea and grabbed a cookie from the plate.

"If you don't mind my asking, what are your abilities?" Usually it wasn't that hard to tell what someones abilities were...but Tseng had such an air of mystery about him, it was hard to tell.

[mutedsilence]

It was an air of mystery that Tseng had gone to a good deal of effort to cultivate. The less people knew about him, the less could be used against him. Or - and this was more important - the people associated with him. And given who he associated with, well... he wasn't going to change his ways anytime soon.

"Nothing terribly impressive," he answered with a faint smile. "You?"

[greeneyedhealer]

Somewhat taken aback he gave a small smile. Maybe he was feeling particularly sadistic today, maybe not. "Oh you know, a little of this...a little of that." He fingered his ear cuffs, just to make sure they were still on. He usually only felt like this if they were missing.

Knowing exactly what it was to be blackmailed, he knew not to push. The other would open up when he was ready.

[mutedsilence]

The gesture didn't escape Tseng's notice, but he wasn't going to comment on it. There wasn't a reason to, not when it could have been something as perfectly mundane as an itch.

"Fair enough."

He hadn't been precisely forthcoming, so there was no reason to expect the other man to be.

[greeneyedhealer]

Hakkai was thankful that he wasn't asked about his extra jewelry, that was a conversation too long for such a nice day. He sat back in his seat watching the other man, knowing he may have just found someone truly interesting.

"So...Mr. Tseng, did you attend the institute when you were younger?"

[mutedsilence]

"I'm afraid not," Tseng answered. "This is my first time here."

His mutation was simply and quiet, and quite perfectly easy to keep under wraps. And if someone happened to guess, that was fine by him. He'd merely keep the details to himself.

[greeneyedhealer]

Hakkai was shocked to hear this was Tseng's first time here. "Really? You seem to be adjusting well then. It took me a year before I was able to adjust as well as you seem to be."

[mutedsilence]

"With the exception of what the students can do it's not much different than any other school."

Or at least not on the outside. The details of the school's inner workings might be different - and with very good reason - but a school was a school. It was meant to teach, and anything else that happened could be dealt with later.

[greeneyedhealer]

"Hmm...Maybe. Though the students I was used to dealing with were....a fair bit calmer." Though Eureka Springs was a lot smaller, the students there were more mellow. It was fairly odd to go from quiet and well behaved students to...well...here.

"I must say though, I have met some remarkable children in my time here." He could only hope that they had an easier time than he and most others had at his age.