Second Floor Common Room, Saturday Night

[life_inshadow]

After two years-and-counting in Fandom, all Tara had done when she woke up a boy was sigh wearily and hope it was her last time for the ritual humiliation. She didn't like dealing with boy bits, even if it was just for a weekend. But beyond that and a scrabble for clothes, it was a normal day

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[batwaffles]

There were two factors keeping Stephanie from the fifth floor common room: the first being that she was not about to make an idiot out of herself in front of Bruce like this (part of her was still firmly convinced he'd tell her she was being a boy all wrong), and the second that it was three flights further up.

Plus she could smell food.

"Upside to this situation, upside to this situation," she singsonged -- in a falsetto voice one wouldn't expect most teenage boys to be comfortable busting out in front of other people -- as she wandered in, "where are youuuuuuuuu, you elusive ray of sunshine?"

[life_inshadow]

Tara had to smile at that.

"It'll be over eventually and this is my last time through, Gods willing?" she offered. "Unless you're always a boy and you're talking about something totally different. Hey. I'm Tara."

[batwaffles]

"I'm not a boy, but I play one on TV," Stephanie quipped (it was an oldie but goodie!). "In the glamorous career I only have in some strange parallel universe, probably. Stephanie, and I swear I don't usually look like this."

[life_inshadow]

"Yeah, I figured that from the part where your name was Stephanie," Tara said, with a tiny smile. "Though ... apparently there was an English guy Tara once? So, maybe names aren't the best thing to go by."

[godgavemecable]

So for the second time today, Toby found himself drawn to the second floor common room. This time, by the smell of baking.

"Oh, hey," he said, smiling at the guy already there. "Those smell really good." And was he sharing? Toby hoped so.

[life_inshadow]

"Take one from the last batch," Tara said, smiling back. "They should be cool. And, uh, I'm Tara. Usually a girl."

[godgavemecable]

"Toby," he introduced himself. "And I'm- supposed to be like this. A guy, I mean. But I guess that's... going around, today?"

[life_inshadow]

"Looks like it," Tara said. "It's better than last year, though. Last year it hit on the last day of our fall break trip, so it was just kind of ... frantic. And extra annoying."

[harpy_daughter]

Surreal was so Not Amused. She had to go out for food eventually, but none of her shirts fit. A skirt would do well enough for now, since her pants were also too tight, but this was simply ridiculous.

"Something smells good," she said, wandering in to open the ice-box and see if there was anything she could steal. "Are you normally a male?"

[life_inshadow]

"Only when this hits every year," Tara said. "The rest of the time, nope. My name's Tara."

She watched the fridge-prowl. "You could have a muffin, if you want."

[harpy_daughter]

"Surreal," she replied, snagging an orange fizzy-drink and abandoning her ice-box search in favor of something fresh. "Thanks. This happens every year?"

[life_inshadow]

"Unfortunately," Tara told her. "It ... gets a little less obnoxious after the first time. Sort of."

[wheeler_360]

The smell of muffins was draw to even the most stalwart of boys. "Hi," Marshall said, smiling at the guy doing the baking. "It's... not a problem if this isn't my common room, right?"

Someone hadn't really been out for much socialising since he got to Fandom, no.

[godgavemecable]

"If it is I'm probably in trouble several times over," Toby admitted with a shrug. "And since I've never been so much as called to the principal's office, I think you're good."

[wheeler_360]

"I didn't think so," Marshall admitted, "but y'never know. Figured it couldn't hurt to ask."

The guy was familiar, but it took a second for Marshall to place him. "Toby, right? We met when we came in on the newbie shuttle, but I don't think I've really seen you around since."

[godgavemecable]

Toby nodded. He remembered the other boy; the one he'd conned into buying him a sandwich. Which... he'd felt a little bad about, but not especially. "You're in my Strategy class, too," he added helpfully.