Parents' Weekend Meet and Greet- Friday afternoon- The Park

[not_a_moonie]

The day that would greet Fandom's visitors was sunny with just a hint of fall crispness in the air -- perfect weather for reunions, or for almost anything else. A large tent set up in the park had been decorated with balloons, streamers, and a few minor drifts of glitter. Of course there was plenty of food, as well as tables, chairs and shadowy

Comments

Mingling [PW1]

[not_a_moonie]

Meet your students! Or someone else's students! Or someone else's guests! Or random Fandomites!

The possibilities are endless.

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[thisisyourhome]

After wrangling up a coffee that was going to have to do, Lewis set out to mingle, smiling pleasantly at passers-by, even saluting a few with the most sparkly coffee under the sun as a friendly greeting.

He wondered idly if Sparkle had anything to do with the glitter, but decided that he probably didn't. Sparkle liked a lot of weird things, but putting sparkles into people's food was a little too tacky for the kid.

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[myownface]

"Lewisssss!"

Careful, Lewis. There was a scrawny teen incoming, fast, looking to give you a flying tackle from behind.

Aaaand now Lewis had Sparkle riding piggyback, and had to balance both him and the glittery coffee. Enjoy that, Lewis!

"Oh my god you are here you actually came to one of these stupid things you're going to get eaten alive Jesus Christ put down that coffee you don't know where it's been okay no it's probably fine since Student Council had something to do with it did you know I ran for StuCo and got in and then I ran for president? Imagine, me as president it's a wonder the school is still standing and the first meeting and the vote was only last week have you got a place to stay? How was customs? Have you lost weight? Your hair smells nice."

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[thisisyourhome]

Oof. Lewis laughed, managing not to fumble the coffee (lifeblood, bringer of basic motor function) and to stay on his own two feet, reaching back and giving Sparkle a light shove against his forehead.

"Get offa me, ya big hooligan. I've got hot coffee, here." Which Sparkle had noticed and commented on, but it was worth pointing out all the same. "But it's good to see you, too. Behaving yourself, I see? Getting involved in school politics, no less? It's like I told you, Sparks. This place has been good for you."

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[myownface]

Sparkle stuck his tongue out to demonstrate just what he thought of that.

"It hasn't left me dead yet," he countered, well aware that Lewis was going to interpret that as typical overdramatic Sparkle hyperbole. He was gonna say it anyway. "And not for lack of trying. Have I told you about the murder carnival yet? Rides falling apart left and right! Bodies! Bodies in the streets!"

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[thisisyourhome]

"At least three times now," Lewis agreed, shaking his head and giving Sparkle a humouring smile. "Why don't you get something to eat and tell me more about this Student Council thing instead, Sparks?"

Look, it wasn't that Lewis didn't want to believe Sparkle, but murder carnivals and tall tales of students coming back from the dead to prey on one another were all just a little bit far-fetched. Like that time when Sparkle was fourteen and he'd had three other kids in the home half-believing that he was Bulgarian royalty and that his father the Tsar would be along any day to pick him up and take him back to resume preparing to step up and carry on the family legacy.

Not so much with the truth-telling, that Sparkle.

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[myownface]

"There's really not much more to say," Sparkle decided with a shrug. "We only had the one meeting. We have, like, a talent show tomorrow that I might crash or I might not. I'm in the running against Minako and Emma and they both seem to know what they're doing. That's a snickerdoodle, Lewis, you don't want to eat that."

What? He'd heard things.

"I put my name in because I was bored. This isn't, like, me deciding to be a contributing member of society or anything."

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[thisisyourhome]

"Well, I'll be frank with you, Spark, I really do hope it is," Lewis replied, inspecting the cookie in his hand and then slooowly putting it back down again. Sometimes, it was less of a headache to just roll with it than to try to figure out if Sparkle was just pulling his leg. "Your parole officer is thrilled to know that this boarding school thing has been working out for you, you haven't been in trouble with the law since you left. Hell, Spark, I'm thrilled. And if a little boredom is what it takes for you to accept some more responsibility in your life, I'm all for it."

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[never_dull]

"Mr. Chance." Hannibal smiled and held out his hand. "It's good to finally meet you. I'm Dr. Lecter."

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[thisisyourhome]

"Doctor Lecter!" Lewis gave Hannibal a brilliant smile as he reached to give him a firm handshake. "It's a pleasure, sir, a real pleasure. Sparkle has only good things to say about you, which is high praise on his own, considering how difficult it can be to get the boy to actually attend his classes back home. You've got to have some secret that the teachers in Toronto haven't figured out yet."

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[never_dull]

Hannibal nodded gravely. "Years of psychiatry, and a deeper understanding of teenagers." He smirked and leaned forward as if sharing a secret. "I feed my classes well. Half my class this semester has taken it before."

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[thisisyourhome]

"Oh, there's the secret," Lewis laughed. "Get them hooked and keep them coming back. And there's no better way to get a teenager to like you than by feeding them. Spark has picked up a thing or two from your cooking classes, it seems. While he was visiting, the other kids kept asking if it could be his turn to cook again."

Sure, they kept insisting it was because Sparkle needed to make up for lost time, but with the way they inhaled what he was feeding them, Sparkle and Lewis both knew better.

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[never_dull]

"He's a smart boy," Hannibal answered. "It's been a pleasure teaching him. Now, if I could only break him of his habit of Pop Tarts..."

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[thisisyourhome]

"It can't be any worse than my own Tim Hortons addiction," Lewis chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll take it over some of the other vices he could get into any day. It's the processed sugar, you know? Gives 'em a kick."

Thank you, Lewis. Nobody might have cracked that mystery without your help.

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[never_dull]

Hannibal gave a nod, allowing the point. "I suppose we all do have our vices." He wouldn't mention Sparkle's drinking. Or breaking into his house.

Or his own vices. It was likely best to keep those quiet.

"How was your trip?"

Re: Mingling [PW1]

[thisisyourhome]

Oh, Lewis knew all about Sparkle's vices. About the drinking, and the breaking and entering, and the shoplifting, and the fighting, and the burning down people's sheds, and the stash of pot he kept hidden away under his socks. But he wasn't at liberty to discuss any of those with anybody but those who were already legally affiliated with Sparkle.

"Not bad, not bad," Lewis replied with a grin. "Air Canada's same winning service as always, of course, but the trip from Toronto to Baltimore was pretty quick, and once the cab dropped me off at the causeway, the walk was lovely. I'll always enjoy a walk out by the water this time of year, it reminds me of fall in Herring Cove." A beat. "The castle was new, of course."