[Skye falters a little at Junie's last comment, almost dropping the second pastry heβs chosen for himself.]
Yeah, I guess. [Shit, that sounds ungrateful. He shouldnβt talk shit about his dad or his family in public or with someone he barely knows. What if word gets back to them? Skye isnβt really convinced they have his best interests at heart, and he doesnβt feel safe saying it out loud. From the way the Dean and his academic advisor have been treating him, he gets the impression his dad's family is a Big Deal at this school, so it seems like it would be really easy for them to have spies around or something.
Then again maybe heβs just paranoid.
He clears his throat as he places his newly selected apple turnover onto his plate.]
I mean, yeah. Heβs an alumni and knows the dean. Thatβs why they were able to get me enrolled on such short notice. I think the family donates a lot, too. Have you heard of him? Bowen Liang?
( junie's mid-picking up a croissant when skye so innocuously drops his dad's name like it's nothing β like bowen freaking liang is just some regular rich guy β and it's so surprising that the pastry ends up dropped abruptly back on its plate, his eyes wide, absolute deer in headlights. everyone in the magical community knows the name liang β unless they live under a rock, and the really smart people know that the liang family and anyone associated with them are not to be fucked with. but β juniper's never heard of there being a son, let alone one his age. and a liang kept mostly away from the world of magic? even stranger yet.
oh, god, she realizes that she's gawking, and all the transformation magic in the world can't help her absolute absence of a poker face. ) That's ...
( oh god. now she really needs to get skye to like her. anything less might get his family into big trouble with the liangs. ) Sorry, ( junie apologizes abruptly, pressing a hand to her cheek that's suddenly warm with embarrassment. ) It's just β the library on campus is literally named after your dad. He's so super powerful and β everyone respects him a lot.
[Skye tries very hard not to wilt at Junie's reaction. God, his dad really is just everywhere, isn't he.]
Right. The library.
[He probably should have expected something like that, but somehow he didn't. He hasn't been to the library yet. He hasn't had a need to. His dad supplied all his text books for him and he hasn't been here long enough to start any research projects or whatever. He wonders where else his paternal family name will show up on campus.
He picks idly at his pastry, having lost some of his appetite.]
( junie can feel his eyes widen as the mood at this cafe table visibly takes a nosedive β not ideal. like super not ideal, because selfishly, she's maybe now a little scared of word getting back to skye's scary powerful dad.
but worst of all? and most importantly? he's making the new kid feel bad the very first time they've met when he's already clearly having a hard time.
she frowns, gaze flickering upwards, clearly thinking Very Hard and then β junie softens a little. a sweet smile plays at the corners of his mouth, and a hand reaches across the table to give skye's a squeeze. )
Hey, let's forget the boring school stuff for today, okay? ( and that smile spreads into a grin, confidence returning to her body millisecond by millisecond. ) I think we should go to the party and have some fun. What do you think?
[Skye is a little surprised by the offer. Incredulous, even. It's almost on the tip of his tongue to ask "you still want to?" But he realizes in time that saying that would probably sound extremely pathetic.
He'd like to avoid being pathetic as much as possible.
And he supposes that even though he has mixed feelings about his dad's family not everyone does. People seem to respect them, at least.
So, instead of asking any silly questions, he accepts Junie's little hand squeeze and nods.]
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no subject
Yeah, I guess. [Shit, that sounds ungrateful. He shouldnβt talk shit about his dad or his family in public or with someone he barely knows. What if word gets back to them? Skye isnβt really convinced they have his best interests at heart, and he doesnβt feel safe saying it out loud. From the way the Dean and his academic advisor have been treating him, he gets the impression his dad's family is a Big Deal at this school, so it seems like it would be really easy for them to have spies around or something.
Then again maybe heβs just paranoid.
He clears his throat as he places his newly selected apple turnover onto his plate.]
I mean, yeah. Heβs an alumni and knows the dean. Thatβs why they were able to get me enrolled on such short notice. I think the family donates a lot, too. Have you heard of him? Bowen Liang?
no subject
( junie's mid-picking up a croissant when skye so innocuously drops his dad's name like it's nothing β like bowen freaking liang is just some regular rich guy β and it's so surprising that the pastry ends up dropped abruptly back on its plate, his eyes wide, absolute deer in headlights. everyone in the magical community knows the name liang β unless they live under a rock, and the really smart people know that the liang family and anyone associated with them are not to be fucked with. but β juniper's never heard of there being a son, let alone one his age. and a liang kept mostly away from the world of magic? even stranger yet.
oh, god, she realizes that she's gawking, and all the transformation magic in the world can't help her absolute absence of a poker face. ) That's ...
( oh god. now she really needs to get skye to like her. anything less might get his family into big trouble with the liangs. ) Sorry, ( junie apologizes abruptly, pressing a hand to her cheek that's suddenly warm with embarrassment. ) It's just β the library on campus is literally named after your dad. He's so super powerful and β everyone respects him a lot.
( and fears him, she doesn't say. )
no subject
Right. The library.
[He probably should have expected something like that, but somehow he didn't. He hasn't been to the library yet. He hasn't had a need to. His dad supplied all his text books for him and he hasn't been here long enough to start any research projects or whatever. He wonders where else his paternal family name will show up on campus.
He picks idly at his pastry, having lost some of his appetite.]
Yeah, I guess he's a pretty big deal.
no subject
but worst of all? and most importantly? he's making the new kid feel bad the very first time they've met when he's already clearly having a hard time.
she frowns, gaze flickering upwards, clearly thinking Very Hard and then β junie softens a little. a sweet smile plays at the corners of his mouth, and a hand reaches across the table to give skye's a squeeze. )
Hey, let's forget the boring school stuff for today, okay? ( and that smile spreads into a grin, confidence returning to her body millisecond by millisecond. ) I think we should go to the party and have some fun. What do you think?
no subject
He'd like to avoid being pathetic as much as possible.
And he supposes that even though he has mixed feelings about his dad's family not everyone does. People seem to respect them, at least.
So, instead of asking any silly questions, he accepts Junie's little hand squeeze and nods.]
Sure. Yeah. That could be fun. Where's it at?