[Sometime during AU week]

[the_ex_in_xp]

[meanwhile at the dorms, a half-pirate and some girl who managed a +3 lockpicking skill in her bag of tricks are trying to break in to "their" room]

This lock is way more sophisticated than the others. You'd think they were worried about unsavory people trying to break in...

Comments

[the_ex_in_xp]

[Ramona Flowers earned +1 Asshole XP /)__= ]

--it's not, I'm sorry. I should never joke about Comic Sans being anything but terrible. And I didn't use it, alright? It was one of those bold fonts that makes all the letters fatter...

[the_ex_in_excessive]

Oh.

You probably would've gotten docked points for that unless there was literally no note about allowed fonts on the syllabus or whatever, I guess...

[the_ex_in_xp]

[wanting to shrug, but also staying perfectly still in that "I will make no movements to antagonize you" way]

I ditched the class before we got our final grades in, so it will remain a mystery for the ages.

[the_ex_in_excessive]

[going silent and still for a little bit]

... I wish you had told me.

[the_ex_in_xp]

[letting her gaze shift so she's not looking directly at you, but keeping still otherwise because you are]

It was midterms. You had your own stuff going on.

Besides, there's not much to tell about "hey, I had this blow up in class over fonts of all fucking things."

[the_ex_in_excessive]

With all of it, though. If you were having issues with classes...

[the_ex_in_xp]

Roxie, I had issues. Period. There were too many to list, and what could you have done? There are only so many times you can bribe administrators with cookies...

[the_ex_in_excessive]

I could have tried to help with... I don't know. School stuff, or... I don't know. I guess it doesn't matter now, but...

[the_ex_in_xp]

[her tone is rough with anger, and this time she does pull away because she doesn't want you to deal with that up close]

But it doesn't matter now.

[the_ex_in_excessive]

[pulling one of her knees up so she can wrap her arms around that instead]

I'm sorry.

[the_ex_in_xp]

I'm not stupid, I wasn't being lazy--I tried...

[then stopping once she looks over at you curled up, realizing that anger was for basically everyone else but you]

...I'm sorry too. If you knew, you would've tried to help me, and I didn't want to drag you down with another lost cause.

[the_ex_in_excessive]

I know you're not stupid. And you wouldn't have been dragging me down.

[uncurling a bit, though]

But, I mean, I don't know. It could just be that college wasn't your thing...

[the_ex_in_xp]

[staring at you, a sad expression on her face]

There was one part about college that was my thing...

[the_ex_in_excessive]

[staring really intently at the floor, not looking angry or miserable really but maybe being a little evasive]

The ability to find a party going on pretty much any night, or...?

[the_ex_in_xp]

[that's cool, evasive is her Thing]

Nah, I had that ability even back home in the middle of nowhere. Besides, the quality of frat parties meant I didn't really want a repeat.

[the_ex_in_excessive]

Oh. Well, if it's not that...

[the_ex_in_xp]

[tilts her head, a faint smile at the corner of her lips]

C'mon, you really want me to spell it out?

[the_ex_in_excessive]

[she's smiling a little too in spite of herself]

Well, okay, I guess I'm being a little silly...

[the_ex_in_xp]

[cautiously reaching out, like she doesn't want to be mistaken for being aggressive, and running her knuckles across your cheek affectionately like she used to as part of a "see? I have not pummeled my hands into ground chuck, be proud of me" after numerous fights]

No, I should've told you. Maybe not about the problems, but about the good stuff. You made college worthwhile.

[the_ex_in_excessive]

[and as always when you did that, her cheek has a certain warmth to it because of your touch, affirming that yes, she is proud]

So did you, Ramona.

[the_ex_in_xp]

I might've made it "interesting." But the degree's the thing justifying thousands of dollars worth of debt.

[the_ex_in_excessive]

The degree's a line on a resume. I mean, the training and art theory was important, but I don't really think about a lot of that when I think about college.

[the_ex_in_xp]

It's what got you your job and all your other fun adult things. Meanwhile, I gave you tons of bad date stories you can share in your social gatherings.

[the_ex_in_excessive]

And, you know, other, more important things. But yeah.

[the_ex_in_xp]

[eyes flickering briefly to your tattoo before covering it up with the excuse of running her hands through your hair and over your shoulder]

I thought stuff like a very visual demonstration on fire safety was pretty important.