Logs:Outside-Inside Jokes

Outside-Inside Jokes
Dramatis Personae Nahida, Sera, Tok
In Absentia	2024-09-13 "Oh, I'm quite contagious, yes. In laughter and in a few other things."
Location <XAV> Courtyard - Residence Hall
The Residence Hall's common house borrows just enough of the mansion's architecture to complement it, though it has its own distinctive flavor as well. Walkways and bridges connect each dormitory wing to the common house at the center, with picturesque outdoor courtyards tucked alongside each wing, providing many of the dorms with a view of the plantlife and water features. No two courtyards are exactly the same, but all have plentiful seating along their winding footpaths, benches fixed in place as well as chairs and tables that rearrange themselves along the flagstones or in the shade according to the students' whims. There's lunch in the actual lunchroom right now, of course. The weather is fine and sunny, though, and why eat in the noisy crowded lunchroom when the new residence hall has so many varied options for sequestering among more pleasant lines. This particular courtyard connects Nahida's wing with Avi's, which means while it isn't literally Physically Inaccessible to students in other wings, the kids currently scattered around its tables have already grown used to a certain level of ~~freedom from the hoi polloi~~ lunchtime quiet in the first weeks of school. Nahida has mostly been finished with her lunch for some time already, though she's taking her time over a bowl of apple crumble. She's perched sideways on a patio chair in wide-legged jeans and a drapey green shirt, her headscarf layered in green and orange. "-- anyway had to cancel the whole rest of the math class after that," she is in the middle of telling Sera with a slightly scandalized widening of her eyes, a faint flutter of excitement stirring her generally pleased relaxation. Somewhere in the middle of this dramatic retelling another girl has hurried over from across the courtyard; Nahida hasn't paused in her story, just leaned down and fetched a slender jeweled bracelet from a purse between her feet on the seat of her chair and exchanged it with the girl for several folded bills. As the other student leaves, Nahida is continuing, "-- and she hasn't shown her face around since. Of course neither would I, poor thing. Hopefully it will grow back." She's shaking her head with an exaggerated woe. Sera is sitting in the grass with the pleats of her vintage sleeveless swing dress -- red with black polka dots that only lightly suggest "ladybug" without screaming it -- arranged around her just so, complemented with a sheer black half-sleeve bolero jacket and black mary janes. Her hair is bound up neatly without any obvious means of staying up, and looks to be simply braided back into itself. Her lunch is also gone, and she's just sipping at her thermos periodically now as she listens, rapt and wide-eyed, to the story. "Oh, how dreadful!" Nahida's excitement mingles with the amusement rippling out from her in gentle waves, pleasant and only just this side of noticeable. "I'm sure she could turn it to her advantage if she had a mind to. There are yet untamed wilds on the Internet for such things." She lifts her thermos, then lowers it quickly without drinking again. "You know about Michael -- Hallstrom, the one who moves rocks -- getting stuck on top of the treehouse, no? It turns out it wasn't on a dare at all!" Tok is passing by at that moment, carrying the distinct giddiness of someone who, for the time being, has gotten away with something. The pockets of the too long cargo shorts they’re wearing seem stuffed with something, socks peeking out above bulky sneakers, and for the very observant, some dried super glue covering some of their claws, as well as some patches on their shirt. Their horns have grown over the summer, along with their hair, but their height has stayed very much the same. They’re taking a hasty bite of their apple, and their ear flicks curiously in Nahida’s and Sera’s direction at the excitement rippling by. Their face lights up, and after only a small moment of hesitation, they’re making their way closer, “Sup! Can I sit here?” The question must be rhetorical, because Tok is taking a seat in the grass regardless. Tok buzzes with an electric antsyness that fuels into excitement and subtle sparks of nervousness, one that only amplifies when they take a seat. There’s a mild sting near the end of the their tail wrapped around their waist, from fur they tugged at too hard, and an underlying tiredness that they don’t seem too unused too. They pull out a large bag of chips from their backpack, which seems to have been taking up most of the space, and wordlessly shoves it into the center to share, “Man cool spot! Lunchroom can get so crazy sometimes y’know? Way too noisy.” They say inbetween loud chomps of their apple. "Ah --" Nahida is starting, her eyes a little wider, but she hasn't actually said anything else before Tok is sitting down. There's a small polite smile fixed impeccably on her equally-impeccably made up face, polished and warm despite the flickers of resigned annoyance that flit over her emotional landscape without breaking through her composed expression. She's glancing down at the chips, shaking her head in a small side-to-side wobble. "Oh, thanks, I've done eating plenty. Is -- there glue on your hands?" Her brows pinch just a little inwards. "Do you need... I have polish remover." Sera slow-blinks at Tok's self-invitation, though her smile comes warm and easy all the same. "Mm, yes. It was much quieter here." She evinces no outwardly ruffling, but the subtle influence of her power recedes (also subtly). When Nahida points out the glue-covered claws she doesn't exactly pull away from Tok, only draws herself up a little and takes a long sip of tea. "It certainly does look like it. What have you been getting up to?" There's a kind presumption in this, as if she simply expects to be answered. It would sound outright imperious if she weren't so earnestly curious, and if her question weren't attended by a quiet wash of calm. “Is there- Oh! Sure is. Heh.” There’s an easy grin on their face when they observe their claws, “You got nail polish remover on you? Won’t say no to that.” They begin to pick at the glue with their other claws. They sweep a quick glance between the two, and there’s an immediate rise of reluctance that gets smoothed out by the calm, “Wellll. I don’t wanna spoil the surprise.” They lean in, “Unlessss you guys want in.” Their grin turns sharp, and their eyebrows raise, “Cause once you’re in you can’t tell anyone!” Nahida lowers her eyes to her seat, bending down to pluck up her purse. Inwardly there's a very much cringing shiver of disgust as Tok picks at the glue, prickling distastefully across her nerves. She pokes into her bag for a moment, coming up with a small round tub of acetone nail polish remover wipes that she hands down to Tok. "Mmm." Her lips purse thoughtfully. "Surprise for who? Is it a very involved sort of surprise? A surprise here? My weekends get quite busy already and I'm often away." Sera nods her solemn agreement to each of Nahida's points. "I'm particular about what I get in on." This doesn't feel as condescending as the words should warrant, buoyed as they are on an undercurrent of playful interest. "I wouldn't want 'in' on anything boring or tedious. And if it were boring or tedious, whyever would I bother telling anyone?" She tilts her head to one side, her smile slanting just a touch mischievous, her curiosity intensifying in Tok's direction. "You simply can't build it up only to keep us in suspense. That's rank cruelty." Tok’s ears perk up, and they take the offered wipes, “Thanks!” They begin to rub off some of the glue. “It’s gonna be a surprise for everyone. Or, mostly everyone.” Their tail has unwound from their waist now, unconsciously, and flicks back and forth like a cats’ might when lounging in the sun. They tilt their head back and forth in consideration, and are clearly egged on by the curiosity and mischief from Sera, “Hmm…You guys drive a hard bargain…I suppose I can let you both in on it.” They glance around, then lean in again, “Allegedly. A few whiteboard markers might be glued down.” They begin taking out a few various sized empty bottles of super glue from their pockets, “And mugs. And pencils. And textbooks. And chairs. And papers. You didn’t hear it from me though.” They stuff them all back into their cargo pants pockets, “Hey totally random question, you guys happen to know where I can get some super glue? Art room is completely out. Weird.” They begin to pick out a piece of apple from their teeth with a claw—then make a face when they taste the nail polish remover. "Maybe this is a cultural thing." Nahida is giving the empty super glue bottles a look of quite intent consideration, and then turns a very earnestly plaintive look to Sera. "Is this an American tradition? What is the surprise, exactly?" She traces the backs of her fingers down the long tail of her headscarf, winding it around her hand and then, casually, waggling the end of the scarf towards Tok's overstuffed pockets. "Did you still need the empty bottles or is that just for a trophy? Commemorate the..." Her teeth press very brief and light against her lower lip. "Wait, do you watch it? Do you film it? Where is this happening?" Sera lifts a hand to not-quite cover her smile. The amusement that bubbles up out of her is purely gleeful to Tok but has a distinctly baffled edge to Nahida. To the question she draws herself up even further, and answers at first in rapid elegant French which, even if incomprehensible, is dripping with performative affront. "{Oh, but surely you cannot think so little of me!}" Then she continues in English -- does she always have a French accent? It's very faint, after all -- "Why, I'm from another world altogether. We haven't got any tradition there." She shakes her head mournfully. "I am sure that you can get more of super glue at the Duane Reade. But tell us, if you please, where is this alleged?" Tok scoffs, “I couldn’t just leave them! That’s evidence! Never leave anything on the scene of the crime.” Their excitement has spiked with their voice, sitting up a bit higher off their heels. They slouch back down. “I’ll get to watch some of the teachers try to pry the markers off the ground. Or their stapler off their desk. It’ll be hilarious. You never do anythin’ just to make yourself laugh?” Much of their sparks of anxiety from earlier have turned hesitantly hopeful. They laugh at her performance, and lean in, curiosity spurring them on, “All over! Mostly classrooms so I got higher chance of seein’ it go down on Monday. Allegedly.” They add for good measure. “Wait you had no traditions?” They wince, perhaps at their own abruptness, “You got any traditions now?” "Oh yes quite often I do," Nahida agrees readily. "Usually funny things." Her eyes have gone wider again, and her hand flutters to her lips, brow creasing in a very abruptly quite troubled look that does not at all match with the sharper ripples of amusement cascading over her mind. "Tok don't be callous. Sera's whole entire dimension was only at war. What time did she have for traditions she was doing air raid drills only. Wait, do those count?" "But no, I could not risk to laugh, with a power like mine." Sera lets slip the barest wisp of fearful melancholy, shaking her head. "I don't know that they were traditions, but the air raid sirens drowned out the noise of so many broken hearts. It was my only respite." She brightens quite suddenly. "I am so glad that you will have some laughter come Monday, though. I may never laugh so freely as you do, but I have found a few traditions along the way." She considers briefly, brows knitting. "None of them involve super glue, that I'm aware of. Several of them involve tea." She takes another sip of hers. Tok shrinks down, “Just wasn’t sure if- I dunno- maybe they could’ve!” Their face screws to the side as they cringe more on the inside. The fur of their tail raises with a shiver once the wisp of fearful melancholy hits. Their eyes scan Sera briefly, and they run their claws through the fur to smooth it down. They continue with the motion even after it’s been re-flattened, “I’m glad you got stuff now though. And uh- Sorry. For the stupid question or whatever.” The apology is genuine, but there is a slight satisfaction as well, like a puzzle piece slotting into place. Their claws stop running through the fur of their tail and they distractedly tug at the fur at the end of it, “If you laugh, other people ‘round you laugh then?” They look curiously between Nahida and Sera, “Do you guys ever accidentally make each other laugh?” Nahida considers this a moment, and then shakes her head very seriously. "Oh, I would never! I actually have not studied up yet how to do the laughs in English. It's why we got put together for rooming this year, there is very little chance of a catastrophe like that, you know? But." Her eyebrows raise, significantly. "If one day Sera has gotten very careful practice in, and we think it is very safe, and she has studied up well in her Bangla, we might go far out in the woods and I have selected a deadly good joke to break this long famine." She's hopping up from her chair, plucking her purse up and slinging it onto her shoulder. "I should get ready for the train -- come help me pack for the weekend?" Her brows are lifting to Sera with this question. She offers Tok a bright smile. "Let us know how it goes with the teachers, hm?" "Oh, I'm quite contagious, yes. In laughter and in a few other things." Sera tilts her head at Tok again, bleeding quiet solace in their general direction. "This world is fairly awful, too," she concedes, "but here, some day," she turns a hand indicatively up at Nahida, "I will laugh." And now she's levering herself up and shaking out the folds of her dress. "Good luck with any further super glue quests, and don't worry." She leans in and lowers her voice conspiratorially, "I won't tell." And then she's away with Nahida, trailing bright amusement in her wake. Tok is studying Nahida, and looking confused between her and Sera, like there’s some sort of joke they’re vaguely aware might be happening but aren’t getting. They laugh, in the way one laughs when they haven’t quite heard what someone said but don’t want to ask for it to be repeated another time. “Heh- uh- I meant- because of the powers. Not because I don’t think you can make…jokes…” The unsureness spikes, and they wave a hand, “Nevermind! I wanna hear the joke when you got it.” Their unsureness feeds on the solace Sera projects, and they lean back comfortably on their palms, tail escaping from their grasp to wave easily back and forth. “Maybe we can do a whole little comedy sketch for each other out in the woods somewhere, then we’ll all be laughing.” They lean forward to grab the chip bag and begin to roll it up. Their sharp grin reignites with Sera’s conspiratorial tone, “You better not! If everything goes according to plan, I’ll have you guys laughing come Monday and you’ll see for yourselves. It can be all our own little inside joke.” They wink and wave as the two leave. A satisfied victory swirls inside them, perhaps a false victory, but it’s certainly victory to Tok nonetheless.