crossedtheline

[crossedtheline]

Studying the mechanism holding the door closed, Jinx didn’t necessarily understand how it all worked. Engineering wasn’t his strong suit, and years spent in a castle hadn’t meant a thing. If they could pry the door open and freeze it like that then they’d have a way out, right?

“If we start lighting fires, it’d surely call the attention of the guards and there’s no certainty that the gate will burn before we do,” he paused, “There’s not much time, so it’s either open this gate or search for another exit. If we can’t find a way out we’re joining the Ghost Realm, so I say let’s figure out how to open the door we have.”

They couldn’t fail at this, there was no room for errors. If they decided to run around searching for another way out they might never find one, but by then it’d be too late, wouldn’t it? Looking at the gate again, he wished he could just blast right through the damn thing. Or maybe, they didn’t need to.

“Hey, what if we found something really heavy, and just charged through, like, like a battering ram?” He offered, recalling when he was locked in the closet with Malleus. A flick of his tail, and the door fell down. Of course, Malleus was overpowered and the door was weak, but it was the same principle right? If they couldn’t rely on their magic, they could rely on their strength.

Team one: Operation CastleGate

It felt like hours of stumbling along gripping his shoulder in pain while getting more and more annoyed. Maybe it was the lack of colour, Maybe it was how utterly generic fantasy this castle was or the fact the group found themselves at a castle door tasked to open an escape route for the other teams that had him getting angrier by each slow minute.

For now there were no guards here but none of them could be certain for how long. Chewing his lip in irritation he looked round to see if there was an obvious switch or something.

"We could just burn it down? Who cares about their shitty gate?" He scoffed, offering no helpful advice. 

[crossedtheline]

Jinx almost laughed, but then again, Rove was his friend and that would be super mean. He really shouldn’t. Instead he reaches out a hand to help him up, red in the face trying not to so much as giggle.

“Watch your step, bud,” he smirked when he pulled Rove to his feet, and ended up laughing a bit anyways. The sight of his injured shoulder, however, was nothing to laugh about, “Oh, shit man, uh, you need to heal up? You’re looking rough.”

Looking around, he kind of thought this place looked like the capital back in Sol. His expression soured as he turned back to the task at hand of getting Rove’s shoulder healed. Yeah, he shouldn’t be laughing in a place like this. A familiar sense of impending doom settled in his stomach, and he felt his muscles tense, ready for the next fight already.

Nru:Strikers team one the next phase

Continued from here @crossedtheline @silverknightpiece @thecoachman _____ The world blurred as the group was pulled from the cemetery. A mixture of monochrome and lights till it melted into a grey generic fantasy land and Rove spent a moment to wonder if he was in one of Idia's vr worlds.

Grasping his shoulder that was still bleeding he stared round in confusion he hadn't heard the tink tink of the can falling from Luciano's hand onto the floor till her stepped on it and instinctively felt his body fly forward as it rolled under his foot and he slammed into the grey dirt below with a hearty thump.

"....ow..." He wheezed in pain looking up to see one Ghostly maiden giving him some bombastic side eye and scoffing. Groaning as pain shot through his shoulder he tried to sit up dirt on his face. “I hate this….”

[crossedtheline]

Trying to pin down who Ember was as a person and why exactly Jinx liked him was way too complicated of an answer than Clem probably wanted to hear. He shouldn’t be sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong anyway, but that’s besides the point. It’s hard to sum up someone in just a couple of sentences, and it’s even harder to talk about your feelings with someone who was teasing your for them just a moment ago.

“He’s not strong, and he’s not silent. He never shuts his mouth when he should, actually. Book smart, but kind of a moron everywhere else,” he leans back in his chair, “He’s a homeschooled weirdo who collects dead things in his bedroom. We hardly ever got along our first year, but now, I suppose we’re friends.”

That sounds mean and he knows it, but it was the truth. The truth can be offputting to some people, especially people like Clementine. At least it emphasized that Clem was not his type. Not that he had a type, given his track history. He’d dated all sorts.

“He gave me a dead rat for my birthday last year, and that’s when I decided I liked him,” he explained, even though that detail wasn’t true. He didn’t know he had a crush on Ember, and then fought against it for a long time, “He’ll tell you your future, for a price.”

May as well slip a promo in there, not like Ember needed it. Clem was easy money though, and he had half a mind to tell Ember to charge him extra.

He didn’t mean anything by it, just saved time to call him Clem. Less syllables, easier to say. Not that he felt any obligation to explain himself, but he didn’t want Callaway getting the wrong idea. They weren’t warming up to each other just yet, maybe not at all. Even if Jinx was letting him touch his hair.

“Nah. I usually give people nicknames, just easier to remember them in my head that way,” he explained. It was easier to sort when he named people himself. Save for Rove whose name was too short to make something out of, there was hardly anyone he met who hadn’t earned a nickname (or insult), “And… yeah, duh. But I’d let you down easy, since I’m nice like that.”

Actually he’d probably laugh in Clementine’s face, because there’s no universe where that isn’t a joke. Guys like them were too different, and he had his eye on someone else after all. He didn’t spare Ember another glance though, he was teased enough for his obvious crush on his boyfriend.

It took him a second to notice Clem had gone dead in the eyes, like he was mulling something over. That look sent a chill up his spine. He gently grabbed the other student’s hand and unwound his hair from his grip.

“… Chill out man.”

[crossedtheline]

He didn’t mean anything by it, just saved time to call him Clem. Less syllables, easier to say. Not that he felt any obligation to explain himself, but he didn’t want Callaway getting the wrong idea. They weren’t warming up to each other just yet, maybe not at all. Even if Jinx was letting him touch his hair.

“Nah. I usually give people nicknames, just easier to remember them in my head that way,” he explained. It was easier to sort when he named people himself. Save for Rove whose name was too short to make something out of, there was hardly anyone he met who hadn’t earned a nickname (or insult), “And… yeah, duh. But I’d let you down easy, since I’m nice like that.”

Actually he’d probably laugh in Clementine’s face, because there’s no universe where that isn’t a joke. Guys like them were too different, and he had his eye on someone else after all. He didn’t spare Ember another glance though, he was teased enough for his obvious crush on his boyfriend.

It took him a second to notice Clem had gone dead in the eyes, like he was mulling something over. That look sent a chill up his spine. He gently grabbed the other student’s hand and unwound his hair from his grip.

“… Chill out man.”

So he was just a trust fund baby after all, and that was all there was to him? Well, that’s just not interesting at all. Rich and conceited, just like the other hundreds of nobodies at their school. Jinx really was unlucky to get stuck with him.

“Careful, Clem. Someone might think you have a crush on me. Wouldn’t that be funny?” He smirked and picked up his pen, just to roll between his fingers. The repetitive motion was soothing for him, “There’s a lot of people that underestimated me once, and I intend to make them eat their words. That’s why I’m here.”

It was that steadfast determination that made someone like Clementine super annoying to be around. People who had nothing to prove and nothing but time and resources to just dawdle, never deciding, never moving forward, while Jinx fought for every scrap of respect he got. Clementine doesn’t want to do a school project, so of course there’s no consequences if he doesn’t do and makes Jinx foot the bill.

He could get pissed off again. He probably would be mad later when he remembered and decided to finish the project alone because he really didn’t want to lose any points if he could help it. However, he simply didn’t feel like getting mad at the moment, not until Clem reared his ugly side again and then this poor sap would be in for a world of hurt.

“There’s not that much about me that’s interesting. I play spelldrive, I’m in pop music club, I’m good at potions but terrible at history. I’m not struggling to make ends meet, but I’m not rich like you are either. I’m just an average guy.”

[crossedtheline]

Ah, an aspiring cop. As far as career goals go, it wasn’t the worst but it definitely wasn’t great. You kind of have to love rules to want to enforce them, right? Hopefully he wasn’t a total stick in the mud.

“You new to campus or something? I think everyone can hear Sebek coming a mile away,” Jinx shook his head. This guy must have thought he was being smart, “Silver is also like a knight or something. He’s on my infiltration team.”

That ought to satisfy him. Didn’t make any sense for Solaris to be getting nosy anyways, they’d just met. In Jinx’s opinion, he wasn’t that interesting anyways, unless you wanted to hear him complain about history class or potionology. Most people didn’t. Fiddling with his moonstone necklace, the brief anxiety he felt had waned.

“… So, you play spelldrive? I’m not in the club, but it’s a hobby of mine.”

This guy certainly carried himself differently than other Ignihyde students did. Different posture, different cadence in his speech. He was much more confident, and it took him a moment, but Jinx saw he was using a prosthetic arm. Who was this guy and how hadn’t he heard of him in the rumor mill before?

“Right. Nice to meet you too,” he straightened out his posture, but couldn’t match his height. Didn’t even have the benefit of wearing shoes, it was almost embarrassing how short he was, “You can call me Jinx. Let’s start on our way back.”

The grass felt prickly under his feet, a most uncomfortable texture. Just perfect for a long walk home. At least his bed would feel all the more comfortable in comparison.

“So… you a cop or something? The only guys I’ve seen that mind their posture all the time have been cops or royal guards.”

That might also explain the arm, if his theory were true.

[crossedtheline]

They’d wasted enough time in this cemetery, Jinx glanced from headstone to headstone waiting for her to give away her location. Then- there, a little bit of movement, minuscule enough that he would have missed if he wasn’t looking at just the right time. He approaches and peaks behind the headstone, revealing Sally crouched behind. 

She’s a burst of energy, not wanting the game to be over so soon, but Jinx spends a few minutes talking her down enough to get information about the mage stone: A description of a dark tower, and a warning.

“Whatever’s going on there— they don’t wanna be interrupted.” 

It vaguely reminded him of that vision he got from the sus risotto at Hootenanny. If that was the case, Ember was about to be out of a job. 

Continued from here @rove-bogge @thecoachman @silverknightpiece

Rove had a point but the way he made his point made Jinx get second hand embarrassment. Still though, he wouldn’t complain about going down instead of up.

The graveyard, while a change of scenery, was an unwelcome surprise. Why would the ghost realm have a graveyard anyway? It’s not like you could die twice. Suddenly, there was giggling a few rows over and Jinx felt a chill down his spine.

“Did you guys hear that?” Of course they did, “… Are we seriously about to check on some creepy laughter in a ghost cemetery?”

[crossedtheline]

Seeing a powerhouse like Silver get knocked back put a new kind of fear in Jinx’s heart, and seeing Rove get struck filled him with rage in equal measure. Fearing for his friends, he focused his aim on Sally and cast with reckless abandon. A red fireball struck the ghost child only a moment later, and with that she evaporated into thin air.

For just a moment, Jinx is confused and looks around for the child before realizing the fight is over. He delivered the “killing” blow.

“Did you guys see that?” He asked, “… Oh, and, are you guys okay?”

Forgetting about the second part of hide and seek he tries to check on his friends, before they are once again goaded into Sally’s game. They hardly have a chance to collect themselves, and she’s already calling them back and demanding that they find her.

Continued from here @rove-bogge @thecoachman @silverknightpiece

Rove had a point but the way he made his point made Jinx get second hand embarrassment. Still though, he wouldn’t complain about going down instead of up.

The graveyard, while a change of scenery, was an unwelcome surprise. Why would the ghost realm have a graveyard anyway? It’s not like you could die twice. Suddenly, there was giggling a few rows over and Jinx felt a chill down his spine.

“Did you guys hear that?” Of course they did, “… Are we seriously about to check on some creepy laughter in a ghost cemetery?”

[crossedtheline]

So, we’re doing this. Jinx huffed and tried to watch for an opening to get the upperhand on the specter. While she was momentarily preoccupied with the others, he recalled his training and prepared an attack. The shot goes wide and cracks a headstone, just his luck.

Jinx misses!

Drawing attention to himself, the child ghost rushes him and gets a solid hit in.

Sally hits for 1 point of damage! (Jinx 4/5 hp)

In a reversal of his sparring session with Epel, the wind is knocked out of him. He makes a hasty retreat while he struggles to catch his breath. Hopefully Silver would have better luck.

Continued from here @rove-bogge @thecoachman @silverknightpiece

Rove had a point but the way he made his point made Jinx get second hand embarrassment. Still though, he wouldn’t complain about going down instead of up.

The graveyard, while a change of scenery, was an unwelcome surprise. Why would the ghost realm have a graveyard anyway? It’s not like you could die twice. Suddenly, there was giggling a few rows over and Jinx felt a chill down his spine.

“Did you guys hear that?” Of course they did, “… Are we seriously about to check on some creepy laughter in a ghost cemetery?”

[crossedtheline]

Continued from here @rove-bogge @thecoachman @silverknightpiece

Rove had a point but the way he made his point made Jinx get second hand embarrassment. Still though, he wouldn’t complain about going down instead of up.

The graveyard, while a change of scenery, was an unwelcome surprise. Why would the ghost realm have a graveyard anyway? It’s not like you could die twice. Suddenly, there was giggling a few rows over and Jinx felt a chill down his spine.

“Did you guys hear that?” Of course they did, “… Are we seriously about to check on some creepy laughter in a ghost cemetery?”

[crossedtheline]

Atticus Anluan Moodboard 🌙

[crossedtheline]

So he was just a trust fund baby after all, and that was all there was to him? Well, that’s just not interesting at all. Rich and conceited, just like the other hundreds of nobodies at their school. Jinx really was unlucky to get stuck with him.

“Careful, Clem. Someone might think you have a crush on me. Wouldn’t that be funny?” He smirked and picked up his pen, just to roll between his fingers. The repetitive motion was soothing for him, “There’s a lot of people that underestimated me once, and I intend to make them eat their words. That’s why I’m here.”

It was that steadfast determination that made someone like Clementine super annoying to be around. People who had nothing to prove and nothing but time and resources to just dawdle, never deciding, never moving forward, while Jinx fought for every scrap of respect he got. Clementine doesn’t want to do a school project, so of course there’s no consequences if he doesn’t do and makes Jinx foot the bill.

He could get pissed off again. He probably would be mad later when he remembered and decided to finish the project alone because he really didn’t want to lose any points if he could help it. However, he simply didn’t feel like getting mad at the moment, not until Clem reared his ugly side again and then this poor sap would be in for a world of hurt.

“There’s not that much about me that’s interesting. I play spelldrive, I’m in pop music club, I’m good at potions but terrible at history. I’m not struggling to make ends meet, but I’m not rich like you are either. I’m just an average guy.”

Oh, that made him laugh. Callaway was funny when he wasn’t acting like a brat. Maybe he didn’t hate him that much after all.

“My parents can’t feel any which way about me. Y’know, on account of them being dead,” he clicked his tongue, “… Don’t get weird about that though. I pinky swear I’m not gonna sell you some orphan sob story for sympathy points.”

Clem. Clementine. So he was a fruit after all.

“Ah, yeah. Good choice, Clementine Callaway. Now, am I supposed to know who you are or not?” he was genuinely asking, pop culture wasn’t his wheelhouse and he definitely didn’t listen to Cater talk long enough to pick up on any of it, “I mean, are you like a magicam influencer or something? Seriously, I’m grasping at straws here.”

He did see their initials written side by side the heart, and while that was odd, he wasn’t gonna assume anything about some guy who uses his looks to get what he wants. Being in Pomefiore came with certain perks, and one of them was being well versed in handling the diva types who needed everybody to acknowledge their beauty. Dude was still playing mind games, Jinx wasn’t biting.

[crossedtheline]

Oh, that made him laugh. Callaway was funny when he wasn’t acting like a brat. Maybe he didn’t hate him that much after all.

“My parents can’t feel any which way about me. Y’know, on account of them being dead,” he clicked his tongue, “… Don’t get weird about that though. I pinky swear I’m not gonna sell you some orphan sob story for sympathy points.”

Clem. Clementine. So he was a fruit after all.

“Ah, yeah. Good choice, Clementine Callaway. Now, am I supposed to know who you are or not?” he was genuinely asking, pop culture wasn’t his wheelhouse and he definitely didn’t listen to Cater talk long enough to pick up on any of it, “I mean, are you like a magicam influencer or something? Seriously, I’m grasping at straws here.”

He did see their initials written side by side the heart, and while that was odd, he wasn’t gonna assume anything about some guy who uses his looks to get what he wants. Being in Pomefiore came with certain perks, and one of them was being well versed in handling the diva types who needed everybody to acknowledge their beauty. Dude was still playing mind games, Jinx wasn’t biting.

That was weird. Was Calloway embarrassed about choosing his name? Looking at the sheet he realized it was Callaway instead of Calloway. Still definitely sounded like a horse though.

“Uh, y’know, I chose my name. Atticus, I mean. Jinx is a nickname though, other people gave me that,” on account of his bad luck, but he didn’t feel the need to clarify. Obviously their unfortunate circumstance was evidence enough of the origin, “C. Cause, C is in your last name.”

And his first, apparently. C.C. Repeating initials, very nice. Ten letter word that starts with C and ends in E. Still, he needed a little more to get a better idea.

L because of Callaway, but also now the board spelled and he hadn’t missed a letter yet:

CLE_E____E CALLA_A__

“… M,” he had a hunch, and M was one of the most popular letters. If it was there, he’d know the answer.

[crossedtheline]

That was weird. Was Calloway embarrassed about choosing his name? Looking at the sheet he realized it was Callaway instead of Calloway. Still definitely sounded like a horse though.

“Uh, y’know, I chose my name. Atticus, I mean. Jinx is a nickname though, other people gave me that,” on account of his bad luck, but he didn’t feel the need to clarify. Obviously their unfortunate circumstance was evidence enough of the origin, “C. Cause, C is in your last name.”

And his first, apparently. C.C. Repeating initials, very nice. Ten letter word that starts with C and ends in E. Still, he needed a little more to get a better idea.

L because of Callaway, but also now the board spelled and he hadn’t missed a letter yet:

CLE_E____E CALLA_A__

“… M,” he had a hunch, and M was one of the most popular letters. If it was there, he’d know the answer.

“But why would I want to have fun with you? Don’t we hate each other?” He was very confused now, “Okay… A?”

When there was no A in Calloway’s first name, he cringed. He’d played hangman about five times ever in his entire life, all on the same day when his brother learned the game existed, and then never again because he’d gotten bored. The game lost its charm when you were aware of the most common letters used and had any level of pattern recognition. Maybe Lucian was just predictable though.

“E,” he said next. Vowels, then most popular consonants, that’s the easiest way to win this. And would you look at that, there were three e’s in his name. Of course, he wanted more context to fill in the blanks but that was a great start, “Ten letters and has three e’s. You pick that out yourself?”

[crossedtheline]

“But why would I want to have fun with you? Don’t we hate each other?” He was very confused now, “Okay… A?”

When there was no A in Calloway’s first name, he cringed. He’d played hangman about five times ever in his entire life, all on the same day when his brother learned the game existed, and then never again because he’d gotten bored. The game lost its charm when you were aware of the most common letters used and had any level of pattern recognition. Maybe Lucian was just predictable though.

“E,” he said next. Vowels, then most popular consonants, that’s the easiest way to win this. And would you look at that, there were three e’s in his name. Of course, he wanted more context to fill in the blanks but that was a great start, “Ten letters and has three e’s. You pick that out yourself?”

“Actually I didn’t think that hard about it, but now that you mention it, Calloway kind of sounds like a horse’s name,” he paused and thought about it. There was definitely some ginger horse somewhere named Calloway. Maybe they were related, “Are you someone important? What’s so great about your name that I have to play you for it?”

Maybe he really was some politician’s son or something. Didn’t really make a difference to Jinx though. Another table up and left, their project finished. Well, that’s just great. Of course he got the weirdo who didn’t even want to share his first name.

“Uhhh… okay. You like the color orange, so, is your name… Tangelo?” He asked, totally missing the point of playing hangman. It would be so much easier if they cut to the chase instead of going letter by letter.

[crossedtheline]

“Actually I didn’t think that hard about it, but now that you mention it, Calloway kind of sounds like a horse’s name,” he paused and thought about it. There was definitely some ginger horse somewhere named Calloway. Maybe they were related, “Are you someone important? What’s so great about your name that I have to play you for it?”

Maybe he really was some politician’s son or something. Didn’t really make a difference to Jinx though. Another table up and left, their project finished. Well, that’s just great. Of course he got the weirdo who didn’t even want to share his first name.

“Uhhh… okay. You like the color orange, so, is your name… Tangelo?” He asked, totally missing the point of playing hangman. It would be so much easier if they cut to the chase instead of going letter by letter.

Oh. Calloway thought he had a crush on Ember. Well, that was, at the very least, kind of true. A half truth. The threats of “stealing” his crush were almost hilarious. He was imagining that Ember would wheel himself over and he’d become instantly so enamored with some empty headed stranger that he’d ignore his best friend? That was so outlandish that Jinx almost hoped it would happen, just for a laugh.

Not to mention, this moron has no idea who he’s trying to call over. Maybe he could get Ember to prophecize this guy’s date of death. That usually gets people freaked out pretty easily, even if Em was lying. Imagine the future Oracle goes full vision mode on his dumb ass and tells him he’s going to melt into a wrinkly old fart. That’d be hilarious.

“Oh…. No…. Don’t do that….” He gave barely any protest to his waving, “Hey, wait. Before you steal my crush or whatever, what’s your first name? You literally never told me, and I feel like I gotta know who I’m declaring my mortal enemy for life after this.”

He tried to feign concern, but honestly, it didn’t matter who Calloway was. There was a big pay off for his ignorant behavior just across the room, and Jinx was banking on it.

[crossedtheline]

Oh. Calloway thought he had a crush on Ember. Well, that was, at the very least, kind of true. A half truth. The threats of “stealing” his crush were almost hilarious. He was imagining that Ember would wheel himself over and he’d become instantly so enamored with some empty headed stranger that he’d ignore his best friend? That was so outlandish that Jinx almost hoped it would happen, just for a laugh.

Not to mention, this moron has no idea who he’s trying to call over. Maybe he could get Ember to prophecize this guy’s date of death. That usually gets people freaked out pretty easily, even if Em was lying. Imagine the future Oracle goes full vision mode on his dumb ass and tells him he’s going to melt into a wrinkly old fart. That’d be hilarious.

“Oh…. No…. Don’t do that….” He gave barely any protest to his waving, “Hey, wait. Before you steal my crush or whatever, what’s your first name? You literally never told me, and I feel like I gotta know who I’m declaring my mortal enemy for life after this.”

He tried to feign concern, but honestly, it didn’t matter who Calloway was. There was a big pay off for his ignorant behavior just across the room, and Jinx was banking on it.

Wasn’t going to get old? Now that stops him in his tracks, just for a second. Was Calloway dying, or just that arrogant? The only artifact Jinx knew of that could sustain life that way was lost years ago, and it couldn’t have ended up in the hands of someone like him. He seemed the type to dangle the sundrop on a string in front of a mob just to see the envy in their eyes.

Wait, boyfriend? Why was everybody always talking about his boyfriend? His face burned red against his will. He didn’t have marriage on the mind, what a stupid thing to even insinuate. Marriage is for vapid people who have no career options (and in rare cases, true love). Guys who’d have an easier time finding work as a statue or a lawn ornament than anything useful certainly fell under that framework.

“First of all, I don’t have a boyfriend. And second, I’ve been in a bad mood since I was born. I popped out and the doctor declared me naturally unpleasant. It’s clinical,” he snorted, “Is it such a wonder that I didn’t fall to my knees and beg you for money and attention when you batted your eyelashes at me? I have to be in a bad mood to just not like you?”

Gritting his teeth, he made an effort to not look Ember’s way anymore. He wasn’t going to get caught looking and get made fun of for it. This wasn’t about him anyways.

[crossedtheline]

Wasn’t going to get old? Now that stops him in his tracks, just for a second. Was Calloway dying, or just that arrogant? The only artifact Jinx knew of that could sustain life that way was lost years ago, and it couldn’t have ended up in the hands of someone like him. He seemed the type to dangle the sundrop on a string in front of a mob just to see the envy in their eyes.

Wait, boyfriend? Why was everybody always talking about his boyfriend? His face burned red against his will. He didn’t have marriage on the mind, what a stupid thing to even insinuate. Marriage is for vapid people who have no career options (and in rare cases, true love). Guys who’d have an easier time finding work as a statue or a lawn ornament than anything useful certainly fell under that framework.

“First of all, I don’t have a boyfriend. And second, I’ve been in a bad mood since I was born. I popped out and the doctor declared me naturally unpleasant. It’s clinical,” he snorted, “Is it such a wonder that I didn’t fall to my knees and beg you for money and attention when you batted your eyelashes at me? I have to be in a bad mood to just not like you?”

Gritting his teeth, he made an effort to not look Ember’s way anymore. He wasn’t going to get caught looking and get made fun of for it. This wasn’t about him anyways.

Oh, that does it. Crewel be damned he was going to throttle this- what the hell is he looking at now? He followed Calloway’s gaze and saw… Ember. Why would he be looking at Ember? Did he like Ember? Oh, now that’s a joke.

Reaching out a hand, he snapped right in front of his face to get his attention again. He didn’t need to be looking over there right then. Jinx was quite literally considering punching his teeth in, and where would he be without that winning smile? Probably nowhere good.

“Nah, I’m not interested in this project anymore. I have an A in this class already,” an A- technically, but that’s still an A in his book, “If you want to be a waste of space and time, why don’t you drop out and get married? What are you even doing here?”

That was only part insult, but mostly genuine curiosity. What makes someone choose to attend school, and then not do a damn thing while they’re there? It’s a shame, there were about a billion people who wanted to attend a “prestigious” academy like Night Raven and the ones who ended up receiving invitations were prissy little losers who hadn’t earned it.

“Word to the wise, you ought to sign a prenup. Cause when the divorce happens after you get old and ugly, you don’t wanna end up broke on top of that.”