evantuality: book (book)
[personal profile] evantuality posting in [community profile] forest_fire
His time with the Audentes had changed the course of Evan's life. He imagined he was amongst a remarkable majority of ex-recruits in that regard, and in retrospect it was unsurprising, but at first returning home had been a shocking readjustment. He had withdrawn from the semester that he had been halfway through, not because he could not recall the information his classes had been imparting -- that was a state that could be fixed, after all -- but because the very structure of school had thrown him. He had left campus, he had gone home and told his parents what had happened: they had been furious and fascinated and shocked and relieved in turn, and Evan could sympathize. In the end he'd spend six months at home.

It had been a boon. Dropping out had meant reapplying, and reapplying had made Evan shrug and send applications to other universities, pie-in-the-sky places he hadn't considered before. It'd been his time with ALASTAIR that he ultimately credited, therefore, his acceptance to one of the schools tied for the top of the pile in comp sci undergraduate programs.

From there on out, it'd been much harder to miss his time away from home, as the program was ferociously exacting, even for his standards. Ultimately the Audentes never faded from his mind entirely, but they settled squarely into past, not present, and his pangs for his friends there faded as he slowly accepted the unlikelihood of ever seeing any of them again.

By the beginning of his second year at the new university, he had settled back into the realities of life on Earth entirely. Student housing, cafeterias, lectures, labs and all extra hours spent studying were routines that became easy once more (although perhaps he got a little more involved in extracurriculars than he otherwise would have). The big brick student residence halls, with the towers on the corners, had been built a hundred years ago and renovated in the eighties. It had been cutting-edge then, with whiteboards and two fireplaces in each common area, and brown carpet all in the hallways. The radiators worked but they made noise in the winter, the beds were narrow, the desks in the bedrooms tall and solid and terribly dated. It became home to Evan with ease, even having to put up with a roommate again. Campus was expansive and riddled with enough to keep him occupied all hours of the day, even the rare few he didn't spend on schoolwork.

Life carried on.

Date: 2016-10-24 10:52 am (UTC)
strikingtwice: (looking back)
From: [personal profile] strikingtwice
Meallan blinks, a touch surprised at how rational and collected Evan is being, and nods slowly. He can see the definite wisdom in Evan's words, but it strikes him that the other man may have matured in his two years different in ways that Meallan mightn't be fully aware of.

He finds he's both curious to find out more and uncertain if he'll get the chance or if he'll have to leave before he can.

But Evan is right, it's not something to dwell on now, and he sighs and nods acceptance. "All right, so what exactly should I tell people then? Especially if your parents aren't going to be able to come up with something to help hide me immediately. People are going to wonder about the ears sooner or later."

Date: 2016-10-30 12:20 am (UTC)
strikingtwice: (why does everyone think I can save us)
From: [personal profile] strikingtwice
"Anti... You mean there are people who don't use things like the jewellery-like systems you have here? Because of what they believe in?" That strikes him as particularly odd, but then again, some of the Chantry's choices, particularly in the conflict created by the destruction of the Conclave, had been frustrating and strange as well.

"I suppose at least if I talk about life with my clan, it probably would fit that..." And he can see why Evan would pick that and what he's trying to help with, but at the same time... it's going to be a lot like the questions he got about being Dalish in the past. People wanting to ask questions like it was some novelty or display for entertainment, not his life. It's not Evan's fault, and he's glad as well that if he chooses not to speak about it to avoid that reaction, there might be an explanation for it.

"It works well," he agrees. "And it's not entirely unfamiliar territory as well. Although it doesn't explain that I don't look human by any means. Do people from these backgrounds usually dress that differently?"

Date: 2016-11-05 12:11 pm (UTC)
strikingtwice: (can you all stop talking about the Maker)
From: [personal profile] strikingtwice
"LARPing?" Meallan tries the word out, his brow creased with thought at the suggestion Evan offers. Not all of it makes sense to him, but the bits that do seem like they would work well enough and Evan must know enough of his own world to come up with something that makes sense for others here. It's better than anything he can think of as well, so Meallan nods.

"I was going to try LARPing for the first time and my flight lost my baggage," he repeats, fixing the story in his mind. "That's why I need your help and a place to stay."

Speaking of... Meallan gives the other bed a look and then turns to fix another questioning look (it feels like that's all he's done since arriving, so much of everything seeming strange and confusing) on the younger man again. "Where am I going to stay? Between you and your roommate, there doesn't seem to be much room here."

Before Evan can answer, Meallan frowns in thought again and rises from the bed in a strangely graceful movement to move to the window, looking out into the grounds below. "I suppose I could camp outside. I wouldn't need much and there's plenty of space. Although I'm not certain how your school feels about that."

Profile

Nerds making out

December 2016

S M T W T F S
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031

Page Summary

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jun. 12th, 2025 11:04 am
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios