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[color=8882be]Eric Williams[/color][/h1][/center]

[color=69DCAC]”Ah uh..."[/color] Lorcan muttered, eyeing the pastries longingly. [color=69DCAC]”I had best not. I keep to a pretty strict diet these days. "[/color] He says, trying not to make eye contact with the lush surgery temptresses in Erics bag. While he wasn’t strictly required to keep to the eating regiment his trainers had put him through, Lorcan would admit that he’d pretty much gotten entirely to used to it. 

[color=69DCAC]”Too many empty carbs for me to justify it sadly. I’ll grab something at breakfast.”[/color] He said, finally steeling his will against the cinnamon bun’s siren song. [color=69DCAC]”Anyway..."[/color] Lorcan said, the pleased tone returning to his voice. [color=69DCAC]”Most of my friends just call me Lor."[/color] He chirped, omitting the fact that he didn’t LIKE most of those ‘friends’. [color=69DCAC]”It's a pleasure to meet you Eric. I look forward to getting to know each other a little more."[/color]  He said politely, extending a hand out to shake. 

[i][color=8882be]You. evasive. little. shit. Well, “Lor” it is then.[/color][/i] Eric irately thinks to himself before accepting "Lor's" handshake with a smile. [color=8882be]"Likewise."[/color] He replies. [i][color=ed1c24]Query: Which one of you is lying more?[/color][/i] The raven asks, it's sarcasm as dry as ever. [i][color=8882be]Shut up.[/color][/i] Eric thinks back.

[color=8882be]"Your loss. While they might look like just sugar bombs, the kitchen staff here does amazing work. Mixed whole grains, fresh fruits & berries, natural sugars, the works."[/color] Eric says with chuckle, grabbing a blueberry scone as he packs the pastries back up. [color=8882be]"Well, I'll admit you caught me at the perfect time, I was just about finished with my Tai-Chi routine. Want to join me for breakfast?"[/color] Eric asks over his shoulder as he throws his jacket on.

[color=69DCAC]”Gladly. After a twelve mile run I could do with something light.”[/color] Lorcan said brightly, putting his shirt and coat back on slowly. Twelve miles seemed like a low number right? [color=69DCAC]”...also, Tai-chi? That’s an eastern soft martial art correct?”[/color] Lorcan asked, adjusting the collar until the jacket sat perfectly. [color=69DCAC]”I’m surprised. Most people wouldn’t bother. Not when boxing is so much more prevalent in this region.”[/color] He added, deciding to pick the boys brain a bit. 

[color=8882be]"Yes, well my teachers have quite a diverse range of skills, so I've picked up a rather... [i]eclectic [/i]mix myself. As nice of a form as it is, Tai-Chi isn't the most practical in an actual fight, but as a form of meditation it's great for mental discipline. So, a good morning exercise."[/color] Eric replies, collecting his things as they head for the cafeteria.

[color=69DCAC]”Aaah...never put much stock into meditation myself. But different strokes as they says…”[/color] Lorcan said, walking in and heading straight for the food line. Brushing past several students as if they didn’t exist and cutting a clear path for the two of them with presence and indifference alone. [color=69DCAC]”I will say that it keeps you well fit..”[/color] He comments idly as he picks up a fruit salad, scrutinizing its contents for a moment before putting it back. Apparently not meeting his standards. 

[color=69DCAC]”I imagine you’re considered quite the item among the student body.”[/color] He adds, picking up a bowl of yogurt. [color=69DCAC]”...unless you’ve got someone in mind already?”[/color] He asked, red eyes flicking over Eric playfully as he resisted the urge to grind his teeth together.

Trailing behind Lorcan, Eric's eyes narrow as the young nobleman cuts a path through the crowd. [color=8882be][i]You might be trying to hide who you are Lorcan Brigh, but your actions are a dead giveaway.[/i][/color] Though at his comments, Eric blinks, one eyebrow arching slightly. [i][color=8882be]...And that's definitely flirting. Though I can't tell if he's being serious or not...[/color] [color=ed1c24]Suggestion: pursuing a romant~[/color] [color=8882be]Shut up.[/color][/i] Sighing, Eric shakes his head. [color=8882be]"Can't say that I do. Between studying and maintaining my physical skills I've been busy enough as is, never mind any sort of romance."[/color]

Lorcan hummed appreciatively, seeming content with the answer and the tension in his jaw easing a little. [color=69DCAC]”Hmm...well, I’m certainly pleased to hear that.”[/color] Lorcan said, grabbing a grapefruit. [color=69DCAC][i]”Good, so nothing funny is currently going on..”[/i][/color] Lorcan thinks, waiting as Eric chose his breakfast. [color=69DCAC][i]”...but just in case..”[/i][/color]

[color=69DCAC]”You know, you might want to consider trying a little dating here and there though.”[/color] Lorcan offered as he took a nearby seat, a few girls turning their heads towards both him and Eric. [color=69DCAC]”And work and no play n such. I hear most that Phantasma students tend to be a little more...adventurous. If you’ll pardon me buying into hear say and all.”[/color] Lorcan said, hoping to perhaps lure Eric away from any Dracona-dating aspirations he might not have acted on yet.

[color=8882be]"Ehh..."[/color] Eric offers noncommittally as he takes a bit of the scrambled eggs he picked up for breakfast. [color=8882be]"I'll probably pass on in-house dating. If you ask me, us spirit summoners tend to lean a little [i]too[/i] hard into our idiosyncrasies, myself included. I'd take someone more grounded any day."[/color] He says with a wry laugh. [color=8882be]"Alright, your turn. So you favor us house Phantasma members, but do you have a special someone waiting for you back home?"[/color] Eric teases.

Something deeply sour flashes in Lorcan’s eyes for a moment, a brief tiny flash of anger that could easily be missed if one wasn’t looking for it.  [color=69DCAC]”Nope!”[/color] He says, the mask returning just as fast as it had vanished, though his spoon jabbed into his yogurt a little TOO hard. [color=69DCAC]”Parents tried setting me up a few dates...But I’m not the romantic sort. Don't want to waste a woman's time after all.”[/color]

[color=69DCAC][i]”Mostly because I didn’t want to give Dad the excuse to marry me off to the first big family that makes an offer…”[/i][/color] he thinks to himself, glad that he was safe from THAT particular hardship for a good while. And on a brighter note, Eric seemed in the market for someone grounded. Which...pretty much meant Isobel was decidedly NOT on that list. [color=69DCAC]”But moreover, me and those girls tended to run in similar circles. So I guess I agree with you on too much of the same thing being dull.”[/color]

[i][color=ed1c24]It appears that you have hit a sore spot.[/color][/i] The raven notes. [i][color=8882be]So it would seem. Time to push another angle.[/color][/i] Eric mentally replies as he arches one eyebrow in response to Lorcan's statement. [color=8882be]"Setting you up on dates? Like for an arranged marriage? You nobility or something?"[/color] he asks, adding just a touch of skepticism to his tone. [color=8882be][i]There we go. Let's see you avoid this one, Brigh.[/i][/color]

Lorcan fixes Eric with a quizzical look. Well, it made sense the boy would start asking questions like that. Lorcan’s military garb was not exactly common amongst the plebians. [color=69DCAC]” ‘S rather big assumption that one or two dates would result in an immediate marriage.”[/color] He says blithely, grinning at Eric. [color=69DCAC]”Should I be concerned what I am implying by eating with you?”[/color] He asked in a teasing tone. Around the two of them, a few of the students began to lean slightly in their direction. 

[color=69DCAC][i]”Bloody gossips the lot of you…”[/i][/color] Lorcan thought, dismissing the masses once again. [color=69DCAC]”But to answer your question, yes. Though my family hardly has much of a history to speak of. Mostly trade organizers who got a little bit of power. You’ve probably got a noble or two of such origins in your own house. Dracona hardly has a monopoly on such castes...”[/color] He answers with an easy sincerity. Wasn’t exactly like he was lying about the Brigh family origins anyway.

At Lorcan's teasing, Eric lets out a snort of laughter. [color=8882be]"Not that I know of. I haven't paid much attention to what the rumor mill has spewed out about me."[/color] He says, taking another bite of breakfast. [color=8882be][i]Again with the flirting. Best not to read anything from that yet. And no comment you.[/i][/color] The raven thankfully staying silent this time.

[color=8882be]"As for family..."[/color] Eric trails off, his expression growing almost painfully impassive as he stares off into the distance for a moment before bringing his attention back to Lorcan. [color=8882be]"Well I can't say that I do. My parents were total commoners."[/color] He says, lying through his teeth with practiced ease. [color=8882be]"I was orphaned relatively young and was lucky enough to get taken in by a retired knight, Sir Branwan. Without him, I... Well, I doubt I'd be here."[/color] Eric says softly, his voice barely audible over the background din of the cafeteria. After a couple moments of silence, he shakes his head to clear it and looks up with a wry smile. [color=8882be]"Sorry 'bout that. Guess we all have our demons."[/color]

[color=69DCAC]”I wasn’t aware Branwan had a ward.”[/color] Lorcan says, arching an eyebrow. All in all, he’d not call it an overt lie. Branwan was anti-social at best. Lorcan could only recall a handful of times he saw the knight at High Society functions, and never once had they exchanged words. So, it was possible the man had a child he’d not known about. 

Still, it was worth noting. Branwan wasn’t knighted for nothing and if he bothered to take Eric in, then chances were good he bothered to actually teach him how to fight. [color=69DCAC][i]”We’ll start at 35% then.”[/i][/color] he thinks, correcting his earlier assessment. [color=69DCAC]”And no need to apologize...Also I think you’re the only one likely to have a demon between the two of us.”[/color] He said, only barely finding the boys commoner origins noteworthy.

Eric lets out a short laugh at Lorcan's sly joke. [color=8882be]"I like your sense of humor. Nothing like a bit of dry wit."[/color] He says, turning his attention towards breakfast, content to finish the meal in silence.