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Eli outright jumped as the hungry boy he’d spoken to suddenly choked, blinking awkwardly as the boy coughed and sputtered into his proffered napkin. Oh good grief, and he was trying to be discreet! Eli had an apology on his lips as the boy recovered, but there was no time to offer it; as soon as the boy got some air back into him, he took off on a tangent that sounded less like conversation and more like… well, it wouldn’t be polite to say at a party. Had trouble slowing down on eating, did he? Eli might add talking to that list. 

Still, Eli couldn’t say he was annoyed. In fact, the poor kid’s obvious discomfort was a little endearing. He was clearly out of his element, maybe feeling a little inadequate, and he was even starting to blush - Eli hadn’t seen anyone act like that since his last Debutante ball, when that poor little boy sprung a nosebleed trying to strike up a conversation with his younger cousin. Eli was so used to silver spoons on silver tongues that all this stumbling and bumbling was a breath of fresh air - even if the question it ended with might have been a little less than polite. 

And speaking of less-than-polite, again Eli’s reply was cut off - but this time by a newcomer, a tall, grumpy-looking blond who made his entrance by snatching something from the hungry kid’s plate. Eli quirked a disapproving brow; wasn’t he one to talk. 

[color=FFD187]“Not to worry - it’s a birthmark,”[/color] Eli replied, pointedly answering the hungry boy’s question first before cooly considering the new guy. The blond’s proposition was tempting; absent the excitement of making the hungry kid choke, this ceremony was painfully boring. It hurt a little to admit - the mystique surrounding Glynwood made it feel like blasphemy not to drink in every moment like it was his last - but with the speeches done, it was like any other stand-up reception: shallow and tiresome. Of course, leaving early probably wouldn’t look good, especially if there was some second phase of the opening ceremony he didn’t know about, or if they missed any important announcements from their Cohort instructor, and it was probably prudent to do a little more socializing…

[color=FFD187][i]But didn’t you come here for a [b]change?[/b][/i][/color]

Eli sighed, dropping his shoulders in surrendered amusement. He was right, he came to Glynwood hoping for a change of pace from the bureaucracy he was used to, and here he was clinging to it like a child to a blanket. Maybe Blondie had a point - in a weird, rude, roundabout way. 

[color=FFD187]“Sure, sounds fun,”[/color] he replied simply, finishing off the last bite of his dessert before depositing the spoon neatly in the empty glass. He held the glass out and dropped it, as if he was placing it on a tray that wasn’t there; instead, it caught itself after a short fall and glided gracefully to a nearby table. 

Eli adjusted his uniform, looking over to the hungry kid. [color=FFD187]“You coming?”[/color]
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