[COLOR=GRAY][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/F3VcqZq.png[/img][/center][hr][sup][h1][right][img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c8/d7/bc/c8d7bcfddcbbc3ef443c7f2b01c935bc.gif[/img] [/right][b][color=black] G I L  E M O R Y  G A L A H A D[/color]
[color=lightgray]G I L  E M O R Y  G A L A H A D[/color]
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[indent][sub][COLOR=SILVER][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]The Beach[/I] - [I]Pacific Royal Campus[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=SILVER][b]Welcome Home #1.004:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Post Title[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][sub][color=SILVER][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] [I][@Lord Wraith], Lorcán // [/I][/sub]
[table][row][/row][row][cell]Gil sat on the beach, perched atop the crest of where the coastline swelled up as the tide met the island; the ocean lapped at the sand a handful of feet below him, and he wriggled his feet deeper into the shore, enjoying the warmth of the sand covering his toes, and the heat of the sun on his back through the unbuttoned white-linen shirt he wore to ward off sunburn. He watched students eat, drink, run up and down the coast, swim, shriek from the cold; many smiled or waved, some blushed - he gave them all the same friendly smile, a short wave back, a quick peace-sign thrown up when he noticed someone holding their phone up for a photo. His team, and his other academic peers entering their final year, were well-used to his presence, and the mystique and allure of his silver-screen history had worn off for them. Not so for the flock of new students that came with the start of the new semester - Gil's enrollment at P.R.C.U. was a well-promoted piece of trivia, both by W.H.A.T. and the university itself, and Gil was sure that the ferry over contained more than a few low whispers of the campus' own resident Hyperhuman movie star.

This all suited Gil; he liked the attention, he liked the occasional 'special consideration' afforded to him by the academy, he liked most girls coming pre-wooed, he liked that he had go-to small talk that was simple for him and exciting for his conversational partner. He liked that it helped distract him from the text messages from Elle he'd had that morning. The phone was clutched in his hand and while it was locked, face ID would quickly re-open it to the same message exchange that hadn't left the screen since it had ended.

He'd had the usual from his parents and Arthur; good news from Arthur even, the feeling of which was quickly forgotten in the face of knowing he'd fucked up with Elle yet again. He knew when he sent it that mentioning LA was stupid, but so was mentioning Ann Arbour. The bit about filming wasn't even supposed to be trite or deflecting, but Elle's response was clear. Gil might be dumb, but he wasn't stupid. Elle had no love for Hollywood, had taken considerable steps to remove herself from the city and the lifestyle, and Gil's suggestion was 'maybe I'll fly us out for a weekend together in the city you hate that's the very symbol of why we split in the first place'? Gil wasn't stupid, but he [i]was[/i] dumb. [/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c][b]▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅[/b][/color][img]https://i.imgur.com/VDiDGu0.png[/img][color=2c2c2c][b]▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅[/b][/color][/cell][/row][/table]He sighed, and shoved the phone into the pocket of his trunks. He scanned the coastline again, looking for a new distraction, and spotted Lorcán on his board paddling in to shore. Gil smiled and called out, waving his hand to grab his attention.
[color=FCE205]"For someone who has been on a board since he could walk, you wouldn't know it!”[/color]

[color=FE650D]"The waves are gnarly my dude, guess the water just isn't my element today."[/color] Lorcán smirked as he spotted Gil and trekked across the sand toward him, board under one arm and seawater rising off him as steam. You'd be forgiven for thinking the sun was working some overtime if you didn't know Lorcán, or indeed the common reason [i]anyone[/i] here was on this particular beach, rather than some other stretch of west-coast shoreline. Lorcán stuck his board upright in the sand with a forceful stab, and sat down next to Gil to join in with his people-watching.
[color=FE650D]“Are you looking forward to putting together the Homecoming Trial for this year’s freshmen? It’s tradition for the graduating class to work together creating a new obstacle course. With any luck, maybe the Chancellor will let us run the course before the new class.”[/color]

Gil chuckled softly and maintained a friendly smile as he replied.
[color=FCE205]“I find I’m more equipped for [i]emotional[/i] labour compared to physical, but you know what they say - many hands make light work. You hear a lot of good sayings in the industry, but [i]that[/i] one particularly seems to follow me…”[/color]
Gil looked up, trailing off and shielding his eyes from the sun as a young girl approached nervously from behind Lorcán; Lorcán followed his gaze before noticing her and welcomed the girl before beginning introductions.

[color=FE650D]“Gil, this is my ‘baby’ cousin, Ripley Jones,”[/color] Lorcán said with a smile, embracing the petite brunette with a side hug. [color=FE650D]“She’s starting her first collegiate year this fall.”[/color]
[color=FFFFFF]“Hi,”[/color] Ripley replied shyly, before brushing her bangs away from her face, before turning to whisper to Lorcán, [sub][color=FFFFFF]“You didn’t tell me you knew Gil [i]freakin’[/i] Galahad!”[/color][/sub]
A confused look came over Lorcán’s face for a second before bursting into a wide smile.
[color=FE650D]“Oh yeah, he’s-”[/color] Lorcán paused, turning back towards Gil, [color=FE650D]“-you’re a movie star or something, right?”[/color] Lorcán chuckled softly. [color=FE650D]“Y’know, she actually lives in Crestwood Hollow.”[/color]

Gil beamed, standing and brushing off the sand to offer a hand to shake. [color=FCE205]“Always nice to meet a fan. You know we actually shot on-location for a few episodes. It’s a beautiful town. Would you like a selfie?”[/color]
[color=FE650D]“Of course she wou-”[/color] A sharp elbow to the ribs stopped the words mid-breath as Lorcán was forced to sharply exhale.
[sub][color=FFFFFF]“Shut up, shut up, shut up!”[/color][/sub] Ripley began to whisper frantically, [sub][color=FFFFFF]“This is [i]so[/i] not the way I wanted to meet Gil Galahad!”[/color][/sub] She pleaded, tugging at Lorcán’s hand. [sub][color=FFFFFF]“I am so going to get you back for this the [i]minute[/i] I find out which one of these girls is-”[/color][/sub]
[color=FE650D]“I think we were leaving after all,”[/color] Lorcán said with a smile while tucking his surfboard under his arm. [color=FE650D]“If I don’t see you before the kick-off ceremony, enjoy the rest of the holiday.”[/color]

Gil pointed a finger and grinned. [color=FCE205]"Hey - you too, bud. Big day tomorrow!"[/color]
He watched the pair trek off down the beach, chatting to each other as they went, and the grin faded from Gil's face as they went; the jovial expression was gone completely before Lorcán and Ripley had put 10 yards behind them. He put a hand to his pocket, feeling the weight and shape of his phone through the polyester. Come on, Gilbert. Get a grip. It's your last year, and then an easy ride to your very own Walk of Fame star. Imagine what [i]that[/i] Hollywood Reporter cover shoot will do for your image. 

He scanned the beach again, and nearly wished he hadn't when he spotted the second teammate of the day; Banjo himself, parading out of the water with half the dignity Lorcán had shown but twice the self-aggrandizing confidence. Gil watched him wring out his shorts and strip his shoes and socks and then looked away as Banjo looked up and around, pointedly searching for someone else to engage with. Or at least to provide a buffer. Gil wasn't sure he had the patience at this present moment to present his usual amiable facade against Banjo's particular brand of attention.

Instead, Gil flinched as the creaking static of a megaphone erupted from behind him before Harper's voice boomed through, sounding for all intents and purposes like a drill sergeant shouting orders; yet despite the harsh tone, Gil felt a small flutter ripple through him regardless. The barked command was Harper through-and-through: disciplined, observant, in favour of the greater good, and unwilling to suffer fools. 

Well, hopefully not that last one. 

Gil got up, putting text messages out of his head, hoping Banjo didn't notice him amidst the crowded beach, and turned to find the source of the yell. He spotted Aurora's hair before he saw Harper, but Aurora was approaching Harper anyway - and if Aurora was around, Gil could be sure Lorcán would be gravitating closer, if not already bee-lining for the pair of girls. A little two-man tête-à-tête was potentially in order, and the perfect thing to rouse Gil from his funk and bring back the sunny disposition that had been so-far absent from an otherwise gorgeous day.

A light jog through the sand warmed up his legs and helped the sunlight catch his toned torso just-so through the open shirt; he gave a friendly wave as he approached, standing with a smile at a safe distance and making a point not to pay too much attention to what either girl was choosing to reveal, whether that be by Aurora's bikini, or Harper's sundress. Of course, that wasn't to hide that he was interested - just to show that he was interested in a more noble, chivalrous kind of way. That was the idea, at least. He couldn't afford to be being seen as lecherous.  

[color=FCE205]"Hello, ladies! Lovely to see you today. Enjoying the weather? Excited for our final semester?"[/color]
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