Speed Dating Year 2

[selfhelp]

Who: Anyone who wants/is forced to come
What: Speed Dating!
When: Today (Saturday) afternoon-ish
Where: The Rec Center
Summary: Details here, Roster here!
Rating: PG/13/T/R/god I don't know there's too many people

[Much like last year, the rec center is decorated and freshly cleaned, with a plethora set up throughout the main floor. Each set includes a small table and two chairs facing each other. Along with number plates to help direct people to their partners, there is a small pile of coloured paper cards, stacked down, and pencils on every table.

Further back there is a collection of couches forming a lounging circle, as well as a couple of tables with drinks and snacks all set up and ready to be eaten. And yes, the fantastic rainbow cookies from the year before have made a reappearance. No doubt they'll disappear just as fast. The lounge area has a recycled sign from last year that says, "If you find yourself on a turn without a date, come hang out!", and this year, a new weird-looking potato man is hanging on the wall. ...But whatever.

All in all, the whole place looks ready for a big event, and when enough people have gathered - and the clock ticks to the agreed starting time - Teddy and Billy step forward to get things moving at last.]



Hey, hey! Announcement time here! Can everyone hear me? [...] All right, good!

So, some of you may remember this from last year. If you didn't come then, or if you're new, or happened to get roped into this by one of your friends, then on behalf of... uh...

[He glances down at Billy and, taking the cue, his partner speaks up.]

...We'll call the name a work-in-progress for now. Kurt says he's got it covered.

[His response is a raised eyebrow, because really, Kurt? But Teddy gets right back on track with a smile after that.] … Welcome to the second annualish speed dating event! I'm Teddy, this is my fiancé Billy, and we'll be your hosts for today. I know you just want to get started already, but unfortunately, we've got to go over the rules and stuff first. Everyone should have a list of numbers. When Billy gives the signal, everyone will head to the table with the first number on your list, where you'll either wait for or meet up with the person you're paired with. You'll both have five minutes to talk and get to know each other, for better or for worse, and leave with some sort of impression of them. Hopefully good, but can't win 'em all, right? After those five minutes, one of us will blow the whistle, and then you'll head to the table with the next number on your list. Repeat steps one through whatever, until we've reached the end! Hopefully by then, you'll have a new friend, a potential date, or hey, you might have just met the new love of your life!

[Teddy looks to Billy then, who speaks up next to him.]

The tables have conversation cards, in case you're not sure how to get things rolling, or if you're feeling shy- it has topic ideas, questions to ask your partner, whatever we could come up with. As you go through the list, try to give a little 'yes' or 'no' to the people you speak to- yes for wanting to see them again, no for it not being a good match. Once it's over just hand in your papers and we'll let everyone know - discretely, of course! - who gave and received a mutual yes. You don't have to wait for us, though- if you hit it off with someone really well and you both want to hang out right away, don't let us stop you. We have games and stuff set up over in the lounge area-

[He gestures to aforementioned lounge, complete with couches, a couple of tables, a stack of assorted games, and a snack and drink table.]

-Or you could just sneak off to keep yourselves entertained. We don't judge.

We totally do judge, just so you know.

[Billy elbows him. Gosh, boyfriend, behave.

Teddy just laughs a little, waving his hand as if to dismiss a joke.]

Okay, okay, we don't. Anyway, that's about it. We're going to give everyone one minute to get to the first table, then we'll blow the whistle and let everyone start. Thanks for coming, have a great time!

[They go back to sitting at their host table, and then, after the minute passes and everyone's settled, the whistle is blown. BEGIN!]


(( ooc: directions are as follows:

1) check your roster
2) make a top thread for your character with their name in the subject line
3) tag and be tagged
4) MAKE AWESOME NEW CR FOR GREAT JUSTICE ))

Comments

Hijikata Toshizou

[onifukuchou]

[Hijikata is a fairly cleaer picture of someone who really, really doesn't want to be here but is doing his best to pretend otherwise. And 'his best' generally means 'looking vaguely solemn and thoughtful'.

He's wearing his nicest kimono, too - solid black with white mon on the chest and back. He had decided that he didn't want to know the answer to how Souji had found a kimono with the Hijikata mon on it in the first place, having already had enough arguments over this evening with him. All of which were completely and utterly Souji's fault for signing him up for this stupid event in the first place

...So, to the untrained eye, he looks like he was maybe expecting this to be a funeral instead of a party. And for everyone who saw the notes Souji put down in 'anything else'? Go on, ask him about his poetry.]

[rashness]

[ Oh wow, this dude looks stern. And somber. And traditional. Rin is in a formal western style suit, but it's offset by the fact his hair has been tamed ("tamed") simply by getting it wet. And his pointed ears, tail, and the fact he's only sixteen... ish. So when he sits opposite the guy, munching on a rainbow cookie, what he originally meant to say sort of dies in his throat.

...

So he stands back up and bows to him? That's polite? ]

[onifukuchou]

[Well, if he's going to be polite, Hijikata will as well, standing to return the bow. He does actually have manners, after all]

Hello. [He's trying so hard at 'friendly' and it's mostly just 'awkward' instead]

[rashness]

Good.... uh. Evening? [ YEAH. It'd be evening by now. He says that, but ends up itching the side of his head anyway, more than a bit awkwardly ]

[onifukuchou]

Good enough, I guess. [Had better, had worse] You having any luck with this thing?

[rashness]

Not... that much. [ A beat Should he... ] Do you know anything about working at a restaurant?

[onifukuchou]

No. [There's sort of an awkward pause and then he remembers he's supposed to be trying to make conversation] Why?

[rashness]

Well... [ Man now this is all sorts of weird. He looks - feels - a little on the meek side now, but coughs and presses on ] I wanted to look for people who wanted to work at Seventh Heaven while I was here.

[onifukuchou]

Oh. [There's no judgement in his voice, because fuck if he knows how these things are supposed to go] I'm not really the person to ask.

[rashness]

Oh, okay. [ A beat ] ...So why're you here, Mister?

[winds_voice]

[Here's someone who doesn't look especially enthralled to be here. Then again, Eley doesn't look especially happy or excited himself, nor has he bothered changing his appearance. He's more... curious if anything, and as he sits down opposite the stranger, he finds himself feeling a tad uncomfortable. How exactly is he supposed to start a conversation with someone who looked so serious and dignified?

Well, how about an introduction. He gives a nod.]

Ah, hello. I am Eleytheria, a Wind Spirit. It is... good to meet you.

[onifukuchou]

[Hijikata half-nods, half-bows in return]

Hijikata Toshizou. Just plain human, unfortunately. [He's trying to be funny. It isn't working]

[winds_voice]

[Especially considering Eley doesn't have much of a sense of humour in the first place. In fact, he might be taking that remark rather literally.]

Would you rather not be human? They have their flaws and I have been hurt by them in the past, but since coming here I have begun to see the good in them again.

[onifukuchou]

[This got weirdly philosophical awfully fast. Hijikata shrugs a little at the question]

I've never really considered it, to be honest. [for all of his talk of being an oni - it was metaphor, really. Not something he actually believed]

[winds_voice]

[It's in Eley's nature. Something to do with living for too long he would suppose. It seemed that this... 'Hijikata' still didn't seem particularly interested in delving into deep conversation however, so Eley is starting to falter a bit, shuffling a little in his seat. Should he just be honest instead of trying so hard?]

You do not seem to be enjoying yourself... is something the matter?

[onifukuchou]

[Hijikata shrugs, trying to seem nonchalant about it] A friend signed me up.

[folklorist]

[ You totally look familiar Hijikata and Helios has to do a double take when he sits down at the table. ]

You're...Hijikata aren't you? [ He's probably coming off as a weirdo right now. Whoops. ] Ah! I mean, I-I remember speaking to you before. I hadn't realized you came back.

[ Souji must be rather happy. Though Hijikata you...look very unhappy. ]

[onifukuchou]

[Hijikata looks briefly surprised that someone actually recognizes him - and then settles back into looking slightly less grumpy, though grumpy is kind of his default setting] I am, and I did - but fairly recently. Some of before is... a little fuzzy.

[folklorist]

[ Helios gives the other man a big ol' smile. ] Ah, that's normal for people to come back here it seems. Sometimes people don't remember anything at all, while others have retained some of their, um, prior memories of this place. But we spoke a few times in the past. I'm glad to see you again, I'm sure Souji is rather happy about it as well! Have you been settling in alright?

[onifukuchou]

[Hijikata shrugs a little]

As well as can be expected, I suppose - the wings still feel strange. Souji's happy, though, yeah. [and there's maybe just a little hint of sarcasm there because guess who signed him up for this absurdity]

[folklorist]

Ah, yes. They do take some time to get used. [ Helios will actually flap his a little when he says that. ] But it's, um, good to speak with you again. Have you...meet anyone new yet? There's a good amount of people here. I haven't seen the Rec center this full in awhile.

[ It's a bit daunting to be honest. ]

[onifukuchou]

[Hijikata raises one eyebrow, looking a touch critical, and glances around the room]

I've certainly met new people - whether I'll end up talking to half of them again.... [he shrugs. He's not a people-person]

[folklorist]

[ Helios can't help but laugh at that. ] We are quite an interesting bunch here. You never know who you might connect with though! Maybe you should talk about your, ah, hobbies and things like that. You find someone here who shares the same interests. Ah! Well that's if you wanted to.

[ Helios is by no means pressuring the other man to do so. But it can get lonely here, especially with it being an entirely new world after all. ]

[onifukuchou]

[There's a snort of amusement in return]

Not sure how many of them would be interested in swordplay or military history, though.

[folklorist]

You'd be surprised. I know that sort of knowledge would be useful in a place where there's a war going on. There's lots of people who want to learn to protect themselves after all. [ He frowns at that, and his tone is dour as he says it. But it is the truth and Helios knows people here are open and receptive to all sorts of advice. ]

But, oh, what about your hobbies? If you d-don't mind me asking of course!