whiteoak academy

[oshibana]

The country of Esmos has a proud tradition of raising the children of its noble houses into powerful mages who wield all manner of control over the magic that runs through the world. To this end, the most magically adept (and, typically, richest and most well-bred) children are sent to the prestigious White Oak Academy. Here, they learn how to get along and more importantly, how to mingle and socialize in high society. Etiquette and history classes are held alongside magical theory and combat and it's impossible to tell just which is more dangerous – the magic the students are learning to control or the social circles they're expected to begin navigating. Still, White Oak is known through the land for a reason and with nobles and royalty in attendance, the security and care taken in protecting their students make this the safest place in all of Esmos. Surely nothing could go wrong in a place like White Oak.

Comments

[deadheading]

We would have to sit fairly close together.

[ if only. while he joins her, it's with (just) enough distance to be polite. ]

It's all right. You didn't know I was going to insist on seeing your flowers.

[oshibana]

I was hoping to show them to you eventually. I don't think we're having much in the way of an official unveiling, so you're the first one apart from me and the rest of the committee who's seen it.

[ Which makes her feel a little bad – usually, Mina would be the first one to see something like this, but she's not sure her nerves would have been able to stand waiting too long to show him.

She sets the basket of treats between the two of them and carefully pulls the cloth cover from the top – she'd said these were just leftovers, but there's just under half of a pie left, and enough cookies and sweets to leave them both stuffed. J–just how much baking did she and Mina do??? ]

Here – please help yourself.

[deadheading]

I am?

[ blinks at her, clearly flustered, before looking away to try to hide his reaction. ]

That's— oh.

[ look, dessert. he takes advantage of the distraction, letting the sentence drop before he can say something ridiculous enough to have come out of his twin's mouth.

...the look he is giving the pie is actually somewhat predatory, but— he restrains himself for the moment and picks out a cookie. the pie can be dessert. ...post-dessert-dessert. dessert squared? ]

I thought these were just leftovers...? The full spread must have been a sight.

[oshibana]

[ It's always a little surprising to see him get like that – the idea that she might be able to say or do something that would catch him off guard like that never seems quite right to Lily. So it's... nice, somehow, to see it happen.

Sweets are a safer topic, though, so she jumps on it readily. ]

It really was. I wish I could've shown you, somehow. It was definitely a bit much, but... well, I suppose that's on us for getting as carried away as we did.

[ And it's certainly not because Lily wanted to make sure there was more than enough to feed him with. Perish the thought. ]

It's so easy to lose track of time when I'm with Mina, though.

[deadheading]

I'm certainly not complaining, considering I'm reaping the benefits.

[ speaking of— he takes a bite of that cookie, and then visibly has to restrain himself from inhaling it. or from making more than a brief, pleased noise. swallowing ]

...the delicious benefits. If this is what happens when you lose track of time, I'm going to have to figure out some way to loan you my tendency to do just that.

[oshibana]

[ Now that's the sort of response to her baking she likes to see. Now she feels like her efforts are a little less excessive – if left to his own devices, she's fairy sure he'll demolish the whole basket. And maybe sweets aren't the best thing to be filling up on but at least this way he'll eat something. ]

It's just a shame I can't really afford to let it happen that often. Things just happened to line up so that we had enough free time.

[ She shifts a little nervously on the spot, transparently wanting to say something but now quite sure if it's allowed. ]

We... were talking about doing some more baking on our next leisure day. When we have the time.

[ Hint, hint. ]

[deadheading]

[ ...she has his attention, ]

Ah— really? I think my own schedule may be free that day...

[ it... isn't, actually, if he's remembering correctly. but that's easily fixed. ]

[oshibana]

Is that so? Then, um...

[ If he's already said that his schedule is free, then that means it's fine to invite him, right? ]

Would you like to join us? I'm sure Mina wouldn't mind if you came along as well.