Courtyard/Quad (whatever you want to call it)

Heading down the hall and nearing the stairs, Ludwig thought he heard voices from the room nearest them. Well, it didn't seem as though they were alone any longer in their portion of the hall. "Well, I like things neat and tidy. On occasion, I get in the mood to make something, which usually involves some woodworking and whatnot. Obviously, I'd be limited to the constraints of what I could do in the dorms." He headed down the stairs. "I've never been big on dating or that sort of thing, so unless that changes, you shouldn't have to worry about me bringing someone back to the room in the middle of the night and disturbing you."

Hopefully Roderich wouldn't pick up on the way that had come out of Ludwig's mouth. He was still trying to figure things out for himself, and exactly what type of person he would want to bring home was one of those things. It was one reason he was hoping Gilbert wouldn't end up at the college. He was certain that would only cause more problems.

He realized in his awkwardness, he had gotten a bit ahead of Roderich and forced himself to slow down.

(So you know, while I'm a Ludwig/Feli shipper, I'm not opposed to Roderich/Ludwig. And besides, aren't love triangles what make stories/rps interesting?)

'Woodwork. I thought you might. I suppose you're good with your hands, then.' Roderich kept his eyes focused straight ahead, trying not to smile at his own correct prediction. 'Another useful feature; I'm hopeless away from the music room, the garden and the kitchen. You'd think, wouldn't you, that a pianist's dexterity would make him better at practical tasks...not so, unfortunately.' He inspected carefully looked-after fingernails as the two descended the stairs, reflecting on what Ludwig had said about dating.

'I wouldn't mind if you brought anyone back. I, ah, can't promise I won't myself...but it's a bit premature to be thinking about that, I suppose.' Roderich chuckled quietly, not failing to notice a slight quickening of Ludwig's pace. He took a few long strides to catch up. 'Forgive me, but I doubt you'd have trouble getting someone's interest, if you were so inclined.'

(Anyone/Anyone, baby. XD No, seriously, agreed. I'm partial to a lot of things involving the HRE-related characters.)

Ludwig felt his cheeks turn pink. "I'm not exactly a social butterfly, so interest or not, I just... don't do well in that area," he said. "But, well, as long as I don't hear anything, or, better yet, waiting until I'm not in the room, that's pretty much all I ask."

He put his hands in his pockets as they made their way to the front door. He nodded in greeting to the Resident Assistant at the front desk who was helping other students move in. He pulled out one hand from his pocket to open the door, then hold it for Roderich. "So... we can head to the arts department, I guess."

The compliment from Roderich had thrown him a bit. He was used to his brother teasing him mercilessly, but not someone admiring him, even enough to try to make him feel better about potential dating options. "What made you think I'd like doing woodworking, or with my hands in general?" It was a silly question, since his muscular bulk usually had others assuming something of the kind about him, but it wasn't as though he was some massive hulk. He did enjoy the finer things, even did the ones he knew he could do well.

Roderich, noting Ludwig's blush, couldn't help but feel it was...well, almost endearing. 'Well, they say these years are the most important when it comes to things like that. Who knows, maybe you'll meet the one.' He decided not to push the issue any further, considering Ludwig's embarrassment. 'And don't worry, I wouldn't bring anyone around if you were there. That would be rather tacky.'

He slipped through the door the other man held open, approving of his manners. 'Arts department sounds good to me. Lovely weather, isn't it?' he commented idly, taking in the sunshine.

Roderich considered Ludwig's question. It sounded as though he didn't like to be thought of as predictable. 'You seem very practical, that's all. It takes that kind of mind to excel at something like that. Hence, I can't do it at all.' He smiled, a bit more freely than he had up to this point. 'But I'm sure you have other interests, don't you?'

Ludwig shut the door and looked around the quad. "It is nice. Thankfully not too hot." His hands went into his pockets as he walked. He saw other students milling around. "So what brought you here in the first place? I mean, why here instead of an arts specific school?"

He walked along the sidewalk, dodging a soccer ball that came across the path. He wrapped an arm around Roderich's shoulders to keep him from tripping over the ball, hoping that the other man didn't feel like he was being manhandled. He just didn't want his new roommate to fall.

"Sorry about that," he said after the ball rolled by and the other students ran on past them, waving.

'That would be my parents,' Roderich replied, rolling his eyes. 'They wanted me to get a 'balanced education', or some such nonsense. That, and they thought I'd be better off associating with a variety of people, instead of the typical egocentric prodigies you get at music schools.' It briefly crossed Roderich's mind that he probably came across as exactly that, but he dismissed the thought. 'In any case, it's supposed to be a good school, so- oh...'

Roderich stopped, surprised, as Ludwig grabbed him. He raised an eyebrow, but quickly noticed the ball; he waved off his roommate's apology. 'Oh, thank you. I didn't even see that coming. You've got pretty sharp reflexes.' And rather impressive biceps, he added mentally, but he decided not to mention that. 'Do you play any sports?'

Ludwig released Roderich and continued walking a bit down the sidewalk. "I can play some soccer and basketball, but I'm much better with rugby and ice hockey." He had decent reflexes, but compared to the others on his soccer team at his old school, he was just a bit too bulky. As for basketball, he only played that for fun, not any real competition.

"For as much as I play hockey, it's any wonder, though, that I have a full set of teeth. Some of the guys I used to play with... well, it just wasn't pretty." It wasn't pretty because people, like Ludwig, enjoyed slamming others into the walls. He sometimes thought it was the sadist in him.

'Sounds terrifying. You'll be popular, then, if you join a team or two. I'll be looking into the orchestra, myself. I can only hope it's a decent effort, and not a roomful of social outcasts with triangles...' Roderich picked at non-existant dust on his shirt cuff, glancing around at the school's buildings as he did so. 'Dorms on this side, main building, sports, arts, labs...and then...' He recited them as if he'd been trying to get them memorised, before trailing off. 'No, I think I've got it wrong. What's the sort of L-shaped one? Near the main block?' He inwardly cursed himself for forgetting the map.

Ludwig snickered at the idea of a group of outcasts with triangles. "I think you'll be okay on that front. My mother encouraged me to come here because the music department was so good. She was determined to make me a musician, though I'm just a bit better than average."

He looked at the L-shaped building. "The gym maybe?" He walked ahead toward the arts building.

Roderich was surprised to hear anything approaching a laugh coming from Ludwig, but it was a pleasant surprise. He strolled along a pace behind his companion, still trying to remember the layout of the grounds. 'I suppose it must be...so, if your mother wanted you to become a musician, I expect you play something, at least a little?' He couldn't quite imagine imposing, militaresque Ludwig playing a delicate piano piece, but Roderich was interested to hear more about his musical talents. If nothing else, he had a rather good image for rock music.

"Piano a bit, and the cello. I was forbidden from the guitar." Ludwig headed past the planters leading up the walkway to the music classroom. "What instruments do you play?"

He held the door open for the other man. While Roderich looked every inch the typical musician, he knew that he did not. Not to mention that while he could play each note with precision, he had never entirely gotten the soul of any piece he'd played. He could take architecture or a design and make it sing in perfect harmony and efficiency, but not when it came to music.

((want to switch to inside the arts building?))

'Forbidden from playing guitar?' Roderich couldn't hold back a smile as he stepped into the building. 'That makes me think you'd be perfect for it. I'd love to hear you play a little piano. I'll play almost anything you put in front of me,' he continued, looking around with interest. 'But I specialise in piano and strings. I had a brief affair with brass, but it ended badly, I'm afraid. Heavy tuba, priceless vase...extremely irritated parents...'

(Sure. I'll start a thread, shall I?)

(I put it under classrooms, since I guess it is, technically ^^; )

The two newly acquainted students walked down the stairs and made their way to the front entrance, passing the manned front desk. Kiku smiled at the Resident Assistant before noticing Arthur was holding the door open for him.

“Thank you. So have you any ideas of where you’d like to eat?” He asked as he stepped through the entrance, once again finding himself walking in step with his new roommate.

Glancing across the courtyard, he could see a few students milling around and some sat on the patches of grass scattered between the various buildings. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

“We could always go into town if you know of anywhere to eat there?” Kiku suggested before turning to look at Arthur, a pretty smile on his face.

Kiku Honda wrote:The two newly acquainted students walked down the stairs and made their way to the front entrance, passing the manned front desk. Kiku smiled at the Resident Assistant before noticing Arthur was holding the door open for him.

“Thank you. So have you any ideas of where you’d like to eat?” He asked as he stepped through the entrance, once again finding himself walking in step with his new roommate.

Glancing across the courtyard, he could see a few students milling around and some sat on the patches of grass scattered between the various buildings. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

“We could always go into town if you know of anywhere to eat there?” Kiku suggested before turning to look at Arthur, a pretty smile on his face.

Arthur couldn't help but smile back at that moment! Then also looking round the grounds so more as he didn't get chance to on the way in! He then thought of any memorable places to settle at. HE then remembered a certain place that caught his eye on the way to the school.

"Hmm, if you don't mind going into town then, a place called The White Rabbit caught my eye, it was a tea shop. So.." He laughed inwardly to himself at that. Him being a lover of tea! " It was a little further down if you don't mind? Otherwise we can just look as we go I guess?"

“I’m a tea drinker myself so that sounds wonderful.” The idea of a cup of tea was music to his ears. He knew it wouldn’t be his usual green tea, but Kiku didn’t mind. He’d become partial to English tea when he’d visited England a long time ago.

“And I don’t mind walking further. It’s a nice day at least.” Looking up at the sky, he could barely see any clouds at all.

The two students walked out of the school grounds and into town, passing various shops, bars and restaurants on their way. Kiku noted that some of them looked very interesting and would be worth a visit at a later date, especially the art shop – he went through drawing pencils like they were going out of fashion.

“So Arthur-san, why did you decide to come all this way to an international school? They have some excellent schools in England do they not?” He asked curiously whilst peering into a clothes shop window as they passed.

Arthur gave a small laugh at the the tea comment.

"Tea, another thing we have in common it seems!", He then also began to take in the sights as Kiku was, and was humored by the interest he took in the art shop. Maybe he could see his drawings one day, he'd ask later he decided. He also wondered if there was a craft shop around here, another thing to look out for! Then Kikus question bought him back to home.

"hmm, They have some very amazing schools back home, but I guess, kind of maybe for the same reasons as you. Wanting to get out to see other things, plus getting away from my brothers is always a plus. Seeing new things I guess. Haha, I guess that is my reasoning, though I am a little home sick!!" He then continued looking around to locate other shops, " If i may ask, do you draw other things beside those.. um what were they..?"

“They are called doujinshi.” Kiku smiled, amused by Arthur’s forgetfulness. “Yes I do draw other things, but I stick to mostly manga.”

They both walked a little further until a small, pretty tea shop came into view. The sign hung above the door with a picture of the White Rabbit from the tale ‘Alice in Wonderland’ painted on it, confirmed it was the place they’d been looking for. The tea shop had a rustic, welcoming charm and there were a few white cast-iron tables and chairs set outside to make the most of the nice weather. Inside the window there was an elaborate display with lots of fancy cakes and sandwiches which were sure to lure in any hungry passerby off the streets. They all looked delicious and if the smell was anything to go by, they would taste delicious too. Arthur had definitely picked well in Kiku’s opinion.

“It seems we’re here Arthur-san. Shall we go in?”

(moved to White Rabbit Tea Shop post now! XD)