Private Finished Just an Obligation

It was almost a dreadful fact that summer has come and days have started to get warmer and warmer. While a blue clear sky was definitely welcome and wanted, the sun beating down the academy wasn't.

Alaude had come to the academy in his thinnest t-shirt (and a pair of jeans) and even tied up his hair because of the heat. It didn't make things better that the only reason he was still in the office was that he was still waiting for the newcomer who was assigned to him to tour around. He had no idea why he was even given this kind of responsibility. Everyone who knew him was supposed to know he wasn't the best at dealing with people, yet this happened.

But he was a member of the faculty and he has decided to do this task wholeheartedly, whether or not he'd like the person he was currently waiting for. He most likely wouldn't, but it didn't change that Alaude really did want to complete his tasks and responsibilities as satisfactorily as possible.

He sat behind a desk where it would be easy to see someone enter the office door. It was almost time for their scheduled meet up, so he expected to see a new face come inside the room anytime now.
@SirCatfish

Their eyes instantly met, since Alaude's had been fixed on the entrance the entire time. The new face finally arrived, and right on time. At least tardiness wasn't an issue. "Theodore Bishop?" He had been given the new person's name at least. "If that's you, then yes."

The instructor stood up and made his way to the door. He stopped right in front of Theodore Bishop to get a closer and a better look and thought, mysteriously striking eyes aside, Theodore was a meh. At least he wasn't as irritating as a certain other guy. Alaude had an indifferent, almost offensively uncaring face on as he spoke. "You'll be stuck with me, so please bear with it for a while and don't stray. Don't hesitate to speak up and ask questions."

As Alaude paused, he glanced around the office and gestured for Bishop to also look around. "For starters we're in the Admissions Building, this office being one of the many around the campus. We won't be entering all offices, but I'll at least show you where they are. Shall we?"

He gestured towards the hallway and made his way out.

"Registrations, student assistance, general info, non-faculty offices, they're all here in this building. There's also a teacher's lounge where you may find faculty members if they're not in their departments," he explained as they walked.

Theo was his name, he said? Alaude was going to stick to "Bishop". He was never on first name basis with anyone he wasn't close to after all, unless their first name was their only name. Alaude paused, giving Theo a quick but hard look before eventually revealing his name. "Alaude Cross. Technology and Engineering Department."

He started walking again after that, and had actually slowed down once they got out of the building. After all, it was hot outside and he really didn't want to be too sweaty by the time this was done. Sweating because of work was fine, but he never really liked the burning feeling of heat on his skin while he perspired. There was wind, so it wasn't completely hellish at least.

"I haven't been here long, actually," he answered, and he answered with only minimal amount of snobbishness in his tone. He even looked at the other while speaking. After all, he did say Theo could ask any question. That was maybe a mistake-- telling him he may ask any question, that is-- but Alaude was going to try his best not to take it back. "I've been here before, but I was gone for a year" he explained, "and I just got back recently."

They headed towards the big building before the set of stairs to the other parts of the academy. An entrance was open, so Alaude went inside and gestured for Theo to follow. Being inside was a good temporary escape from the sun, and the air inside the empty building was much cooler than outside. "Here's the auditorium, it's where general gatherings and events are held. So if there are assemblies... Which reminds me, what classes are you attending?"

Law. Oh, well. Alaude knew a bit about how the world of law worked, but not how future lawyers go through their studies. But despite being intrigued somewhat, Alaude decided not to ask for the smaller details. He didn't care if there were details that Theo wanted to keep silent about, he wasn't going to ask. Instead he crossed the gigantic hall and exited through the opposite side.

The gardens were next. There were patches of all kinds of flowers and bushes and some trees, and benches rested here in there for people to use. Alaude gestured at them. "We're around the lower middle area of the campus. This is our largest garden, though there are many others around. Feel free to stay here for as long as you want anytime, as long as you don't mess with the plants."

He pointed at the stables nearby. "Stables are there. You must file some paperwork for the admins if you wish to borrow a horse or to use the facilities. And next..."

Next... Alaude heaved a sigh as they headed towards the elementary and high school area. "Please do address me as Mr. Cross, Mr. Bishop," he said. "To be honest to you l, I don't like being on first name basis with someone I don't even know."

It seemed as if Alaude tripped on something, a bump on the ground or maybe his own foot, when Theo apologized. He'd pretend he tripped on something. And he'd keep it a secret forever that he was actually thrown off by Theo's way of apologizing.

He'd usually brush off apologies like that. He usually didn't care because the reason for apologies were usually something he didn't want to deal with anyway, but this time... this time the person apologizing had such a gentle aura around him and Alaude couldn't help but feel that Theo's words were honest.

It wasn't as if Alaude was wrong... right? It was fine to point it out that he was uncomfortable with first names, right? Then why did he feel like a bad guy? Why did the situation seem like the right response was supposed to be, "it's fine, you weren't rude, I just needed to make it clear"?

Fuck that, Alaude told himself. And he went on as if nothing happened, as if he didn't mess up his footing, as if Theo hadn't said anything about it. He continued to walk until just before the elementary and high school territory and made a brief detour towards the pools. He stood in one side and watched the swimmers, before turning to Theo, now completely composed behind his unfriendly mask once again. "So, do you swim? As far as I know the pools are open to everyone, though the sports clubs especially Swimming are of course top priority."

He'd love to be in the water, actually. The sun above their heads was hot and sweat was beginning to form around his forehead. Some pools and some of the areas around them were shaded, so Alaude moved towards one of those areas.

He didn't speak. He just walked and stopped and stood and watched, and while it seemed as if he didn't care whether they had a conversation or not, he actually hoped Theo would talk more. It was so awkward, and honestly some of his sweat came from his anxiety about it. But he'll never admit it. Nobody must ever know how he really thought.
@SirCatfish