Office #26, Wednesday During Working Hours

[chosehumanity]

It was the first week of a new term, so Mitchell supposed he should be holding office hours.

It would, of course, be that day, when Mitchell's TV not only refused to function, it also insisted on acting as a radio. For instrumental renditions of popular pop songs. Over and over and over again. Not even shutting it off managed to stop the flood of sound.

After a few hours, Mitchell was starting to entertain serious thoughts of relapsing and tracking down Miley Cyrus.

[[ ooopen door, open post ]]

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[vanillajello]

Kate had managed to convince herself that her only class of the day was in period three. As she'd just found out, it wasn't. It was in period four.

And she didn't bother going back to the dorms for a period when she could come see if there was a Mitchell to harrass.

"...Dude. No BBC World?"

[chosehumanity]

Sometimes - very, very rarely, but sometimes - Mitchell could be caught doing something that betrayed his age.

Like now.

He pressed several buttons on the remote demonstratively, and whined said, "It won't stop. Make it."

The dulcet strains of Miley Cyrus continued to drift idly through the office.

[vanillajello]

Kate was doing her very best not to laugh.

Why? She had no idea.

"Have you tried unplugging it?"

[chosehumanity]

"Of course I have!" he said, sounding affronted, and brandished the remote like it was some kind of weapon. "This isn't music. God, I miss the 60s."

Technically speaking, Mitchell didn't look anywhere near old enough to remember the 60s, so you'd be excused for thinking he was being irrational.

[vanillajello]

"I think your brain has started to melt." So, yes. Irrational. Because he was obviously in his mid-to-late twenties. Kate flopped down into a chair. "Even if you are right about this not being music. But sorry, can't think of anything else." Beat. "Apart from destroying it."

[chosehumanity]

"Maybe," Mitchell said, casting his remote to the desk, "We need to find something louder than it. To block out the noise."

[vanillajello]

"Like what?" Kate asked, raising a dubious eyebrow. "Like, I have my iPod, but unless you've got something to hook it into, it's not going to help."

[chosehumanity]

"You're a student," Mitchell said, snapping his fingers. Yes, we knew that, Mitchell. "Can't you find something in the rec room? We've got an AV department somewhere, too..."

[vanillajello]

"I am not going to go back to the dorms just because your TV is all funky." Just so that was clear. She'd come here to avoid the trek back there, after all.

"But there might be something in the music room?"

[chosehumanity]

"Good idea." Mitchell? Getting up out of his seat now. "On to the music room. I refuse to spend more time with this travesty."

[vanillajello]

Kate got up, too. Not like she had anything better to do. Plus, she'd never actually been in the music room. "Okay then."

[chosehumanity]

"I can't believe what kids these days are listening to," Mitchell muttered, strolling towards the stairs at a brisk pace (he'd just have to deal with the windows).

[vanillajello]

"80 percent of all music is crap, anyway," Kate commented, taking big steps to keep up. "And people just love crap."

[chosehumanity]

"It used to be less crap." Yes, Mitchell. "I mean, some of the things people have come up with over the years is just-- I think it's up the stairs."

[vanillajello]

"Yeah, pretty sure it's next to the home ec room," Kate nodded.

"So, give me an example of something less crap. There are many."

[chosehumanity]

"Velvet Underground," Mitchell said, decisively. Of course, she was also talking to a bloke who owned Coldplay records, so. "Earlier than that, too. Have you ever listened to any jazz singers?" He moved up onto the stairs, quickly rushing his way up.

[vanillajello]

"Have I ever listened to any jazz singers?" Kate snorted. "Please. Jazz is all my brother ever listens to. So yes. I have. If not always completely voluntarily." Beat. "And stop running." She had long legs, but wasn't that keen on his speed. Still, she tried to keep up.

[chosehumanity]

"Are you feeling winded, Kate?" Mitchell just had to ask, twisting his hand along the top of the stairs as he turned in the direction of the music room.

[vanillajello]

"I just woke up like an hour ago," Kate whined, reaching the top. "It's too early for exercise."

[chosehumanity]

"Kids these days," he said, with an amused sigh, and dashed for the music room.

Now it was mostly just to spite her, mind.

[vanillajello]

And Kate, for her part, was going to stroll the rest of the way as lazily as she possibly could, sticking her hands in the pockets of her hoodie.

"Can it, old man," she called after him.

[chosehumanity]

There was a beat as Mitchell entered the music room and stayed there.

A beat which lasted until he poked his head back out. "...Which one is the best for playing music really loud?"

He had barely moved on to the iPod age. Give him some credit.

[vanillajello]

"I don't know, maybe the biggest?" Kate suggested with an amused smile. "Speakers as big as possible, but still small enough to be carried back down?"

Of course, by now she'd caught up with him, and slipped past him into the room to have a look-see.

[chosehumanity]

"Right."

Mitchell ran a hand through his hair. And surveyed the domain. So to speak.

[vanillajello]

Kate scurried around for a bit, then poked at a fairly new-looking boombox on a table.

"This looks promising."