Spencer Hastings makes shockingly bad choices. (ctrl_a) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-11-02 06:46:00
Who: Spencer Hastings and Pietro Maximoff When: Late September Where: UCI Campus What: Random Encounter Rating/Warnings: Low/None Status: Complete when posted
Spencer had finished her last class for the day, and was wondering what she was going to do next. It was a beautiful day, and she was debating going out to sit in the grass by the quad where it was warm and sunny. She thought maybe that her pants would get wet from the grass, though. Then she figured maybe she would go to the cafe… but she’d already had so many cups of coffee today… she didn’t have a whole lot of homework, either. So now? Now she wasn’t sure what to do. A free afternoon with limitless possibilities? Spencer was at a loss.
Pietro had finished his class too and was planning to head home when he noticed the girl looking almost lost. Deciding to see if she needed help he changed course and headed her way, “Excuse me” he said with a smile, “You look a little turned around do you need any assistance?”
Spencer turned at the sound of the voice, and her eyes came to focus on the guy standing in front of her. She blinked at him, as it took a moment for her brain to wrap around the words he’d just said. Then she smiled sheepishly, a small one that lit up her face. “I was just trying to figure out what to do next,” she explained.
“Oh, I am sorry. I thought you were lost” he said with a smile, “Have you finished classes for the day?” he asked her politely.
“Yes,” Spencer felt a little embarrassed. Had she really looked that lost? But he was kind to check in on her. “You’re quite the Good Samaritan, aren’t you?” She asked, smiling softly. This guy was interesting. Some sort of accent?
She probably hadn't looked that lost it was simply his interpretation. “I try to help. Since arriving here I too have received help and kindness. It is good to give back” he told her his Russian accent one of the things most people noticed about him straight away.
"How long have you been here?" Spencer asked. She was curious about the handsome stranger that stopped by to make sure she was okay. "Are you from... Russia?"
Pietro nodded, “Born in Russia and left when we were sixteen” he told her, “We arrived in May, settled in over summer before starting school” He automatically spoke about both himself and Wanda, mostly without realising it.
“We?” Spencer asked, raising an eyebrow. Handsome, Good Samaritan probably had a young wife or something that he brought here with him from Russia. She wondered why all the handsome ones were already claimed. And then she felt a pang of guilt about what happened with Ian. How he was handsome and taken, and it hadn’t stopped her then.
“My sister, Wanda, and I” he explained, Pietro was very much a single man, he liked girls sure but wasn’t focused on getting one. He was busy enough with all of his clubs, studies and work. “She is my twin and we achieved scholarships to study here”
“Oh.” Spencer’s face brightened just a little. “It’s sweet that you’re so close with your sister,” she added. Spencer couldn’t imagine traveling half-way across the city with Melissa, let alone half-way across the world. She wasn’t sure she liked that thought.
“So you’re in your first year, too,” she surmised from his statement earlier. “How are you liking it here at UCI?”
“It has just been the two of us for a long time” Pietro said, he knew it was strange to some but he and Wanda had always gotten along.
“I am. Just started and I am enjoying it. I think it helps that we are in a place with good weather, hard to be sad when the sun is shining”
“Understandable.” Spencer couldn’t help but smile at that thought. His optimisim--at least, in that sentiment--was surprising and uplifting. “It is hard to be sad when the sun is shining.” She did most of her sad things indoors, anyway.
“What are you studying?” She asked, turning to start walking. It didn’t matter where they were headed, she had no plans. But movement made it easier to talk.
The weather was definitely one of the bonuses of living here and he was taking full advantage of it while they were here.
“Kinesiology” Pietro replied before asking, “And you?”
Spencer hadn’t really expected that. Though, she wasn’t sure what she was expecting. She nodded. “Political Science.” She said before thinking about it. Well, that settled that. International Relations became Political Science somehow. It sort of worked.
“You must be very smart. I do not know much about politics of any country” he told her. Other than that Russia cared little for its orphans.
“Well, part of initiating change is understanding the inherent problems in the system.” Spencer responded. “And realizing that nothing is perfect, everything takes work, and sometimes there are no solutions. Sometimes good enough is the best a person will get.” She paused, then flushed a little. “Sorry, did that come off as preachy?”
“It was very passionate” Pietro said, not entirely sure what preachy meant. “You know your subject and obviously care a great deal. It is good I think” he nodded.
“Thanks,” Spencer flushed a little further at his praise. “I’m looking forward to getting through this General Education stuff and into the heart of my subject matter for my major.”
“I have noticed there are a lot of people who take time to decide what they are doing. My sister and I knew but then we needed to so that we could apply for scholarships” Maybe that was the difference though he couldn’t imagine attending university without having some idea of what he wanted to do.
“Being focused for scholarships is the only way to do it.” Spencer agreed. She didn’t have any (now)--she didn’t need any--but she understood how they worked. She’d done the application process, written the essays, gone through all the steps. “Well, I’m off over here in the garage,” she motioned down a path leading off to the right. “But… I’ll see you around campus?”
Pietro nodded and smiled, “I hope so” he said, offering a wave, “Enjoy the rest of your day”