Ivan looked up as he heard his name being said and looked around to spot Neptune staring at him. "Umm...yeah.... Hi, Neptune." Of course he knew who she was especially after that oh so memorable Runes class.He was still trying to get James to see that he was head over heels for Neptune but that was proving more difficult than he thought it would.

Moving down a few seats so he was nearer to her he smiled, "How are you?" Oh he was so going to gather as much ammunition as he could to use on James next time in hopes to make him see how perfect they were together. Just call him Ivan the Matchmaker. He stopped himself just short of snorting at his own joke and instead poured a glass of pumpkin juice.

Neptune shrugged a shoulder, a dainty little motion and sipped from her own goblet. Pinky up! "I am well, thank you. I'm glad you came down to dinner alone, I have been meaning to introduce myself properly."
Like...when he wasn't with his friends or girlfriend.

With that, Neptune offered her hand to him, palm down of course.

Ivan took a sip of his own goblet and leaned back in his chair. Why did she want him to be alone to introduce herself? "Well it's nice to officially meet you," he said taking her hand and kissing it as a gentleman did. Yup his mother had made sure to cover all her bases with him.

Letting go of her hand he leaned back in his chair and smiled. "So do I live up to your expectations?" he asked cheekily as he took another sip of the juice. Well she had been waiting to introduce herself obviously.

Giggle!

Neptune did so love introductions. Always. She laced her fingers together and laid them flat on the table, before leaning against it and towards Ivan. She was doing a bit of studying of her Housemate, now that she had him up close and personal.

"I had expected a mustache," she joked. Giggle. He radiated cocky, no? Pfff.

A mustache? Really? He made a face and shook his head. "Well I'm sorry to disappoint. Somehow that look though doesn't go well with me," he smirked and took another sip of his drink. "Besides a mustache would just hide all of these good features," he said pointing at his face and laughing.

Spotting a pink fuzz thing on his sleeve he frowned. Must have been from Lexi or rather from Juniper's pet. Plucking at it with distaste until it was gone he turned back to Neptune, "But I have been thinking a bit of scruff would look good. Rugged even. What do you think?"

He did know she was kidding, right? Giggle. Neptune wasn't going to clarify, but.. right?


"Oh, surely I'm not the proper authority on your face. I would say no, but Miss Denver would probably know your face better than me." Neptune twirled one of her big curls around her finger and EYED Ivan. She had no read on him at ALL yet. Strange.

"Hmmm you're right might want to see what she thinks first," he smirked again and looked around the hall. "So I see you know about Lexi," well wasn't like he was flirting with Neptune anyway but still it would be nice to at least meet one person that didn't know Lexi.

"I wonder how James would look with a mustache..." Oh yup he was totally going there. Of course now he actually did want to draw on a picture of James just to see what it would look like. "I bet he'd look funny," he said with a chuckle.

"I usually am right." Just saying. "And... yes.... I know Lexi." About Lexi though? Neptune's eyes narrowed with suspicion from his phrasing. "I think we have made peace." Sort of. Mostly. Right?


...


Neptune's eyes dropped quickly with .... that tangent. "I wouldn't know that either." Had.... Lexi told Ivan stuff? Surely not....

"Confident about that are we," he said cheekily before grabbing a roll as his hunger got the better of him. "Made peace?" Well that was a new one on him. "I meant that we were dating but now that is new so what did you need to make peace about?" he asked completely curious now and ignoring her narrowed eyes.

Seeing her eyes drop he frowned thoughtfully. That was odd. "Well I think he'd look funny and as his best friend I think my judgment is pretty spot on there. I should so bet him next time he gets smart and thinks he can beat me in something. Make him grow one out." He bit into the roll trying to think of a way to get what he wanted to know out of her. "So what was the deal in Runes class?" Though he'd found it entirely amusing he hadn't been paying as much attention as he should have what with Lexi being there AND that stupid Slytherin boy at the same time. He was lucky he could stay invisible.

Neptune pushed her plate away, no longer hungry, as well as her goblet. "She sort of yelled at me over the summer. I was out with Finlay." Was that enough of an explanation? This was a bit awkward.... considering the boyfriend to ex-boyfriend shift in the conversation. "To be honest, I was quite afraid of her."

And still was, just less so.


Her eyes came back around to meet his. WHY? Why was he going there? Neptune was the Queen of manipulation and she smelled a plot. "Oh you know. Just a friendly quarrel." Heh.

Ivan watched as Neptune pushed her stuff away and then listened to what she said. Ah...Finlay. Obviously before he had met Lexi. Or maybe while they were still figuring stuff out. Wait she was AFRAID of her? He laughed slightly and shook his head. "She's not that scary she just likes to, not get close to people," to his irritation. He had to wait like forever before she agreed to actually date him after all. "Though I'm sure she was a sight at that time though," he smirked as he thought about it. His strong willed Lexi proving just how strong she was. That was why he loved her.

Seeing her look at him again he bit into his roll innocently and gave a small smile. Nope he wasn't up to anything at all. "Oh we've had our share of friendly quarrel's but that wasn't one like I've seen before..." He took a sip of his drink and wondered what would happen if.... Ah if James got word he'd just tell him to grow up. "James came into the dorm and he was awfully upset about something you did or said or made him feel.... Haven't seen him that wound up before. He almost couldn't stop talking about you..." OKAY not EXACTLY true considering he'd been the one to keep up that line of conversation but the truth could be interpreted many different ways.

"Ah." Yeah he heard something about that but he wasn't about to get involved. "Well, you should spend some time together. Without Fin. She's actually very nice." Well now that they were on the same page about their relationship anyway.

Before he knew what happened next she was almost on top of him with her hands against his mouth and he started laughing uncontrollably. Defensive much? Pulling her hands from his mouth he kept laughing "It's not a lie one, well an exaggeration maybe but not a lie and two if you wanted to touch me you just had to ask," he added with a teasing smirk. Even if he was single Neptune was waaaaay off limits for him because he knew James liked her whether the idiot wanted to admit it or not. "Shall I go over the exact details of how it went down? He came in looking like he'd just jogged around the castle a million times, went to take a shower, came back and..." he said with a smirk letting the conversation trail off.

Neptune was going to TELL on HIM to Lexi and SEE how nice she was then! Maybe she'd set his big stupid boy self on FIRE.

NONVERBALLY.


Neptune tried to put her hands back over incessantly chattering mouth. "You confuse my intentions. I take no joy in touching you. I am simply trying to shut you up." Simple. Stupid BOY strength though! Neptune TRIED - REALLY wrestled against him to put her hands back over his big mouth. "Please, please don't go on. You just don't understand...."

Ivan couldn't stop laughing as Neptune tried to get him to stop talking again. At least he still had an edge on her still, Lexi knew just what to do to get him to stop. "Alright, alright, alright. I'll stop," though he was still laughing so much his side was starting to hurt.

"You might want to get off me though since you take no joy in touching me before Lexi shows up. I'm pretty sure she'd just assume we were up to something" he said with a smirk and let go of her hands. "What's the big deal anyway?"

"Your laughing hurts my feelings," Neptune removed herself from his person, but only just. She stayed close in case he decided to keep going.

And she pouted. POUT pouted from all the laughing. And other things.

"We're certainly not up to something." Hmph. She crossed her arms over her chest and was just... just.... going to pout until she felt better.

Pout and not answer his question until she either felt like it or he.. .made her feel better enough TO answer.

As she moved off of him he tried to stop the laughing but couldn't it was just too funny. The laughing stopped to a chuckle and then stopped altogether. "Alright I'm done it was just funny the way you were trying to get me to be quiet." He chuckled some more and shook his head. "Okay no I'm sorry, I'm really done."

He took a deep breath just to make sure he was in fact done laughing and nodded. "Yup see I'm done." Looking at her he saw the pout on her face and sighed. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to make you upset." Thought it had been really amusing.

"You steal my breath with your sincerity," that was sarcasm. She assumed, being a 'Claw, she could use it on him and it not be lost in translation. Neptune GLARED at him. "You know... you would be friends with Jim. I bet you two just have lots of good times." Being huge jerks.

GLARE.

"Apology not accepted." Hmph.

Oh sarcasm his second language. Seeing the glare he simply raised an eyebrow stopping his eyes from rolling. Girls. "Actually we did. We basically grew up together," he said with a smile and pretending to not notice the sarcasm.

Sighing he moved closer to her, "I'm really am sorry." With a glance around he dropped his voice so he couldn't be heard, "Look I'm just trying to see my best friend happy and it seems you are his..inner demon..for lack of a better word. And, whether he admits it to himself or not I can see how he looks at you. It's the way I look at Lexi." He shrugged and poured himself more juice. "And to be honest I like you better than that Slytherin he's dating who seems the world should focus on her and is rude at that." He was so not impressed with how she was treating Lexi.

Emily entered the Great Hall and walked down the length of the Ravenclaw table until she found an empty seat. Emily was super hungry, between classes and studying she hadn't had much time to eat. After scanning the table she helped herself to three slices of toast with marmalade. Her favourite.
Emily munched away, eager to get back to the common room and do some more study.

Picking up another roll he took a bite of it and sat thoughtfully. Hmm. That sounded very familiar to him. Looking around again to make sure Lexi was no where near them he dropped his voice to a whisper. "I'm going to tell you something that you can't repeat to Lexi okay?"

How to phrase this.... "When I met Lexi I wanted nothing to do with her yet she kept following me around and making fun of me. I fought so hard against any feelings yet we still snogged a bit because I won't lie I'm not exactly the relationship kind of guy, or I wasn't. Everything I feel for Lexi is at odds with how I've always been and I'm constantly fighting myself even now but...I don't regret it. When I caught her kissing another guy I felt like I just ate my heart but I still took her back and I don't regret that either. What I'm saying is just because he's saying one thing or acting one way doesn't mean that's how he's feeling." He tore at his roll and looked at her thoughtfully, "There are days when I think Lexi feels that way. That I would be better off without her, though not for the same reasons I'm sure, but what she doesn't get is I won't be. Granted it's not the same thing but...the general meaning is."

He smiled and gave a shrug, "Look you can listen or not I don't particularly care and no one else ever seems to listen to me anyway. I'm just saying don't think things are so cut and dry."

Emily finished her brunch and stood to leave to great hall, she suddenly had the urge to send a letter home. And it had been a while since she visited Dante. On her way our she grabbed another peice of toast and headed for the owlery.

Ivan listened to Neptune but didn't say anything just smiled as she patted his knee. Leaning on his arm he looked at everyone else and sighed. "She might be pretty but...well never mind," he said biting off that remark and picking up another roll to munch on. Yup something to keep his troublesome mouth busy.

Nodding he turned to look at her with a smile. "We can talk about whatever you want." She was really nice. What James was up to was beyond him. "How do you like the term so far?" Okay so that was a bit lame but at least it was a change in topic right?