Still, the young man approaches the wild scene, his height making him easily spotted in a group. He briefly stands among a small group while pouring himself a drink that he will not be drinking (Daniel only drinks when pressed to, but prefers to stay away from things that might force him to give up any bit of control over his own senses), and then turns to look around for Petra, Brooklyn, or someone else that he might consider tolerable here. After all, it is for them that he comes to these things. It's a mandatory social function for them to make appearances at, and if nothing else it's sometimes interesting to watch some of the more careless students clumsily make fools of themselves.
As if thinking about fools will make them appear, Daniel catches sight of Lance and Lucy. The two of them are favorites of Brooklyn, and to be fair Daniel understands why. The pair are attractive, ambitious, and charismatic. That being said, he still thinks of them as silly underclassmen, and believes they lack the ruthlessness that he finds so endearing in both Brooklyn and Petra. There is time for them, of course, but their vulnerabilities are still occasionally left exposed like the belly of puppies not yet aware of how to properly defend themselves. They are clear choices for Brooklyn's pets, and it's clear why Brooklyn would be the one picking out successors. Daniel is far more discriminatory in who he likes, and he doubts there are many underclassmen whom would be fit for him to take them under his wing. His combination of coldness and charisma can be difficult to find, after all.
Daniel heads over towards Lucy and Lance, as they are people whom he is at least fairly friendly towards. And if nothing else, where they are Brooklyn and Petra might eventually appear, making this crowded event significantly more tolerable. As an after thought, Daniel sends the two of them a text.
To: Petra and Brooklyn
If I find out you two are skipping out on this and leaving me among all these miserable fools, I will put chili pepper flakes on your mascara brushes.
If I find out you two are skipping out on this and leaving me among all these miserable fools, I will put chili pepper flakes on your mascara brushes.
The threat is only a joke, of course, but Daniel's patience with this party is genuinely thin. "Better hope they don't spit in your drinks," he comments dryly upon reaching Lucy and Lance.
"Have you seen your mother around?" he adds the question on. If Brooklyn is Lance and Lucy's mom, then perhaps Daniel is the emotionally distant father who wasn't really sure he wanted kids in the first place. But now he has them, so he may as well look out for them or else it will look poorly on him.
With that, Keevan lifts his drink to his mouth and chugs it with a spirited effort. Once finished, he winks, "Oh, but that puts you one behind me, bud."
When they reach the keg, Keevan refills his cup and nods approvingly as Thayer easily drains half of his own full solo cup. He can't help but think of how much he's going to miss this ginger fool when Thayer graduates next year and leaves Keevan all by himself for an entire year (or more, depending on where they end up going to school). What will Keevan do without his partner-in-crime, his Jimmy Olsen (not that he's exactly Clark Kent Material), the Scully to his Mulder? He pushes the thought away and follows Thayer up by putting away half of his drink as well. Keevan does not intend to be outdone in this Breadbowl staff drinking contest which he has just made up in his mind.
Keevan perks up immediately when his friend mentions Jenny, and no mention of another person is enough to distract the young man from his best friend's mention of the girl that he secretly (but not subtly) has feelings for. And like a proper journalist, he immediately jumps onto the lead.
"Which Jenny is this again? The one you constantly talk about? Is this the Jenny that you get googly eyes around when you think she's not paying attention? The one that you'll blush at the mention of? That Jenny? Is that the Jenny you're asking me about?" his smile is wicked but not cruel. He takes another long drink of his beer, the excitement of teasing Thayer making him work up a bit of a thirst. When Thayer hands him a fresh cup he takes it and refills it without pause.
"No, I haven't seen that Jenny around. If she were here, I'm sure your spidey senses would have alerted you long before I'd ever see her anyway, eh, Romeo? But after you guys have your totally platonic just friends annual dance, I'm stealing you away to be my partner in beer pong- don't you forget me," Keevan raises his cup gesturing for Thayer to cheers with him to seal the contract.