Rowan was not expecting someone to be around the corner, so he moved fast. For that very same reason, the man tumbled forward, nearly falling on top of his poor victim. He stretched out his arms as he fell, managing to land with his palms on the tile beneath the pair, rather than body slamming the woman after she fell. Only for a moment would he be above her, before he fell to the side and rolled along the ground for the shortest of moments.

"Ah, hells -- No, no, it's --"

Rowan started as he heard the apology. Then, his eyes opened and he saw the scattered books first... then the individual he rammed into. The lightest of red burned into his cheeks as he cursed to himself, and he shook his head.

"It was my fault! Let me help!"

The man bowed his head in apology, before flipping onto his hands and knees comically fast and grabbing out at the woman's dropped and scattered belongings. There was a bit of curiosity as he grabbed at things to see if he could determine what field the woman was studying in, if she was a student or a _really_ young looking teacher, that sort of thing. His focus, though, was trying to make up for slamming into her.

The mess was dealt with quickly. Thankfully, it was more books than stray papers, which would have left them scrambling with one another for a long, awkward moment exchanging apologies and denying the others' faults. Rowan didn't know that would happen outright, but he had a feeling.

"That's everything," he would say after a soft sigh. Still holding his share of collected books, he would stand to his feet. One hand held those books to his chest, while the other offered the woman a hand to help her to her feet.

Rowan still had that own red to his cheeks, so noticing it on the woman's as well, well... clearly flustered him, especially because he didn't know what it meant. He had to have awfully embarrassed her, and that guilt was eating him up in the moment.

"I'm sturdy, don't worry," he spoke with a smile, and a nervous chuckle. "And it was my fault, not yours. I was in a hurry... came around too fast, didn't see you, knocked you down, and -- well. You know all that already, huh?"

He laughed nervously.

"I'm Rowan. Can I, ah... let me help you, wherever you're headed. To... make up for this."

As he made the offer, he looked into the woman's eyes just for a short moment, before inevitably having to look away from sheer embarrassment.

Loie Prim

"Loie, huh?"

Rowan repeated the woman's name and nodded, committing it to memory.

"Then I can accompany you to the study hall, at least," he smiled. Rowan fell in step with Loie, walking beside her as she continued off in the direction of the previously mentioned study hall. For a short moment, he forgot he didn't exactly want to be seen, and that he'd come here with a purpose. When she asked about him, that purpose still eluded him for the briefest of moments, before his eyes widened for a moment.

"Me? I... Oh! Uh--" he stammered for a moment, clearing his throat and shaking his head. "I study, ah, volatile magics. Like... explosive kinds, and... how to control them, really. I've got no classes at this hour, I was just, ah, on the way tooooo..."

The man held that "to" out for too long, as he struggled to think of a reasonable excuse as to why he would be on campus without being a student.

"I had a question for one of my teachers. It must have been silly, because I can't quite remember it right now."

And he settled for something that wasn't entirely a lie, at least. He was a bit panicked, as he was unsure of whether this particular woman was here when he "made a name for himself," so to speak, but it seemed she didn't recognize him and that made him just slightly calmer.

"You? Studies, I mean. I saw, like... sciences, pharmaceutical stuff. You interested in healing magics?"

Loie Prim

Rowan smiled.

It was small, at first, but it grew. Gradually.

Not only did the woman's first thought go to something pure, like fireworks -- immediately eliminating the shame he felt in the moments prior -- but her intentions at the school were honestly heartwarming to hear about. He'd gotten so used to talk of everyone wanting to be the "most powerful mage in all the land" that it got to be a bit jarring after a time. He'd almost forgotten what a genuine passion looked and felt like.

"If that's rambling, I could listen to it all day," Rowan said, looking over to her again as they walked.

"When I went--"" He stopped, realizing he'd nearly told on himself. "I mean, in my... earlier years, here, I was used to everyone just kind of showboating, you know? But this seems like it really matters to you, and I admire that."

The man wanted to reassure her as they walked. And as he could see them rapidly closing the distance to the study hall, he unconsciously -- or perhaps quite intently -- slowed his stride a bit, if only to prolong this encounter by a few memorable seconds. How could he justify hanging around if his excuse ended, anyway?

"Can I ask about that? Like, I used to have a tutor from the academy in Fainnard. What made you choose to come out here? If it's not too personal."

Loie Prim

Something about being an outcast and living in a pretty genuinely cutthroat society among other outcasts made it feel intensely difficult to get an authentic interaction with a purpose. Rowan was so used to everything people did being led by some sort of ulterior motive, that he was momentarily stunned. It was entirely more than he could have expected, and for that reason the corners of his lips were consistently tugged upward into a smile he couldn't hide if he wanted to.

"I see," he said with a nod.

"Taking a leap like that, it's bold. But, in a good way. You're pretty cool, Loie."

Rowan grinned, at least until he realized they were basically already where they wanted to go. Even slowing his steps, there was only so many moments they could stretch that walk into. So, for a moment, he fell silent, as he deliberated his options.

The man tapped his chin, before shrugging.

"It wasn't scheduled, or anything. I've got plenty of time," he decided after a time, and pushed open the door to the study hall. He'd stand on the other side, holding it open for Loie to come in.

"My situation, my... "studies," as it were -- it's a little... weird, I guess?" he'd start, answering Loie's question with uncertainty. There were only so many ways he knew how to address this that weren't just screaming "I'm a walking bomb," after all.

"To put it simply, I want to find a way to harness volatile magics, so the people who use them can do so without hurting other people. Especially by accident."

He looked down at his hands for a moment, mind flickering back to the incident a few years back... and then Rowan shook his head.

"You know, I'm pretty good with magitech, by and large. I could help you with your studies. And it sounds like you're the healing kind, right? So, who better to patch me up if I accidentally make something explode?"

Shooting his shot in the least clear way possible was still shooting his shot. At least, in the sense that he didn't want this encounter to be a one-off.

Loie Prim

"Yeah, unfortunately I do," Rowan would "admit" to getting banged up by his explosive magics.

You know.

Like a liar.

Because it simply wouldn't scream "I'm approachable and would like to hang out with you" to say "I don't require your skill set because nothing can hurt me."

"We can be study partners! Dang -- I never would've thought I'd be so lucky to not look where I'm going when turning corners."

The man grinned wide, eyes practically disappearing from the breadth of the smile itself. He'd forgotten all about the tension -- even if it was, primarily, caused by himself. As they passed by others at different study groups, feet muffled by the fine carpets that lined the walkways, Rowan didn't even consider the bad side of his situation for a moment.

Well, until it was brought back up, anyhow.

"Am I -- huh?"

He opened his eyes and blinked, staring.

He made it obvious, didn't he?

"... was it that obvious?"

A nervous chuckle, and Rowan placed the books he'd carried down on a table in a more secluded corner of the hall, adjacent to a window so they could still enjoy the scenery of the grounds outside.

"I'm great. Honest. It's just been so long since I've had a... real connection, or even a proper conversation with someone, that I suppose I overthink a bit."

A deflection, but not entirely a lie.

The first chair pulled out, Rowan would gesture to, implying it was for Loie to take. Then, he'd take the seat opposite hers.

"Do you have much experience with volatile magic?"

Loie Prim