open ♔ socialization log (summer pt 2)

[wynn]

WHO || Everyone! [ota]
WHAT || Shenanigans.
WHERE || Anywhere in the castle, surrounding environs, London, Andres, etc!
WHEN || Any time in Summer / continuations of threads from the last post when it hits captcha
HOW || Actionspam

[ The castle can be a happening place, even on more mundane days. This log is for random interactions over the course of these few months. Because not everyone is into parties, ok. Characters participating in the following missions are asked to wait until their missions have concluded before tagging into things that take place chronologically after said missions: Ravenloft, Shadow Bermuda, and City of Blood If you aren't certain if that applies to you, please ask! Characters who are not currently squired in may also post, as their characters are living in the castle awaiting their ceremonies.

You are encouraged to start your own threads and tag around, and feel free to threadjack into any on-going threads that aren't specified as 'closed' in the subject lines since people can enter into rooms even in the middle of what's going on. WE ARE BIG ON THREAD-JACKING HERE. You can also specify 'single thread', meaning you want only one response for all participants, rather than multi-thread, where a number of different scenes/threads can be done as replies to the top prompt.]

On this log:

Lance/Malina/Cora/Kate/David | continued
Abigail/Alice/Amelia/Kali/Sean/Thea/Winter | continued
Gwen/Rose/Kenzi/Sawyer/Avaleen/Frankie | continued
Erica/Natasha/Sara/Wanda | continued
Mars/Sebastian/Doyle/Deryn | continued
Jaime/Killian/Carol/Tdiddle/Han | continued
Myri/Andrew/Faye/Thoster/Clark/Neal | continued
Baal @ training rooms/firing range/movie theater/billiards/bar
Alex/Will/Dante | continued
Lila @ library/firing range/dragon's fire wing/
Astrid @ med center/library/starbucks/front desk
Sarkney | continuedw
Buffael threads | continued
Emma/Skye | continued
Drax @ training room/bar/outdoors
Elena/Sam/Snow/Bo/Dennis/Groot/Miles | continued
Topher @ computer lab/dragon's light/round table room
Sark @ library
Ella @ dragon's fire wing
Christos & Steve | continued
Jeanne d'Arc @ stables/kitchen/training room
Regina/Snow/Emma | continued
Willow @ the library
Henry @ the library / grounds
Paige @ castle ground
Nyna's resurrection @ Dragon's Light wing

Comments

[bluffcheck]

[At first there's no answer, but after a few quiet moments, the door opens and there's that pirate of hers, looking a little confused that he has visitors. Seeing Felicity, his smile comes easily.]

Well.. isn't this a surprise. Back from your mission, lass?

[allmydreams]

[By some miracle, she manages to stay on her feet when Thoster opens the door and she loses the solid support she had been leaning on (reflex save nat 20). She glances up at him at the question, before nodding a bit, starting to move towards him.]

Yeah. Bad day.

[bluffcheck]

[His smile falters a little as he's not greeted with a similar look in return. He reaches out to put his hands on her shoulders, trying to assess if she's hurt.]

Come in. [He urges, stepping back enough so that she can clear the doorway and allow him to close it behind her.] What happened? Were you hurt?

[allmydreams]

[She stumbles her way inside, looking around the room for a moment as she gets her bearings, before shaking her head. She's fine. She might have taken a few hits, but nothing she couldn't come back from.]

Not me. But I was the mission leader and the squire on the trip got killed.

[It's more blunt than she would probably put it normally, but alcohol is good for that. It makes her force the words out without taking the time to sugar coat them.]

[bluffcheck]

[His eyebrows raise as she comes out with it. Between that and her stumbling, he's starting to notice that she's not exactly sober. It's not all that concerning for him, but it does put some things in perspective.]

Oh, lass... [He steps closer, reaching for her again, but this time to coax her in for an embrace, if she wants one.]

[allmydreams]

[She does want one, thank you. She lets him pull her in, tucking her head against his chest and sliding her arms around his waist. This feels familiar and this feels comforting, after spending a lot of the last two days pushing those feelings to the side to keep her team together.]

I know it's not my fault, not really. We were fighting something pretty nasty and it managed to get a good shot off. But at the same time, I was responsible for them.

[She was the leader and the one making the calls.]

[bluffcheck]

[His arms move around her shoulders, tucking his chin atop her head and rocking her a bit. He's never been in that sort of position here, but he knows what it's like to feel responsible for others like that.]

You can't be everywhere at once, lass. Much as we wish we could.

[One hand reaches up to smooth over her hair, trying to give any comfort he can.]

[allmydreams]

I know.

[She sighs softly as she closes her eyes.]

It just sucks all the same.

[bluffcheck]

Aye, that it does. Did you want to tell me about what happened, or did you come here to take your mind off of it?

[Either option is fine with him. He just wants to check.]

[allmydreams]

[She gives a small shrug as she looks up at him again.]

Mostly the latter. I think I'm all talked out for the night.

[bluffcheck]

[He nods, understanding that sort of feeling.]

I have a bit of drink hiding around here, if you'd like. [As he speaks, he takes her hands and leads her back towards his bed. Time to snuggle up in bed and not talk about serious things.]

[allmydreams]

[She shakes her head.]

Had enough of that too.

[She lets him tuck her into bed, before curling up next to him.]

This is good, though.

[bluffcheck]

[He wraps an arm around her and pulls her closer to him, kissing the top of her head.]

More than alright with this.

[allmydreams]

Good.

[She sighs softly as she settles in closer, closing her eyes against him.]

Thank you.

[bluffcheck]

No need to thank me, lass. [He just holds her and quietly hums, not really trying to be all that fancy but it's a song just for her so of course it's just beautiful (perform 32).

He won't push her to talk, just wants to make sure she knows he's there.]

[allmydreams]

[She closes her eyes as she listens to him sing, relaxing against him for a moment and not wanting to interrupt his song. Here was safety, and she knew that, but she isn't really sure what there is to say.]

Sometimes I wonder if I'm too used to it.

[Or she could just say that.]

[bluffcheck]

[He's surprised by it, since he thought they weren't talking about it, but of course he's fine with this. His hand slowly rubs the length of her arm as he holds her close to him.]

What makes you say that?

[allmydreams]

[She shrugs.]

My parents died when I was eight. My best friend's dad when I was sixteen, she killed herself a few months later. I didn't really know Luthir, but Vi is like my sister, so ... association. And now Nyna. It just seems like ... death follows me wherever I go.

[bluffcheck]

And you've grown accustomed to it?

[this sort of reaction doesn't read like that to him, which is the only reason he's asking.]

[allmydreams]

[She gives a small shrug.]

I don't know. I've always been good at compartmentalizing. You kinda have to, the way I grew up. You don't want people to see you sweat. But I can't tell if this is that or I just ... didn't care as much as I should have.

[bluffcheck]

You seem to care plenty, lass. [She's here, upset about the whole thing, after all.]

I think you're too hard on yourself.

[allmydreams]

Maybe.

[It still doesn't feel like it's enough, but it is what it is. She can't force herself to feel more when it isn't there, and it's probably the guilt talking, but she's too drunk to realize it at the moment.]

She's alive now. That's what matters.

[bluffcheck]

Afraid I can't agree with you there. Even if she wasn't alive, even if she didn't make it-- how you fare is still important. I know how it can be- looking after others. I've done it for most of my life. But you have to look after yourself too, and forgive yourself for things that you can't control.

[allmydreams]

Yeah.

[Because logically speaking, she knows he's right.]

I will. I just ... don't feel it right now.

[bluffcheck]

That's alright, lass. I've seen those dark days myself. But I'll always be here to remind you of the truth, even if you can't see it.