open ♔ june/july castle socialization

[wynn]

WHO || Everyone! [ota]
WHAT || Shenanigans.
WHERE || Anywhere in the castle, surrounding environs, London, etc!
WHEN || Any time after June 7th  
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.   

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:

Rafael, Buffy, Des & Wynn | Closed
Frankie & Lis'sa | Closed
Taradiddle @ the desk
Lydia @ the desk
Abigail @ the desk 
Adam @ the desk
Bambi @ the desk
Rebekah @ the desk
Dawn @ the desk
Adi @ the desk 
Stiles @ the desk
Felicity @ the desk
Will @ the desk
Han @ the garage
Ric @ the bars.  all of them.  also dragon's hoard lab.
Team NYC | Closed
Lila @ the kitchen/castle grounds
Kate B. @ castle grounds / training room
Aedan @ training / woods / common areas
Frankie @ front desk / garage / various
Maxwell @  rec room / training room / castle bar / forest
Will @ firing range / pond / castle grounds
Sven @ the woods
Adam @ library / firing range / London
Jaime @ castle tavern / training room / stables
Hook @ castle grounds / bar
Jack & Christos @ the training room
Damon @ the castle bar / castle grounds / woods / London / library
Sean @ castle ground / jumping out a window
Des @ the woods
Kate @ training / shooting range / castle grounds
Vi @ her room / bathrooms / pantry / dragon's light wing / firing range
Francesca @ training room / bar
Francesca & Val'drin | Closed
Kenzi @ training room
Lila & Bambi | Closed
Spike @ training room
Lissa @ foyer / Dragon's light wing / garden
Andrew @ his birthday!
Buffy @ Rafael's room / firing range / training room / dining hall
Francesca, Will, & Max | Closed
Faith @ Kitchen / London bars
Abigail & Will | Closed
Des | Dragon's Light wing
Jackson | Train station / training room / garage
Klaus | Bar / garden

Comments

[witchwoman]

[Myri has started taking walks, trying to clear her head. She's discovered new things about her magic and she just... needs to think about them. But her deep thoughts are interrupted by the sounds of multiple objects striking another object. It sounds... well weapon-y. When she gets closer, she sees Des struggling with the bolt in the tree and tries very hard not to laugh, but... yeah there's a stifled laugh coming from behind him.]

[nothingsodivine]

[des hears the laughter but doesn't recognize it (listen 20 total) and grimaces, giving the bolt another tug, this time freeing it.] Laugh it up, ja- [he doubletakes, recognizing that face anywhere.] Myri? [his face lights up and he drops the bolt on the ground so he can walk over to her and scoop her up into a hug.] I thought I wasn't gonna get see you again, Little Bit.

[witchwoman]

Oh-! [This was not the reaction she was expecting! Des being affectionate is still a new enough development for her that it takes her a moment before she clings back to him just as tightly.]

What do you mean? [This sound is muffled into his shoulder because hi this hug isn't over yet. Also if Wynn does end up telling NYC about their adventures then Myri got temp amnesia. Whoops.]

WOW RANDOM ICON. THANKS FOR THAT.

[nothingsodivine]

[yeah, no. he's not letting go just yet. He's even lifting her off the ground a bit.] Iscariot nabbed me, Buffy, and Rafael on the way to the airport. We just spent the last couple of days on the run in Italy. [He laughs bitterly] It was a close call. One run of bad luck and Raf ad Buffy would be dead and I'd... [He tightens the embrace.] Well, let's just say they didn't listen when I told 'em I'd look terrible in a cassock.

[witchwoman]

[Myri tucks her chin over his shoulder and lets out a slight noise of surprise as she's lifted. She doesn't mind. It feels strange to feel happy, even for a moment, considering what's happened. But she'll enjoy it for now and deal with the guilt later.]

Italy? But that's... [She stops and gives him another squeeze.] I'm glad you're alright. All of you. [Because Des would have opened with 'someone died/was hurt/maimed/etc' if they had gotten into too much trouble. She's learning to let go of parts of her worrying nature. It's a slow process.]

[nothingsodivine]

Same. We heard what happened when we were in Venice. That shit in Manhattan went global.

[He finally puts her down, pulling away just a bit and gripping her shoulder.] Are you all right? I haven't seen Vi yet.

[Correction: He has been pointedly avoiding Vi because he told her Blade was a lying liarface.

He probably is a lying liarface, but it doesn't change the fact that he was right.]

[witchwoman]

I'm fine- really. Vi's... I can't imagine what she's going through. Losing someone like that- [She stops mid thought because Des sure experienced it himself just last year.]

She's been coming to my room at night. We don't talk much, but I can feel it. I can't bring myself to block her out, but it's not the same as before, not that same dull, hollow feeling. This burns like something was ripped out of her.

[nothingsodivine]

[His expression darkens and his hands fall away from her shoulder. The anniversary of Jade's death is in a few weeks and the pain is just s-so real.]

Something was. You don't love someone that intensely and not feel like you lost a chunk of yourself when you lose them.

[witchwoman]

[Hugging is happening again. Why did they ever stop hugging?]

I just want all of this to be over. I'm tired of watching people die, tired of not being able to help them. Too much of our blood has been shed.

[nothingsodivine]

[There's a heavy weight in his tone.] It'll be over soon. [He places a hand on the top of her head and strokes her hair.]

[witchwoman]

[it should be a comfort, but it isn't. not really. myri can't believe that any of this will be over so simply.]

Mark told me he isn't going. And after everything with Luthir... I don't think Vi will be able to manage it. [She takes a breath and tries to steady herself.] I thought the only way we could manage was to stand together, but we won't be able to do that. I just- It need to be enough and I'm so afraid it won't be.

[nothingsodivine]

That's two people, Myri. Think of it like two less people who could hurt. Vi's been through enough and Mark... Well, Mark's squishy, human, not the best fighter, has a chip on his shoulder, and cracks under pressure. [Look, it's an observation. Not a... commentary on Mark as a person. Mark and Vi know they're not going to be able to hold up to the pressure.] They're safer back here. And when it gets bleak, know there are people you have to come back home to.

[witchwoman]

You don't understand. [And it hurts her to even say that, because of anyone that might manage to understand why she's so firm on this? It should be Des. It's a clinging feeling, desperate to hold onto something that feels right because nothing else has in a long time. They were stronger together, and they needed to be at their strongest if they would succeed. She had taken comfort in that, knowing that they would all return, but now that wasn't the case, and the creeping doubt and fear had started to shadow all of her thoughts- even more so after Luthir died.]

[nothingsodivine]

[Something clicks. (wis 17) And he draws back a bit.] I understand that we're not the same people who started this mess. We've picked up strays and lost a few. The bonds aren't broken, kiddo. What held us together through the worst then is still here now. That's what you need to hold onto.

[witchwoman]

Did you ever go back? [She tilts her face up to look at him, swallowing the lump in her throat.] To the ones that kept you captive- did you ever go back to face them?

[nothingsodivine]

[He swallows.] I... I don't remember. It's been a long time. [He can't remember anything but hazy, violent memories. He knows it's happened plenty of times. Enough that he probably did go back a few times- to get bloody satisfaction. But mostly he just ran.

He sets his jaw.]

But given what happened a few days ago, if I ever get a chance to burn Iscariot to the ground, I'll take it. And they didn't even get the chance to lay a finger on me.

[witchwoman]

I know. I want him dead. I'm not saying that I don't. [Her eyes close briefly.] It's difficult, and things keep changing. And I know that's just part of our lives, but-

[She's scared. Downright terrified. And there's not a lot left to bring her much in the way of comfort, not a lot she feels she can believe in.]

[nothingsodivine]

[He pulls her back into a hug.]

Nothing's gonna happen to you back there, Little Bit. I promise.

[witchwoman]

[Myri squeezes her eyes shut tight and all but clings against Des' hug.]

Please... [She's not even sure what's she begging for. Please keep that promise. Please keep her safe. She's walking back into her nightmare and isn't sure what it will bring.]

[nothingsodivine]

I'm the one person they can't take down, Myri. [He strokes her hair fondly.] They'll have to get real creative to get to you if they go through me.

[witchwoman]

They will. He will. [She's still terrified of Dimitris, frankly. He really did a number on her.] Or worse... [Oh god she pales at the next thought. Des chained to a table, tortured and killed over and over while Myri was kept in the same room, forced to see and hear and feel it, without being able to help. She can almost hear the screams.]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des grits his teeth. Maybe it's because he's still got Anderson in his head. Before we get t' work on you. Every time he thinks about it, his stomach churns. He's hot issues- numerous issues. And a couple of days ago, he just got slapped in the face with the biggest one.

But he got out. They didn't even get the satisfaction of trying to work him.] He can damn well try.

[witchwoman]

I can still hear them. [She says, still speaking quietly as she stays close, not wanting to leave the safety of his embrace.] At night. I can hear how much they needed me.

[nothingsodivine]

I know, Little Bit. I know. [He's still petting her hair.] I can't promise it'll ever stop after he's dead and his operation's dismantled, but one day, you won't hear it.

[witchwoman]

[She's quiet for a few beats, like she's trying very hard to keep her breathing even, to keep herself together. And in a moment of the dice just knowing what's up, Myri crit fails her will save and just breaks down into full on, body wracking sobs against him. There are some sounds that might be an attempt at words, but they would be impossible to understand.]