CLOSED ♔ don't know what the country's coming to

[behindcloseddoors]

♬ on an evening in roma - dean martin

WHO || Rafael, Des, Buffy, their best pal in the world
WHAT || An unexpected incident
WHERE || Rome
WHEN || June 7th, 2014
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread.

Who knows how long unconsciousness has them all swallowed in its grip. But when it finally allows them to resurface, they'd notice the smooth motion of a car indicating they're... still riding in a vehicle. A wis check of 14+ might recognize it's a different limo, however, and it doesn't take a wisdom check to recognize that they are all crammed together on the same side of the seat now. With... hands cuffed to the seat between their legs.

Across from them, a large figure sits grinning manically... wearing a familiar gray cassock. Oh hi. :)

A single glance out the window at the bustling city outside is enough to recognize that is sure as shit ain't London. And Anderson will be quick to clear that up for y'all, waving one hand at the view.

"Well, now. I hope you all enjoyed your rest. Let me be the first t'bid ye welcome... to Rome."

Comments

[nothingsodivine]

[Des is just back here laughing. Maybe he just thinks Iscariot vs Alucard is hilarious. Maybe he's laughing because someone has to explain Remedial Hellsing to Fluffy. We just don't know.]

[slay]

Hellsing's pet vampire. Except he's not like Spike is. More ... Dracula. With a side of Blade and something billowy. [ what a great fucking explanation ten points to dragon's hide. ] I met him when Jack took me to meet with Hellsing, and he showed up when Des and I were patrolling in London.

[romanticidal]

[ he just looks away again at the name 'blade' even if he knows you don't mean the one sexing up his ex. while she... wasn't his ex.

DARK THOUGHTS. DRAMATIC LOOKING AWAY. oh right driving. looking out the window. ]

A vampire who works for vampire hunters?

[nothingsodivine]

Best thing to fight monsters is another monster.

[No offense, Buffy....]

[slay]

[ by the look on buffy's face, one might guess he just slapped her. she struggles to respond, then abandons the search for words and just turns her head to watch the scenery zip past, offering only curt resignation. ]

Guess so.

[ probably why they'd tried to recruit her. ]

[romanticidal]

I suppose you are right. And if they do not have one to fight them, they will find a way to make one. [ wow are we overidentifying now. yes, always. also i'm gonna use all these dramatic looking down icons and you can all worry about rafael running over pedestrians as he doesn't watch the road. ]

[nothingsodivine]

Speak for yourself. Some of us got there without anyone having to make jackshit.

[He barks another laugh, this one bitter.] I am whatever the hell it is that I am, but I got here on my own for the most part. The one thing no one's gonna take from me are my choices. They're not always the best ones, but they're mine. Fact is, we're all monsters here- just different kinds and for different reasons.

[slay]

I'm glad you've had a thousand plus years to come to terms with it. [ there's no mistaking the snippy reply as a prompt for him to shut up right now. this is the last conversation she wants to be having while trapped in a car for god only knows how much longer.

the truth is, she has no idea how she got this way, and that crazes her. no amount of assurance that sehanine needs her to fight some holy war will change that feeling: after all, you know what sehanine is the goddess of? things like demons. those are her domain. those things that buffy kills and gets out of this realm. sometimes she thinks, if her dreams are anything to go by, knowing would be worse. other times she can't help but think nothing would be as bad as she's had time to imagine. ]

[romanticidal]

We must all find a way to live with what we have done. What we are. [ he shoots Buffy a look ] You are the one who taught me this, no?

[nothingsodivine]

[Yeah, okay. Des accepts that he's not helping here and just rests his head against the passenger side window and watches the scenery fly by. He's so tired.]

[slay]

I didn't forget.

[ misery continues to seep into her expression, even as she softens at rafael's words. ]

Some days living with that is harder than others. Like the kind of days when people want you dead for it. [ or like when you EXECUTE PEOPLE IN CHURCHES and murder your friends. ]

[romanticidal]

When you begin to feel that maybe they are right to? [ it's said with bitter humor, and he sighs, obviously bone tired himself ] Those days it is good that we have each other to remind ourselves.

[slay]

That we're only monsters if we let ourselves behave like them. I know. [ she looks back over at him, reaching across the center console to rest a steadying hand on his forearm. ] But I'm seriously gonna turn into one if we don't get some sleep soon. I'm talking fangs, horns, all of it.

[romanticidal]

I think we are all feeling this right now. There will be much time for this when we reach the palazzo.

[nothingsodivine]

[Des's con roll was shot to hell, so he's apparently dozing off back there already.]

[slay]

Seems like somebody beat us to it.

[ she glances into the backseat because she rolled a 16+ whatever mods for what that check would be to notice des sleeping. 20 wis? 34 spot? we just don't know. ]

[romanticidal]

[ he glances back in the rearview mirror to see des drooling all over himself or whatever ] I would hope it is safe for him to get some shut eyes in the car, at least.

[slay]

Uh, shut eye. [ she looks over at rafael, smiling brightly now that she's distracted by his KAWAII ESL LIFE. ] It's ... It's shut-eye. Singular. It's this whole — you know, forget it. [ she waves it off. ] You're right. Lucky him.

[romanticidal]

If you wish to try for some as well, I will wake you when we get there.

[slay]

And pass up on the ever-important grumpy, sleep-deprived bonding time? Naaah. [ despite her sarcasm that's basically exactly true. the brightness of her smile softens out into something more genuine. ] I'm okay. I'm used to the whole ... lacking sleep thing. Whatever world Sehanine yanked me out of, I brought some nasty nightmares with me as a souvenir.

[nothingsodivine]

[Des, meanwhile, seems to be not in the throes of his usual nightmares. He does, however, still talk in his sleep. And is muttering something about idk... penguins. I don't know where penguins fit into the night he's had, but they're in his dream.]

[romanticidal]

[ judgy / endeared look back at des once again and then: ] You have them often?

[slay]

Not all the time, but ... more than enough to keep me on my toes. You ever heard of "Russian Roulette"? Kinda like that. [ she shrugs. ] Sometimes they feel more like ... I don't know. Memories, than dreams, but I know they're not mine. [ she leans back, slumping in the seat. ] Too bad she couldn't stick around the club for a Q & A, huh?

[romanticidal]

Have you tried asking her to keep them at bay?

[slay]

... Asking her?

[ what is prayer. ]

Well, I—I mean, I would, but I didn't exactly get her number, and the long distance bills have gotta be killer. I wonder if you can call the Spaces In Between collect ...