deercountry | june catch-all

Entry tags:

june catch-all

Who: viktor and others, open to all with some closed prompts in comments
What: june catch-all, some tdm prompts
When: june
Where: various

content warning; terminal illness, arcane season 1 spoilers

misc lab stuff and various fruits.

[viktor's lab in the willful machine is usually left unlocked when he's working inside. friends or acquaintances have likely been told they're welcome to stop by if they like, either to say hello or to get help with whatever a vaguely sketchy lab could handle. of course someone he doesn't know can just walk in too or knock. maybe there's a sudden downpour and that ajar door is tempting? go for it.

the lab has been slowly filling with all sorts of nonsense on the various tables- lasers! tasers! some weird machine hooked up to a blood gem? it is not unlikely to be walking by and hear some minor booming noise and either a curse in czech or a satisfied 'a-ha!' feel free to investigate.

this month there's something else too, a bowl full of fruit. all the fruits mentioned in the tdm in fact, there to be tested on though it looks more like they're just for guests if people are unaware there's some weird shit going on.]

Just a moment, make yourself at home. [he might say to guest. that would include eating some fruit, right? enjoy. probably not the raw lemon though, that's weird.]

[ooc; if you want to memshare i am game, my only hard limit on memories is no suicide stuff please. self sacrifice is fine! feel free to ask to make sure one is okay. if you'd like a viktor memory let me know any hard limits and what sort of memory you might prefer!]

gaze and time loops.

[having lungs mostly working for the moment is pretty great, in viktor's humble opinion. it means walking around the trench doesn't come with the risk of coughing up blood and attracting beasts and generally having a bad time, along with added perks like not getting so easily winded and going for longer. it also means he finds himself out longer than he usually would, which maybe isn't the best, as it turns out.

for example, making his way home through gaze and hearing the chilling cry of a beast, sighing and trying to make his way around what turns out to be the wrong corner. maybe that's where he sees your character before the snarling of a too close beast starts in earnest.

and then snap! they're both back about an hour, where they passed on the street. the look viktor gives is somewhere between resigned and 'fuck this, actually.'] There is a term for this. 'One of those days,' I think.

[ooc; if you'd like to wildcard or do something else you can pm me here or find me at

dichotomy]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

People can become these creatures? I... suppose that does fit in with vampire lore, at least as I know of it.

[still, he wasn't really expecting it given just how intense the change must be, unless this infection was something else. horns and sharp teeth? it didn't sound unlike beasthood.]

My condolences, Jason. I genuinely cannot imagine being forced into such a situation.

At least he's at rest now. Bein' trapped like that... He deserved better. They all did. Even whatever those other things were before they were infected.

Why were you in that area exactly? Was it eh... a deployment, I think they call it?

Yeah, I was deployed to Iraq about two years ago. We were in that area specifically because there was this fancy satellite system that claimed there was an underground silo full of weapons.

I think it might've just picked up equipment left behind by these explorers from the 1940's. Or some other shit we found that I think was from whatever the vampires were before they got infected.

I wonder how that report back would have gone. Not weapons but vampires- I have a hard time imagining it would be easily believed. [at least jason's world seems like a less odd one than some where it'd probably be expected.]

Tell me about it. Before I got here, I could hardly wrap my head around it, and I was fuckin' there.

[He's quiet for a moment. Then:] You wanna hear another song?

And thrown in with new monsters. [viktor sighs, before glancing up. would he? obviously.]

Please. What other songs do you know on it?

[He gives a humorless smile at that. Out of the frying pan, into the fire. His smile grows more genuine as he talks about the songs he knows]

Mostly kid's stuff. "Mary Had a Little Lamb", "Row Your Boat". "Taps", of course. That's the song we play at the end of the day and military funerals.

Ah, like nursery rhymes? I haven't heard of those but we have a few. 'Friend across the River,' I don't imagine you've heard that one?

Hm, I'd like to hear Taps, if you do not think it is too depressing.

No, but I'd like to hear it sometime.

[He shrugs] It's all right. Like I said, we play it at the end of the night, too.

[He takes off his hat before he starts to play. When he's done, he sits in reflective silence with his hat still off. It's a rare thing, him without some sort of head covering]

Ha, I am not sure I am enough of a singer for that.

[and he sits back to listen, finding the tune really did fit it's apparent function. in this case heralding endings, he supposes, it had that poignant edge. maybe more so he's a little surprised jason took off his hat, but he assumes that's out of respect for the song.

this is probably the first time he's seen him without his hat? ram heads don't count.] Does that song have words as well?

[The hat goes right back on after a moment. He's given the song its due respect]

Not really. There are a couple versions, but no official words. You want me to sing for you, too?

[He looks amused by this. Singing is not a talent anyone has ever encouraged in him]

[and viktor has seen the cryptid that is jason's hatless head. thank you, taps.]

We could trade, you sing yours and I will sing mine. That way there is equal embarrassment to go around- unless you are secretly an excellent singer and I am the only fool.

[He's quiet for a moment. It's not as exposing as talking about his shitty past, but it still feels like an exposure of himself. He finally huffs out a breath and sings. Excellent he is not, but he mostly stays in tune, at least]

Day is done, gone the sun
from the lake, from the hill,
from the sky.
All is well, safely rest.
God is nigh

[in a way viktor's a touch surprised he agreed. it is an odd exposure, in a way, and he certainly feels no inkling to tease or chuckle as he listens.]

I was somehow expecting something more florid, perhaps because of the impact of the melody. This is... it is a good song. Simple in the right ways.

And you aren't a terrible singer either. [his lips quirk there- it's true, he stayed in tune which many cannot say.] Far more musical talent than I.

[He smiles a little]

You know that means it's your turn now.

So it does. [he sighs, and after a moment begins to sing as well. it's a melancholy sounding song as well, all things considered, and he has a similar skill level of at least being able to keep a tune but otherwise clearly untrained in every way.]

Dear friend across the river
My hands are cold and bare
Dear friend across the river
I'll take what you can spare
I ask of you a penny
My fortune it will be
I ask you without envy
We raised almighty towers
Our homes are built of stone
So come across the river
And find the world below

[He listens to the song. It is indeed a melancholy song, and though he's never heard it before, something about it strikes a chord in him. When Viktor finishes, Jason gives a moment of silence before he speaks]

Your singing's all right to me. And I liked the song. First I heard it but it's... familiar. You know?

That is good to know. It isn't something I do often. [a touch amused there, before he nods in understanding.]

It has that quality, not unlike yours- simple and melancholy, easy to remember once you've heard it. Not nearly as important, I believe it's mostly used as a lullaby or a song to pass the time.

Guess kids' songs bein' depressing is just a thing in every world.

[He fiddles with his harmonica] I oughta let you get back to it. Whatever you're doin'.

Children are able to look at matters candidly, I suppose. Sometimes cutting to the core of things proves far more melancholy than the nuances.

[he considers that for a moment as well, glancing over again when jason speaks and offering a genuine smile.] Thank you for coming, Jason. In truth I wasn't expecting you'd indulge me your harmonica talents.

I said I would, and I'm a man of my word. And now we know I can hear thoughts from creatures that've been changed, so that helps with the beasthood research.

[His own smile softens a bit] If you ever wanna hear me play again, let me know. They say music soothes the savage breast. Maybe you can figure a way to work that into beasthood research, too.

[he actually perks a little at that, hand to his chin.] That... is not a terrible idea. Sound itself might be a useful tool in reaching beasts rather than more physical manners.

All the more reason to keep your harmonica handy. For research. [have a quirk of his lip at that.]

[He can't help looking pleased that Viktor likes his idea. Jason snorts and rolls his eyes good-naturedly]

Don't make me regret playin' for you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

june catch-all

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject