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]

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Oh, sure, that will handle things nicely. [lasers...] And it's not a line— careful, or I'll start sneaking love letters into your notes to make you blush.

[And also, like, just because? He's a professional in the art of the sappy love letter, please mentally prepare for this inevitability. He still chuckles into the kiss, soft enough to melt him completely, and he's back to drawing shapes under Viktor's shirt and leaning into his shoulder to listen to this, hm, entirely justified worry about the local Powers That Be.

Darn, though. No tunnels. He scoffs, amused despite it all.]

You know I don't mind staying indoors as long as possible. We'll wait out this storm; I've no idea how long she intends to throw thunder around to make her point, but I won't object to this one— and then... I don't know. The Reckoning is after punishment-dodgers, isn't that right? We haven't done anything that merits the cold hand of the law.

[Well. They stole a chalkboard. But they were also humiliated by a janitor, so that's punishment enough for that petty crime, surely.]

Is it too lackadaisical of me to say I'm glad the Reckoning seems straightforward? I'm looking forward to a thorough lack of ghosts and petty riddles.

Please, my heart can't take it. [as though he wouldn't cherish them but yeah he'd die. at least he could do so in privacy, assuming pal is merciful.

his hand goes back to idly running through pal's hair, considering all that as he does. there is a moment he's concerned of the idea of the reckoning deciding cytherea's death is punishable but surely eight months in isolation was punishment enough? death on top of it?

he lets out a soft sigh. otherwise no, he can hardly see anything he's done that deserves the blade.] I suppose I am more concerned with this malicious attitude even the Trench natives seem to have. Have you been to the boardwalk this month? Calling them unpleasant is putting it mildly.

I assume it's some influence, and if it starts affecting sleepers with the power to cause trouble too- [need he continue there. ah well, another press of his lips to pal's temple.] Eh, another set of troubles we'll make do with, I suppose. At least this place has air conditioning.

That's only going to egg me on. [Ha ha, this is romance? Nothing could be more romantic than heckling your boyfriend-spouse with secret love notes that will make him lose ten minutes of productivity from perishing, automatically, every time. He does an affectionate little fluttering thing with his fingers down near the base of Viktor's spine, for emphasis - he will write the most embarrassing love letters of all time, just wait.

Still, the trouble at hand; or near at hand, anyway. He thinks about it, shaking his head briefly against Viktor's shoulder about the boardwalk, no, he hasn't yet been. Apparently he shouldn't? He'll keep it in mind.]

Could it be the Reckoning's influence? I'd think it strange if the influence of 'justice' was somehow making them more malicious, but I can't say I'd be surprised. Not around here. No; let's not rule it out.

[Sigh! As always, the work is never done. They could just lock the door and not come out for a few weeks, but that's never going to happen, alas.]

Do you feel any different? I'd have expected to feel more malice by now, myself, given— you know. I don't, but I'm putting that down as a 'yet'.

[the way viktor decides to deal with this is, shockingly, by kissing him. he really should get up and lock the door, on the off chance anyone comes around to his study. it's technically supposed to be an area open to all, a general research place for corruption, etc.]

Save it for the books. [as though pal has any shortage of romantic gestures in him, viktor is finding. unbelievable.]

Hm... I'm not sure but I would not be surprised. I think it comes with the fine line between justice and revenge, and how revenge often comes from hurt and spite. [a shrug, one shoulders, hand still at his hair.] Perhaps it is the moon itself. It does feel odd this month.

[huh, the question has him tilt his head, twirling pal's short hair as much as it will go idly.] I do not. Given the raspberry incident I have a good idea of what it feels like too.

I wonder if it builds up, or is triggered. Either way at least we do not seem to be effected. [given if pal were he'd expect a lot more wrath right now, all things considered.]

[He will save nothing for the books as he is a bottomless well of romantic gooey lines. Please enjoy, in the exact way Palamedes frowns sharply and does not enjoy the possibility that justice/revenge are technically different items, because:]

I've changed my mind; if the entire month is to be dedicated to semantics and subjectivity, I'd like a ghost instead.

[Ugh. Please. He can't endure a month of arguing about whose actions are just or heroic or whatever else. This, above all else, is what will make his blood pressure rise and flip his bad temper switch.]

Let's not experiment. The method will show itself in time, if either of us gets hit by it; I'm not in the mood to tempt fate any further than I did by standing on that boat.

[Which. Speaking of, he recalls...]

Anna called me a coward, I think— for leaving. Someone was shouting at me before we got to the lamp. [so like. lmao.] Do you think I'll have to submit an appeal semantically arguing about whether or not cowardice is a crime, or indeed, even applicable? I'll use my red marker.

Better than that, a month that pits people's morals against each other. [viktor says dryly, even though yes, that will indeed be a fucking nightmare.] A being without mortal understanding making moral judgments while people of varying worlds, cultures and upbringings doing the same. It will be a delight.

[a sigh, and he just continues to idly toy with pal's hair. he frowns at that bit about anna, a genuine irritation over his face before he forces himself to banish it.]

If that is more than her nerves speaking she is an idiot. [blunt and rude but. a sigh and he tries,] I hate useless bravado, or the idea that there is only bravery and honor in senseless, self righteous violence.

So I think you shouldn't waste the ink. Imagine what you academics you could bring to tears with that time spent on their work instead.

Very strong case to be made for staying indoors all month. Here, where it's cool, and I trust most of our fellows to have a reasonable conversation without— more bravado.

[Hah. He tilts his head up briefly to kiss that frown, equal parts thanks for the support and a gentle shush, for the moodiness. He's fine; it doesn't concern him in the least what anyone on that beach yells at him anymore, he's decided. That seems like Anna's problem.]

Like you? [bring to tears (affectionate)] Show me your most outlandish of bloodstone-powered prototypes, the ones I know you write down in the margins when you haven't slept enough; I'll be scathing. You won't need to put one hair outside to get heated.

[play in the space with him, his markers hunger!!]

[that gets a snort, mostly a vaguely tired agreement to how some are handling things. bravado is a nice way of putting it.] I have a feeling Abigail is going to start her crusade against you, so it won't all be fun and games.

[enjoy his hell of being offered food all the time, guy who can eat three grapes at a time.]

A challenge? Very well, I'll show you my bumbling ward work and completely outlandish ideas on manipulating magic. It will be my goal to make you weep with trying to dissect it all. [ugh, his smile is so warm, way too happy in this ridiculous, red pen wielding space.

another kiss to pal's temple.] If I am not torn between loving you more and wanting to wring your neck I'll consider it a failure.

[No, not the food offerings... he'll die if he has to eat more than three grapes at a time. He groans from the abject dread of it, which is only partially a bit - truly, this is the worst, he needs to squeeze closer to Viktor to feel better about his fate...]

I would love to see your ward work. It's been years since I was able to coach the juinor adepts on their wards.

[Implying that Viktor is as talented with a ward as a, like, twelve year old? Absolutely. With love.]

You'll think I'm the worst inside the hour. But you'll thank me by the third.

[With kisses, specifically. Thank him with those.]

[viktor is very happy to shield him from the cruel realities of the world for a moment, and is not insulted he is being called child level ward maker. in truth he's probably lower than that, all his magical theory is exactly that, theoretical. pal is the magic practical powerhouse that makes those theories work, thank you sir.]

Oh it will be dreadful. I'll jump to advanced concepts completely out of my league but with just enough understanding to make the application extra frustrating. [he sounds happy about this because he is.]

Sounds like a deal. [and he is thanked with a kiss now, as it turns out.] This is a terrible bit, I hope you know.

[it's not, he loves it.]

Oh, you're going to get everything so wrong, and you're going to make me so mad when something almost works anyway.

[He says, with all the love in his heart. The bit is excellent, actually, lingering in another kiss before he tilts his head to trail more kisses down Viktor's jaw, to his neck.]

I'll be out of my mind by the end of the fifth set of trials. [Another kiss, tugging at his shirt collar for easier access to the curve of his neck. The bad bit is doing it for him, thanks.] I may have to correct your theorems right there on the table.

[Very sensual, the red marker...]

[viktor can't help a genuine laugh at all this, not the typical one he tries to bite back, though he does rest against pal's shoulder for a little to muffle it.]

Lucky for us it's a sturdy table. Looks perfectly capable of handling some vigorous writing. [the bit is excellent, fine, but also the worst how well it works for him.] I know how passionate you get about your theorems, after all.

[Oh, very cute, that's only going to egg him on even further. He can't resist his own chuckle against Viktor's neck, pressing another kiss there and lingering for a moment. Just a moment to enjoy Viktor, the whole experience of him, pointedly how not like being waterlogged and freezing in the sea it is to be here now, in the silly bit.

Just normal things.]

Just wait until I get going. I'm very thorough.

I'm locking the door and you can be very thorough right now. [viktor informs him before doing just that.

so that's a good way to reaffirm pal is very much alive, and he is very happy pal is alive. maybe he'll feel a little bad about getting rowdy in what is ultimately supposed to be a shared work space but at the moment it's really only used by him, so ah well.

maybe after he'll try to coax pal into finishing the cake, having a little more tea. more than likely he'll just hold him close and remind himself things turned out fine, for them at least.]

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june catch-all

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