WHAT'S THE WORST YOU TAKE | open w/closed prompts.

[deathrespect]

Who: Samatoki Aohitsugi deathrespect & open!
What: Pre-event and event things.
When: Throughout October.
Where: Mostly Cellar Door, Willful Machine.

Content Warnings: Missing person trauma. Some alcohol/inebriation.

( 001. ) ⦁ IF YOU WANTED HONESTY | cassandra | open.

( Samatoki stumbles and catches himself only just barely on a nearby wall. The headaches are worsening, but the sense of dread and fear that fills him isn't helping his mental state much either. )

Fuck, get — get away from me!

( He swipes blindly at the air with his claws. )

( 002. ) ⦁ CAN'T JUST FORGET | cellar door | for ariadne.

( The beat thumping from the group playing has Samatoki bobbing his head; he's been hardpressed to really enjoy himself with all that's been happening lately, but good music is good music. He's fine just listening.

Until someone insists on dragging him closer to dance. )

Ehh? Do I look like someone who does that?

( 003. ) ⦁ WE ALL GO TO HELL | cellar door | for peter.

( The more the Black Parade goes on, the better Samatoki feels about being there. It's a small and private pleasure he feels; he'd never tell anyone that it's bringing him joy. Not in so many words.

When he lowers his mask so as to see better, his face is done up with skeleton-like paint beneath. He drinks from his cup, watching idly a couple dancers performing nearby. There's a doubletake at the guy next to him before he speaks: )

Yo, do I know you?

( 004. ) ⦁ ANY TIME YOU WANT | cellar door | for anna.

They say 'make your own' kites at this stall like it's fucking easy.

( Ok, he might be a bit boozy. Trying to make a kite is strange when you're a little tipsy and don't know your own strength ... or claw-sharpness. )

Maybe you can do the string tying and I'll paint it.

( 005. ) ⦁ NEVER COMING HOME | cassandra | open.

Oi, oi ...

( Samatoki calls out in his harsh sort of voice, though he holds his hand out to the other person in a gesture of peace. )

You got one of those freaky doppelgangers behind you. You need help?

Comments

[possessum]

( Enjoying something like this is a bit strange to admit for Peter, too — he's not the most sociable of creatures, mostly preferring to stay home tucked safely away from everything. Nervous, shy, introverted, afraid to be hurt (...and to hurt others): all of the terms are fused into one state of being that means an aversion to being around too many people at one time.

But this... is nice. He's actually having a bit of fun here, even if he's only watching and not actually participating in much himself. He has a cup of his own wrapped in his hands, warm and soothing and definitely alcoholic, and he's standing there half in his own little world as always, when someone speaks to him.

Peter looks at him, and then stares for a long moment. Even past the facepaint, there's something clearly Other to him — the eyes, the horns. There's a sharp pang through him and Peter gasps, just a little. In the next beat he's realising he does recognise the guy; it'd be hard to forget him. )

Oh— yeah, I... I talked to you on the uh, network thing. ( He manages a quiet, strained smile. It's not the first time he's been around people who remind him of what he's most afraid of. It's just always a little startling. At least he's not having panic attacks over it the way he did back in Deerington. )

I don't think I ever uh, caught your name.

[deathrespect]

Ah, yeah — hey, man.

( He looks a little puzzled over the gasp, but doesn't let it get to him; he'd seemed nervous on the network too, so that must just be how he is. )

Fuck — it's Samatoki. I always seem to forget that.

( On account of his last placement being much smaller in population; everyone seemed to know one another. )

This place knows how to turn up when it's not all doom and gloom. Kinda get whiplash from it, though.

[possessum]

( Believe it or not, this is tame compared to how Peter usually is... at least he didn't end up dropping his cup of very hot liquid, this time. No, he recovers a bit more smoothly now, even though he's finding it hard to keep eye contact with the other boy's gaze. He glances down at his cider for a moment, takes a cautious sip. )

Nice to meet you. I'm Peter. ( Anxious though he may be, there's a gentleness, a softness, to the teen. His smile returns, a quiet little thing. )

Shit... tell me about it. Though whiplash has kinda been my state for the past couple of years. Like, the place I was in before this? Seemed like every month it was something new thrown at us.

( He pauses, glancing back to his companion. )

You weren't at Deerington, were you?

[deathrespect]

Naw. I heard about that place and how messed up it was for a lot of people, but ... I was in a place called Hakagemachi.

( He pulls a face. )

Nightmare in a different way.

[possessum]

Oh, yeah? ( Peter's frown returns, fingers giving the sides of his mug a soft tap. It's not the first time he's heard of other people coming from other places. There's a whole lot of wondering to be had about why it is that some of them get chosen or whatever for this world-hopping shit. Peter's always entertained the fact that it's some form of punishment — it'd be exactly what he deserves, after all. )

Sorry to hear that. How long were you there...? If you don't mind me asking.

[deathrespect]

Ah, like ... Five ... months? Fucked with me heavy.

( That last admission feels a bit too personal. He's had a time with admitting shit he shouldn't be, lately.

He shakes his head. )

Ain't no thing, though. I think this place is similar but ... It's a bit different in that I'm getting less alone. Y'know?

[possessum]

That's a long time. ( Peter says softly. Almost half a year — enough time to learn the rules of a place, to maybe even kind of settle in. Assuming it was the kind of place where settling in was even possible. The first six months of Peter's time at Deerington... fuck, he barely even remembers it. He was still so lost and strange, made stranger by the town spitting his insecurities and losses back at him.

He gets the 'fucked with me heavy' part and that empathy in him deepens, frown turning the edges of his mouth downwards. )

Glad to hear it, man. It's good not to feel so alone. ( He glances up at the nearby parade, watching it for a moment. ) I'm... trying. I think I'm still having kind of a hard time, here.

002

[demonicbeauty]

[Ariadne is in a good mood. In a decent or mediocre mood, she's all about spreading the joy. But when she's in a good mood?

Well, she can get borderline obnoxious.

Everyone deserves to feel the way she does. And so she's making it her personal business to get everyone dancing. Dancing feels good. And seeing people dance to your music makes musicians feel good.

So far, everyone is getting into the spirit of things. The strange man she's pulling out is the first to question her. And she can't help but laugh.]

Of course, sir! You're already halfway there!

[deathrespect]

( Her laugh is nearly contagious. Samatoki might be too cool to dance much, but Ariadne's delight at the music and movement is ... nice to see. )

I'm more often on the performer side'a things, hah.

[demonicbeauty]

Well, then, this should be perfectly simple for you.

[She lets go of his elbow. Some humanoids are a bit defensive about touching. And anyway, when she's not holding on, she's able to do a little spin before him, her long, rope-like braid swirling around her.

Ariadne's belongings from Deerington have largely made their way here. But one that's particularly dear to her is the gold gown she wore last New Years, which she wears now. In the light, it makes her look like a flame.

A...very cheerful flame.]

004

[hauntedsavior]

[anna's had a little herself, but at least she's not worried about carving through the kite and ruining the whole thing. when samatoki makes the proposal, she's glad to jump in and work on tying things together.]

All of it's bullshit. You know how you make a kite? You go down to Wal-Mart and drop 20 bucks on one and you go out to the beach and you fuckin'... forget how to make it actually fly. [she's fumbling a little, but at least her fingers are considerably blunter.] Should be illegal to let us make stuff when we're drinking. Only thing you should make when you're drunk are mistakes.

[deathrespect]

Mistakes and, like, fucked up McDonald's concoctions like McDanks 'n shit.

( He's not drunk enough to light his cigarette backwards, at least. The smoke is welcome when he's a bit inebriated. )

Gotta admit this freaky parade shit looks kinda cool though.

[hauntedsavior]

Oh hell yeah, dude, I'm super into it. You act like you own the place enough and they'll let you grab a mic and sing shit. Damn near made it through all of Homesick before they told me to get off.

[she damn near snorts out a laugh while trying to tie things together.] That would be the album I'm obsessing over right now. Fuck, dude, I'm a caricature. You doin' anything fun out there without me?

[deathrespect]

Homesick? Do I know that one?

( No. He does not. He steadies himself a little, shaking his head perhaps a bit too animatedly.

Watch the horns, Samatoki. )

Fun? Here? No. ... Maybe.

[hauntedsavior]

Probably not. This band from Florida put it out like twelve years ago.

[anna's dealt with horns before, probably, maybe. she's dealt with a lot so it's probably in her wheelhouse. point is she knows enough to duck out of the way of them and fix her buddy with a dry laugh.]

Well? Spill the damn beans.

[deathrespect]

Outside of this whole ...

( He gestures grandly to the space in front of him, meaning the Black Parade in general. Hopefully that comes across. )

Thing, it's actually been kinda ... terrible.

( Wait, was that too grim. Probably the paleblood in him. )

[hauntedsavior]

[nah, she gets it. this month has been rough so far. she might be a little clouded by alcohol, but samatoki's still her friend, and her hands stop working so she can pay closer attention to him. in the back of her mind she vaguely remembers having conversations like these while assembling paper lanterns, back during recolle's fall festivities. everything old is new again.]

Oh, this month has super sucked, dude. I've just felt so goddamn lonely the whole time. Same with you, or, like, how's it going?

[deathrespect]

Lonely's a ... good way to put it.

( He suddenly feels guilty for letting the conversation turn grim.

He pulls a face. )

Not fun at all. But if I went home I'd just be ...

( Just what? His voice trails off a little and he feels even more self conscious. )

Nevermind. All I can think about is stealing that guy's mic but that's the worst idea I've had since I started drinking probably.

( He gestures, helpfully, to the band playing a few dozen yards off. )

[hauntedsavior]

[anna takes her hand off the kite and puts it on his shoulder. she won't let him blame himself for bringing the mood down when anna's been an emotional leech this whole month.]

Do it, dude. What are they gonna do, kick you out of the party? [she might be of clouded judgment right now, but she still knows what's gonna make for a good time.] Get up there, spit some bars. That's the whole reason we do music, right?

[deathrespect]

( Samatoki is immediately grateful for her letting him jump topics instead of pressing on about the whole "this place fucking blows mostly" thing.

He eyes over the band and then looks at Anna. )

I'm going for it. ... After this song though. I'm a savage but I'm not a fucking animal.

( He snorts a laugh at himself. )

[hauntedsavior]

[she laughs freely, glad that she can be a force for good even in the darkness that this month has been. with another reassuring pat, she fixes him with a sincere smile and returns to the kite.]

Good. Listen, time and place to get real deep into the shit with each other, and this ain't it. [her eye looks down towards her hands.] You still feel like talking about things, we'll head out to the beach or something after this, okay? Sober up a little, smoke up. Make a night out of it.

[deathrespect]

( She really is a good friend. He's grateful.

But how to say that? )

Thanks, Anna. I — fuck, there's my cue.

( Then he's dashing off to steal the mic; the band seems to be confused, but he insists, trying not to laugh right in their faces about it. )

Just fuckin' relax, damn. Back me up, too.

Anyway this one's called Keep Quiet, you heard.

( Thank fuck the band has the sense to join in with the drums, at least. )

[hauntedsavior]

[anna doesn't know this one, but after a moment with the bassist standing there idly by, like they've never improvised a damn thing in their life, she can't take it anymore. she leaves the kite behind and drunkenly clambers on stage.]

C'mon, dude. That's my bro over there, let me just... like, come on.

[she's not as forceful with it, but she does eventually get to wrest the bass from the grips of the clueless musician. her eye locks with the drummer and they start a solid groove, low notes in time with the kick and gentle, higher bass fills when there's space between lyrics. of course, she's never heard the song, so it doesn't work a hundred percent, but it's a damn good way to kill a couple minutes.]

[when it sounds like samatoki's finished with the actual song, she keeps the groove going, looking between the drummer and her friend.]

Come on, freestyle something, dude, we got you! [she's. thrilled. no matter what samatoki ends up doing.]

[deathrespect]

( He's positively hype over seeing her join him on stage; he gets more into it, and when she urges him to freestyle ... He's gotta do it.

His verse isn't bad, but he cracks a few joke lines about kites being wack, and he has to stop to laugh. Were he sober, he would have been a lot more serious, but he's in the throes of pure joy here. )

Fuck, it's been so long since I kicked it freestyle. You'll forgive me, right?

[hauntedsavior]

Every time, dude. Kick it.

[and she cues the drummer to do a turnaround with her once she's sure samatoki's ready. it's still a laid-back kind of groove, one that she can bob and vibe to, and she keeps her bass low and slow to make sure there's room for her bro to shine in the mix. one and a half sets of eyes, at least, are on him, and anna knows for a fact that she's smiling big.]