Deer Country Mod (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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deercountry2021-12-08 02:19 am
reddosmod) wrote in deercountry2021-12-08 02:19 am
Entry tags:
- *event,
- ahiru: timmy,
- anakin skywalker: michele,
- ange ushiromiya: jelle,
- anna amarande: celene,
- ariadne: wizera,
- cassandra: drizz,
- chara: kai,
- darth maul: shade,
- darth nox: saint,
- fat billie: lucy,
- glitch: ceej,
- izuku "deku" midoriya: tea,
- lance: charley,
- luna lovegood: cheryl,
- luz noceda: pedro,
- makoto kino: mesi,
- manabu yuuki: elle,
- mebh og mactire: oggy,
- minako aino: fay,
- nehan: ray,
- obi-wan kenobi: timmy,
- orpheus: qv,
- palamedes sextus: laura,
- paul atreides: beth,
- peter graham: jhey,
- reaper: vette,
- rose da silva: jhey,
- savage opress: vette,
- scorpia: gore,
- snow white: jax,
- soldier blue: elle,
- stiles stilinski: charley,
- varian: tf,
- willow rosenberg: lucy,
- wu: mads,
- yuri lowell: mads
I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't
DECEMBER 2021 EVENT
WINTER MOURNING
RUN, RABBIT, RUN
LOCKJOINT
CODING
Hello! We are trying a new style of event this December with archival-like entries that characters can ICly find in the Archives. This should allow characters to be able to plan against certain events that occur in-game and do research ahead of time, during the event, or after the fact.
The idea is that these prompts will provide you with all the possibilities characters could theoretically face from the prompt. We hope this leaves more open-ended opportunities for people to engage with. Anything mentioned in the excerpts could be an experience characters encounter. You can always ask for clarification on any prompt on the plotting page.
This is a way to keep all event prompts relevant since new characters would be able to "read up" on these events/excerpts by visiting the Archives or other such resources for information about past events and what they can anticipate from the setting.
We hope this new style makes sense and is fun for players to work with! They will rely on players creating more of the atmosphere than the prompts, but we think that the prompts will provide the perfect guidance as to what the atmosphere should feel like. Enjoy!
IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Holiday themed antler decoration.]
[Image Two: White stag with perfect, circular antlers with bits of ice attached.]
Prompt Two
[Image One: Sculpture of white rabbit with neck caught in a snare. Non-graphic.]
[Image Two: Person in red cloak and wolf mask turning around.]
Prompt Three
[Image One: Puppet making bloody snow angel in snow.]
[Image Two: Bloodied hands wrapped in bandages clenching.]
The idea is that these prompts will provide you with all the possibilities characters could theoretically face from the prompt. We hope this leaves more open-ended opportunities for people to engage with. Anything mentioned in the excerpts could be an experience characters encounter. You can always ask for clarification on any prompt on the plotting page.
This is a way to keep all event prompts relevant since new characters would be able to "read up" on these events/excerpts by visiting the Archives or other such resources for information about past events and what they can anticipate from the setting.
We hope this new style makes sense and is fun for players to work with! They will rely on players creating more of the atmosphere than the prompts, but we think that the prompts will provide the perfect guidance as to what the atmosphere should feel like. Enjoy!
Prompt One
[Image One: Holiday themed antler decoration.]
[Image Two: White stag with perfect, circular antlers with bits of ice attached.]
Prompt Two
[Image One: Sculpture of white rabbit with neck caught in a snare. Non-graphic.]
[Image Two: Person in red cloak and wolf mask turning around.]
Prompt Three
[Image One: Puppet making bloody snow angel in snow.]
[Image Two: Bloodied hands wrapped in bandages clenching.]
WHEN: Begins in December and can last until the end of Feb.
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Spoilers for various canons, survival situations, forced memory share
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Spoilers for various canons, survival situations, forced memory share
[A passage from Rituals of Trench: Remembering Our Pasts reads the following:]
"A long-standing tradition to celebrate Bone Season is for Deerians to collect antlers and bones salvaged from natural resources and create decorative home accents. These antler-bone decors are known formally as Winter Mournings and can be found in almost every residential home throughout Deer Country. Winter Mournings can be made to look like wreaths, candle holders, or simply an antler with a bow hung up on a wall.
Winter Mournings is seen as a way to honor one's past tribulations and how one has managed to survive and overcome hardships during their life. Winter Mournings serves as a testament to survival and a willingness to keep surviving even when things look bleak and dismal.
Creating Winter Mournings is considered a blessing to the Pthumerians Dorothea, Remina, and Argonaut. You will know if the blessing was accepted once your Winter Mourning begins to glow like the moon. Touch your Winter Mourning and you will be pulled back in time to a memory of a specific time when you or someone else had to survive something physically or mentally challenging. For some, it is merely a memory that cannot hurt, but for others, you may want to proceed with caution as it has been known to pull people physically back to times of war.
One cannot choose which memory they wind up in if it is their own, a friend's, or a complete stranger's. Winter Mournings was designed to create a sense of union and empathy among residents and is meant to open your mind and heart to those who have suffered around you. It is time you explore your past, or someone else's past, with an open mind and see how the other side has lived through hard times. These memories are known to be from adolescence, adulthood, or sometimes even futures that have not yet happened or timelines you have never known. After all, Remina sees all past and all history. That means they see all of your past and history too.
No memory lasts forever though. Once the memory has been concluded, you shall be brought back to the present by the Winter Mourning Stag: a great white beast with a circle of frozen antlers. It will come to you when the time is ready, and you will return to the present like waking from a dazzling dream.
Experiencing Winter Mournings can stabilize one's mood and provide restful sleep after, even if the memories may be difficult to swallow. It truly is a tribute to honor past horrors and traumas. Some memories are painful to remember, but forgetting them will never do anyone any good either. So hang your Winter Mournings and remember what matters.
Survive another day. You are worth it."
FAQ
"A long-standing tradition to celebrate Bone Season is for Deerians to collect antlers and bones salvaged from natural resources and create decorative home accents. These antler-bone decors are known formally as Winter Mournings and can be found in almost every residential home throughout Deer Country. Winter Mournings can be made to look like wreaths, candle holders, or simply an antler with a bow hung up on a wall.
Winter Mournings is seen as a way to honor one's past tribulations and how one has managed to survive and overcome hardships during their life. Winter Mournings serves as a testament to survival and a willingness to keep surviving even when things look bleak and dismal.
Creating Winter Mournings is considered a blessing to the Pthumerians Dorothea, Remina, and Argonaut. You will know if the blessing was accepted once your Winter Mourning begins to glow like the moon. Touch your Winter Mourning and you will be pulled back in time to a memory of a specific time when you or someone else had to survive something physically or mentally challenging. For some, it is merely a memory that cannot hurt, but for others, you may want to proceed with caution as it has been known to pull people physically back to times of war.
One cannot choose which memory they wind up in if it is their own, a friend's, or a complete stranger's. Winter Mournings was designed to create a sense of union and empathy among residents and is meant to open your mind and heart to those who have suffered around you. It is time you explore your past, or someone else's past, with an open mind and see how the other side has lived through hard times. These memories are known to be from adolescence, adulthood, or sometimes even futures that have not yet happened or timelines you have never known. After all, Remina sees all past and all history. That means they see all of your past and history too.
No memory lasts forever though. Once the memory has been concluded, you shall be brought back to the present by the Winter Mourning Stag: a great white beast with a circle of frozen antlers. It will come to you when the time is ready, and you will return to the present like waking from a dazzling dream.
Experiencing Winter Mournings can stabilize one's mood and provide restful sleep after, even if the memories may be difficult to swallow. It truly is a tribute to honor past horrors and traumas. Some memories are painful to remember, but forgetting them will never do anyone any good either. So hang your Winter Mournings and remember what matters.
Survive another day. You are worth it."
FAQ
1. Winter Mournings can produce new memories every time you touch them or the same memory.
2. Characters cannot choose what the memory is.
3. Characters can arrive in each other's memories regardless of if they already know each other. Multiple people can experience the same memory.
4. You can either experience the memory as a memory you can't touch or experience - or you can physically be in the memory and have to survive the situation as well. If you die in memory, your body will die wherever you had been touching the Winter Mourning.
5. Palebloods are capable of altering memories or how they or others experience memories.
6. Characters can be pulled into memories at random - as long as one of the characters in the memory share is touching a Winter Mourning at first.
WHEN: Month of December
WHERE: Everywhere/the woods
CONTENT WARNINGS: Themes of hunting, ghosts, curses, attempts at animal violence, hunting people based on blood types.
WHERE: Everywhere/the woods
CONTENT WARNINGS: Themes of hunting, ghosts, curses, attempts at animal violence, hunting people based on blood types.
[An excerpt from Legends of Trench: Curses and Causations reads the following:]
"One of the most notorious legends of Trench is without a doubt the tale of The Huntress and the Hare. Most Trenchies have been told this tale since they were children, but for those unfamiliar, settle in.
This story begins with a mischievous god and an ambitious huntress. The Pthumerian Dorothea loved to play tricks on hunters trying to survive the Bone Season, setting animals free from traps and remaking the traps to catch the hunters instead. One day, a darkblood Huntress was fed up with Dorothea preventing her from catching food for her family and decided to settle the score. The Huntress began to hunt for Dorothea specifically, but it is no small feat hunting the god of trickery and survival.
The Huntress started to rely on her darkblood powers to alter reality to make the perfect traps. Innocuous trees turned into glue traps that anyone would stick to until they were freed by a darkblood or death took their pain from them. Walking through bushes would snag legs and necks, effectively trapping whatever creatures were unfortunate enough to wander for food. Magical snares and beartraps lock around victims with unrelenting force, leaving people and animals to try for help until they cry no more. While this took many innocent lives in the woods, animals, and people alike, it never seemed to work on Dorothea.
Dorothea continued to outwit the Huntress until she eventually drove the Huntress insane. The Huntress died without ever catching Dorothea, but they say her vengeful spirit awakens in winter and begins to set her traps yet again. The Huntress sends her traps and her dead animals after vilebloods and warmbloods to spite Dorothea and hope to maybe catch the god's attention. But Dorothea is no passive god. Dorothea spurs vilebloods and warmbloods to defend themselves against darkbloods and coldbloods.
Infamously, this has created enormous tension between the blood types during December some years, and it is said that the blood lust has caused the types to begin hunting one another regardless of old friendships and alliances. Beware the Huntress's curse. Some believe darkbloods and coldbloods can still hear her haunting commands and cries from the Trenchwood.
They say there is no ease for the tension between the bloodtypes until December has passed, but some believe palebloods may provide relief if they are willing."
FAQ
"One of the most notorious legends of Trench is without a doubt the tale of The Huntress and the Hare. Most Trenchies have been told this tale since they were children, but for those unfamiliar, settle in.
This story begins with a mischievous god and an ambitious huntress. The Pthumerian Dorothea loved to play tricks on hunters trying to survive the Bone Season, setting animals free from traps and remaking the traps to catch the hunters instead. One day, a darkblood Huntress was fed up with Dorothea preventing her from catching food for her family and decided to settle the score. The Huntress began to hunt for Dorothea specifically, but it is no small feat hunting the god of trickery and survival.
The Huntress started to rely on her darkblood powers to alter reality to make the perfect traps. Innocuous trees turned into glue traps that anyone would stick to until they were freed by a darkblood or death took their pain from them. Walking through bushes would snag legs and necks, effectively trapping whatever creatures were unfortunate enough to wander for food. Magical snares and beartraps lock around victims with unrelenting force, leaving people and animals to try for help until they cry no more. While this took many innocent lives in the woods, animals, and people alike, it never seemed to work on Dorothea.
Dorothea continued to outwit the Huntress until she eventually drove the Huntress insane. The Huntress died without ever catching Dorothea, but they say her vengeful spirit awakens in winter and begins to set her traps yet again. The Huntress sends her traps and her dead animals after vilebloods and warmbloods to spite Dorothea and hope to maybe catch the god's attention. But Dorothea is no passive god. Dorothea spurs vilebloods and warmbloods to defend themselves against darkbloods and coldbloods.
Infamously, this has created enormous tension between the blood types during December some years, and it is said that the blood lust has caused the types to begin hunting one another regardless of old friendships and alliances. Beware the Huntress's curse. Some believe darkbloods and coldbloods can still hear her haunting commands and cries from the Trenchwood.
They say there is no ease for the tension between the bloodtypes until December has passed, but some believe palebloods may provide relief if they are willing."
FAQ
1. Characters will increasingly feel the urge to actively hunt one another using traps/etc.
2. The Huntress's curse includes undead animals/beasts chasing after warmbloods and vilebloods and magical traps. Players can invent unique traps for their characters.
3. There will be an innate urge to chase/hide from one another.
4. The curse can be broken by paleblood intervention, character death, or a gradual wearing off by the end of the month.
WHEN: All of Bone Season
WHERE: On Sleeper bodies
CONTENT WARNINGS: Mild body horror, blood magic curses, physical curses, cures through blood ministration/blood letting, possible skin removal, injuries, possible death via starvation/exposure.
WHERE: On Sleeper bodies
CONTENT WARNINGS: Mild body horror, blood magic curses, physical curses, cures through blood ministration/blood letting, possible skin removal, injuries, possible death via starvation/exposure.
[An passage from The Sleeper Condition; Chapter 13: Bodily Aches and More. Found exclusively at the Lumenarium:]
"Generally speaking, Sleeper blood allows Sleepers to navigate this world without the fear of illness and disease. However, no organic body is perfect, and Sleeper blood has its own set of ailments to fret over. Blood Ministers have studied the phenomena of Lockjoint for years now and believe that it is linked to the crystalization found in Sleeper death, though the exact connection remains unknown.
Lockjoint tends to begin and last throughout Bone Season. Some Sleepers may never experience it, but for many, it becomes a reoccurring issue to dread each season. This condition forces blood magic to gather at the joints and effectively lock up. Sleepers find it difficult to move their bodies at the bends, fingers, knees, shoulders, etc without some form of discomfort. Minimal lockjoint can be painful and annoyance, but critical lockjoint can be fatal.
The most severe cases of lockjoint documented have shown Sleepers to have crystalization form over their joints, rendering parts of their bodies completely immobile. Some Sleepers have been found dead in this condition, all their joints crystallized, and it is believed most died from natural causes thereafter.
One can determine they are experiencing lockjoint when the coloration around the joints begins to darken in color, typically looking like a bruise. Calcification may occur rapidly the more magic a Sleeper uses or the more they expose themselves to outside elements. It is imperative that Sleepers remain properly clothed during Bone Season, even if they are coldbloods, and to invest in enchanted clothes that can lock in heat.
A known cure for lockjoint is the art of bloodletting. Puncturing the joints with small incisions seems to allow a release of the built-up magic and can provide immediate relief to the Sleeper. Catching lockjoint early is imperative. Alternative methods are soaking in hot springs and salted water.
Those who are in a more severe state will have to carefully have the crystals removed. This will likely remove the skin as well. Local anesthesia is highly recommended for the procedure. This process is known to leave scarring. The crystals can be saved and used as bloodstones from whoever they were harvested from. If you find a Sleeper dead from lockjoint, make sure to harvest the crystals as they are incredibly valuable.
This curse is believed to stem from Sleeper blood magic congealing within the body in contrast with the atmospheric magic of Bone Season. There is no known prevention for lockjoint. Lockjoint can impact all Sleepers regardless of bloodtype or the material their bodies are made from."
FAQ
"Generally speaking, Sleeper blood allows Sleepers to navigate this world without the fear of illness and disease. However, no organic body is perfect, and Sleeper blood has its own set of ailments to fret over. Blood Ministers have studied the phenomena of Lockjoint for years now and believe that it is linked to the crystalization found in Sleeper death, though the exact connection remains unknown.
Lockjoint tends to begin and last throughout Bone Season. Some Sleepers may never experience it, but for many, it becomes a reoccurring issue to dread each season. This condition forces blood magic to gather at the joints and effectively lock up. Sleepers find it difficult to move their bodies at the bends, fingers, knees, shoulders, etc without some form of discomfort. Minimal lockjoint can be painful and annoyance, but critical lockjoint can be fatal.
The most severe cases of lockjoint documented have shown Sleepers to have crystalization form over their joints, rendering parts of their bodies completely immobile. Some Sleepers have been found dead in this condition, all their joints crystallized, and it is believed most died from natural causes thereafter.
One can determine they are experiencing lockjoint when the coloration around the joints begins to darken in color, typically looking like a bruise. Calcification may occur rapidly the more magic a Sleeper uses or the more they expose themselves to outside elements. It is imperative that Sleepers remain properly clothed during Bone Season, even if they are coldbloods, and to invest in enchanted clothes that can lock in heat.
A known cure for lockjoint is the art of bloodletting. Puncturing the joints with small incisions seems to allow a release of the built-up magic and can provide immediate relief to the Sleeper. Catching lockjoint early is imperative. Alternative methods are soaking in hot springs and salted water.
Those who are in a more severe state will have to carefully have the crystals removed. This will likely remove the skin as well. Local anesthesia is highly recommended for the procedure. This process is known to leave scarring. The crystals can be saved and used as bloodstones from whoever they were harvested from. If you find a Sleeper dead from lockjoint, make sure to harvest the crystals as they are incredibly valuable.
This curse is believed to stem from Sleeper blood magic congealing within the body in contrast with the atmospheric magic of Bone Season. There is no known prevention for lockjoint. Lockjoint can impact all Sleepers regardless of bloodtype or the material their bodies are made from."
FAQ
1. This impacts characters regardless of blood type or their body - meaning it can impact characters with metal/plastic/plant/wood/etc bodies.
2. Players can choose how rapid or severe this gets and how quickly they can be healed.
no subject
But if we go on the other side of the boat, we won't see what you're so flustered about.
[Fight THAT logic, Lance!!! He sure doesn't like this being turned on him though, and shifts uncomfortably. ]
It's...fine. Don't worry about it. I'm working on fixing it.
no subject
…Alright. Not saying I'm not gonna worry. But I trust you.
[After he asked Varian for the same thing when he went to fight Maul, he can't exactly push here or he'd be a hypocrite. Then he crosses his arms, that flush to his cheeks getting a bit brighter.]
And I dunno what you're talking about, I'm totally a hundred percent cool as a cucumber!
[Then Keith's voice comes from down the hall, closer now: "Just shut up and trust me!" and Lance chokes, eyes going wide. The memory is that far along already?]
no subject
He's glad that Lance doesn't push it, happy to move on to this instead. His smirk grows bigger. ]
Oh yeah, you definitely look cool as a cucumber and not at all blushing.
[And there's sure a guy's voice. One Varian doesn't recognise, but Lance clearly does, going by that reaction.]
Who's that?
no subject
That is, when he's not sputtering about being teased about his blush and how this memory is about to turn out. One of his hands goes to his face and slides down it in embarrassed agitation.]
That's… a friend. From home. And I am not blushing!
[As he says it, his cheeks glow more and he looks down, then hastily covers them both with his hands to hide it. Down the hall, himself and Keith are now visible and memory!Lance is definitely missing an arm and bleeding profusely. They're now being attacked by grindylows and a giant… shark-octopus, sharktopus.]
no subject
[He should know, he blushed about Fern like that for the better part of a year before he finally admitted something more was there. Varian blinks as Lance and some dude appear, the smugness in his expression fading to that of genuine concern.
He has no idea what the fuck is chasing them. Why was Deerington so goddamn weird? ]
...You. You look really badly hurt.
no subject
Oh. Yeah… I forgot that part.
[This is awkward. He rubs the back of his neck. Memory Lance starts glowing from the adrenaline of fight or flight and the injury, and on instinct he raises a hand to blow a beam of energy through the shark. Memory Lance looks confused by it, "I- ... what?"
Keith is trying to get the grindylows off them, trying hard not to puke from the smell, and starts to panic, saying "Ignore the shark! Just get rid of these things so we can get out of here!"
Memory Lance stumbles to lean on the wall and creates a star that turns into a light bomb with enough focus that takes out the grindylows with the brightness. Present day Lance shields his eyes and reaches over to shield Varian's for him pre-emptively, since he knows it's coming.
The grindylows scatter away and Keith and Lance are alone. All Keith says is "That works!" And then he's making another grab for Lance's hand to help him to keep going, all Lance says is an exhausted "O... okay."]
no subject
[He can't say he's surprised, and it's in his tone, more questioning than anything. He's been in this world long enough to know that you genuinely can't keep track of all of the injuries you get here. There's just too many.
Varian's watching this with growing concern- he's seen Lance's power in action and knows it's...real fuckin' dangerous. He's about to say something when present day Lance shields his eyes- something he'd normally complain about but, you know, he likes to not be blind. ]
This- this is looking less...like you're getting out of here. Do- do you get out of here?
no subject
[He says awkwardly, rubbing at the side of his neck. He forgot because of what happens next. It sort of blew his mind a little. Not to mention the traumatic pieces sort of got sequestered behind a wall like so many other things he's endured. He's pretty sure if he remembered every detail of what's happened to him he'd be a vegetable.
Then he reaches over and puts an arm around Varian's shoulders a bit awkwardly when he's clearly worried about his fate. A heavy breath and then he shakes his head.] No. We don't… we uh, we don't have to watch that part, you know…
[He's genuinely offering to spare Varian that since it clearly upsets him… but then a second later, he realizes not watching that means not watching the kiss. Can he weasel his way out of Varian seeing the kiss? No? His face betrays him again as he suggests not looking, that very prominent glowing blush coming back. But also, that part is already starting, they are standing by the flooding stairs that have been gated and locked.
"There! I told you we'd make it..." Keith's voice as the memory versions of the two of them reach the stairs, and find the gate locked. Keith lets god of Lance to try and push it aside with physical force, when that dosn't work he turns to Lance: "LANCE! The gate! Do that thing you did to the shark and shoot it!"
But it's clear Lance has been bleeding out this whole time and also back then there was a severe limit on his powers. His hand grabs the gate and glows and the metal glows orange… but he can't sustain it, "I... I can't."]
no subject
[At making far too much happen all at once. At least in Trench, they have a little extra breathing space. He glances up at the current Lance, brow furrowed. ]
I'm more worried about you having to see this. Though we normally can't just...stop. We both know how these things work, Lance.
[Oh, but that blush is back again and Varian's not sure if he should be worried about Lance's emotions or...well, if this is something so much more awkward. The memory keeps moving and Varian hasn't quite caught on what's causing the blush, but he can tell what's happening. The waters are rising and- it doesn't take rocket science.]
Neither of you are getting out of this, are you?
[Death was part of Deerington life, always just around the corner, but Varian never managed to deal with it well. Ressurection or not, death was a heavy weight, a horrible experience for anyone. ]
no subject
"Keith..." he's weak but he resists Keith's attempt to drag him with him, "Why...? Why did you... why did you come down here?"
They're going to die and he knows it and he's angry that Keith came for him and that is clearly going to get him killed to. If he'd just stayed above decks, he'd be safe. Keith stops and there's a pause. The Lance standing next to Varian takes that moment to let out a breath and answer him, tone resigned and flat now that he sees they're going to be witnessing this and he can't stop it at this point.]
I gueeeess you could say I've died in worse ways.
[Bitterly, a voice in his ear tells him all of Trench knows that now, but he swats at it with his hand and ignores it. And that one sentence about covers all of Varian's stated questions and concerns, so he lets the memory speak for itself. Keith replies, "I'm not leaving anybody behind... even if it means I don't get out." But it's clear he's not well, he's slowing down too, "It's breaking rules, but the only reason I'm alive at all is because someone went back for me... so I'm not gonna abandon anyone."
Current day Lance winces at hearing his own pathetic reply, turning his head to look away as it's said, "But... but you're gonna die and it's- it's all my fault because I'm... I'm not worth it."
Keith is angry the moment he hears that and in his anger he corners Lance against the gate getting very close, "Shut up. Shut the fuck up! If I didn't think you were fucking worth it, I would've written you off a long time ago, and I wouldn't have begged Chloe to let me freeze my fucking dick off because of you and your stupid everything. I don't care if you think you're not worth it, because I do. I-"
Fatigue hits him and he sways, they're both freezing in the water, shivering cold and it's affecting Lance's speech even more after he reaches out with his one arm to steady Keith and hold him, concerned. They both know they are going to die now, and Lance doesn't even bother to ask if he's okay because what's the point? But he's confused about what Keith was even talking about, "I've got n-no idea what y-you're talking about. But you don't... h-have all the f-f-facts. You..."
"Sh-shut up." There's no more bite to Keith's words as he leans closer, "That video... the one I di-didn't send and c-couldn't delete. I-" A pause, a shuddering breath. "I meant it. All of it." He moves one hand to run his fingers along Lance's jaw, "I..." he closes his eyes to ward off tears and presses his forehead against Lance's, hesitating for a brief moment... "I like you." And then he leans in to kiss him. And Lance is surprised at first, shocked and conflicted, but then he wraps his arm around Keith's shoulders to return it.]
no subject
He's about to ask Lance what is going on and then...welp. That sure is a lot of kissing. At least he doesn't OGGLE, instead blinking once, then respectfully turning his back on that to look at the current Lance.]
So. That's- uh. That's a thing that's happening. Now I see why you didn't wanna go down here.
no subject
He crosses his arms, shoulders hunching up closer to his ears, that blush still there, but… there were aspects of this memory that he didn't remember that now have him feeling exposed. Though, few things are more exposing than what he did on the network, this is still extremely revealing. And he's getting really tired of having parts of himself he wants to lock away ripped out against his will and shown to people.]
Yeah. It… it was a mistake. Just pretend you didn't see it.
no subject
He turns his back on the kissing couple, putting a hand on the current Lance's arm, squeezing once.]
I'm sorry. This place is good at this, huh? The emotional turmoil.
no subject
He lets out a shuddered breath and swallows. Then he huffs a humorless laugh and raises a hand to run down his face, and it's wet with the water rising faster now.] Dunno what you mean. I'm fine. Totally fine. I was woozy from blood loss and- and he was hypothermic or something and it was a mistake. And now he's gone and it doesn't matter.
[He clears his throat.] We should probably… look for the exit before we drown too.
no subject
[His tone is gentle, worried. Because if he could sum up any word to describe what he just saw, "fine" would be at the bottom of the barrel. He wants to press further, but Lance is right, they should probably get out of the memory before it starts...replaying or something. He doesn't much want his friend to go through this a second time.]
Okay, let's...let's get out of here.
no subject
I can probably buy us some time to figure it out.
[It's gonna hurt like hell since his powers are still painful to use as his body is still a mess after that fight thanks to corruption, but he can still do it. He lets out a slow breath and puts his hands in front of himself. Blue-gold starts to form, and then he focuses to expand it into dome around them. Varian will feel a tingle and a wash of heat as Lance has to put some extra focus into shifting it so it doesn't hurt him when it expands, but also pushes back enough water to give them a bubble. Lance slumps a bit and gasps in a rattled sounding way when he manages to do it, and now it's just a matter of… holding it.]
Man, that was a lot harder than it looked, just so you know.
no subject
He watches as Lance uses his powers- brow furrowing at the obvious extra concentration it's taking him to do this. He glances around them as the bubble forms, before putting his attention back to Lance. ]
Well, that's worrying because it looked nearly impossible. Is there anything I can do to help?
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[He quips, trying to pull some distracting levity into the moment, though his voice is strained. It's not helpful that he's struggling with his powers here in this place where his failure to use his powers had killed him and Keith. Needless to say, he's very determined to get them both out of here.]
See a way out? Like, I dunno, that deer… or a weird door that shouldn't be there?
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[Look, he's used to this sort of distracting humour- Eugene is a pro at it, so he lets Lance have this. He glances around, frowning.]
No deer. Sometimes there's that weird plant Cynthia likes so much too?
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Then he spots that plant under the water down the hall… back where he and Keith are currently about to drown… great.]
Oh… [He lets out a huff, voice strained from the effort of holding this dome.] Dammit! If that's a hint that I should talk about it, then all I'm gonna say is he's a friend from home, and I thought I liked him, but I kept getting him hurt, then he left the dream and never came back. He's gone forever and it was all a mistake. [He looks up at the ceiling/heavens.] Happy now??
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I'm sorry. It must have hurt a lot to put all of that out there only for him to vanish. Did you ever get any closure on it? This? I mean.
[He gestures at the mess going on.]
Before he left?
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What's there to get closure on? I was messed up in the head and thought my feelings were something they weren't. The dream did stuff like that all the time.
[He's trying to retreat back into the closet, basically. Not just about how he feels about Keith specifically, but his sexuality in general. But it's also a box that can't be closed completely, either, he can't un-know what he knows, but damn he's going to try.
He looks up and the flower has moved down a different hall. It seems admitting even that much was enough to at least change their path. Good thing too, since he's straining to hold this the longer it goes on.]
Guess we go this way.
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[It's asked gently, not pushing. Like a soft, concerned query. He knows better than to go at this like a bull through a gate. ]
It's just...well, it wouldn't be a big lasting memory or hurt you this much if...well, if those feelings weren't there at all.
[He sticks with Lance as they move (not really having a choice, it's that or...drown) he nods- glad for the path changing. ]
Let's get out of here.
move to Varian mem now?
[It's not said harshly, but it is defiant, though he understands that Varian is just trying to be helpful. This is just a pandora's box he's desperately bee trying to close for almost a year and he's not ready to accept that it's open now. Or face… any of it. After Keith left, and then Chloe right after, he'd shut down and given up, started dying more frequently as a result, and he still hasn't fully processed the grief.]
And… [His voice cracks and destabilizes and he doesn't sound quite as defiant, but still determined to stick to his narrative.] It hurts because it was an embarrassing way to die.
[As they turn a corner, the setting around them shifts, goes black, the water fades and they are abruptly somewhere else. Somewhere he doesn't recognize.]
yeeeee
...Okay, Lance. If you say so.
[He's expecting to be back in the city, but he's not. It takes him a hot second to realise what they're seeing, where they are and once that penny drops, he stops dead. Of course, it would be this. Why wouldn't it be this. It's always this.
A group of people Lance wouldn't know are trying to fight huge automatons- the building nearby breaks apart as three people race out of it, pursued by an even bigger machine. Sitting in the cockpit, framed in red is Varian. A Varian nearly four years younger than the one standing beside Lance know, looking considerably paler, but Varian all the same. ]
I hate this one. I guess that's why the dream showed it so much...and now it's here too. Great.
[The older Varian hugs his arms around himself, staring at the floor, not looking. He doesn't need to- the memory is pretty solidly engrained in his memory without the town pulling it on him all the time.
Cassandra leaps at the robot with a war cry- the younger Varian scoops him up with his robot hand like she was nothing more than a fly.
"Hello Cassandra, I always knew I could sweep you off your feet."
The older Varian actively cringes. Partly because who even says that, you little weirdo? and also...well, he knows what's coming down the line. ]
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