January 2022 Event Overflow

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JANUARY 2022 EVENT OVERFLOW

OVERFLOW POST for the JANUARY 2022 EVENT

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Peter Graham | Hereditary

[possessum]

— Michael

[wildcurls]

⭠

( Paimon absorbs those impressions, tilting his head thoughtfully. It knows about fire, clearly, but this in itself seems to be a new experience for it.

Paimon's all about the pursuit of knowledge, but intentionally destroying property isn't something he can encourage further (when he's not all cult-traumatised and going feral at the drop of a hat, he's a very civilised dude). So he lifts his little hand and gently places it above the squid's tentacle as if to stop it from breaking off more of the sign. It's not said to be reprimanding, but with a calm patience, as if one might speak to a child. )

No burn this.

[eudaimonikos]

[The squid jerks a little as Paimon touches its tentacle. People...rarely touch it. Never, really, outside of a fight.

But this is...okay? It's just touching, not grabbing. It peers curiously at the hand on it, several small eyes blinking open along the length of the tentacle itself. This is just...happening. Alright.

Belatedly, it remembers that its touch does hurt people, sometimes. Not every other demon, but enough of them that it's used fire for defense plenty of times. It's never had cause to restrain itself. Now, though...well, it's not one for empathy, precisely. It still doesn't care at all about burning things. But it understands violence and retaliation, and if it's not being hurt yet, it doesn't want to be the one to start the fight. It focuses. If it can make the fire more, it must be able to do it less as well, right?

The fire doesn't die out. It can't. But after a moment, it does begin to cool. The squid flickers a question to Paimon - better? Did that hurt?]

— The Operator

[wildcurls]

⭠

( The reaction clearly suggests surprise, how they jerk back like that, as though startled. But Paimon doesn't think this too odd; he's had his own confusions since his Rebirth, and he never expected to encounter another demon occupying a child. It's very possible this entity was never told of such things, either. He doesn't know what their host family might be like.

And he wonders if they're aware of their true name or not. He considers giving his, but waits, thinking it wiser to try and assess more about this situation. A name is a powerful thing, and he still doesn't know who exactly he's dealing with, here.

But then they're smiling, agreeing, and Paimon's own eyes are widening again in response, a thrill thrumming in his spirit like a trapped hummingbird. He moves closer as urged, slender neck tilted up to look at them as they whisper hushed words, secrets, important things.

The Seven.

Immediately, it's clear that this term means something to the smaller body standing next to them; Paimon shudders quietly as though a vibration slips through him, some awareness that touches him on a level deep and spiritual. They must be... one of the seven Princes. It's a high ranking indeed, placed only beneath Lucifer's kings and dukes. )

Indeed...! ( He turns to them, eyes filled with a brightness as his hands reach with the intention to cup the other's face. )

I can not sense your true name in this place, but my spirit must know you still. One of the Seven.... Tell me your name, o child. And remember mine again if you have lost it. I am King Paimon.

[devilmind]

[ It takes every ounce of the Operator's willpower not to recoil away as the child—no, the Orokin—reaches up to caress their face. An Orokin, alive, here. An Orokin who thinks them to be one of the Seven.

They want to laugh. They want to lunge. Instead, they raise a finger to their lips, expression solemn. ]

Not here, [ they say. ] Not now. There are too many eyes and ears in this place.

[ Their heart races as they speak the words. Will he accept their bluff? Or will he insist on an answer? They might be able to get away with using Ballas's name, but what if this one has met Ballas before? The Operator has never heard of this "King Paimon"—though they know that some Orokin, like the Queens, like to style themself after royalty. They don't know what might already be known to him. ]

We must meet at another time. Another place. Somewhere... quieter. [ Somewhere with no witnesses or chance for collateral damage. ] Meet me, and I will tell you everything you wish to know.

[wildcurls]

( Paimon's hands hover in that cupped position, eyes stretching wider still. 'Not here, not now. There are too many eyes and ears in this place.'

The tips of his small fingers twitch with some quiet yearning, but he withdraws them after a moment with a hushed sound almost of awe. This child, this great prince, must know many things, has an awareness of what's going on here. Perhaps they were brought here before Paimon and have had opportunity to learn the secrets of this place. The demon king warms at the thought of learning, of understanding. He needs it, craves it. )

Yes.... We will meet. Somewhere secret. Safe. ( Though he's reluctant to part ways with them, with another being Like Himself. His large eyes seem to swell further: in them is some strange innocence, remnant of a child's reluctance, as though about to leave a friend after playtime. But then there's the other part, the king reluctant to part ways with a precious companion. They're one of the Princes, and therefore extremely important to him by default, even if he doesn't explicitly know who they are just yet.

But it must be in secret. Another time. So Paimon reaches for their hand, cups it inbetween both of his own for a moment. He can't know that within the next couple of days, this version of self won't exist here any longer. Another one will — the older self, the one that was never given to Ellen from birth, but made to be the host sixteen years later, molded and shaped. The one with a name of its own, Peter. )

We shall meet near the ocean. I have sensed its presence here. When you are near it — all you must do is call for me, and one of my attendants will lead me to you.

( ...aka a fish.

Paimon squeezes the hand between his own before letting go, allowing himself to take in the brilliantly-dressed Prince before him once more before they'll part ways. )

You may call my true name, or the name of my vessel, Charles. I will come to you.

wrap!

[devilmind]

[ The Operator fights to keep their face somber—to betray neither revulsion nor fear nor elation, not even when he clasps their hand in his and promises to meet them again. It may be that it is only the soothing spell cast over this place that enables them to remain calm enough to keep up the act. Indeed, there is a part of them that wants nothing more than to strike now. The Orokin is so vulnerable. So trusting. Wouldn't it be easy, so easy, to lift a hand to his face the same way he had done to them—and scour this world clean of this Orokin invader?

They hold themself still, their only movement a bowing of their head as the Orokin takes his leave. ]

I will call on you when the time comes.

[ There is a certain sadness in their own voice to see him go; it is a shame that they can't be done with this tonight. But they had spoken truly: there are too many eyes and ears here—and too many innocent bodies to be caught in the crossfire.

They lift their eyes and watch him leave. ]

Until then.

— Ahiru

[possessum]

⭠

( Peter finds himself highly tickled by this. No one's ever immediately thought he's someone so important, before! (....And he isn't, and he should probably correct this, but he doesn't see the harm in gently playing along a little bit.) Besides... the little girl seems so excited by the prospect, and that warms some quiet, sad place deep in him. He misses Charlie every day. )

We should probably keep this between us, though. Just in case the wrong people find out, you know?

( His voice playfully lowers as he says it, like it's some important secret or something. Ah yes, because there could be someone out there trying to assassinate him for being tied to the Graham Cracker Legacy.... )

[danserai]

Oh . . . !

[ ahiru nods vigorously. of course! peter is so famous, he probably gets tired of all the attention. she can understand and tone it down. she lowers her voice to a whisper. ]

Of course, Mr. Graham Cracker. I'll protect your secret with my life!

[possessum]

( Help..... she's so cute.... Peter's trying very hard not to grin like an idiot, here. He bites down on his lower lip very gently for a moment. )

Dang.... I knew I could count on you. And you know what we should do? Seal this with a fist bump.

( He holds his fist out in preparation to give the world's most gentle fist bump. )

[danserai]

[ ahiru stares at the fist in confusion. ]

Uhm. Am I supposed to hit you? I can't hit a famous person . . .

[possessum]

( Oh — shit, of course she doesn't know what a fist bump is, Peter. Hardly anyone here that you've met knows about your modern American teenage customs. )

You just kind of... hold your fist up like I'm doing? And then we just bump them together.

—Not like a punch or anything, just really lightly.

— Luna

[possessum]

⭠

( Holy fucking shit.

As he's really and truly looking at her (him?) now, Peter can... see it. She's so much different now, but pieces of it are there. There's some of Luna in the eyes, the nose, the youthful face... He watches her look down at herself, and follows the movement downwards, taking the rest of the boy in, or at least as much as he can see from where he's sat all tangled up in the bedsheets on the floor.

As Luna lifts those eyes and makes contact with his own again, Peter's mouth is dry. For all of the bizarre things that have happened to them, this..... this is something in a category all its own. And he's worried, immediately, what could have caused this and why, but first there's the question she asks, and it takes his focus for a moment— )

Y-yes. You— you're a boy.

( Saying it aloud feels so completely weird. For a moment, Peter just sits there, feeling strange and lost and helpless. Then he slowly starts to stand, but leans down, offering her his hands to help her up. )

Do you— the mirror— do you want to look in the mirror....? ( He... should show her, shouldn't he? The true severity of this, as shocking as it is. )

You're.... a boy all over.

[creidim]

[ There's a soft sound at that, her face crumpling a little when Peter confirms it. She's turned into a boy. But she doesn't want to be a boy—! She likes being a girl—! Luna's shoulders sink, utterly miserable. What's she meant to do with this? How in Merlin's name is she meant to change back? Become herself again?

But then Peter bend down to help her up, offering to help to her a mirror. She nods dimly, taking his hands to pull herself onto her feet. There's an odd crinkling beneath her, something like paper, but it's lost in the awkward stumbling as she tries to fight through bedsheets and deal with long limbs as she moves to stand.

And not only that, she realises just why she feels so uncomfortable. Her sleepwear is now much too small for her: trousers almost to her knees; fabric far too tight in places. She feels like she's wearing children's clothes. And then her eyes widen; not only does she rise to meet Peter's face, but passes it ever so slightly. Not only is she as tall as Peter, she's taller. She's... a very tall boy. ]

.... I'm taller than you. [ There's a moment of realisation. ] I think I'm as tall as my dad.

[ There's a few awkward steps towards her bedroom mirror, flicking on a light to get a better look at herself. And as she steps into view, there's a long moment where she can only stare. She might as well be looking at a brother, if she had one. ]

Oh, no. [ It's all she can say, really. There's another long moment of silence as her hands slowly reach up to start poking and prodding at her face; feeling along her jawline, and tugging gently at her hair. It's so short—! ]

... I don't like this. I— I don't want— [ Oh, no. ] Oh, this is awful.

[possessum]

( It's... probably extremely fortunate that Peter doesn't notice the crinkling. He's finally calmed down a little; who knows what would happen if he noticed the shed skin there on the floor. Thankfully, the mess of covers has it concealed for now, and he's helping her up.... and up—

—Oh, she's tall. Peter visibly ogles the girl (boy?? girl) as she stands, his eyes having to glance upwards a tad to make contact. Oh yes, Luna's absolutely a good inch or two taller than him now. All legs and limbs, tall and gangly, too much for her clothing. It's... extremely surreal. )

You're so big— ( he blurts out, so eloquently. This is so, so, weird. Is it possible for him to be having an existential crisis when she's the one who's body has changed? It sure feels like it.

Peter's just continuing to stare, looking baffled and afraid and a little nauseated (as is his way) as Luna looks at herself in the mirror, checking herself out and touching along her face and hair. It's when that note of upset comes through again that Peter comes back into action, brows knit with a frown. )

It's— it's okay. I'm sure it'll be okay. This has to just be some kind of.... some kind of weird Trench thing, right? Just temporary, like it always is.

( He's nodding softly, trying to swallow back his own upset a bit more. She doesn't need to see him having a freakout. (....It's too late for that, Peter....) )

Do you feel different? Like... I don't know. Different inside?

[creidim]

[ Of course, the moment Luna does notice what's lurking beneath the crumpled pile of bedsheets she will be very much shoving it under the bed to hide it. And then will find somewhere else to hide it while she works out what on earth she's going to do about it. This is... definitely not going to be something Peter wants to see.

It's definitely strange now being taller than someone you're very much used to looking upwards to. She's so used to be short. But now... she's the tall one. Everything's so different at this angle. ]

Of course, of course it must be. [ She's muttering to herself, mouth upturned. She doesn't like this! She is perfectly fine being who she is on the outside! She doesn't want to change that! ] Oh, Merlin. I don't want to be a boy, I like being a girl—! How am I supposed to... live like a boy—?

[ She is... slowly realising there are... a lot of different things in life with being a boy. She freezes for a moment, staring widely in quiet horror. She's... Having A Moment. There are some personal things you just... don't want to ask your boyfriend, even if he happens to be a boy.

She's a little late to answering Peter's question: ]

... No, I don't think so. I just... feel like me on the inside. That's why I couldn't understand why you were shouting at me.

[possessum]

( Peter's watching Luna take in the thought of it more and more, and he's doing the same thing — 'live like a boy' — this... it can't be permanent, right? It just can't. They'll... get help, they can ask John, find a way to... undo whatever's done this. But for the immediate moment, at least, Luna is very much trapped within a boy's body, and that.... is a big thing. It's a huge thing.

That wide-eyed moment of quiet has Peter frozen too, just staring at her while the feeling of dread clenches in his stomach. This is a really big deal. Holy shit.... poor Luna. )

I'm— sorry I shouted at you. Sorry. ( Peter winces, suddenly and abruptly feeling horrible about it. She'd woken up in a completely different body and he'd yelled and cursed at her.... He wrings his hands, worriedly. )

We can um— I can um— Until we can turn you back, do you want.... Okay, you need some bigger clothes.

( He's looking down her body again.... staring, very pointedly, at certain areas. Sorry, Luna. Your boyfriend is..... really bad in a crisis. )

Uhhhhh...let's go to my room, you can wear some of my stuff. ( Peter starts moving that way, turning his head to look back at his giant male girlfriend as he walks. And he bumps into the doorframe with a little yelp. )

Shi— I'm okay.

— Melius

[possessum]

⭠

( Admitting it feels very strange, almost like some secret he's sharing. But Deerington had been... easier for Peter, in ways. For all of its horrors, he'd been able to make some kind of a home, there. This place is... scary in a different way. He's not sure he likes the ways it's changing him. )

Thanks, man. ( He smiles again, and moves to slowly sit down on one of the plush pillows, long legs folding inwards. )

Yeah, it's... I don't know. Kind of weird how it's affecting us. With all the blood stuff and.... everything. ( He winces, giving his head a little shake. ) Do you feel like you're the same person you were before you came here?

[fusrodaaaah]

[It's weird that he's so comfortable here. So at ease with this human. But maybe it has to do with how uncertain both of them appear to be. Maybe it's the party. He doesn't know, and the Argonian isn't sure he wants to examine it too hard.]

[Not right now, anyway.]

I... um. I don't know. I don't... think it bothers me. That much. I ... [Melius pauses, scratching at his scales.] Back - back in Tamriel, I had... magic. Tied to blood, too.

[possessum]

( Peter pauses too, thoughtfully. He is very aware how much of an outsider he kind of is, in comparison to most people here. They seem to come from worlds with magic or other such things that would have been considered so.... wild back in his world. )

Was it a lot like how it is here? Like your blood gave you certain powers?

Back where I'm from, we didn't have.... anything like this. People didn't have powers... magic. ( There's an odd beat though, and Peter frowns, backtracks a little. )

...Well, some people did. Like they were.... witches, I guess you'd call them. But I never knew about that until I came to Deerington. They stayed... hidden.

[fusrodaaaah]

[He ducks his head, picking at scales again. Melius has never really liked talking about it. Discussing the history of his bloodline, of the power it supposedly had. He'd told Varian, and that was it.]

S-sometimes. I... there's mages. We have mages. Who can use spells, magic. I... I wanted to be one. But, it. I got rejected. [The boy doesn't have a lick of magicka in his body. Until Skyrim.] But...

[He falls silent, picking. Until his omen huffs, and squawks, loud as an angry crow:] DOVAHKIIN! [And Melius winces.] I... um. I have. Dragon... blood.

[Only to shudder, looking at Peter in concern.] Witches? The - the bad kind?

— double date

[possessum]

⭠

( Luna's reaction has him immediately amused, dipping his head with a wolfy grin. She's... frozen solid. Luna.exe has stopped working. And oh, that blush.... Peter's certainly seen his girlfriend flushed before, but this is a new level altogether. He's so tickled that he's actually turning his head away from her for a moment, looking far too pleased with himself. It's not that embarrassing her is his goal or anything like that, but.... well. She's just so incredibly adorable that he literally can't stand it.

As he turns his head, it gives him a direct view of the display between an enthusiastic Ruby and poor, poor Ange... who's looking just as flustered at the idea of being forcefed a macaron from Ruby's hand..... Peter does feel an empathy for the girl, even though he's amused from the whole display, as well.... Ruby and Ange are very cute together.... And of course, Peter Charming decides to tell them. )

You two are really cute, you know.

( It's said with more warmth than teasing though, a clear fondness towards his friends. As he turns back to Luna, grin simply widening at her words. He's perfectly compliant as he moves to sit down beside her instead, behaving himself... seemingly. The glittery half of his suit sparkles as he turns his head from Luna to Ange, addressing the victims here with a soft laugh... )

Sorry, guys. Maybe Ruby and I can mutually agree that you two get a free pass to make our cheeks turn that red by the end of the night, too.

( Paimon? Who's Paimon? Peter is the true devil.

But he's just teasing! They're cute!! )

[onekindsoul]

[Ruby was used to walking a dangerous line when it came to doing cute things with Ange. So she recognizes the look when she actually takes the time take in Ange's expression. She had got herself caught up in the moment and had apparently stepped right over that line.

She's quick to build up her fluster and prepares to apologize.]

I mean you don't have to if you don't want to. It just seemed like f-

[And before she can either pull herself out of the hole she's dug for herself or dig it deeper she feels Ange's lips touch hers and she immediately stops. Cheeks heating up and she can just stand flabbergasted as Ange takes the macaron and eats it.

She takes an awkward side step to face the whole group as Ange sits down.]

Y-yeah. Cute.

You think so?

Because you two are ones to talk about that.

-And I well... I think that just leaves Luna to make a move now.

[Because Ruby has been utterly defeated.]

[entreats]

[ Something within Ange's mind does register something here as faintly weird. But only faintly. There's something about Peter being so bold and making Luna fluster that feels.. not wrong, exactly, but odd? It's like staring at a painting that's slightly slanted, and trying to figure out what's wrong with it.

In the end she decides to just not think about it too hard. It'll probably only give her a headache if she does. ]

I agree. [ She instead says, easily leaning into the suggestion that Ruby is giving right now.

And perhaps also a dash too confidently and charming, especially compared to Ange's usual personality. (And not even fazed by Peter calling them cute?! It's a miracle, truly.) ]

You have the full right to get him back for that one, Luna. You can't just let him win like that.

[ Look, will a part of Ange get scandalized by more PDA?

Probably. But the charm takes over for just long enough here that the girl doesn't even consider it as she says these words. ]

[creidim]

You are quite amusingly adorable. [ There's a sage nod from Luna, still a little awkward from her own fluster and just trying her very best to fight the blush. She blinks for a few moments at the expectant looks. It's down to her now, isn't it? She... she can't let him win?

Her eyes glazing over ever so slightly in thought as she wonders for a moment. Make Peter blush? Peter does blush quite easily sometimes, especially when they're alone. She looks at him for a moment. He'd really gotten her with that very bold move. ... Perhaps she might need to equal it in some kind of way. And then with a very small smile, an idea forms. She knows exactly what makes Peter blush. ]

.... Oh, that's quite easy. [ With that she leans in close to Peter, her hand going up to her mouth to shield it as she goes to whisper in his ear. She's at least going to spare Ruby and Ange from hearing what she's going to next say. It's a little bit too much information.

Because she is absolutely whispering very matter-of-factly that once they get home again, the only thing she plans on doing is sitting in his lap and doing a great deal of kissing him. And yes, she will also be doing the grinding thing that is very nice to do. Luna brings her hand away and gently kisses his cheek before moving away again. Sorry, Peter. She is absolutely leaving him with that information for the rest of the night. She's fighting confidence with confidence, here. ]

No, we're not allowed to leave early.

[ Luna smiles serenely, reaching for another macaron. She is the cruellest of girlfriends. ]