deercountry | closedish to cool guys having chill day

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closedish to cool guys having chill day

Who: a bunch of funky friends invited by Viktor and Palamedes*
What: Having a Party in a field with Fireworks
When: the second week-ish in May
Where: (the field outside of) Pal and Viktor's bunker in Gaze

Content Warnings: alcohol and teens drinking it, irresponsible use of explosives, see threads for anything else that comes up

*If you have friendly CR with Palamedes please feel free to handwave that he mentioned this happening, also if your character has CR with a Pal Friend (a pal^2) who would invite them along, he's broadly allowing this. It's not a formal affair in the slightest lmaooo

--

afternoon/evening.

Earlier in the morning on the day of The Fireworks Field Party (tm), Palamedes makes sure to send a quick location ping to anyone who's never been to the Sixth bunker (also tm) before, because it is, indeed, just in a field somewhere in Gaze. The treeline is comfortably distant from the door to said bunker, which is the only real indication anything is out here besides a few "big rocks" that he names, in his message, as landmarks.

As an afterthought, he has set up a little trail of mason jars containing glowing mushrooms to lead the way to The Field, helpfully. The Field is what it sounds like: a dang field, just slightly ominous in the Gaze fashion, although besides the usual somebody's-watching feeling, it's grassy and spacious for kitschy lawn games. Among the things Palamedes has provided (upon recommendation of a shopkeeper, so like, do not perceive his choices, they were made for him) include:

1. Just a load of blankets, big cozy ones dutifully spread out for chilling on, on the ground.

2. Throwing game Crossbones, definitely chosen because of the bones (they are wooden sticks), and just kind of left sitting there waiting because your host does not know how to play physical games.

3. beanbag horseshoes because it rocks

4. Just, like, a specific blanket that has pencils and blank paper sitting on it... This is a free station, no one will question what art happens here.

Harrow has also provided bone chairs for alternate seating, which are precisely what they sound like.

Eventually, the field will also feature a snack table, which is a community effort, and a booze table, which is slightly supervised in the way that your esteemed host(s) will not permit booze and cherry bombs at the same time.

And, because it's an open field in Trench, there is also a table where emergency incense is waiting. Wandering too far from the space immediately around the bunker (which, it's a big space, you'd have to go far) will eventually lead you to blood wards on the ground, on the trunks of a few trees, etc. Don't touch these. Don't be gross.

the fucken fireworks.

It's fireworks. Once it's dark, there are even more glowing mushroom jars and homemade alchemy glowsticks from Waver to be passed around, somehow, and at least some of the little beanbags glow in the dark, ooh!! Viktor has provided cherry bombs to be used with at least a little caution, for god's sake. There are also some slightly larger fireworks in much shorter supply, from a shop, that will be closely guarded until someone with pyrotechnics talent convinces Palamedes they deserve one. Godspeed.

Broadly: this is a fireworks party (tm) for individual wee ones you can throw around on your own, with only a brief smattering of the big ones that light up the whole sky above the field. It's a chill time for cool buds, fire safety is encouraged, so is vibing on the blankets and enjoying a nice evening.

At various times, local dope musician Anna Amarande will be providing some light musical entertainment, for vibes.

the bunker i guess.

The party is not in here, but for reference:
-it's locked via numpad and neither of these stickbug nerds are giving out the code but they'll open the door if asked... you don't have to leave the place to go to the bathroom lmf
-it's a bunker. it's one room and a bathroom in the back. it's full of disorganized nerd stuff and an oversized moon orb and pal's mean omen, rocky the cool rat (harpy eagle), who will aggressively flap at anyone with sticky fingers until they leave
-the code is 69420 so if you're super funny like gideon you COULD guess it

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[Well, he's not even sure if this counts as mixed messages, so that's fun and different. He holds his hands up in what he hopes is a placating gesture, like, no, really, this is fine? It's fine.]

I will owe you a handshake. Do you want to sit down? I could grab you a glass of water; then we can put the handshake aside and actually talk.

[About rice, or some such, he's not picky. He remains earnestly unbothered that she definitely is weirded out by his many eyes - this was an expectation from the moment the first extra eye appeared, that people would find it weird - but he's starting to be concerned that she's actually going to hyperventilate or really upset herself, so—

Water. And sitting. Can they do water and sitting.]

I promise you, you haven't done anything to upset me. You're Viktor's friend and I want to get to know you; let's sit and talk.

[eh? eh???]

.. o-okay.

[ At least the girl still seems capable of agreeing with that, despite her worry-induced panic. Maybe because she's wondering if he wants to sit down and drink something, and maybe that'd just make going along with it the polite thing to do here..

Hence why she tries to stop herself from further rambling, instead nodding and sucking in a deep - and hopefully calming - breath, finding a spot to sit down before doing exactly that. Sitting down.

Trying to be calm. ]

I'm.. glad you're not upset. I don't want you to feel bad..

[ Especially since - as far as Chizuru knows - there's the possibility that maybe all those eyes everywhere is something that's not even his own fault. Maybe he's been ridiculed for them all his life! Who knows. ]

[Oh, good, she's calm. More or less. This, he can handle.]

It's a party; I feel fantastic. [Honestly, he isn't a huge fan of parties, but this one was his own dang idea and it's gone well, so this isn't a lie!! Great work, Palamedes.] Wait here, I'll grab you some water.

[He'll make it quick and everything, beelining away towards the snack table and returning in short order with a glass of water, which he holds out. He also has a folded napkin that definitely has some sweet pastries in it, because it felt like the done thing, but he doesn't want to, like.

Startle her? With too much at once? So, water delivered, he sits down with the little napkin parcel still in hand.

Okay.

Take two.]

Don't drink too fast; you'll get hiccups. Let's try again. Hi— I'm Palamedes.

[ Amazingly enough Chizuru seems to have just brought the glass up to her lips when he says that, making her look very briefly startled again.. but thankfully it only lasts a moment this time before she's drinking more calmly.

Disaster averted.

Once she's managed to take a sip, she politely nods her head at his introduction. ]

Hello.. My name is Chizuru Yukimura. [ There they go. Normal introductions. It's happening. Chizuru just hopes she didn't just leave the worst impression ever, no matter how much he acts like they're starting completely anew here. ] I didn't know there were parties here so often..

[ Apparently she's assumed he is some Party Expert, judging by him talking so casually about them. Despite the complete opposite being true. ]

I haven't really been to many before.

[See, it's going much better this time. This time, he's prepared for, hm, anxiety. As far as he knows, including this one there have been two whole parties here in Gaze, and he didn't even get to attend the other one - is that "often"? Do the other districts party harder? Not anywhere he spends his time, so.

He shrugs.]

To be honest, neither have I. I wouldn't have had this one if not for— well. Some friends of friends who needed cheering up. I took some liberties.

[This party is for the homies... all other kinds of parties are boring. As an afterthought, he starts to unwrap the napkin so that he might pick at the corners of one of the pastries.]

This is actually my first time seeing fireworks. Viktor insisted.

Viktor did..?

[ Huh. It's a little surprising to her. Even with how little Chizuru knows about fireworks - read: virtually nothing at all - she didn't quite expect him to be the type who's so into it that he wouldn't have a party without them...

...

Chizuru seems to contemplate this for a moment, but it's not the only thing she's thinking about that makes her go silent for a moment. After all, there's still that thing Palamedes said earlier. ]

Ah, wait, speaking of him.. Um, you said you were his partner. Earlier. [ It's still stuck in her mind! ] Do you mean his romantic partner..?

[ Look, she just wants to know so she can be appropriately glad for them. And maybe she's just a little bit curious here. ]

[Ooh, speaking of Viktor, that's one of his favorite things to do. He raises his eyebrows as he chews a little corner piece of pastry, not quite surprised that this is her question. After she seemed so shocked a few minutes ago...]

I do mean that, yes. [chew....] We're not in the habit of broadcasting it, you could call it, so that's a fair question. We're together.

[He's restraining his instinctive sappiness so much right this second, despite the unmistakable warmth and fondness that makes it through any time he talks about Viktor. In mere hours he will resume gushing about Viktor publicly, so like, "not broadcasting," okay Palamedes...

Anyway, Viktor the party animal sure does love his fireworks, definitely.]

He doesn't like parties, so be sure to tell him how fantastic it is that he's here when you see him. Just for motivation.

[ Party motivation.

Sure.

Chizuru nods obediently, ready to go along with whatever idea another person may propose, no matter how absurd. Sure, she can tell Viktor he's doing great! But her mind is still lingering on the other thing Palamedes said here. ]

Oh--! Congratulations to you both!

[ That's an okay thing to say, right? It feels right to Chizuru. ]

You both seem like very kind people [ or rather, she has that impression of Viktor, and while her impression of Palamedes is new, the guy did just put up with her anxiety, so.. you know, it works ] so I'm so glad that you found each other.. This place can be a little rough sometimes, so it's great that you will be able to rely on each other throughout it.

[ Chizuru does seem to genuinely mean every word of that. Something about her is still a little shy, sure, but the smile on her face is genuine and warm as she speaks. ]

Edited 2022-05-18 19:53 (UTC)

[He needs it, he's grumpy about parties. Now, this is very sweet of her? Palamedes almost laughs, surprised - he hasn't expected reactions from anyone about their relationship beyond Gideon thumping him on the back supportively, but she does that all the time, anyway. Truly, dating in a world that isn't obsessed with necromantic bloodlines is remarkable...]

Thanks. Genuinely— thank you. I'm lucky to have him.

[He could elaborate on this for the next several hours, but he'd have to start charging by the word for the impromptu romantic spoken word session, so maybe not. The fondness dripping off that one sentence alone, and the way his expression softens in a heartbeat to talk about Viktor, well— nobody would ever accuse him of not being smitten. Ahem.]

And I'm glad this world has people like you in it; you're a kind person, yourself. Do you want a pastry?

[He offers the napkin with its treats, a reward for being a good and decent person... no, but it seems like the right moment to offer.]

Have you been in the city long?

Yes, thank you.. [ She takes the pastry from him, still thinking a little about the way he spoke about Viktor. Mostly just because it's so.. cute, Chizuru thinks. She has heard that there are a lot of couples here, but it's not too common for her to see them in person, so she's soaking in the opportunity and warmth of hearing about Palamedes' affection. It's not like men being romantically involved with each other is a strange concept to her, so that doesn't even stop her.

Instead.. it's just nice.

She's drawn out of those thoughts though by the next question, turning to look the man in the eyes. .. the actual eyes, that is, because she's still trying very hard to ignore the other ones to keep herself from getting too awkward again. ]

Um, it's been about a few months for me now. To me.. it feels like a long time. [ Especially for a girl who spent most of her life living in one house and not going out too much... ] But from what I understand, other people have been away from their homes for much longer now, so I don't think I should say it's been very long.. I don't want to invalidate anyone else's struggles by making mine seem more important, you know..?

[ Maybe it's a little too honest, but it's just the way Chizuru is. Especially since she wants to provide some honesty as repayment for Palamedes being so kind and patient with her.

And giving her a pastry, which she's slowly eating now. ]

[Oh— hm. Something about the way she immediately demurs into lessening her own struggles sits poorly with him, although he doesn't visibly react. He picks at his own pastry some more, never seeming to get more than a whole bite in, and wonders if it's too far outside his business to say anything.

To his credit, he wonders this for a whole couple seconds before he decides, nah, he definitely should say whatever he wants, so:]

Did someone accuse you of doing that? [mildly, because what a concept if they did-] I don't think admitting you have struggles is denying anyone else's. People having struggles aren't mutually exclusive, after all.

[It's not a contest, and so on. Ah, and he holds up a hand like, buuut-]

Not that I'm trying to overstep and tell you how to feel. Can you imagine? Telling you how to feel about how you feel; I'd be the worst kind of asshole. [off topic palamedes] But just to be clear, I didn't think you were invalidating anyone. A few months can be significant— a few months can be life-changing.

[She's Valid, tada!!]

[ ...

Hold on.

Chizuru just stares at Palamedes, blinking, like her brains need a moment or two to process everything that just happened and came out of the other's mouth. It's just.. A Lot, and it's not something people have told her very often, so it's definitely something she needs a moment to get used to. ]

Ah, no, I-- I just.. didn't want to make anyone else feel bad by talking about my problems, that's all.. [ There may be some Issues here.

It's okay. ]

But, in this case.. um, I'm glad it's not a problem then. It does feel like it's been kind of life-changing.. I don't even know how I'm going to tell anyone back home about this if I do return there.

[Ah, perhaps he leaned in too much. He gives her a quick smile, reassuring - much as he tries not to call attention to this kind of thing, it seemed like it could help? But he doesn't like to proselytize or make people feel uncomfortable, so— he's said his piece, he can leave it at that.

He shakes his head, though. Okay, one last thing;] Anyone who feels worse for themselves about your problems is, pardon, an asshole. Really, don't worry about it.

[As a professional not-an-asshole, himself, Palamedes knows the score. He's practiced in the art of not letting his personal feelings ooze into other people's problems to make it all about him; comes, perhaps, with the territory of leadership, but also - well. He's been a part of the "I don't want to burden anyone" song and dance before, and never on the end that feels like a burden.

So it's fine. She can call Trench a horrible shithole full of idiots, and he will let her (and god, that would be funny).]

It is pretty unbelievable, isn't it? Sometimes I feel like a fool not to write everything down, but then I'd never get anything done.

[He shrugs! Pros, cons.]

Most of my people are here, though. Conveniently, depending on who you ask. We're numerous.

Here..?

[ Forget all the burden talk. It's in the past now, clearly - if not temporarily. Because Chizuru's attention is entirely taken up by the last thing the other says, her eyes growing wide as she just stares. ]

That many of you? [ It's mostly surprising to her because Chizuru hasn't really seen it before. Sure, some people seemed to know at least one person here who came from the same place as them, but it's the first time she's heard of this many people here coming from the same world.

And.. well, with her being the only person present in this place out of the entire circle of people she knows back home, it's just even more surprising to her. ]

.. it must be nice! Having that many people you know around.. It must make this place feel just the tiniest bit more like home, even if it's not like home at all at the same time.

[ It might make things a bit more familiar, she means. Which might be her projecting a little bit, since to Chizuru this place feels so strange at least partially due to the fact that no one here seems to be like her, or familiar with the way she lives her life.

Still, she's not the type to get jealous. So instead she just smiles, seeming genuinely glad for Palamedes to have familiar company here. ]

A few— some of them are here- there, you see the short one, surly, pretending not to have a good time? [He points, indicating Harrowhark, who is definitely all of these things although perhaps "pretending" is Palamedes' personal interpretation of how much Harrow enjoys crowded parties.

He looks around and points to Gideon next, who is surely doing something boisterous and rowdy.]

And her, and there's a third from their House somewhere around here... [Wherever Ortus is lurking, being all reasonable and adult and talking about poetry.] Bless them, they showed up for this thing and I only had to ask the one time. That's not all of us, but it is the ones I'm willing to invite to my home.

[Ahem... Just leaving that out there where everyone can hear it, whatever. He chews another corner of pastry, considering home here in this field and home on the Sixth, and how little he's thought about one since coming to the other.]

You never know; maybe we keep washing up here because our world is... [worse, unfathomably] struggling.

[Never mind that. More gently, with a shade of sympathy, he asks,] Your people haven't come ashore yet?

[ Chizuru makes sure to look along as Palamedes starts pointing out his friends in the crowd. Looking at them, Chizuru doesn't recognize any of them as people she has interacted with before - though she figures that maybe she should change that, considering how kind Palamedes has turned out to be as well, despite looking like an intimidating eyeball person. It must mean that his friends are nice too, right..?

.. though then there's that question. The one that makes her slowly shake her head. ]

No.. I'm the only one. [ There's definitely some sadness in her tone as she says that.

But on the other hand, Chizuru knows there's nothing to be changed about that. And it's probably better for no one else from her world to be here, so it's fine. She'll just have to bear it. ]

It's better for everyone back home though. [ Re.. lat.. ively speaking? At least people don't usually change shapes involuntarily there.

Usually. ]

So maybe that's the difference that brings more people from the place you come from here than from mine.. [ Her expression turns sympathetic. ] I'm really sorry to hear that about your world though. If you want to talk about it, then I never mind listening..

[Ah, so she is alone. He thinks that kind of makes sense, given how nervous she seems to be at the slightest- anything, but then he thinks that's probably ungenerous of him to think and privately walks it back. Still, he wishes she could have a little more comfort from home, whether that be a person or something else.

Probably a something else. Palamedes has decided he likes it better here, but there's only one person he'd actually ask for; it doesn't sound like she wants to subject her people to this place at all, even if she's lonely.]

That- hm. That's kind of you. Maybe not at this party, but one day— most people find it kind of interesting, in a strange way.

[The entertainment value of his incredibly strange home, it's alright.]

If you ever want to talk about yours, I'll offer the same.

Honestly, I'm not sure how much there is to say about mine.

[ Especially since her world is so normal to her. Chizuru isn't even sure what she'd say about it, what she'd have to convey to give any other person even the faintest idea of what it's like to live a normal life in her world. (Though, then again, it's not like her 'normal' life is really all that normal, now is it.) ]

There was a war going on, so.. things were a little tough. [ Perhaps a tad underplayed there, but that's just how Chizuru works. She's trying to at least share her burden here, since Palamedes just told her that she shouldn't underplay her own for the sake of others', but it's a faint attempt.

Still better than Chizuru would usually do though.

The girl stares downward, rather than looking over at him. ]

But that's the reason I'm extra worried about everyone who's still back home. I have no way of telling who might get hurt or worse in that war while I'm here. People very important to me are out there fighting.

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closedish to cool guys having chill day

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