middaeg | fellas is it gay if you can magically read your best bros thoughts (OPEN)

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fellas is it gay if you can magically read your best bros thoughts (OPEN)

Who: Rich and others
When: Morning and noonish, November 15
Where: Jeremy, Rich, and Michael's home
What: Rich and Jeremy's Bonding ceremony and celebration
Warnings: none

i. Bonding (Closed)

[Jeremy shows up at Rich's door bright and early the next morning. Despite how Rich claimed that suits weren't required, Jeremy still put together the nicest-looking thing in his wardrobe. His hair is slicked back, his skin is clearer than usual (where did he find concealer?), and he's used up a good chunk of his precious deodorant that he brought with him through the mirror.

The SQUIP had a lot of drawbacks, being an evil mind-controlling robot and all, but it taught Jeremy a valuable lesson: Jeremy cleans up good.

When Rich opens the door, Jeremy's waiting expectantly, hands behind his back and bouncing on his toes. It's clear that he's been there a while.]

You ready to go?

ii. Announcement (Open)

[To announce their Bond and to celebrate, Rich and Jeremy have opened the house up for any and everyone who wants to check it out--both quietly not mentioning how empty the space seems with Justine's recent disappearance. At Rich's suggestion, they've sent an open invitation out on the watch network to anyone who wants to drop by and offer congratulations.

Their budget isn't huge, but Jeremy's insistence on hospitality means that they've got enough finger food and drinks for people to try out. There's no alcohol.

Jeremy's still nervous even though the deed is done, so he's bustling around constantly to make sure that everything is perfectly neat, that they've got enough seats, and that nobody needs a refill. In his rush, bringing a hot tray of cookies from the oven straight onto a serving tray, he bumps into you. As he turns around to see who he's plowed over, he rushes to apologize. The niceties run into themselves before he even sees your face.]

Shoot--I'm sorry--thanks for coming!

iii. Wildcard (Open)

[Jeremy and Rich are both available to talk about their new bond with your character. Let me know if you want a specific situation!]

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ii. announcement

Maker's breath--I'm sorry, [Myr says with a laugh--because odds are if anyone got in anyone else's way, it's the blind guy. He makes an abortive gesture like he'd steady Jeremy, except he's got a staff in one hand and a stunning little potted plant in the other, so that's not going to work.]

Just my luck I'd have my hands full, too--but thank you for the invitation, by the by. Got somewhere I can put this?

[The plant. Possibly, also, himself, so he's not standing in the flow of traffic like some kind of breathing coatrack.]

iii. low-speed mingling
[Myr's wearing his Circle robes with their patterns of fruit and foliage today; there's a matching flower or two adorning his antlers. Having set down his gifts--the coralbells in their decorative pot and a bag of little cinnamon candies in the shape of dragon scales--he's found a chair to perch on near the center of the action. His ankle's still tender enough standing on it is a trial, so better to...not.

If you wander into earshot of him he'll strike up a conversation--or flash you a bright smile and ask, most politely, if you'd get him another cookie.]

Another one? God, between you and Linden, I'm feeling like we're going to run out in an hour.

[Rich rolls his eyes as he comes by, but quickly turns back to the table Jeremy's been filling with finger foods, grabbing a cookie and holding it out for Myr.]

Thanks for coming. And for the gift, those candies are adorable.

I am, [Myr says piously,] healing from an injury. You can't expect me to do that without food, can you?

[Then, in a stage whisper,] How many has he had? I'm not about to let him beat me. [Which is a joke, and from the decorous way Myr takes the cookie and breaks it into pieces to eat slowly...it wasn't a competition he could win anyway.]

My pleasure, on both counts. And congratulations to the both of you.

If you're healing, shouldn't you be eating healthier food? Loading up on sugar isn't the same as loading up on protein. Maybe I should crack a couple raw eggs in a glass for you.

[He rolls his eyes, but smiles at Myr's dramatics. He can tell that's not a competition... which is a good thing, because Rich is going to have no chance of getting Linden to stop eating every cookie in sight if he thinks he can best someone at it.

The well wishes get him to blush just faintly, but he doesn't seem to realize.]

Thanks, again. I'm just hoping Jeremy will be happy with this. Maybe he won't be so nervous here anymore.

Oh, I'll take those too, if you're offering, [he replies, grinning. Never one to turn down free food, is Myr.] Maybe see if I can get Linden in on that for our rematch.

[Because you can bet he's noticed the detective's, uh, odd dietary choices, even blind.

His smile softens then; he can't hear a blush, but there's something in Rich's tone even so.]

Given he's Bonded someone who'll do whatever's in his power to make that so? I imagine he will be; you'll work it out between you. You're a good man, Rich.

You act like we're starving you... I can see if we have enough for a salad, at least.

[But he'll go check on that later. God knows if he mentions it to Jeremy, he'll go out shopping immediately in a panic.

It's a good thing he can't hear how red Rich gets at the compliments, though Myr might notice the displacement of air as Rich waves his hands, physically swatting the notion away.]

It's not like that... I just owe him a lot, that's all. I put him through enough that he deserves me to keep working to make him safe, for once.

[That gets a raised brow out of Myr; that one didn't come off exactly right, did it?] No, no--truly, you've done plenty well by me as a guest; I'm teasing.

[All right, and calling Rich's bluff on the raw eggs since it sounded like one pf those things meant to put people off their feed. But!! That's immaterial.

Providing relationship advice, on the other hand, is not.

Gently amused,] Not romantic, you mean? Don't see as how that changes anything but the ways you show how you care for someone.

I'm glad you think we're doing well. Jeremy would have an aneurysm if he thought otherwise, so I was just trying to head that off at the pass.

[Ugh, why can't they focus on any other topic of conversation besides relationships? Rich sighs and shakes his head, even if Myr can't see it.]

Well, it changes a lot, considering Jeremy still doesn't exactly get the concept of having platonic Bonds. I've been trying to explain it to him, but he's still confused about it, I think.

[Now, that's interesting. Myr's briefly silent as he processes this new fact (and finishes his cookie). Might be worth taking it as a word of caution until he's got Jeremy's measure for himself.]

Ah--hard to blame him for the confusion when the lot of us other Bonded are swooning over each other at any excuse, huh? [Something troubled lurks behind Myr's amusement. There's a Circle-bred part of him still in shock at his own behavior during the Masquerade. Alcohol truly was the great liberator.

Well. Not something to worry about now.]

Supposing meeting some examples of the type might help, you could the two of you talk to serah Tony and her Bonded about it.

[Mild, helpful, and totally--perhaps deliberately--overlooking what Rich has implied.]

But that's something for later-- How are you doing in all of this? [Slyly,] Don't imagine you've had much chance to write.

Yeah, that definitely doesn't help. I mean, the best example he saw before was... well, my old Bond.

[And Rich, even if he hadn't had a chance to act on them, certainly had some feelings for Justine and would have loved the opportunity to swoon over her.

Another reason why Jeremy was probably terrified of this whole ceremony. Rich really shouldn't have put Jeremy in a scenario that even could imply he was second best.]

That's a good idea, though. Toby's really cool, so I bet she'd help. I need more excuses to get Jeremy out of the house, anyways.

[For a moment, Rich is relieved for the subject change, only for him to hear why Myr changed it and end up more flustered. He could take that out and say he's been too busy for writing, but...]

It's not much, but I've been jotting down notes in an old notebook I had. Just a couple scene ideas and stuff. I don't really know why... guess it helped take my mind off of things.

It does, that--and you've much to take your mind off, I know. [A breath's pause, as Myr busies himself gathering up cookie crumbs.] I'm sorry about Justine.

[It's surely good she had gone home--but the empty space she'd left behind her had to feel like a death for all that.]

You don't need to apologize for that. I... just hope she's happier back home. I heard things were hard for her, so I just hope she still remembers what she learned here.

[The thought of her being trapped back under her abuser, living as a slave because of how deeply she cared for people... it's easy to understand why he's been so morose these past few days.]

As long as she's safe, I'll be happy.

[There's something to wonder about later: Whether they'd take anything back with them if they were (un)fortunate enough to cross back through the mirrors.

For Justine's sake, he hopes so. For his own...if it's only knowledge, and not the changes he's been given in lieu of his magic...

Well. Save it for another time.]

Likewise--Maker keep her and Andraste guide her. [He'd say a prayer from Trials for her sake, he thinks. Another one.]

But, so, you've been writing. And I've heard from my Bonded you've gotten caught up in his teahouse scheme, [which Myr cannot help but approve of, since it was so much to Everett's delight.] What'll you be doing there?

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firewalled - 2019-12-02 19:57 (UTC) - Expand

Oh--of course! Excuse me.

[Jeremy looks around the kitchen frantically until he finds a counter appropriate for a hot tray. He quickly drops his cookies with a clatter and scoops up the plant out of the stranger's arms.]

We've got a gift table over in the other room if this is for us.

Oh, um, pardon, I'm Jeremy Heere, hello. Nice to meet you.

It's for you, [Myr affirms,] as are these-- [Now that his hand's free, he can dig into his satchel and retrieve the bag of candies he'd brought, holding them up for Jeremy's inspection.

Which would work better if he were facing Jeremy exactly but, well, blindness.] --which I'll take to the table.

Myr Shivana; it's good to meet you at last, Jeremy. [And because he really can't contain his own black humor sometimes,] In my own shape and a more congenial setting, at that. Congratulations on your Bond.

[Jeremy's still a little distracted as he peers at the bag. He doesn't cotton onto the joke--he was so preoccupied the first time that he saw Myr that he doesn't recognize him.]

Right, yeah, Shabbat shalom, you too. What did you say your name was?

[He'd shake his hand but now both their arms are full.]

And thank you. Are you a friend of Rich's?

[Myr being a terrifying skeletal ungulate covered in open wounds and plum flowers at the time probably didn't help either.

His look below the blindfold turns odd a moment as he tries to parse out what just happened there and why he's being asked his name when he'd just given it--then it clicks and he huffs out a breath in...amusement.

It's going to be amusement because while he's damned certain Jeremy's human, he's as damned certain there aren't elves wherever the younger man's from and that's only an incidental mishearing.]

Myr Shivana, [he repeats, enunciating by reflex.] That I am, though I'll tell you I was sore tempted a moment there to pretend I'd wandered in off the street because I love Bonding parties.

And what's "Shabbat shalom" mean, anyhow?

Oh! I'm sorry! Myr Shivana. Okay. Thank you. I'm adding that to the memory bank right now.

The party's technically open, so... could happen although I'd be impressed that you came so prepared.

[Jeremy lifts the plant in emphasis and begins to move, heading for the gift table as he talks.]

It's a peace thing, so it's mostly like, "hey there! It's Shabbat! Peace out," I guess. And that's today so, yeah. Anyway please tell me about this plant before I keep talking.

Oh, carrying a gift around so I'm always ready for any party I encounter is the price I pay for my passion. And a small one, at that. [He turns to follow after the sound of Jeremy's voice, assuming at the younger man's destination. He is limping, a little, and leaning a little more on his staff than he's wont to compensate.]

Huh. So it's one of your annums--your holy days? [Too late, Jeremy, you said something interesting and now it's in Myr's express interest to keep you talking--

Though he's equally happy to explain the plant.] Coral bells! They're very hardy and will grow just about anywhere you put them, looking lovely the while. They don't even want for much water. [So, a fairly safe plant to neglect.]

We don't have them back home on Thedas, I'm afraid, else I'd have stories about them and what they're used for beyond beauty.

[Jeremy pauses for a moment before he decides that Myr's giving him an assortment of dialogue branches to choose from, so he doesn't try to answer the question. He feels more comfortable in conversations that he isn't in charge of.]

It's very pretty. Are you a plant person? A botanist or horticulturist or something, not one of those people who gets taken over by vines and attacks cities.

If flowers count, technically both, [Myr says wryly.] Though I wouldn't aspire to botanist, quite; just an enthusiastic gardener.

Even before becoming a Faun, [he adds, with a gesture toward his antlers. It somehow feels important to note that, to mark out where he remained the same in the midst of all this changing.]

Yeah? How do I know you're not a Fake Faun? How many cities have you destroyed?

[He's clearly teasing. When they get to the table, Jeremy puts the plant down carefully.]

Have you been here long? I'm newish, but you probably know that.

Two and two-thirds. I'd've had that last third easy but some do-gooding soul stopped me and showed me the error of my ways.

[Absurdism is his favorite game.

He stops as Jeremy does, head cocked as he listens and makes a careful judgment about where the table might be. With aching care he inches around the younger man, reaching out to find the table with a hand before setting the bag of candy on it.

It's right on top of another present, but, good enough!]

Four of their months, give or take, so not the longest any Mirrorbound's been but hardly new at this point. [He steps back from the table so's not to block anyone else from it.] How've you been settling in after, ah--your rough introduction to the city?

[Is Myr joking? He can't tell if Myr's joking. There are some wild people in these parts and not everyone Rich knows is technically harmless.

Jeremy doesn't seem to notice Myr's awkwardness, or maybe he's polite enough to not say anything. ~~It's not relevant to Jeremy's journey.~~]

Real talk? It hasn't been great. But this party's gonna change it all!

...Kidding. I don't know most people yet unless they were actively helping the SQUIP, and there's been weird stuff that seems to keep happening every few weeks or so. Can't get my footing.

[Myr's joking.

His deadpan is amazing when he wants it to be, though.

(Not commenting on the awkwardness is the best tactic.)

One corner of his mouth twitches up in a sympathetic smile at Jeremy's It hasn't been great.]

You're far from alone in that, at least--not being able to find your footing. It's damned strange here, and worse, we Mirrorbound seem to have broken the rules so thoroughly the Coven can't say anything with certainty about us for fear it'll be overturned the next month.

Which isn't even touching on the demon--the SQUIP. [Hopefully it's going to keep moping around quietly from here on out.]

S'pose this is an odd time to offer, but--is there something I could do or answer to help with all that?

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fellas is it gay if you can magically read your best bros thoughts (OPEN)

slides on in here! | ota, & if group threads make more sense here let's do 'em!

iii

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i wouldn't say this if i didn't somehow misread it this way tbh. don't question my brain

i love ur brain & will not question

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