middaeg | 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!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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?

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

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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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