saltburnmods: (Default)
π–˜π–†π–‘π–™π–‡π–šπ–—π–“π–™ π–’π–”π–‰π–˜. ([personal profile] saltburnmods) wrote in [community profile] draino2024-11-09 08:00 am
Entry tags:

ππ‹πˆπ’π’, ππ‹πˆπ’π’, ππ‹πˆπ’π’ β–£ NOV TDM





NOVEMBER 2024 TDM: RENAISSANCE


Welcome to SALTBURNT, a panfandom smut/thriller game based off the film Saltburn, where characters are encouraged to indulge their deepest desires. The money never runs out and the liquor never stops pouring, so you may as well indulge from the bounty. Of course, things are rarely what they seem, and the manor itself seems to have a consciousness of its own. Throw parties, trash the house, engage in youthful merriment, but remember β€” dangers come out at night, and no one, no matter how rich you are, is safe from demons lurking in the shadows.

Threads can be considered game canon, provided the players agree. Players can also start fresh upon acceptance into the game. In game characters can post to the TDM directly, using Β« NEW CHARACTER/IN GAMEΒ» in the header. There will be a spot below for new characters to link their toplevels for easy access. Alternatively, prompts on the Test Drive can be used for in game logs.







WELCOME TO SALTBURNT


It's the hangover more than the light streaming in through half drawn curtains that wakes you up, your brain rattling in your skull, your mouth dry and cottony, your stomach churning with whatever it is you drank last night. If self preservation is your strong suit, you might turn over in bed and see a few painkillers laid out for you on a silver dish, accompanied by a glass of water. If it isn’t, stay in bed and wallow β€” eventually a maid will be in to tear your curtains open, saying, "Breakfast is served," and scurrying out quietly, invisibly. Breakfast? Maybe it’s normal for you. Maybe it isn’t.

You're drawn from the room, either by the mystery, or an undefinable urge that could be supernatural in origin, or could be your hunger catching up to you. It's almost nostalgic, the walk to the dining room β€” have you been here before? Were you drawn up to this estate in a car? Haven’t you done all this already? Maybe you mosey around a library, maybe you run into your suite mate in your adjoining bathroom. Regardless, seemingly all hallways, covered in priceless artworks and ancient relics from times long past, lead to the dining room, where a comically long table houses the Balfours and their many guests, some who seem just as disgruntled and confused as you. No matter. "Breakfast will be out in a minute," they say. What's that?

EDIT SEPTEMBER 2024: For those who have attended breakfast with the Balfours before, a change in routine might come as a shock, given how rarely they stray from form. However, as of September, CARMY BERZATTO has taken over Head Chef position, alongside his cousin RICHIE JERIMOVICH and always the bridesmaid never the bride, SANJI. In place of the self-serve style breakfast, there is an elevated menu, including: a self-serve juice bar, with pitchers of various juiced fruit and vegetables, shaved ice, coconut water, green and black tea syrups, potted microherbs, sliced whole berries, and finger limes. There is also, naturally, liquor and champagne available. Guests can make their own drinks, or ask the allocated staff member to serve them one of the "specials" if they're feeling adventurous.

That said, these are world class chefs, so the gold is really in the menu:
THE EGGS

𝐓𝐇𝐄 π‰πŽππ“π˜: one runny boiled egg shelled and recoated in edible gold leaf, seated on a throne of fried bread soldiers, plated with whipped butter and italian parsley.
𝐄𝐆𝐆𝐒 ππ„ππ„πƒπˆπ‚π“: vinegar poached eggs with hollandaise foam on a bed of toasted freekah and baby spinach.
𝐄𝐆𝐆𝐒 π’π‡π€πŠπ€π’π‡πŽπ”πŠπ€: two eggs poached in a ramekin of pureed tomato, served with a crispy grilled cheese cut to dip.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 π’π˜πƒππ„π˜: french omelette with a light cheese filling, topped with crushed potato chips and chives.
πŽπ„π”π…π’ ππ‘πŽπ”πˆπ‹π‹π„π’: fluffy scrambled eggs in brown butter, served on sourdough.
π’ππ€ππˆπ’π‡ 𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓: mini-quiche made with caramelized red onions and jamon pata negra ham.
𝐄𝐆𝐆 πŒπ‚π’π€ππƒπ–πˆπ‚π‡: bacon, egg, cheese and sausage breakfast muffin that tastes weirdly like it was made at a popular chain with golden arches.

THE SWEETS

❖ momofuku's "cereal milk" ❖
❖ fette biscottate with a sour cherry jam and peanut floss ❖
❖ a warm cinnamon bun served with a shot of espresso coffee for dipping ❖
❖ a macadamia-marzipan croissant with a wattleseed and burnt-honey filling ❖
❖ poffertjes with a liquid nutella injection ❖


If you want to leave, you’ll have to tell Giles, the housekeeper, who will arrange a car for you that mysteriously, or perhaps suspiciously, never arrives. Unfortunately, confronting Giles about it is near impossible, as he’s as good at being invisible as the rest of the house staff. Of course, there’s no reason why you can’t just walk out. The front gates are easy enough to jump over, even if the walk towards them gives you a strange sense of foreboding, or just outright discomfort, as if the ground itself doesn’t want you to leave. Those more sensitive or fragile might find they can’t make the jump, no matter how physically able, or desperately wanting. Still, a strong person could continue on, over the fence and into the lush English countryside. The feeling doesn’t dissipate, though β€” this sense of wrongness, almost sickness, like a weight on your back. Walk into the evergreen, carry on, but the strongest will make it perhaps a mile or so before the weight of dread and paranoia brings you to your knees, and then to your face, flat in the middle of a dirt road. What were you thinking? Is this really better?

Wake up with a hangover, in a bed, the curtains drawn, the maid saying, "Breakfast is served," before scurrying out. The painkillers are there, just like you remember. In fact, it’s all exactly how you remember, as if you never left an imprint the first time, or any mess you made was cleared away while your back was turned. Walk to the dining room, find everyone there eating away at their breakfast.

"We dress for dinner," says Portia, with a kind, if discerning smile. "Black tie."




2 GIRLS 1 CUP

CONTENT WARNINGS: nudity, potential for nsfw.

Over the past few days, a bit of construction has taken place on the grounds of the Saltburnt estate, and while it's difficult to piece together what exactly is being built, it's clear to see: whatever it is, it's massive, taking up a huge percentage of the grounds with multiple included structures. On the outside it seems almost like a neighborhood is being sprung up β€”Β new houses for people to live in, maybe? New shops, disconnected from the manor at large? All is revealed on opening day, when upon entry all are greeted with cheery hellos from jauntily clad persons shouting, "Huzzah!" and "Hail and well met!" For the more medieval and fantasy inclined among you, it might feel like stepping somewhere familiar and homey. To the rest, you know β€” you've just walked into a Ren Faire. Costumes are expected.

Not sure what to wear? Those born between SEPTEMBER to FEBRUARY are dubbed part of the Unseelie Court, which is associated with darkness and decay, generally dressed in deep, dark colors. Those born between MARCH to AUGUST are part of the Seelie Court, which is associated with stars and sky, in lighter, brighter colors.

On either side of the split path, you're assaulted by the scents, sights, and sounds of any ordinary Ren Faire. Vendors pawn off garlicky mushrooms and full turkey legs, or flower crowns and juggling sticks in exchange for a kiss, a secret, a lock of hair, or something of equal nonsensical value. Step inside a shop and see sellers offering crude jewelry and satchels of loose leaf tea, fudge sold by the ounce and porcelain ocarinas. Essentially, if it's kitschy and thematic, you can find it here, being sold to you by people in costume who refuse to break character.

Shopping not quite your style? Fear not! If you're lucky in your wanderings, your might spot the Unseelie Queen ALICENT HIGHTOWER or her counterpart and opposed Seelie Queen LAURALAE carried on palanquins towards the very back of the faire, where the real heart of the show takes place in a small stadium for entertainment purposes β€”Β a tourney for distinguishing yourself as the best among your peers in the manor. Prior to the tourney, all characters are given a favor of some kind ( an embroidered handkerchief, ribbon, garland, or piece of jewelry ) to give to a person of their choosing, be they a competitor or not, to show their support. Strangely, this favor seems to link them through an empathetic, sensation-based bond, so they feel everything their chosen competitor experiences. Mutual favors result in a mutual bond.

The challenges are set: ARCHERY/KNIFE THROWING, SWORDFIGHTING/HAND-TO-HAND, and a BARD'S TOURNEY. In addition to the more ye olde flavor of competition, there are also challenges for COUPLE TENNIS, HORSE POLO, and CHESS. And, in true Saltburnt fashion, there is also a somewhat lewd display of voyeuristic NUDE WRESTLING, where the first person to have an orgasm loses. (You can sign up for these competitions HERE.) To every challenge there is dubbed a winner, who in the old Westerosi tradition gets to crown a chosen "maiden" with the title THE QUEEN OR KING OF LOVE AND BEAUTY and an extravagant wreath of flowers, their victory dedicated to the lucky lord or lady. These wreaths are both fashionable and functional β€” while wearing them, no one can resist following whatever queenly command your character gives. Additionally, winners will receive prizes courtesy of Saltburnt, all to be determined upon victory.

Whichever queen has the most winners at the end of the tourney is crowned HIGH QUEEN OF THE FAE. The Queen is paraded around and celebrated by all, and while tribute is not necessary, it certainly is appreciated!






RING AROUND THE ROSEY


CONTENT WARNINGS: potential for nsfw.

The Ren Faire fixture runs adjacent to the tree line of the forest, which one can enter through a booth manned by THE GREAT WIZARD ARCHIBALD, who warns you to be prepared to enter the Realm of the Fae beyond his backdrop curtain, before handing you a flower and a pair of antlers (or a head piece from your fauna choice) for your journey to the beyond. Upon entering, you are greeted by a forest that bears no resemblance to the woods you've grown to expect in your time at the manor, everything more exaggeratedly lush than it had been even a day or so prior. Plump fruits with slightly glimmering skins grow fat on the vine, every leaf on every tree vibrant and healthy despite the changing of seasons, gone orange and red with the cold. Despite that, it's surprisingly balmy in the forest, everything illuminated by glimmering fairy lights and strung up lanterns. Flowers bloom under your feet, alongside perfect little red mushrooms, everything so idealistic it almost borders on discomfort.

Despite any reservations, there is a wild compulsion to everyone who enters the forest. The flower the wizard gave you is pungent enough to dizzy your head, leading you to the instinct of frolicking β€” or if you're not the type to frolick, then wandering β€”Β through the woods, to find some counterpart to your particular flower in a very innocent (or not so innocent) game of cat and mouse. Once you find them, a simple kiss will serve as enough to claim your prize and ease the compulsion. Unless, of course, you want to give a little more. It couldn't hurt, right?

Wander further through the seemingly never ending woods, drawn on of the beauty of faerie, and find yourself at a somewhat rundown chapel surrounded by foliage, the roof and walls broken down with age, invaded by exploring plant life that crawls and vines through every crack and opening. While the stone altar of indeterminate denomination seems like it hasn't been seen for hundreds of years, let alone cleaned, there's the distinct impression you are walking on hallowed, sacred ground when you move to inspect it. Those clever among you might note different runes etched on what appears to be a wooden tabernacle on an ancient pillar at the back of the chapel. Looking into it, there's a word from an unknown language carved inside, complimented with a cheat sheet bit of yellowing paper which reads F. M. K., with further explanation: FRIENDS, MARRY, KINK.

What could it mean? Well. You and whoever you entered the chapel with, or whoever enters next, are stuck until further notice unless you complete one of the proffered options. FRIENDS, it's time you bury the hatchet, let bygones be bygones and accept our faults moving forward, together, to the future. MARRY, let's seal our bonded union with the trees as our witness, in a church of our own making. KINK, if the altar can't be used for the former, it can certainly be used for the latter. Nothing vanilla will do β€”Β kink up or shut up.

Once completed, you're free to leave and roam around the forest at your leisure. If you wander far enough you might hear a distant, organic sound whirring and clicking from the trees, but don't worry. Whatever is watching you probably doesn't bite.




DIRECTORY


thirsted: (pic#16740284)

[personal profile] thirsted 2024-11-13 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
[ Ever the showman, Astarion bows at the applause, his hand circling in a flourish as he does. ]

I have had a lot of time to practice, [ he says, though in a tone of voice that can't really be described as self-effacing. He knows he's done well, and he's pleased about it. ]

I'd offer to teach you, but I don't believe we're being allowed to keep any of the weapons, such as they are, once the fair is done.
thirsted: (pic#17360793)

[personal profile] thirsted 2024-11-13 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
[ Her reaction almost makes him laugh in turn, but he catches himself, the instinct morphing itself into another smile. She nudges him, and he sways like a reed, pushed by the pressure she applies but not so far that they lose contact. ]

As she ought to be, on today of all days.

[ There's more he could say, something about the nature of a servant in the court, but it's not language that really comes easily to him β€” or rather, not something he feels he has to play at, for her, not like that. ]

And what tributes have you collected, today, my dear? Surely you've a treasure trove of favors, by now.
chokedout: (033)

[personal profile] chokedout 2024-11-13 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
[Theo would think that August is just fucking with him because that'd make sense - a fun way to put Theo on a hook, left to wriggle, a horny little boy to wag your finger at. But, funnily enough, not only does he know something of sex magic through osmosis - it was the merry band of witches in Duplicity, or whatever fucking alternative versions of themselves it was at the time, that introduced him. So. Aha!]

I participated in a sex magic orgy once. It was kinda successful.
provoke: (s1 ☞  3 [ jace ])

[personal profile] provoke 2024-11-13 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
[ how is it possible for a man with one eye to communicate so much judgemental disappointment through a gaze, and with so little facial movement involved? ]

You threw the match. I could tell.

[ especially now that he's played with the man. aemond is no stranger to well-meaning fighters and lickspittle sycophants both trying to make training "easy" for him, either thinking the young prince needs the help or to make themselves seem magnanimous. they would be fools to do so; aemond strikes to kill, always, and he makes sure his intent is forewarned.

many fighters and training companions have learned the hard way to always take him seriously, armed or not. which is why he's disappointed in hawk β€” the man is clearly skilled, perhaps even holding himself back on account of his progressing age. it stands to reason that he should have won easily against his mother and her partner in their earlier match.
]

You do yourself no favours, behaving like this.

You are old enough to settle on your victories, are you not? With a family of your own somewhere quiet, grandchildren running about your knees. Perhaps a son to inherit your name, a daughter to marry off for wealth and fortune. Your legacy will be all that remains of your name when they leave you, and you should guard it fiercely β€” your friends true should understand that your pride does not make you disloyal.

You don't even prefer my mother in the way of a marriage bed, so why throw the game in her favour?
Edited 2024-11-13 02:18 (UTC)
dwelt: (Default)

[personal profile] dwelt 2024-11-13 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
[Hyunsu's eyes confirm his suspicions of him being not entirely human, but he's left just as unimpressed. he doesn't pick up any regular magic from him, nothing that he's dealt with before. there's power in him though, that much is certain. it's hard to focus too much on one thing; the forest's magic webs itself into everything and sticks like honey.]

Do you want me to keep chasing you?

[because he will. his mind is hazy, but the flower's influence keeps his adrenaline high and makes him want to catch Hyunsu, want to grab him by the face and force the entire thing to stop. he runs a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes. he can't focus.]
thirsted: (Default)

[personal profile] thirsted 2024-11-13 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
[ The horse gets a sidelong glance, mostly because Astarion has no desire to get nipped or kicked, but Rhett seems skilled enough at keeping it complacent. ]

Oh! No, [ Astarion answers, sounding faintly apologetic as he lets his hand fall back to his side. (He forgets, sometimes, that some of the manor's inhabitants aren't used to any magic at all, considering that the house itself is so utterly strange.) ]

A real wolf-man, I'm afraid. You will find costumes in your closet, now and then, mostly for affairs like this, butβ€” this wasn't that.

[ So, don't mention the insane game of werewolf that took place last month, or the weird cannibalistic feast ... ]

You're not from a magical world, then, are you?
volkarin: (Default)

[personal profile] volkarin 2024-11-13 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
CHARACTER NAME: emmrich volkarin
SEELIE/UNSEELIE: unseelie
kobes: ([:)] here's why i'm right)

[personal profile] kobes 2024-11-13 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
[Well, he knows when he's been dismissed -- Koby pulls back his hands, stifling a smile as the likely-Targaryen carefully untangles his lace, with the practiced air of someone used to dealing with such finery. He even holds his hands up and out of the way so he can be properly dislodged, smiling warmly once the other young man is finished.] Thank you, very much. I'm a little out of my depth with this entire...ensemble. As you can tell.

[Koby starts wrapping the trailing sleeves around his arms a couple times, watching the stranger quietly, thoughtfully. Definitely a Targaryen; that's a lordly, regal bearing if he ever saw one. Aemond has the same way of looking at things, like they've preemptively disappointed him.] I like to keep track of comings and goings, that's all. [Dismissive, carefully cautious, underplaying his own knowledge of this place and all it contains.]

Not really. You probably have a whole list of things that you're confused by, but we have to start somewhere, right? Whatever pops into your mind first is probably the most pressing concern. [Another of those smiles, preemptively warm -- Koby's fond enough of Alicent that he's inclined to be understanding of her sons, regardless of what tales he's heard.]
chokedout: (024)

[personal profile] chokedout 2024-11-13 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
[She sounds cool, grudgingly he will admit.]

Is she hot?
highlyemotional: (☁ mmm no)

[personal profile] highlyemotional 2024-11-13 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
Caroline Forbes. Nice to meet you.

[ he seems fancy and debonair, a not douche-y klaus, so she doesn't know if he's gonna try to kiss her hand or something so she takes charge. a short and sweet handshake. ]

I just... do. Turn it on and off, I mean.
leavening: (pic#17311077)

[personal profile] leavening 2024-11-13 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
[He hums, his lips quirking upward slightly. Normally he's pretty sure the answer would be no, but that's not true at the moment.

He wants to play the game. He just also wants to be difficult.]


Maybe. [yes.] Can you do it without being a sneaky snake in the grass?

[Someone like Eunhyuk would probably appreciate the subtlety of August's intial ambush. Unfortunately, Hyunsu is not Eunhyuk. He likes things more straightforward.]
dwelt: (Default)

[personal profile] dwelt 2024-11-13 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
[he could cheat, use the traces of magic he knows of her to narrow it down, but that's too much effort just to meet after a potential win. he likes the mystery, the yes/no/maybe. it sends a thrill of excitement up his spine.

he leans in, mouth nearly pressed against her ear:
]

I will.

[he whispers, and leaves her with a chaste kiss to her temple with one final squeeze to her hand. there's a moment where he pauses by her lips before completely pulling away, eyes full of mischief, but he slips back into the crowds before he's tempted to take anything else from her.]
breeding: (pic#17403777)

[personal profile] breeding 2024-11-13 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
[ Even Homelander, delusional though he is, understands that being in a position of power doesn't equate to being loved by those in service to it (what the fuck are approval points about, if not that), but at the very least he understands the feeling of suddenly not being known. It'd taken a while for him to adjust to being anonymous after arguably being one of the most famous people on the planet.

But more importantly, the pieces are finally clicking together in his head, from what Alicent's told him about her life as well as what he's picked up from Aemond.

Half-question, half-statement:
] You're Alicent's kid.

[ Which probably still isn't what Aegon really wants to hear, but it is what it is. ]
kobes: ([:(] uniform's 2 damn big)

[personal profile] kobes 2024-11-13 02:56 am (UTC)(link)
[That gets a flicker of a smile, because as much as Koby is relieved that the aching, overwhelming mental pressure of the last month has abated, it still wasn't a pleasant experience. He's used to the pains that come with pushing his body to it's limits, making himself stronger over time, but this was...something else entirely. Something violent, something that's altered him in some way.

Still, Astarion doesn't seem frightened off by it. And some of the carefully-held tension leaves Koby's shoulders as he gathers up the trailing lacy sleeves of his costume, holding them to his chest with a sigh.
] I think much more of the former than the latter. I look like a spiderweb. Or an -- attempt at a sweater.

[The question gets a quick, careful once-over, but there's no radiating suspicion or fear from Astarion (or, if there is, he's adept at hiding it). So:] It's a little tricky to explain, but -- in my world, everyone's life force, their essence has a power to it. Some people call it willpower or aura or something else, but it exists in all living things. "Haki" is just the skill that lets people sense that life force and identify it -- the same way I could look at you with my eyes and know who you were, I could sense you with my haki from across this market and know who you were. With fully awakened haki, I could sense your emotions or your physical state or even your next moves. There are...different ways of awakening it, and the best way is through careful training, learning how to handle it bit by bit, because feeling other people's emotions is very overwhelming.

[A pause, a hesitation.] But, sometimes, if someone has a lot of potential for the skill and they experience a very upsetting, traumatic event, usually involving a lot of death and suffering, it can all awaken at once. [Koby doesn't think he needs to explain that part further -- Astarion witnessed the werewolf game, just like he had.]
naloxone: (pic#15307955)

[personal profile] naloxone 2024-11-13 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
[ whatever words she'd been struggling to get out, we'll likely never know as the softness of his voice puts an immediate stop to her attempts. she looks to him with relief, with gratefulness; with that small gesture, he's done more for her than he'll likely know, saving her from not just one kind of awkward situation, but two. steadily, she feels the bile that had been threatening to rise up along her throat settle itself, and at last she allows herself to take in a calming breath.

it's silly, really. what a small little thing to get so worked up over, though marta knows well enough that it isn't just about the anxiety-induced nausea. it's everything so far, isn't it? how so very much it is, and it hasn't even been more than a day. ]


Astarion.

[ the name takes on a different texture on her tongue, her accent giving it a bit of a crunch. she thinks, with a pang, of the old family names harlan would walk her through whenever he got particularly sentimental. ]

Thank you. I'm Marta.

[ she takes in another breath, and this one thankfully isn't very shaky at all. ]

You can probably guess I don't belong here.
homosexuals: (pic#17302005)

[personal profile] homosexuals 2024-11-13 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
[the real question is, how has a teenager mastered the icy gaze of someone who could strike fear into even the heart of roy cohn or that asshole mccleod in m unit? hawk meets it for a moment with a neutral appraisal of his own before letting his shoulders relax and pulling out the pack of cigarettes from his short pockets.]

Yeah, I did.

[he pops one into his mouth, pausing a moment before extending the box to aemond with a lift of his hand. you ever tried one? is the implication as he fishes for the downgraded lighter he's been making due with since handing over his nicer one.]

Look, where I'm from - it's impolite to upset a lady. And I did that to your mother, unintentional as it was.

[he cups his hand to the flame, inhaling sharply before holding it a moment and blowing the smoke out the side of his mouth away from his company.]

I made a bad judgment call and I broke her trust. I'd like to earn it back, and somehow I don't think impressing her in a match where I've got the clear upper-hand over all three players is the way to do it. She'd just think it was adding to the pig-headed bullshit that got me in this mess to begin with.

[he slides in a little closer, contemplating aemond. the pale skin, the peek of the angry scar behind his new eyepatch, and the luster of his hair under the open sun. striking, despite his damage, and ethereal despite the way he's hardened at his young age.]

You're not the first one to tell me that's what I ought to be doing. I don't care about my name being in the papers or on monuments and in the history books. I'm not the kind of man they'd want to write about. But I would like to know I had a hand in doing some good - that I got mine dirty to keep others clean.

[he sits back, slinging an arm over the top of the bench.]

I put off having a wife as long as I could. Ended up here just before my time ran out. [his eyes shift sideways, contemplating. it's hard to imagine aemond as a family man for someone that isn't his mother.]

What about you? About that time, isn't it?
breeding: (pic#17404314)

i'm losing it

[personal profile] breeding 2024-11-13 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
[ There are two wolves dueling instincts inside Homelander: the first, to throw Set off of his back, because giving anyone a piggyback ride simply isn't on his to-do list; the second, to allow it, given that Set has made an offering, but the gift in questionβ€”

It takes Homelander a second to fully wrap his head around it, grabbing the chain in one hand as he (without thinking) uses his other arm to keep Set hitched on his back. (It's not like the other man is particularly heavy, nor would it be that much of an issue, either, if Set weighed as much as a jumbo jet.) For a long moment, he just looks at the portrait staring back at him β€” not the worst impression of himself he's ever seen, considering how much merch Vought had pumped out every year, but the first he's seen in three months.

Does he appreciate it? Should he be offended? (Is he short-circuiting?)
]

I didn't get anything for you, [ is what finally comes out of his mouth, though he's still staring at the little wood carving. (His hand finds Set's ankle, giving it a tug in a half-hearted attempt to get him to come down, though it's easy enough to ignore if Set is of a mind to.)

A little more confidently,
] But yeah, I'm having a good time; don't think I really need to ask the same of you.

β€”And before you suggest it again, I'm not nude wrestling you.
Edited 2024-11-13 03:18 (UTC)
naloxone: (pic#15574942)

[personal profile] naloxone 2024-11-13 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
Please.

[ she clings to the last bit of command in her tone as it begins to shift to one of pleading, of relief. with the top laces undone she can feel herself take in a full, deep breath, and it's as steadying as the heels of her boots on the ground, catching along gnarled roots.

finally, there is some movement. finally, she can twist around enough she can look back at her savior, catching his eyes through the cobweb weave of the hair that'd fallen out of its braids, obscuring half of her face. she could, perhaps, be satisfied with just this. she could probably even loosen the rest herself. with a full breath in her lungs her head feels clearer, the urgency not humming quite as loudly in her veins.

but they're already here. and she's so fucking tired of this faire. ]


Tear it off if you can.
naloxone: (pic#15307862)

help his face?????? i'm crying

[personal profile] naloxone 2024-11-13 03:14 am (UTC)(link)
[ it's not the weirdest thing to say, fresh from a brush with death, but it certainly sticks out regardless. it draws a little tinge of curiosity to the concern that furrows marta's brow, but she is polite enough not to draw attention to it. at least not yet.

one should certainly be professional, first. ]


Do you want some water?

[ she checks his eyes, pays attention to the way he's breathing. listens for any oddities like wheezing and the like, and seems satisfied with the steadying rise and fall of his chest.

the hand she'd had rested over his back (ready to deliver some slaps, if necessary) eventually slides back down to her side. ]


There's a bench there, too, if you'd like.
sterilize: (Default)

[personal profile] sterilize 2024-11-13 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
( in return, that question makes eunyu blush, which is annoying because she was supposed to be the one teasing him. as bratty as her old self had been, she tuts her tongue, rolling her eyes dramatically. more presenting a bad mood so hyunsu doesn't notice she's being precious and shy about the idea of something dirty, than actually feeling one. she doesn't let go of his hand so she can't be that mad anyway, squeezing his knuckles lightly. )

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

( they're at the altar now β€” a thought that settles like a worm in her brain now that she thinks it, i just walked hyunsu down the aisle. it's not the kind of thing she thought about back home really, so it's weird now, to have all these schoolgirl daydreams about something she's never even wanted. shaking her head, she only drops hyunsu's hand when she moves to open the tabernacle, frowning confusedly at what's inside. )

Oh.

( oh? she picks up the paper β€” friend, marry, kink. fmk. )

Ohhh-kay. Weird.
dwelt: (Default)

[personal profile] dwelt 2024-11-13 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
[wow, she is decked out, something he only caught out of his peripheral. his clothes β€” which aren't very renfair-y β€” are more casual, meant to be comfortable, but still styled appropriately. everything he wears he wears well, fits him as it should.

he can appreciate the flair, not at all hiding his obvious glances along her dress, then up to her face. he notices how distracted she is initially, until she's abruptly brought into his atmosphere.
]

Yeah? You looking forward to anything in particular?
naloxone: (pic#15574982)

shrieking

[personal profile] naloxone 2024-11-13 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
[ of course she startles. nearly shouts out, too, but manages to stifle the sound in her throat. looking to him, she is equal parts guilty and defiant β€” the first for getting caught, the second because she remembers she's here against her will.

her eyes sweep down to the basket of rolls in his arms (already pre-buttered, from the glossy look on his lips), but she has enough sense not to ask him why he's helping them along, if that's really his running theory at the moment.

she turns back towards the forest again, lips pursing. behind her, the heavy metal gates she'd pushed open threaten to swing back shut and cut her off from the winding driveway, but she knows by now that alone won't stop her from somehow finding herself back in that damned bedroom. her pocketful of pills feel heavier, suddenly. ]


Houses this big don't function on their own. [ she's reasoning it all out with herself, just as much as she might be trying to do so with him. ] There has to be a gatekeeper's house or β€” or something.
provoke: (ep 206 β†’ 11)

[personal profile] provoke 2024-11-13 03:29 am (UTC)(link)
Mm.

[ his betrothal to the baratheon girl feels like a lifetime ago. he doesn't even remember which of the sisters he'd agreed to marry, only that it's one of the prettier ones, and not the sister with the sharp tongue and unpleasant demeanor. he wants a sister or a cousin to marry, not some plain-featured girl from the stormlands who have no fire to their blood. if he must marry, then he'll marry a simple girl, one he can manage from afar and forget for most of the time. ]

I'm betrothed to a Baratheon daughter. A great house back in Westeros, seat of the Lords Paramount of the Stormlands. Our families are distant relations; their forebear, Orys Baratheon, claimed to be a bastard brother to Aegon the Conqueror. Our line has married with theirs a few times.

Her name is Floris, I believe. I've met her once. I doubt I'll have to meet her again until the wedding.

[ if he lives that long. helaena has made clear his impending death, and aemond believes it will come to pass sooner than later. ]

Mother will like her. She's pretty and stupid. She can be taught to stand aside.

[ speaking of his mother β€” aemond tries one of the colourful drinks, having refused the cigarette offered. the drink is strangely textured, oddly bitter in the afterwash, but also oddly refreshing and cooling to the body.

perhaps one of the other colours will be more to his taste.
]

You will not win Mother's favour by letting her win in paltry games. Grandsire β€” her father, the Lord Otto Hightower β€” had raised me in the absence of my father true. He taught me the same as he taught her, so you must understand that my mother and I share the same foundation in our understanding of duty, differently though we might interpret it.

Respect and trust, once lost or tarnished, needs be reclaimed with as great and as loud an effort as the offence that caused it. Nothing else will equal, and nothing else will be accepted.

You could grovel on your knees all your life, but if you will not stand and prove yourself worthy again, you will stay kneeling until you die.

[ honesty, now, as aemond leans in and speaks to hawk more privately: ]

Laenor Velaryon was a trophy husband to my half-sister Rhaenyra. He fought on the Stepstones when he was my age, and with my uncle he won against the Triarchy and gave the kingdoms a great honour. A great good, because the Triarchy are brigands and maledicts and vile cretins who pillage and steal and rape.

He was also a cock-loving man, and married for convenience, and he died a drunken wreck in the guestroom of his father's home. Guess which one he is most remembered for.

Stand your ground, Hawkins. You will feel much better about yourself in the end, and earn greater respect besides.
Edited 2024-11-13 03:40 (UTC)
dwelt: (pic#17480147)

[personal profile] dwelt 2024-11-13 03:37 am (UTC)(link)
[after waking up at 2AM and fighting against time, he bit the bullet and went for a run. that was hours ago. he's mindlessly wandering at this point, air crisp in his lungs, throat parched. he's become a regular at the gardens, but doesn't ever tend to any of the plants in fear of ruining them.

finding Harrow is a new addition. finding used loosely, because he feels her first. he follows the familiar magic until he sees her knelt down on the ground. whatever she's doing, she must have heard him, because she looks like she's waiting for something.
]

Hey.

[his voice is low, has that early hours tiredness to it. talking before the sun rises always adds a certain quality to the conversation between two people, even if they're close to strangers.]

What are you doing?

[he takes a few more steps closer, peering over her shoulder to see where she'd been digging.]
naloxone: (pic#15574926)

uwu β™‘

[personal profile] naloxone 2024-11-13 03:40 am (UTC)(link)
[ she doesn't know how long she's been in here. not because of any supernatural meddling (that she's aware of, anyway) but simply because she's lost count of how many times she's tried to start a prayer.

oh, she knows this isn't that kind of chapel. that if those that built this worshipped any kind of god at all, it's not any of the ones she knows. least of all the one her mother still speaks to, rubbing at wooden beads to close off the end of the day.

it's all symbolic anyway. she doubts any god powerful and omnipresent enough as the ones her mother's bibles claim to know would really care where she's praying, just so long as she is. though he would probably wonder, first, just where the hell she's been all these years. ]


Sorry, [ is what she winds up saying outloud first. honestly it's as good a start to a prayer as anything. but now that she's started, she wonders where she even means for this to go. would an apology, no matter how sincere, really undo a punishment like this? is this a punishment? maybe she ought to offer up a confession first, or so her vague memories of protocol would suggest.

she works her mouth open again, but the voice and words that come out aren't hers. half-turning, she has to squint past the streaks of light that flood the enclosed space (was it a chapel, or a tomb?), backlighting a larger figure who takes a step in. ]


I'll be done in a minute, [ she explains reflexively, even when just two seconds ago she'd all but decided to give up. ] Or β€” you can go first, if you'd like.