Event Log: Is It a Wonderful Life?

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for Is It A Wonderful Life? event
Where: All over the city
When: Jan 4th-8th
Warnings: None

Throughout the next few days, you may find yourself plagued by visions and dreams of back home. The dreams will be lifelike and difficult to tell apart from reality, as the world will be constructed from what you remember of your world. However, unlike usual dreams, you won't be present, and will find yourself unable to be seen or heard by those around you.

The dreams are vivid reminders of what might happen in a world without you: a world in which you disappeared when coming to Hadriel, a world which desperately needs you back for some reason or another. You may see your parents putting up missing posters, your significant other moving onto their next relationship, or even your hated villain finally taking over the world without you there to stop them.

When the vision leaves, you're back here and nothing about the city has changed. Though maybe you have a different outlook on it now...

► This log covers January 4th-Januray 8th.
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you try a weird solution to make it back home, please let us know here.

Comments

[braveoff]

[ Drake doesn't even comment on the wine, or ask how much she's had already. It doesn't matter how old she is, not here, he knows she's responsible enough and honestly he's not that strict even back home. As long as people are safe... he doesn't believe that Tinya would compromise herself but now that he knows she's here he'll keep an eye out. It's a reason to not overindulge, and part of him is quietly grateful. The rest... isn't. ]

Hey, Tinya. This one's effective, huh? Even though we know that's not how it works.

[unphase]

[probably for the best. she gets served at the Speakeasy, the one place she's treated as the adult she is in her homeworld. and she honestly hasn't had much, she's on her second glass and for some reason, contemplating it more than drinking it stands out to her. and she would like both parts of him to be comfortable with her, not just because they share patrols but because she'd like to consider him a friend]

Hi, Drake. And it is--very nice. Even though it's probably all in my head. But isn't all alcohol all in your head?

[braveoff]

Alcohol's more than just in our heads. Sorrow's tricks.... that's all us. What we least want to have happened, and honestly if you're alive you've got nothing to worry about. You go back to right when you left, we know that. Either way it's probably a lie. Worst case scenario...

[ He just. Isn't alive. So it's tempting to just lose himself in the bottom of a bottle to try and block out what he's seen. Because it's so feasible. ]

We should probably talk about something happier, but I can't think of anything right now.

[unphase]

Worst case scenario, the world continues on without out you. And there's not a sprocking thing you can do about it.

[she knows. she's seen. a world without her in it. a world where her mother had all the excuse she needed to go after the Legion, to let a beloved daughter of Bgztl die in such a way]

Me, neither. [she thinks for a long moment] So, how's your love life?

[she downs the wine in one gulp and requests another]

[braveoff]

Nah. Worst case it doesn't, for some people.

[ But he's going to let that go because talking about Ma just... he can't. Not even after several drinks. Which he's taking another sip of and nearly chokes on when Tinya decides to change the question to that. At least he's laughing after he coughs -- congratulations, Tinya, you changed the mood. ]

What? Uh. That's the one thing going right for me, actually. You actually curious?

[unphase]

I'm sorry.

[she turns her attention to her drink again, trying to focus on something other than visions of a home without her in it, with her mother free to destroy the Legion out of revenge for putting her daughter in danger. and she smiles when he starts laughing. it's not as bright as it usually is, but it's a start]

That's good. And, yeah, I am.

[braveoff]

It's kind of a long story, but I guess it'd be distracting... I just missed our one-year anniversary, maybe you can help me think of a way to make up for that.

[ It wasn't his fault he missed it, he was starving to death and living in a giant ice cube to keep from dying, but. He still feels kind of bad about it even if it's just a day. ]

When I showed up here, it was my girlfriend from back home and things didn't.... I guess I wasn't enough for her, you know? I wasn't making her happy, she barely spent any time with me, was just sad about missing her friends from home, it wasn't working. And that happens. But there was somebody else who was always there. It was a really new thing for me -- someone who always had my back.

[unphase]

I would love to help you find a way to do that.

[she's wondered where he was as she hadn't seen him in quite a while. and it's not just a day!]

Yeah. It happens. [she tries to not think of her doubts about her own relationship] It's always a good thing, to be able to feel secure with someone. People overlook that sometimes when it comes to relationships. They get caught up in the romance or--or how hot someone is.

[braveoff]

Well whatever you can think of, I'm kind of at a loss with the city how it is right now.

[ He's never had an anniversary where he couldn't take someone out, or at least cook for them. ]

It happens, yeah. I think being in stressful situations together can make you think there's more than just chemistry, and then you don't work long term when you're out of them. That's what happened to us. I still love her but things just weren't right, you know? Half of my life back home was a lie anyway, maybe the reality wasn't as exciting or something.

[unphase]

Yeah, the food situation is still weird and you can't even do anything classically romantic like candlelight and flowers because the shops are picked over and it's not like flowers would grow here.

[she's had a one month anniversary of being the Other Woman. does that count?]

No, I get it. I really, really get it. Especially the part about stressful situations making you think there's more to the relationship. I . . . might be in a similar situation. I don't know. But it's not about me, it's about you. So, what happened next?

[braveoff]

[ Drake nods -- basically everything he would typically do is crossed off the list because of their current situation. Normally he could make a deal with the gods for something special, but not right now. He grins slightly as Tinya redirects the topic. ]

You can talk about yourself too, you know. I'll listen. But uh. I waffled for awhile, then told her I had feelings for someone else. She said she needed time to think about it, then disappeared and came back with the new arrivals saying she remembered my death and had moved on from me so we just let each other go. I wanted to stay friends but she disappeared for good not long after that.

[ He shrugs a little -- he'd gotten better closure with Liv after, when she was briefly back a few months ago, but this conversation isn't supposed to be about his past love life. It's supposed to be about his current one. ]

He's pretty amazing. I don't think I've ever met a bigger badass, and no one's ever... acted like I meant so much, before? I had to become part of their lives, it never felt like our life like this does. Sometimes I have to stop and process it all over again, that I found somebody I matter to like this. I guess it's just what being loved feels like? And I've just never been on the receiving end before.

[unphase]

[girl's having doubts about her own relationship, but it's hard to talk about]

...I can? All right. Later, though. Right now, it's about you. [and she winces at his description of what happened next] That sounds rough. But at least you had someone else to see you through all of that, right?

[you have to know something about the past for the present to make any sense.

and she visibly melts at his description] Really? That's wonderful. It really is. To have someone you can really share your life with, to being loved like that, it's what most people dream about, but never find. You're lucky.

As for what you could do . . . Is there something in particular he really likes to do? [a wink and a naughty smile] Not just sex.

[braveoff]

Yeah, I am lucky. What are the chances, right? That we'd both end up here.

[ Especially since they're both dead. He doesn't mention that Ephemera disappeared for awhile, for months in there. Because he didn't mean to, and he's back now and that's what matters. Except then Tinya keeps talking and whooaaaaa no. Nope. He knows she's an adult in her world but it's still weird. Drake just laughs softly, shaking his head. ]

Yeah, I'd like to come up with something besides that. What he likes to do... [ Around here, besides fighting shit? ] He's an artist?

[unphase]

About a billion to one. You should be proud of yourselves, that you beat the odds here and made something beautiful in your time here.

[what? it's not like she's a virgin or anything? even though the rest of the Legionnaires seemed like terminal virgins, what with Lyle trying his "pulling on the pigtails of the one he liked" with Brainy and Saturn Girl seeming to be unable to choose between Cosmic Boy and Live Wire. she might be the only one with real world experience in these matters]

Okay, he's an artist! What does he usually like to paint? Landscapes or life models?

[braveoff]

[ Yeah, he'd agree with that. It's something amazing, against all odds that they would meet and it would work, he's never had something work like this. And it's all the more precious being so aware that it could be gone at any minute. But Drake's trying to keep his mood up right now.

Look, they can talk about her sex life if she wants, and he can be a responsible adult figure, but talking about his feels strange. ]

Both, actually. He sketches the people he knows, people he saw, paints them sometimes. Most of our walls are landscapes, though, or cityscapes, or galaxies... if Love was around I'd ask for some good supplies or something, but I'm working with what we've got right now.

[unphase]

[he should keep his mood up! the two of them meeting and connecting the way they did was a miracle! one brought about by the strange place they were living in.

don't tempt her, she's already having doubts about her relationship, if she starts, she won't stop]

Hmm. Has he ever drawn you? And I don't mean a sketch, I mean something that can be hung on the wall. One not necessarily risque, but one that you share? And can share with others as proof of your love? I know I'd like to see it.

[braveoff]

[ Oh man, that sounds personal. Drake considers it for a minute, then shakes his head. ]

No, he's only sketched me and usually keeps those private. The people on the walls are portraits of his old squad, folks from here we miss, that kind of thing. But is it really a gift to ask him to do something?

[unphase]

[aren't most relationships and romances personal? she thinks so from her limited experience]

It's something he likes to do and the two of you would be doing it together. Or you could try treating him to other things he likes to do that you can do around here.

[braveoff]

If any of the gods around right now were the ones I usually dealt with, I'd ask for some good supplies for him... then maybe that'd be a nice surprise. I'll think about it. What else I can offer with it, but it's a good idea.

[ He's not sure he knows anyone who could make those things, but maybe. Drake takes another sip of his drink and turns his focus on Tinya. ]

Is there somebody you wanted to talk about? Sounded like it, for a minute there.

[unphase]

In the long run, I'm sure he'll be happy with whatever it is that you do. Because you're doing it and he loves you. That's the important thing. Love. Especially in a place like this.

[she wouldn't know, either. but her best guess would be trying at the Lab? and she squirms slightly under the focus]

It's just--I have a boyfriend back home. And I'm kind of wondering if we took things too fast.

[braveoff]

Thanks, Tinya. That makes me feel better about missing it.

[ And now he's settling in to listen, though at her squirming he does turn his gaze back to his drink so she doesn't feel like she's under a microscope. ]

Well I'm not really one to throw stones about that, but part of growing up is realizing how fast is too fast. It can vary by relationship, there's no hard and fast rules... what makes you think you might have?

[unphase]

[she beams at him] I'm glad I could help.

[and she squirms slightly in her seat and bites her lower lip briefly]

It's just. . . when we met, there was this instant connection, like I'd known him forever. It was like nothing I'd ever felt before, but there were . . . problems. Like the fact that he already had a girlfriend. And the fact that he worked for an absolute sleazebag as a superhero for hire.

[braveoff]

[ Drake considers the situation... those sure are problems, yeah. Obviously they got together anyway, but it doesn't necessarily mean the problems were solved, so he has a question. ]

Okay... has any of that changed?

[unphase]

[no, the problems were sort of floating in the background, waiting to rear their ugly heads at any moment]

Not. One. Bit. He's sort of--trapped working for the sleazebag as he paid for Jo's ticket out of Rimbor. Rimbor's not a UP world, so it cost a fortune. And his first girlfriend is a teammate, so. . .it's not like they can avoid each other.

[braveoff]

[ Oh. Uhhhhm. ]

Does his girlfriend know about you?