hadriel_logs | Event Log: Is It a Wonderful Life?

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Ephemera just raises an eyebrow, taking a drag on his cigarette. ]

....really?

[at his reaction, she makes an incoherent noise and buries her face in her hands, mumbling between her fingers and still clutching at her cigarette]

I don't fucking know, I don't do this kind of thing. What would you do?

Okay, okay. I'm not laughing.

[ He's not, though his smile is warm. ]

Eyes up, yeah? Use what you've got.

[ He inclines his head toward her, pressing the cigarette between his teeth. Smiles around it, good eye bright and watchful. ]

Hey. Buy me a drink and I'll show you how to do a real smoke ring.

Good. [she mumbles from behind her hands.

but she sneaks a peek at him and he's not laughing at her.

she pulls her hands from her face and stares up at him, big brown eyes wide]

Okay. Okay. So you're saying my eyes are an asset?

[she was expecting that. . . but she wasn't expecting that]

Oh, you're good. The confidence, the delivery, how d'you do that?

[ Ephemera grins, nodding. ]

Uh huh. Me, I practiced a lot. It's fun! Even if the person you're trying it on doesn't like you, it's not hard to get 'em to laugh. Everybody likes something to lighten the mood.

[she purses her lips briefly]

That. . .might be a problem. I've never been any good at lightening the mood.

[ Ephemera watches her for a moment, curiously. ]

No? How are you around other people, then? What'd you do when things are hard?

[in the meantime, she's trying to perfect her smoke rings]

I'm just. Kind of serious. I do what needs to be done. [a pause] And I swear a lot.

Can't be serious all the time, [ he points out. ] Try to do that and eventually you'll crack. But there's nothing wrong with swearing. I do it all the time. Some people like that.

I know, I know, but it's like . . . for years, I didn't give a shit about anything or anyone. And then I died. And then I came here. And not giving a shit wasn't an option anymore. And so I wound up doing all the things. Like literally all the things. [and she chuckles] And I sure hope some people like it 'cause I'm not gonna fucking stop any time soon.

[ Ephemera huffs, giving her a little smile. ]

Never too late to figure out what you want. People - I dunno. People are complicated. You got your eye on somebody or you just looking for some fun?

[she looks thoughtful] I guess? And they really are. Too fucking complicated. [and she squirms slightly] There's someone I like. Have liked for a long time, but first she had a boyfriend who was here and now he's gone, but I kinda get the feeling she likes me as a friend. Just a friend.

Hnn. [ Well, he's got some experience with complicated friendships. ] You two actually talk about it?

No, 'cause I'm a giant fucking wuss who's scared shitless of ruining our friendship. [she's not pouting or anything. except she totally is]

[ Ephemera huffs, smiling a little. ]

Nah, I get that. Me and Drake, hah. That was complicated as shit when it started. He was the first friend I'd had in a long time, and then I had to go and make it all --

[ He waves his hand vaguely. There'd been a lot between them, right at the start. It'd taken him a long time to work through it. ]

'course then I got drunk like a jackass and blurted it out when the hangover was kicking my ass. Worked out in the end, though.

[she nods] I know the feeling. Sharon was the first friend I made here aside from Jo, but Jo's like a sister. And I know she was into me in one of the stupid gods' things and I even arranged a date with her, but that was a long time ago and she doesn't remember any of it, of course.

[and she's in full-blown pout]

I may have to do that. Just suck it up and blurt it out. Unfortunately, I can't get drunk and have that as an excuse.

[ Hmm. Sharon. Ephemera vaguely knows who she is, though they've never spoken. He exhales another bit of smoke, tapping ashes off the cigarette. It's almost burned out. ]

Well, first off, sorry you can't get drunk. That fucking sucks.

[ Seriously. Must be part of the whole being dead thing. ]

Second, I'm probably not the guy to ask about this stuff. I had fun at bars, sure. [ He nods vaguely, remembering a few blurred faces. Yeah, he had fun. Usually with strangers or other Marines he only just knew. Easier that way. ] One and done, you know? Or maybe we'd run into each other every couple months and fuck in a storage closet. But it wasn't anything more than that.

[ Just some temporary closeness with another person. ]

Still not sure how it worked out with Drake. But that's more. And it sounds like you want more, with her.

Yes, it does. It's like a rite of passage, gone forever.

[being dead has its blessings and its curses. she's not sure which the "not getting drunk" part fits most of the time]

Well. Yeah, I want more. I like [~~love~~] her a lot.

Maybe tell her. No drinking, just - out with it.

[ Ephemera considers that for a moment, then nods. ]

Think that's what I would've done, if I'd planned it out.

[she groans and buries her face in her hands, then peeks up at him, eyes wide]

I'm gonna fuck it uuuuuuuuup.

[ Ephemera snorts, tapping ash off his cigarette. ]

Maybe. But isn't it better to try?

[face still buried in her hands]

Yes. No. Maybe? I dunno?

[ Ephemera reaches out and gently flicks her ear. ]

Maybe figure that part out first, huh? Is this what you want? Because not knowing, that's okay too. Maybe you need some more time.

Event Log: Is It a Wonderful Life?

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