semi-open;

[braveoff]

Who: Drake + anyone who needs to feel hopeful
What: Hadriel's resident zombie needs to bring hope to six people, but since that's tricky he's just attempting it at every opportunity he sees.
Where: anywhere!!!
When: 4/6 onwards, please give a date so I know which event is going on at the time!
Warnings: none yet and none planned, I'll edit if things arise

Well, it sure had taken Drake long enough to make this decision. Eight months from the point he first decided he wanted it, four since he had really gotten fed up and decided he couldn't live this way no matter what the advantages were. And so this might be the worst timing, when they're worried about another Null attack, but also... that makes it feel more urgent. Drake has no interest in being the last one standing, or left to starve yet again if something happens to Hope, to hurt someone he cares about or start an outbreak, and if he's going to die he'd rather go out human. Best case scenario, when it's all over he gets to go somewhere else and actually get a second chance. However things go, now just seems like the time for this deal.

It's too bad, he thinks, that he couldn't make it with Love. No, it has to be Hope, and Drake's not all that confident in his ability to inspire that, but he has to try. He was told six people but he's not really counting, because he feels like if he goes into this asking people what they're feeling it'll be disingenuous... so he won't ever really know who added to his number and who didn't, but it can't be a bad thing to help as many people as possible, right? Right.

He does seek some people out, people he's got ideas for or needs help from, but for the most part he just keeps an eye out. When he's moving through the jungle on patrol, when he wanders by the Speakeasy, whenever. Anyone who looks like they might need help, or someone to talk to, or just company. He'll do what he can and cross his fingers that it's enough.

(( ooc: Some starters in comments! Technically this is open to anyone interested in tagging in but please hit me up at cuddlebug or Ana#1461 so we can plan a little. ♥ ))

Comments

[braveoff]

It was a good stretch of just Drake talking, Ephemera's little acknowledgements here and there, a tiny fond smile while they run through the progress. But as soon as he says he's got that one last idea the other man straightens, offers to help just like he did when Drake first said he needed this. Like he's offered more times than Drake could count at this point -- Ephemera has always been there for him, always had his back. Maybe this kind of gesture is too much, or too unexpected, but he doesn't have a single doubt that it's worth asking because he's sure. They've already promised to stick together, made hypothetical plans for every scenario they could come up with so this could work, because they work. Insane as it seems.

Maybe, in the face of all that, a little circle of metal doesn't mean much. But Drake nods in response to the question, voice low and calm, that soft smile still on his face.

"I've probably got plenty for the deal so there's no pressure, but... I think you can, yeah. Just a second."

Drake nudges his chair back enough to stand, but doesn't move more than a step over so he's got a little more space both to dig his hand into his pocket... and to kneel. When his fingers uncurl there are two rings in his palm, solid bands of silver and black respectively, a spiraling infinity style pattern in the opposite color across each of their broad surfaces. There's no hesitation in his movements as Drake picks up the black one and tilts his head up to meet Ephemera's gaze, presenting it between his thumb and forefinger.

He doesn't actually say anything, doesn't ask in the traditional sense, but he's on one knee holding up a ring and his eyes are shining hopefully. This is obvious, right? It's too bad that even if he gets a yes his own emotions won't add to the meter.

[requiemshark]

Ephemera watches the proceedings with what's probably a very stupid look on his face, confusion and eagerness all wrapped into one because he does want to help Drake, in whatever way he can, but isn't sure why that help involves getting down on one knee —

Oh. Oh.

"You want me to marry you," Ephemera blurts out, entirely too surprised to hide it. Looking back on it later, he'll find the reaction strange. They'd already talked about going to meet Drake's mom, so why would this be a such a stretch? But marriage was always something that happened to other people, with different lives, and before Drake there hadn't been anyone Ephemera had expected to stick around for more than a few days. Only his squad, and that had been a different sort of love. No less important, but different. It hadn't been a consideration in his life. There hadn't been room for it.

But then there was Drake, who was himself in all ways, and it was different. The life they have now is different. But there must have been a switch somewhere in Ephemera's brain that hadn't managed to make the jump until now, because Drake's down on one knee, holding a ring, and Ephemera's been staring at him wide-eyed for probably too long.

Can't leave him hanging now. That wouldn't be right.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll marry you." Ephemera clears his throat. "I mean. Since you asked so nice."

Better to joke than start crying, right? He shakes his head and reaches out, taking the ring in one hand and putting his other on Drake's shoulder. The ring fits like a charm. It's got a nice design too, Ephemera realizes. Infinity.

Yeah. That's them.

[braveoff]

Drake doesn't say anything in response to Ephemera's blurted realization, just holds his pose and waits patiently for the other man to process it. The long stretch of wide-eyed staring doesn't seem to bother him but at the first 'yeah' his smile changes, from soft and patient to as broad as it can get.

"You knew what I meant," he replies to the joke, and when Ephemera takes the ring and tries it on he takes that moment to slip his own on, the silver-and-black one still in his other palm. Then his hand settles over his partner's where it rests on his shoulder, giving Ephemera another moment to let it settle while he examines the design.

"We don't have to be that specific, either, like it might depend where we wind up and we've already promised each other more than this but..."

A bit of metal and potential paperwork obviously doesn't actually make their promises more concrete or meaningful, but it still represents something special. At least to Drake, how he was raised to think of things, and from the shock and obvious emotional response Ephemera's having now it seems like even 500 years in the future it's important. He might not have had any doubts about their status if Ephemera had thought it was too much, or even just silly, but hearing the actual answer feels better than Drake had imagined.

"...I'm stupidly happy you actually said yes," he finally finishes the thought, huffing a sheepish laugh. "You like them?"

[requiemshark]

Ephemera leans forward to touch their foreheads together, taking a moment just to breathe. It feels like less of a shock now that he's had a moment to let his brain play catch up, and more like the inevitable continuation of what's already happened between them. They've already said the words, lived together, stood together after both of them had already died. And this is what people do, isn't it? They make a gesture to symbolize everything. Ephemera thinks of his armor and how important it was, even when he'd been Sharkface, to paint it just right so the rest of the world would know what they were looking at.

This is different. Less fraught, less violent. But it is important, and it ought to be done right.

"I do," he says quietly, and squeezes Drake's shoulder. Ephemera's never worn rings before, but it doesn't feel too strange. He might not be able to wear it with his gauntlets on, but he can get a chain and put it on that. Wear it around his neck when he's armored up. That feels right, too. "And. This matters. Wherever we end up, we'll do - something, you know? Even paperwork. I will do paperwork for you, Drake."

He's been told marriage involves paperwork, which is probably Ephemera's least favorite thing. But it matters, and he'll do it right.

[braveoff]

Drake's other hand comes up to grip Ephemera's neck, holding him in place contentedly. His cheeks are actually starting to ache a little but he's pretty sure he couldn't stop smiling if he wanted to right now.

"It's not that much paperwork," he promises, sounding both amused and delighted.

Oh, wait.

"There's just one catch. I promised Lup that if you said yes we wouldn't have a ceremony without her, she wants to be there and then in charge of the party." It's not a catch, really, Drake feels like they'd both want her there and she technically did more work for this than he did. He shifts his weight a little, preparing to get off the floor. "Figured that was a safe promise to make."

[requiemshark]

Ephemera huffs a little, grinning. It feels good just to stay like this, touching, but he knows Drake's knees have to be aching by now. "She does know how to throw a good party."

And that's the whole point of making a gesture like this, isn't it? Doing it so the rest of the world can take notice. It's for them first, and most importantly, but that part matters too. Having witnesses.

He stands, offering a hand to Drake. "She help make the rings?"

It seems like a safe bet. The design feels like Drake, but neither of them are jewelers.

[braveoff]

Nodding in response to the question, Drake takes the offered hand and gets back to his feet. If it's the closeness Ephemera was enjoying he's not without it for long because Drake immediately steps back in against him, winding one arm around his waist and raising their joined hands so he can appreciate the ring now that it's on Ephemera's finger.

"I felt kind of like a jerk for asking, after Barry left, but it felt too personal to make another deal and she got really into it. And they turned out perfect."

He grins again, thinking now of how pleased she'll be for them, too.

"Which of us should tell her?"

[requiemshark]

"Yeah."

Ephemera leans against Drake, watching their joined hands and the rings. It fits, doesn't it? Infinity. In the face of all the uncertainty of the world, this one thing will be solid.

"She likes this sort of thing," he says after a moment, voice soft and fond. "We should tell her together."

It'd make her happy. Lup deserves to be happy, he thinks. You gotta hold onto the small things.

"...I really like them, Drake. They just....fit."

[braveoff]

"We can do that," Drake agrees easily, bumping their foreheads together.

The design is something he considered for awhile, tried to draw as well as describe even though he's definitely not the artist of the two of them. He's really glad Ephemera approves.

"It felt right. Whatever happens, this isn't going anywhere. These are a good reminder."

He doesn't know how things will play out, but they'll have this. These tokens, this moment, if nothing else. Something else physical -- they both like that kind of thing.

"I should go to Hope soon, now that I'm pretty sure I've made the deal, but not tonight. Tonight's for you. What do you feel like doing?"

[requiemshark]

Something solid and real, not just a symbol. There's a reason Ephemera paints his armor, counts up his tattoos and makes sure they all look exactly how he means them to. The symbols, physical or not, matter. They hold the line when the world goes mad. And they stand as proof for what they've both accomplished in the face of all that madness.

Ephemera closes his good eye and leans against Drake, content to just - be, for a moment. It's strange, sometimes, to think he can have this. That he can feel safe and quiet and loved, and believe that it will last. That he won't lose it the moment he turns his back.

"Just for me, huh?" His voice is soft and content. The ring feels good on his hand, now that he's gotten used to the feel of it. "I want...fuck. I want to eat and sit with you and just....be. For a little while."

Cheesy as all fuck, but he wants that. Some time for just the two of them to sit and talk, and share the same space, where they can be quiet and let the tension go for a little while.

[braveoff]

Drake nods slightly, then tilts his face up and kisses Ephemera's forehead before pulling back. They hadn't quite finished eating and this turned out good enough that they really should.

"Finish your dinner, we can take dessert to the couch."

He may have also swung by the bakery because why the fuck not?

[requiemshark]

"Yes, sir," he teases, and isn't it nice that he has someone he can do that with? Drake's always been a constant, ever since he first got dropped into Hadriel, and Ephemera's thankful for that. That he found someone who could be patient with him and more than that, that he found Drake, who fights and struggles but never, ever, gives up. Not on the fight, not on other people.

Yeah. They'll be all right.

He brightens at the mention of dessert. "Seriously? You're awesome. I should say that more often."

And then immediately starts digging into his food. It's better when it's hot.

[braveoff]

The comment has Drake beaming again, not because it's a compliment but because of how much Ephemera means it. People have thought he was awesome before -- mostly his Ma but you know, she counts -- but never like this. Never in the 'be with you forever' way that they have.

He sits as well and reaches over, taking Ephemera's free hand where it rests on the table as they eat. And he's imagining now what it's going to be like to share things with his partner when he's human, since this must've done it, right? He's pretty confident about that. They're going to be together and able to experience the same shit and it'll be rough... the timing isn't great but when will it ever be? Sometimes he just has to do things for himself. Things he wants. Things they want. Ephemera will support him, will have his back.

When dinner's gone he squeezes Ephemera's hand, a quiet request for him to look up.

"I love you, more than anything. Dessert and we call Lup?"

[requiemshark]

They stay like that, just sharing space. Holding hands. And there are times when Ephemera still wonders over how he's allowed to have this, to know this man and stand next to him and say yes, and mean forever. Despite everything, despite all the pieces of himself were flattened down or burned trying to be Sharkface, and the way he tried to embody a mission more than a body, he has this moment.

He hopes there were be a hundred more just like it. A thousand. As many as he can hold.

Drake's hand is steady in his. A focus point. No matter what the world throws his way, Ephemera has this. He nods, expression serious, and lifts their joined hands. Squeezes. It feels different with the rings now, but he likes that. The weight of it. "Thank you. For being you."

It ought to be said.

Ephemera pushes his bangs out of his eyes, and nods. "Yeah. She's gonna freak."

His voice is fond, though. He likes Lup. Her intensity. The way she sees him exactly how he is, and has never once shied from that.