hadriel_logs | semi-open;

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. ♥ ))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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."

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.

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?"

"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."

"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?"

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.

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?

"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.

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?"

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.

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