its a blacked out blur but i'm pretty sure it rocked

[iustitiae]

Who: Connor & Some Party People. (Johnny Storm, Jack Benjamin, Cashmere - all separately although that sounds like a great party to be honest)
What: Connor offered drinks to people and now the time has come
Where: Delight's Bar
When: Various times between mid-October and now.
Warnings: Drinking to various ends. Will update as necessary.



Johnny Storm - October 10th

[ok so maybe hitting on someone as the first thing he did after getting to hadriel (okay, not first thing first there were the dragons) was maybe not the BEST idea Connor had ever had, but he really does feel like this was the good way of dealing with things that he was one hundred percent here for. and this guy was pretty cute so they can flirt a little bit, drink a little bit, forget dragons and if worse comes to worst johnny was apparently impervious to flame.

so it's a win-win all around, right?

he orders himself one very well deserved vodka and then waits for johnny to show up. when he does:]

You look even better in person.

Jack Benjamin - some time late October

[jack and connor had discussed some preferred coping methods and vodka, the real star of this show, was pretty high up on the list. being here was bad enough. finding that stupid photograph that belonged to uryuu was bad enough. he's been sitting on those feelings, trying not to acknowledge them, trying not to think about how much everything at home was completely messed up, and he finally decides to send jack a message to actually hang out.

vodka. vodka was absolutely a great idea. and if he gets started without jack, well, he's just that much closer to being wasted. and that sounds like its on everyone's agenda tonight.]

Does it ever get easier? Being here?

Cashmere - early November

[the parties were great and all but they were decidedly not alcohol. and in the mess of all these extra phoneless newcomers, connor decides he needs time away from it. he owed cashmere a drinking outing. he texts her and shows up at the appropriate time to the bar.]

Thoughts on all the new comers?

[when she gets there the first thing he launches into is absolutely gossip. they've got a lot of ground with everything that's happening.]

Comments

[benumbing]

In its own way.

[Jack isn't soft. He really doesn't know how to comfort someone, not when all that he knows of it came from a bottle much like the one(s) sitting in front of them. He tosses the rest of his shot back, smiling grimly as he goes for a refill.]

You'll become convinced that life where you came from was much easier, if you're not already. [But when he's not being chased by zombies or dragons, Jack knows that's a lie.] You'll mourn your old life, grieve for it until you finally reach acceptance. And then, you'll live.

[Vodka philosophy.]

[iustitiae]

[connor doesn't know how to comfort people, either. it's alright. he's not looking for comfort, really, at least not from jack. he laughs, short and bitter at what he says about thinking life was easier back home. that didn't seem likely.]

Maybe both situations are just fucked up.

[benumbing]

You're probably right. I wonder if it's true for everyone.

[The possibility of that seems high now that Jack thinks about it. After filling his own glass, he leans over to top off Connor's too.]

You'll be okay. I'll do what I can. [Jack smiles, the drink pausing on its way back up.] Men like you are hard to find around here. I wouldn't want to lose one.

[iustitiae]

What, like they only bring messed up people to eat their emotions better? I wouldn't put it past them. Can't have hope in a place this bad if you didn't come from a worse one.

[more alcohol though excellent.]

That's kind of you. People here are...weirdly good about that. [way nicer than back home at least]

[benumbing]

Well, as long as you're still alive, I have someone to trip if we're being chased by monsters.

[And he'll drink to that! Clinking glasses if he can. Connor strikes him as the type to appreciate a little dark humor.]

Your theory might not be far off though. [Fucked up emotions might be a delicacy for the gods here. It's so very wrong in a place that seems exactly that - wrong.] Tell me something about your life. Friends, family. [He cocks his head.] Were you married?

[iustitiae]

[connor laughs when jack asks him if he was married. it's an ironic question. he'd never imagined himself getting married just based on how anti-commitment he was, but -- ]

I can't even legally get married in my home state. I mean it's -- I'm pretty sure the supreme court is going to look at it this term. Gay marriage'll probably pass. [ok he definitely didn't get together to talk about the law. that was probably boring to like everyone but him] Anyway, marriage isn't really my style.

["I'm dating someone," is on the tip of his tongue but it's hard to say and it's hard to say here, and even harder sitting across from a really good looking guy.]

I'm a law student. I've got a study group, but they're all kind of Mean Girls.

[he will continue to make references he has no idea if jack will actually get]

[benumbing]

[Jack had his reasons...dipping his toes into the water, so to speak. But Connor is honest in a way that Jack is still learning to be. He almost regrets that he won't have to ask his gradually intrusive follow-ups.]

My father would never pass such a thing. He'd be paranoid about his son walking down the aisle with another man instead of making more little princes. [There's a brief and tight smile on his lips before he downs another.] I have a fiancee but she knows I'll never really be hers.

[That leaves a bitter taste in his mouth that even alcohol won't wash away. Jack has many regrets, but taking part in destroying a sweet girl is very close to the top.]

[iustitiae]

That's kind of how monarchies survive. But hey, all good kings have at least one fun gay scandal.

[right?? that's definitely Solid Historical Fact. (no it's not.) anyway, connor is a man full of regrets so he can spot it pretty well.]

But whatever happens with her, that's not your fault. You're kind of forced into the position.

[benumbing]

I had mine ahead of schedule.

[Connor might be better at comforting people than he thinks. Jack looks at him for those words, mostly trying to guess if the man really believes them. Either way, it's appreciated.]

But I escaped - if that's what you want to call this. [It's still up for debate, not just between them but with everyone.] Do me a favor. [Jack slides a little closer, eyes heavier lidded.] If my father ever does show up here, promise me that you'll tell him all about gay marriage.

[fulminants]

[ See, being in the whole murder cave thing is a trip and a half, especially with all the monsters and the latest iteration of dragons -- it's not boring, not really; but sometimes you just need a drink or two to take the edge off, you know? Johnny's pretty good with the adapting and living in the moment, his impetuous nature leading him to new things, new people, new experiences.

Connor is one of them; a shamelessly flirtatious kind of person much like Johnny himself, and he takes to the guy well enough, even if his thing is usually the ladies (but hell, he has eyes and a sense of aesthetics and Connor is an incredibly attractive human being). It can't hurt to have a couple of drinks, flirt right back, and have a good time at a bar with another person, right?

He orders himself a drink, too, clinking it briefly against Connor's glass as he drains it with a boyishly cheeky grin. ] So do you. The device's little camera doesn't do you justice.

[iustitiae]

[Connor smiles. He's not shy about his looks, usually preens under attention. They're the only kind of compliments he's gotten good about taking. The other kinds all seem more difficult some how.

But that was part of what was so great about flirting - it was the easy kind of banter that wasn't difficult to accept. it was fun. it was decidedly not dragons.]

Then it's a good thing we decided to take some time to see for ourselves.

[he winks and then polishes off his glass. one good turn deserves another, after all.]

[fulminants]

[ Hey, dragons are cool! Johnny's pretty fond of them, but Connor's a more fascinating way to spend the time. He taps on his glass lightly, contemplating him. He's getting used to the idea of people coming from different worlds, but Connor seems so blessedly normal that he could pass for someone from his world. ]

So, tell me. Which wonderful world did you step out from?

[iustitiae]

The boring kind. No magic, no monsters, no superheros.

[honestly thats kind of better although the whole MURDER thing is anything but boring]

I'm going to school in Philadelphia. Is that a place where you're from?

[fulminants]

[ yeah what's with the MURDER thing connor ]

Aw, that's a shame. Those things can be plenty of fun. [ A beat. ] NYC, born and bred. So, Philly, huh? What do you do there?

[iustitiae]

Nice. New York is fun. That is also pretty much exactly where I'd expect someone with amazing powers who tries to save the world to be from. [all superheroes live in nyc dont you know] Philly is...law school. Good school. Not my first choice of a fun place to live, but better than the suburbs I grew up in so I'll take it.

Infinitely better than a cave.

[fulminants]

[ totes; don't think he doesn't notice how slick you are, buddy. and all the worst shit happens in nyc too. johnny smiles at that; as much as he likes flirting, he enjoys the whole making friends thing, too, finding out about the other guy just because. ] Law school, huh? Studying to be a lawyer?

[ There are so many different worlds here, so many dimensions (he's sure Reed will be giddy when he discovers this), and he orders another round for them both. ]

That's gotta be tough.

[iustitiae]

[connor smiles confidently. it's nice when people (read: men he's flirting with) say things like that. all the better for making him seem like he's #worthit]

It's definitely hard work. I'm at a top ten. [#humblebrag] But definitely not as hard as whatever you do back home with the whole...flame-powers. [he gestures vaguely at johnny but it's a little more of a "with this beautiful body" gesture]

[64th]

[ Cashmere tilts her head to one side, considering his question a moment before she answers. ] I don't trust it. I don't know what the gods are actually up to, but they're either fuck ups or this is a trial run at something.

As for the actual people, there doesn't seem to be a pattern to them. Some of them know people here, some of them don't. Being dropped here knowing no one and with no phone? Can't be great.

[iustitiae]

Right? The best shit happens on the network, the day to day is kind of boring when you're not being chased by dragons or whatever.

[he waves his hand dismissively]

Not that I'm asking for dragons, but they're not big on emotional balance here. Boredom one day panic the next and now this whole party thing. My money is on they fucked this one up. First we got people's random stuff from home and then we got random people.

[64th]

And it keeps them isolated from each other and from us. [ which makes it start to sound a lot like home. ]

You think they'll fix it by killing them all or - something? Guess you might get your dragon. [ please no dragons. ] Honestly, I liked the stuff much better than the people.

[iustitiae]

Killing them? Why is that the first option? [really tho dang] Wouldn't they come back? Maybe they'll just get kicked back out through the Door or whatever.

Update on the stuff, though, it wasn't porn. Not that that makes my find any better. Did you find something good?

[64th]

[ wow thanks for calling attention to fact that she immediately jumps to the most horrible outcome. that's gonna need some self-reflection later. ] They probably would come back. But I can see Hope saying, oh, you humans don't like that? how were we supposed to know?

Not porn is kind of a relief but at the same time not. I didn't find anything belong to someone else but I did find a very large, nicely framed portrait of my brother and me as babies. Just like the one in my parents house.

[iustitiae]

[anytime he's here to help] I'd rather come back then...not.

The owner wasn't some kind of creepy axe murderer or anything, at least. [ha ha ha fuck] Congrats on the non-crazy find.

[64th]

Coming back is okay. I have a bald spot now. [ SHE IS STILL SO PISSED ABOUT IT. FUCK THAT HOPE GUY. ]

I don't think there was any way I was going to find something crazier than you found. [ although... ] But a giant picture of myself is creepy in it's own way. Of all the stuff to come here. Did anything of yours show up?

[iustitiae]

Don't worry, your hair is still nice.

Yeah, I can see that. It's an oddly specific thing to bring in. [he shakes his head and takes a drink] Nothing that I found, at least. If you find some random law book in a tree months from now that's probably mine.