hadriel_logs | Event Log: Fadeout

Entry tags:

Event Log: Fadeout

Who: Everyone participating in the event!
What: The event log for the Fadeout event!
Where: All around the city
When: November 15th-November 25th
Warnings: None!

The morning of November the 15th seems rather normal- that is, if you can avoid the glowing cracks in the fabric of reality tucked away among various streets. Still, they don't really seem to be doing much of anything and you can't quite see through them, so maybe they're decoration? This wouldn't be the first time the gods pulled some weird shit to shake things up around here.

By midafternoon, however, something changes. Cecily, in all her wisdom, decides to attempt to dispel one of these rifts, and the resulting shockwave sends tremors through the city. Tears throughout Hadriel open wider and allow for various demons to burst through and terrorize the various citizens. Demons will be tearing through in all corners of the city, though you can choose to avoid them if you like.

Look out for Pride and Rage demons, who attempt to brute force their way to you and feed off of your anger, steel yourselves against Despair and Fear demons who grow stronger as you give up hope, and definitely cross the street to avoid the Desire demons, who can take either male or female forms and will offer you everything you want if you just let them in.

Demons will either focus on attacking you or tempting you by taking advantage of and feeding off of your basic emotions. Agreeing to let a demon help you and mentally folding to it generally means that the demon will begin to possess you and start calling the shots- often using you as a vessel to hurt others and sow discord. If you happen to have any sort of magical abilities, extended possession can lead toward becoming an abomination after the corruption takes root.

So... you might want to avoid all of that. Luckily, there are some good things happening that can distract you- along with the demons, several nugs and fennec foxes will also pop up around the city, and if you don't want them to die a horrible death to a hungry demon, you might consider adopting them. In addition, you may find a random potion laying around- maybe this can help you fight off those demons, or maybe it'll make every nug in the city love you- or maybe it's secretly a jar of bees. Wouldn't be the first time you guys let bees in jars get a little out of hand.

► This log covers November 15th-November 25th.
► Feel free to make your own logs as well
► 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 are murdered by a demon, become an abomination, turn your insides to sludge with a potion, or just throw yourself from a rooftop to end it all, please let us know here!

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[ Johnny's never been one to believe in demons -- aliens, sure; but demons are another kettle of fish altogether, you know? But if there's anything this place has taught them, it's that they damn sure exist, and they sure as hell are nasty. Johnny's busy skirting Pride demons -- and just about all the others because they're ugly as hell (pun intended) and he's really not all about that.

But then he bumps into one of the friends he's made here, a pretty unforgettable one he likes to think he's at least bonded with a little. Jack's a sight for sore eyes anytime, right? His quirks aside, Johnny's come to like him and appreciate that knife-sharp sense of humor. ]

Hey. Got room for another on your adventure? [ A fennec fox is perched steadily on Johnny's shoulder, the latter obviously having decided to adopt it. ]

[And then temptation finds him.

Fortunately, Johnny doesn't seem to have been possessed by any of the demons himself. Jack looks him up and down, a too-quick glance before he goes back to looking around them.]

The hero that none of us deserve. [There's movement in Jack's backpack, but he pointedly isn't paying attention to it.] Running away isn't much of an adventure.

You may bask in the glow of my heroic majesty.

[ Johnny jokes, before he lightly moves ahead, leading him away from where he'd spotted one of those gross demons before. They're on the prowl, and Johnny would rather not be preyed upon, thanks. But he doesn't miss something important -- the fact that something in Jack's backpack is moving. ]

Dude, did you stuff something in there? [ The fox is leaning forward to sniff at it curiously, fluffy ears twitching -- ] Hey. Be cool, Squeaker.

Are you sure you're not possessed?

[It sounds a lot like Pride might've gotten under his skin, but then Johnny always sounds that way.]

Lunch. I would invite you to join me, but it's not safe to have any picnics today.

[Jack shoots the fox a Look. Meanwhile, the zipper on his pack is pushed open enough for a pink nose to poke through, wiggling as it sniffs the air.]

Nah. I'd know if I was, right? [ Johnny waves it off, quietly relieved that Jack doesn't seem the worse for wear; that sense of humor is even intact. ] The horror movies were really vague on that one.

[ He leans forward so that Squeaker gets to inspect the thing in the bag, and he snorts, watching them both bump noses. ]

Wait, you're not serious about wanting to eat the little fella, right?

[Only Johnny, the real and true Johnny would compare the hell that they're in to a movie. It's a relief, because Jack truly doesn't know what he'd do otherwise. He's not stranger to blood on his hands, he knows what he's capable of to save his own life. But this is Johnny, and it's different.]

Why not? It's already done half the work of skinning itself for me.

[ Look, Jack -- art imitates like and vice versa. Maybe Johnny will drag him out for a movie one day, when they finally have that kind of thing around. ] Dude!

[ Johnny looks horrified, before he unzips the pack and fishes the thing out, only to make a face when he sees it, holding it up with both hands to inspect it carefully. No, he really doesn't believe that Jack would kill it and eat it; Johnny's discovered that a lot of the time, Jack doesn't entirely mean what he says.

Now is maybe one of those times. Maybe; Johnny can never be too sure, but he's happy Jack's enduring this latest unfolding of events with his sense of humor still largely intact. ]

You weren't kidding. Why is it all naked and weird?

[Dammit. Now he'd keep seeing Johnny's expression if he did take a knife to the thing. There is a chance that Jack was looking for an excuse not do it, and that he knew he could count on Johnny to conveniently offer one with his inherent goodness. When Johnny describes it as naked and weird, something protective does creep into his voice.]

Stop insulting him. You don't think you look weird when you're naked? [Jack smirks, an eyebrow jumping like he's daring him to prove it.] I don't suppose you'd be willing to sacrifice "Squeaker" here to make him a fur coat?

[It's a dark sense of humor. Squeaker owes him a nip for that one.]

[ And Squeaker does nip him for that one, having slipped from Johnny's shoulder to land on Jack's reproachfully, nipping at an earlobe before observing the new animal at a distance. Johnny smiles when he senses that protectiveness -- their banter back and forth is Johnny's new normal, you see, and he's amused when he sees the gentle side of Jack slip past those defenses from time to time.

Jack doesn't let anyone in, Johnny's learned -- but he likes to think that he's making some sort of headway, snark and all. Gently rubbing the rounded belly, he gives it a fond little cuddle after, giving Jack a toothy grin. Challenge accepted. He pulls his shirt up with his free hand, giving Jack a good look at the pectorals and the abs. It's his masterpiece, okay. ]

Still think I'm gonna look weird when I'm naked? [ A part of him likes showing off to Jack, especially this -- he wants that approval, that acknowledgement. ]

[Jack's expression twists into a scowl when the fox's sharp little teeth dig into the soft flesh of his earlobe, not enough to draw blood, but enough to feel the sting of it. Meanwhile the nug is eating up all of Johnny's affection, looking right at home in his arm and not the least bit concerned with revealing its soft and vulnerable stomach to him.

Speaking of stomachs.

Jack's expression changes when Johnny pulls the front of his shirt up. A quick and almost startled glance before he looks up at his eyes, silently wondering what game he's playing at here. But then Jack looks at those muscles again, taking his time as he drags his gaze up, taking in every line, every cut of his body.

He steps forward, a little smile on his lips as his hand follows the path that his eyes just took. Up that firm stomach, between his pecks before rubbing across one. He's no stranger to another man's body, it's there in his touch. Jack leans in, head tilting gently as he whispers against Johnny's lips.]

Take your animal back. I like being the one that bites.

[ Oh.

Oh, okay. Johnny might be angling for Jack's approval and acknowledgement -- he might have been all too happy to demand the other man's attention the way he always has with people; Johnny's always been the life of the party, the one that shines bright like the sun, and he's more than happy to let people know it.

But then something like this catches him off guard; when Jack leans in and touches him, his skin warming as he remembered vividly just what trail Jack just took right up to his pectorals. Shit. He lets out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, caught entirely off guard by just how good Jack is at this, polished and every inch the one in control, and a part of Johnny wonders if it that wasn't true after all.

He's the one that's startled now, and perhaps Johnny had subconsciously sought for this, skirting that dangerous line because he wanted to. The question is, is he in over his head? Jack's full lips, so unexpectedly tempting, tantalising, is so close to his that he can feel the warmth of his breath, and for one shining moment, Johnny's seized by the intense, overwhelming urge to kiss him. He wants to taste him, to feel that mouth against his, but then the nug chooses that moment to bump up between them both, nosing Jack's chin affectionately.

Johnny's pulse is still racing all the same when he pulls away, a certain sort of disappointment underneath the rationalisations he makes to himself -- it probably was just a game of chicken to Jack, right? It'd be stupid if he kissed him, right? What if Johnny only just made it awkward and he hadn't really meant for it to? Jack might be gay, but it doesn't mean Jack's gay for him, either. Although in Johnny's not-so-humble opinion, he's never lacked in attention from his own gender either.

And so he hands the nug over, the fox hopping back into Johnny's shoulder with a pleased little chitter, large ears wiggling. Johnny's going to remember that touch for a long time. Struggling to get the wind back in his sails, Johnny doesn't move away from him, mustering a smile after swallowing hard. Shit, has Jack always been this stunning up close? The man's always been good-looking, but from this distance... holy shit. Johnny quips, hoping Jack hadn't seen his momentary, wide-eyed and gobsmacked lapse. ]

Aw, can't handle a little competition?

[ He wants to kiss him, and this little revelation keeps Johnny wrong-footed, for once uncertain of how to proceed. What are things like with dudes and dudes? He's never hooked up with one before; the ladies had always been at the center of his attention. But now, Jack is proving to be something of an exception to the rule. ]

[He's surprised him, Jack sees it in his face, and normally he'd delight in that. Right not it just leaves him with uncertainty and a tension pulled tight between them. He reaches down to take the nug while the fox returns to the other's shoulder, but Jack never once breaks eye contact. It had started out as a game, a continuation of the one that he assumed Johnny was playing with him. But he'd wanted to do it too, for no other reason than wanting to feel the warmth of his skin. A glutton for punishment. He knows Johnny's preferences, harbors neither illusions nor desires to seduce a man who's straight.

But suddenly he's wondering if it isn't so black and white. Johnny likes attention from all sides, that much Jack is sure of. What if. It's a dangerous thought, especially when he's spent the better part of the day running from demons who've tempted him with less. He can still feel his skin against his fingertips, the warmth and smoothness, imprinted across every sense that Jack possesses.]

Can you?

[Jack smirks and takes a few steps in retreat. He hooks a hand in the front of his own shirt and pulls it up to his collarbone. His skin is like marble, but guess what? Military training and an image that had to be maintained for so long have left him with a torso that he's not one bit ashamed of. Jack sticks his tongue out at him, grinning even wider.]

[ What if. That's a dangerous thought for everyone involved right now -- but the thing is that most things aren't as cut and dried as they seem to be; sexuality can be fluid, and rigid adherence to one side or another isn't what Johnny Storm is all about. It's just startling, and Johnny actually likes Jack enough to not want to screw it up either way.

You don't get that problem with one night stands and temporary flings.

But then Johnny realises Jack is doing the same thing, tugging his shirt up to expose lean muscle built not from his dedication to the gym but from a combat perspective, a dangerous leanness -- like a panther that is constantly on the hunt. Johnny studies him, the line of that body and locks his lips without thinking, unconsciously wondering about what it would have been like to have taken that kiss.

His gaze trails from those tight, tight abs to chest to further upwards before he meets his gaze, and he wonders if Jack is playing with him; there's something wholly familiar that stirs to life, a want that simmers and surprises him nonetheless. But he's the one that moves forward now, fingertips brushing lightly over the muscles of his stomach. Johnny likes to think this is payback, although that line of thought doesn't actually make sense.

His mouth is inexplicably dry. ]

I'll have you know that I thrive on competition. What else you got, hot stuff?

[Jack chuckles, because this situation feels a bit like madness. It's a scene that belongs in the shadowy corner of a club, not the middle of a demon-infested cave. But Johnny has a way of making everything unexpected.]

Are you sure you haven't been possessed after all? [He reaches down for Johnny's hand, intending to remove it and deny him. Instead he ends up trapping it there, the front of his shirt falling back down over their hands.] I have no qualms with showing you, but are you so sure that you want to see?

[ Johnny's caught, his attention drawn to where Jack's hand is over his own, the fact that he can pretty much feel the steady beat of the prince's heart under his palm. It makes his mouth dry -- and see, the thing is that while Johnny's never ruled out fooling around with and having a good time with people of both genders, this feels like it's something different.

And, well, this is the first time he's found himself getting this far with Jack. Are they still playing, or is this a new game, the rules of which haven't quite made themselves clear to Johnny yet? There's everything intimate with this, right here in dangerous ground.

He's about to respond -- one way or the other, but he catches sight of something beyond Jack's shoulder and he takes his hand away, reaching instead to grab his wrist to run, his face changing. ]

Shit, we've been found. C'mon, let's go.

[It doesn't feel like a game anymore. Jack isn't playing, but maybe Johnny still is. It's dangerous in a way that has nothing to do with death. It's the kind of dangerous that scares Jack the most. Rejection and humiliation are a thousand times more painful than if his heart simply stopped beating.

But suddenly he's running for his life anyway, Johnny practically dragging him at first, when Jack was more focused on what was happening between them than the dangers around them.]

We can hide once we're out of sight!

[ Hiding is not Johnny's style usually, but it'll do in a pinch, and as soon as they gain enough headway, it's easy enough to hide away in one of the nearest utility closets, carefully shutting and locking the thing from the inside. Johnny had created a little diversion earlier, throwing the demon off the scent -- hopefully -- but here they are now, with Johnny breathing hard, revved from the chase and the potential fight, stiffened with the instinct to bust out attacking if necessary.

But the long silence that stretches after makes him pause, listening intently to the silence outside. They're cramped into a relatively small space, but it'll have to do, and he's not actually oblivious to the fact that they're very close together in the wake of that weirdly intense moment. Now's not quite the time to talk about it, especially not when a shadow breaks the dim light through the slats on the lower half of the door, signalling that someone's close.

Johnny holds his breath and straightens, maneuvering himself in front of Jack without thinking, instinctively providing protection. ]

[Running from demons counts as a "pinch". It's different from the monsters they usually fight. These aren't something that Jack can punch or stab or send an arrow into. These things could do something worse than kill him; they could control him. Jack's had his fill of that.

Their hiding place will also do in a pinch. Jack knows what Johnny will do if they're found, as clearly as if he could read his mind. A part of him is probably hoping for it. He's hyper aware of how close they are too, though a few seconds of silence isn't long enough for his mind to start to wander. Jack seems the interruption in the light coming through the blinds, and then Johnny is even closer than ever.

Jack knows what he's doing. He grew up with bodyguards, and more than once another man has put his body between Jack and danger. But not like this.

Jack catches his eye and shakes his head slowly. Don't you dare do it, Johnny Storm. You don't risk yourself for him.]

[ It's what he does. You get powers like his, you don't get to do anything less. Sure, Johnny enjoys the glory and the glamor that comes with it, but he's aware of what it entails, too -- a couple of years in this gig with the other members of the Fantastic Four, and it's become second nature, see? They save the world, put their lives on the line for others because it's the right thing to do, so he sure as hell isn't going to back off now.

He knows the danger these demons represent, and he can't help the dread in the pit of his stomach -- but even more strongly is the defiance and the rebelliousness that's always characteriseed Johnny's nature. Jack meets his gaze and shakes his head and he knows what the man means, but like hell he's going to obey when the thing, whatever it is, stopped right outside of the door and sniffs. Anyone with a sharp nose will catch the scent of ash and Johnny knows it. But there's only one of those things out there, he's sure, and he takes the moment to lean down in his ear, close enough to kiss him if he wants to (and maybe, just maybe he does). ]

I'll distract it. You make a run for it and get someplace safe. You get one waiting around outside, more's gonna come. [ He grins, wicked and sharp and bright like a flame. ] Catch you on the flip side, hot stuff.

[ He doesn't wait for a response before he's shoving the door open, tackling the thing before zooming around the demon, creating a diversion and setting himself up for the chase. ]

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Event Log: Fadeout

demons - but maybe somehow 'friend', too.

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