introductory mingle: CARNIVALE

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: overflow post for the Carnivale celebration
when: July 1st - July 9th
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

This is not the Carnivale post. This is just a tribute.

Optional overflow post, since the Carnivale log has hit Captcha. If you don't mind Captcha, feel free to continue using the previous one, or put up a top-level on this one with links to your previous threads and continue here, free of being put to the robot test with every tag.

Comments

For Peter

[feelybug]

[Cont. from here...]

No I am not.

[There is a silent pause as if she is not going to continue, but then she does, though perhaps somewhat more hesitantly than she might have if she were speaking to literally anyone else.]

There were never enough people to have parties. I have never seen so many people in one place.

[In truth, Mantis has never seen so many people ever. The handful of times she even traveled off-world had been to mostly low-populated planets, and she had not been permitted to leave Ego's side, or even the ship in some cases. Here and now, she has an overload of choices.]

Have you seen many parties? [Perhaps, Peter could offer her the wisdom of experience.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Yeah.

That's about what he expected.

He awkwardly shifts his weight from one leg to the other, offering a quick nod in response. ]

Guess there wouldn't have been.

[ And he struggles to say that blandly, too, but it's a struggle; a hint of bitterness still edges into his voice. He remembers all too well how Ego told him about the other children, showed him that weird diorama of how he bedded various women in the hopes of creating one worthy child. And he remembers, too, how quickly Peter's half-siblings were discarded as failures when they couldn't tap into the Light.

His jaw ticks at the thought, and he directs his dark look to the assembled crowd in an effort to avoid directing it at Mantis, who would probably take it personally – something he wants to avoid. Not her fault, after all.

(But he still wonders – how many of Ego's children did she meet before she finally put her foot down?

And if Drax hadn't been kind to her, would she have left Peter to whatever fate awaited him at Ego's hands?)

Her question draws a surprised look from him, and he blinks for a second. Then, he shrugs a shoulder, forcing himself to relax. ]

A few, yeah. The Ravagers liked big shindigs like this.

[ Lots of drink. Good business to be had.

But mostly the drinks. ]

We had carnivals like this back on Earth, too. I mean, not exactly like this, but. Sort of.

[feelybug]

[It is nearly impossible for Mantis to not sense some of Peter's discomfort and - not that she would ever say so aloud - some of his irritation reminds her of Ego in a strange disconnected way that gives her a very uncomfortable feeling. If she has learned anything from her life with Ego it is that is is better to stay silent most of the time, certainly when she is more likely to say something unhelpful, which Ego had seemed to consider most anything she had to say.

She is grateful they have changed the subject and that Peter looks mildly less...unhappy.]

It is all very... [She peers down at her drink, searching for the word.] ...Lively. I am glad that I did not stay inside tonight.

[She has worried some about wandering the city at night, most especially considering it is so easy for her to misplace herself these days. But if Mantis had not come out, she would not have known Peter was here, and awkward or not, it helps her to feel not so misplaced on this world.]

[nostalgiabomb]

Yeah. Same here.

[ And he says this with a genuine sort of smile, at least, as he casts her a sidelong glance. ]

It's good seeing you here, having fun. [ God knows the both of them need it. ]

Where've you been staying?

[feelybug]

[It is good to see Peter too, which she was just thinking, and is about to say, when his question throws her off course, distracting her from the thought.

Because she is very excited about these developments. She fidgets with the wand as she jumps in to answer.]

I have a room in a building of many rooms! It has a bed, and a desk. [She's never had a desk before. She still has to sort out what to use it for.] It is on floor 9 of 15 floors and I have neighbors.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ ... Oh, jeez. How long have they been living in the same damn building without noticing?

He lets out a helpless little laugh, pulling a hand down his face. ]

Gamora and I are on floor 13, actually, probably in the same building as you. Room 4. You're welcome to come by.

[feelybug]

Come by to visit? Really?

[Mantis pulls a smile, and its a real smile. No one has ever really invited her to visit anywhere before. It is a very exciting prospect.]

I would like that very much! [She's so excited, she almost knocks the drink she has perched on the edge of the crate over when the wand she was fidgeting with goes a little rogue.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He can’t help but laugh a little at her enthusiasm, but it turns into a startled, “Oh, crap,” when her wand knocks into her cup. His hand darts out, catching it before it can spill all over the ground. ]

—Or we can come visit you.

[ And he rights the cup on the crate, moving it a little further back, out of the danger zone of the wand. ]

Either way works.

[feelybug]

Oh! [Thankfully, Peter has quicker reflexes than she does. Mantis lets out a quick huff of relief.]

I would like that too. I do not have any roommates. It is quieter in my room than it was on the ship.

[And Mantis had sort of...gotten to enjoy that background noise, the one that let her know there were others around.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter glances up at that, unsure if she means “quieter” as a good thing or a bad thing. Maybe bad, he figures; life on Ego’s planet must have been lonely, and while he grants prolonged exposure to the Guardians would make anyone wish for at least a moment of silence, to Peter, the noise is soothing.

(It’s nice, knowing he’s not alone.) ]

Well, hey. Consider it an open invitation, then. If you’re ever feeling lonely, just give me a call.