introductory mingle: FLOWER FESTIVAL

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Flower Festival Celebration
when: April 2nd - April 15th
where: In several different locations in the downtown area of the Inhabited City.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

flower festival

In the days leading up to April 2nd, residents new and old may notice advertising around the city, everywhere from digital screens to paper flyers pasted on blank walls, all advertising an upcoming holiday: The Flower Festival. Celebrating springtime, beauty, joy, and togetherness, the festival heavily features floral themes and dancing. The advertising mentions that on April 10th, a paid holiday, there will be a Blossom Picnic, as well as lists of various public dances at clubs or other open venues, and adult raves.

a celebration of spring

The Flower Festival's main event is the Blossom Picnic on April 10th, but it also features traditions of sharing food and drink, and dancing that span over the course of the whole two weeks. There are a large variety of events going on throughout the city, from dancing lessons in any wide variety of traditional dances, to old-fashioned sock hops, to adult raves complete with mild party drugs. Feel free to use the prompts below or create your own event at any point during the festival, and if your character creates an event and hosts it in a top-level, you can submit that thread for extra bonus points.

i. blossom picnic

The main event that kicks off the second week of the Flower Festival is the Blossom Picnic on April 10th. A relaxed and low-key event, it draws several thousand people every year to the spacious Riverview Central Park, where there is a generous lawn lined with various blossoming trees, and families, found families, lovers, and groups of friends are encouraged to lay out a picnic blanket and share food. There will be live bands playing (but not loudly enough to distract from conversation and peacefully watching the petals flutter in the wind), a variety of demonstrations of traditional cultural dances from many different realities and planets, and a ton of ice cream vendors. This is an excellent festival not only for celebrating togetherness with the people who are already important, but for mingling and making new friends.

Characters may either pack their own lunches or they can purchase pre-packed Blossom Festival lunches. Stores and street markets are carrying a wide variety of specialty food that is only available at this time of year - predominantly pastries, an assortment of types of candies, and ice cream treats all in various floral flavors, as well as a sort of ambrosia salad based around a sweet rose-flavored cream and a native fruit that is bright green and tastes like a combination of peach and citrus.

ii. dancing lessons

Starting on April 2nd, there will be dancing lessons offered almost everywhere you look! From partner dances to group dances to line dances; sexy and sensual or innocent and childlike - almost any type of dance you can imagine is represented, from any reality or planet that has people in Riverview Quarantine.

Additionally, the Riverview Central Community Center has multiple rooms blocked off so anyone who knows a dance from home can teach it to others in their community - sharing is caring, after all. Characters are welcome to block off one of these rooms and offer lessons in any dance they happen to know from home (and these sorts of thread starters would be eligible for the mingle AC Point bonus)!

iii. flower festival dancing

This is pretty simply what it says on the tin - in almost every club, community center, or other public space, there will be dancing at almost all hours of the day or night, formal and informal. Musicians bring out their instruments and play in the street for demonstrations of cultural dances and music at the same time as clubs are offering VIP cover charges for exclusive dances, and you can find anything in between.

There are also many low-cover-charge raves that allow under-18s so younger characters can stay up all night and dance like crazy. The legal drinking age in Riverview Quarantine is 14, and so anyone over 14 can enter and indulge in a few drinks, dancing, and playing tag with a non-intoxicating version of the colored powder featured at the adult raves. There is copious amounts of security on site to ensure that everyone is safe, as well as nurses and off-duty police officers to offer advice or care for anyone who overindulges out of lack of experience.

Grab a partner, a group of friends, or just cruise and mingle the various dancing events.

Characters may also notice that most of the street markets and clothing shops are offering clothing that features floral patterns, flowers as accessories, and that show a lot of skin - for men, women, and anyone in between!

iv. adult raves

Advertised on flyers and digital screens around the city, made to pop as if they were under blacklight, is a series of adult raves that are happening in various large empty warehouse spaces around the city, including one that is listed as the danger rave and hosted in an abandoned factory outside the inhabited city walls. With bouncers at the door to ensure that anyone entering is 18+, the raves are comfortably adult in nature. Clothing is optional, showing skin is encouraged, and there are a lot of neatly tucked away spaces for attendees to get some time alone with one or more than one person, as well as spaces intended for orgies. The atmosphere is sex-positive and non-judgemental, open to any orientation or preference, with various forms of protection available for free, however, to ensure that everyone plays safe there are sober security teams out en masse at all premises to oversee the events.

(CW: DRUG USE) In each location, there is one specific room where attendees can enter, and dance or play tag with brightly colored powder that contains small amounts of a legal party drug commonly available in Riverview, which is absorbed through the skin. Not much more intoxicating than having a few beers, the effects of the drug are a pleasant low-key buzzing euphoria, positive sensitivity to touch, a heightening of desires for intimacy, and a mild lowering of inhibitions. Once a character has been hit with the powder, the color lingers on the skin so other attendees can know who has partaken, but once the powder makes contact with a surface it deactivates, meaning that partakers can safely dance with non-partakers without sharing the intoxicating effects.

Please be sure to warn in subject lines for any threads involving drug use. And remember, there is always security to intervene and make sure everyone is safe.

v. roommates or wildcard

Feel free to use this prompt to set up headers for a communal floor, or threads open to roommates for the purpose of getting to know each other. Or if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set at the Flower Festival, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: third image by Steve Goad; other images found on uncredited on Pinterest or Google images - please let the mod know if you find credit!

navigation

Comments

eddie thawne ✪ ota

[causational]

iii. teen rave

As soon as he'd seen the sign-up volunteer sheet for helping out at the various youth raves in the city, Eddie had signed up for several of them. After all, he's got a whole lot of experience with helping out drunk people, and he doesn't entirely disapprove of the idea of letting teens drink so they can learn to handle themselves. At the rave, he's wearing an armband that signifies he's here to help if anyone needs it, but he's also more than open to being asked to dance or otherwise enjoying the party - sober, alert and aware, but open to enjoying it.

If your character isn't feeling well, drinks too much, is exhausted, or otherwise needs help, feel free to hit him up!

iv. adult rave

Normally, back home, this would not at all be his kind of thing. A few drinks at a bar with friends is one thing, but a full-fledged rave complete with party drugs was something he wouldn't have even considered since he left college, not unless he was raiding it. But considering the raves aren't underground, the drugs are legal and mild, and everything is safe and aboveboard, and it's been a long time since he danced, he's willing to try it out.

The first one he goes to, he goes with Taako, and he's a little tentative toward the start - until he's convinced into the powder room and emerges happy and bright and open. He's available to dance off and on throughout the night for that first one. In the days that follow, he ends up going to several more, increasingly showing a little more skin, ranging from torn up jeans to shorts on the last day, but always with one of a variety of tank tops, never bare-chested. There are some things he's not quite willing to show off yet.

Feel free to approach him on any rave night on the dance floor, at the bar getting a drink, in the powder rooms playing tag, or helping out anyone who looks sick.

v. wildcard

Hit me up for a special starter, or write me a starter for the picnic, random dancing, or watching the dance demonstrations. Eddie loves the theme of this festival, so he'll be out and about as much as possible.

iv obviously

[spellslots]

[They don't really have raves in Fearun, but Taako takes to them pretty easily, considering it mostly just involves dancing and having a good time, two things he can excel at when he puts his mind to it. Inviting Eddie along was on a bit of a whim, but he's pretty sure they're like, friends or something at this point, and it seems like Eddie could use the opportunity to chill out.

Which is why Taako has put himself in charge of ordering drinks, meaning they're very alcoholic and very colorful, and he's in the process of brandishing one in Eddie's direction when he notices that the powder room has caught his eye.]

If you wanna go in, my dude, just say so. I'm up for it.

[It looks fun, even if he hasn't tried it yet.]

[causational]

[Eddie's also pretty sure he and Taako are friends now, so when Taako invites him to go to the rave, he finally gives in to the curiosity and agrees. When Taako is nudging his way back through the crowd toward Eddie, holding a couple of drinks, dressed in floral shorts and thigh-highs and a drapey shirt, he starts a little and offers a slightly tentative smile, cheeks a bit pink under the bright lights. It's still a little jarring to see a guy wearing clothes like that, but Eddie thinks it'll seem normal after a drink, and it's not like Taako can't pull it off with those legs of his.]

Have I mentioned that I can't decide if that outfit is amazing or just really surprising?

[Offering Taako a wicked little grin, he reaches out to take the drink, eyes flicking back toward the powder room. This time, Taako notices and calls him on it, and Eddie shrugs, taking a sip of the drink, sputtering a bit at how strong it is, then shrugging his shoulders a bit.]

Wow, that's strong. And uh. I don't know. It's drugs, isn't it?

[spellslots]

Amazing, duh.

[He has no real concept of what is and isn't appropriate for dudes to wear; clothes aren't really gendered in Fearun, so he's used to picking what he likes and going for it, rather than worrying about what people will think.]

The bartender likes me. [Which means he charmed his way into getting a double shot for the vodka in the fruity martini, something that he's certainly not complaining about.] And she explained how that shit works, said it's just like being happy drunk.

[Rather than depressed-drunk, which is good, because no one needs to be depressed-drunk.]

[causational]

[The truth is, Eddie doesn't really have anything against Taako wearing clothing meant for women, it's just...well, surprising. And Taako really really can pull it off.]

Why wouldn't she like you? [Eddie says it with a wide grin, taking another long pull from the drink - it's sweet and fruity and strong, usually the opposite of what Eddie drinks, but it seems appropriate right now.]

And it's legal too.

[For a moment, he hesitates, waffles back and forth on it, then takes a long, long pull from his drink.]

After we're done these. I mean, they're playing tag in there, I think.

[spellslots]

[That makes Taako laugh, because god, he's been on his best behaviour here in the interest of not making enemies left and right, but he knows he's pretty fucking unlikeable when he stops caring. Half the Bureau would agree with him.]

What's wrong with tag, or are you waiting until the orgy starts?

[He's just joking to mess with Eddie, as evident by the way he tries to hide his smirk by taking a sip of his drink.]

iii

[finethanks]

[To be honest, this isn't Eichi's usual scene. He's an idol, sure, and he sings and dances— but this type of dancing is a little too much for his weak heart. He came here to try and find out what it is that people of a high school age really do, what sort of common activities there are. It's fun for a little, he dances some but avoids the alcohol, but after an hour of that, he has to pull out and step to the side for a coughing fit.

He stumbles a bit into Eddie along the way, covering his mouth with one hand and stabilizing himself against him with the other.]

Ah, sorry, how terribly clumsy of me. [His face is incredibly pale, but he still smiles up at the stranger.] You wouldn't happen to know if there's any water here, would you?

sorry this is so late. it's been a bad week.

[causational]

Hey, it's fine.

[Honestly, even if it weren't what he was here for, he wouldn't mind helping the boy. Polite and smiling, he seems like a nice kid, and Eddie instinctively places a hand at the small of his back to help support his weight while he gets his balance. Leaning down, Eddie tries to catch his eyes, to work out if he's been drinking or if he's just sick - and he thinks it might be the latter considering how pale the boy looks.]

And yeah, I do. Why don't I take you over there?

[With a soft smile, Eddie starts moving slowly over toward the bar, glancing at the boy for a moment.]

I'm Eddie. What's your name?

don't worry at all, I hope things get better for you ♥

[finethanks]

[He hasn't had anything to drink yet at all. There will be another day when he returns to this to try it out a little, but his health isn't great enough today to risk it. This man is very nice, and he knows he needs the help, so he bites back any sort of reaction against being helped. He asked for it, he needs it— it's not this man's fault that he's treating him carefully. Anyone would.]

Thank you, Eddie. I'm Eichi Tenshouin. [He does his best not to stumble again, walking beside Eddie and coughing couple more times into a closed fist.] Ahh, I'm fine, really, okay? I don't want to go back to the hospital, so just some rest and water will do just fine for me, thanks to your help.

thank you. ♥

[causational]

[The truth is, Eddie is simply here to help, both as his job and because that's the type of person he is. It never really occurs to him that the people he's helping might have a bad reaction or think poorly of it. And it isn't that he thinks Eichi is fragile either, it's just his inclination not to be rough with someone who isn't feeling well.

So he guides him back over to the bar and points out a table with some comfortable chairs.]

Pleased to meet you. Why don't you sit down, and I'll bring over a glass of water while you rest up?

♥!!

[finethanks]

Fufu, it must be so pathetic to see someone at my age growing tired so soon. [But he can't help it, with this cough of his. He sinks into a chair, leaning on the table a little as he shoots Eddie a glance.]

Thank you. Don't worry, I'll be back to normal in no time, for sure. [That's not necessarily true, but he's so done with it and he'd rather talk with this person about themselves.]

Teen Rave

[threatenwithcuteness]

Lola is enjoying herself for a good deal of the night, making conversation, dancing, ending up covered in glittery powders. The kind that aren't drugs. She was smiling and bubbly and always happy to get some attention. She was a bit curious, about anyone who would volunteer to mind the kids parties. From what she understood this place was pretty wild when you hit the age of 18. And gossip talk about the adult 'raves' was rather... well, discretion wasn't really a thing. So it caused the little wheels in her head to turn.

"Are you here cause you just like helping, or because the adult parties are kinda weird with all the sex going on?" Lola's so tasteful with that, but she was wondering why anyone would choose to be here when, well... this wasn't their scene. This party didn't have a lot of people his age that weren't doing the same job he was. Okay, there were a few but they were obviously a little sketchy. "I'd bring you a drink, but I don't know what you'd want."

sorry this is so late. it's been a bad week.

[causational]

Eddie's seen the girl around a few times throughout the night - she sticks out, with her blue hair and big smile and the way she chatters to everyone. It's partly because of what seems to be her personality that he's kept an eye on her. Too used to the unfortunate sides of human nature, he's making a point to watch out for her, because a bubbly teen girl on her own at a party with alcohol is one of the most vulnerable things a person can be.

So when she comes up to him, he feels like he knows her a little already, and he offers her a bright smile, "I like helping. I don't mind the adult parties, but you're right, they're pretty crazy and it's too much to do every night. You know?"

Tilting his head, he laughs a little when she mentions a drink, "We could go grab one together. I've been sticking to whatever it is they're serving that tastes like Diet Coke. What about you?"

[threatenwithcuteness]

Lola was very easy to spot in a crowd, not just the hair. Okay, mostly the hair. But she was constantly making herself seen in little ways. Being forgotten and ignored was the worst.

"I don't really know, I don't really go to orgies. I'm more... particular." Lola that's not really an appropriate answer please stop. "But it's good to help, definitely something more people should do."

"They have a really good pear cider." Of course Lola is drinking something alcoholic, but also a little on the sweet side.

[causational]

Eddie can't help it, he laughs softly at the comment about orgies and being particular, shaking his head.

"I can't say I've ever been to an orgy either. I'm more of a serial monogamist, myself." he says, raising his brows, "Not that the adult raves are an orgy or anything. It's more just...clothing optional. I usually opt to wear clothing. Personally."

Shaking his head, he brightens a bit at the mention of pear cider, "Oh really? A friend of mine really likes pear cider too. I haven't tried the one here yet."

[threatenwithcuteness]

"That... doesn't sound too bad, depending on who decides to show up," Lola is vain, and shallow, and... an adult rave meant old people. No offense Eddie. She painted a picture in her head of what was going on in the rave she couldn't visit from what she'd heard, because she likes gossip.

"Well, I'm not sure if it's actual pears, but that's the closest comparison I have," alien fruits are alien. "It's really good."

v. picnic

[naz]

More and more, Caitlin's begun to settle into Riverview, for better or for worse. She'd been working on and off with Ray and his team to create a safe way to put out the monsters without affecting the runners who were delivering it, and then she'd been settling in at her job at the hospital. It's a lot, but even so, it's still more calm than it is back home. She worries, still, about Iris and whether they've figured out a way to save her from Savitar. She worries a little about whether Cisco, Barry, and Julian will feel abandoned by her.

But she's been making the most of things here, getting to know Eddie a little better and spending time with Ray. Admittedly, it's a little easier with Eddie, even though there was that whole 'supposed to be dead' thing hurdle to get over. Once she had, she finds it much easier to talk to Eddie because she never finds herself wondering whether they're talking or if they're surreptitiously flirting. Caitlin has a feeling that he's still sort of dealing, mentally, with the whole engagement and what it means in his life now that it's been two years for her and only a month and change for him. Caitlin hasn't mentioned Barry and she won't unless directly asked. Probably about the last thing Eddie wants to hear about his fiancee is that she's moved on to Barry, specifically.

When he messaged her, Caitlin actually hadn't seen anything about the picnic, just about the festival itself and so she'd been happy to be invited. Having been so wrapped up in work, Caitlin bought herself a pre-packaged Blossom Picnic meal and she sets it down once they've picked a spot, so that she can help Eddie spread out a blanket. "How've you been doing? It's been a little bit; I'm sure I'm not the only one struggling with a consistent balance of settling in and being sociable," she says with a sheepish smile. It's been a few days, maybe a week at most, since they'd spent some time together in person and she does admittedly feel a little bit guilty about that.

[causational]

It's been nice, having a chance to get to know Caitlin a little more. She's someone he's never had a chance to really hang out with or connect to on a deeper level because there was never time, because it was always a little awkward when she and Cisco had always seemed to fall pretty securely under the 'Barry's friends' label. It wasn't as if Eddie would've felt all that comfortable contacting her to just hang out, considering the tension that had been there, off and on, between Barry and Eddie. It would've felt too much like asking her to take sides.

Now, with her two years after his death and separate from Barry and their own world altogether, it feels a lot more natural. He never really asks about home, because the last thing he wants to do is make her feel uncomfortable again, make her feel awkward, and part of him wonders if he really wants to know at all.

And the last thing he wants to do is make this particular outing really awkward. It's such a beautiful day and such a bright, cheery festival. Today, he decides, needs to be good. So he has a pre-packaged Blossom Picnic meal himself, and helps spread the blanket out, toes off his shoes and sits down cross-legged on the blanket.

"I'm fine. I mean, mostly I've been leaning to sociable, myself. Less time to think."

He says it a little flippantly while he picks up and investigates his pre-packaged meal, "How about you?"

[naz]

Once the blanket is spread, Caitlin follows suit, slipping her shoes off and settling cross-legged on the blanket across from him. The sentiment makes sense and Caitlin gives him a sympathetic smile and nods. "I get that. I do that, too. I mean, I've been trying to. ...not think, that is," she explains. She has her own reasons for not wanting to have too much time to think. Every time she gives herself time to do that, she starts to feel bad and, if she lets herself do it long enough, she'll become consumed with guilt and then she's no good to anyone, least of all herself.

But she's happy to move off that subject when Eddie offers an out. "Oh, I don't know. All right, I suppose," she says with a small smile that falls a little bit short of her eyes, opening her meal but not necessarily digging right into it just yet. "...I really like it here," she admits, looking sheepish as she says it. The huge difference between the two of them is that she could go back home, eventually, and Eddie never can. His death isn't avoidable; they can't just go back in time and change it. He has to die. So while she knows that he understands where her feeling is coming from, he hasn't the luxury of feeling the same way. It always makes her feel a bit bad about bringing it up, but he did ask...and she'd be lying if she didn't at least make passing mention of the guilt she feels for enjoying herself.

"It's just...well," she says and stops abruptly, frowning slightly and shaking her head a little as if to tell herself to leave it; it's not important. This isn't the sort of thing she'd typically talk about anyway, but if she were the type to commiserate about heartbreak, it'd probably be with a female friend. Except, she hasn't really made any female friends here. ...or any friends, honestly, except Eddie. Which, she supposes, suggests that she ought to get out more, but that's entirely another issue for another day.

"There was a man here that I thought I might have...sort of be seeing. But he's gone back, now." So that's a little upsetting, but maybe it was all in her head anyway and they were just friends. Maybe if she tells herself that vehemently and often enough, she'll start to believe it and it won't be so upsetting. Caitlin's going to . "Anyway," she says, waving a dismissive hand and shaking her head. "What do you make of all this?" she asks, gesturing vaguely, indicating the picnic and the festival itself.

[causational]

As they both settle in, Eddie takes out his own meal, opening it up curiously. He'd bought it on a whim, going completely by the picture on the packaging (very pretty, with a stylized tree and blossoms fluttering from it) and the nutritional information listed on the back, not paying much attention to what's in it. Eddie's never been a terribly fussy eater, and frankly, he doesn't even know exactly what's in half the food he eats here, which is something he's pretty used to from experimental dinners at dim sum where he just asked for a little of everything.

When Caitlin says she likes it here, in spite of her sheepishness, the fact she looks like she feels a bit guilty about that, Eddie smiles at her, bright and abrupt and genuine.

"I'm glad." he says, and he means it, "You know, I wasn't sure I was a big fan at first, but it's really starting to grow on me. This...this is really pretty, especially."

When she continues on, Eddie watches her attentively, letting his hands and the food he bought settle in his lap while he listens. Eddie's always been a good listener, mostly because he's actually interested in what people are saying to him, generally. Caitlin is no different, and he nods a bit, frowning.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Caitlin."

For the moment, her dismissive handwave is left ignored, as is her attempt to move onto another topic, because Eddie is just trying to meet her eyes, and offering her a tentative smile, "I'll do my best to help make sure you don't get lonely, if you'll do the same for me."

[naz]

When Eddie starts to open his meal, Caitlin finally actually looks at hers. She isn't a very picky eater, either, and so she had just grabbed the first thing she'd seen and hadn't really given it very much thought. Now she's noticing the design on the packaging and she gives a little smile, mostly to herself, because whoever designed it put a lot of work into making sure that it would be especially pretty. It's just not something she would've thought anyone would have put so much effort into for the sort of thing that gets thrown away after being opened.

It's weird to talk to Eddie about feelings, not because she thinks he would be insensitive or disinterested, because that isn't the case. It's mostly because she's used to either keeping her feelings mostly to herself or talking to Cisco about them and this feels foreign. Welcome, of course, but foreign. His attentiveness is impossible to miss and she gives him another small smile, this one slightly apologetic because she's noticed his unwillingness to allow her to brush away the topic at hand.

"Thank you, I appreciate that. And I will, I promise," she agrees easily enough. Then, she circles back to address his initial response. "I felt the same way, though, at first. I wasn't sure how to feel about this place. Ray made it easier, because he's...like, the sort of person that just finds a bright side to literally anything? So that helped ease me into it, knowing I wasn't completely alone and having someone with his personality to sort of boost me up a bit. I don't know if I've been able to do anywhere near as much for you as he was able to do for me, but I certainly hope I was able to do at least a fraction of the softening of the blow," she offers hopefully, tucking her hair behind her ears before picking at the meal, trying to decide where she wants to begin.

"Thanks for inviting me to this, by the way," she adds. "I know I already said so, but it means a lot. It'd be a shame to miss something this pretty because I hadn't been paying enough attention to know about it." There's a short pause then and Caitlin starts to eat, looking away from Eddie to take in the scenery for a moment before she looks back at him as she swallows her bite. "Because you're right...this is really beautiful."

v. watching a dance demonstration

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco is milling around in the crowd, trying to get close enough to the front so he can see what is going on in the middle of the grassy field. An area has been roped off and in it, a dozen or so people are doing some kind of complicated traditional dance. There is definitely petal-throwing involved, and Cisco's attention was initially caught by seeing the bright confetti of petals being tossed into the air periodically, by the accompanying tambourine and sounds of other instruments he doesn't recognize.

So he had walked over, with his ice cream cone (the flavor is lavender and something fruity he can't quite place). He's nearly to the front, trying to wedge in next to a tall blond guy, when Cisco accidentally steps on his foot. ]

Whoops, sorry about that, just trying to get somewhere I can-

[ But he never quite makes it to the end of that sentence, because it's not just a random blond guy. As soon as he looks over, Cisco recognizes his face, but the impossibility of it means that he just stands there, staring, open-mouthed, for a solid half minute before he croaks: ]

Eddie Thawne?

[causational]

[Fun fact about Eddie Thawne: he actually enjoys and is pretty decent at dancing, so this festival is definitely right up his alley. When he's not attending the raves, either participating or helping out, he's wandering around the parks and streets to watch all the dancing demonstrations. This particular one caught his eye because of the showers of petals and the large crowd gathered around, and Eddie had watched long enough to get the gist of it before jumping in when they invite bystanders to join for a round. Awkwardly but happily at first, and then with increasing confidence and grace, Eddie joins the dance until it's time for the floor to be given back to the experienced dancers.

So when someone bumps into him, steps on his foot in the crowd, Eddie is a little out of breath, a little pink in the cheeks, and his hair and shoulders are dusted with bright pink and blue flower petals. Glancing down with a bright grin, he shakes his head.]

No problem, don't worry about it...

[But his voice trails off when he sees who he's talking to and hears his name. Instead of going subdued, he brightens even more, turning toward him.]

Oh my god, Cisco? Hi!

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco might be a nerd, but he's not usually a socially awkward nerd - when people smile at him he smiles back, when they say hello he asks them what's up, and he almost never just plain stares at someone. But then again, most of the time his socializing doesn't involve dead people. People who he saw die, just a few months ago. And while the information about the nature of this place had him bracing himself for aliens and wizards and what have you, and his conversations on the network told him there might be some blasts from the past mixed in, he hadn't been ready to see Eddie.

Who looks... about as alive as a person can, what with the pink cheeks and the flower petals and the grin. Cisco had forgotten, what with the very serious photos they used at the memorial and on the news and the one on the wall at the station, that Eddie's smile packed so much wattage in it. ]

Holy crap.

[ Not his finest moment, that response. But it just spills out, and when Cisco covers his mouth a moment after it's hard to tell if he is trying to take the words back, or if he is just very very surprised. Probably a mixture of both. ]

You're... [ He almost, almost says alive, but Cisco is wrangling back control of himself, enough to substitute: ] ... here.

[causational]

[Still riding the slight endorphin high from dancing, it takes Eddie a moment to register why Cisco is looking at him the way he is, staring at him like he's seeing a ghost. It takes a moment to register that, as far as Cisco is concerned, he kind of is seeing a ghost, that it's not just running into a friendly face in a crowd.

As soon as it does, Eddie's smile goes from bright and excited to a little sheepish, especially when Cisco says 'holy crap' and then hesitates before the unspoken 'alive' like that. Laughing softly, Eddie shrugs and glances down, can't quite make eye contact.]

Here. Alive. Yeah. Sorry. I keep forgetting...

[It's both all-consuming and easy to forget at the same time, the fact that he's dead. The thing is, he feels so alive, his heart beating, breathing, with a scar on his chest to show that being shot had happened and hadn't stuck, somehow. Whenever he's quiet for too long, the knowledge of his death creeps in and torments him, of course, but when he's in a crowd, dancing, eating, breathing - it's easy to forget.]

I'm sorry. [Another laugh, a little self-deprecating this time.] Apparently they can fix just about anything here. It's okay. You don't have to sugarcoat anything. I know what happened and all that, I just...

[A deep breath that he holds for a second and then releases.]

I'm really glad to see you.