riverviewlogs | introductory mingle: CARNIVALE

[Jace watched Magnus as he passed. He had never shared Alec with anyone before, but considering the whole mess with Alec being forced to share him with Clary he honestly didn't blame Magnus if he didn't feel like sharing.

It seemed inevitable that their relationship would change with their hearts. Alec loved Magnus. Jace couldn't help thinking he'd missed his chance.

Chance for what he wasn't sure. Everything was a huge mess in his head.]

I'll stay with Max. [And then more quietly, turning back to Alec.] I doubt the parabatai Magnus knew crashed intimate date night.

America, if it wasn't obvious.

[He's not sure if he carries some sort of obnoxious aura, but it's been a long time since he had to identify himself as coming from a particular part of Earth.]

It's different. I'm not exactly cultured though, so don't take my word for it. The only guy I knew who had zany hair colours turned out to be a colossal douche canoe.

[He pauses.] Not to say that you are. I mean. Anyway. So it's like, natural or something? Does everyone in Japan have cool hair?

[ Aoba laughs, not teasingly, but out of genuine amusement. ]

So you've said. [ And that puts him a little at ease, too - the fact someone can get caught in a social loop like he can when he's feeling out of his element and nervous - which is... pretty constant lately. ]

Well, I'll leave it to you to make that call if I'm a 'douche canoe'.

...Do you really think my hair is cool? ☆

[ He cuts it himself, so this is a rare compliment. It seems to have gone over super well at least! ]

At work? You didn't come with her?

[ It's strange to him, to be in a position where he's not able to punch through anything without effort and to be talking to the literal Devil about enjoying the local carnival. None of this is within Steve's usual comfort zone, and talking to the Devil is probably the closest to normal out of all of it. ]

Are you dodging her just so you can have your own fun? That doesn't seem fair.

[ Steve goes still, caught by warring thoughts on how to react to that easy suggestion. Too smooth and relaxed, it sounds like teasing, but Steve can't shake off the warmth that creeps under his skin and slips all the way to his stomach as Loki offers him things that Steve wouldn't admit to having considered before. He swallows, partly just to prove to himself he still can, and clears his throat. ]

Is that your way of saying that you want to try those out?

[ His voice is soft, but his gaze is sharp, fixed on Loki with all of his attention. ]

I am saying I would do that with you.

[ The distinction there is important to Loki. He squeezes Steve's arm lightly, a considerate touch. ]

I am not playing games.

[ Loki hopes Steve will understand that. He did not bring Steve along to make fun or to mock. ]

What? No. What gave you that idea? She's not one to be forced into having fun. She'll come see me when she pleases. She's working at the moment, and if there's anyone that takes that seriously, it's her. She's the oldest young person I know. It's frustrating as all Hell, yet I wouldn't change a bloody thing.

[If Steve was paying attention, he might notice the way Lucifer looked rather fond while saying something that may seem negative.]

He can already tell pretending not to blush is going to be a losing battle, so it’s easier to just let it go. He’s also not down with being called adorable, mostly because he gets the feeling that makes him sound kind of weak. But she doesn’t seem to be saying it as any sort of insult, just as an statement of a fact. He purses his lips down.

Having met her when he was forced to be honest makes this a little more intense than what he had expected, but the topic of the conversation makes it easy for him to put his focus elsewhere.

“My knees are fine.” He says, apparently unconcerned with her assuming he would be the one tied up. He knows that Nat wouldn’t make him fun of him for it, and everyone else seems to be focused on their own “research” to pay attention to them so why bother denying it?

“But someone would have to be very skilled indeed to be able to tie me up in a way that would actually restrain me.”

"Careful, Alexei. That sounds like a challenge." She smiles, goes back to flipping through the book, though her eyes do dart back up to watch for that blush spreading. She had warned him, back in the elevator, that Natalie might not be to his liking, that she could be quite cold. She wonders if he's wishing for some of that right about now, for a cold shoulder and dismissal rather than this close scrutiny.

Not that he'll get it.

Some of them. [Izzy agrees, knowing that she can't deny the truth, especially not when there really are a number of humans--of people--that are shitty. She won't deny the truth. That doesn't mean that she wouldn't protect them. And it doesn't mean that they all fit into that category, but because they exist it's just been better, in the end, to hide.]

For all the shitty ones there are good ones too. [Simon comes to mind, despite the fact that he is no longer a mundane...though it's not fault of his own.] But there are enough of the first kind that it makes a difference. [Izzy shrugs; this was not where she thought this conversation was going considering she had initially just been going out in search of something good to eat--sampling the food.]

There's good and bad in every race, though. [Izzy shrugs, offering a small smile.] I think that's enough serious discussion about the way things work where I'm from, though. Don't want to dampen the celebration.

[Izzy winks, playfully dismissing the serious tone that the conversation had begun to veer into.]

He’s actually an independent contractor for the police force, working as a private investigator in the internal affairs. Mostly his job consists of investigating cases where something struck of or suspect. It’s probably a good thing she hasn’t come in contact with him at her job, he’s pretty ruthless when it comes to investigating.

“It sounds like a plan.” He says good-naturedly, because it honestly does. He’d have felt slightly awkward in a place like this on his own, mostly because he isn’t exactly comfortable talking about this kind of thing in public. But if he has someone he knows by his side he can pretend it isn’t as public as it seems.

“Is there any topic I should stay away from?” Again, this isn’t Illya being considerate. This is Illya gauging her reactions, he will get more information from the way she answers than he would otherwise.

[ Yuuto gives a short, soft chuckle; this guy is sounding a lot like an old man speaking of kids these days. ]

But it is kind of catchy. What do you prefer, then?

There’s no way for him to answer that that won’t end up making everything worse, so he decides to let it go for now. In a place like this it’s hard to tell what’s an offer and what’s just teasing between people who know each other, and while they definitely had a… moment where they both acknowledged the attraction in the elevator Illya of all people isn’t going to let lust ruin what could be a perfectly good friendship unless he’s sure.

He looks back at the stand where he found the book, glancing for others that may be of interest. Nat shouldn’t be surprised by now that he ends up grabbing another one that seems to be an anthology about different kinds of restraints.

“Are you here just to tease me, or looking for anything in particular?”

Not surprised, no. Pleased, perhaps? He appears to be continuing the general theme of letting her see something very honest. It's nice, even if she's not sure how comfortable she is reciprocating at this point in time. That elevator was... rough, to say the least. His eyes are so direct and expressive, though, concealing nothing. He's an open book. Maybe not to everyone, not a bleeding heart, but he knows the way she looks at people, the things she's able to read, and he's not hiding.

"My world does not revolve around you, you know. I was shopping." She holds up her arm, a bag dangling from the crook of her elbow. It's not huge, but it's obviously full, and whatever she's purchased has some weight to it. "This place is my kind of candy store. Teasing you is just the cherry on top."

"Good luck." If Donov Mayer hadn't been able to pull details out of her, she really ought to wish Illya some luck. Granted, she'd learned to become a little less guarded around here, since Riverview wasn't a constant chess game on the scale of Romdeau Dome, but.. it never hurt to be careful, either. Who knew who was around to be a little too nosey when she may want to keep herself a bit more removed. Her eye is momentarily caught by a display that seems to be..

Piercing someone's back? A frown crosses her features but she doesn't seem particularly moved by anything other than the curiosity of what makes that particular move so appealing. She can't even begin to guess what the point of that little ritual was, either -

"Subjects to avoid?" She gives it a token moment of thought before offering a casual shrug of darkly dressed shoulders. "None that I can think of."

It’d be pretty silly, he thinks, to try to hide in a place like this. He could pretend, he supposes and pick something else- maybe some very vanilla book or another. But while he’s rather shy about this kind of thing he’s also determined and knows what he wants… and hiding it seems a little counterproductive when she’s already caught him.

“Then you are a little ahead of me. This place…” He glances at her. “Not that I do not know exactly what I want, but so much variety does get a little overwhelming. It feels very decadent, to have so many choices out here in the open. It took me a while to find where to start.”

He motions at her bag with his chin.

"But you seem ready."

So pestilence ridden bugs?

[You know, strange emotions, being sick... It is where her mind goes, even if it is not what Thor means. The latter though, try as she might, she cannot draw forth anything for it.]

Alternate versions?

[Meaning what, exactly.]

An... academic version of yourself?

“It does appear I may need said luck.”

He says, and even if he doesn’t smile there’s a good hint of humor in his voice. He does love a good challenge, but it’s more than that. He’s doing this for fun. Because of who he is and how curious he has always been, not because he’s trying to get something out of Re-L or because it’s a mission. It’s been… a long while since he’s done anything for fun, so it’s always refreshing.

He does notice the frown, though. He’s revealed his own preferences (kind of), so he doesn’t see any harm in asking her. He motions at the stand with his chin.

“Interested? Or the opposite?”

"Getting there. I've only been through about half this place. I have what I knew I wanted, but the fun part is finding the things you didn't know you wanted." She closes the book. but doesn't put it down yet. Maybe she'll get it. The illustrations are surprisingly lovely, and it would make a fun to do list. "Is this the first stall you've stopped at?" If so, his poor luck to run into her straight away. Or maybe his good luck. It remains to be seen.

[ He taps his foot, unconsciously in time with the music. ]

Something a little less stadium and a little more chamber, if you know what I mean.

Something like that.

[Not so biblical, but not pleasant.

At her quip, he gives her a playful shove.]

Very funny. No. Versions of themselves if something in their past changed. It was very peculiar and very confusing.

[It earns a pleasant laugh from Sif, as it is about as far from Thor as she can think of. She rolls her shoulder, before giving her own nudge in return, although it lacks any real force behind it.]

I thought so.

[And she clearly still thinks so judging by the expression on her face. But it does turn reflective a moment later, weighing that.]

Something major, then?

[Like, perhaps, someone not having died.]

He shakes his head. He’d been walking around with Re-L just a moment before, had seen some stands already. He just hadn’t bought anything yet.

“I like knowing all the options I have before I make a decision, and unlike you I did not came here with a clear idea of what to get.”

He actually hasn’t had sex since he got here, but if he’s honest he doesn’t miss it. He likes sex, for sure but it’s hardly been a priority for him and this isn’t the longest he’s spent without sex. He could have tried to end up with some local girl but… it seemed like too much of a hassle for someone he wouldn’t even really like.

“But if you do not get the book, I will.”

"I think you should," she says, though she doesn't hand it over. "Lots of fun things in here. Might help you to loosen up a little." She raises her free hand, one finger extended as though to forestall any objection. "You are very tightly wound. It's not healthy. You're a handsome man with a good sense of humour buried underneath all that rage. You're even a nice guy. You deserve to enjoy yourself a little bit." What she doesn't say, but is absolutely thinking, is that it might even help him feel a little better about his life in general. Things, well, they don't go away with a good fuck, but they can be pushed to a back burner for a bit.

She takes a step closer, holds up the book, though she still won't let go even if he takes it. "You are a good man, Alexei." She says the name with enough weight that it might as well be his, packed full of things she's not actually saying, packed full of the things she knows. He has the same potential she did, only he might actually be close enough to human to truly save. "You deserve to find some happy."

[Standing apart from the two, he realized that the display he'd gravitated towards was for a series of novelty sex toys that were sure to make Alec blush. While Magnus didn't care much, and really had been around too long to be shocked by anything, he couldn't help thinking it wasn't exactly going to calm Jace down, either. Whirling around, his eyes rested on Alec for a moment before flicking over to Jace.]

It's true, I've known a few over the years. The two of you are definitely the most handsome package I've seen, though. [His lips quirked at the corner, unable to keep a totally straight face at the innuendo.

Snorting softly, he rolled his eyes and continued to walk along the aisle and towards the exit.] Some of the parabatai were the intimate date night. At least I assume. [He glanced back at the two in order to assure they were following him.] Why don't the three of us have some lunch?

introductory mingle: CARNIVALE

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