player-suggested mini-event: A STRANGER'S BED

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Player-Suggested Mini-Event
when: August 26th - August 31st
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

a stranger's bed

As a lead in to September, Riverview's ♥ Month of Romance, this is a completely optional mingle that will cause affected characters to end up in each other's beds. There are various options for both established and new CR. While it's easiest for characters still living in Communal Housing, anyone who has moved to their own homes can be affected and end up finding their way to Communal Housing, or within their own housing.

Residents of the Quarantine may notice that various businesses selling food and drink - cafés, diners, bakeries, restaurants, and other such establishments - are heavily advertising a new flavor that's supposed to be the biggest thing since pumpkin spice. A flavor additive that's said to subtly change the flavor of whatever the diner is eating or drinking to optimize the dish, drink, dessert, or any other food item it is added to for each person's individual taste, it's been selling like wildfire and is the latest trend.

After the cause of the rash of amnesia was revealed to be plant-related, sellers are keeping the origin of the secret ingredient very close to their chests, since it is a derivative of a recently-discovered plant dubbed chameleonis. Depending on the method of ingestion, this additive can have a variety of unexpected side effects, but only once the person who has ingested it becomes sleepy. Methods of ingestion include:

● Ingestion: Beverage: When ingested as a flavor shot to drinks ranging from sodas to coffee to alcoholic beverages, it can cause a desire for closeness to a particular other person. Affected characters end up crawling into bed with that specific other character when they become sleepy.

● Ingestion: Food: When ingested as a flavoring added to a baked good or other meal, it can cause an intense desire for body heat when the character becomes drowsy. It won't matter to an affected character who is providing the body heat, so long as it's someone, and they will end up sleepily crawling into someone else's bed for warmth.

● Inhalation: When inhaled ether from a steaming hot beverage or soup, or as an essential oil or aroma from a bakery, it can cause disorientation when a character becomes sleepy. Affected characters either aren't sure which bed is theirs and simply crawl into the closest one, occupied or not, or become convinced that another character's bed is their own.

Feel free to post up a top-level for your own character either affected and invading a random bed or unaffected but open to having their bed invaded by affected characters, or tag around to other people's top-levels.

navigation

Comments

[rightly]

[ In part he feels like he's not the right person to be here, listening to this. Maybe it's easier for Loki, with him barely being an acquaintance, but Steve thinks that maybe there are people in this place who would be able to offer more in return. More comfort, more sympathy. He, on the other hand, feels like anything he chooses to say might come off as a pointless platitude. ]

Alike to a god, then... Figure that. [ He chuckles weakly, stepping a little closer to Loki. There's some amount of hesitance before he finally lifts his hand up and rests it near his shoulder, squeezing lightly. ] At least we've got this place, you and I.

[ikols]

A dumping ground for dead men?

[ That's the rock-bottom of his depression, the existential anxiety that he shouldn't even be here and maybe that would be better; no pain, no nothing. Loki's head swims with alcohol and the onset of a migraine as he looks from Steve's hand on his shoulder to Steve himself.

He wouldn't put things so cruelly, considering Steve has his own issues, but currently all Loki has to cling to are his own. ]

[rightly]

Well— that's one depressing way to look at things, but I was thinking more of it in terms of a second opportunity. Do gods believe in those?

[ Steve never did, before. But then... well, life changes, in the strangest and most unexpected of ways. He'd have never believed in any sort of life after death either, and yet here he is. So really, what does he know. ]

[ikols]

We did, when Ragnarok came around and everyone was reborn anew, over and over ...

[ Is this like that, a rebirth? ]

I don't often get second chances. [ Personally speaking, that is. Which he looks resignedly glum about. ] I thought it was my way of cheating death.

[rightly]

You know, that's just myth where I come from. Big serpent, biting its own tail...

[ Seems almost surreal to think it's true anywhere, but then Loki's not the first god he's met. Well, at least not the first god he's heard of as being real. He hadn't believed Ares was at first, but he sure was proven wrong. ]

Maybe that's what we're both doing, here. Hopefully it won't come all this way just for us.

[ikols]

The cycle was broken.

[ Not that he can be bothered to get into that whole mess right now, so anyway. Moving on. ]

Am I being poor company?

[rightly]

Yes, very much so. You're a terrible host, I'll have you know.

[ Like he wasn't the one invading Loki's bed and personal space himself. He says it with a light smile, though, clearly joking. ]

I'm sorry if I've touched any sore spots. Is there anything I can do to make it better?

[ikols]

Kiss me.

[ Mischief dances in his eyes ... but he offers a hand, too. ]

[rightly]

[ Steve almost flusters at that —almost— but then raises an eyebrow at Loki instead. ]

You don't look nearly as tempting now, I'm sorry to tell you.

[ But alright then. Must be an acceptable thing for gods, mustn't it? He takes Loki's hand and kisses his knuckles, quickly letting go. ] There. Better?

[ikols]

No fruit is tempting until you've tasted it. [ Loki is a fruit, yes. He will gladly always be one. ] And the tongue isn't one of the parts that changes.

[ When will Loki be good at coming onto people? Not today. But it lifts his spirits a little to try, too. ]

[rightly]

[ Steve chuckles softly, eyes darting with a hint of embarrassment. ]

Maybe not, but other parts... do. And some, uh... fruits I'm fine not tasting. [ He clears his throat, waving a hand awkwardly. ] Not that there's anything wrong with it, of course. It's just not my preference, is all.

[ And he's a man from the early 20th century, Loki will have to excuse some of his delicate sensibilities. At least he's an American. Less proper, according to the British. ]

[ikols]

[ What an improved conversation; not about Loki and involves a flustered man. ]

You indulged and discovered that, then?

[rightly]

[ This is definitely not an improved conversation, mostly because Loki's trying to use such a ridiculous argument against him. Honestly. ]

No! No, I just... I don't need to indulge to know that it's not something I'm interested in. Alright?

[ikols]

[ The slowest, measured blink in the world. ]

Alright. If you change your mind, you know where I ... sleep.

[ Yeah, he's gonna laugh at his own joke. ]

[rightly]

[ He huffs and rolls his eyes, shaking his head while Loki laughs. Yes, very funny. ]

Right. Well, I don't think I'll find my way back to your bed again.

[ikols]

You were there a while, Freyja says you smell old. Or your clothes do.

[ The snake from before, having slithered away while they talked, peeps over the kitchen counter and winds her way back to taste the air in front of Steve. ]

[rightly]

[ He eyes the snake, a little puzzled. Seems like the best idea not to question Loki's ability to understand the snake. Or that the snake can even... talk? Think? Whichever. ]

I'm not old. I'm in my thirties. [ He pauses. ] Unless you mean the time I come from. It was 1918. [ Which, as he understands it, is fairly old to most people here. ]

[ikols]

Ah, you're vintage! Jim would love you.

[ Freyja hisses, coiling herself around Loki's arm like an adventurous scarf. He huffs a laugh as she speaks in his ear. ]

... She also says she can bite your big ears down to size, if you want.

[rightly]

[ Steve's not really sure he'd like this Jim fella. But then he might just be weirded out by the idea of someone in this place sharing his appearance. So much so that people would confuse them with each other.

He lifts a hand up to one of his ears unconsciously. ] My ears are just fine, thank you. No biting necessary.

[ikols]

Really? Sorry, Freyja, you're not his type either.

[ The snake naps on his arm, dismissing them both. Loki tips a small smile Steve's way. ]

Meeting you has been interesting, Steve Trevor.

[rightly]

Interesting is how I'd put it.

[ He smiles, though. Despite the teasing and how easily Loki seems to be able to fluster him, he did enjoy their brief conversation. He sets the empty mug down on the counter. ]

I'll see you around?

[ikols]

[ Just to get one over on him and make an even more lasting impression, Loki shifts back into a woman and rests her silk-cupped breasts on folded arms, shooting him a wink. Freyja stirs and slithers across the godling's newly ample chest to make her way to the table on this convenient slope, coiling around curves. ]

Not before I see you.

[rightly]

[ See, that change seems to catch Steve's attention a whole lot more than the earlier one. He's about to turn around and leave when she does that, and he ends up staring a little too long— particularly at her breasts, even though he shouldn't. She's —he's— just doing it on purpose, he's well aware of that. But that doesn't stop him from walking straight into the doorframe when he's not paying enough attention to where he's going as he steps out of the kitchen.

He mutters a 'damn it' then turns around with an air of finality to it, stomping off down the hallway. How dare you, Loki. ]