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.

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Comments

[eusebeia]

[ she's here, yes. and so is he. diana merely presumes that his surprise is a consequence of appearing here. it required time for her to adjust as well, though she doesn't anticipate the sudden display of affection. she can't claim that she minds it, as steve swiftly wraps his arms around her, but it's odd. unexpected. a far cry from the captain who was hesitant to sleep next to her. ]

Yes. [ she speaks softly and, after a moment, reciprocates the embrace. then, she moves back from his reach to stare at him directly. ] So are you.

[ a thought slips into her mind. in spite of the information she's received about the portal, diana is not willing to surrender the idea of finding a way home. and with steve here now, that sense of determination burns just as bright. ]

Come. We must leave.

[rightly]

[ Her answer is so... simple. The words are so clear and direct, the tone so even, that it leaves Steve feeling unbalanced. Something feels strange, downright wrong when she's leaning away from him. It's almost like having the ground being pulled from under his feet. He'd struggle with balance if he were on his feet right now. ]

Leave? Where to? [ His hands rest on her arms, near her wrists. Not holding tight, but lingering there, needing any kind of contact. Her reaction to seeing him is not what he expected, but he's fine with that. He will be fine with that— maybe he was just expecting too much. Assuming too much. That's his mistake. ] Please, Diana. I don't want to go anywhere.

[ There's nowhere else for him to go, either. ]

[eusebeia]

[ it's not difficult to discern that something's amiss. not anymore. he's close, much closer than he ever has been in the past. steve's hands hover over her metal bracelets, his fingers acting as a constant presence that lingers. and the passion in his voice, coupled with the intensity of his expression, is palpable. ]

To Ares. To the war. [ diana continues to look at him, both curiosity and concern shining in her eyes, though she still doesn't move away. not fully. ] You promised you would take me there.

[rightly]

I did. [ He frowns, his mind racing furiously to make sense of her words, her actions. The distance, too. Technically speaking, she led the way, particularly once they got to No Man's Land, but that's a detail that doesn't seem important to clarify at the moment. There are far too many questions in his mind for him to point that out. ]

We went to the war. We fought together, we— you saved people. You fought Ares. [ He sits a little more upright, hands pulling from her. His heart sinks in his chest, and it's all too sudden and too fresh for him to be able to hide the pain in his eyes so easily. ] You don't remember that?

[eusebeia]

[ steve pulls away, his posture straightening, and she almost asks if he's alright. however, his response distracts her, and the greater shock comes from the revelation he offers. perplexed, she shakes her head, waves of dark hair swaying from the motion. ]

What do you mean, remember? [ her brow furrows, and then diana narrows her gaze. ] None of that has happened.

[rightly]

[ That answer tells Steve everything he needs to know. He heaves a soft, quiet breath, closing his eyes a moment. It's the moment he needs to gather his thoughts, or to at least pick up his scrambled feelings and shove them in a box, lock them up so they won't be spilling all over whenever he so much as looks at her. It'll still hurt, but if nothing else he's always been good at lying. He'll just have to make an added effort in this particular case. ]

It did, to me. And it will, to you. [ Or it would, if she hadn't been brought here. Immediately he knows what that means— that one day she at least will have to go back, or else nothing of what they've lived through will have happened. ] The war is over. You won.

[ The first part is true, he's come to learn here— the second part is only his unwavering belief in her. Funny thing, really. Steve can't remember the last time he believed in anything or anyone this strongly. ] What's the last thing you remember?

[eusebeia]

[ his expression hardens, and it's not one she enjoys. diana misses the softness in his eyes, the tender way he spoke earlier. now, there's a notable change, and she struggles to reconcile his reply with her own memory. she doesn't jump to the conclusion that he may be lying to her, and it's not only because of her pure and trusting heart. the gravity of his tone makes her want to believe in the truth of his words. there's silence, as she takes a moment to recall what he named their new destination. ]

Jolly Old London. [ the pollution tainted her initial impression, though there were aspects of the city that charmed her. ] I held your hand, but you said we're not together. [ she pauses, repeating his words: ] In that way.

[ whatever that means. ]

[rightly]

[ He nods slowly, turning those words over in his head. It's not difficult at all for him to recall that exact moment, and he bites back the urge to smile, to cry— to do a mix of both. There's a knot in his throat but it feels as though it'll be taking root there for the foreseeable future.

Maybe it'll help keep words in, words he shouldn't let out. A blessing in disguise. ]

Alright. That was... that wasn't that long ago. [ Yet it feels like ages to him. A whole lifetime he never got to have with her. ]

I should get dressed. [ The remark comes abruptly as he looks down at himself, a breath shivering its way up his throat. He shakes his head a little, then moves to get out of the bed, so he can put his clothes back on. ] I can try and explain everything. If you want to know about it, I mean. Whatever you prefer.

[eusebeia]

[ she does want to know, and the vehement desire to learn what the future holds is powerful — nearly overwhelming. however, she can't stand aside and witness the conflict that strikes his features. suppressing the urge to ask more questions, diana steps forward, her hands drifting up to grasp the thin fabric of his sleeveless shirt. to not only hold him in place, but also to focus his full attention on her. she wants to understand, to uncover this apparent disconnect between them. ]

Steve. There is pain in your eyes. What's wrong?

[rightly]

[ Steve draws to a halt, nearly muttering a curse under his breath when she stops him in his tracks. He knows he can't just brush her off, and he definitely lacks the strength to step around her if she doesn't let him, so he doesn't even bother trying. ]

Nothing. There's nothing wrong. [ Save for the fact that he remembers everything, and she remembers nothing at all. She's at the beginning of their story— he's at the end. He smiles instead, resting a hand over one of her own and almost regretting it. ] I'm glad you're here, Diana. I missed you.

[eusebeia]

[ it's all a fib, a deception to pacify her, yet it works. diana revels in the warmth of his touch, for just a moment. his skin against hers, as he covers her hand. in silence, she stares at him and contemplates his response. he missed her, even though for her, it's been less than a day since they were together. ]

How long have you been here?

[rightly]

[ He realizes the moment she asks him that, that the answer will likely give him away, at least partly. He can't very well lie about how long he's been here, because she would find out the truth eventually, but he also knows it's not long enough for him to be missing someone he's supposedly not even that close to. ]

Two weeks, give or take. [ He tries not to linger on the answer too long. ] You just got here, didn't you?

[eusebeia]

[ two weeks. perhaps not as long as she expected, but still a considerable period of time. diana nods in the affirmative, her face brightening at the sudden shift in their conversation. finally, her hand falls back to her side, and the physical distance grows, just a bit, between them. ]

It's amazing.

[ this place is, she means. while diana hasn't explored as much as she'd like, the technology alone is quite impressive. ]

[rightly]

[ It's for the best, really. He tells himself that, as he breathes slowly, and sketches a smile at her remark. ]

It is. Nothing like London, either. Not the London I remember, at least.

[ He takes the chance and resumes his way back to where his clothes are, putting them back on while keeping his back to her. ]

I haven't seen much myself, but I can show you around, if you'd like.

[eusebeia]

[ diana trains her eyes on him, and the moment is abruptly reminiscent of another one they've shared. the quiet that surrounds them this time is more awkward than their earlier silence in this room. she doesn't let it stop her for long, however. ]

I would.

[ (also steve, you can keep your back to her. all you're doing is giving her a nice view of your butt, okay. 👀) ]

[rightly]

[ (Well at least he's wearing boxers, also stop looking at his backside when he's getting dressed. Or don't.) ]

Great. [ He does like the thought of spending time with Diana, even if there's so much he can't say, so much he can't do. Simply being with her is enough. ] You'll, uh... you're gonna need some clothes too. I had to buy some myself.

[eusebeia]

[ her vision falls, and she glances down briefly at her attire. her dark cloak is on the floor, along with her sword and shield, and there's nothing else in her possession besides what she's currently wearing. ]

Why do I need new armor?

[ diana doesn't see the point, truthfully. she has no reason to hide or blend in, but if it is a custom here, she won't disrespect it either. ]

[rightly]

[ Steve sighs, which really is impressive when he feels the urge to groan out loud. My God, not this again. ]

Not armor, Diana. Clothes. Regular clothes. Do Amazons have that, or do you just walk around naked when you're not fighting?

[ He just gave himself that mental image, he has no one to blame but himself. ]

[eusebeia]

[ good job, man. ]

No.

[ they don't walk around naked. his question may have been rhetorical, but he'll still receive an answer. steve seems almost exasperated by this, as if they've discussed the topic before (perhaps they have, she reasons), and it both confuses and amuses her. ]

Are you upset?

[rightly]

What? [ He turns around, trousers still undone and shirt still unbuttoned. Oops. ] No, I— no. We just, we had this talk before. You can't walk around in armor all the time, Diana. And there's no war in this place, so... you're not likely to need your armor while out and about. Or your shield and sword, for that matter.

[ He quickly buttons up his shirt and tucks it into his trousers, doing them up properly too. ] Alright? We can find you... I don't know, whatever you see that you like. Dresses, skirts, or trousers. Anything you want.

[ Women wear just about anything in this place (or practically nothing at all), and Steve's not about to tell Diana what she should or shouldn't wear. She's free to do as she pleases. ]

[eusebeia]

[ she doesn't glance away or even notice his state of undress, honestly. it's not important right now. shaking her head, her expression changes. a flash of obstinacy lights her eyes. ]

Yes, I do.

[ to emphasize her point, diana bends down to pick up both items, appearing every inch of the warrior that she is. ]

The war may be over for you, but it is not for me. I must return.

[rightly]

[ He rests his hands on his hips, head dropping with a quiet sigh. Great, how didn't he know this is how it'd go down? He should have known. Shrugging, he holds his hands up, then lets them drop to his sides in defeat. ]

Fine, then. Go to the portal, see for yourself how you can't find a way back. You can't just will it to work. I'm sure there are other people here who want to go back, or will want to go back eventually, but it's not so easy. Otherwise I doubt there would be so many people stranded here.

[eusebeia]

[ as headstrong as she always is, diana furrows her brow. she won't surrender or listen to him. "impossible" is simply not a word she can accept. ]

I will find a way out. For all of them.

[ she needs to return home, but now equipped with the knowledge that other people in this place are depending on her as well, she's more stubborn than ever. with that said, she turns around, heading outside of her bedroom and towards the front door of her apartment. ]

[rightly]

[ Steve honestly debates on just letting her go right then and there. It's not like it should matter to him either way, should it? He has nothing to go back to, so he can't simply go back with her, even if by some miracle she found a way back.

Before he thinks it through, he steps up to her, catching her arm and stopping her before she actually walks out the door. ]

Diana, I'm serious. You can't just fight your way through every problem. This isn't something you can fix. There are other strong people here, and brilliant people too. You can't exactly— I don't know, stab the portal until it yields and works for you.

[eusebeia]

[ he succeeds for the moment, and diana halts. her posture shifts, as she turns to address him. despite his attempts to rationalize with her, she remains undeterred. ]

Let go, Steve.