open | party like you're 35;

[secondthoughts]

Who ☀ Hector & "everyone"
What ☀ It's Hector's birthday!
When ☀ August 5
Where ☀ Lumina Cloth. Surprise!
Content Warnings ☀ drunk people, will add as needed

[ Arrive at Mac Anu, where the welcome party was held, to find it...empty? A quick look on the forums shows a little edit to Hector's post:

We're popping Lumina Cloth's cherry! See you there :-)

So that's where he is.

In the center of the brightly illuminated nighttime city, Hector's set himself up for his little get together. But since he doesn't have any tables or plates or anything fancy like that, all the alcohol and food he bought from various vendors are just...strewn around the floor. The food is probably still good to eat, though. It's fine. Take what strikes your fancy!

Hector's wearing his outfit again. He lounges on the steps of that funky spinny thing in the center of town, and anyone who gets close enough to hear him will hear music coming from his mic. Give him a break. He's doing his best.

When enough people have gathered, he might actually get up and drag everyone into a drinking game.

So enjoy—eat, drink, mingle, and smack your friends! PvP is enabled here, after all :) ]

Comments

[tablescraps]

I know of it. I won't be good at it, but I'm fine with playing it.

( He'll figure something out, Probably. He's not good with having preferences, which also means he's not going to say no to it.

He looks to Tylor, expecting him to start. )

[tylorific]

Oh, that doesn't matter. It's about having fun and getting to know people.

[ Tylor assumes he'll start anyway so he just says whatever comes first after that-- ]

So, would you rather be snowed in or stranded on a beach?

[tablescraps]

( Contemplative... Maybe for longer than a person should be, but he gets there eventually. )

... Beach. You can traverse the water and sand to get somewhere else.

( Not so with snow. A practical answer.

He stares at Tylor for a moment. )

... Would you rather know the future or change the past?

[tylorific]

Know the future.

[ Tylor gives his pained yet confident answer. ]

Changing the past would change who people are right now so that's no good. Knowing the future would take some of the fun out of it though...

[ Not that he needed to explain. ]

Would you rather have fun at an amusement park or on a hike?

[tablescraps]

( Hmm. He glanced up at his face at the answer, then back to the city.

This question is hard though. )

... Either is fine. I'll say amusement park.

( As he says this, his gaze happens to be on the lights of amusement park in the distance, so it's more that he decided to pick what was right there. )

... Would you rather lose an enemy or gain a friend?

[tylorific]

Let's go to the arcade next time.

[ He says like he won't forget and spare with him instead, whatever he means by next time in the first place-- ]

Gain a friend! That's an easy one. I don't have any enemies. [ He thinks! ]

Speaking of enemies-- would you rather go on a long road trip with your enemy or... a gorilla?

[ Gorilla was said very seriously. ]

[tablescraps]

Sure.

( Arcade, or wherever they end up next time they see each other. The beta team is only so big.

The question, though. His expression chills, and he answers with striking certainty: )

... Enemy. I won't have an enemy by the end of it.

( Phew! Anyway, )

... ... Would you rather forget your happiest memory or share your saddest one?

[tylorific]

[ Tylor, somehow, feels that chill just from looking at him. It's instinct, the reassuring squeeze of his hands. There are no enemies here! Maybe he also doesn't like gorillas? ]

Saddest one. Why would I give up a happy memory?

[ Another quick answer, almost as soon as Mithrun finishes the question. The next pause is short because a cat walks down the alley in front of them. Which clearly inspires his next question-- ]

Would you rather have the life of a cat... or a beaver?

[tablescraps]

( The squeeze doesn't necessarily get him back to normal, but it brings his focus back to their hands.

Long enough gazing at it and he seems to untangle his thoughts just enough to answer without being, uh, unnerving. )

... Either is fine. I guess beavers are more productive.

( Gazing at hands... )

... Would you rather hold someone's hand, or kiss them?

( This sounds pointed, but genuinely Tylor saying he thinks he's a good kisser has been sitting in his head, information undissolved in the sands of his thoughts. What's a Mithrun to do with that information but take away from it that he clearly likes both activities? )

[tylorific]

But cats get pets...

[ Tylor says it more to himself so it's clear what choice he would make. With a tilt of his head, he spies where Mithrun is gazing. Tylor's own drifts over his features this close. He lets their shoulders touch again, but his tone is obliviously friendly-- ]

Well, that depends on the person.

[ Rules, what rules. ]

If I like them, then I'd want to do whichever one they'd enjoy the most. [ a shrug, shoulders brushing. ] Or both.

[tablescraps]

( Getting pets... Yeah, that checks out for Tylor. )

... And if the person asks which one you enjoy most?

( Not everyone on the planet has preferences, Tylor. You've got to be conscientious of us desire-challenged folks, smh smh )

Or does it not matter to you, so long as you're with someone else?

[tylorific]

[ Too bad he still seems oblivious. Even this close. ]

Oh. Then I would say I'd rather kiss them. You can tell more about a person by how they kiss than how they hold your hand.

[ He says it with confidence, and forgets they were playing a game for the moment. ]

[tablescraps]

... Can you?

( This is genuine. He'd never really thought about that like... ever. )

[tylorific]

Yeah. Everyone kisses a little differently, it's like a thumbprint. You can never know for sure what it'll be like until it's already happening.

[tablescraps]

( His lips part, like he's going to say something... and they stay parted for a moment, as he seems to think, and then change his mind. )

... I see.

( He feels the cooling warmth where their shoulders brushed, and the warmth, still, of their palms against each other, and their fingers interlocked, and he looks down at their knees at the ledge, and their legs dangling down. )

... You can ask your next question.

[tylorific]

[ Tylor watches his lips part, patient until the words come. But now they are on the subject of kissing, and that's all he can think about so his question turns into -- ]

Would you rather be kissed or hugged every day?

[tablescraps]

( oh,

This one seems to stump him for a good while. N...either? Both? Either? Hm. )

... Hugged. I wouldn't be good at kissing.

( He used to be! But not anymore! He has a very clear image of himself being a dead fish kisser and no one would enjoy that, and that's part of what made him pivot a few moments ago. That, and recalling what Yael said about empty intimacy.

But hugging, you can just Be There and it still works as a hug for the most part. Both parties don't even have to feel romantically about each other, either. )

... Would you rather be pretty, or be surrounded by pretty people?

[tylorific]

Surrounded by pretty people. [ He answers that one fast too, as if he's already considered it before. Tylor never minds waiting for Mithrun's answer.

But he breaks the rules again-- ]

Why do you think you wouldn't be good at it?

[tablescraps]

... I wouldn't mind being kissed, but I don't think I'd kiss back well. It'd probably just feel weird.

[tylorific]

Oh, I see. It can be weird too, practice helps with that. But you should really only kiss people you like, so I don't mean to go practicing with just anyone.

[ He says it helpfully like they are discussing something as mundane as a recipe. Instead of walking this kissing tightrope with one another. ]

Would you rather learn to tango or do improv?

[tablescraps]

( ... )

... Tango. I'm not good at improv, either.

Would you still be holding my hand if you didn't think I was "pretty"?

( Hey, that's not a "would you rather" question, )

[tylorific]

Hmm. Probably. It's real hard to imagine you ugly though.

[ He realizes with a little sound of surprise, that Mithrun's hand has successfully replaced the memory. ]

Well, at first, I missed holding his hand so much it hurt. But that doesn't mean I would've held just anyone's hand. Pretty or not though, I like spending time with you.

[ Two can play this new game! ]

Why'd you let me keep holding your hand?

[tablescraps]

( how the turn tables...

The answer and the question together cause him to go quiet for a time.

His answer should be an obvious "I don't mind either way" or "I don't have a desire to pull it away" - while both are true, neither are quite right. )

... I don't know. ( ... ) I thought you'd want to pull away on your own eventually. But you didn't.

[tylorific]

Well, I like holding your hand.

[ Tylor laughs, playfully leaning more of his weight to the side, and therefore into him as if they are on the same rollercoaster cart taking a wide turn before righting itself again. ]

Actually, I don't think anyone's ever let me hold theirs for this long. So you can tell me to let go anytime. Oh, or maybe you'd like a hug instead?

[tablescraps]

( Oh, he's slanted this way and that along the invisible rollercoaster with the effective bone structure of a rag doll. By the time Tylor gets them all straightened up, Mithrun's the one leaning shoulder to shoulder with him without Mithrun thinking much about it. )

... I'm fine holding your hand.

( His most oblique answer to a "would you rather," question, even if that wasn't officially one. )

... So you're fine with hugging and holding hands with most people.

( But kissing is only for a special someone. Okay... he thinks he gets Tylor's categories. Maybe. )