.:Spoopy Ti-I mean September Catch All:.

[ganymed]

Who ⬤ Ganymede and Co.
What ⬤ Dungeon-crawlin', shenanigans, etc.
When ⬤ You know. At this or that time.
Where ⬤ Blurry Marble's Slacker, Coiling Humbling Metal Doll, etc.
Content Warnings ⬤ some nsfw, lmfao





[ You've got mail.

After some friendly chats, the trio decide to go out on a dungeon run together. Why? Simply because that that is the way the dominoes fell.

Their prize? A lovely scenery consisting of a frosty, snowy tundra that seems to encompass the surrounding area, though right in the middle of it is stone wall, of which there is an entry point into the actual heart of the dungeon...where there are monsters and treasure to be found!

Welcome to Blurry Marble's Slacker, folks. ]

RESULTS: Here!
RESULTS: Here!

Comments

[userunfriendly]

[ ...He can't defeat Ganymede, can he? That's a critical hit. Michel just comes to a stop. ]

...That's clearly not needed.

[ganymed]

[ Michel tried but he lost the battle... ]

If you say so. So, you said there were some other games? Or do you want to go somewhere else? Like to one of those other recreational areas?

[ There was that Hot Springs area he hadn't gotten a chance to check out with Michel. Maybe he can convince him to come along. ]

[userunfriendly]

[ Oh. It's hard to stay sulking when Ganymede brings up that possibility. If Ganymede can refrain from licking him — or, perhaps not... ]

I've been meaning to visit some of the others. [ And some he already has, in the process of scoping out date spots. ] Were you interested in any?

[ganymed]

[ He might just lick him again. Stay tuned. ]

What about the Hot Springs? I never went there.

What about you?

[userunfriendly]

[ Michel will be intensely tuned, unfortunately. Thanks Ganymede! ]

I stopped by briefly. I'd still like to visit properly. [ ie, With Ganymede... ] If we're still playing the beta in the winter, the ski lodge.

[ No, he can't ski. He just wants to cuddle on the couches by a fireplace. ]

[ganymed]

[ Your welcome!! ]

The ski lodge? For skiing?

[ Ganymede has never went skiing before, even if Greece does actually have places that do have ski lodges. That's right, Ski lodges in a Mediterranean country? They are more likely than you might think! ]

[userunfriendly]

I don't know how. But... learning in VR should be harmless.

[ Yeah, he didn't just make that up on the spot to hide his more compelling motivation. He's good.

Also does Greece even have snow?? Mysteries. ]

[ganymed]

Let's give it a try together later on, alright?

[ Ganymede has no clue that the other made it up...sounds legit to it!!

And yes, Greece has seen snow because apparently it has mountains. It has also snowed in Athens but he does not Like snow at all. ]

Oh. And let's go to the Hot Springs right now?

[userunfriendly]

[ That's that quick thinking that gets Michel out of trouble (no).

Michel nods and turns them back towards the Chaos Gate so they can port over. Maybe they'll be lucky and the springs are unoccupied right now! Maybe they'll be luckier, and this will have happened before he found out that Fandaniel and Hector fucked there. ]

Have you been to one before? In real life?

[ganymed]

[ (crescentview vc:) damn stop banging in the drinking water ]

Greece has some hot springs you can visit, so I have. I just never thought I'd be able to stop by any in-game.

What about you?

[ Curious to see if his pale-skinned goth has dipped his toesies into the hot water as of yet. Ganymede doesn't think of France when he thinks 'hot springs', though. But hey anything's possible, right? ]

[userunfriendly]

[ if you can't beat 'em, join 'em? ]

Baden-Baden is close, but...

[ It's a tourist trap. It's packed with people. Even though it's clothed bathing, the thought of the crowds sends an unpleasant shiver up his spine. ]

...I've never been interested.

[ Also true. All other factors aside, he can't imagine sitting on a train for an hour for a large bath. Dusty as his home is, he does still own a bath. ]

[ganymed]

[ Baden-baden...does that mean hot springs in French, he wonders?

Well, it isn't like he'd know anyway. But the name does sound cute for a place. ]

Why not?

[ What does Ganymede know about other potential tourist traps in other countries? Potentially nothing other than Japan's, for backstory reasons. ]

[userunfriendly]

I've never left the country before. [ So, not France! ] And I have no enjoyment of crowds. There's no shortage of hot water without leaving my home.

[ He's just determined to be a stick in the mud about joyous life experiences, apparently. Never mind that he's got enough of a spring in his step (heh) as they gate in to ΔConfused Fool’s Hideout to suggest that he's not completely blind to the appeal. ]

[ganymed]

Wait, where is Baden-baden, then?

[ Ganymede thought it sounded kind of Frenchish. Frenchlike.

...

That proves about how little he knows of the language, though. He spots the spring in his step, though, and a small smile threatens to come across his face, and then the blond spots the hot spring itself, not that far away. He changes to his swimwear because that will fit best for such warmth. ]

...We're here. It looks really nice. Different than what I imagined it.

[ Beat. ]

I hope you're not prepared to get in with your armor on, by the way.

[userunfriendly]

Germany. Black Forest.

[ Which gives his own location, if not precisely, then fairly specifically. And very possibly makes it more absurd when Ganymede realizes that he could cross the border within ten minutes if he wanted to.

Michel glances between Ganymede's swimwear and the hot spring, and a corner of his mouth quirks in amusement. ]

And cook in it?

[ Wow! Good thing he has no history of doing odd stuff like getting in with his armor on! He casually switches to his swim outfit too, trusting Ganymede about proper hot spring protocol here. ]

[ganymed]

Black Forest in Germany...but you know of it.

[ Ganymede's small and limited braincells are working in overdrive to attempt to figure out the location specifics.

But he's blinking as he watches the amusement spread across his boyfriend's face. ]

See? I knew you wouldn't!

[ That's not what he said, but he goes to hop into the hot springs. His swimsuit basically functions as a towel, anyway. He sits into the waters, already barefooted anyway. He makes a 'come here' gesture with a hand. ]

[userunfriendly]

[ Well... It's not like he's particularly withholding his personal information from Ganymede by this point. He gives a little shrug. ]

... I'm in Strasbourg. It's why I've picked up some German.

[ In and around his steadfastly avoiding talking to people. The imperious little summons pulls another tiny smile out of him, and he steps into the water to settle down near Ganymede. ]

Some of the other players were unequipping... everything. This is a reasonable middle ground.

[ganymed]

...Oh, you probably could cross over to the other country in a heartbeat.

[ It's easy to listen to people speak, pick up their mannerisms, and phrases without even bothering to converse with them in the slightest. Especially if this has been a constant thing. Living in such an area for years, that is. ]

Maybe that's comfortable for them and how they do it back home? ...I thought about doing the same, but it'd hardly make a difference, with the thin fabric.

[ It's like he's almost naked already. What's the point? Though, it could embarrass Michel. Since he's close enough, he'll just lean his head against his shoulder, however. ]

[userunfriendly]

Easily enough, if I had any reason to travel.

[ A night train probably wouldn't even be crowded. He might hardly need to see another person, and certainly not to speak with them. He just has no particular drive or curiosity to see anywhere else. There's no reason to think it would be better than where he is.

...But he's not exactly brooding about anything when Ganymede is so completely derailing his thoughts with what he is or isn't wearing under the water. He's right that there's not much of a difference... He startles a tiny bit guiltily out of this line of daydreaming when Ganymede leans against him. ]

R-right. It's comfortable like this.

[ganymed]

A reason like me?

[ Ganymede asks, thinking he is being mightily clever, but it really isn't.

And hey, his comment is totally innocent. Completely. Though, when the other is caught off, as indicated by his words for sure, Ganymede can't help but laugh lightly, shifting slightly so he stop leaning, and like this it's so easy to shift onto his knees. Then to press a kiss against his cheek. ]

Is it even more comfortable now?

[ A double attack ensues by a second light peck against Michel's lips. That should help in his focus. ]

[userunfriendly]

[ Assuming this is after the fated dance invitation, the only counterargument Michel can give is a wry little grumble. ]

I still can't believe your performance doesn't have streaming...

[ Can't he be awkward and parasocial about it, and watch Ganymede dance from the comfort of a dusty blanket fort as if he's a fan and not his boyfriend? He freezes up when Ganymede's lips brush his cheek, enough that he only barely returns that featherlight kiss to his lips. It's hard to move when he's blushing as hard as he is. ]

...No.

[ This isn't "comfortable" and Ganymede knows it. But it's certainly very nice. ]

[ganymed]

[ We can assume that!! Ganymede is so smug to hear that Michel has no argument against these particular string of words, though. ]

We don't believe in streaming just yet.

[ ...That's a joke from his end, but the head of the theatre production would collaborate those words seriously. Ganymede also thinks he's so much more prettier and radiant face-to-face, though. He's taking no disagreements on that one either. ]

Then what is it?

[ Moving to press a kiss, this time to the other side of Michel's cheek that he missed. Very innocently. ]

[userunfriendly]

It isn't a superstition or an urban legend.

[ "Believe," nothing! But Michel is mostly grumbling for the sake of grumbling. He hadn't been ready to meet Ganymede in person yet — possibly ever. But now...

He lifts a hand to Ganymede's waist to help balance him as he leans around like that. It's like la bise, except no one's even done that to Michel in ages. ]

It's...

[ Nope, he's going to freeze up again without words. How patient is Ganymede going to be? ]

[ganymed]

In Greece, it's practically unknown like proto ancient history.

[ ...Now it's clear he's just messing around.

With a hand on his bare waist, it feels a little scandalous, in the fun way.

Michel freezing up is so cute, so he waits a few seconds, enough to ask: ]

It's what?

[ Guess where his next target might be? A mystery! ]

[userunfriendly]

[ Ganymede is such a terrible liar. At least Michel knows when he's up to his tricks, and just gives an exasperated little squeeze of his waist. ]

It's... [ help, he still hasn't really come up with a word. ] ...w-warm.

[ What if he doesn't wait for Ganymede to launch another attack? What if he just leans in to press a light kiss to Ganymede's cheek in return? Very safe and chaste. ]