subnautica | OPEN MINGLE: September 25-30

[ SLIGHT TIME JUMP to the point where sorey and mikleo's thread is at rn. just when mikleo gets like a two second break from sorey latching onto him: ]

Well, whatever you did, it worked, didn't it? Good job, mission accomplished. And we were right! He is definitely a total lightweight. He seems thoroughly distracted, doesn't he.

[ her wide grin might be something close to satanic. ]

It's good to see you two even closer than usual. Friendship is such a wonderful thing, isn't it.

[ the sarcasm in her voice is obvious, and then there's something like a drunken giggle, which is also sort of satanic. ]

Edited 2016-10-02 23:41 (UTC)

He can't even analyze the book properly! And he's going to fall over if I let go of him. How are you able to stomach it so well, anyway?!

[#MIKLEOLIFE IS ROUGH]

[ TAKE A GODDAMN HINT ]

The more you drink, the more you build up a tolerance, that's how. And what is there to analyze, anyway? It's a romance novel. Person A and Person B meet. Person A and Person B hook up. Depending on the genre, there could be a passionate sex scene, but chances are, if it's PG-13, they kiss and have a happy ending. There, see? I analyzed it.

[ she pauses, pretending to be deep in thought before speaking again. ]

Hmm. I wonder why Sorey doesn't read me romance novels. Isn't that strange? I mean, we're close friends, aren't we? Friends who do friend things.

[she's trying so hard not to lose it and crack up. so hard. ]

He is reading you a romance novel! He's reading us all a romance novel! He wasn't supposed to be reading it now.

[THE POINT IS PERHAPS GOING OVER HIS HEAD SLIGHTLY IN HIS DISTRESS]

A-and there's more to the genre than that, anyway! Context is important!

But he's practically in your lap, isn't he? Good thing he's distracted. I wouldn't want him hearing this, just. I dunno... I can't help but feel a little left out here.

[ t a k e a h i n t ]

Okay. Sure. Explain the context behind the racier scenes, Mikleo. Surely there's a much deeper meaning besides the main characters just acting on their painful sexual tension that Sorey is failing to grasp.

[ she's waiting. :) ]

[HE ALMOST GETS IT. SHE CAN SEE HIM START TO COLOUR AND OPEN HIS MOUTH DEFENSIVELY--

BUT THEN. SHE ASKS HIM TO EXPLAIN THE CONTEXT. OF SCENES IN A BOOK. AND AT THOSE WORDS HE STRAIGHTENS UP UNDER SOREY'S TIPSY WEIGHT, THE MARTIAL LIGHT OF A CHALLENGE IN HIS EYE]

First of all, it's important to consider that these aren't just racy scenes and a sexual awakening between two people; they're racy scenes and a sexual awakening between two people who are normally considered fundamentally incompatible in a multitude of ways in their world's culture as presented by the novel. While the worldbuilding's a bit sketchy, it's very definite about the facts that vampires and humans don't normally interact, let alone grow intimate enough to form friendships and relationships; that they don't even normally see eye to eye on a lot of subjects. Moreover, there's a further complication in the vampire protagonist being not just a vampire but a vampAIr, with not only the inhuman point of view present but the added existential unsurety of having a portion of his mind that doesn't quite qualify as his anymore, since they left it ambiguous as to whether the AI implant is functioning entirely in sync with him or if there is in fact a love triangle happening between a vampire, a human, and a brain robot...the latter of which, might I add, also has no concept of physical intimacy aside from how it's filtered through the same vampiric senses it's helping to compensate for.

[DEEP BREATH]

So it's actually acting as a commentary on intercultural interspecies romance and the ethics of a relationship between a human and a robot, and an interesting exploration of where the lines lie between a robot meant to assist a person with their body and the person themselves, and the reader's meant to navigate that complicated narrative and all the attendant confusion it brings through the filter of the characters.

[ holy shit. holy shit. oh my god. why.

rose cannot continue this conversation even the slightest bit sober. she's downing the rest of her drink as mikleo rambles on and on in total disbelief. she doesn't know whether she wants to violently shake him by the shoulders or whether she wants to smack him across the head or whether she just wants to die. they all seem like viable options.

as soon as mikleo is done, rose stares at him for a good ten seconds, takes a deep breath, and responds. ]

That's all just... that's just so interesting. Seriously, you've really opened my eyes. I never should have doubted you. As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to go check out the library tomorrow and start reading myself. I hope there's an erotica section.

[ her words are... sort of slurred. ]

So what about relationships between, like, seraphim and humans? Is that different than the complex ideas presented in the novel? I mean, could a seraphim and a human, you know...

[ she makes a very obscene gesture with her hands that will very likely sail right above mikleo's pretty head. ]

You seem like you're incredibly engrossed in the idea of... what was it... intercural interspecies romance, Mikleo. Like, super engrossed.

[ she gives him a Look. just... just. a Look. a judgmental look. ]

Hmm.

Edited 2016-10-03 00:39 (UTC)

[he folds his arms with a slight pout; at least Rose not taking an attempt at serious literary or archaeological debate seriously is pretty par for the course.]

It's just an interesting topic! Like, have you seen the variety of people around the base? Apart from small ground like our, everyone's got a different background, and a lot of people aren't human, or have very different backgrounds in how they deal with spirits and seraphim! Of course I'd be attracted to those themes. It's kind of important to understand that sort of thing.

[...he doesn't quite understand the gesture, but he does get the implication of what she says, and does go red this time]

And of course a seraph and a human could. Did we both travel with Zaveid or not?

[ TAKE A DAMN HINT ]

Yeah. Sure. Right. I mean, there's Karkat and Dave and all. Dunno why I didn't think about it. I guess I was so engrossed with the idea of seraphim in particular... and ugh, I'd rather not think about Zaveid, thanks.

[ she sways a little and rests a hand on mikleo's small shoulder, only able to keep steady with his support. sorey is now curled up and half-asleep like a puppy, or something. look i just need him to be Out for this, it doesn't have to make sense in their own thread, w/e, this conversation is happening at some point between some time in theirs, the end. ]

Mikleo.

[ she looks straight at him like she is about to say something so monumental, so life-changing, so incredibly serious. except her eyes are glazed over, and it sort of weakens that effect. ]

Mikleo, please, I am begging you to go ahead and analyze everything I have been saying for the last fifteen minutes, since that's your thing and all. For someone so book smart, you sure are a total idiot in the relationship department.

Seriously, just. Take a minute. I'll wait.

Uh--

[he is not really sure what Rose is getting at here, but 'total idiot in the relationship department' kind of stings, so all right, he'll take her up on it. she's clearly trying very hard to make a point.

hopefully she does not also fall asleep on him which he thinks this through though. she seems a little out of it right now.]

[...

...

...]

[okay he's not totally clueless, Rose was stressing some things oddly. also he is dead sober so when he's not ANALYZING EROTICA IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT it doesn't actually take much to go back, and scan, and...

"He seems thoroughly distracted, doesn't he. It's good to see you two even closer than usual. Friendship is such a wonderful thing, isn't it."

"Hmm. I wonder why Sorey doesn't read me romance novels. Isn't that strange? I mean, we're close friends, aren't we? Friends who do friend things."

"But he's practically in your lap, isn't he?"]

[. . .]

["I mean, could a seraphim and a human, you know..."]

[his voice cracks ENTIRELY as the sledgehammer of realization hits]

Wait, what?

You do realize everyone sees it but you two, don't you?

When I say everyone, I mean everyone.

[ she and the others used to make bets. ]

You did what?! But we didn't -- we're not --

[glances down at Sorey's UNHELPFULLY SLEEPING FACE, still wide-eyed and startled, and then briefly debates cracking open a bottle of his own]

Oh.

Edited 2016-10-03 01:27 (UTC)

[ rose bites back a laugh. she didn't mean for mikleo to get so shocked and confused and everything else to the point where he's eyeing that bottle. she's not exactly surprised. it must be a pretty big thing to take in. this time rose should supervise, though. she's not as drunk as the other two, and if mikleo happens to forget this conversation in the morning and/or insist it never happened, she might actually kill him.

but it finally clicked, and rose calls that a huge victory on her part. even inebriated, she has enough clarity to know that this is a Big Deal. somebody give mikleo a gold star. ]

I mean, you guys sleep in the same bed and cuddle. Look. That is not a friend thing. Not a close friend thing, not a childhood friend thing... it is just not a friend thing, period. Honestly, I have never once seen two people so damn oblivious. It's been driving me up the wall. There are times when all I want to do is yell at you both to just hurry the hell up and kiss already! Do you realize the level of self-control I've had to maintain? You should be impressed!

[ she is sincerely trying her best not to tease him too much, but when she finishes grumping on about their complete idiocy, rose can't be bothered to suppress the amused, proud smile curving her lips. still, when she adds another thought to all that, both her smile and her eyes soften. ]

You do know that, whether he's aware of it or not, he feels the same, right? 'Cause he does.

Edited (GOMEN FOR THE EDITS) 2016-10-03 02:43 (UTC)

Look, someone tried to sleep on my mattress while I was on it in the first month we were here, all right, it was very awkward!

[he gives up and pulls one of the unopened Snake Skins towards him. guess tonight they'll find out if seraphim CAN get drunk. or if he can, anyway.

he looks...so stunned. he may not STOP looking stunned for a month]

This is a lot to -- I--I genuinely--we haven't--I love him. But I'd never really thought about -- what you were talking about? I hadn't.

[ rose is about to sympathetically slide the bottle toward him just before he grabs it himself. with alisha passed out on her shoulder, and mikleo just getting started, she thinks she's had enough for the night. ]

I know. I know you love him. It's okay. Oblivious idiots or not, I-- we-- just want you guys to be happy. Sorey is someone important to me, and so are you. This was bound to happen eventually, alcohol or not, okay. Just took awhile.

... And I mean awhile. Seriously.

[ it's easier to talk Feelings when she's drunk. ]

There's no rush to act on this. Just focus on taking it all in and thinking it through before anything else. Things are going to be different, though; all those "friendship" things that you've finally realized are not quite... uh. Well, friendship things at all.

[ her smile turns into something uncharacteristically warm. rose is usually a loud drunk, a flirtatious drunk, but when she settles down and her head is in a pleasant, hazy fog, it makes things like this easier. time to have a Heart to Heart, buddy. if someone told her she'd be having a conversation like this with mikleo any time back home, she would have laughed in disbelief. ]

Sadly, Sorey's head is still in the clouds, and it's up to you whether you decide to do something about it or not.

... Look, it seems like it's just the two of us until these guys wake up tomorrow with two hangovers that we'll have to nurse. You can talk, if you need to. Alcohol helps with that. Talking, I mean.

[ and, really... who else is mikleo going to be able to talk to? rose is his best bet. ]

So go ahead. And don't bother trying to be eloquent, either. You know I don't care.

Edited (2000000 typos) 2016-10-03 03:25 (UTC)

[he heaves a sigh and then takes a cautious swallow of the liquor; he stole a sip of Sorey's earlier, so he's prepared for the taste and the burn of it going down, but his eyes still water a bit. that stuff is strong. no wonder Sorey and Alisha are laid out already. it gives him an excuse to be quiet for a bit, though, putting some of his whirling thoughts together]

They are friendship things, though. I mean...I suppose they don't really look that way from outside-- [now that he thinks about it?] --but. I don't know. It's...hard to wrap my head around, that people thought we were--

Wait, really all of you? Zaveid betting? Edna?

[god, he doesn't really want an answer. he doesn't quite want to think about that (and it's not just the surface indignation; he's still pretty homesick for them.) instead, he shifts his seat a bit so he can balance Sorey and the bottle more comfortably, and takes another drink. it goes down a little easier the second time.]

I mean...what am I supposed to say? I don't know if he'd want to. I don't know if I want to. We'd both have to...think about it...talk about it...?

[he's getting a little less stuttery and a little more thoughtful as he goes on. none if it's an objection exactly; he has no visceral recoil reaction from the thought of, say, kissing Sorey. it's just a new, strange shape in his overanalytical head, one that hasn't quite found its place.

he vaguely wishes the others were awake; it's odd to have this revelation that involves the two of them come to just him, first. but at the same time, well, both of them trying to sort this out while drinking seems like it might've been its own sort of disaster. all right. maybe it's for the best things fell out this way, talking to Rose first.

Rose. he stops looking into the mouth of the bottle and finally looks up at her again. when in doubt: debate a little.]

Have you ever wanted to? How did you know?

[ rose listens carefully, mulling mikleo's words over as he tries to form thoughts into words and taking them all in as much as she can while still pretty intoxicated. judging by how much mikleo is drinking, she has an inkling that he'll be worse off than both sorey and alisha, but hell, she'd need a drink in his position, too. rose doesn't say a word until mikleo looks at her expectantly, holding eye contact before she breathes out and answers. ]

Have I ever wanted to... well, yeah. I've only ever been interested in other girls, and I mean, I wouldn't say I'm all that experienced or anything, but like I said. Yeah, sure I have.

Maybe Zaveid would stop hitting on me if I told him I'm only into ladies, huh?

[ she manages a lighthearted smile, an attempt at easing the tension in the room, but her eyes dart over to alisha, who has slumped over and is using her thigh as a pillow. rose looks back at mikleo so quickly she hardly realizes she glanced at her at all. ]

But love?

[ rose just... outright laughs this time, a very drunk laugh but genuine all the same. what a ridiculous thing to even start to think about. ]

No! Just the idea is too much to even wrap my head around! Yikes.

[ she pauses to collect herself before pressing on. ]

But you know that I'm nothing like you two. The total opposite, more or less. I've spent my life traveling, meeting new people, and I can say that I've never seen anything close to what you and Sorey have. Period. I mean, come on, Mikleo. Think about it. You're practically dating already! You guys have done everything together, haven't you? This is just the next step. A barrier that you still haven't breached.

Sure, I can't speak from experience, but judging by the look on your face, the sudden realization that you've been in love for god knows how long is kind of like getting hit with a sack of bricks. But when you know, you know, and that's all there is to it.

Edited 2016-10-04 18:33 (UTC)

Think about it together. Talk about it together. Isn't that how you guys have always done things? What makes this so different? That's another thing to think about.

I could promise you, without a doubt, that Sorey feels the same, but I also know you well enough to know that you'll need to navigate that on your own. But when it sinks in, stop obsessing and start deciding how you're planning on acting.

[ her smile lights up, eyes practically sparkling with enthusiasm. she is so glad this is happening. ]

I say go for it! I mean it. I'll even be your wingman. Whenever you need a push, I'll be right there to nudge you guys in the right direction. I've got your back, okay. That's what friends are for!

And as for the betting thing? Yes. All of us. Minus Alisha, bless her, but it's not like she was there to disapprove in the first place. Zaveid and I were the most insistent on it, Edna decided Meebo was incapable of ever being anything but clueless, and Lailah refused to get in on the bet because she was always too busy gushing about how sweet it was to see such pure love between a Shepherd and his sub lord. Honestly, Lailah was on another level.

[ a sheepish smile before an amused laugh escapes her. what? it's hilarious. she can't wait to hear their reactions. it'll be great. ]

Sorry, but you guys have never been remotely subtle. It looks like a lot has changed over the past six months, though, huh.

[there's a lot to unpack here, and he listens to her with widening eyes. he doesn't think he's heard Rose be this chatty before -- not about these topics, anyway. then again, he did ask pretty pointedly...]

I didn't know you were just interested in other girls. It -- makes sense, though. I'm really still not sure how Sergei bought into that act of yours and Sorey's, now that I think about it. Guess he's really just that pure.

[having just started in on the alcohol (he's kind of clutching the bottle to himself, like a talisman against the sudden onslaught of heart-to-heart feelings), he doesn't miss Rose's quick glance at Alisha, and files it away to think about.

and then drinks a little more. alcohol really makes it easier to get the words out, somehow; he's starting to feel the effects, the warm hazy fuzz creeping over his thoughts. it reminds him of the elixir in Goddodin, but stronger.]

We've never thought about it too much. You're right that we've always been together...ever since I can remember. Gramps and the others in Elysia are all older seraphs; we were the only kids. And Sorey's...always been like this. He's just good...he loves everyone. You think he's sentimental now? You're lucky you never ran into him as a child.

[to be together; to share their lives and their dreams. yes, he supposes that's love. it's always been love, even if they haven't used the word much. romance, though...being in love...maybe he needs to look in URSULA's databases too. interesting as they are, they are not using the library's catalog of racy novels as their main reference point.]

...and I don't think we changed that much. Or maybe I've relaxed some, but...Sorey is Sorey. You know, maybe that is his true name. We just...missed you, though.

We missed home. We're used to being together, but we weren't really used to missing something together, so maybe we hung on a little harder to each other. Maybe...maybe that's the difference you're seeing?

[he's having trouble verbalizing a consistent train of thought, and there's a lurid flush climbing his face, from the alcohol or the talk topic or both. it's not at dangerous levels yet, but he's definitely being a bit reckless with the bottle considering how strong it is -- and considering that he wants to be a little out of his head for this, and considering how seraphim desire can mess with things a little?

yeah. Mikleo can absolutely get drunk tonight, very quickly.]

...anyway. The point I am getting at. The...the reason I have to think about it is, if you tell Sorey 'I love you' he's not really going to get that you mean it romantically. And by you, I mean me.

So...a wingman would be a good idea. And the idea of you as a wingman is a lot less terrible than Zaveid. So. Thanks...?

OPEN MINGLE: September 25-30

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1/?

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DONE

oh my GOD this is such a gift.

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1/3?

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3/3 holy shit tl;dr i am so sorry

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this is belated but mikleo is so cute i had to