lake party invite + mingle (open)

[channellings]

Who: any and everyone!
Where: the lake and nearby!
When: right now! (july 7th, afternoon)
What: motha 👏 fuckin 👏 lake 👏 party
Warnings: Language (!!!) for now, will be added as needed!



[no, this is not a joke and yes, it's an actual invite to a party over the network from the username: cock.licking.idiot (and no, that's not a joke, either).

those who decide that they'd rather not be square will arrive at some unspecified patch of lake shore (thanks, klaus) at a similarly unspecified time (good work, asshat) to discover that something resembling a slapdash but heartfelt lake party along the northern waterfront. a couple of tables have been dragged out of nearby cabins and now hold a probably inadvisable quantity of foods, at least half of which don't belong at a party by any means. is this what rationing looks like? this is definitely what rationing looks like. there's also an alcohol table, filled pretty sparsely early on in the party but gathering bottles and cans throughout the day. (word of mod says feel free to wing it on what kind of alcohol we have!).

a number of chairs sit in a wobbly line in the stone-filled waterfront sand, most of them not meant for beachgoing but nearly all of them able to recline. about fifty feet down the beach seems to be the splash zone, where all water horseplay exists well out of range of splashing those sitting in beachside chairs. some people dive or cannonball off the mostly-sturdy pier, while others seem to be batting around a-... is that a beach ball they have? no, it seems to be a balloon that says "get well soon". how fitting. please, someone bring them a fucking beach ball.

(this is a mingle! go ahead and make top-levels or tag into other people's.)]

Comments

[channellings]

[klaus stays bobbing where he's at for now, waiting until emil hauls his ass outta the water then he swims backward somewhat, lifts himself – with both his arms and the slightest help from telekinesis – to clamber up onto the dock and sprawl out beside his friend.

see? didn't expect it and totally did not need it. (let's be real, he would've without the superpower boost.)

attention mostly focused on the fireball, he tilts his head, twists around so he's propped on his elbows, lifts his chin just enough to consider emil.] I think so, [comes the (surprisingly) truthful answer followed by equally sincere questions,]

What about you, though? Did you have any fun?

[enflame]

❰ emil's head shakes, rotating the ball in his hands just for something to idly do. for as disdainful as it feels in theory to be celebrating, he also sees the appeal in drinking more, trying to find any way to distract himself from the prickling anxiety inside.

it isn't just one singular event that concerns him; he could move past that and then be relieved it was over. no, it's instead the whole purpose of being here, and thus existing in general feels very...prickly at this moment. ❱

I don't know how anyone could have fun knowing what we know now.

[channellings]

[there's truth in that for real; klaus is even considering getting up and stumbling his way back for more alcohol, even if he shouldn't. not right this moment though, considering emil's state, the way he's obviously upset they'll all be suffering. (or dying! don't forget that lovely part, either.)

perhaps he can't control those things here, but he sure as hell is going to do his best and make certain his friends don't die.] Hey, [klaus murmurs, gently nudging his knuckles against emil's side.]

I'm not going to let anything happen to you guys, alright?

[enflame]

❰ the reassurance does nothing but deflate emil. that is an empty promise, and he knows it deep in his mind, even if he wishes he could cling to it like some golden truth. he doesn't even have the energy to panic at the endless possibilities for torture or demise right now.

instead, he's holding back from saying 'you know that's not true.' the person most dedicated to keeping him alive watched emil die before, through no fault of his own, and that's just...how it was, how it is, how it might be. death can happen, and it can happen to any of them, as much as they might not want it to.

he sighs, vanishing his orb to grab at his dripping sleeve, ringing out water onto the already dampened dock. the subject has to be changed before he sobers enough to ruminate on this more. ❱

Do anything salacious at this party of yours? ❰ because that is something he'd rather talk about this, that's the position he is in right now. ❱

[channellings]

[suffering is one thing, death is something else altogether and that's the one he's more looking to prevent. because sure, torture sucks, but dying is far worse— not to mention, klaus isn't keen on the idea of possibly seeing his friend die a second time.

regardless, the promise won't be an empty one, so long as he's alive to make certain. (funny, he didn't even consider that until right now, of course.) once the fireball disappears and leaves them without its warm glow, he shivers faintly, rolls his shoulders then shakes his head in an attempt to brush off the uncomfortable sensation. as long as i'm around to prevent shit from happening, goddamn it.

he huffs a soft laugh, moves around on the dock, sits beside emil with his legs crisscrossed and his hands in his lap.] Maybe something considered gross, but nothing salacious. Wow, who do you take me for?

[enflame]

❰ it might not be possible for klaus to see the unsure glance that emil sends him in the darkening evening, but he for sure received one. you know who you are, klaus...they both know. ❱

I figured if you were going to throw a party, you'd really throw yourself into it.

❰ not that emil has fully seen klaus get really into the groove of things, but again. he knows who he's dealing with here. ❱

You're much more sober than I thought you'd be.

[channellings]

[perhaps not, but klaus is well-aware it's there and they do both know him, after all. for now though, his attention stays put on the edge of the dock; eye-contact isn't the best idea despite it already being damn near impossible, anyway.]

I was more drunk earlier, [he admits, giving the faintest shrug.] Sobered up a little because— [does he really want to give emil this kinda fodder to use against him? eh, it seems fair after all the trouble he's given the swede.]

Because Rhys and I talked. Really ‘sealed the deal,’ as it were.

[enflame]

❰ use against him? wow, oh ye of little faith.

well. perhaps it could be something used against him if emil knew what the hell is going on. ❱

Sealed what deal? ❰ it's a question asked with utmost sincerity. are they going into business somehow...? ❱

[channellings]

[hey, he's only assuming he'll get as good as he gives and it's fair in emil's case! though klaus could've perhaps worded it differently since his friend seems outrightly confused by the turn of phrase.] The deal, yeah?

[but as he takes a better look at emil, it dawns on him he truly doesn't get it.] We're officially boyfriends now.

[enflame]

❰ there's a very long pause before emil fully turns, as much as he can still sitting on the edge of the dock, to give klaus a series of looks -- and they increase in stages of confusion. ❱

You...weren't before?

❰ like this tea is ICE COLD; he remembers talking to lalli about this months before they got magicked out of asgard. ❱

[channellings]

Wh— [he stops, narrows his eyes and wrinkles his nose before realizing emil's serious, which in turn makes his eyes snap open all the way. is this a literal record scratch moment?]

What? No, we weren't, we were more like... I dunno, friends with benefits.

[‘fuckbuddies’ certainly isn't right since there are too many Feelings behind it, so klaus'll just default to that and pretend like he's not somewhat embarrassed by the fact emil had already decided he and rhys were together.]

[enflame]

❰ emil's hand has gone up, signifying he doesn't need to have whatever sexual exchange he knew they had going on clarified after the fact. he supposes it was naive to just assume that meant something more official was going on...and wow, it's certainly been going on for such a long time. ❱

Well, congratulations. I'm glad you're happy. Uh, Rhys too.

❰ which is absolutely the truth, as evident by how his tone and demeanor have softened. it really is good news, which he realizes is a sentiment that he perhaps should have been more up front about when he thought the relationship was real previously. ❱

Hell of a time to start a relationship, though. ❰ maybe that makes sense, though. he himself isn't adverse to the reality of tragedy making feelings seem that much more sharp and pressing. ❱

[channellings]

[lucky for emil, klaus doesn't find it necessary to elaborate what sort of activities he and rhys have been getting up to lately. in his defense though, the swede's right, the two of them were doing the friends with benefits thing for so long, it seemed safe enough to assume.

and honestly, he isn't even mad.] Thanks, man. Guess this means you, me, Lalli, and Rhys will have to do a double-date sometime. [is he kidding? (no, not really, but it's kinda funny anyhow.) joking aside, klaus's smile returns, he lifts the hand closest to emil and claps it down onto his shoulder, gently gives a reassuring squeeze.]

Yeah, well... I don't think we'll be leaving anytime soon, so c'est la vie and all that jazz.

[enflame]

❰ the thought of that seems more...awkward? bizarre at the least, rather than cute. rhys and klaus are in an entirely different bracket of...the word isn't maturity, since klaus is anything but. experience. he'll definitely feel a weird vibe being around them, considering he knows what they've been up to so long.

but best not to kill the hype for the poor man. ❱ Yeah, sure. ❰ maybe his brain is just in a negative place right now...thanks to the information klaus follows up with. to be with other people, distracted during this hard time would actually be exactly what emil wants. ❱

You really think so? ❰ it's a surprise to emil that he even asks it, but the question comes out softly and suddenly. to be stuck here for any period of time is nerve-wracking...to think it will be a long time is absolutely devastating. ❱

[channellings]

[hey, klaus could behave for one day and not traumatize his gaybies. and besides, by the time they probably remember this conversation, there will be places they could actually go for it! (not to mention, the depression won't be hanging so heavily over them.)

but really though, he should stop saying stuff that upsets emil. if it's people he wants to be around, he's got him, lalli, reynir, rhys(?) and perhaps some other individuals he's met here, too.]

I think so, [he confirms, huffing an almost exasperated-sounding sigh.] Which sucks because horror central seems way worse than Asgard, you feel me? At least we sort of knew what was going on there... [dying was also an option rather than an inevitability.]

[enflame]

I feel you.

❰ it's very terse. he likes klaus, and doesn't have the energy to snap at him for stating what is essentially the obvious. no one needs to tell emil twice that being stuck in some torture town is worse than his old life. his great life, and one he'd severed a lot of mental ties for. and now he's even a degree further from sweden -- that didn't ache as much in asgard, but it hurts here.

if he keeps sitting on the side of the dock, he'll keep leaning over, curling into himself and fall off into the water again. instead, emil deflates backwards, lying down against the damp boards while he hands go up to rub his face in frustration. ❱

Why us?

[channellings]

[does he? does emil feel him? no, but really, klaus imagines he does, considering they're both stuck in this hellhole. but at least they can look forward to the fact they aren't by themselves and that despite everything, they still have their magic. eventually, klaus's going to learn he even has supernatural abilities he'd thought long gone after being in asgard for forever.

out of the corner of his eye, he casts his friend a glance, momentarily looking astonished by the bluntness of his question, though it softens into a halfhearted smile before he mutters.]

I dunno, man. Maybe hanging out with me for so long, my shitty luck has rubbed off on you, too.