say or do

[daughterofthemark]

Who: everyone's invited, everyone
What: Truth or Dare!
When: Evening of August 25
Where: Keystone Rise common room
Warnings: nothing expected? there are children here

[Friday morning a network post appears which reads:]

For the enjoyment of all, and that we may come to know each other more closely, you are cordially invited to the Keystone Rise common room this evening at seven o'clock for refreshments and the classic party game "Truth or Dare." Everyone will be welcome, regardless of age.

[As promised, residents arriving in the common room will find a table with an assortment of food and drink laid out. (Don't worry, Yuuri helped with the food, so it's not just the candy aisle. Be sure to thank Goro for the drinks later.) Arianna's also brought in an assortment of couches (which she apparently carried???) and extra chairs, a few of which are those slightly uncomfortable bank chairs Arianna seems to like for some reason.

The lady herself waits by the entrance, greeting everyone who comes in, until it looks like her guests are done arriving. Then she gets up on a chair to speak.]

Good evening, everyone, and welcome.

I presume many of you are familiar with the game we are to play tonight. For those who are not, it is simple. We'll draw lots to determine the play order, and then each player will ask the next "truth or dare?" If the other player responds with "truth," you may ask them a question which they must answer truthfully. If they instead say "dare," you may instead give them a command they must obey. Once all players have taken a turn, we'll play a second around, and continue for as long as you are interested.

Now, there are of course several rules. While embarrassing other players is arguably an intended goal of the game, making them uncomfortable is not, and if that is the effect of your truth or dare I must ask that you change it. Moreover, please keep in mind your respective ages and those of your audience, and do nothing that the rest of us would find inappropriate in that regard.

If all this is understood, then without further ado, let us begin.

[OOC: So how this actually works is, you post a toplevel and other people respond to it. ICly the assignments are random like Arianna says, but OOCly you can just tag whoever you want, go back and forth, etc. And as she mentioned, there are children here, so try to behave appropriately.

I'll be ripping off Nai's format and posting toplevels for responding to Arianna's network post and for pregame chatter. Non-ToD threads should go under one of those.]

Comments

[nor_iron_bars]

Pfft, Maddie knows better. The two of communicate in sarcasm and shitposts, like good millennials.

[READ INTO IT, LILY.]

Maybe I'm just nicer with you.

[ax_iom]

Well, I'm certain she's meant it.

[she can't read into this ok what if she's wrong]

[nor_iron_bars]

Sometimes if you mean something, it's easier to show it than to say it.

[She winks, and adds:]

At least when it comes to you, I know how to kiss like I mean it.

[Look, the subtext is now just. Text. Possibly in neon.]

[ax_iom]

... What do you mean?

[LILY SHE LITERALLY JUST SAID

but she's. starting to connect the dots. and it's making a picture she doesn't quite think she's willing to believe.]

[nor_iron_bars]

[Her first instinct is to dodge, to deflect, but- no. For once in your life, dammit, tell the truth.]

Means I'm kinda stupid amounts of into you. Like, romantically. Been that way for a while.

[ax_iom]

Wha- But- You? Me?!

[SHE'S SO CONFUSED SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO COPE WITH THIS

how

how do people talk

how do words work

how does anything happen]

[nor_iron_bars]

[DO YOU THINK SHE KNOWS, LILY, THIS WOMAN HAS BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU FOR OVER A YEAR AND FOLLOWED YOU INTO WHAT SHE HONESTLY THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE A FAILED REVOLUTION WITHOUT EVER SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.]

Yeah, talk about outta my league, right? But you don't seem to get the part where you're way too good for me, so I sure the fuck wouldn't mind getting to hang around until you figure that one out.

[ax_iom]

[hey.

HEY.

if there's anything that could break lily out of that useless lesbian funk, it's that. She immediately reaches up to smoosh Jail's cheeks. As best she can with that mask, anyway.]

Don't say that. You're amazing, you know?

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail can't even pretend not to find the cheeksmush endearing at this point.]

See, that's what I'm talking about- you think you aren't amazing, and then some? Dunno how to break it to you, princess, but you're pretty fucking awesome.

[ax_iom]

[She shakes her head.]

I was lucky enough to just be born with amazing powers. You worked for yours. You've done so much... I know how hard you worked to get to where you are now.

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail somehow manages not to blush- or, if she does, it's hidden by her mask.]

You trying to tell me you don't work harder than any of us? You? I've seen you do more for the whole damn world in one day than I've done in a fucking decade- not even because you can play with fire or through lasers around, but because you're you. Your powers matter a hell of a lot less than the way you keep caring about people, no matter how hard it is or how fucked up we all are.

I gave up a long time ago, said 'fuck it, the world can save itself'. But you? You actually kept fighting, when you'd been through more shit than I ever had. And then you turn around and wonder why we wanna give you the chance to rest for once.

[ax_iom]

...

[She just stands there in silence for a minute. She doesn't know what to say. Her heart is racing, there's so many emotions battling inside of her that she fears they're going to burst out any minute, her magic might start slipping, but what should she do?]

... Hey, Jail...? Do you need to put the mask back on all the way? Are you going to be okay like this?

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail is officially out of her emotional depth, here. If she's being honest with herself, they have been for a while- normally her emotional depth is somewhere around the shallow end of a public pool, and this feels more like submarine territory.]

Huh? Nah, it's fine as long as the rest of it's still on- got this part over my nose, so it doesn't matter if my mouth isn't covered.

[It doesn't work as an actual gasmask this way, admittedly, but the magitech part still functions just fine.]

[ax_iom]

In that case.... Um. In that case...

[She looks away, turning red.]

... Could you kiss me again...?

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail doesn't say anything. Actions, when you don't have the words, right?]

[Instead, she reaches out, one hand cupping the back of Lily's head with undeniable tenderness, and kisses her again.]

[With enthusiasm.]

[ax_iom]

[And Lily leans into it happily, up on her toes, wrapping her arms around Jail's shoulders to help balance herself.

She... very clearly has no idea what she's doing, but she likes this enough to put that aside and try.]

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail very clearly does know what she's doing- apparently, she wasn't kidding about getting better with practice- and just as clearly has no objections to Lily's efforts. She slings her other arm around Lily's waist to brace her and deepens the kiss, adding passion to the gentleness.]

[Even with her mask, they'll both have to come up for air eventually. But... maybe not just yet.]

[Just now, this is all that matters. How often has Lily been told, has she told herself, that she didn't matter, that other people were the only thing that counted?]

[Too often, Jail's pretty sure. So even if it can't make up for that, just now she's going to kiss Lily like she deserves, like she's the only person out there in the whole entire world. Everyone deserves to feel that way, at least once. And Lily's earned a lot more than that.]

[ax_iom]

[Her mind is blank. She doesn't know what to do. She's not entirely convinced this is real, and not some particularly weird dream.

But still... She likes this. Some part of her, some deeply repressed part, wants more, craves this, craves to feel like she matters.

It's awkward. Clumsy. Her nose bumps Jail's mask a couple times. But by the time she has to break it off to let them breathe, she's breathless and flushed.]

... Wow...

[yeah that's. that's all she's got now.]

[nor_iron_bars]

Wow.

[Jail agrees, smiling softly. It's a strange expression for her, but maybe... not a bad one? More gentle than her usual grin and unfamiliar on her face, still not quite able to believe that just happened.]

[But she wouldn't mind being convinced.]

[ax_iom]

That was... You're... I... Wow.

[words. words are hard. how is she supposed to words at a time like this?]

... What... does this mean...? For us?

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail shrugs uncertainly, still carefully holding Lily in one arm.]

I dunno. Think maybe we're gonna have to spend some time figuring that one out.

[She looks at Lily at her expression is... surprisingly vulnerable for a moment, hesitant. It's a far cry from her usual recklessness- but Jail's never been afraid to put her life and limb at risk. This? This could actually hurt her, and she knows it.]

Know I wanna do this again. That I wanna be with you, and stay with you, and make you happy. See if we can make each other happy, and figure out how all this dating shit works.

Is that... something you want, too?

[ax_iom]

... I...

[That vulnerable expression catches her off-guard. She's not sure what to do. How to handle this. But... She knows one thing.]

I want... you to be happy. More than anything... I want to make you happy. And I'm... willing to try to learn... to figure all this out...

[She's growing steadily redder and redder, but.]

So... Yes?

[nor_iron_bars]

Funny thing- more than anything, I want you to be happy. Guess we're just... gonna have to work together on that one?

[She can think of worse fates.]

Probably oughtta ask this all proper, think that's how people do it, so:

You wanna go on a date with me?

[Oh sure, make out with her and then remember to ask.]

[ax_iom]

I...! Um, I...!

Yes. Yes I would.

[help her]

[nor_iron_bars]

Awesome.

[Jail's grinning like a dork and she's not even sorry.]

I'm free tomorrow night if you are, we can meet up in the common room? Think I can come up with a couple fun things for us to do 'round here. ...Not the euphemism kinda fun things, but we can totally do those too if you want.

[Well, that was almost a normal attempt at asking a girl out, at least.]