linkingup | mid-week 11; un: monday

mid-week 11; un: monday

[ With the regression of the city, working at Sunset Theater has quickly become less enjoyable than it used to be. Though the cast remembers the rapport McGillis had built with them, even if they're more standoffish now. And it's not as though McGillis had placed much stock in his interpersonal relationships to the random citizens, but... the shift in atmosphere serves as a tangible reminder. That this is temporary. That this world is susceptible to insane levels of mind manipulation. That he wants to leave.

Leave and... do what? That's the question that has haunted McGillis for weeks now, and the countdown is mercilessly continuing. Soon Braphine will release them from her hold, one way or another. Soon, he'll have to know. And so will everyone else. ]

Just a little over two weeks until we're free from this, if Braphine really keeps her word and the God of Conflict doesn't swallow up all her power. Until then we'll doubtlessly face a number of additional challenges and hassles, but while we're still in the quiet before the storm...

Are you going home to your own worlds after this? Or will you take Braphine up on her offer and come along with one of your 'bonds'? What is your world like? What is making you return? What is making you abandon it?

And if you're like me and cannot return to where you came from no matter what, maybe the answers can give you some perspective.

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[HE'S JUST BARKING, ELI.]

And you think he'll actually manage to now? Please.

[ bark bark bark ]

i dunno ur sure?

If I wasn't, I wouldn't still be talking to you here.

[He'd be going for the intercept, too, don't worry.]

okay that is true thanks celeste

[...We can be a little embarrassing. As a treat.]

💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

[ WHY?! Aaaa, okay, he isn't sure how to make those but after a minute he figures... ]

<3

[ See, that's a heart, too! ]

tho on the topic of this i mean we should probably talk too

[Oh the one hand, he could probably teach Eli the wonders of the emoji menu. On the other hand, <3 all by its little lonesome is also very cute.

But there's no time to consider that with the other... topic at hand.]

Ah.
You are right, of course...

[He's sure been Having Thoughts, but... it's probably getting to the point where he ought to share them, huh.]

meet me on the roof???

[ Speaking of the roof, on a less serious note, ]

i finally dragged a couch up there

Better late than never~
I'll be right there.

[He makes a mental note to put a couch on his balcony when he gets home, if the hypothetical Best Case Scenario ends up being the true outcome.

But for now, he will settle onto the Roof Couch once he makes it up there... might as well be comfortable for the conversation that's been looming for a while now.]

Ta-da! Roof couch!

[ Eli puts off the looming conversation for at least a few more minutes by excitedly spreading his arms out across the couch as though revealing something truly amazing. It is... a couch. He probably dragged it up here from a corner somewhere, meaning it's fairly beat up and a little crooked.

But it's still good! Good enough to be a roof couch, anyway. ]

Do I want to know how you managed to get this up here all on your own?

[Eli!! You could have asked for help!! But of course it was a repurposed corner-couch, beat up and already worn-in. That's more than fine. It's a perfectly serviceable roof couch. Celeste might be attributing one of the wobbly legs to Eli dragging it up on his own, whether or not that's actually the case.]

We should have found one sooner.

[But then it would have been harder to actually get up and leave the roof. Hm.]

With a whole lot of cussing, that's how.

[ But he did it! It's here! With Celeste sitting on it with him, which was the ultimate goal this entire time. He slides across from where he was seated to sit close to Celeste instead. ]

We should have, yeah, but shit kept happening. It's here now, though.

I can only imagine...

[The bigger surprise is that no one posted about it on the network. Sneaky sneaky.

But with Eli sitting closer, Celeste settles against him as always. He's really trying not to think about how much he'll miss how easily they slot together after all this.]

It is. And we're here, now.

[So. That uncomfortable talk, huh.]

Yeah.

[ Here they are. Eli's quiet a moment longer. He's taking it in, doing his best to commit this to memory: them, finally up here on their ridiculous roof couch, leaning comfortably against one another... He can't avoid asking what needs to be asked forever, however. ]

What do we do if we can't go between worlds at the end of this, Celeste?

Edited 2024-10-21 14:44 (UTC)

[He doesn't mind the continued quiet. It lets the moment stretch on longer. Here, where so many important things have happened for them, finally with their silly little roof couch. It's comfortable. Warm.

Nothing can last forever, though.]

If we can't go between worlds, then we'll make a decision.

[Presented like it's just that simple, even if he knows it isn't.]

I... want to leave it at that, but we shouldn't. If we make our decision now...

[Then there will be time to simply be. To enjoy what's left here.

And that doesn't mean they can't - or won't - make stupid snap decisions later.]

[ If only they could leave it at that... This isn't something to leave to the last-second decision, though, is it? ]

My world... doesn't have a whole lot to offer except me. There aren't any circuses or even places for shows and entertainment. Everyone's focused on rebuilding or just surviving. Vampires are part of the RH population, but they aren't treated a whole lot better than I am.

[It isn't. Even if they'd like to. Even if the decision is changed and made last-minute anyway.]

You say that like you wouldn't be reason enough.

[But he does have a point, even if he hasn't said it. There's the risk that going to Eli's world - one of hardship, one where they aren't at a point he could actively participate in his passions except on his own time. There's the risk of resentment there, with time, if the decision isn't made carefully.]

And my world isn't so different from this one. It's established, and comfortable. You wouldn't want for anything material. But we would be living in the shadows. People who know what we are would look at us strangely for being together, other werewolves wouldn't accept you because you're different, if humans find out what we are, there's the risk of hunters showing up on our doorstep. That... sounds worse than it is, truly. I would be there with you, obviously... but your mom wouldn't.

I mean, as much as we want to believe in true love and all that crap, we have to be realistic, right? I don't want you to be miserable because I love you, Celeste, and I don't want you to sacrifice your happiness...

[ There was a whole wild shadow ride about this, Celeste. ]

I don't give a crap about other people. Werewolves, hunters, whatever. I... did say I'd stay with you, right? Even if it meant staying with you as a Shadow... I wasn't making that up...

[ But vanishing without even letting his mom know what happened? She'd think he was dead. Could he live with that? In the end? ]

[There sure was a whole wild shadow ride about this.

And Eli also said he'd stay with him, even as a Shadow, so... that consideration does go both ways.]

We do. And I won't have you sacrifice your happiness, either.

[And if living with guilt would taint any comfort they had...]

Back then, I would have gladly dragged you down into darkness with me. Now... I want to stay with you, wherever that takes us... but I also want to give you the world, however I can.

dw is rude af

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also a few minutes later over here

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