TEST DRIVE MEME #27

[penancemods]

Arrival

"Judgement has come upon you. God has deemed you worthy of Hell. But don't worry, it can still be undone," comes a soothing voice that echoes all around you. The voice promises comfort, hope even.

It may seem like a nightmare at first, despite all of that. Full of hellfire nipping at your skin and a sensation of being pulled down no matter how much you struggle or cry for help. Wretched, unseen hands pull at you, grip tight at your body, tighten on your throat, skeletal fingers grab at your face, slide in your mouth and jab at your eyes as they struggle for purchase. It feels like for a moment, they may snap your neck as they tug and pull. The more you resist, the more phantom hands are added to your struggling body.

It feels like they could tear you apart if you let them. The only thing to do is to let go and stop fighting.

And so you do.

Darkness and nothingness consumes you for a second, but only a second.

Initially, everyone opens their eyes to a long, dark corridor made of stone. They find themselves in what appears to be a long queue with other sinners, palm bloody.

Characters find their bodies feel heavy and stiff, bruised with odd hand prints here and there that they received during their journey down below. A massive headache throbs behind their temples. They are urged forward to take a numbered ticket and wait their turn in the long line. As they're ushered forward through the corridor, their first stop will be to see Lilith, standing outside her office.

The woman in a smart suit and a friendly smile steps forward to greet sinners one by one. "I'm sorry for your rough landing. We've never gotten it quite as smooth as it was in the past. Please, let me see your hand--"

Once she has the sinner's hand, there's the warm, almost electric touch of magic that soothes away the aches and pains, heals the wound left behind on each sinner's palm. Lilith looks satisfied with her work and gives a nod. "There, all better. Please continue on until you reach Death's office. He'll have your contracts ready for you."

There's a slightly wicked twist to her lips. "Please do feel free to ask him about any of those sins listed..."

And so on, sinners travel until they finally arrived at another office where Death sits waiting. Here is where you'll receive a contract detailing all sins committed. If they look at the list closely enough they'll notice it's written on with their blood. That explains the wound then. It's an old piece of parchment despite the freshly written letters upon it. Death will also provide slightly more modern smart phone. Think early generation Android.

Seems as though Hell has moved on up from the very old Blackberry type phone.

Once characters have their device and their contracts, they're ushered further down the hall. It seems to go on and wind forever, but eventually, they come upon the lobby of Penance hotel. Once there, they will notice several shops and other areas around the front desk.

The demon at the front desk looks rather bored, but when sinners approach? He seems to snap to attention to offer whatever help they might need of him. He will at least direct to food or rooms to rest their wary bodies, or recommend sights to see around the hotel.


Stand Your Ground

While the Mares have gone, as per Death's bargain with God, and reconstructing Penance is coming along fairly well, the air is carrying with it a cold crispness that sends a chill down one's spine. Lucifer is still nowhere to be found, and if pressured, staff will say he's having talks with the other Lords of Hell, as well as God himself. Things need to be worked out, no matter how difficult it is for Lucifer to accept and swallow his pride. He won't be around to offer warmth to the Penance community and it may, in fact, be mirroring his current mood.

Or it may be the creeping sense of doom that's following so many around now that The Veiled Order has been able to nearly complete their next spell. Local demons will plainly say that God won't help them against this threat, that he doesn't care if Hell is destroyed, and others will be very hush about the situation entirely. No need to scare the local sinners, new or old!

Instead just enjoy the reopening businesses around the local area! Nothing is off-limits. Hellburbia seems to have suffered some extensive damage recently, but not to worry! There's talk of building back better than ever.

Other than that, Helluva Cup has a new spiced drink... and spiced everything. That's right! Pumpkin spice has apparently come early this year... and it may be a bit overpowering and in everything in the coffee shop, regardless of what you order. Even Bean, the 'friendly' hell rat the owner keeps in the shop seems to be feasting on pumpkin flavored meat. That's probably okay. Right?

Penance Library is offering a special reading of Leviathan-specific reads. The local goblins will be doing readings every afternoon for all who care to listen or to stick around and discuss it. These will all be fictional in nature, not historic texts.

Strangely enough, there seems to be a sort of curfew happening. While everyone will not be expected to be in the hotel necessarily, they must take shelter in the newly opened Club Penance, Casino Styx, Hella Shorty's, or other establishments. They must either stay the night in these establishments or be escorted to the hotel by demonic guards. These guards will be doing rounds around the Penance community to ensure no one is out alone. Do not fight them or they may surprise you with how strong they can be.

Additionally, anyone caught defying curfew knowingly or fighting back will be locked in their rooms for up to three days as a potential danger to the community as a whole. There are all sorts of dangers lurking out there and the demons are absolutely trying to keep everyone as safe as they can!

Otherwise, it's business as usual around Penance, so go on an exploration! Bundle up against the cold! Have fun!


Reach Up High

WARNINGS: cutting, blood, torture

Whether you've been here for months or you're freshly arrived, your demonic overlord unfortunately expects some participation despite the current state of things. You can try and shirk the responsibility, of course. You can bargain your way out of it for a while. But eventually, you may find yourself trapped in a room just off the gym that's been fondly dubbed The Torture Room. It has all manner of equipment in there, along with an iron maiden even.

But don't worry about any of that right now. It probably won't be used.

You can try the door, but even with super human strength or every lock picking skill in the book, you won't be able to open it.

It soon becomes apparent what you're supposed to do when someone else is eventually shoved in with you. Both of your lists of sins will appear on a table that's been placed in the center of the room with two handy knives. You can choose to guard these or not care at all that they're on display.

"Unfortunately, due to Father coming back into the picture, I know that He will demand punishment be delivered despite our circumstances. I have chosen a rather easy one, focused on honesty and acceptance of your sins. Please pick up a knife and choose a sin from each of your lists to carve upon your skin. Aid each other in your journey, carve the words to help your fellow penitent be candid with everyone around them!"

The voice rings out within the sinners' heads as it always does, although Lucifer seems agitated at the moment, hesitant in some way that he usually isn't.

"I do apologize for this. If it was up to me, you would have been free of additional torment this month. However, there will be additional incentive for anyone who should try to resist the task I've appointed them."

It isn't a lie nor an idle threat either. The longer you wait to do what's been requested of you, the more shallow cuts that will appear on both of your bodies. Are you really prepared to endure this pain when giving in would be so much easier?

And more than that, are you willing to let another suffer along with you?

Eventually, the cuts will stop if you suffer them long enough, but you'll have failed this challenge and sustained more damage than if you'd just gone along with it. Satan will also be very disappointed in you.


Follow Me Down

Prompt I: Reopening

WARNINGS: sex, drugs, alcohol, aphrodisiacs, body changes, potential kinks, violence, potential non-con or dub-con.

Club Penance is finally back! And with themed nights to start off all the fun. This night's theme is: Anything But Clothes. Guests who enter the adult oriented side of the club will notice the incubi and succubi who serve in it are entirely without clothes (and any ounce of shame!). They're eager to get right back to business. They're very encouraging of others to do the same whether it be immediately or in sexy strip shows.

On their trays, they offer drinks and drugs of all sorts. Shows are being put on on the stage as usual, the offer of sex demos with guest participation are still on the table.

As usual, these demons play under respectable rules in the club, safe words and all. They will also gladly exit the stage and let guests entirely run the show. They're on their best behavior tonight, even if the natural aphrodisiacs they give off seem to be amped up

Guests who refused to undress may also find their clothes randomly disappearing, or being torn off by some eager patron or demon who is a bit too into the theme! Ah, well, no need to worry too much. There will be costumes and lingerie to slip on to go home in. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a walk of shame back to the hotel in nothing but a thong, they'll assure. It's just another night in Hell.

For those who are really adventurous, there are also special concoctions that the club offers. These include:

Frenzy ○ The drug will be given to anyone anyone who asks for it. It can be snorted, injected, taken in pill form, or smoked given user preference.

Despite the questionable name, guests who partake really will feel the best they've possibly ever felt. They won't need sleep or to rest, but they won't necessarily feel the strain on their bodies either. They'll be full of energy and their mood will be amazing with no hint of nightmares or dreams anywhere.

The demons won't let anyone come down either, not once they've started and not until they're told a guest doesn't want any more.

Even then, they may still try to convince them otherwise. It's a party for as long as you can go, or until you completely burn out, it seems.

But with all good things come bad. It seems a side-effect of the drug is an actual frenzy as well. A frenzy for sex or violence or anything a character might want that they deny themselves on the regular. They'll feel this growing hunger, this ravenous need to have and to claim everything they think is theirs.

Some may even fade away into an almost animalistic sort of state.

The more the guest takes, the more they'll experience this sensation. Fighting it won't help either. Though they did sort of bring that one on themselves, didn't they?

Other symptoms of coming down won't be too different to those of other drugs. Fatigue, depression. Guests will begin to feel the effects of staying up for so long without rest or stopping to take care of themselves. They may also feel a certain longing for more, but it can be fought off with enough strength of will.

The drug isn't free either. The succubi expect to be paid in energy or through actual work in the club.

Bond ○ A potion that will bond guests together the minute one speaks to the other. The encouragement is that this should be done consensually, but the demons won't necessarily be checking. Once bonded, guests will feel what the one who took the potion feels. This includes pain and pleasure both with effects lasting a full night. Give someone the most intense pleasure of their lives or torture them until they beg for mercy!

For a really intense experience, both participants can consume the potion with mutual effects.

For the dance oriented portion of the club, the theme is a little more lax. Instead of outright nakedness, patrons may be offered revealing clubwear instead. Things that will look mesmerizing in the lights of the club ranging from neon colors to clothes that seem to flash on the dance floor. The music will be thrumming in the air, pumping down to your very bones as you dance the night away, and all patrons will feel good. It will feel as if they could actually dance all night if they so wanted, even without the aid of any drugs.

It will be an all night rave with all the party drugs and drinks one could want! Live music plays all night. The band also loves to receive requests, so knock yourself out! They seem to strangely know any song they're asked to play.

Knock yourself out, give up any care in the world and have fun. You're already in Hell, so don't you deserve to feel good for a while?


Prompt II: Your Average Hotel Night

WARNINGS: Alcohol and drug abuse, potential non-con/dub-con

With all the sinners, new and old, the hotel bar will be lit up with activity. Drinks will be readily available, there's food in the kitchens if anyone wants to bother serving it, music will be blaring whenever there's electricity, and overall, there will be an energy to the atmosphere that's absolutely contagious. Even if you aren't typically inclined to linger at these sorts of events there may be be a certain pull to stay and have a bit of fun.

You might not get much of a chance to have that in Hell, after all. One drink won't hurt, right? Nor will one more after that, and after that. Ah, sweet gluttony. Why not have a pastry next? There's some delectable sweets available just a few steps away. More of a meat person? Like things salty? Fear not, it looks like someone graciously brought all sorts of snacks and foodstuffs from the kitchens to the bar as the night progresses. Indulge! You deserve it.

Similar to Club Penance, the bar also has every sort of drug available that might tickle your fancy and some you've never heard of. There's no harm in experimenting, is there? You're already in Hell. The staff will offer to show anyone how to use the drugs or give advice for what to try if you tell them what you want to experience. Shockingly, they won't lie! Their advice is good word its just you might not have been exactly prepared for it.

There's a stage and a karaoke machine for those feeling brave or just wanting to torture people with some sweet, sweet renditions of The Devil Went Down to Georgia.

There are tables set up for all sorts of gambling and various bar games to entertain yourself with. Since currency as most are familiar with it doesn't quite exist down here, most of the demons seem to be accepting bits of your soul or offers to do chores around the hotel. You may also get pulled into a fun game of strip poker against one of your fellow guests for a few succubi that are having a night out.

Relax and enjoy your night. Coming here and facing your sins is the hard part, so surely you deserve to have a little fun.


Wildcard/Misc.

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Technical Boy | American Gods | OTA

[twatter]

A; Stand Your Ground (cw: drug addiction mentions)

[ Tech Boy is sitting alone outside Helluva Cup with a coffee warming his hands, his expression faraway. He's here, but also not -- which really explains why he's been able to hold onto the cup for so damn long when it's basically scalding. Pixelations dance over his skin, working overtime to mend his burns and yet he doesn't seem to notice at all.

The whole ordeal with the mares hadn't bothered him so much. It gave him an easy excuse to return to Frenzy, a drug he had fallen in love with since the beginning. Sobriety had been thrown out the window, but could he really be blamed with all that bullshit happening?

However, he didn't expect it to be so difficult to return to sobriety after the fact. He wouldn't claim he's addicted -- after all, his body heals the physical dependency, but everything just seems so bleak without it. He longs for the colors and energy of Frenzy. He longs to get out of his own head and experience bliss again. He made a promise, though, and he intends to stick to it.

Tech frowns and finally turns to his drink, lifting it to his lips and then immediately spitting it out. ]

What the fuck? I ordered black coffee. Why does this taste like fucking pumpkin??


B; Reach Up High (cw: blood, torture, knife play)

[ Up until this point, torture had always seemed optional. Something to be avoided in Mammon's lands or just something skirted around by going to that stupid island or dealing with the Mares. Now, Tech finds himself locked in a room and he damn well is pounding on that door and demanding to be let out. It's no use. Even when it does open up and someone gets shoved in there with him, he doesn't get the chance to escape.

With a begrudging sigh, he turns toward the table as his list of sins appears, eyeing it and then the knives, and then the other person with a frown. If he hadn't seen some crude scarred words on Monika's body, he might have been a bit more confused. But it's pretty easy to deduce what Lucifer wants here. ]

This is fucked...


C; Club Penance

[ Now this? This is what he's talking about. Tech has taken to the dance portion of Club Penance like a bird to the sky, spending most nights dancing, vibing, and drinking in the many electronics surrounding them. The bass hits like a heartbeat, pounding through him with artificial life. This is his element and he's more than happy to return to it. Any strangers who might be wallflowering or familiar faces will find themselves grabbed by the arm and tugged into the sea of gyrating bodies. ]

C'mon! Let's dance!

[ There's no say in the matter. Once joining the mass of dancers, refusal is no longer an option with the way people bump into each other and force them to move to the beat. ]

Gotta admit, [ he shouts over the music ] hell hasn't skimped on this place!

[ His clothing, which is always club friendly, takes on a mesmerizing hue under the cast of strobing black lights. ]


D; Wildcard

[ Choose your own adventure! ]

stand your ground: pissy pumpkin spice edition

[neutronblast]

[he's not alone for long. kaiba, ever the caffeine addict, hones in on tech immediately and drifts into the seat beside him. he actually managed to secure a coveted cup of bitter black; he smirks slightly to see poor tech in such dire straits. whether or not he knows about that creeping addiction, he doesn't comment, just teasing instead:]

Hey now. That's a precious commodity, you shouldn't waste it.

[just kidding, pumpkin spice sucks. without even thinking about it, he reaches to give tech a reassuring rub on the arm.]

You alright, Tech? Haven't seen you since that whole hospital debacle.

[yes, that's a bit of sympathy sneaking into his tone. so sue him.]

[twatter]

They fucking tainted it, bro! It's worse than poison now.

[ He frowns down at the cup in his hands as Kaiba settles beside him, not looking up until he feels Kaiba's touch. Then, he slowly lifts his gaze -- briefly meeting eyes before looking past him. ]

I managed. I don't dream, so there was nothing for them to feast on.

[ It's short, a little dismissive. There's a mild guilt over the fact that he refused to go to the hospital, that he couldn't be there for Kaiba -- but he doesn't apologize for it. ]

What about you?

[ Tech can only imagine the sorts of things that plague Kaiba's subconscious mind. ]

[neutronblast]

[classic tech. kaiba just chuckles to hear him so incensed about something so silly.]

Yeah, yeah. I'm sure you'll get over it.

[he's not really surprised to learn that tech doesn't dream -- he barely suppresses a joke about androids and electric sheep -- but it's curious all the same. once again, he doesn't comment about an apology or lack thereof. there's nothing to be sorry about anyway, at least nothing within his control. no harm, no foul.]

Honestly? I'm pretty beat. Hell sucks, but that's nothing new.

[his touch lingers, his thumb rubbing lazy circles on tech's shoulder.]

Don't worry about it. I'll be fine. So will you.

[mcpieceofshit]

(Izaya's learned something very valuable first thing he got to Hell - don't accept drinks or food from demons, and he extended that to strangers. If he doesn't make it, he doesn't ingest it, it's straightforward self-preservation, considering the fact that even his best friend decided to drug him not too long ago. Izaya's been off Frenzy for a while now, since the last evening spent at the Asylum, and his choice is to never touch substances again, even with a twenty feet pole.

So, of course, his hands are devoid of beverages, he's just hanging out and exchanging texts mindlessly when Techachiin spits not too far from him, and Izaya makes a total of zero (0) effort to hide the laughter that just bursts out of him.)

The grace of the Gods, ladies and gentlemen!

(Except he's even going to be a little nice, giving the man a napkin to deal with the aftermath.)

[twatter]

[ While he's definitely being laughed at, Tech has to laugh at the absurdity of Izaya's statement himself. Grace of gods? Geesh, he never understood that sentiment. ]

If anyone actually knew gods, they'd know for damn sure there's nothing fucking graceful about them.

[ Tech takes the offered napkin, bringing it to his mouth to wipe it clean and then even taking a moment to wipe his tongue with the stupid thing because that pumpkin spice flavor lingers. Yuck. Bringing up a bit of phlegm, it spits that to the side before glaring at his cup. ]

I heard they sometimes spike drinks, but fucking come on. I'd take aphrodisiac any day over this pumpkin spice shit.

[mcpieceofshit]

(Both of them are laughing, so it's a win-win, isn't it? Izaya gestures with his head for the man to sit beside him if he so wished. There's always a grin on Izaya's lips, the moment they close to cease laughter is no different.)

Humanity has quite the view of you guys. I myself wasn't a believer, but considering this is a chance of being Hell itself, I might as well change my own view.

(And oh. Who'd thought God was so keen on drugs?)

I do have some stuff back at home, if you'd like to trade.

(Not that he uses any. They're just there in case Izaya decides to drug a fucker.)

Club Penance

[chenqing_player]

[Of course he is going to spend all his time at club Penance. This is where he feels most at home. Dancing, drinking and spending all his time pressed closely against another body is exactly how he wants to be.

So when he gets pulled from the sides and into the middle he isn't complaining. He simply lets the music guide his body.]

Of course they didn't. This is exactly the kind of thing that encourages bad behavior.

[He is grinning at the friend he hasn't seen in awhile. He's just glad for this distraction from the crap that was the last month.]

cw: drug use

[twatter]

Surprised you're not on the sex side of things, walking around -- showing off that hot bod of yours.

[ Tech laughs, pressed real close to Wuxian. An arm slips around his shoulders so he can keep him even closer for the time being. ]

But you made the right call in picking this side for the night.

[ A demon squeezes through with a platter of drugs on offer, and Tech doesn't hesitate to take a few pills he recognizes, popping one and extending the other to Wuxian. ]

Nothing better than some molly in a club. Trust me. [ He grins. Yup, the club definitely encourages some bad behavior. ]

B)

[tobetheone]

[Mega doesn't really see what Technical keeps shouting about. This isn't out of the ordinary, and is probably more relevant to their situation than most of what they do here. He sits duitifully at the table, patient.]

I agree. It hurts to be reminded of what we've done.

[He unfolds his own list with purpose, frowning.]

But it's important. We shouldn't forget.

[twatter]

[ Tech flinches at Mega's voice -- and flinches even more as he just casually sits down at that table like this is nothing more than a routine. Maybe even as casual as a dinner or if not a dinner, a doctor's appointment. What the fuck. ]

Yeah, I don't got a problem with the reminding....but dude. They fucking want me to carve that shit into you. They want me to take that knife and write...

[ He looks briefly at Mega's list, extensive. Detailed. Every death written down by name. ]

How the fuck am I even supposed to write any of that??

[ A frown. ]

Do you have scars already from this?

Club Penance

[middlefinger]

(wynonna has drifted in between both sides of the club throughout the week, but tonight she can be found in the dance portion, in pair of leather shorts and a crop top. She wears dark colors, so her hair stands out more against it. And it suits how she's been feeling inside.

she's been dancing and has only stepped aside to down a shot and catch her breath. but she barely has to think twice before she's being pulled back on the dance floor. she gives him the up and down, grinning.)

You don't have to ask me twice.

[twatter]

[ Tech likes Wynonna's spirit, leading her straight off to the center where the lights, the music, the crowd, the beat is the best. He doesn't even seem to mind that sweaty demons are bumping into them -- pumping arms, swaying to the beat, matching her rhythm and grinning all the while. Honestly, this is the best time he's had in this damn place -- the closest hell has come to feeling like the world he had come from. ]

You been here a while? Here, as in hell.

[ Asked as casually as one asks about any place, just replace hell with any common US city. ]

reach up high

[the_vigilante]

[where Technical Boy is busy railing against this whole thing, Aiden's sitting calmly at the table, turning one of the knives over in his hand, his list beside him]

[but how can he be so calm, you wonder? well, he kind of asked for this, you see. kind of. his eyes changing back in February scared the shit out of him -- his teeth doing the same, more recently, doubly so, even if he handled it better outwardly. that in mind, hoping that enduring a little torture might help mitigate some of the damage he's done to himself, he didn't fight back too much, when the demons grabbed him, to bring him in here]

[hopefully, this works. hopefully, this helps]

Welcome to Hell, huh?

[when he realizes who he's sharing a torture with -- well, this is not how he imagined their first face-to-face going]

[twatter]

Yeah, I've had enough of hell to last a while thanks to the fucking island and then the mares.

[ Now he gets to play with knives. Joy. Like seriously. They got the wrong god here if they want someone for blood sacrifices. He huffs a sigh, staring at Aiden for a long moment -- withered against the door. How can he be so calm about this?

With a sigh, he finally moves toward the table, the knives, and the lists. Fingers curl around the back of the seat, but he doesn't move further than that. Doesn't pull it out or sit down. It's like he honestly thinks there might be some way out if he dawdles... ]

You ever have to do this before?

Reach Up High

[superdick]

[And here Homelander goes again, getting shoved into a torture room by a couple of demon-goons like a common fucking criminal.

Must be Tuesday.

He sizes up his companion: a pasty kid that has insufferable little douchebag written all over him.]

First time?

[He tries to downplay the amusement, but it's hard to keep out the implicit taunt: aw, is this baby's first torture session?]

[twatter]

[ Tech plain scoffs at the question. Insufferable little douchebag is right, because fuck, man. He's a god. He should be above this sort of treatment! ]

Gold fucking star. You want a sticker to go along with that? Not sure what fucked up shit you get up to, but I don't make it a habit to play fucking knife games.

[ Sulkily, he drops onto the seat, folding his arms over his chest. ]

You telling me you're just gonna sit there and accept this?

B;

[dirtywizardman]

The other man was young, or looked young, seemed young. Caleb knew better than to let that assumption mean anything. He had been traveling with people that were ten or so years younger than him for long enough and knew hardships like he did, had done the same kinds of things--or, at least, in the same realm of things as him--so he knew age was very rarely a factor.

Caleb made no move to conceal his own sins from inspection. Instead, he pulled the amulet out from under his shirt and wrapped his fingers around it, murmuring a soft incantation and focusing on a spell that would help him through whatever this was.

[twatter]

Tech kicks the door one last time, resentful. It might not open, but it makes him feel a little better. With a heavy sigh, he looks over at the guy across from him -- curious and baffled. What is he doing?

"The fuck are you doing?"

He squints at the closed hand before his expression brightens.

"Shit, is that gonna help us get outta here?" Maybe....don't interrupt incantations there, Tech. But his powers aren't currently working, so if this guy can do something, all the better!

one cup of angst pls

[holeinwall]

[ There's the quiet ding of the elevator, and she steps out, arms full of books she's already pored through, some multiple times, ready to be returned to the library. Slipping into the worlds hidden in all the pages had been a great escape, but she was reading far too fast, digging into each book so voraciously that they hardly passed enough time. But still, she'd dig in. Anything to help stop thinking about the man whose voice has made her freeze in front of the doors leading outside.

Abruptly, she coughs out a laugh, feeling the same sort of hysteria that'd bubbled up when he'd saved her from dying the first time on the island. She can't help it. It's so strange to see him in such a comical situation after the not-so-comical situation they were in. It was almost painful, the irony. Here they are again, so many shades of their second meeting at hand. Back in the hotel, books in her arms, bad coffee causing issues...only now there seemed to be a giant gorge in between them.

Her heart pounds furiously in her chest as she looks over her shoulder. He's right there. All she has to do is say something. How hard could it be? She'd only been trying to say something to him for a few weeks now. ]

I like the pumpkin taste.

[ She turns to face forward again, cringing. All this time, and that's what she says? Not "where have you been?" or "why are you ignoring me?" No, she talks about the stupid coffee.

With a pained groan she can't stop, she shoves one of the doors open, intent on running from this awkward situation. She was going to need waaay more books now. ]

one cup of angst coming right up!!

[twatter]

[ Tech slowly lifts his eyes to meet hers when she speaks, frozen. Deer in headlights frozen. He stares a moment too long before he realizes it's kind of his turn to speak. Blue eyes return to the coffee in his hand, staring at the cardboard container as though it's the most fascinating thing in the world. ]

It's not what I ordered, but guess they don't fucking care in this place.

[ He's still staring at the coffee, though she's definitely in his peripheral -- all those books in her arms, a precarious balancing act as she's ready to flee. And he needs to let her go, even if there's some instinct to keep talking -- to say anything so she doesn't leave. It's not what he promised Mega, though. I'm going to keep my distance.

He's....technically at a distance right now, so there's no harm in offering: ]

You can have it, if you want.

[ The coffee is held up and presented. He doesn't want to drink it and she "likes the pumpkin taste" so that's a viable solution. A viable and harmless solution.... ]

A; Stand Your Ground

[chillestrogue]

[Taking a seat across from Tech, Len looks profoundly unamused. He heard about Frenzy, and he never really liked his crew on drugs to begin with. Makes them far too unpredictable.]

Truly, we are in Hell.

[Seriously, all this around them and you're complaining about no black coffee? For shame, sir]

[twatter]

[ What can he say? He's just a millennial at heart.

He looks up as Leonard sits across from him, offering a faint smile. ]

Fuck yeah. Thought that shit was bad on Earth. Figures they're gonna bring the worst part of the season here. Which makes me wonder how hell celebrates the big holidays.

[ Halloween isn't too far away. So what will it be? Man-eating pumpkins? Trick or Torture? Slutty costume parties at the sex club? ]

stand your ground

[dadyl]

[ As usual, Tech is hard to miss. Daryl's never bothered much with coffee so he's only passing by when the nearly petulant little exclamation draws his attention. He's been meaning to find the god, or at least send him a message, but here he is. Daryl stops, lingering for a second in the street before coming up to take the seat across from the guy. ]

You know this place. Be glad it doesn't taste like somethin' worse. Or...

[ Daryl tightens his lips and shrugs one shoulder to fill in the blank. He's been dosed by drinks here before. He doesn't exactly feel like talking about it any more than he just did.

But neither is he much at making small talk. The guy looks okay and the question "how are you doing" is always ridiculous here. So he skips it. ]

You gotten around to our project yet?

[ He doesn't sound impatient. Just an unsteady mix of tired and curious. There hasn't been much else positive to think about recently. ]

[twatter]

[ He glances up at Daryl, tapping his forehead with his index finger as though to say I see your point. Spiked with pumpkin spice trumps getting spiked with aphrodisiacs or whatever was in the cider that made people all into pain. ]

Oh yeah. [ He answers Daryl's question, lobbing the full coffee toward the trash. ]

I got it done. That whole two weeks of no sleep, hopped up on uppers did wonders for productivity.

[ Truth was, Tech had skipped out on the whole hospital adventure and had the hotel basically to himself save for a few others floating around. No one within his friend circle. Bored and idle are not things he plays well with, so until Ava busted free, Tech worked on things. Among them, this project. ]

Like I said, though. Did the best with what info I have. If it doesn't work, owner's gonna have to stop being cagey and let me look at the tech in their head.