applesaucedream | Tender Lumplings Everywhere, Life's No Fun Without A Good Scare [Open to All]

The woods are dark and deep, but not particularly lovely. If anything, they feel dangerous, as if something terrible might come lurching out from behind any given tree and tear into the nearest warm body. What that terrible thing might be is anyone's guess. A cat with hands? Slenderman? Stegosaurus? Actual cannibal Shia LaBeouf? All of the above in a horrible mob? It's anyone's guess. But every dreamer will be absolutely convinced that there is something unspeakable out there, and that it's after them.

The dreamers have two things on their side. The first is that there is actually nothing dangerous lurking in these woods (with the possible exception of other dreamers). The pervasive terror the dreamers are feeling is just that: a rift-given feeling, nothing more and nothing less. That snapping twig or rustle in the undergrowth is almost certainly just a squirrel or something else equally harmless.

The second is that no dreamer is alone. They all will be reunited with - or introduced to - their dæmons, a source of comfort in this dark, intimidating wilderness. However frightened the dreamers might be, at least they have someone with them who definitely doesn't want them dead.

[OOC: as ever, any and all are welcome! You don't have to be in the game to join the fun. Dreamers can remember or forget the events of the dream at the players' discretion. And the party only stops when you want it to; feel free to backtag forever.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I dunno, that sounds like half my interactions with him. With a lot of people, really," Seth replies, then shrugs. It's a common theme. "But yeah, I can invite you over sometime," he adds with a smile. And hell, even if Johnny and Daniel hadn't met before, after meeting Gabe and dealing with it decently (well, staring and freaking out about Literal Archangel Gabriel aside), Daniel should be able to handle any of Seth's friends.

"He, uh, already knows about the rebel base thing, and my power," he says, since it's probably alright for Johnny to be aware of what's safe to talk about. "And the drug dealing. Just not the, uh... use."

Which... let's not think about how that could affect their friendship. Johnny's the only one of the people Seth's pretty close with who knows about that, and Seth's not inclined to let anyone else know.

"Okay." Johnny's not sure what else to say to that. He feels kinda weird that he's apparently the only person who knows about Seth's habit, but he doesn't feel like he can say anything about that - or at least, this isn't the time.

Nova pokes her head up. "Don't you think you should tell Gabe? He might be able to help."

Oh right. Internal dialogue has a way of just coming out when she's around. Johnny grunts at her and she nudges him, a rabbitlike shrug.

"No," Seth answers immediately, both him and Sephronia seeming suddenly defensive. He's not sure what the specific reason is he's so intensely set against it. Part of it is the reason he'd given Johnny, that Gabe hadn't liked him dealing heavier stuff, and thus would definitely disapprove of using it, and so he'd probably get angry. Another reason is the fear that Gabe would simply be disappointed, that Seth will have let him down, make him feel like he doesn't deserve the help he's been given. Maybe Gabe would even decide Seth's more trouble than he's worth and just cut him loose. Now, Seth knows that possibility is an irrational fear, but it's still hard to tamp down.

"It's not Gabe's problem," Sephronia says, for once backing him up, even if Seth would rather leave it there, with a simple no that Johnny would have to respect. "He's got enough to deal with." At least Johnny should be unable to disagree with that. That fact that Gabe might still want to help is irrelevant.

And then of course lastly, there's the possibility that Gabe will simply put an end to it regardless of consequences, deciding he knows what's best for Seth. It wouldn't be completely out of character. And sure, not being dependent on drugs would be good. But it would also probably mean that...

"Without the drugs, we wouldn't be able to use the powers. There'd be no way to stop someone from doing the same thing to us again," Sephronia says, giving voice to Seth's fear, even if he'd rather not discuss that possibility. He doesn't comment, just shoots her a look. He's just not ready to face the idea that he might once again be powerless, merely a tool for others to use, and without any real way to defend himself. It had almost broken him before. Johnny's been inside one of those dreams, he's seen what a mess Seth was in there. Seth's not sure he would survive a second round.

It not being Gabe's problem isn't good enough, and Johnny's about to say as much - it doesn't matter what Gabe said in the past, he refuses to believe that he would be angry over something outside of Seth's control, or let that anger overrule the desire to help his friend - but the rest of it stops him. He chews his lip; he can feel Nova's dissatisfaction, but she doesn't say anything either. Are Seth's powers more important than his health? Well, no, but Johnny's not in any position to say so.

"I'm not gonna tell him," he says, since it might bear repeating. "I mean, I was never planning on it, it's just - I just worry about you, man."

He's seen this before, been here before, and he knows where this can go. Even when you're being smart about it. Especially then, because it sneaks up on you all the better.

"I'm doing fine, really," he replies, with a small reassuring smile over at Johnny.

He's got his powers, he can take care of himself, especially with the help he's already receiving from Gabe. Getting to live somewhere for free definitely helps a lot with any money problems. It gives him a certain sense of security, and a place of safety. And really, just knowing he can call upon Gabe if something goes really badly wrong, that's also helping a lot when it comes to worrying about what might happen. His reassurances to Johnny only feels like a white lie, but probably largely because of his ability to live in denial.

Truth is, even with not having to pay rent, morphine is expensive. And there's plenty of other living expenses, and between spending time with Daniel and Gabe and Johnny, and working at the clinic, and dealing, and traveling back and forth between these things, there's only so much dealing he can actually do. And while he knows he could easily get his hands on more lucrative business, he absolutely refuses to get involved in deals that seem shady, or in dealing harder stuff. While he knows he could easily ask Gabe for monetary help, that Gabe could probably literally materialise solid gold from thin air, there's the fear that he'll want to know where it's going, and how the hell Seth is blowing all his money so quickly. It doesn't help that his habit seems to be slowly but surely increasing in frequency and/or volume.

At least Sephronia doesn't contradict him this time. Probably because neither him nor his subconscious or soul or whatever wants to lay his troubles on Johnny. At least as long as it's troubles they can't really do much about. Johnny is already being helpful with the emotional support, and that will have to be enough.

Tender Lumplings Everywhere, Life's No Fun Without A Good Scare [Open to All]

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