Sweeter than the First Time [Open to All]

[applesaucemod]

Hello, dreamers of Manhattan. The Rift knows that things have been kind of rough, lately. The last dream didn't go as well as it had hoped. Consider this an apology of sorts, and a hearkening back to the good times you've shared.

It's a grand old (and potentially familiar) cabin house that the dreamers will find themselves wandering. The furniture is plentiful and comfortable, the floors are strewn with cushions and blankets, and there are cheerful fires burning in the grates. It seems a little odd that the house still manages to be on the chilly side despite looking so warm, yet it is.

Oh, well. You'll just have to find another dreamer or two and spoon up and fall asleep like little baby cats get cozy. It shouldn't be difficult; most of the dreamers (excepting those with strong telepathic defenses or deeply ingrained cuddle-averse personalities) will find themselves feeling friendlier than usual, along with an almost overwhelming desire to snuggle up to someone. How convenient that the house seems designed for that very purpose!

And if some of the cushions are Hello Kitty themed, well, that's just coincidence.


[OOC: Standard dream party rules apply. Characters will be affected by the dream-whammy to whatever degree makes the most sense for them, and will remember or forget the events of the dream at the player's discretion. Backtag into infinity.]

Comments

[powerdealer]

Seth frowns, considering. He's not sure if he does want to get into it, but he's also not sure if wants to simply brush by it either. It, well... It's sort of the reason his claustrophobia has gotten so much worse. After being locked up, the sensation of being trapped was definitely one of deep unease, but it didn't really drive him into such a state of panic as Daniel had been witness to in that same dream Johnny mentioned this to him.

"To be honest, I'm not sure what happened. I don't remember much of that day," he says after several moments of silence. "I just remember it was like something was watching me. Just this.. intense paranoia." He gives another shrug, staring into the crackling fire in front of them, not really seeing it.

He's not entirely sure why he's sharing this either. Except he hasn't really spoken about it to anyone. Gabe knows about it, and of course Johnny knows, but Seth hasn't actually shared it. And, well, maybe just letting it fester in him isn't the best idea.

"Anyway, by the time Johnny got back, I was completely out of it, I'd been shrinking the house around myself. Almost crushed us both..." he finishes quietly, looking at his hands, not at Daniel. He doesn't remember the details of what exactly had happened, just that he'd been scared shitless.

[peacefulexplorer]

"Oh my god." No wonder Johnny said the power was dangerous, and no wonder Seth is so clearly, violently claustrophobic. Daniel can't guess the reasons behind why that would happen - the power is too intrinsic to Johnny, it's somehow different in comparison to the other powers Seth's transferred, the Rift wanted to add its own cruel twist - but whatever the internal reasoning, it sounds utterly horrific.

"It's why he said he couldn't get rid of it." That additional understanding is a slow and subtly terrifying retroactive realization. Daniel can only shake his head for a minute and quietly process it. "That sounds - I'm sorry."

[powerdealer]

Seth inclines his head a little in silent acknowledgement, feeling like there's not much more to say about it. He's fairly certain Daniel understands it wasn't Johnny's fault, or at least no more than it was Seth's for letting it get out of hand. They'd been naive and over-confident. Johnny had tried to warn Seth, but he'd been certain he could handle it.

"Was abou' two weeks before we met," he adds, giving Daniel some context on the timeline. "Yours was actually the first power I took after that." So if Daniel had noticed any nerves on Seth's part surrounding that particular event, well, that would be why.

[peacefulexplorer]

"Well, geez, you didn't have to do that," he answers, jostling Seth lightly with a nudged elbow. It's light and playful and without any real judgment whatsoever, but the look he gives him is good-natured, raised-eyebrow reproach. "Honestly, it's, it's paperclips and staplers. If it was uncomfortable or anything you didn't have to." He'd get it if power transfers became something of a personal taboo after that.

[powerdealer]

Seth smiles a little at the playful nudge, glancing up at him at last. At least they're both trying to make sure the other one doesn't stew in their own memories and misfortunes.

"Well, I wanted to get used to it again," he answers with a tiny shrug. "Paperclips seemed pretty safe." And Daniel seemed pretty safe, though Seth doesn't mention that bit. But it had been nice and easy, which was just what he needed. Even if it wasn't for profit, it had been very helpful in reassuring himself getting back into it wouldn't be a disaster waiting to happen.

[peacefulexplorer]

"A good point, a good point," Daniel concedes with a partial grin. "Pretty sure 'death by paperclips' is a bit of a difficult achievement." That'd be one for the record books, probably. It's a morbid crack, but hopefully it'll lighten their collective low mood a bit.

"And, you know, it's actually not that bad a power. Pretty sure I got a couple people out of those, uh, giant present things with some scissors." Though he hasn't tried manifesting them in reality yet, or at least he hasn't succeeded. It came easier in that dream. Maybe powers are just easier in dreams in general. Something about the more relaxed state of mind, maybe.

[powerdealer]

"It has a pretty specific area of usage though," Seth answers fairly. "Though, you could've made a bookmark for your book," he suggests. He actually needs office supplies and then declines to make them? Missed opportunity, clearly.

[peacefulexplorer]

He shrugs, glancing at said book with limited interest. Most of the words feel like they've bled out of his skull at this point, in the jumbled, nonsensical way words in dreams are often arranged.

"Eh. Dream book. Not like I'll be able to get back to it once I wake up." But the idea of using his self-generating supply of post-its for bookmarks isn't one that's actually occurred to him before. Daniel's still stretching the limits of the ability itself, testing how long things last and whether object mass has an effect on longevity, but post-its are some of the easiest and longest-lasting since they require so little concentration.

And on that note, Daniel squints at Seth for a minute and pictures a neat stack of them, post-it notes in the standard office yellow, tongue stuck between his teeth.

"Check your pocket." He sounds more curious than anything, to see if a trick like that is possible. Manifesting things at an increased distance from his person has been an interesting challenge.

[powerdealer]

Seth gives Daniel a dubious look at the way he's squinting at him, unsure what's going on and why he's looking at him like that. But at least he gets an answer to his question pretty quickly. After just a bit more confusion.

He checks one pocket; just his keys. Then the other one; his mp3 player and... a small stack of post-its. Seth smiles with amusement. "So you're doing party tricks now?"

[peacefulexplorer]

"I am practicing," he replies with mock primness, angling his chin at the neat stack with a pleased grin. "Still figuring out if I can manifest them with stuff already written on them, but I'm definitely getting, you know, more control and such."

It's useful. Maybe not life-saving or tremendously utilitarian, but handy in a pinch if he needs to write anything down. And the scissors really did come into good use in the last dream.

[powerdealer]

Seth nods, and flips through them. It's good though, practicing his power. Who knows, at some point it might be very useful. Like sending secret messages without appearing to, if he can manage to make them appear with writing. Or a call for help if he's in trouble.

"Or you could make one of those little flip-book comics," he suggests, flipping rapidly through the blank pages.

[peacefulexplorer]

"I feel like that might require more precision than I actually have so far." He makes a halfhearted attempt to generate some post-its with writing on them but comes up with another blank stack in his own palm, which he pockets with a disappointed grunt. "I'll make it a milestone. Maybe start my own flipbook business. There's probably a lucrative market for this sort of thing, right?"

[powerdealer]

"Think you may be overestimating the monetary value of your power. And I should know, I used to attach monetary value to powers for a living," he answers, pulls off a post-it from the stack, and sticks it on Daniel's shoulder. Would be funnier if he could write something on it, but Daniel hasn't materialised any writing utensils yet.

[peacefulexplorer]

"And here I thought that'd be easy money." Though as soon as he says it he quickly tries to steer his mind away from the subject. He still hasn't worked out what to do about a more permanent living space or even a job, and for two very high priorities it's embarrassing how lost he feels in scoping those out. But it's such a bizarre shift, going from saving the world twice a week to something so much more mundane. He has no idea what it is linguist-archaeologist-intergalactic-explorers who are pretty much honorary members of the USAF are meant to do with themselves without a literal galaxy to save.

Maybe he should take up bookkeeping.

Not to be deterred, Daniel peels a post-it off his own stack and presses it firmly on Seth's forehead, utterly deadpan. "Watch it. I've got a seemingly infinite supply of these things and I'm not afraid to use 'em."

[powerdealer]

Seth smiles, eyes crossing a little as he tries to look up at the post-it on his forehead. Then he sighs defeatedly.

"I didn't want it to come to this, but I can't back down now," he says, peeling off another and sticking it onto Daniel's glasses. But if Daniel tries to return the favour again, he won't find Seth as solid and tangible as he usually is.

[peacefulexplorer]

He pulls off the offending object and tries to stick it back but his arm passes straight through the other man without resistance. Disgruntled, Daniel leans back and folds his arms.

"Well that's just not fair." He almost makes a joke about Seth always resorting to that little party trick before quickly recognizing that the last time it happened hadn't exactly been a shared experience. Whoops.

"I take it you're, you know. Still...?" He simply trails off meaningfully with a vague gesture at his arm.

[powerdealer]

It's always a pretty strange experience to see someone pass right through you, but it's kind of worth it for Daniel's expression and "winning" the post-it contest. He grins cheerfully and peels the post-it off his own forehead.

His cheer doesn't last quite that long though. "Oh. Yeah," he answers, glancing down, then looking cautiously up at Daniel again. He's not entirely sure how Daniel feels about that. Pity, presumably, but...

[peacefulexplorer]

For a minute Daniel's fingers drum incomprehensibly over his own crossed arms as he tries to communicate some meaning he hasn't yet delineated to himself. In the end he doesn't settle for eye contact at all. There's such a turbid slew of emotional associations there for both of them, and sorting through all of it is still something of a work in progress. Daniel's still conflicted over how he feels about being the one Seth apparently decided to entrust with this information over Gabriel, not to mention the idea that Daniel is now more or less keeping secrets from the archangel without honestly meaning to and despite not truly knowing him all that well.

"Is there," he begins, then stops, frustrated. Then again, "do you know where you're going with that?" Awkwardly phrased, even more awkwardly said aloud with Daniel's arms crossed and his shoulders creeping a little higher in his private, muddled indecision and a small, ridiculous aversion to meeting Seth's eyes for fear of what kind of judgment or disapproval he might unintentionally communicate.

[powerdealer]

Seth lowers his eyes again, fiddling with the stack of post-its. At least he has something to occupy his hands with? Because this is not a terribly comfortable conversation, even if it's probably one that they should have. After helping him through it, Daniel deserves to ask questions.

The question is valid even if it's a bit oddly put. "Not really," he answers after a moment. Not beyond just continuing as he has, taking precautions and coping and managing it. Which he realises is not ideal, but he still has problems seeing the permanence of his situation. He has trouble really envisioning a future, and so it doesn't seem like that much of a big deal.

[peacefulexplorer]

They're being so deliberately vague about all of it, tiptoeing around the subject like it might bite. Daniel takes a breath.

"Have you considered, you know," but he can't bring himself to bring the sentence to its completion for a minute, "stopping?"

Of course he has, he definitely has, that's not something one doesn't consider under those circumstances, so Daniel plows on hastily, "I just mean, well. You're not defenseless, not anymore. Maybe you don't, you know, necessarily need to hang on to...that."

[powerdealer]

Seth takes a moment to answer, chewing it over. Well, yes, of course he has. And he's not sure he can even create a proper argument for why he shouldn't, beyond that he doesn't want to. He's not defenseless, and he also knows that they aren't actively looking for him, presumably because they know he's not defenseless. But the idea of not having any powers of his own... He doesn't like being dependent on someone.

"I know, but..." he trails off, and reaches up to rub at his arm. He doesn't know how to answer without just saying he's scared. And if he were 100% honest, he'd probably have to admit that he wouldn't like to live without the occasional escape from reality being high grants. But he likes to pretend that's not true.

He shakes his head a little. "It's not like I didn't have friends the first time. Didn't do me much good."

[peacefulexplorer]

"Yeah, but." Daniel's head goes to one side meaningfully, eyebrows climbing. "You got a literal archangel in your corner, plus a guy who gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'bringing down the house' and an archaeologist who apparently has profound difficulties with shuffling off the mortal coil."

He tries for another smile, fleeting and small but hopefully encouraging. "You know we'd watch your six, right?"

[powerdealer]

Seth returns the smile, though it's equally fleeting and small, if not more so. He wants to comment on how archaeologist isn't really the most impressive word Daniel could've chosen to describe himself, but he's not really feeling the playful banter right now.

"I know..." he answers, sinking a little in his seat, his shoulders hunching. "I just... I don't want that to be the only thing standing between me and..."

He lets the sentence end there, as they both know what he means. Daniel's already seen what kind of hopelessness the thought of imprisonment fills Seth with, and what lengths he'd go to to avoid it. He knows he's not being entirely rational about this, but he has good reasons for it.

[peacefulexplorer]

Yes, well, and that's the core of it, isn't it? Seth doesn't want to be helpless, he doesn't want to be dependent on others, even if that means becoming dependent on substance rather than the company he keeps.

"I know," Daniel echoes quietly, eyes dropping again. He's seen the interior of Seth's mind and the ripples of his remembered trauma, the hollow kind of despair of being kept in walls dull and gray for months on end. "And that'll never happen. You wouldn't let it, and neither would we."

Fierce reassurances can only take one so far in hypothetical circumstance. Daniel's tone softens as he goes on, "It just - this doesn't have to be your life. You can't spend it existing in a constant state of fear that they'll find you again. That's just not tenable and, and what's more is - it won't happen."

[powerdealer]

Seth remains quiet in the face of Daniel's reassurances. He knows he can't really argue against it. But that doesn't change the way he feels. It doesn't make it all that easier. Tenable or not, it's difficult for him to envision anything different. That all his decisions won't be informed by the possibility. That it won't stop him from becoming complacent, or content, or optimistic. It might be part of the reason he can't bring himself to do anything about his feelings for Daniel. He shoulders draw up further as he chews on his lip.

"D'you know, uh," he starts, staring at the floor. "Just last week, the amount of time I've been free finally surpassed the time I spent working for the rebels..." He's counting his voluntary involvement in that as well, but that's how long they benefitted from his power. He doubts they've forgotten about him in that time.

"It just... It hasn't even been half a year since I got out." Which may seem like a long time, but he feels like he's spent a lot of it just becoming functional. Which, really, he still isn't reliably. He doesn't feel ready to give up his crutch. People spend that much time getting over a singular traumatic event. He needs to get over several months worth of traumatic events and conditioning.