[open to all] Room full of people in your head

[applesaucemod]

The rift has gotten bored, and has decided it's time to bring people together for another dream party.

This time, when you find yourself within the dream, you'll be somewhere familiar. Perhaps somewhere you feel safe or at home, some place you miss, or were particularly happy at some point in your life. It might not be the same place every time you come back here, though.

There will also be a door where there didn't use to be one, even if there's no wall to surround it. If you go through this door, you will find yourself in endless simple corridor, lined with unmarked doors. And if you go through them, you'll pay a visit to someone else's room.


[There will monthly Dreaming party post like this. Same procedure as last time. Non-members welcome to tag in!]

Comments

[fucking_ebay]

Brought back to the present, Peter bristles at the departing TARDIS's words. Maybe he doesn't feel like coming along and being harangued by two whatever-they-ares.

"If you did it right, the games are all rigged," he points out sullenly. He comes forward, though, telling himself he's sticking around to spite the TARDIS at this point, since it's fairly clear she doesn't like him. Well, he can work with people not liking him; it's not like it's anything new. It just confuses the hell out of him that Gabriel keeps wanting him around when Peter's made it perfectly clear that he doesn't like Gabriel and is never going to be civil to him. The fact that Peter finds himself willing to spend time with Gabriel really hasn't helped to clear things up for him.

He frowns to himself, lowering his voice to ask Gabriel, "What is she?"

[theoldgirl]

The TARDIS keeps walking to investigate the cotton candy booth, briefly wondering if this projection is so accurate that it requires currency, but that would be silly. She glances back to see if the others are coming, which they apparently both are. Why is Gabriel so invested in keeping Peter around? He's entertaining, he'd said, but even when they were messing with the human it was mostly Gabriel being amusing, not Peter himself. All he can seem to do on his own is grumble.

She shakes her head to herself, deciding to ask Gabriel later, just in case she's being inadvertently rude to him by being so displeased with his friend. In which case he obviously needs to find better friends. It's not like the Doctor's attachment to his humans inspires her to be friendly to them when she has reason to dislike them.

[has_a_horn]

He has a feeling that Peter less wants to know what she is, and more how much of a threat she is, so he answers, "Powerful, but kind." He turns and taps him on the chest, smiling. "Which makes you lucky. Though, I am a terrible influence, you should probably watch out for that. If I manage to corrupt her, all bets are off." His smiles shifts into a smirk and he turns back to follow the TARDIS to the cotton candy stand. Is Peter getting the boy-with-a-crush vibe from Gabriel yet? Because he totally should be.

Over his shoulder, he calls back, "Come on!"

[fucking_ebay]

If Gabriel had told him the full truth, Peter likely wouldn't have believed him. As it is, he still isn't satisfied with that answer. 'Powerful, but kind' could mean almost anything, and he only has Gabriel's word that the second half of it is true. Still, considering the worst she's done is sic her butterflies on him, maybe he has reason to hope she won't turn around and tear his throat out at some point.

"You'd've done it by now," he says, stalking along after Gabriel like some sort of ungainly black bird. Truth be told, he'd sort of like to poke around a carnival and not have to worry about working the crowd. He's just still not sure about the company he's keeping, or about what it'll do to his image.

[theoldgirl]

The object of their conversation has reached the stand and is observing the vendor drawing cotton candy from the machine and handing it out to some children. When she notices Gabriel coming closer, she turns to him with a smile that quickly shifts into a smirk. "Are you going to get me more candy, or do I have to do everything myself?"

[has_a_horn]

"I create an entire carnival for you and you can't order your own cotton candy?" He rolls his eyes, but heads toward the counter anyway, patting her shoulder happily as he goes. He makes it easily through the small group of kids to the counter and returns with three fluffy pink sticks of cotton candy.

"Ladies." He presents a stick to one to each of them with a flourish before pulling a large piece off of his own and shoving it into his mouth. It's sticky and almost too sweet and dissolves instantly on the tongue. A perfect illusion, as far as he's concerned.

As an afterthought, he decides that some of the stalls further down should sell a wider variety of candy. Why not?

[fucking_ebay]

"Oh, fuck you," replies Peter, though he takes the stick anyway. "You're the one who showed up to that last dream with a giant pair of tits."

He bites into the candy and is a little surprised at the taste and texture after not having had any in over a decade. He wonders if real candy floss is really like this, then tells himself he doesn't care.

[theoldgirl]

In contrast to Peter, the TARDIS gracefully bows her head when she receives her candy to match Gabriel's flourish. She plucks a bit of the sticky substance off the stick and stuffs it in her mouth, quite obviously enjoying the taste and texture. She doesn't think she could ever really reach his skill for creating food and drink like this; her specialty is environments and objects, she just doesn't have the first-hand experience required for so accurately stimulating physical senses (or the mental equivalent of them, anyway).

Even the most convincing illusion doesn't make her miss Peter's remark though. She isn't really surprised, since she's changed appearances in the shared dreaming before too, but it does make her curious. Her gaze shifts to Gabriel with raised eyebrows, while she delicately picks more cotton candy. "I wonder what the purpose of that could have been."

[has_a_horn]

"I was illustrating the elasticity of dreams," he says archly before shoving another piece of cotton candy into his mouth. There had also been the part about proving himself as Loki, but he's not sure he'd like the TARDIS's reaction to that particular name.

He nods away from the cotton candy booth and starts walking down the boardwalk. "Oh, and I was trying to get him to lick my neck. Totally worked, by the way."

[fucking_ebay]

A lesser (or is it greater?) man might be embarrassed that he'd opened himself up to Gabriel sharing that particular revelation, might even try to backpedal and deny it. Peter, on the other hand, stops shoving cotton candy in his mouth just long enough to justify himself with, "He had great knockers at the time. Face could've used a bit of work, though." Which is a lie, but he needs to get his digs in and pretend Gabriel hadn't given him the most confusing dream-boner of all time.

[theoldgirl]

The first part of Gabriel's explanation makes perfect sense to her and she nods, licking stickiness off her fingers. The same can't be said for the rest though, and she just comments with a bemused "I'm sure he did," because what else is she going to say but affirm his skill with dream projections?

Sometimes Gabriel seems far too human for her to understand, a lot more so than the Doctor, and for the first time that thought fills her with a strange sort of sadness. But she doesn't feel like dwelling on why that may be and instead follows him, taking in more of the boardwalk and sea-side.

[has_a_horn]

Oblivious to any of the TARDIS's doubts, Gabriel chuckles at Peter's answer. "I had a beautiful face and he loved it." He gets distracted by one of the game booths: a game of darts. A barker with a huge curly moustache advertises from behind the barrier - hit the bullseye and win the enormous stuffed teddy bear. Miss and get the little piddly one. Contrary to the normal carnival game, these darts aren't fixed, and it is precisely the game of skill it's been presented as.

Gabriel nods to the man and three darts are given to him. He holds them out to the others. "Who wants a go?" He smiles at the TARDIS, "Want to test how nimble those fingers of yours are? You can win Petey the giant teddy he's always wanted."

[fucking_ebay]

Oddly, the memory gives Peter heart: if he can cope with Gabriel turning into a woman and trying to get one over on him (..however that was even supposed to work, he's still not sure), he can cope with Gabriel dragging him around a fake carnival. Same basic principle applies, just keep pushing right back and throw himself into everything.

"You said you were going to do it," he comments, lifting an eyebrow. "Afraid you're losing your touch? Need the little lady to do it for you?"

[theoldgirl]

The TARDIS is dubiously eyeing the game and the offered dart, only taking it because she doesn't want to reject Gabriel, despite not even knowing how to hold the thing properly. But at Peter's last remark in a clearly condescending tone, she fixes the offending human with an ice cold look. "I am neither 'little' nor a lady," she says balefully before shifting her displeased gaze back to Gabriel. "And I think he can win his own imaginary prizes." She's just about had enough of Peter, and it's only her respect for the fact that this is Gabriel's projection that's keeping her from metaphorically whacking him on the nose in some way, just barely.

[has_a_horn]

Gabriel sighs. He would really like for his two guests to at least coexist without chewing each other's heads off. "Come on, the teddy bear won't feel imaginary." He leans in and kisses her cheek while at the same time taking the dart back from her. If she doesn't want to play then she doesn't have to, but he is a little disappointed that she didn't take the opportunity to try it.

He turns to Peter with the handful of darts and holds them out flat for him to select one. "You've been given a challenge, you going to take her up on it?" Expecting his objections, he adds, "This is my dream, you know I can win if I want to. This is about you."

[fucking_ebay]

Peter snorts and holds his hands up as if to say he has no idea how the TARDIS could possibly get offended over his perfectly innocent remark. Being wary of her doesn't appear to be translating into showing her any sort of respect -- really, he's taking much the same approach he does with Gabriel.

He opens his mouth to object, only to be headed off by Gabirel. "What was that I said about rigged games?" he interjects as he takes a dart anyway. Weighing it in his hand a moment, he realizes a little too late that it's been years since he last played darts. It can't be that hard, though, right? Like riding a bicycle, except he hasn't done that in a long time, either. Squinting at the target, he tosses the dart in its general direction. It sticks in the board, but outside the target.

[theoldgirl]

Well she would have tried it if Peter wasn't so rude. She's only slightly mollified by the kiss, but refrains from arguing further. Gabriel's wish for them to get along can only make her tolerant up to a point, she's never been willing to endure much disrespect for anyone else's sake.

She'd be happy to beat Peter at the game, but she knows she has terribly untrained hand-eye coordination and would just end up humiliating herself. Technically she could use her influence to direct the dart, but cheating wouldn't be very satisfying and Gabriel would notice, even if he might not tell on her. So she settles for finishing her cotton candy and sulkily glowering at them both while they play.

[has_a_horn]

As The TARDIS finishes her cotton candy, he lets both his and hers disappear. Peter can keep his until he's finished.

"Peter, you've missed the mark. I think that means you forfeit your right to a prize." Gabriel shifts his stance a little, holding up a dart and focusing on the board for a moment before he throws it. It hits the target, but a little to the right of center, not a bulls eye.

He shrugs and receives a cute little teddy bear from the moustachioed vendor. It has been quite a while since he'd played darts too. "One more dart." He offers it to the TARDIS first, though he's not sure why, the way she's sulking. "TARDIS? Peter, want a second go?"

[fucking_ebay]

He shouldn't be disappointed. Peter doesn't see how he can be disappointed, since he was expecting to fail and since the prize is, as the TARDIS pointed out, imaginary. And what would he want with a teddy bear, anyway? For all, that, though, he still feels the sting of defeat.

"I don't really play darts," replies Peter, embarrassed about his performance. What can he say? He's got his father's aim. Looks like the TARDIS will have her chance, unless Gabriel really pushes him to go again.

[theoldgirl]

She almost does take the last dart just because Gabriel is looking kind of pitiful offering it to people who clearly don't want it. But her sympathy doesn't go far enough to make her try and inevitably fail even worse than Peter, so she shakes her head at him.

"You are obviously the only one who even stands a chance at hitting the mark," she says with a glance to Peter, deliberately sounding just as condescending as he had earlier.

[has_a_horn]

Goddamnit. What does he have to do to make you people have fun? He sighs and throws the last dart without much thought, this time landing it purposefully outside of the bulls eye. The moustachioed man tosses him another little teddy bear and he shoves one at Peter and one at the TARDIS. And they can both choke on them, for all he cares :|

"Maybe we should avoid games of skill altogether." The weather seems to have soured a little bit, shifting overcast, though he'd deny it was caused my his shifting mood. "A ride, maybe? There's bumper cars."

[fucking_ebay]

Peter tends to have that effect on social gatherings, hasn't Gabriel noticed? He gives the TARDIS a poisonous look -- at least he tried, though her reaction tells him he was right not to try again and give her more fuel with which to criticize him further.

He's surprised by the teddy bear suddenly being thrust at him, and fumbles when he tries to grab it with his free hand. It drops to the boardwalk and he mutters a curse and stoops without thinking to pick it up, holding the stick on which his candy is wrapped in his mouth so he can brush the toy off when he stands.

[theoldgirl]

Being so used to expressing her own emotions through changing her rooms, the TARDIS doesn't miss the shift in the atmosphere, and the way Gabriel shoves the toy at her only cements that notion. She actually has the decency to feel chastised for a moment, but unfortunately her reaction to that is yet more stubbornness. He's the one who brought Peter along, after all; without the human they'd be having a perfectly enjoyable time right now.

She still knows better than to voice that opinion in front of Peter, though, so while he's distracted she links her arm with Gabriel's and turns him around to lead him away, whispering "Why are you still keeping him around?"

[has_a_horn]

Gabriel allows himself to be pulled away, and he's more than happy to link arms and walk along with the TARDIS, but it doesn't last long. After she asks her question, he stops in his tracks and runs a hand over his face. "No, we're not doing this. No bitching sessions unless I get to start and both of you are around to hear everything."

He extricates himself from the TARDIS and pulls her back to where Peter is, then positions them so they're facing each other. "Okay. I am going to do this, and you are both going to behave like adults that don't throw tantrums when they get their feelings hurt." He looks at the TARDIS first, since it was her question that prompted this whole business. "Peter is probably one of the biggest assholes you will ever meet, but he has a good heart. He means well." He shifts his glance to Peter for just a moment. "Sometimes. Look, I live in hope. My point is. Feeding his insults and firing back is stupid. He's already scared of you, you don't need him to hate you too."

He huffs out a breath and turns to Peter next, raising a hand and shooting him a glare that hopefully will stop him from breaking in before he's done. "Peter. I know you get the heebie jeebies from anything that creeps out of the Twilight Zone, but will you please fucking reign it in. She's not quite human, but she is fun, and she just might like you if you give her an inch. Trust me, you want to give her an inch."

He throws his hands wide, encompassing them both. "In conclusion, you are both enormous assholes. Make up, or leave. I'm going to get some candy." With that, he goes and does just that, leaving them behind to deal with each other.

[fucking_ebay]

Peter looks up from what he's doing to see Gabriel and the TARDIS silently departing, and stands staring after them for several embarrassing moments with the papery stick still clenched between his teeth. Before he has a chance to protest Gabriel is already bringing her back. Peter spits out the stick into his hand, giving the pair of them a wary look as Gabriel starts.

"Hey!" he protests when Gabriel calls him an asshole. Okay, so he is, but has Gabriel looked in a mirror lately? He's really not sure whether it helps or makes it worse when the other man starts going on about his supposed good heart. He opens his mouth to break in and tell Gabriel exactly where he can shove his hope, but falls silent on cue.

"I'm not scared of her!" he lies to Gabriel's retreating back. Gaze flicking to the TARDIS, he reiterates as firmly as he can, "I'm not scared of you."