A Day Late and a Dollar Short

[applesaucemod]

As far as dreams go, this seems surprisingly...normal. True, the dreamers of Manhattan and beyond will find themselves stranded in the middle of the ocean on a fairly deserted rocky island, but it's nothing so unusual as the labyrinth from last time, and no one appears to have become an animal or reverted to an insane past (or future) version of themself. Besides, well, rocks and grass, there's nothing here but an abandoned lighthouse, the doors and windows broken, and the spare furniture worn by the weather. You can go up the spiral staircase to look at the view, but there's nothing to see but the endless ocean. One might almost think tonight was a night for simple socializing via the telepathic current.

As if anything to do with the rift is ever that simple, you silly bumpkin. How quickly each person realizes what is unusual about tonight's dream will depend in large part on their personality. Some might go the entire night without noticing (except from the distress of others, naturally), but some will find out the instant they open their mouths to converse with another dreamer. You see, each and every dreamer will be completely unable to tell a lie for as long as the dream lasts. The truth might be evaded by omission, but any attempt to say that which is untrue will result in the corresponding truth emerging instead.

Good thing it's just a dream and everyone's going to forget in the morning, right? Right??


[Mod note: As usual, players can choose to have their characters remember or forget anything that happens in the Dreaming. As per usual party rules, both members and non-members are welcome to play any character in this post, regardless of whether that character is currently in the game. Unlike usual, tonight's theme is not optional; all characters will be subject to the enforced truth-telling. Have fun!]

Comments

[fucking_ebay]

Peter fumes. Who is Gabriel -- for that matter, who is Lucy -- to decide he can't make his own decisions? He's a grown man, for fuck's sake.

I really don't. "I'm not sure," he snaps. I never wanted it; it was more trouble than it was worth. "I'm afraid of trying, oohhh, fuck off! Both of you, just fuck off!"

And now he really will storm away.

[has_a_horn]

Gabriel sighs as Peter storms off, but he doesn't move to go after him. Instead, he says to Lucy, "You go talk some sense into him. Next time I see Seth, I'll let him know what the deal is."

[essentiallyharmless]

Lucy nods in agreement. "And he's got my underwear," she adds exasparatedly - since it's hardly a secret what they were doing a moment before. "Thanks. I'll probably see you around," she says, giving Gabriel a brief smile, before pursuing Peter.

And hey look at that, she managed to have a nice conversation with Gabriel, despite his rather rude interruption. It does help to know that he's trying to do what's best for Peter.

[fucking_ebay]

Peter doesn't even remember that he has it, though if he did he might fail to remember that it's just dream-underwear anyway. He goes stalking off over the rocky ground, shoulders hunched against imaginary cold and no particular direction or destination in mind as he simply leaves.

[essentiallyharmless]

Lucy hurries to catch up, her heels really not helpful in walking around here. Couldn't the dream have given her some sensible footwear? Before she's properly caught up with him, she stumbles and twists her ankle a bit.

She swears and stops, leaning against a large rock, then looks towards Peter and calls "Peter, get back here!" with rather noticable annoyance. She slips her foot out of her shoe and lifts it, rubbing her ankle a bit to try to soften the pain.

[fucking_ebay]

He can hear her following him, and is not inclined to slow down or make it easier. If anything, Peter leads her over an even rockier stretch of ground to try to induce her to stop. When she calls out to him he pauses, turning enough to look back and call, "I don't want to talk to you!"

[essentiallyharmless]

In reply to this, Lucy picks up her shoe and throws it a him. She misses, but only barely. She is all out of patience now. Maybe that will annoy him enough to come back. And if not, well screw it, those heels weren't doing her any good.

[fucking_ebay]

Peter lets out a curse and dodges, though it's unlikely his dodging has anything to do with the miss. "What?!" he demands, still not coming over but not leaving, either. "What could you possibly say right now that isn't you trying to make my decisions for me?"

[essentiallyharmless]

"You've got my underwear," she answers, not so much because she really needs it back (it's a dream, it won't matter soon enough), as to answer what she could possibly say.

[fucking_ebay]

Peter lets out something between a sigh and a growl of annoyance, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the garment. Things had been going so well...now he eyes Lucy, considering throwing it back at her. It's too far, though, and he's not bastard enough to throw it on the damp ground.

"Here." He comes over and holds it out impatiently.

[essentiallyharmless]

She leans over and takes it from him. He didn't bring her shoe, but whatever. "And I wouldn't be trying so hard to make any decisions for you if you asked for my advice or at least told me before you make life-changing decisions. I think I've earned that, or does our relationship only extend to where you'll get your next meal and your next fuck?" she asks, before he has the chance to walk far enough away not to hear her. She's very glad the dream doesn't see fit to change her words, but then she's being rather honest.

She has legitimate reasons to be annoyed here too, you know. "Or is it just that you get to try to control me and trick me into admitting things, but I don't get to have a say in anything you do, is that it?"

[fucking_ebay]

Peter winces and rubs his eyes. He doesn't want to have this conversation at all, really, but most of all he doesn't want to have it now. "That's" not "fair," he says, then sighs heavily. "It was a quick decision; it's not like I consulted other people."

[essentiallyharmless]

"Then don't get huffy when we tell you you acted rashly," she answers, slipping on the underwear again and standing on one foot. Then, unthinkingly, she switches foot to take off her other shoe, since they do much harm then good, and flinches as she puts pressure on her twisted ankle, then mutters another swear.

[fucking_ebay]

It's either admit the truth or walk away, and Peter doesn't fancy his chances keeping things friendly with Lucy if he both tricks her and then shuts her out in one night. Anyway, maybe he can still choose how much of the truth to share, rather than just let her assume the worst of him (as he's sure she would).

"I didn't want to change my mind," he says. Then, finally noticing why she stopped, he peers at her foot. "...What's wrong?"

[essentiallyharmless]

It would be a bit unfortunate if they both admitted wanting to be exclusive only to break up in the same night. But then Lucy is also too stubborn to just let Peter walk away by sabotaging himself.

"I twisted my ankle running after you," she answers, annoyed, though not at him at the moment.

[fucking_ebay]

Peter pauses, thinks about this, and gives her an incredulous look.

"You do remember this is a dream?" he says, as if he can talk.

[essentiallyharmless]

Lucy snorts at that. "I'm not much better at dream manipulation than you are," she says. Which is true. She is better, but she's not much better. "I'm sure it will go away when I wake up, but that doesn't mean it stops hurting now."

[fucking_ebay]

"You didn't have to chase me," he says, and is pleased it came out right. Maybe he's getting better at this truth thing -- he didn't try to say she shouldn't have chased him, for instance.

[essentiallyharmless]

Lucy sighs, not bothering to argue with that. No, she didn't have to.

"You know, it is okay to change your mind," she tells him. "It's generally considered much braver to admit a mistake than to cling to your pride."

[fucking_ebay]

Peter leans on the rock with her, sucking in a reluctant breath. "I didn't think he was taking it," he admits. Okay, so he's already said that, but he adds, "I didn't think he was doing it because he thought it had any value."

[essentiallyharmless]

Lucy nods. "And he probably wanted you thinking he was doing it out of the goodness of his heart," she agrees. "Which is why you shouldn't have rushed into it."

Trying to bridge the gap between them, she reaches over and tucks some stray hair behind his ear.

[fucking_ebay]

"...I was afraid you'd talk me out of it," he finally admits. He's not admitting he knew he was wrong or has decided since then that he shouldn't have done it, at least, but it's more than he'd wanted to say when this whole thing began.

[essentiallyharmless]

Lucy smiles. "If you do take it back, I promise I'll help you learn how to control it better. I don't want you teleporting into freefall or something either, you know," she says. Her hand's come to a rest at the nape of his neck, so after a moment she pulls him into a kiss.

[fucking_ebay]

Kissing beats talking. Promises to help him are nothing new, but if Peter's honest with himself (and he's not going to speak aloud to find out if he is), he's not really believed it before.

[essentiallyharmless]

Well, they've certainly had more fun with kissing than with talking tonight, even if they got interrupted. After a few moments, she pulls back. "Let's discuss it when we wake up," she suggests with a smile.