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calderamemes2025-12-04 10:26 am
calderaevents) wrote in calderamemes2025-12-04 10:26 am
TDM #10
ARRIVAL
It happens in an instant. A heavy weight in your gut, a trembling of your limbs, the world spins and you barely have time to register that you're falling before you lose consciousness. And when you awaken, it's not where you were last. Dark, unadorned oak walls surround you in a tiny room, the only furniture the bed you are currently resting upon, and the bedside table with a folded piece of parchment resting atop it that simply reads:
As you exit you find others like yourself emerging from the surrounding rooms. You are indeed in a tavern, but there is no hustle and bustle one might think to hear in such a place. The only person down on the main floor is a humanoid figure wiping down the bar, who smiles when they see you. They're familiar, but not, and you can't quite place their face. For some reason, however, their presence is comforting and warm.
"Welcome, Visitor. I'm sure you have a lot of questions."
And you most certainly do.
Due to popular demand, the starter tavern and the drinks provided are available to in game characters via a portal accessible only to those with a faction gem.
DRINK MENU
WINTER'S WHISPER A fragrant spiced tea that calms the nerves and inspires the drinker to share their hopes and dreams.
JINGLE BELL A crisp, bright drink...that makes jingling bell sounds as you walk. There are no bells, and yet you jingle.
S(LAY) RIDE This drink has an earthy, woody taste. Almost as woody as the tavern floor it forces you to lie down upon. You cannot get up unless someone else helps you.
MISTLETOE MEAD Made with honey from enchanted bee hives and a touch of mistletoe leaves. Time to find a smoochin' partner!
HOLLY JOLLY SPICE A bold and fiery blend of rum, cinnamon, and cloves with a secret twist—just a dash of enchanted holly berry syrup that makes your cheeks flush with warmth and your laughter contagious. One sip, and you're the life of the party, even if you're by yourself.
CANDY CANE CRUSH A festive burst of minty sweetness with a cool, refreshing sensation that tingles the tongue. The drinker's mood subtly shifts the color of their surroundings, briefly changing the hues of objects or lights in the room to match their feelings.
GINGERBREAD MAN A thick drink that tastes exactly like a gingerbread cookie. However, candy and other delicious accents start appearing on you as if YOU were the cookie. Is that icing on your nose? Candied cherries in your hair? Gumdrop buttons? But on the bright side, free candy!
JINGLE BELL A crisp, bright drink...that makes jingling bell sounds as you walk. There are no bells, and yet you jingle.
S(LAY) RIDE This drink has an earthy, woody taste. Almost as woody as the tavern floor it forces you to lie down upon. You cannot get up unless someone else helps you.
MISTLETOE MEAD Made with honey from enchanted bee hives and a touch of mistletoe leaves. Time to find a smoochin' partner!
HOLLY JOLLY SPICE A bold and fiery blend of rum, cinnamon, and cloves with a secret twist—just a dash of enchanted holly berry syrup that makes your cheeks flush with warmth and your laughter contagious. One sip, and you're the life of the party, even if you're by yourself.
CANDY CANE CRUSH A festive burst of minty sweetness with a cool, refreshing sensation that tingles the tongue. The drinker's mood subtly shifts the color of their surroundings, briefly changing the hues of objects or lights in the room to match their feelings.
GINGERBREAD MAN A thick drink that tastes exactly like a gingerbread cookie. However, candy and other delicious accents start appearing on you as if YOU were the cookie. Is that icing on your nose? Candied cherries in your hair? Gumdrop buttons? But on the bright side, free candy!
CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY
As the effects of your drink wear off, the Tavernkeeper speaks once more:
You are compelled to walk through the only door leading out of the tavern, finding yourself not outside, but in a deep black, seemingly endless room with five portals arranged in a circle. As the last of you leave and the door closes behind you, gone when you look back again and replaced with nothing but that black void, three of the portals illuminate:
The first portal is surrounded by an almost blinding light, prismatic rainbows shining brightly in the dewy air outside of the tavern. A soft breeze may gently caress you, pulling you toward it. The portal seems to lead to a city in the clouds, airships and winged beings of all sorts soaring through the skies. Of the little bits of visible land, much of it boasts giant waterfalls that look like clouds melting into the land below. The portal calls to those who crave independence and freedom; and especially to anyone that wishes to find the strong bond of a family not forged in blood.
The second portal is encircled by a fairy ring of spotted white capped mushrooms, the faint scent of damp stone and rich earth wafting from within the faint green glow. Peering inside, one can see a sprawling harbor city of gray hewn stone, a melting pot of humanoid beings going about their day, and beyond, rolling green farmland and cottages clustered in small villages. This portal is destined for those who crave stability and solid ground beneath their feet. A simple life, an adventurous one, and everything in between can be found within.
The last portal is adorned with shells and seaweed, the glow of blue around it catching on droplets cascading down the circular opening. Beyond it you see a city housed inside a massive bubble deep under the ocean, spiraling towers encrusted with coral, and a variety of different creatures mingling about the streets. Outside of that bubble, merfolk swim, a massive squid engulfs the view from the portal as it smoothly glides through the water, and schools of fish disperse as it passes. A sanctuary in the sea that calls to those with a hunger for knowledge and a desire to aid those in need. Or perhaps it is the mystery that beckons you - the lure of the unknown in the depths that bids you explore it.
Upon following the pull of the breeze through the first portal, you are thrust into the beauty of a lively city that goes by the name of Heaven's Bow. Much of this main city feels exactly as you would expect on a city below, but there are clouds surrounding every direction you look. The walls of buildings are made with light-colored limestone, and buildings are generally built up to heights made even more grandiose by their position in the sky.
The Skyfall Docks are the first thing you notice, boasting hundreds of airships sailing in and out across the clouds with shouts that accompany a typical port city. Just outside is a fantastic market with goods not only from the other regions of Caldera, but from what some shopkeepers claim are other worlds--items sold or left behind by Visitors. Almost anything can be found in the markets if one is willing to look hard enough. Transport to other locations throughout the sky and even to the land or sea can be found here.
If the docks are too lively for you, you may instead find yourself roaming the underbelly of Heaven's Bow and finding brothels and gambling parlors filled with the promise of pleasure and fortune. The guild house for the Sylphs can be found here as well, giving out quests and training to prospective adventurers and guards alike--though none of them seem concerned with the illicit activities that surround them. Perhaps the freedom the Sylphs boast of extends to what others may deem an undesirable activity.
But most curious of all, you find a shimmering opal gemstone in your hand. When placed anywhere on the body, it will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.
If it was the second portal that called to you, you will find yourself in the busy city of Grey Ward, with its cobblestone streets and sturdy grey stone buildings. You are in the heart of the city, the Glass Market, so named for the colorful stained glass windows of the surrounding buildings. The scent of cooking food and the sound of barkers fills the air; watchful guards keep an eye out for pickpockets and thieves, and citizens go about their day. From here, one can investigate the rest of the city: the Sundown Docks, where both sea and sky faring skips transport people and goods. The Soot Spire, home of inventors and engineers. The Hearthstill, the main residential area. The Downs, a smaller residential area for those with less means.
Outside the city walls, one can explore acres of farmlands to the east and west, or follow Terra's Pass to the less settled areas, but take care. Past the Skyward Range, out in the smaller burrows and villages, the influence of the city guard diminishes quickly, and you'll have to keep your wits about you. Bandits along the road are always a risk, and the wildlife are less controlled by regimented hunting.
In your hand is a gemstone, a brilliantly green emerald that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.
If the last portal beckoned you through it, you find yourself within that bubble covered city beneath the sea, the city of Salt Spire. Your ears pop with the change in pressure, and the smell of the salty sea fills your nostrils. All around you buildings made of dark stone encrusted with coral and seagrass tower high above your head, the backdrop outside the dome a deep blue, seemingly endless sea filled with fish and merfolk and all other manner of creature swimming through the water. You stand in the heart of it all, surrounded by people with gils on their necks and scales upon their vibrantly colored skin, all of whom seem intrigued by your arrival. You have many options of where to visit in the city under the sea, but where oh where will you go first?
The Salt Spire Library is right before you, an impossibly large building housing thousands upon thousands of books of all genres. Fiction, non-fiction, romance and mystery and all between. You may even find books from your world and others! Oddly enough though, no Calderan history books are to be found, and if you ask for them, the librarians and locals all choose to ignore your questions.
If scholarly pursuits aren't to your interest currently, perhaps a trip to Bluetide Market would be more your style? The marketplace is host to every manner of shop one might ever need: artisans of all varieties, apothecaries and healers in the Shimmer Quarter, the most in fashion undersea clothing shops, food stalls, and all between can be found in Bluetide. There are also the Tideshore and Fogbottom docks on either end of the city. The former allows transport to the surface via large, magical bubbles for those that cannot hold their breath or make the swim themselves yet. The latter allows people to venture further into the sea. Those without their underwater abilities are offered rebreathers for travel that last for four hours before needing to be replaced.
In your hand is a gemstone, a shining sapphire that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.
Visitors in all starter cities are offered a standard home with basic necessities provided (your choice in design, etc.) that can house 1-4 people if they so choose. If you aren't ready for a permanent home yet, there is an inn in Grey Ward, where accommodations and food are free for Visitors.
THE AFTERMATH
When the mysterious moon god attacked, tearing treacherous rifts into the fabric of Caldera. The Star Gods held these rifts open while Visitors bravely stepped up to find and destroy the broken shards of lunar light within them. Thanks to their efforts, the moon was finally pushed back into its rightful place in the sky. The god sentenced to serve their punishment upon the displaced satellite was seemingly torn asunder by the overwhelming power they unleashed in a last, desperate attempt to destroy the world. Nymion dealt the finishing blow in a blinding beam of lightning and a boom of thunder that shook the very earth, then restored the moon, hanging it carefully back where it should be in the sky, albeit now with visible cracks he was unable to fully mend.
The gods were exhausted, but standing. All except one.
As they descended from the chaos where the rifts in reality had once writhed, Triton carried Cordelia in his arms. The Queen of the Seas lay unconscious, her strength spent after holding both her own and Nymion's rifts open long enough for the Visitors to break through. Fortunately, the seas did not erupt into turmoil; Vesper and Triton kept the Undine realm steady, even as Cordelia fell into a deep, uncertain coma.
"Caldera survives another day!" Nymion boomed triumphantly as he and the others touched down. "This calls for a celebration! 'Tis the season, is it not? Enough pouting — Cordelia will rise again, if she is strong enough to."
The gods were exhausted, but standing. All except one.
As they descended from the chaos where the rifts in reality had once writhed, Triton carried Cordelia in his arms. The Queen of the Seas lay unconscious, her strength spent after holding both her own and Nymion's rifts open long enough for the Visitors to break through. Fortunately, the seas did not erupt into turmoil; Vesper and Triton kept the Undine realm steady, even as Cordelia fell into a deep, uncertain coma.
"Caldera survives another day!" Nymion boomed triumphantly as he and the others touched down. "This calls for a celebration! 'Tis the season, is it not? Enough pouting — Cordelia will rise again, if she is strong enough to."
SEASON OF LIGHT
In the aftermath of this tremendous chaos and effort, feelings of paranoia, exhaustion, and grief linger in the populace, making the people reluctant to celebrate this victory. Once again, the realm has been shaken, and the fear of life or death is not an easy one to brush off.
Yet at Nymion's urging, the locals yield. Perhaps he is right — this is the season meant for unity and hope. Though still wary, they do their best to ensure that the Season of Lights begins as it has in years past. Once more, the people of Caldera sink into the comforting bustle of distraction, fixing their attention on the imminent celebrations. The holiday, reminiscent of Christmas and New Years, brings gift-giving in abundance and decorations of shimmering silver and radiant blue that cast their glow across sky, sea, and land in harmonious splendor.
One of the season's highlights is the grand Feast of the Sky, a night when the people gather beneath a star-filled canopy to exchange gifts and share a meal. In the days leading up to the feast, families and friends take part in a tradition known as "Lightwalking," embarking on midnight strolls through lantern-lit streets, singing carols, drinking hot cocoa and cider, and sharing stories of hope and renewal. Even the seafaring vessels join in the light show, their sails and rigging adorned with glowing orbs that drift like stars across the water.
Above all, the Season of Lights is a celebration of resilience — a time when the people of Caldera set aside their worries, if only briefly, and bask in the glow of community, generosity, and the promise of brighter days ahead, especially now that the threat of the moon has been vanquished.
Yet at Nymion's urging, the locals yield. Perhaps he is right — this is the season meant for unity and hope. Though still wary, they do their best to ensure that the Season of Lights begins as it has in years past. Once more, the people of Caldera sink into the comforting bustle of distraction, fixing their attention on the imminent celebrations. The holiday, reminiscent of Christmas and New Years, brings gift-giving in abundance and decorations of shimmering silver and radiant blue that cast their glow across sky, sea, and land in harmonious splendor.
One of the season's highlights is the grand Feast of the Sky, a night when the people gather beneath a star-filled canopy to exchange gifts and share a meal. In the days leading up to the feast, families and friends take part in a tradition known as "Lightwalking," embarking on midnight strolls through lantern-lit streets, singing carols, drinking hot cocoa and cider, and sharing stories of hope and renewal. Even the seafaring vessels join in the light show, their sails and rigging adorned with glowing orbs that drift like stars across the water.
Above all, the Season of Lights is a celebration of resilience — a time when the people of Caldera set aside their worries, if only briefly, and bask in the glow of community, generosity, and the promise of brighter days ahead, especially now that the threat of the moon has been vanquished.
THE GRAND MASQUERADE
Another highlight of the season is the Grand Masquerade that unfolds high above the world in Heaven's Bow, the floating city where the wind dances in the sky and the stars seem close enough to touch. The moon, thankfully, is no longer that close. The event is more than just a celebration of the Season of Lights — it's a gathering of hope, a focus on light during dark and uncertain times. Here among the clouds, the people of Caldera and the heroic Visitors from other worlds come together in a shimmering, ethereal celebration, their faces hidden behind elaborate masks and appropriately fancy dress provided with instantaneous magic when one steps through the threshold of the castle gates.
The gleaming silver palace at the heart of Heaven's Bow is a breathtaking sight, its walls adorned with shiny blue decorations that catch the light from thousands of lanterns floating in mid-air. The sky above is painted with the colors of dusk, swirling in a palette of purples, blues, and silvers.
Sylphs — the free-spirited, airborn people of the Sky — flutter about, their wings glinting in the light, performing acrobatic feats in the air and playing beautiful, floating melodies on lyres. Their laughter and music mingles with the sounds of the celebration. The atmosphere is that of a sigh of relief, a dissolution of tension; the laughter echoing through the palace halls is tired but genuine, the chatter between friends is that of gratitude that they made it through all right.
The gleaming silver palace at the heart of Heaven's Bow is a breathtaking sight, its walls adorned with shiny blue decorations that catch the light from thousands of lanterns floating in mid-air. The sky above is painted with the colors of dusk, swirling in a palette of purples, blues, and silvers.
Sylphs — the free-spirited, airborn people of the Sky — flutter about, their wings glinting in the light, performing acrobatic feats in the air and playing beautiful, floating melodies on lyres. Their laughter and music mingles with the sounds of the celebration. The atmosphere is that of a sigh of relief, a dissolution of tension; the laughter echoing through the palace halls is tired but genuine, the chatter between friends is that of gratitude that they made it through all right.
FLIGHTS OF FANCY
In the grand hall, there are long tables laden with lavish finger foods and desserts, the plates interspersed with baubles of iridescent glass. A round table off to the side has a tower of champagne glasses with sparkling wine, and it appears to be a custom to pair up, make a heartfelt toast, and link arms with your partner to drain your glass. This wine has mild magical effects, making your form glow faintly and your voice take on an airy, musical quality, which may charm those around you, and slowly turns the din of the party into a symphony as the night goes on. You may also find that you are lighter on your feet, enough to even float off the ground a little as thought gravity has lessened, and it may give you the urge to dance.
And as for dancing, there is a gorgeous ballroom floor that gleams with silver and blue polished tile. The dances of the locals echo the sylph's graceful flight through the air, with languid, flowing movements and a freestyle form of step, letting the music move them across the floor. However, there is the occasional livelier song, where the Calderans will push you into the closest person to partner up for a complicated and jovial traditional dance. Keeping up seems to be optional- there is plenty of laughter and no judgment if you falter in the steps. Finally, a slow dance brings couples together more intimately, holding each other with a renewed sense of love, knowing now that nothing here can be taken for granted.
WRITTEN IN THE STARS
If dancing isn't your thing, you notice that curiously, there's a stream of Calderans leading out of the great hall, and if you follow them, you will find yourself outside in front of a large crystal dome. Welcoming folks inside is none other than Nymion, the showboating Star God himself, who singles out Visitors entering with a special little quest:
"Hey, not a bad job you guys did with those rifts. Couldn't have saved it without your help, but don't tell anyone I said that. Anyway, I'm still looking for exceptional talents in this world, and I've yet to be truly wowed. You up for a challenge? Yeah, of course you are, that's what I thought. Come on, champ!"
He claps you on the back a little too hard and ushers you inside. Upon entering the dome, you discover it's a gorgeous planetarium, so realistic that it feels unnervingly like you're floating in space. In here, Visitors are granted the magical ability to create stars and form constellations in this space. Nymion wants you to create something truly show-stopping, name it, and present it to him. If you're having trouble getting the creative juices flowing, it may help to work as a team with a fellow Visitor. If he likes it, he may just make your constellation real.
"Hey, not a bad job you guys did with those rifts. Couldn't have saved it without your help, but don't tell anyone I said that. Anyway, I'm still looking for exceptional talents in this world, and I've yet to be truly wowed. You up for a challenge? Yeah, of course you are, that's what I thought. Come on, champ!"
He claps you on the back a little too hard and ushers you inside. Upon entering the dome, you discover it's a gorgeous planetarium, so realistic that it feels unnervingly like you're floating in space. In here, Visitors are granted the magical ability to create stars and form constellations in this space. Nymion wants you to create something truly show-stopping, name it, and present it to him. If you're having trouble getting the creative juices flowing, it may help to work as a team with a fellow Visitor. If he likes it, he may just make your constellation real.
QUESTBOARD [NEW QUESTS ADDED]
Settled in? Good. It's time to make your way to the Questboard located in every city in numerous, easy to access locations. That is, if you want to make any kind of impact on the world or just get some Bones for anything you might wish to purchase. Visitors are given a very small stipend in which to survive every month, but all it does is keep you fed and housed. These quests will assure you greater wealth, and they're the main reason you're here: each finished quest helps the Calderans fix their shattering world.
Quests can be accepted at the questboard via magically signed parchment upon the board. Just sign your name to accept and the paper will be whisked away... somewhere. You're not actually sure. Probably nothing to concern yourself with.
Once quests are completed, earned Bones will be dropped off at the character's residence by Bonita, the mysterious artisan who has supposedly handcrafted every Bone circulating in Caldera. Please do not speak to her, she startles easily.
OOC NOTES
Welcome to Caldera's 10th TDM! All characters awaken in a strange tavern with nothing save the clothes on their backs, all of their powers stripped, and a piece of parchment directing them downstairs to the Tavernkeeper. There is a thread of all questions answered by the Tavernkeeper here, and if you have more, feel free to ask there for what would be offered ICly.
◾For OOC questions, please direct themhere.
◾All locations are available to be explored!
◾The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.
◾All constellations crafted by Visitors will be visible in the night sky unless specified otherwise.
main navigation
◾For OOC questions, please direct themhere.
◾All locations are available to be explored!
◾The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.
◾All constellations crafted by Visitors will be visible in the night sky unless specified otherwise.
no subject
He leans forward to give Sebastian better access, his elbows planting on his knees. "Adam's my agent. Manager? Manager agent. The guy who keeps me in line, sets up events, handles PR, and shit. He's good at turning a mess into benefits."
Which is perfect, because Damian makes a lot of them.
As Sebastian's hands near the hem of his jacket, he says, "Got a belt on. Black, silver studs. Under that, ah. Jean shorts " Short ones. Very short. Careful not to skim thigh, Sebastian; there's a lot of it before you hit the thigh highs. "Dark grey. Little chains on them are silver, too."
no subject
The printed design is interesting to his curious little fingers. They don't do prints on clothing where he's from. He can feel the shape of the skull.
"Oh, okay." Seb doesn't really know what an agent is, or PR, but he does know being kept in line.
His hand moves to the belt as Damian narrates it, feeling over the cool raised metal studs. Not lingering on the buckle, for obvious reasons. His hand moves to Damian's outer hip and down his thigh—
Oh. He hits skin almost immediately and his mouth falls agape. In his shock, his fingers move faster, sweeping down Damian's leg in search of his boot.
Finally, he finds it.
"Well, I was going to say your style is similar to mine until I found this part. Nevermind."
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"Don't sound so scandalized, you'll make me self-conscious," he says, not sounding hurt or embarrassed in the least. The boots are nice, actual leather and clearly made to be durable - probably the most expensive part of his get up outside of his guitar, honestly. "Just skin, lean and green. Part of pleasing the crowd."
He reaches out to take Sebastian's fingers and lead them back up in a loose grip. Easily escapable if Sebastian chooses.
"Don't know if you really care about it, but you missed a mole." A snort. "I've been told if you tilt your head and squint it looks like a fish."
no subject
He's enjoying the feel of the leather until Damian moves his hand back to skin, and his lips press together. Unconsciously, he holds his breath.
A mole? He allows his fingers to be guided, then rubs his fingertips over the small bump on Damian's thigh. Trying to make out if it feels like a fish.
"It doesn't feel fishy, but my fingers aren't skilled at discerning small shapes yet, I guess." There's a sentence rife with opportunity for you, Damian.
no subject
"That right? If you ever want to change that, I've got a few suggestions and a whole lot of freetime to help you get better with your fingers." He's only got the best of intentions here. "Could even teach you a thing or two about throwing shame to the wind."
Lord knows he needs it. Guy could definitely use a vacation, if he even knows what that is.
no subject
He does, however, give Damian's thigh a small appreciative caress before moving back to the leather of his boot. He can't help it; it's so smooth.
"What would you suggest? For a beginner at the whole shame-throwing thing."
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Damian leans back, letting Sebastian feel up the rest of him. It's less fun now that he's hit the boots; the leather's thick enough that Damian can barely feel it.
"You find one person - any person really - and say 'fuck what you think, I'm gonna do it anyway'." He uncrosses his legs to make it easier for Sebastian. "Doesn't have to be about big things, either. Start with the smaller things you're bent up over, work your way up to being the realest you."
no subject
He huffs a short, silent laugh.
"That's actually good advice." He says this like he's a little surprised Damian is capable of good advice.
His hand caresses over laces, back onto smooth leather.
"I know who I'm spiting... That's easy. I guess I just need to take a baby step."
Like feeling up a guy's legs, maybe...
no subject
Damian is so good at this advice and wisdom stuff. Continue to be amazed, Sebastian.
His mouth purses in thought, curiosity burning like an itch as he watches Sebastian feel. "So who's the bastard you're spiting?"
no subject
"Atlas. The Magnus Pater. The leader of our commune. The one who blinded me."
That guy deserves all his spite. Well, except...
"And my father too, a bit." Sebastian's hands wrap around Damian's ankles, then the arches of his feet, feeling what the sole is like.
no subject
Sebastian will find that Damian's boots have heels. Not thin like stilettos, and certainly not as tall, but they do give him a few extra inches in height.
no subject
"What? Its Pah-ter. Not Pay-ter. It means Great Father in our ancient language." Which happens to be very similar to Latin, what a funny coincidence.
"So I guess I have two shitty dads. Not a fan of yours either, huh?"
His hands are still feeling around his foot, gripping the heel, highly fascinated. He's maybe a little aroused by these boots.
no subject
Damian does notice that Sebastian is... kind of lingering on his boots a bit. Not like he can really blame him though - they're good boots, and Sebastian sounds like he grew up in a place tucked right inside the ass crack of hell. Damian, charitable soul that he is, will let Sebastian have this without comment.
At his question, Damian scowls. "Yeah, no, fucking hate the guy. If I could kill him without upsetting my mom, I would. Fucker could drop dead and the whole world would be better for it."
nsfw lol
Oh, dear. This has awakened something in him, depsite his attempts to ignore it. He places his other hand on the mattress to steady himself, while also sort of bent over himself where he's kneeling to hide his slight erection.
"Wow. What did he do?"
no subject
Damian cuts himself off in a rare moment of awareness. His face scrunches because, shit, this guy comes from conservative war crime cult. Any qualms he has about his father are probably a drop in the bucket for Sebastian. Ugh ugh ugh.
"-was shitty and labeled me as lacking even before I could even walk," he finishes with a slope of tone. "You know. Bad dad things. Uh -"
He squints at the change in posture, eyes finally catching up to his brain. "You... okay there?"
no subject
He had a gifted-child-esque period where his father was proud of him, but fell quickly from that grace period.
"Yeah, I'm good..." He moves carefully to sit by Damian again, awkwardly trying to obscure his crotch, sitting against the wall with his knees bent so that hopefully nothing shows through this thin-ass gown. Conveniently, he shivers. It is cold to be wearing so much... Nothing.
no subject
Damian does not point out how suspicious Sebastian is acting. He does, however, move to do something about the shivering.
Shrugging off his leather jacket (that IS a jacket, thank you) and plopping it over Sebastian's shoulders. "Scoot your legs up, lean and green. Gonna get the blanket."
Because even though there's supposedly fucking magic everywhere, they can't magic up some heated rooms. Ugh.
no subject
Seb tucks his legs under him, huddling under the 'sleeveless jacket' (vest) and shivering again.
"Wish they gave me some goddamn clothes," he mutters grumpily. "I don't want to leave the tavern looking like this..."
no subject
Damian works his boots off, dropping them off the edge of the bed as nicely as he can. He pulls the blanket up over both his and Sebastian's legs after. It's... not as thick as he'd like, but it's better than nothing.
"Mm, I'd offer to swap, but I don't think you'd want to leave in my shorts, either."
no subject
He does, however, lean against Damian a bit, seeking his body heat.
"I dunno what would be worse," he answers wryly.
no subject
He snorts. "The shorts, obviously. Mine are custom tailored to hug all my best bits; you'd wear them awkward if your thighs are as toned as your arms."
no subject
"Oh... Yeah, they are. They'd probably be too small for me." He hadn't thought of that, and he huffs a small laugh, blushing at the thought of the shorts 'hugging' him like that. No thanks.
"I do like your outfit, but I wouldn't wear it. Except the vest. I'd wear that." It's definitely his style, if it were black and green instead of wine-coloured.
"The boots are... Something." He's going to be thinking about the feel of that leather curving under his fingertips for quite a while.
no subject
He bumps his leg into Sebastian's, letting him take that heat, too.
"But yeah, my boots are great, aren't they?" He looks down at his feet and wriggles his toes. He looks to the blanketed shape of Sebastian's legs. "Might even be able to fit you in them, if you ask me nicely."
He'd pay to see it, honestly.