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TDM 005: HAPPY SPOOKTEMBER
| TDM 005: HAPPY SPOOKTEMBER |
Arrival  This time, you come out of the water, the Nameless Island's own inherent energy drawing people in. It's like being suspended between realities and abruptly pushed from behind through a rift in dimensions. It may make you sick, or that might be the motion of the ocean, lifting you to the surface and carrying you to shore. Waterlogged and covered in sand, new arrivals will be greeted by robots who welcome them with towels and bracelet devices. The A5 card is already loaded up. Feel free to explore the Island, though there isn’t much to see. Most of the buildings are abandoned and in dire need of repair, and beyond the city lingers a thick fog that obscures much of the wilderness from view. Wander too far into this fog, and you will find yourself mysteriously looping back to where you began, your memories of what you were doing and how you got there erased. With that in mind, it may be wise to stake your claim on a rundown apartment, a tent on the beach, or a bed in the "comfortable" new barracks. Your inventory will be found a day later, wrapped up haphazardly and delivered to each person's makeshift home. I. Harvest Hunt  As the daylight grows shorter and the muggy heat of the island’s summer gradually shifts to temperate days and chilly nights, Erku’s accessible wilderness explodes with a colorful collection of tempting fruits, fragrant-smelling herbs, and nuts and seeds plumped and ready for harvest. With warnings to beware of monsters, the robots of Erku encourage Islanders to take advantage of the land’s bounty by distributing basic camping supplies to those who are interested in exploring, hunting, and harvesting. They strongly encourage making the journey with a friend! Any surplus foods that Islanders bring home with them can be exchanged for credits with cafeteria robots! Just be careful out there - some of these fruits have strange effects once consumed. For extra protection out there in the wilds, the robots have fashioned crowns of flowers or foliage to wear on their adventures. The sweet and herbal smells from the crowns will discourage most Erku-native monsters from approaching, they assure - this is ancient knowledge from the planet’s long-gone civilization, so it can’t be wrong! What the robots don’t know is that the crowns have a deeper, more ritualistic purpose: after a few hours, the scent of flowers or herbs begins to awaken primal instincts within the wearer. Those who are wearing the foliage crowns feel overwhelmed by an urge to hunt, while those who wear the flower crowns delight in every opportunity to tease, outrun, and outwit the hunters. What happens when the chase ends? Well, that depends on the personalities and the chemistry between the hunters and their prey. While the robots are very insistent on placing crowns atop the heads of any Islander they see, they aren’t stuck on in any way and they are easy to remove, which can prevent or break the hunting trance. II. seeds and sap  Of particularly high credit value, the robots explain, is an elusive flower known as the skull sunflower. It appears exactly as one might imagine: at the center of an otherwise innocuous, towering sunflower is the gruesome visage of an open-mouthed skull. Don’t worry, the flowers are harmless! Even if it’s strange how the empty-socketed eyes seem to follow your every move. And why is it that the teeth - which, on closer inspection, are actually the seeds of the flower - only seem to chatter when your back is turned? Any Islander who can withstand their heebie-jeebies long enough to collect the petals and seeds from the flowers will fetch a handsome reward in credits upon exchange with the robots. Beware the sticky, blood-red sap that seeps from the eyes of each skull, however. Those who absorb too much through their skin will begin to hallucinate, visions of frightening or emotional events from their past dancing in the shadows. One might even mistakenly imagine that another Islander is someone they recognize from their past, someone who meant something to them - no matter whether that person is alive or dead in the present. The hallucinogenic effects of the sap can last for hours, or they can be shortened by a dip in the public baths. III. Tarot  Night comes, and in the darkness, a robot sets up a table by the beach. A solitary candle sits in the center, illuminating a deck of cards. F̶i̴n̵d̸ ̸y̶o̸u̸r̵ ̵f̵o̸r̷t̵u̶n̶e̷?̴ The robot reveals tarot cards and will do a variety of spreads to tell your fortune. Each fortune can be distilled into one central theme, which characters will find pervades their life for the next 24 hours. There is magic afoot: it can be sensed, and perhaps even dispelled, if luck is on your side. Though most robots on the island show a capacity for greater-than-average artificial intelligence, this pseudo-psychic 'bot -- M.S. Cl30 -- is less advanced. It only has six interpretations prepared:
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But Finn reaches out to him in a way that's so soft, so careful, even with the excitement he feels, he finds a comfort of sorts. He's not sure if it helps or not, but he closes his eyes and takes a deep, slow breath anyway.
And then there it is again, that gentle brush against the edges of his mind. He can almost feel that worry on Finn's end, the panic that's there and gone, the confusion that melts away into something warmer and sweeter.
The longer he lingers there, the more easily Jim can pick up on those feelings, especially when Finn's doing very little to hide them. He's not sure what it is that makes his heart pick up pace when he realizes what he's sensing from Finn, but it does feel kind of like riding a roller coaster for too long, coming out of it stumbling and dizzy and out of breath.
The link doesn't quite break, but Jim can't stay still. He can't listen to reason either, apparently, because regardless of what any voice might be saying at the back of his mind, he shoves it down further and leans in, cupping Finn's face in his hands and pressing their lips in a kiss. ]
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His first thought, for just a split second, is that this is not a good idea. Then the thought's gone, and he's kissing back. What's more, his hands have started clinging to James' clothes at some point, pulling him in and trying to press their bodies flush. He's missed him, and that longing must sing through the connection thanks to how strong the emotion is. That and all of the other overwhelming things, the immense sadness that James doesn't remember, the unbridled joy that he's alive alive alive.
Later, he might wonder if he made James kiss him, if his own emotions affected him or if he performed some sort of mind trick on accident, but that's not a thought right now because he knows it's not true. Because the Force tells him that's not true. Not entirely, anyway. And besides, Jim would probably be furious that Finn thought such a thing at all. ]
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Honestly, after their lips meet, Jim can't really imagine why any of this is such a bad thing anymore. The way Finn reaches out to grab him makes his breath shudder, and he's quick to move closer when pulled in, letting out a soft pitch of a sound, lips parting into the kiss and arms moving so they wrap completely around Finn's neck, clinging onto him while he more or less ends up climbing onto Finn's lap.
At least he recognizes that he's getting carried away, he just doesn't care that much that he is. Finn's feelings bleed out of him, unbridled, and they all make him feel warm and safe and overwhelmingly happy. ]
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His hands have ended up under Jim's shirt at some point, one running over his back while the other snakes around his ribs. Again, acting on instinct, and he nearly doesn't catch himself before that hand moves south. He does, though, and no southern movement occurs. If anything, it helps clue him in to what's going on.
He actually considers ignoring it and pretending he's still lost in the moment until he does get lost again... His hand moves north, over Jim's chest for just a moment, and Finn gently pulls hardly a breath away from the kiss. ]
That was-... [ That was an accident? That was a lot? That was amazing? His voice is low and a little hoarse, so he leans forward and kisses the edge of Jim's lips and his jaw instead.
The connection is still there and it's probably the only reason he hasn't stopped this yet. Jim still feels so... warm. Happy. Like this is okay. ]
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He can feel his face warm, he's almost sure he's bearing a faint fluster on his cheeks, heart hammering in his chest. This is all much more intense than he was counting on, but it feels so good, he can't even think to put a stop to it.
In fact he just tilts his head and presses closer, as though offering up his jaw and neck for Jim's lips to explore all he likes. ]
Finn... [ The name is barely a breath on his lips, fingers twisting into Finn's clothes, hoping to keep him close. ]
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The still thinking part of him doesn't want this to escalate too far. In fact, it would very much like to separate, slow down, talk, and not freak out. Like, he knows that maybe it's what should be done right now.
But most of him isn't thinking, not about that sort of thing, and doesn't want to start now.
His hands are still blessedly beneath Jim's shirt, pressing them close together while they continue exploring, trying to keep his no-escalation policy in mind. Besides, things may be intense but it feels a lot slower now, and he doesn't want to rush. If anything, he wants to make James feel amazing and has a lot of experience in that field.
He shivers, starts exploring down Jim's very familiar neck, and breathes his name against his skin. ] James... [ There is some lust creeping into their connection but it's overwhelmed by the desire to be of use, to give pleasure where he can. Which, of course, is overwhelmed by all the love he's trying to contain in his body right now. ]
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Those hands on his skin are doing very little to help keep his mind clear, though, just like Finn's lips on his neck. He lets out a shuddered moan, head tipping back slightly, gripping Finn's shirt tightly.
Somehow, he manages to muster the strength to pull back, even if only an inch or two. ]
We should... [ He pauses, clears his throat. His cheeks are warm, and he cups Finn's face with one of his hands. ] We should, maybe— slow down a little.
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His cheeks are warm, too, while he takes deep breaths, his eyes half-lidded and clouded even as he finds James gaze. Slow down. They should slow down. ]
Sorry. [ His hands slide away from beneath his shirt, kind of reluctant to leave the warmth, but they find a new home in similar spots only with cloth as a barrier. Through the connection, there's some confusion and guilt but mostly caution. Protectiveness. He doesn't want to mess things up.
And Finn recognizes that would include closing this connection he somehow linked, realizing that they've overwhelmed each other with it even if he isn't totally sure what part made James start getting physical. Not that he's complaining. But, with some reluctance, Finn pulls away in the Force, attempting to put his mind back in his own head. It's just... really difficult to let go of all that light. Makes him feel a little darker and colder even though he can still see it. ] You're still just as beautiful, you know.
[ That's probably not the right thing to say, and he glances down as soon as it's out of his mouth, but that same mouth twitches along one edge into a smile. It's just the memory of saying that over and over. He used to love telling him as much. ]
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[ Which may or may not be happening already, even with the bond between them being broken. Quietly he regrets that loss, but he says nothing. Maybe it really is for the best they give that a break for a little while.
Either way, it looks like Finn's got plenty of ways to surprise and overwhelm him anyway, and that little comment there is met with a sudden yet soft laugh, lips curled up in a bashful smile, head bending forward so he can press his forehead against Finn's shoulder. ]
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Distracting himself is easy to do what with that shy, bashful reaction. Not that he's complaining about it or about how close they are right now. He wraps his arms around James, laughing once breathlessly and so so happy, bending his head forward to press a more chaste kiss to his neck.
James is surprised to hear such a thing. That's new. Finn will definitely have to tell him more often this go around. ]
I liked it a lot, too. I... never did that before. [ Which means he's suddenly realizing that he actually did that and he's thankful to James for pulling that out of him. But he doesn't say it. Finn just rests his face in his neck and enjoys this. It somehow doesn't feel as close as when they were connected, but the privacy of his own mind allows him to feel okay about getting a little overly emotional right now.
Because, no, that wasn't overly emotional before. He's just... really happy. ]
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Really? Not even with me?
[ It's a little surprising, honestly. It seems like the kind of thing Jim would love to do with someone he was close to, and so far it does seem like he and Finn were very close. Closer than Finn even seems willing to admit out loud.
But honestly, it's kind of nice. Really nice. It's a first for the both of them, which for once leaves Jim feeling a little less lost about all this.
Hi hands both move between them, holding onto the front of Finn's shirt, whole body relaxing into Finn's. ]
I'm glad. That you haven't done it before, I mean... that I got to be the first.
[ Hmm that sounds kinda weird. But whatever, he's rolling with it. ]
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It just sort of appeared not long ago. I told you about it but-... No, we didn't. [ His voice, already soft, gets a little softer. ] I don't want to hurt you. But... I'm glad it was you, too.
[ He's still a little worried about himself, especially now that he's thinking about it. What if he can't control it or somehow loses control of it? What if he takes more than James is willing to give or even could give? But, at the same time, he really is glad that this happened between them. He trusts James, and James believes in him.
Or. Well, he used to. It feels like he still might.
Suddenly, Finn has to bite his lip to keep himself from saying something entirely too sweet that he'd definitely regret immediately. Weirdly been getting harder and harder to keep that impulse down. Instead, he sighs and allows his whole body to relax with the motion, relax into James. ] And I'm glad you're here.
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[ IT feels like it's worth mentioning that much, if Finn's worried about that. It's not the first time he's had anyone inside his mind, but unlike what happened with Ambassador Spock, nothing about it felt forced or invasive this time. While still intense, it felt warm, intimate, comforting. and safe, too.
Odd thing to feel, he realizes, with someone he's just met. But he does feel safe with Finn. ]
Yeah... you know what, kinda glad I'm here too.
[ Not exactly what he'd usually feel being stuck on a strange new planet, but it's been— well, an experience. Time will tell how he feels about it in the long run. Anyway. ]
Uh— do you still want to eat anything, or can I move the plate?
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He closes his eyes and tries to etch this moment to memory, one of many moments he's tried to do so.
Then the question's asked and he's brought back to reality, glancing over to see the forgotten plate sitting beside them. He has to huff a little laugh. ]
No, no. I can get it.
[ Maybe separation would be good for them? Good for James? Let him have a second to realize what the hell just happened? Finn's still kind of reeling and he's almost used to this between them.
He presses a kiss to Jim's neck, hands just above his hips as if he can maneuver him off. Not that he's excited about it, but, y'know. ]
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It also feels a little like he's just taking advantage of it right now, when he knows he can't return Finn's feelings, at least not just yet. But that's not something he thinks too much about, just now.
He's a little reluctant, but he gets off Finn's lap at the urging, sitting on the mattress with his legs folded up and his back against the wall. Actually he meant he'd just move the plate to the floor, but if Finn wants to get it back to the kitchen, he'll just sit there and wait for him to come back.
He is assuming Finn will come back, anyway. ]
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Finished with his little mission and not sure how to spend more time away even if he wanted to, Finn does, indeed, come back. He sits on the mattress, leans against James, and sighs. ]
I'll practice more, in case you ever want to try that again.
[ He needs to practice, anyway, but this is such good motivation to get over the fear of trying. ]
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I do, [ He says quickly, somehow surprising even himself with that statement. He doesn't take it back, though. ] That would be... nice. And you can always practice with me, if you want.
[ He knows what Finn meant, that he'd practice so he wouldn't somehow lose control with him, but Jim's fairly sure he can handle it. Even if he couldn't, he wouldn't hold any incidents against Finn. ]
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Maybe. Sometimes.
[ He's smiling when he says it, though, because this time went okay. No one got hurt, at least. So long as he's in a good mental place, it should be okay. ]
Thank you.
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So no, he's not planning on encouraging this when either (or both) of them might be emotionally compromised. Debilitated. But otherwise, he sees no harm in trying again sometime. ]
What are you thanking me for?
[ It's not like he was doing Finn a favor; he enjoyed that too. With a smile, he leans in to kiss Finn near the corner of his lips, curling up closer to him. ]
Should we lie down? See if we can get some sleep?
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But he doesn't answer the question. Finn just smiles when he's kissed and pulls them down until they're flat on the mattress and he can hold him properly. ]
That sounds like a good idea. First night's sleep in a place like this is usually hard but... I think it'll be all right this time.
[ He punctuates that with a kiss to his forehead. ]
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He nudges the covers up their bodies, tugging them up the rest of the way with his hands, so they'll be tucked in and a little more comfortable. Then he drapes an arm over Finn's waist, nuzzling into the nook of his shoulder with a sigh. ]
Mm, yeah... think I'll sleep just fine, tonight.
[ Which is an odd thing to think, when Jim can hardly remember the last time he's even shared a bed with someone, much less so like this. ]
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At least, not right now and not in that way. Maybe part of it is that he doesn't want to ruin this tonight, wants just this all to himself. Being a little selfish and all that.
Finn doesn't say anything. He wraps his arms around James, one hand resting on the back of his neck, and he just tries to... stay as much in this moment as possible. Maybe it will be difficult for Finn to sleep tonight, after all.
It won't be.]