TDM 001

[erkumods]

TDM 001: TFLU

( 1 ) After leaving the teleportation chamber, you are gently coaxed out of the hospital and encouraged to find a place to stay. Maybe you've had time to check out your A5 app. Maybe you're just settling in. It's cloudy, overcast, cold -- you'll want to seek out someplace warm. Also, your device is beeping. A lot. The tech on the island works, it just doesn't work right. You can't seem to send a message to the correct person. It's time for... Texts From Last Universe ( 2 ) What's this? Your bingo card has just been beamed to a stranger's inbox...?! ( sample A5 cards -- NSFW, may contain triggering content, please feel free to use/ignore as you see fit) ( 3 ) And now you're receiving messages from other users that they don't remember sending: Nice shirt. It would look better on my floor. 10/10 would ride it into the sunset. This user thinks you're attractive. u up? 🍆 ( 4 ) Once you figure out that the robots have been hacking your devices, it's no easy feat to track one down and demand they stop. "So The Augur wills!" they wail in a monotone. "So it is done!" Any attempt to actually contact The Augur and get back into the hospital will be met with beefy robot bodyguards, who suggest taking a gentler approach to fix your devices. If you know what they mean. Wink. (This is your overt kink prompt. Please label any threads accordingly.) Note: All prompts are optional. The theme for this TDM is "malfunctioning devices." They can be fixed by indulging in the squares on your cards. For the sake of the TDM, you can use one of the pre-generated examples or a wildcard from the kink list. This can be used as a free bingo square completion once you have been accepted into the game. Players are welcome to wildcard their own TDM prompts; we only ask that you try to stick to the theme. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

[omnisciens]

see you!

[ .. shortly, in fact. less than ten minutes later, a voice pipes up from john's peripheral. ] Hi there. [ .. it belongs to a slim man with faintly-glowing lilac eyes and moving tattoos of what looks like some sort of tribal designs mixed with stylized eyes and tentacles. he's wearing a light sweater and pleated midi skirt, his hands pushed down into the pockets.

his glasses are sliding down his nose, and when he smiles, it's warm and interested. ] Well, you're a ruggedly handsome blond in a trenchcoat, so you must be who I'm meeting. [ he slides his hand from his pocket and offers it out, and an inked tentacle slips past his wrist onto the back of his hand before retreating again. ] I'm Cecil Palmer.

[conjobs]

[Just as he was about to get a little antsy in the hospital, his saving grace arrives. Knight in... trendy...? Purple armour. Those eyecatching tattoos though. Hazel eyes can't resist following the way they move.

When he meets Cecil's gaze, he's got a boyish, lopsided smirk in response.] John Constantine. [He's got a few tattoos of his own, but he's fully clothed from neck to toes so they're not visible. And they're certainly not as intriguing or fluid.

Before making any offers to queer things up, he can't resist asking, even though the question might not make sense:] How're you doing that?

[omnisciens]

Doing what?

[ he glances down at himself, his other hand coming out of his pocket--definite wedding ring on the appropriate finger of the left hand--to pat down his sweater and skirt as if searching for anything out of the ordinary. nope, nothing weird here that he can tell.

he glances back up, pushing his glasses up his nose and then planting both hands loosely on his hips. ] .. Do you mean pulling off a skirt this bright with a sweater with this many sequins on it? It's a gift, I guess.

[conjobs]

No, I mean- well, it's gorgeous love. [A small laugh. He did catch the glint of the wedding ring. Can't help it, he's a bit of a magpie when it comes to shiny objects, although he's usually on the prowl for magical artifacts. It's not going to stop him from getting to know the bloke. As intimately or unintimately as they can get.]

I meant your tattoo.

[omnisciens]

[ he smiles at the compliment, sweet and flattered. it's nice to be appreciated for your fashion sense now and then. not that carlos doesn't appreciate it, but carlos is his husband-- he's obligated by city ordinance to love cecil's style.

the mention of his tattoos earns a blink, though, and he glances down at his arms as if seeing them for the first time. ]

.. Oh. Hm. [ come to think of it.. ] I don't really know? They just do that. They also do this sometimes. [ at this, his sweater shifts in the back, and a slender tentacle slips from beneath the hem. dark the closer it is to his body, fading into a soft purple the same shade of cecil's eyes at the end, it's.. pretty, actually? it waves lazily at john, then slips back beneath cecil's sweater and settles into tattoo form once more. ] I'm from Night Vale. Sometimes we're different, I guess?

[conjobs]

Night Vale. [John's never heard of it, but he doesn't want to offend. He's picturing some small town somewhere rural. He doesn't think his place of origin needs introducing given his accent but he does it anyway out of courtesy.]

I like the sound of that. We don't have that in Britain. [He doesn't specify Liverpool, mostly because he doubts anyone outside of England knows where it is and also because he doesn't want to talk about the Beatles. Or football.

The blond starts walking out of the hospital, expecting Cecil to follow. It's awkward to carry on a conversation with so many people passing in and out by the entrance.]

So can you- feel with that? Extra set of hands to grab a pint? [Or grab. Other things.]

[omnisciens]

I think most places don't, [ he agrees cheerfully, skirt swishing against his calves as he catches up with the blond. ] My husband is from outside Night Vale, and he had a hard time adjusting for a little while. And he's a scientist, so you'd think if anyone could manage..

[ of course, he's perfectly adjusted now, but he remembers those first months with both fondness and terror. god, but carlos had been reckless at times.

he hums a laugh at the question, though. ] Oh, sure. They come in handy sometimes, especially with a two-year-old at home. [ and... well. his husband appreciates all parts of cecil's anatomy. ] I'm also great at multi-tasking when I cook.

[conjobs]

Huh, you've got a wee br-- [John swallows and clears his throat.] --ight young one. [Awkward save. You're losing your touch, Johnny C. He doesn't know if they're here or if Cecil has left them behind. It didn't look like very many family units were coming through the hospital. So, he doesn't inquire further.]

Where have you set up then? [Not that John is latching on, but. It wouldn't be beneath him to try and invite himself over if there happens to be any leftovers sometime. It doesn't look like this place has any kind of takeaway or food delivery service.]

[omnisciens]

[ he gives him a sideways glance, amused, to say that he's pretty sure he knows where john was going before he saved himself. he doesn't address it, though-- kids aren't for everyone, after all. if cecil hadn't wound up with carlos, they might not have been for him, either, no matter how much he loves his niece. ]

Mm, well, most places seem to be in about the same shape, but I'll show you. [ he turns them in a different direction, taking john's arm as if it's even possible to lose one another right now. ]

I guess we're supposed to be able to get better things, food and the like, from-- [ his face goes a little warm, blush on the purplish end of the spectrum, too. ] --from sex? But even by Night Vale standards, that seems a little far-fetched. [ and what about for married, monogamous people like cecil? carlos isn't here. he understands that they haven't been given much choice, given what appear to be their robot overlords, but.. ]

[conjobs]

[John follows along quite happily. Of course he wants to see the rest of the city, but the skies don't look to be in pretty good shape right now and the exploring can wait until he's found some decent shelter to hole up in, he thinks.]

Heh. Yeah. That won't be a problem mate. [He'd like to think he's got a bit of a reputation back home. Bad boy-heartbreaker-here for a good time-try anything twice-blah blah blah. He'll fuck every last man, woman, robot, animal and anything else he comes across for a pack of smokes, a bottle of whiskey and a club sandwich.]

I mean. Tha's not why I'm asking about your place. Unless you want to, with me.

[omnisciens]

[ he gives him a slightly scandalized glance, but it only lasts for a moment, fading into a soft, troubled look. on one hand, again, he knows if they're trapped here, they sort of have to do what they have to do to survive. on the other hand.. he sure would feel better about it if he could just have that discussion with carlos.

sure, he knows his husband would want him to do what he needs to do, and it's not the first time they've been separated in their relationship, and it's not even the first time one of them was faced with something just a little bit like this. after all, hadn't carlos's relationship with kevin in the other world been affectionate? maybe even a little romantic, given how lonely they'd both been there. ]

Huh, [ he says, mostly just to show john he's.. thinking, and that he hasn't just gone awkwardly silent out of disapproval. and then, as it suddenly occurs to him: ] .. Oh. Were you flirting with me earlier? [ the drink, taking it from there.. he hasn't been flirted with like that in a long while. ]

[conjobs]

Wow. Was I that rubbish? [Was John being too subtle? He's never been accused of that so, clearly there's a first time for everything.]

I'm always up for a good time. [Especially when there's something new and different involved. Let it never be said that John turned down tentacles.]

Are you? [It's hard not to look hopeful with his smirk.]

[omnisciens]

[ he huffs a laugh, shaking his head. ] My husband doesn't flirt like that, and it's been a long time otherwise. [ he and carlos have been together for years now, after all, and before that.. he can't really remember his last date with anyone else, actually.

the hopeful little smirk and question earns another sideways glance, his flush deepening. ] I.. Well, we'll see.

[ he's not really sure he's ready to do this sort of thing, even if it is necessary. ]

[conjobs]

[It's not an outright no, which softens the blow considerably. John flashes him a tight-lipped smile and nods. While he's eager to jump dick first into any willing participant, he can appreciate that this is a bit of an overwhelming change of scenery and not everyone is as enthusiastic or thrilled about what's happening.]

Nice place. [An off the cuff comment once their pace starts slowing down and John's attention gets drawn to their surroundings, giving both of them an easy opportunity to change the subject.]

[omnisciens]

[ he shifts, pressing john's arm, returning the smile with grateful warmth. he's glad the other man is apparently willing to be a little patient with him, at least.

the comment earns a musing hum, and he moves them toward a building in particular as they turn down a side-street. ]

It could use a few more people, though. It's a little lonely.

[ he lets them into the building, then down the hall into what seems to be some sort of condo. it has basic furnishings, and it's already cleaner than the rest of the building, so apparently cecil's been busy in the little while he's been here. ]

Here we are, [ he says cheerfully, and several tentacles slide from beneath his sweater, helping him with his shoes as he bends to remove them, one curling around john's wrist to gently urge him further into the room, another closing the door behind them. ] I think they're all more or less like this for now.

[conjobs]

Ah. Not the kind of invitation you'd want to make to a stranger, love. [Especially one who happens to be a bit of a freeloading slob.

The tentacle is an odd sensation that John's still getting used to as he stumbles inside a little more, glancing behind him before shedding out of his coat. Setting it down flapped over the back of an old, disused piece of furniture, he takes a couple more steps inside and looks around. It's uh... quaint. Homely? A little austere for now, but nice.]

Well you've made yourself at home. No uh... [Might as well bring it up now.] No hubs and kid?

[omnisciens]

Well, we're not strangers anymore, now are we? [ sure, they don't know one another well, but there's plenty of time for that, isn't there?

the question makes him pause, hands curling loosely over the back of a chair, tentacle sliding down the other man's wrist before slipping away. it drifts lazily in the air with the other two, one tugging at the hem of his skirt. ]

No, not here. [ his tattoos shiver over his forearms, eyes blinking open and shutting, and cecil shifts. ] .. It's probably a good idea to figure out how this system works sooner than later, isn't it? [ the.. sex-for-survival thing, if that's what it is. ]

[conjobs]

[There's so much they don't know about each other, John would have protested, but sometimes he thinks that's for the better.]

Take your time with it mate. [This city probably didn't get to this state in a day. It's unreasonable to expect everyone to be able to fix it overnight.]

...if it's food you're worried about I could help you out. [A well-meaning offer with a casual shrug and a sniffle. Let's just say he's put out for a lot less.]

[omnisciens]

That's not-- [ his face feels warm again, but he steps around the chair once more, stepping closer and reaching up to touch curious fingertips to the other man's jaw. ]

I can't live on someone else's charity, that's not me. [ carlos would hate for him to live that way here even if cecil could do it. he's made his own way in life.. all his life, as far as he knows. other than the prophecy bit, of course. ] My husband would be practical once he got over the surprise.

[ carlos is a scientist. at the very least, he'd be interested in studying how one uses sex to restore a world.

he clears his throat, feeling--and probably looking--flustered. ] I don't know about, umm.. everything, but.. if you're interested, we could start with a kiss and see what happens?

[conjobs]

[Oh, that's- John wasn't expecting that. He's getting a bit of mixed signals between the touching and the reluctance, not accustomed to this nebulous halfway space in between blokes who either assert their masculinity in a certain way and those who practically can't keep their hands off if they're interested.]

It's not charity, but, you know. Wouldn't say no if you wanted to cook for me. [Let's just say his culinary skills are a little on the limited side.

John slides his hand up half the length of Cecil's back, half expecting to feel extra appendages in the way while he tries to soothe and reassure him, get him to relax. When he reaches the back of his neck he gently pulls him in a little closer. Constantine's voice drops half an octave and several decibels, until it's a whisper between their lips.]

Tell me you don't like it, and we'll not. [He brushes his thumb over the nape of Cecil's neck, a few soft strokes before he tilts his head and closes the distance between them, just testing the waters first with a chaste brush of slightly chapped lips and his other hand tentatively resting on his waist.]