revivalproject | [Event] Calibrations Waiting Room Mingle

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[Event] Calibrations Waiting Room Mingle

WHO: ALL HE ROWS PRESENT
WHERE: Calibrations Area
WHAT: Mingle log for literally anything you'd like to take place in the waiting room between sleep cycles during the event
WHEN: June 10th to July 10th
WARNINGS: Please mark individual threads with warnings
NOTES: If you have any questions, please go Here

An Agrii, or what may have been an Agrii, led you here, and now you can't get out. From the moment one steps through the door into Calibrations there is no going back. Luck, good or bad, even prevents people from being in the entrance way when another He Row arrives, meaning there's no slipping out to be hoped for. This is because Calibrations at their core keep you from going out and seeing the world, keep you from doing much but exploring the space and interacting with your fellow trapped He Rows. This wouldn't be much of a problem if there was a lot to do in the lengthy hours between the compulsion to sleep. At least there is some modicum of comfort offered to those who were tricked into this timed trap.

Some might find the area familiar, having haunted these halls before. Upon entry one walks down a large hallway before it opens into an even larger waiting room with chairs, tables, and the same food dispensers available in the ships, save that it lacks any Red Fruit Drink. It's a shame, actually, the alcohol might help you get through things, and since there was no warning this time, the dispensers are likely the only source of food available. There is more than enough to feed everyone, even to the point of being overstuffed at every meal. At least there are those small favors.

There are also communal bathrooms - one men and one for women though nothing would stop a person from using whichever they desire - with several toilet stalls and shower stalls in each, including basic shampoo and soap dispensers. All of the dispensers put out a liquid that smells like motor oil for some reason. The water in the showers is pleasantly warm and just perfect for getting clean. Well, it is for good little boys and girls who don't blow up buildings. Given that sort of comfortable temperature hasn't been available in past sessions, it's a real relief.

Branching off of the main waiting room are hallways that lead to a number of bedrooms. The door of each bares a nameplate on it, imprinted with the name of a He Row. Those who are returning here won't find their name plate in the same place it was previously, which might be frustrating in its own right. The doors aren't locked though, and anyone can enter any other room or share with anyone else if they wish to. Each room has a single, simply made queen-sized bed, and a set of drawers. The drawers have a white jumpsuit in the size of the He Row whose name was on the door, as well as a pair of equally white canvas shoes. It's kind of your captors to offer you clothes, and for a change there will be new ones available to you this time through, replacements appearing once every week. You can wear them or ignore them as you like.

Greater pity has been offered this time than before for the He Rows, offering a variety of things to do in the downtime. Given most of what He Rows may have been able to grab and bring with them for their 'escape' may not be much good for entertainment, it's helpful to have even the little things. Shelves are available in the large waiting room, filled with boxes and containers. There are pictures on each box, brightly colored and then defaced with Agrii smilie art, showing all sorts of aliens having fun with games.

Sadly the games are not written in a language anyone knows. Luckily the Communications datapoint is working right this time, and it's possible to translate the instructions for a change, letting people play things with all the fun you need. Unfortunately this year there are pieces missing. Because of course nothing can ever be easy. The only thing that is fully intact is that solid gray puzzle and of course, Monopoly Longest Game Ever. There's even paper and pencils and crayons! It's like the Calibrations area was upgraded just for you!

In fact, you don't have to rely on just the board games to keep you occupied this year. In addition to them, the food, getting to know each other, and probably building forts out of all the beds, there's one big plus offered to everyone: arts and crafts! That paper and those crayons aren't the only thing. There's containers of water based paint, there are brushes and canvases, there's even clay for modeling and glue for pasting paper together if you decide to cut some up. No scissors or knives though. But maybe you can spend some time beautifying your mostly white surroundings. Or maybe committing some graffiti in your frustration. Anything to pass the time.

You can opt to spend time in your room or in the larger, common waiting room. But about every twenty-two hours, all people suddenly feel a compulsion to sleep. Once this starts, you can’t fight it off. You find yourself going into your room for bed or wherever else you feel like you’d prefer to sleep. And then, inevitably, you close your eyes and dream.

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Taking the card, Eddie's face goes on a journey as he takes it in. His brows crinkle, then lift- his lips curl wider and wider, and that familiar pink tinge finds its way to his cheeks, though Eddie tries to be less obvious about it than in the safety of the dream world.

He laughs fondly, fingers tracing over the drawings, and he is going to be keeping this literally forever. This is his new favourite thing.

"...Okay, so- this is adorable," he says first off, grinning, "And second- didn't I all ready accept pretty enthusiastically? Or you wanna hear it again? I accept. Just for the present though," he teases, waggling his fingers expectantly and eagerly, wanting to see what Steve's made. "What do I get?"

Steve literally cannot get enough of him. Eddie is worse than a drug, if that's possible. He's worse than fucking meth. Not that Steve ever took meth, but he's seen the news. He knows that it's like, whatever. Bad. Sure. But Eddie and his blushes and his cute way of saying things? Super meth. Steve is an addict in the worst way.

He has to bite his bottom lip to tamp down his smile and even then he's barely able. The box (if it can be called that. It's just folded paper into a holder, half crumpled in places) is handed over. But before Eddie can even open it, he's already explaining.

"It's...you know. I tried. But it's for the date. I asked Richie for some help to make sure it was right and he said it was alright. And then I, you know. Tested it. And it kind of kept turning up to one side so I put the high numbers there. You know, so it's better."

Because what is in the box is a D20 Steve sculpted out of clay. It's inexpert and painted red and black and is probably half the size of Eddie's palm, but it has 20 sides. And true to what Steve said as he unintentionally confessed the die isn't balanced, it favors rolling a Nat 20 which Steve painted little bats around. He flushes a little as he shrugs.

"I thought it might make it fun..."

Richie, god. Eddie wonders just how much he knows. Or how much he's been able to piece together between what the two of them have told him.

Opening up the box, Eddie stares at the gift in surprise, head tilting curiously and nodding almost without hearing Steve at first. He's blown away, and strangely at a loss for words, glancing up at Steve with a giddy smile before inspecting the die. He drinks in every detail in delight, and it's clear if they weren't in public he might have tackled Steve all ready to hug him tight.

No one's ever done something like this for him.

"...I love it, Steve. Shit- this is- and the little bats- you made this???" It all finally spills out of him in a rush.

If Steve had a tail, it would be wagging. Hell, it probably is wagging so much it is defying existence.

"Yeah! I mean, with Richie's help. I couldn't get it to...you know. All the sides. There had to be twenty and it was really fucking hard to get that many onto it. I kept counting wrong." Richie had actually had to make a model that Steve followed which finally got the final result. After that it'd been pretty easy despite the fact that the numbers were placed sort of randomly outside of the high numbers.

"I thought it would be fun for the date. Like...I will have a few different things planned out and we can use the die. It is really good at avoiding the low numbers so we shouldn't have to worry about it sucking." He is very proud talking about the die that fundamentally is broken. "Perfect date die!"

Steve's earnest little face, fuck. Eddie could die. He listens to him explain with that proud little look, and beams, testing the die out. It rolls a 20 first try and Eddie grins, giving a small laugh, looking genuinely intrigued by the date idea.

"...you might be the perfect guy, Steve Harrington. Who the hell would have guessed that one?"

The roll to 20 makes Steve beam. Seconds before Eddie says that and it's his turn to blush. "Shut up, man. This is part of me making shit up to you. That shows I'm not perfect by like. Definition."

He grabs one of Eddie's planes to just fiddle with, trying to get his blush to die down.

"So you really like it?"

"Seriously, man, I fucking love it. All of it," Eddie says with a pointed look. "I'd be showing you just how much if we weren't in a public space," he teases with a wink and a little giggle.

"It sounds amazing, Steve. No one's ever done anything like this for me, I-...I can't even explain how much I love it."

Steve's blush got all the brighter and he started folding and refolding one of the plane's wings. "I won't... You know. Like. There's no need to...whatever. But I'm gonna be taking you on a date and... Well. Max isn't around and as long as Billy isn't... I don't care if you ever... Want to..."

God. Was he a thirteen year old again? The wing ripped and he frowned at it.

"You could. If you wanted. But it's cool if you don't, too. I just wanted you to know you could. In public. Just if you wanted to ever."

"...Yeah?" Eddie glances around the room. No one's paying them any particular attention, but it does still feel like such a forbidden thing. Outside clubs and bars he's not sure he's ever had a public kiss, and he feels stupidly shy about it.

But here's Steve, ready to risk it for him, and fuck if that doesn't have Eddie moving forward to steal brief, grateful kiss.

"...You aren't what I thought you'd be like."

The kiss is soft but sweet. Something inside Steve relaxes and purrs at the affection. The smile from before is almost wobbly with the happiness inside him.

Steve reaches out to stroke a curl behind Eddie's ear as he pulls back.

"I think that might be the best compliment you could give me, Eddie," he says honestly. "Since I am pretty sure I can imagine what you thought I'd be like..."

Smiling softly, Eddie carefully moves the box aside so he can sit closer to Steve, planning to keep and safe every bit of that gift.

"It's uh...it's something Chrissy said to me actually," he admits, "So...I kinda get that. You're sure about all this though, right? You really...want to?"

Chrissy. At the mention of the name Steve reaches for Eddie's hand and gives it a comforting squeeze.

"I'm sure, Eddie. I'm really sure."

He shifts so he can sit next to Eddie, still holding his hand.

"What...what we saw in there? I don't know, man. That was rough shit. But it was...less rough with you. Right? For me at least." He swallows. "It was better with you."

Despite the fear even these simple touches spike, Eddie's glad for them, stroking his thumb over Steve's hand absently and feeling himself calm.

He nods, definitely understanding. "It felt different with you than with anyone else. Even when it was rough, I felt...safe with you. Feel safe with you."

"I know what you mean. Even with that whole Nancy memory... I felt okay knowing you were the one seeing it." Steve smiles and nudges Eddie with his shoulder. He looks out at the room and then back at his friend. "Do you wanna keep talking in one of our rooms?" He doesn't want Eddie to feel exposed. Of the two of them he figures Eddie has more of an image here to preserve.

Steve wants nothing more than to just make him comfortable. Continue to make him feel safe.

"Whatever makes you feel best."

"Mmm- moving things to the bedroom before our first date, Harrington?" he teases, waggling his eyebrows to distract from his own insecurities. He bumps him back and steal another soft kiss, leaning into his side.

"You might get a more thorough 'thank you' in our rooms," he offers.

"I work fast," he smirks. Standing up, he picks up Sweetheart and carefully puts her on his back before reaching a hand for Eddie.

"Honestly? I've been sleeping like shit being away from you anyways. Your snoring I think became my white noise. Bed's too cold, room's too quiet. Dreams too crowded? Yeah. Memories are barely the worst and that's saying something."

It's a testament to how much trust Steve has earned that Eddie doesn't bat an eye when he picks up Sweetheart, though he does admire the sight for a moment. Damn. "You look good with my girl."

He gathers up his gift and the book/notes, accepting Steve's hand up. He laughs, and gives Steve a look, but doesn't actually deny the snoring. "Need a loudmouth in your life, I can handle that."

Steve blushes bright red at the compliment. He knows what the guitar means to Eddie and being told he looks good with her makes heat curl in his stomach. If he preens a little, well, he feels entitled.

"Not just any loudmouth," he confirms with a secret smirk. "C'mon, Eddie."

Steve looks all the better with that bit of preening and Eddie isn't exactly shy about looking him over, giggling and starting off down the hall. "Nah, you got the best one," he agrees.

A little closer to the room he shifts things so he can casually take Steve's hand, building up confidence with these physical displays of affection out in the open. No one's jumped them so far.

Eddie takes his hand and it is a simple gesture but one that means so much. Steve glances at him with a small, private grin. They're almost at his room when he ducks over and presses a peck to Eddie's cheek. God, it's like being a preteen again on his first date with a girl. Which, now that he thinks about it, is exactly what Eddie is going through right now, just not with a girl.

"I do have the best one," Steve confirms close to his ear followed by another kiss this time to the temple. "And I think I'm gonna keep 'em for awhile."

Flushing, Eddie steals a glance around reflexively, and grins at the thrill of it. Which feels stupid, he's done plenty more than kiss, but even these chaste little exchanges feel bold and provocative.

"I got a pretty good one too," he teases, pushing open the door, and taking just enough time to set his gift down where it won't be crushed before he's on Steve, practically bowling him over.

Steve has just about closed the door before he has Eddie all against him, almost pushing him back up against it. Steve groans, appreciating the affection and kissing Eddie back hard before remembering his precious cargo and breaking away.

"Wait. Wait. Sweetheart..." He takes the guitar off his back and gingerly props it up near where his gift was put. Once that's done he grabs Eddie by his belt loops and drags him back in.

"You were saying..."

Jesus, he's perfect. Eddie pulls back breathlessly to allow Steve to secure his Sweetheart, not ready to fully admit how much his heart jumped at the sound of that, even if it was meant for him.

He grins, easily pulled in and stealing a few hungry kisses. "You are fucking amazing- you know that?"

"Shut up. You know firsthand that isn't always true. But I'm trying." He kisses Eddie back, desperate for it. His hands wrap around that tiny waist and hold tight. Steve bumps their noses together and he grins before kissing him once more.

"You make it easy to wanna try. Know that?"

"That's what makes you amazing," Eddie counters lazily, giving an amused smirk at the bumping of noses.

"I still thought maybe I made the whole thing up in my head. Thought maybe that was why you were avoiding me at first, but- I still can't believe this," he laughs, almost giddy. "You're really sure?"

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