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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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?"

Steve swallows the apology he wants to make about that. Neither of them really need it. Instead he just pulls Eddie over to the bed and plops onto it. Not content with that, though, Steve sprawls himself out and tugs Eddie so he can be laying against him, back against his chest. Arms around his middle and holding him tight.

"I am so sure, Eddie. Jesus. After everything I did to you, you still look at me as though I'm worth something. After seeing my parents and Nancy, you tell me I deserve better. You... You deserve so much more than you've gotten too, Eddie. And I really wanna be the one that is able to give it to you. So yeah, I am sure. More than I have been about anything in a really long time."

It's comfortable in a way Eddie hasn't really experienced outside of Steve, but that's all ready becoming familiar, and he shifts to lay his arms over Steve's with a smile as he glances back at him.

"...We give each other what we deserve then, seems fair," he says, offering up a pinky to swear with with a smirk.

"And uh...the guy...thing?" Eddie adds, "Are you sure about that part?"

Steve was waiting for that question. He pinky-promises with Eddie and then keeps their hands tangled.

"No," he says honestly. "I mean. I'm not sure about guys as a general concept? Like. I mean, I guess I always noticed when a dude was hot, right? Like. I just thought everyone could appreciate a hot person regardless of what sex they were. But dating one? Or hooking up with one? I... I don't know exactly what I think about that. But when it is you..."

Steve rests his head against Eddie's, tilting in so he can inhale his familiar scent. Bask in the familiar warmth. It gives him strength, somehow.

"I am okay with the guy thing if the guy is you. I'm really okay with it, as it turns out."

The 'no' is honest, but does frighten Eddie, at least until Steve continues, feeling almost bashful and giddy to some how be the possible single exception to the puzzle that is Steve's sexuality.

"Yeah?" he breathes, a little afraid still that once things go any further physically Steve might not be so sure.

"Yeah. I mean...."

He exhales and gently grabs Eddie's head from behind so he can force him to look straight ahead. "Just. Don't look at me as I get this out, okay? I feel like my face is going to catch fire.

"But okay. So. I haven't felt like...this since Nancy. Wanting to fuck someone? Or like. Wanting to just hang out and make out and whatever? Sure. But...I wanna try with you. Be...I don't know. Better? Good? I don't know man. It's different and good and also pretty much the same as I feel with girls, too. But wanting to fuck you isn't like, everything and that is... Yeah. It's nice. I like that. And I like you. So. Yeah, I am sure."

He lets go of Eddie's face.

"Okay. You can. Yeah. Whatever. That's it."

"That makes me wanna look," Eddie teases, but he obediently keeps his head facing forward, smiling privately as he listens, imagining Steve's face.

It's strange hearing someone talk that way about him, thrilling and a little scary.

He's slow to turn back once Steve finally releases him, but that might be because of how hard he's blushing himself, big eyes shining a little as he peers back at him.

"You're like-" he breaks off with a flustered laugh, "...shit, man." And maybe his speechlessness says more than words could, given his usual gift with them.

"I say all that nice stuff and you call me shit? Rude, Munson."

He giggles, making it clear he's joking a second before kissing those speechless lips feather-soft. His thumb brushes over them as he pulls back.

"You don't have to say anything. I just want you to know what I'm thinking. How I'm feeling. After...after seeing Tommy and knowing that's what you were used to, I just want you to know that's never gonna be me."

"Shit," Eddie curses with a laugh, and then shakes his head before Steve's kissing him.

He shifts to fully face him, glancing away briefly at the mention of Tommy but nodding, "No, I um- I know. I know. And uh- you make me feel-- okay, how are you so good at this?" he laughs bashfully, "I've never...done this side of things, but...I really like it. I really like you."

Steve can't help touching him. He caresses Eddie's cheek as he talks, encouraging him. The blush that blooms under his fingertips make him almost feral with want. But then Eddie is saying how he likes him and Steve feels tender to a fucking fault. It makes him want to be soft with Eddie. Strange when the rest of him wants to strip him bare and suck hickies on every inch of his body.

"For having no experience, you're really good at it," Steve says with a small laugh. "We'll work through this together. You show me the...you know. Shit I don't know. And I'll do the same. We'll make up for each other what we don't have." He chuckles.

"Christ. Like a real, healthy relationship. Jesus. Did we become adults or something?"

Snickering, Eddie arches a brow, doubting his skill, "Jesus, I hope not," he laughs, as though he's not well over due for his journey into adulthood.

He nuzzles into Steve's hand, and chews at his lower lip before venturing, "...I could, uh...start showing you now? If you're interested..."

Steve blinks for a moment, confused at what Eddie meant before the shoe dropped. And. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, he was more game than he thought he would be.

"If...you want to, yeah. I'd be interested." His cheeks turn pink. Eddie is still nuzzling his hand so he reaches up and scritches against his scalp nice and slow. "What do you have in mind?"

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