+- Court of the Fallen (https://cotf-rpg.com)
+-- Forum: Out of Character (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=26)
+--- Forum: Character Resources (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=31)
+---- Forum: Not-Canon (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=76)
+---- Thread: don't threaten me with a good time (/showthread.php?tid=6304)
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Mateo - 10-24-2021
The thing about it being realistic is that it doesn't really matter when the walls are melting together, as Mateo can definitely attest to right now. He's only aware that he's bumped into Ever once the other man speaks, and he manages a small smile that the paramedic will catch just as a shaft of light falls across his face. [say]"Yeah, I - your lipstick makes your mouth look like it's on fire, Ever,"[/say] he whispers, before Carnations gives him a gentle tug to direct him forward.
Into more horror.
Mateo manages to step forward enough that he's in through the door and surrounded by the nursery rhymes, but as darkness envelops him again he can almost feel it skittering over his body, trying to invade his nose and mouth until he can't breathe. Gagging a little, he falls to a halt with his hand clapped over his mouth and his eyes squeezed shut, trying to ignore the churning in his stomach and the way he can feel his pulse fluttering in his ears and throat.
Given that he's stopped abruptly in the hall, it's only natural that Ever and Cara will eventually bump into him, and Mateo has yanked his hand out of Carnations as she tries to urge him forward. [say]"I need to go home,"[/say] he mumbles to Ever in a low and trembling voice that pulls away all of his bravado.
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Everest - 10-24-2021
[say]'Okay, well it isn't on fire. I'm okay, and so are you.'[/say] Ever whispers back as quickly as he can, before the bartender is ushering them down the hall. [say]"This is the best."[/say] Cara wheezes, too drunk to appreciate the atmosphere at all such that she's able to sail breezily through the horror.
Oh, but it isn't the best. Not at all.
[say]"Hey, why don't you two go and get your drinks?"[/say] He says to Cara, stopping protectively before Mateo and offering the woman at his side a smile. [say]"I'm just going to have Mateo fix my makeup."[/say] [say]"But..your makeup looks fine?"[/say] Having no ability to persuade the way Mateo did, Ever is left staring blankly at Cara for long enough that she simply gives up and nods.
Glancing over his shoulder Ever can see that a puddle of red light at the end of the hall is actually the glow from an EXIT sign. [say]"Come on, let's get some air."[/say] He suggests, wrapping an arm around Mateo's shoulders. [say]"There's nothing here except me and you, okay?"[/say]
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Mateo - 10-24-2021
There are things happening around him but Mateo is aware of very little of them. He rubs at one eye with the sleeve of his jacket, like he can wipe off the darkness that way, but of course it only actually succeeds in ruining at least half of his carefully applied makeup. The arm around his shoulders is a guiding force that he trundles after, hiccuping in a breath or two as they side-step the horror and move towards the blood pouring from the ceiling instead.
Quite why that doesn't freak him out the way the darkness did isn't something Mateo is willing or able to examine right now. Instead he swallows hard and nods to Ever, seeming less larger-than-life beneath the paramedic's arm and more wiry addict tripping balls, which is of course completely true. [say]"What kind of air?"[/say] he mumbles, like there are different types, and rather than pushing the door to the exit, Mateo merely swats at it until it opens up for them.
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Everest - 10-24-2021
It opens because Ever opens it, and though the alley the door opens onto is anything but quiet, it's a blissful relief from the shouts and booming baselines within the club. [say]"The nice kind."[/say] The paramedic says, of the air. [say]"And we're going to breathe lots of it while we're out here, okay?"[/say] To demonstrate, Ever takes a few deep inhales which he holds, before letting them out in a gentle stream.
[say]"Did you take anything else in the bathroom, with those two girls?"[/say] Ever asks, seeming a bit concerned. A trip could go bad at almost any time, but usually if it didn't hit Mateo the wrong way at the start, he was good to ride it all the way through. Unless of course this was all just a ruse to escape Carnation and Cara. By this point one of Ever's lower buttons is undone on his shirt thanks to Cara's pawing hands, and she's managed to leave sticky fingerprints which glinted against the dark material.
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Mateo - 10-24-2021
The silence is deafening, which is to say that it's not really silence at all; it's traffic and the crisp October air and halos of light which dance and vibrate whenever Mateo's gaze settles on them. He joins Ever in breathing in the nice air on autopilot, his hands jamming into his pockets as if to try and stop his fingers from fidgeting. [say]"Yeah,"[/say] he agrees with lots of it. [say]"Yeah, okay."[/say]
Still letting his gaze bounce from light source to light source, Mateo manages to shake his head, though what he says is completely at odds with it. [say]"They had coke, so we did a line each,"[/say] he says, his teeth suddenly chattering, though it's not from the cold. [say]"At least I think it was coke."[/say] It wasn't, of course, and though Mateo's unexpected hit of ketamine will at least be short lived, it's a night ruiner all around.
[say]"Do you want to go back? I can pull my shit together. Just wasn't expecting it to be so dark."[/say]
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Everest - 10-24-2021
Despite his roommates' proclivities for sex and drugs, Ever was far from judgemental even though Mateo was a giant drain on the hospital's services. [say]"Okay. Maybe we can focus on getting a snack inside before we do anything else."[/say] He suggests soothingly, knowing that what he's brought with him won't be enough to help kickstart Mateo's metabolism.
[say]'If you're up for it. It's probably just going to be like this, or worse. Do you want to wear my mask? Maybe it will keep you safe."[/say] Ever, who Does Not Do Drugs, doesn't have more than an academic understanding of what Mateo is going through. Still, sillier things have helped the florist before, and if it keeps Mateo from crashing and burning, Ever is willing to try.
[say]"Also, you've smudged your makeup."[/say] He adds, as if this is more reason to take and wear the mask.
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Mateo - 10-24-2021
[say]"There's a posto italiano di pasta near here,"[/say] Mateo mumbles, as if getting a snack inside had been an option rather than a suggestion from Ever. [say]"They do the best gnocchi..."[/say] Why does he feel so wiped out all of a sudden? With a wobbly smile to Ever, he doesn't at all seem to enjoy the like this, or worse aspect of their evening, scrunching his nose at the suggestion that he wear the other man's mask.
[say]"I left mine at the hospital,"[/say] he realises with a pout. But it's the state of his makeup that really does it, Mateo groaning and slumping back against the wall. [say]"Fuck it, I'm done,"[/say] he decides. [say]"Wanna get food and go home? We can watch Hocus Pocus."[/say]
Then, as if just realising the state of his friend, Mateo furrows his brow. [say]"Your shirt's a bit undone."[/say]
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Everest - 10-25-2021
Ever absolutely does want to go home. He's wanted to go home since they first got into the Uber and the feeling has only grown. But, having promised Mateo he would do this, it never once occurred to him to try and convince his friend to leave before he was ready.
Now that he was?
[say]"Here. Take my phone. Order from the restaurant to the apartment. My card is on file in the app. I'll go tell the girls that we have to go, and by the time I'm back, the food will be on the way and we'll hail a cab."[/say] Looking down, Ever's jaw feathers with as flagrant a display of frustration as he's ever liable to produce. [say]"Cara."[/say] He mumbles wearily, handing Mateo his phone and then buttoning up his shirt. [say]"I'll be right back."[/say]
Inside he isn't able to find Cara, though Carnation has been swarmed. Pressing his way through the gaggle of men, he explains (and then explains again more loudly) that he and Mateo have an emergency and have to leave. Though she looks annoyed, she looks significantly less annoyed when Ever pushes a few $20s into her hand, says drinks are on him, and if he could please put Cara in a cab he'd appreciate it.
[say]"Oh cheese and crust!"[/say] Ever quotes cheerfully as he returns, hoping not to find Mateo a frothing mess by the door.
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Mateo - 10-25-2021
Mateo takes the phone between numb fingers, and even though all the icons keep trying to jump out at him with loud and garish colours, he's able to navigate to the app by touch alone. [say]"Okay,"[/say] he slurs, bobbing his head in a nod. [say]"Okay, I'll do that. Thanks, Ever."[/say] As he's beep booping his way to ordering them chicken parm gnocchi with a bunch of sides that he doesn't look too closely at, his nose scrunches to even hear Cara's name. [say]"I'm sorry,"[/say] he mumbles.
The paramedic is gone, to Mateo, for an unspecified period of time, and he's tried to be nice and enter his own card details but the numbers keep running off the plastic and onto his wrist. So in the end he does use Ever's card for the food order, tilting his head back at the sound of his friend's voice. [say]"He's lost his head!"[/say] he announces back, the Italian lilt to his words making the quote somewhat less effective, but it's the thought that counts right?
[say]"Did they mind?"[/say] he wonders as he hauls himself back to his feet, pressing Ever's phone back into his hands. [say]"C'mon, let's race food home."[/say]
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Everest - 10-25-2021
It is the thought that counts, and Ever is smiling more genuinely than he has all evening. [say]"Did who mind?"[/say] He wonders, and whether this is an attempt at humour or if he's already put the girls out of his mind, is anyone's guess.
Snug in the cab with Mateo pointing at each and every car and wondering if it's carrying their food (and telling their driver to mush, mush!), but the time they're in front of their apartment, Ever feels relaxed and content. They've beaten their food home, which isn't much of a win because that means they have to wait for it still, but it does give Ever time to strip himself of his sticky clothes. Dressed in sweats and an old hoodie from college, he pokes his head out of the bathroom. [say]"Am I allowed to take my makeup off?"[/say] He wonders, and though he badly wants to scrub his face, he'll leave it on if it'll soothe his roommate.
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Mateo - 10-25-2021
Whether it's because the latest round of drugs in his system are starting to let off, leaving him floating on the continuing acid trip, or because he's been bundled into the cab with Ever and things are silent and there's food to look forward to, but Mateo is indeed very cheerful as they head home. His head lolls occasionally against Ever's shoulder, and he seems close to tears by the beauty of a billboard about cat food, but all in all it's a fairly standard trip.
By the time they are waiting for food in the apartment, Mateo has flung himself out of his clothes and is dressed in tartan pajama bottoms, his bunny slippers and a grey cableknit sweater. He's curled up on their sofa to load up Hocus Pocus with a blanket around his shoulders and a bunch of makeup wipes and some vErY ExPeNsIvE night cream. [say]"Of course you are,"[/say] he pipes up, smiling wearily across at Ever.
[say]"I can do it for you if you want. This stuff's better than water."[/say]
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Everest - 10-25-2021
Mateo, now looking very much like the after picture that follows a trashy newspaper article about a celebrity being checked into rehab, offers to remove Ever's makeup, and perhaps surprising to those who don't know the pair very well, agrees.
Sinking down next to Mateo, Ever simply juts his chin out giving his friend permission to touch and wipe and cleanse (and whatever else is involved in this process). It's true that the paramedic isn't a fan of affectionate touching or groping, but this has purpose and though Mateo's fingers often feel a bit too familiar, it's never like that. The removal process is only halfway complete when there's a knock at the door. [say]"That will be the food."[/say] Ever mumbles as he gets up. The delivery girl takes one look at Ever's face, peeps at Mateo looking like some decadent hobo, and sighs. [say]"I wish I had what you two have."[/say] She says with a sigh, before departing.
Frowning, Ever turns to Mateo. [say]"I mean...she could have what we have. Our order is written right here."[/say] He says, gesturing to their food.
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Mateo - 10-25-2021
Mateo's touch is gentle and he only nearly pokes Ever in the eye a couple of times, and his devil-may-care attitude probably contributes to it not being like that for either of them. Indeed, he's managing to mirror the removal of his own makeup with his other hand by the time the doorbell goes, and he lets out a cheer and continues to take the gold off his eyes while Ever answers.
[say]"Mm?"[/say] comes his distracted response, Mateo having gotten preoccupied in trying to swipe away some of the contour on his cheeks. He abandons the task, of course, to greet their food, clapping his hands together and putting aside the makeup wipes. [say]"She cannot have exactly what we have, though, because that is for us."[/say]
Rising to his feet to help to get everything out, he grabs one of the wipes so he can continue taking off Ever's makeup. Mateo will happily watch a whole movie and go to bed with one eye still caked in glitter, but he knows his roommate will not have that.
RE: don't threaten me with a good time - Everest - 10-25-2021
Humming his agreement Ever covers their laps in paper towel and napkins so that none of their food spills onto the couch or the various blankets Mateo has covered them with. The florist quotes the movie out loud while Ever quotes it in his head, and were he the sort for it, he might have passed out next to Mateo on the couch. He isn't, though, and so it's with a nudge that he forces Mateo up and to his room. Before going to his room, Ever puts 2 aspirin and a large glass of water next to Mateo's bed, considers, and then moves them out of arm's reach just incase Mateo flails during the night.
[say]"Goodnight."[/say] He whispers to his roommate first, and then to Petunia, before making his way into his own room. Stripping off his clothes, Ever glances at the clock and quickly calculates how much sleep he'll be able to get before needing to be up for work in the morning.
Will Cara be on shift tomorrow? He hopes not.