Let's all hold hands and sing Kumbaya

[notzubats]

Who: Everybody! It's a planet mingle!
Broadcast: If You want!
Action: On the Holding Hands plant!
When: From June 23 until whenever we need a new mingle.

[At long last, the fleet has arrived to a new planet. This means it's time for a mingle guys! Get in! ]

Comments

[axiomed]

[ His humour and love seeps in like the low tide, vibrating with need and joy. Every conduit in Charles is open, electric and every feeling and touch is heightened. ]

[grandstanding]

[It's almost laughable, how picture-perfect this little corner of the planet is for them. He just bought Charles a throw, for goodness sake. Maybe it's just giddiness, a whiplash effect from the weeks of negativity they've endured. He finds himself thinking back to their reunion on the steps of the mansion, not long after leaving Kyriakos for good.

The memory passes through the link, the natural contact funnel this world provides making it brighter and more clear without any effort on Charles's part.]

[axiomed]

[ It's like coming home. Or coming to a place where we can simply be and nothing can touch that, Charles replies. It's not true, of course, but there's no reason to enjoy what they have.

Erik's feelings are what really cements it. They've had this kind of contact before but it's been months since they've reignited it. Charles has never doubted Erik or Erik's feelings in this but having Erik reach out in this manner was exhilarating. Like he's run a marathon and he's standing at the end of a fulfilling race.

Your mind is beautiful, he murmurs. ]

[grandstanding]

[Erik breaks the kiss finally, but not the connection. It's true, he thinks, that this is similar to what things were like months before. Only there's no desperation crawling under their skin, no dark need to blur the lines between themselves to the exclusion of all else - even their own minds. They had come to recognise later how twisted they had become, in that place, and so been more careful.

He huffs a laugh, amused. Only to you. He knows full well what dark chasms and roads lie in his mind like pitfalls. That has never bothered Charles. It has taken him a long time to really believe it. Yet, here they are.]

[axiomed]

[ Then take it from someone who knows, Charles says, cupping Erik's face and tracing his jaw with his fingers. ]

[grandstanding]

You're biased. [He says this aloud, but there's affection behind it. Erik's come to accept more of what he is, through the last few months of his life. Rebuilding it from scratch, bringing more positivity in where before he hoarded the darkness... it's been a hard road, and he won't pretend he's at the end of it. He'll never be a genuinely good and peaceful person, that much is certain. Some things are set in stone.

Brushing Charles's hair back, he pinches his ear lightly.] This is a bit like living in a fairytale forest, isn't it. I half-expect there to be a gingerbread house in the woods.

[axiomed]

It does give off that feeling, doesn't it? I sensed some odd creatures in the forest when I was wandering around. I hope I can get better look at the flora and fauna here.

[ He nudges Erik lightly. ] Try and get me some samples.

[grandstanding]

I've seen a few. A lot of the animals are close enough to Earth ones, though. [He tilts his head slightly, giving Charles an appraising look.]

There are some walking trails in the forest. Boardwalks. You can come get some yourself.

[axiomed]

I sensed some odd minds. So be careful anyway.

Are there? [ Charles is vaguely surprised. The planet is fairly accessible, but he wasn't expecting much. ]

[grandstanding]

They're for tourists, I think. They only go around the edge. So if it's deep woodland creatures you're after, it won't do.

[axiomed]

[ Charles mock-sighs. ]

I suppose I can't really complain.

[grandstanding]

There's transport around, besides, if we want to see other areas.

[He gets up from the bed, going to fetch his communicator from the table.]

Have you heard the story about the tree?

[axiomed]

No. I've been hearing a lot of chatter mostly.

[ Mostly personal stuff from the locals. Charles has enjoyed listening to them. ]

[grandstanding]

[Erik settles back, leaning against the table. He thumbs through the communicator absently, taking note of recent broadcasts. He does this once a day, except the last couple, where he's been entirely preoccupied with other things.]

I'm surprised they haven't told you, since that's where I heard it from. There's apparently a magic tree that gives you presents, if you go with someone and hold hands near it.

[axiomed]

[ He leans back, looking at Erik skeptically. ]

A magic tree that gives presents.

[grandstanding]

Yes, dear, that is the story. [He looks up briefly, his expression a mirror of Charles's own dubiousness.] Like I said. Gingerbread houses could be around the corner.

[axiomed]

[ Hmm. ]

Do you want to try it?

[grandstanding]

If we get incredibly bored, maybe. [Dropping the communicator back onto the table, he returns to the bed. He seats himself and pokes the fluff slug that's creeping up Charles's arm.] Or if we hear from someone we know that it works.

[axiomed]

[ It squeaks and continues its path up Charles' arm and shoulder. ]

All right. That seems reasonable.

[grandstanding]

[He watches the bright blue thing continue upwards, before reaching out to pluck it from Charles's shoulder. Erik gives it a critical look; he had laughed when Charles brought the two of them back from the market only a couple of days into the stop, not seeing much point in them. He'd much preferred the company of Scythe. The Absol had been more akin to a dog, after all. Still, these were... inoffensive, at least.]

We'll put it down as a maybe, then.

[axiomed]

Maybe.

[ The magenta slug watches Erik as the bright blue slug curls into a ball. ]

Don't bully them, Erik.

[grandstanding]

...I'm not.

[He gives it back to Charles. If they're too sensitive for him to touch... he won't bother, then.]

[axiomed]

[ He smiles, setting him on his lap. ]

They are empathetic. They can sense the feelings around people.

[grandstanding]

I thought they just gave out positive feelings. [It's what the sellers in the market liked to yell. Still, he wouldn't be surprised if the things were allergic to his feelings.]

[axiomed]

They can do that too.

[ He places the magenta one near Erik and it perks up, raising itself slightly before making its slow crawl towards him. ]