You can check out anytime you'd like.. [Hotel Corona Mingle]

[thespaceopera]

Who: The Fleet!
Broadcast: If you want
Action: Hotel Corona or Planet Ikke
When: December 7th onward



[After the mystery and isolation of their last destination, the Marsiva seems determined to head to brighter, busier territory. After a long journey through remote, nebula-painted space, speeding along at a brisk pace for the Host ship, the Marsiva brings her Fleet to a sudden and prominent point of traffic.

It seems that the Fleet has happened upon some sort of vacation destination! Maybe Atroma thinks that the passengers deserve some rest and relaxation... or just wants to distract them with something huge and shiny.

Welcome to Hotel Corona! Feel free to enjoy yourselves and enjoy the sites! If a hotel resort isn't your thing, you can head on over to the nearby planet and explore it's icy wonders.

In order words: it's a mingle!! Everyone get in! ]

[>> Plot Post]

Comments

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo nods thoughtfully, then lifts up his communicator to call Clay. An answer like that - indirectly, as well - means talking is still out, and using Allen as a communication pathway is more awkward than hand-holding with Sorey.]

Well, some progress is better than none. I'll take it.

[save_the_souls]

[Whoa hey! Even though Allen's still beet red, he still beams at Clay. PROUD OF YOU BABE]

Yeah, that's really good, Clay!

[geonomy]

[Clay holds out his own communicator - thank god, the whole far away voice thing was getting annoying. He's still a bit red too, and noticeably turns more so from the praise, but gives a big smile anyway, straightening up to hold his other hand up in an excited, determined fist.]

Yeah! Seeing you doesn't sound so impossible now!

[Like how long has it been since he actually met Mikleo?]

[nerdeology]

Congratulations.

[It seems like such a weird thing to celebrate, the simple act of seeing someone, but when it comes to seraphim, it really is a big deal. Even here, where it's much more widespread than back home. It has as much to do with Clay himself as it does with Sorey's strength as a Shepherd.

...Anyway.]

So what are you two doing here, in this adults-only section of the hotel?

[Don't think he's letting that escape his notice.]

[save_the_souls]

[Yeah Allen's just super proud of Clay starting to pull something off that seems normally reserved for people with powers. You go Clay, you go.

But Mikleo's question catches Allen off guard. Or at least, off guard because he had been momentarily distracted from his mortal terror]

Urk--

[Try to play it smooth, try to play it smooth]

Er- nothing really! Just being you know- we're adults so we wanted to look around the...the adult district!

[He tries to move his own bag behind his back, while talking, but it bumps into the display he was hiding behind hard enough to knock a pair of star-patterned padded handcuffs out of the bag and onto the floor.

Which as soon as Allen hears them hit the ground? He sorta just...freezes. Like a deer in the headlights. Oh sweet Jesus why.]

[geonomy]

Um. Ah. Uh.

[Yup. He sure is staring straight at those handcuffs with a mortified expression. SWEET JESUS WHY.

Okay okay. Think, Terran, think! What kind of bullshit excuse can he give Mikleo? He can't just say the real reason they have them; that's too embarrassing! So what can he say? Come on, come on, surely you can lie under pressure!]

W-We're gonna... ah... use these... to... uhhhh test Allen's strength! See... see how long it takes to break out of these! For science!

[NAILED IT]

[nerdeology]

Oh, are they that strong?

[Since these two are apparently frozen in place, Mikleo bends down to retrieve the handcuffs, examining them briefly before gripping each side to give them a playful test. He may not have Sorey's physical prowess, but as a seraph he's still stronger than your average human, and with a second pull that's accidentally too much, the handcuffs snap apart.

Mikleo freezes, staring down in horror at the two pieces. That. That was not supposed to happen.]

[save_the_souls]

[It was a lame lie, but Allen was more than willing to go along with it, because it's not like he had anything else][SNAP!

The handcuffs fall apart in Mikleo's hands, much like Allen's hopes and dreams of getting out of this mess with dignity intact. He stares at the handcuffs.


....


.... ]

Ah...t-that explains why they were just 5 credits.

[geonomy]

Ah!

[The star print was so cool, too...! Clay also stares at the handcuffs, jaw slack, a bit dismayed that not only did those handcuffs break before they even got to try them out, but now he has to come up with another bullshit excuse. Let's see, let's see - ]

Well! Uh... the employees told us they were strong!

[nerdeology]

[Their comments snap Mikleo out of his momentary shock and taps the two sides together, as if that will magically undo the damage.]

...S-sorry! I didn't think they would break so easily...!

[What terrible workmanship. What terrible merchandise! He gives up on the cuffs with an exasperated huff and heads for the door.]

I'll replace them immediately! Maybe they have something stronger?

[save_the_souls]

[Wait what, what is Mikleo doing-

Oh no. This is not good. Sure, maybe the guidelines for "purity" for Seraphim is different from the Christian one, but you know, letting a you Seraph go into an adult store to buy you a sex toy seems anything but pure.]

- AH! [He reaches over to grab for Mikleo's arm. YOU NEED TO STAY PURE!!] No i-it's okay! We can pick up some more later! Don't worry about it!

[geonomy]

[Clay still can't really see Mikleo, not really, but he can see those handcuffs moving towards the door. He, too, gives a wordless exclamation and holds his hands up as if to tell him to stop, seeing how he's not sure what to grab. He was about to babble something else when Allen talks, and so he waits for him to finish before he does his best to give a big smile.]

Y-Yeah, it's fine! We're fine! It's not like they were expensive or anything, so - yeah, don't worry about it!

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo glances down at Allen's hand, brows furrowing. What does the price have to do with anything? And why are they both acting so damn suspicious? What, is there something wrong with this very nondescript store with paper covering up all the windows? Perish the thought.

He tries to tug his arm free, insistent.]

Don't be ridiculous. Even if the amount is low, if you've been cheated, you have a right to a replacement! Or at the very least, a refund.

[save_the_souls]

[Allen meanwhile, even if he really don't want Mikleo to see all the adult things, also doesn't want to accidentally break off his arm with all that tugging - so he lets go after a few tugs]

Y-Yeah, but we can really do it ourselves! Don't worry!

[geonomy]

[Clay, meanwhile, still has his hands up, desperately hoping that Mikleo doesn't go into that store.]

Exactly! I mean, we bought it, so they'll know it's us and what we got, so - it's fine! We can do it!

[nerdeology]

...Well, I suppose you'll have to, anyway. I doubt the shopkeep will be able to see me.

[Mikleo seems to consider the suggestion for all of three seconds before setting his hands on his hips.]

Alright, come on then.

[Spoiler, their behaviour means he had zero intention of walking away without checking the place out. They made it so much more interesting, with all that flailing about! So, off he goes, right through the door.

Into the sex shop.

]

[save_the_souls]

He-




...Shit.

[YOU BETTER BELIEVE HE'S FOLLOWING IN AFTER. GOTTA TRY TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT AND ALL, AS PER THE SHONEN WAY.]

[geonomy]

[]

Oh no -

[NO BABE HE'S RUNNING RIGHT AFTER HIM TOO. HE IS PART SHONEN, AFTER ALL.]

[nerdeology]

[It's probably a good thing that they followed him in, because the store clerk noticed the door opening and no one coming inside, and their arrival means he can pretend it never happened, yep. And those pink handcuffs totally aren't floating, either.

Mikleo, meanwhile, has paused a couple of feet away from the door, taking in the sights of the store from one side to the other. The front is fairly tame - little toys, magazines, knick-knacks for the impulse buyers - but further in there's a whole rack of packaged objects that are impossible to take as anything but extremely phallic.

There's a long silence as he takes it in, wide-eyed. It's like a series of little puzzle pieces are sliding into place in his brain.

And then his fist hits his palm.]

Ah.

[PUZZLE SOLVED]

So this is what it means by "adult toys"!

[save_the_souls]

[Allen stops in the doorway behind Mikleo, just watching in increasing dread and shame as Mikleo takes it all in. He's the one to introduce Mikleo to a sex shop. This is terrible. Just terrible.]

Uh...


...Yes....that's right...


[Kill me now.]

[geonomy]

[No, Allen, no. They're the ones to introduce Mikleo to a sex shop. Clay stops beside Allen, staring in dread at first, then just pulling the bill of his visor down while looking away. Yup. Yup, his face is most certainly red with embarrassment.]

Yeah... that's what it means. Uh, sorry about... you know. Not saying what it, ah... was. I was just trying to...

[UGH THIS IS THE WORST]

[nerdeology]

[Mikleo, meanwhile, is just gonna wander further inside, distracted from all thoughts of getting a refund, though it does mean that the fuzzy handcuffs are relocated to hanging loosely around his wrists while he wanders. Suddenly the redshift district isn't so boring anymore.]

No, no, it's fine! I understand, this subject can be embarrassing for people. Just because you might share that you're intimate with one another, it doesn't mean that you'd like to offer up any details to someone not involved.

[Even he has the decency to let a bit of red cross his cheeks, because it's venturing towards a line that even curiosity won't allow him to cross.]

So, is this kind of thing popular among humans?

[save_the_souls]

[Noticing just how red and embarrassed Clay looks next to him, he reaches over to give Clay's hand a comforting squeeze as he whispers in his ear] I'm so sorry. I should've been more careful.

[With leaving the store, with the handcuffs, with life. BASICALLY ALL THEIR CHOICES THAT LED THEM HERE.

But Allen knows it's important to deal with what you have wrought, so he'll follow along the Seraph, just trying to think back to his medical training. Yeah...just think of it that]

Uh....

I-In a sense, yes. Some more than others...

[geonomy]

[Clay squeezes Allen's hand in return, though he still doesn't peek up from his visor. Really, it shouldn't be so bad. Mikleo's not mortified, he's not aghast, and he's not judging them. It's just... the principle of the matter!! That they're sort of revealing a very intimate side of their relationship that's just his and Allen's alone, and ugh. Ugh.]

It's fine - I think I made it worse by trying to make up excuses for it...

[It's like Allen put up a sign pointing to the store while Clay added flashing neon lights to it. This pair.

But, well, now Mikleo's actually browsing everything. He tilts his visor up a bit, if only to see how Mikleo's faring, which is... okay? He's doing okay, he guesses?]

Uh, yeah. And, you know, some less than others. Some not at all. Humans are all kind of... different? With this stuff?

[nerdeology]

That makes sense. There are plenty of people who're unique in other ways, so there's no reason for this to be different.

[He keeps going, eyes roving over each and every object. Some of them are kind of self-explanatory - like, the concept of a "butt plug" is mortifying but at least obvious in purpose, but not intent, because W H Y - but he's not sure what's safe to ask about when it isn't so clear. Allen and Clay are already so embarrassed. He'd hate to make it worse by bringing it up. Maybe this sort of thing is still too new? Maybe they don't know?

Actually, there is one thing- he lifts a wrist, the fluffy cuffs dangling.]

Wait, so what are these really meant for?

[Are they actually handcuffs, or has he attached some complex kink to his wrist, or what.]