driftfleet | dreams in digital

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dreams in digital

[ Calibration Rooms ]
( for A-M characters )

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ROOMS BY CHARACTER

A - C

Connor

D - F

G - I

Haggar

J - M

Lup

(last updated: 1/21/19)

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How convenient.

[ well then. time to head for the cookie jar. ]

[And should he reach inside, he... gets a cookie! Chocolate chip, one that looks and smells delicious. With it comes a new memory-]

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When the room changes, the scene it reveals is... blurry. Bits and pieces of it are fuzzy, making it difficult to see many of the details. It still looks like a kitchen, but a different one- a more simple looking design, less sleek but more uniform. It smells sweet and the air is warm. Four chairs are placed around an old wooden table and one is occupied by a small, blond-haired child who is quietly watching an adult female elf wrap a bandage around the child's leg. Something is odd about her features, shifting and coalescing, features changing from moment to moment. One second she looks exactly like Lup, the next she looks older, then younger, then her nose is bigger or her eyes are a different colour. The child in the memory never notices the changes.

"Mama? Is Koko gonna be okay?" The child - Lup - whispers. Her shoulders hunch, fear audible in her voice.

Her mother hums. Unlike her features, her voice rings through clearly enough. She sounds fairly young. "He'll be fine, sweetie. His cut was deeper than yours, so Papa wants someone else to make sure it'll heal safe. You'll see him tomorrow."

Lup is quiet again, her eyes glued to the window, waiting. There's another wave of anxiety, mingling with frustration. Tomorrow is too long. He'd been crying, he'll be lonely. "Can we go there too?"

The elf woman sighs. "I'm working tomorrow. It'll be hard enough with your father…" She trails off, then looks up. Her face blurs, there and gone and back again, and she smiles and brushes a hand through Lup's hair. Warm. "Sorry, honey. We can't go tonight, it's almost bedtime."

"I don't care about bedtime, I-"

"The answer is no." Silence follows the stern scolding, and her mother returns to quietly bandaging her leg until she can fasten it shut and relax, leaning in to kiss the child's forehead. "I know you want to see him. I'm certain he'll be missing you, too. But the roads are dangerous at night, and he and your father will want you safe too, don't you think? They'll be at your auntie's tonight." She's quiet a moment, studying Lup's expression, and then sighs and murmurs, "How about sending a message, then?"

Lup's eyes light up, instantly relieved, and her mother goes to fetch a quill from a locked box and offer it out to her. The child focuses intently on it for a long moment, then calls out, "Taako? How are you feeling, are you okay? Is your leg gonna fall off? It better not! Um- Mama and me just wanna say goodnight! Come home soon!" The spell winks out a few words early, but Lup doesn't notice, her eyes closed, waiting for a response. When her eyes open again, they're bright and happy. "He's okay! They're still with the healer. He says goodnight and that you gotta teach me how to count better."

Her mother laughs, loud and relieved, and trades the quill for a warm, soft cookie. A hand brushes a hand through Lup's hair as she takes a huge bite and grins with chocolate in her teeth.

-----------

[And bam, it's back to the kitchen. Lup offers her galaxy-coated spoon out to him, the colours swirling across the wood.]

Might taste better with this.

[Her expression is more solemn, now- a bit sad, but nostalgic also. Even though the memory is finished, something about it makes those feelings linger, permeating throughout the kitchen. Warmth, love, longing.

Those were good times. Better times, in many ways, than what came after.]

[ loki's expressions shutters briefly, before he exhales, letting it go. he seems to be doing that a lot lately. letting go. it's not an action he's used to. he prefers the spiteful, resentment heavy approach, to hold onto every grudge. ]

Is that safe?

I told you already, no bummers here.

[She grins playfully, any lingering sorrow in her eyes gone again, just like that.]

Everything in this place is safe.

[ loki still finds that odd, but okay. ]

All right then.

[ he takes the spoon, trying a little of . . . whatever it was. ]

[At first, it tastes like nothing in particular, sweet sugar, a dash of butterscotch. As the taste lingers on his tongue, with it comes a series of brief but tangible sensations, carrying with them visceral emotions or warmth and familiarity--

a gentle, maternal hand brushes through his hair

skin pressed to his forehead, a friend's breath sharing his own

cautious fingers weave through his, squeezing tightly

the soft lips of a lover on his cheek

It's gone as quickly as it came.]

[ loki jerks back, eyes blown wide. ]

What — What was that?

[Her response is a soft smile, licking the spoon herself; a tiny galaxy swirls on her tongue before she withdraws it.]

Hey, easy. Take it slow- savour the good stuff. Otherwise you'll forget what it's like.

[ loki shakes his head, unnerved. some of it was nostalgic, but parts of it was — it was too much for loki who was still dealing with the ramifications of his death, to feel sensations that feel forever cut off from him. ]

I — I rather not.

[Lup considers him for a moment, then finally sets aside the bowl and turns to the table, nudging one of the chairs - one of two that are apparently perfectly suited for her size and height - and flopping down into it. She leans back, her legs kicking up to rest on the tabletop, and crosses her arms behind her head.]

You wanna talk about it?

[ loki gives her a flat look. ]

You want me to bear my feelings to you in your mental space? That sounds terrible.

It sounds productive, or at least more productive than baking cookies or whatever else for the millionth time. But hey, I'm not forcing you to do anything.

[She lifts a hand, pointer finger raised to the ceiling.]

I was making an offer and bending the rules for ya: I will allow one bummer.

[ loki frowns, perturbed. ]

I . . . rather not get my, ah, negativity here. It could be . . . [ he trails off, thinking of his own mind and tendencies. ] . . . poisonous.

[She's quiet again at that, brows furrowed, debating her options. Her hand shifts to brush through her hair, toying idly with one long, multicoloured strand. As if drawn by her emotions the hue of her highlights change- more mellow, a deep, dark blue. Reluctance crosses her features, then eager curiosity, then- fear?- and back again until finally the conflicted emotions come to a head and she jerks her thumb over her shoulder, towards the darkened doorway.]

...I'm... immune to poison. In there.

[Her voice is soft, the words tentative. She's not positive, not yet, but she feels compelled to speak regardless.]

[ for a moment, loki gives her a long, searching look before his expression gentles. ]

No.

Whatever I need, it should be found on my own terms in the real world. We all cast our own illusions. I will not do so here.

[Surprise flickers across her expression, genuinely stunned. A wave of quiet calm passes through the room like a breeze, and just like that, like a mood ring in a warm hand, her hair is lit by soft pinks and reds, and she laughs, brief but bright.]

You're a pretty nice guy, you know that?

[She's still not sure, not completely. But there is some relief, and she won't fight him on this. Just like anyone else, she's content to keep her secrets.]

[ his nose wrinkles. ]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It is simply a preference.

Okay, well, you had a moment then. [Her smile softens.] Thank you.

[ this is so awkward, but he tries. ]

You're welcome.

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dreams in digital

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