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STATUS: Some of y'all are either too old to act the way you act, or too young to be taken seriously. Hard to tell some days. 6 mos ago
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6 mos ago
Current Some of y'all are either too old to act the way you act, or too young to be taken seriously. Hard to tell some days.
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In Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay


Welcome one and all to the electrifying, steamy, Webby Awards for P.R.C.U. Commencement Chapter 1!

I will be your host for this evening, Web.

I wanted to take this time to highlight my totally superior, 100% correct opinions and share some of the love with y'all after such a delightful first chapter of the RP. These awards are not presented in any particular order.

The First Award we have this evening is the coveted Favorite Character award. This does not mean best... because, let's be real, it's Rothschild's world and we are just living in it. When I think Favorite Character, I think of a character and a writer that when I see they've posted, I am excited to read the post and see what's happening. It has a feel good nature, in my mind, but is not without drama or suspense. This award goes to the one and only Katja Kruger written by @Zoldyck. I told Zoldy not too long ago that I have really enjoyed the way this Katja has come into her own... and I've been, admittedly, a bit jealous. While Katja has her flaws and a dark past, she feels the most like the protagonist of this story in my mind. She is kind, empathetic, and always trying to lift everyone up. The natural conclusion of the first chapter seeing this character strength leave her vulnerable and broken in that explosive final post was... well, you can catch my opinions on that post later on.

For the Most Wholesome Character award, I think of a character who is precious. A sweet, sweet summer child who it is actively hard to dislike. Someone who bumbles through life without a care in the world, doesn't understand what is going on half the time, and who can somehow pull off pulling two wildly different women into his orbit. I am, of course, talking about none other than Lorcán Roth as written by @Lord Wraith. Rory and Lorcán have a disturbing amount of similarities in the way they bumble through life, but Lorcán's posts are much more fun to read. Surfer lingo, pratfalls, and sincere wonder and compassion really tie this character together in ways that make him shine. The Lorcán and Rory dynamic is very fun when it comes into play because they are both wholesome, but I feel like Lorcán edges out even my "Himbo with a Heart" by a sizable margin.

This next award can only be explained in a single sentence. If anything happens to Aurora Mitchell, I will kill everyone in this RP and then myself. Aurora, as written by @Melissa, was a tie in my mind for Most Wholesome Character. So I cheated and essentially made a duplicate category. I desperately, whole-heartedly care for Aurora's struggles and am deeply pained every time she retreats into herself. I think Aurora somehow feels the most real of all these characters to me, and I would die for her. If Lorcán and Amma break her heart or if she gets injured/killed off, I do not know if I would emotionally recover.

Take your fucking award, @Rockette. Best Breakout Character. I was so confident I was going to hate Amma Cahors. From personal experience, anyone who walks into a collaborative storytelling project with a character that is edgy and dark and doesn't want to interact with anyone, and I write them off. 99% of the time it doesn't work. I know, because I write those characters a lot. How dare you have the absolute talent to make Amma work? It makes me sick how much every Amma post has me at the edge of my seat. Take your award, but stick around cause you're getting another by the end of this.

Ok... got a little heated. But I like this energy. I get you have a family and responsibilities and a life, but I need more Gil Galahad @Roman. Of the four boys we have, I adore the nuance and depth that we've gotten from Gil so far. Gil is the Best Boy. I straight up do not understand him, and I think that's part of his charm. He is aloof, cool, but has deep emotional connections in his backstory. And I love what you've done with the three Gils. I didn't make it an actual award, but I loved your formatting in the early Gil posts during the beach scene. Stellar work. Get back to writing.

@Hound55... This award is not for Andrew "Banjo" Olyphant. This award is for you as a writer. You, my friend, are the Best Wildcard this side of the Guild. While others gave you a run for your money, everything about every post you write and every comment you make in the Discord throws me for a loop. To some, this may be seen as a negative. But boy do I love chaos. You are a crucial member of this RP, Banjo is the Joker in the deck of Blackjack, and every time we nearly make the same joke in the Discord I feel ten times my age. I expect Banjo to start Banjoing here before too long... Me and Rockette can't be the only ones stirring the pot this whole RP.

You know what's particularly funny? I do not know if Rory and the character at the center of this next award interacted at all in Chapter 1. They've been in the same scenes, we're finally collabing in Chapter 2, and they have the same best friend. There is a whimsee and depth to Harper Baxter's entrance into the RP that blew me away. @Qia, Harper's Intro was my personal vote for Best Solo post of the entire RP. But here, at the superior Webby Awards, you win Best Opening Post. I would use that post as an example, sentence by sentence, of how to introduce a character and lay out their entire personality without wasting any space. I knew who Harper was much quicker than I even knew who Rory was, and I already wrote him in a previous RP.

I am a slut for tropes done well. I know this might not be the award you were expecting or wanting, @PatientBean, but this is a sort of stealth "Favorite Moment" award in its own way. I spent my time last night just trying to recall, by memory, moments in this RP that stood out. Calliope de Leon's reaction to the opening ceremony was perhaps the first that came to mind when I tried to think about moments earlier in this RP. Of all the reactions to that first big plot twist, Calliope had my Favorite Reaction. It's a classic scene, and a classic trope. You wrote a great scene in a way that I could visualize perfectly. You have done an excellent job of building up and showing how mature and put together Calliope is, but the moment where she really got to unload and lose control for just a moment was so exciting. But... don't leave just yet. There's more for you coming.

When I read vore, I had a visceral reaction to every sentence. It kept getting worse, and worse, and I had to stop reading for a moment to give myself space to breath and process. @Rockette and @Zoldyck co-wrote my Favorite Post. I straight up could not decide what the Best Collab was before this post dropped. When it did, it was a bomb. I changed votes in several categories, but the first thing I did was list vore as the Best Collaboration. Katja and Amma are both so real and vulnerable in that scene, and it is heartbreaking to see their dynamic go so toxic... but it wasn't out of nowhere. It felt like a build-up. The seeds were planted, the tension rose. And in a sea of heartfelt, romantic scenes between the various love-birds... vore hit like a freight train and then backed up to run us over again. It shit on the idea of making the easy choice. I hate you both a little for making my heart hurt.

To take a swing in a completely different direction... This next award is for the Best Collab Partner I've had in this RP so far. I am sorry to everyone else, but this was always going to @Skai. I felt really bad I couldn't vote for Skai in any of the Best Collab posts, because writing the Raven scenes has been so much fun. Skai and I have been messaging each other for a couple weeks now about this RP while making plans and plots for Rory and Haven, and it has been such a blast. The amount of fun I have writing with Skai is admittedly why the Raven ship has set sail. I've written with a lot of folks, and it has been an absolute pleasure getting to work with Skai in this RP.

The last award I have is less of an award for what has been written so far, but more of a prediction. I am so very much looking forward to what comes next for this character. The Character to Watch for Chapter 2 and hopefully the rest of the RP, in my opinion, is Calliope as written by @PatientBean. Calliope and Banjo are an adorable couple, and while we have seen some cracks in her armor... she's been pretty well-put together so far. But given the events of vore and the plot twist going into Chapter 2... god I am so excited to see the mask slip for Calliope. I really like Bean's style of writing with Calli, and I think things are only going to get better from here.

Now... that is all I've got for you folks. I want to thank each and every one of you who have been riding along on this journey for your hard work and creativity. I appreciate the votes I have received for Rory in Chapter 1, I am deeply appreciative of the love and support. You are all really messing with my Imposter's Syndrome. The problem with running awards like this sometimes is votes feel so close. I wanted to do my own little awards to highlight some of my favorite moments and aspects of everyone's writing. I think we have a really good crew here, and I really want to keep building this story with you all. This is my way of saying Thank You, and I will be returning to being a little gremlin in the Discord now.

I love you all, have a wonderful night/morning/afternoon.
In Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
"I got called in to work early. Hyperpsycho downtown... teleporter. Probably going to be gone a few days. I need you to take the bus this morning... or ee if your mom can drive you."

Cole Tyler finished straightening his tie in the downstairs bathroom, right across from the kitchen. Rory sat at the kitchen counter, finishing his protein shake and trying to parse together the last few questions of his homework. Cole didn't even look at him as he slid back into the kitchen, tossed Rory's half-finished glass into the sink, and plucked a briefcase and a thermos of coffee to head out the door.

"Ok dad... I love you." His words were weak and soft. Cole didn't even grunt in acknowledgement as he took a moment to walk towards the stairs. He called up them. "Honey, twins... Going to be a late night. I'll keep you updated. I love you!" He walked past Rory, briefcase slapping against the latter's back incidentally as Cole Tyler rushed out the garage door. It hurt.

As soon as he heard his father's car peel out of the driveway, a thundering roar of footsteps came rushing down the stairs. Will and Mary were young... middle school, maybe? They had already eaten and gotten dressed into their uniforms for some rich Catholic school downtown. Somewhere prestigious, and where he couldn't get in. Will gave him a smug look as he looked briefly towards Rory's homework, picking up a pencil and writing out a couple numbers and a letter. Rory shook his head. Letters didn't belong in math, just another prank from his little brother. Mary was engrossed in her phone, texting god knows who while posing for a brief selfie on her way out the door. Lastly, Julia Tyler entered into the kitchen. Her phone was nestled between her ear and shoulder as she grabbed her purse from the kitchen island. She flashed a dirty look at the dirty glass in the sink, before snapping at Rory and pointing to it wordlessly. Her face quickly shifted to a soft smile as her voice grew bubbly for the person on the phone. "Of course... yes, sir, I've just got to drop the kids off and I'll be right there... I read the file last night..."

"Hey, mom, uh... dad's already-" His voice was soft, defeated, awkward. It felt wrong.

Julia snapped her fingers again, placing a single finger up to her lips. She was on the phone, it was about work. She knew he knew not to interrupt her. "Uh, huh... Alright, see you soon." Will and Mary were already in the car, buckled, and Julie was opening the garage door. She hung up the phone, sliding it into her pocket, and placed one hand on the door. "Whatever it is, Rory, ask your father. I'm going to be late to work." Her shift in tone, and the exhaustion in her voice sunk the boy's shoulders. She quickly shut the door behind her, leaving Rory alone in the house. He looked down at his homework, trying to make sense of Will's writing for what only felt like a second. He shoved his notebook into his bag, and walked over to rinse out the glass before shoving it onto the top rack of the dishwasher. His chest felt heavy as he turned the corner and opened the front door. Outside, he saw the bus going down the street in the opposite direction. The weight in his chest grew heavier.


"What the fuck, Rory, are you kidding me?" Rory's mother's face was contorted with barely concealed rage as he sat frozen at the kitchen table. She was not a tall woman, but in this moment towered over him. He felt his cheeks grow hot, his chest heavy, his breathing painful and labored. Julia slammed a hand against the kitchen table. "Look at me! What in the Hell were you thinking?"

Rory paused, eyes glancing up towards her, but only for a moment. Even the glance was enough to nearly send him over the edge. He swallowed hard, teeth clenched to keep his emotions from seeping out of his pores. "I tried to ask you-"

"Oh, it's my fault you missed the bus, Rory!? You're in high school! Was I supposed to hold your hand and walk you to the bus stop?!" She paused for a moment, staring at him expectantly. Rory stared at the table. Julia took a few steps away, taking a deep breath as she held back more insults. She turned back. "Even if you missed the bus... you couldn't text Tom and see if his mom could drive you? Or Kareem? Or did you just not care?" Her question was rhetorical. Rory didn't bother answering, or justifying. He hadn't spoken to Tom since he found out he was a Hype. And Kareem had moved the last summer to Vancouver. But he knew if he said that, she would just ask why he didn't ask any of his other friends. And he didn't have the heart to tell her he didn't have anyone else.

Julia sighed, sitting down across from Rory at the table. Her voice softened slightly, the anger subsiding to a cold disappointment. "You're getting too old for this, Rory. Your father and I are very busy. We're trying so hard to give you and your brother and your sister the best life we can. And it hurts us when you can't even do the bare minimum, Rory..." She paused, her gaze seeming to stare almost through him. He almost instinctively looked up to meet that gaze. "Let's put it this way... do you know what happens when you don't play your position?"

"The team suffers." The response was automatic. She didn't watch enough of his games to ever be specific with her analogies.

"Your team is your family, Rory... and you're making them suffer."
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Location: Southern Plateau - Dundas Island, Pacific Ocean
Hope in Hell #2.003: I Want to Run and Hide
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Interaction(s): Haven - @Skai
Previously: Feathers on the Court


Rory blinked himself awake, taking a moment to decipher dream from reality. Was it a dream? Or felt more coherent... more like a memory. But he couldn't place the specifics. That almost made it worse.

The second sensation Rory noticed as he stretched his arms were the soft fingertips of Haven interlocked in his own, gently slipping out of his grasp before he fully processed they were there. His brow furrowed, as he parsed through the memories he had. She was more clothed now, and lying in her own sleeping bag next to him. He felt a small wave of embarrassment as he looked over his naked form. Was it all just a dream? No... no, he had the same thought the night before. What they shared was real, quite real. A small smile crept on his face. She had held on to him as they slept. His heart surged at the thought.

Of course, it lasted only a moment. He didn't place much stock in his dreams... but the one the night before felt foreboding. He didn't even notice the irony as he quietly slipped from his sleeping bag, sliding on a fresh pair of boxers and shorts. He picked up his shoes, draped a t-shirt over his shoulder and walked towards the tent flap, his finger hovering near the zipper. But he stopped himself from opening it, looking over his shoulder to Haven's slumbering form. She looked borderline angelic, the way her ruffled wings were tucked in tight next to her and her hair was out of sorts.

No... no. Not this time.

Rory sighed, setting his shoes down and tossing his shirt on top of his duffel bag. He laid out on top of his sleeping bag, curling up next to Haven as he draped a hand over her side, being as careful as possible to avoid touching her wings. He nestled himself up next to her as close as possible, resting his head into her outstretched arm. He closed his eyes, and focused on the sound of their breath and the sensation of being so close. A smile spread across his lips as he let himself relax.

The sound of Rory's movements had begun to wake Haven from her sleep long before Rory laid down. Her wings shifted behind her, gathering closer to her body. They grazed his arm, unaware that it was that close to them. Her eyes fluttered open, greeted by the sight of Rory's smile and his face so close to hers. She felt the weight of his arm on her waist and the feeling of his skin against her feathers. To her surprise, she didn't immediately flinch at the touch. Yet her wings still slowly recoiled, keeping inches away from human contact as they'd grown used to doing. Maybe one day she'd learn to trust another's touch in such a sensitive spot. If there was one person she could think of that she'd allow to get close enough, it would be Rory.

Being careful not to move a muscle in the arm Rory laid against, Haven leaned her head forward to place a gentle kiss on his cheek. She smiled at him as she returned her head to it's spot on the sleeping bag. She could tell he was awake by his breathing, but she worried that speaking too soon would mess with the peaceful silence they remained in. Plus, that blissful look on his face was everything to her. She'd never seen him look so carefree.

A jolt shot up Rory's arm and into his spine the second he felt feathers graze his skin. He knew how big of a deal even such a small gesture was, coming from her. His eyes lazily opened, and he nodded as he saw Haven's wings recoil from his hand. The warmth of her kiss caused him to lean forward longingly, planting his own kiss on her cheek as he nestled himself even closer. He moved his hand off her waist and lifted it to her other cheek, guiding her head so he could look into her eyes. His voice was soft, borderline dreamlike still as it was clear he was still in the process of waking up. "Good Morning... sleep well?" There was a soft cheekiness as he wiggled his eyebrows to accentuate his question.

There was a silent thank you in her eyes as she looked into his, but her wide grin was answer enough to his question. "I haven't slept so comfortably next to someone in a long time." She began as her hand lifted to take his into hers. She intertwined their fingers between them. "How did you sleep?"

He paused, his smile fading slightly. He wouldn't be technically lying if he just said he slept well. Hell, it was a wonderful night of rest. And the only issue with his slumber was outside of her control. There was no need to ruin a good thing. He looked over her face, the smile naturally widening as he just nodded. "I slept... I really like falling asleep like this and waking up next to you." It was blunt dodge, but not at all untrue.

Rory looked up towards the top of the tent. It wasn't too bright outside yet... it was clearly early. Conditioning barred him from sleeping in even after a night like that. He turned his gaze back to Haven, his happy grin slowly replaced with a smirk. "It's still early... we've got a while before breakfast or the Trials..."

Haven noticed the smirk on his face, the double meaning behind his words sending a pink hue to her cheeks. "We should warm up with a run, before we warm up that way." Plus, she had picked up on the subtle way his smile dropped. It seemed like he had something else on his mind that troubled him. There was also something she wanted to ask him when they weren't tangled up together. "The run will clear our minds and get the endorphins running."

Rory playfully sighed at Haven's suggestion. He didn't want to leave this spot by her side, even if he knew they would have to move eventually. His smile widened a little, though. He didn't usually have company on his morning runs. He had always thought he caught a glimpse of Haven in the sky some mornings, and the thought of being able to share in a morning routine felt reassuring. This would be different. "Fine... a little less hot, but it's probably for the best." He let go of Haven's hand and quickly lifted himself up. He offered a hand to his partner to help her up.

Haven grinned as she looked up at him. She slid her hand into his and squeezed before letting his strength pull her to her feet. "Thanks."

"You should turn around while I change, or we won't make it out of the tent." She teased him as she turned towards her duffle bag. She knelt down in front of it to pull out a running set from inside. As she stood, she glanced over her wings to raise her eyebrows at him. "I mean it, Rory. You can see it again later tonight."

He hated that she was right. The slight blush in his cheeks from staring at hers as she dug through her bag was a dead enough give away. "I'll be outside. Trying not to think about you chang-" He didn't finish the thought, cutting himself off abruptly as he shook his head. He reached down to grab his shoes, fresh socks already stuffed inside. He opened up the tent flap and stepped outside. He took a moment to stretch out his arms, which were still sore from the day before. He was going to need a rest day when this was all said and done. Maybe he could-

She said tonight.

Rory's blush grew brighter, and he cleared his throat softly. He snapped his fingers , clapped his hands... anything to get the energy out. He felt suddenly restless. This was a thing, now. They were really a thing. He grinned like an idiot as he sat on the ground and pulled on his socks, followed by his shoes.

Haven's laughter followed Rory out of the tent. She decided to change quickly, in case he changed his mind. There was a broad smile on her face as she pulled on the fresh shorts and sports bra. She could hear him outside. His movements had her feeling quite restless, too. Until something dawned on her that made her whole body flush.

"Rory... Can you hear me from out there?" She asked as she tugged on a loose tank. Her wings carefully slipped through the opening on the sides.

"Yeah... what's up?" Rory called out over his shoulder, choosing to remain a little softer in tone. He knew about her hearing, and didn't feel like disturbing the rest of the team's beauty rest as he basked in the dawn's glow.

There was a moment of silence from within the tent as Haven quickly pulled on her socks and shoes. Then the slow sound of a zipper being undone behind him. Haven emerged from within the tent, her feathers ruffled behind her and a flush on her cheeks as she gave him a look that was as amused as it was embarrassed. "We, uh..." She stepped up to him, her voice low as she got on her tip toes to speak into his ear. "We didn't sound-proof the tent last night."

Rory's brows raised in confusion for a moment. They weren't really required to sound proof the tents, it was usually just a little easier to help people fall asleep. After their night together, he didn't really care about noise-

The realization hit him like a brick wall. His cheeks grew hot as he turned to face Haven. But after a moment, he felt a small laugh boil up in his throat. He covered his mouth with his hand, giggling softly for a second. When he regained his composure, he placed a hand on Haven's shoulder, smiling down at her. "Well... on the bright side, I don't think we have to tell anyone about us." His smile was warm and sincere. In this moment, he didn't particularly care. The embarrassment would come with a certain loud-mouthed Aussie later, that was guaranteed. "We'll just have to be careful about noise next time, yeah? Don't want to make anyone too jealous this early in the game." He was confident, and remained unaware of the double meaning in his words.

The two shared red cheeks for a moment, until Rory began to giggle. The sound of it was worth the embarrassment. Haven beamed up at him as he mentioned telling people about "us". She shook her head, her eyes darting around the camp. "Next time we won't be surrounded by tents, thank the heavens."

She took his hand from her shoulder and began to tug him along. "Let's get going before the others come out. I don't know if I can face them right now." Rory should be the only one to see her blush like this, anyways. As much as she urged him to continue, the glint in her eyes revealed that she wasn't ashamed of their noise. She was proud of it in fact. That wasn't something the others also needed to overhear, though.

Rory smiled a goofy grin as he let Haven drag him towards the edge of the camp. He noticed that glint in her eye... or more notably, the lack of shame or embarrassment he might expect. Once they broke the tent line, nearing the closest forest path, Rory broke from Haven's grasp and started jogging past her, turning around briefly to wink at her as he did so. He kept a reasonable pace, not pushing himself as hard as he might usually. He enjoyed the stark morning air as he ran, making sure to slow or speed up to keep up with Haven. It felt... odd, to no longer be alone during his usual time of solitude. But it was a welcome change. He couldn't help but smile as the two jogged through the forest trails of the Southern Plateau. Rory slowed to a stop after a half hour of jogging, keeping his breath slow and steady as he took the stop as an opportunity to stretch his arms. He kept his gaze on Haven, soft smile on his lips. "How ya feeling, Wings?"

Haven took the opportunity to stretch out her wings. She'd been running with them tight against her back to avoid any drag they'd cause open. Once she'd furled them again, she began to stretch her legs against a nearby log. She smirked in Rory's direction at the nickname. Her voice and breathing was as even as when they had begun their routine. "Great, but I'm not sure why you're holding back for me. The view was awesome when you were in front of me, though." She teased before her smirk softened. "It's nice to run with someone for a change."

She finished her stretches, moving to approach him. her head felt much clearer now, so hopefully he felt the same. "Can I... ask you a question? About last night?" Her hand reached for his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "We both want this to be more than what we're used to, but I want to know how you feel about something before we continue." There was a small pause before she managed the words. Her tone was even, not a hint of anger or jealousy held in it. Yet it was obvious that she was nervous to say them.

"I know that Mei had asked you to the dance on the beach. So, I'm not upset that you've agreed to go with her. I'm glad you made up, actually." She tilted her head to the side, her lips thinning for a moment before asking the question. "Do you think any feelings you may have for her will affect... us?"

Rory's heart sank as Haven mentioned the dance. She must have heard, somehow, that he was supposed to go to the dance with Mei. He wasn't sure who could have possibly told her. But, more than anything, her final question stung the most. He instinctively pulled his hand away from Haven's, eyes narrowing as he looked her over. The question was a fair one, and it hurt more as he hesitated. His feelings for Mei were mostly physical... but she was less the concern, in his mind. There was someone else who came to mind.

"I don't think you have to worry, Haven." His tone was somber as he turned away, arms folded up over his bare chest. "I don't have the same connection with Mei. I don't feel the way I feel with you with anyone else. Some things are similar, a lot are different. But this is something else." He paused. He felt that same crushing anxiety from earlier build in his chest. Haven didn't ask about Katja... but it felt wrong to not say anything.

But if he did say something, would she want to stick around?

"The feelings I have for Mei aren't going to get in the way of us, Barnes. I know I'm an-" Something caught in his throat. A word. The same word his brother used often for him. The same word his father used. Rory grit his teeth, closing his eyes for a moment. He released the tension just enough to continue. "You don't have to worry about anyone else." He squeezed his arms tighter, as if desperately trying to hold himself together. He couldn't look at her. He was already keeping secrets, and it was day one.

Like father, like son.

Haven felt her muscles bunching up as Rory looked her over with narrowed eyes. It was like she'd hit him. And after all of her experiences, her instincts were telling her that he might hit her back. She knew he wouldn't. So as he turned from her, her body relaxed. Then his words found their mark in her chest.

First guilt ran its course. She felt like she shouldn't have asked. But that was ridiculous. She needed to know. Aurora had told her to be careful with her heart, and this was what she was doing to keep it safe. Then he cut himself off, and the soft part of Haven's heart yearned to reach out for him again. It soon became obvious that he was holding something back. Did it have to do with the invisible weight on his shoulders, or was there more that he didn't want to say to her? Was she okay only knowing half of the truth?

Haven slowly approached him, her arms wrapping around his waist as she pressed her cheek against his back. His heart was thunderous in his chest and she could feel the tension in his own muscles. She clasped her hands together in front of him to make sure he wouldn't pull away again. "It's okay, Rory... I trust you." She said softly, her eyes fixated on the sky above them. "I know you'll tell me what's eating at you when you're ready."

The second Haven held him, the weight in his chest grew tighter. She knew he was holding something back. She trusted him, when he was the one keeping secrets. He let out a long sigh, his shoulders hunching forward as he deflated. He didn't care if this was going to ruin things anymore. "I confessed to Katja yesterday." His words felt like poison, but his tone remained somber. "It was more like she found out, when I asked for advice about you. She doesn't feel the same about me..." He paused. Haven's arms wrapped around him... it wasn't as overwhelming as Katja's hug. But the latter did the same thing when he pulled away the previous night.

He didn't want to know what that meant.

"I don't want to fuck things up with you, Haven. I'm in, I'm on your team and I'm not looking to get traded. But things between me and Kat are... complicated, now. I think. But she's important to me, and we're both Chimeras and compete often. But I don't want to wake up next to her." The words came flooding out. He didn't have time to think or parse them. He lifted his hands up to Haven's wrapped around his waist, gripping her hands in his but not daring to move them. "I want things to work with us. I don't intend on letting anyone get between us, but I know this is a lot. And I wouldn't blame you for walking away, Feathers." He let go of Haven's hands, his arms falling back to his sides.

Haven had never thought that Katja and Rory could be an item. If anything she'd seen them as siblings. Always teasing, talking game, and wrestling. Well... the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. And he had confessed to her, and she didn't feel the same. There was solace in that, although it still made her heart hurt to think that he had confessed to another girl hours before they confessed to each other.

He didn't want to wake up next to Katja. He was on her team, all in. Those words were the only thing that kept her close to him. The only reason she didn't turn around to take off into the sky. He wouldn't blame her for walking away? She'd blame herself, if she left the man she was falling for behind.

"I'm not going anywhere, Rory." She turned to press her forehead into his back. "Things are complicated now, but I think we can work through it."

She squeezed his waist before moving away to step in front of him. "We have to be honest with each other if we want this to work, yeah? Just, don't call me Barnes again unless you're upset with me." She attempted a humorous smile to lighten the situation.

Rory nodded solemnly as he listened. He knew this wasn't what either of them wanted for their first day together. He didn't expect any of this to get so deep. Haven's joke helped a little, fishing out a small grin from his lips and a nod. He had plenty of names to call her... and her first name was a beautiful enough sound for when he needed to be serious. But, he also knew an invitation to ease the tension. "I suppose I can do that. Just don't get upset with me for being a bird-brain, ok?" His smile was weak, but still warm.

He really needed to get his shit together, for her sake.

Haven playfully smacked his arm. "Of course not. I should know you have trouble with words by now, anyways." She teased back with a grin.

"Ready to get going again, then? I won't take it easy on you this time."

Rory smiled, taking one final chance to lift up his knees and stretch his legs. He took one final breath. Stop overthinking. You mess up when you get in your head. He let the thoughts slip from his head, focusing on Haven. He flashed a grin. "Ok, ok... enjoy the view."

With that, he immediately took off, breaking into a brisk jog. He flashed a cocky grin over his shoulder, a playful challenge.

The gloves were off.

Haven marveled at the muscles in his back as they glistened in the early sunlight. The earlier confusion wore off quickly. With a grin, Haven jolted into action. Her legs made catching up to him a quick and easy effort. She tapped his shoulder with her hand as she overtook him. Her expression as amused as it was flirtatious. She slowed up just as she made it five feet ahead of him. Soon she was running next to him as they continued back to the campsite.


| Later, at the Trials

Rory was silent, closing his eyes as he finished adjusting his A.R. suit. Ritual was important before a big match... and he needed to show off for Will and Mary. Even if only one of them would even potentially appreciate it. He gave two slaps to his chest, a ritual he had picked up in high school while wrestling. It helped him to stimulate some blood flow and get things pumping... or at least, that's what he told himself. A placebo was only good if you never bothered to check it's accuracy. As the doors closed behind them, Rory couldn't help but let a smirk cross his face. He was ready.

Then... black screen. Red text. Sterile halls, empty classrooms, psych-ward-aesthetic with half-empty syringes. He felt his brow knit together as he stared at it all in confusion. The chanting voices were a creepy touch... and really sold the vibe. Rory's face lost some of its tension as he looked things over. Lorc and Amma were taking things a bit seriously... he didn't take either of them for the scared type. But, he knew enough about the Trials to know that a maze was always a given. His hand instinctively reached behind him, towards Haven. Was Haven the type to be scared by haunted houses? He raised an eyebrow as he inspected some of the finer elements of the simulation. Amma ran off, like an amateur. They would have to find her later. In the meantime, Rory spoke up.

"Hey, uh... I'm always down for a themed haunted house, but this seems like a bit much. I would have went with something more, like, action movie... less horror movie, you know?" He almost instinctively felt a look or two draw his way, and he held his free hand up in defense. "Hey, just trying to give notes, ok?"

As per usual... Rory was not on the same page.
In Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess → 6 mos ago Forum: Advanced Roleplay
Nathanael Gloucester

Interacting with: @Achronum @Obscene Symphony | Location: Garreg Mach Monastery - Golden Deer Classroom


Nathanael's gaze sharpened as Isolde was dragged closer by Oskar. Given the latter's behavior, and their raport with Jorah, he was going to be another annoyance to deal with on a regular basis. But as Nate focused on Isolde, something didn't add up. He stared down the bridge of his nose at her, and she... did nothing. No, not exactly nothing. She was shaking like a leaf. He raised a single eyebrow as he lowered his head, staring st her straight on. She wasn't belligerent or indignant... she was afraid. Isolde Ordelia, daughter and heir to the traitorous snake known as Duke Ordelia, was afraid of the young son of the man her father murdered. This... wasn't right. He averted his gaze of her as she turned to flee.

Nate's mood soured, but not towards further contempt. The pressure in his chest spiked. Honorable men didn't make others quake in fear. That was reserved for monsters. Monsters like the one who killed his father in cold blood.

Isolation had not been kind to Nathanael. It certainly did not make him kind.

Jorah's sudden contact made the blood rush to Nathanael's head. He recoiled, clearly startled and borderline fearful. He had let his guard down for a moment. He took a half step backwards. Jorah had taken it as a jest... or at least, that's the way he chose to play his cards. A respectable choice, that let them both walk away with minimal damage. Of course, as Nate's gaze crossed over his fellow students, it was clear that damage had already been done. His face remained blank, nearly vacant as he kept the tightness in his chest under wraps.

This was fine. People were a distraction anyways. Besides, the more they hated him, the less they would hold back on him.

Of course, Clarissa's words were thinly veiled. To others, her words were not unreasonable: he would, most likely, by the first of those present to take the title of Duke and serve on the roundtable. It would make sense for the two to speak. But he knew her well enough: she wanted to know if he was going to be a liability. Or, perhaps more directly, she wished to correct his behavior before he sullied her reputation. He couldn't blame her.

Nathanael gave Clarissa a short nod, beckoning towards the door after grabbing his materials. "Of course... I understand. I will follow your lead."
In Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess → 6 mos ago Forum: Advanced Roleplay
Nathanael Gloucester

Interacting with: @Achronum @Obscene Symphony | Location: Garreg Mach Monastery - Golden Deer Classroom


To call the pomp and circumstance of the first day of classes a waste of time would be to underestimate just how fruitless the whole endeavor was. Rituals, ego trips, and introductions for those too lazy or incompetent to parse together who was of importance. If it weren't such a bad look and he was sure the headache of private meetings and admonishments would not outweigh the time saved, he would have spent the day beginning to pour through the library's historical records to at least provide some semblance of stimulation. Instead, Nathanael remained stoic and quiet through the sermon and through Professor Kalonic's introduction, no matter how brief the latter and how droning the former felt. He thumbed at a small book he kept on his desk, fighting the urge to open it and begin pouring through the texts so he at least wasn't wasting this time. He kept himself in check, though, and remained sitting unnaturally upright in his chair.

Of course, he found the prank painfully imbecilic, yet not at all surprising. If these were the best and brightest to have graduated from Garreg Mach in recent years, that said little for his confidence they would be able to provide him with anything he couldn't find at a festival for infants. It was becoming clear that the best this academy would offer are tests of patience, which while valuable was certainly less than the price of admission. It seemed fitting the Church of Seiros would run a scam like this: leeches often did suck at the blood of more capable creatures.

As Euphemia fled to have a loud fit of rage, Nathanael's eyes briefly scanned everyone present. There were a few faces he recognized from roundtable meetings, others more obvious by reputation or careful research. The most surprising presence was one that he kept within his eyeline at all times: Isolde Ordelia. She was only a year older than him... must have been eleven when her father ruined both of their lives. Not that hers could be so bad, if she ended up in the same place he was. She certainly had farther to fall still, then. He would find the time to scheme something special for her... perhaps the sermons, since sleeping or missing them would tarnish the great Gloucester name. His gaze lingered on her for a short time, the little emotion he acknowledged squeezing his chest with pain... or perhaps anxiety. It was hard to tell these days, it all blended together for Nathanael.

Of course, there were two of more import in the classroom with him... one by merit, and one certainly by his father's machinations. Clarissa's suggestion of doing introductions was reasonable... not his preferred use of time, but acceptable. She wore authority like her own skin, and held a confidence and determination that he admired. Melding their differences together were inspiring words, even if they lacked a defined meaning. His father, once, espoused the strength of the Leicester Alliance in similar terms. His belief was that there was strength in a diversity of thought, steel, and action... and that it was this that kept them free from their neighbors. This belief did not bear much weight to scrutiny... for there was little strength in the diversity of thought and steel that pierced his father's heart over half a decade earlier. He would have to keep Clarissa von Edmund from such a fate, if she were to lead the Alliance, but knew better than to try and point the faults in her words.

Of course... then there was Jorah von Riegan. His presence at the academy alone would be a disgrace, if he did not have a personality befitting the faculty meant to lead them. He certainly had to be their usual crop of candidate, and perhaps his stunning incompetence was such a brilliant display that they had chosen him to be the leader for the Golden Deer house. It certainly wasn't be merit of skill, qualities of leadership, or ability to take anything seriously. Was the only criteria being able to ride a horse? If so, Jorah's desire to "ride" must have certainly proceeded him and been sufficient requirement. But no, even Nathanael was well aware of what must have happened: the meddling seat-warmer Jorah called father was trying to teach his son a lesson at the expense of every other worthy heir in the Alliance who was there to get things done. A worthy tithe to the Church of Seiros was probably enough, or was the von Riegan charm of begging for handouts appealing enough? He didn't care to know for certain, it would only be more painful to know the particulars. He certainly didn't want to know if he could think of Jorah less.

Oh, but apparently he could, for Jorah was capable of speech.

His attempt at appearing imposing, standing atop a desk to make himself taller and peer down at them all, left Nathanael craning his neck upwards. Jorah was at least self-aware enough to admit that he was merely a sideshow at the Roundtable meetings, which had won a modicum of trust in favor in the conspiracy that Jorah's reputation was exaggerated. The innuendo and order to party had wiped that away quickly. With Jorah's introduction out of the way, Nathanael stood from his seat and began to walk to the front of the class so he could slip out the door and leave for a mid-day stroll. There was a chance he could make it to the library before the next sermon. He passed behind Jorah, close enough to hear his words. “Not bad for my first decree, eh? Maybe authority suits me after all."

Nathanael's pace slowed to a stop, the words bouncing in his head and shaking up what coherence there was left. He certainly misheard... there was not a chance that the joke of the class believed he held authority. Nathanael's cold gaze shifted towards Jorah, the words escaping his mouth in a whisper just loud enough for Jorah and Clarissa to hear. "Authority suits you like a cold bath to a cat." His gaze remained fixed as he paused, a flash of confusion crossing his face. No... his usual sarcasm was absent. Gone was his sickly sweet condescension, tucked away behind prettier words he didn't mean. Nathanael's eyes drifted towards Clarissa, his brain taking a half moment to catch up. This was unnatural, a compulsion of some sort... one he would not make again so recklessly. Nathanael cleared his throat, turning to the rest of the students in the class. He needed to distract, and pretend the words were never spoken. He just needed something suitable... more words to hide behind.

An introduction. And an opportunity to garner sympathy should Jorah escalate things.

"In the spirit of introductions... I am Nathanael Gloucester, heir to..." Nathanael paused, his flat words lingering as his gaze shifted to Isolde. He looked down afterwards, pausing for a calculated two seconds, before continuing. "... heir to the late Duke Gloucester. I look forward to learning with you all." He gave a small, stiff bow to his classmates before returning to his seat awkwardly.
In Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess → 6 mos ago Forum: Advanced Roleplay
In Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess → 6 mos ago Forum: Advanced Roleplay
In Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Location: Dundas Island, Pacific Ocean - Pacific Royal Campus
Welcome Home #1.093: Can we Forget about the Things I Said
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Interaction(s): Katja @Zoldyck
Previously: Daily Protein Intake

Rory felt relief settle in his stomach as Lorcán had bounded off, the awkwardness between them settled. The apology was sincere, and both of them had lashed out in their own ways. Of course, Jim’s arrival was a comfort in its own. Their degrees were safe, easing another pit of tension in his chest. He had watched his friends work far too hard for everything to have been meaningless… but a lingering worry whispered in the back of his mind still regarding his siblings. They were only just starting out… and if this matter wasn’t permanently resolved soon, they’d have to face the same struggles. Of course, those two were smart enough that they could get by just about anywhere.

But as Rory let himself relax for a moment, a new worry seeped into his mind.

I had no right to make jokes about your abilities or your relationship with Haven.

His stomach felt like it was taking flight all on its own, while his head swam with anxieties he hadn’t exactly felt before. They had been friends for a few years, and were close. Hell, they flirted a bit, but Haven flirted with plenty of people. Rory flirted with plenty. But the team was different. It didn’t mean anything when Lorcán smacked his ass, or Katja wrapped her strong arms around him a bit too tight and for a bit too long, or when Haven would stare at his bare abs when they were all hanging out on the beach. They were friends and teammates. There wasn’t anything there, especially not for him.

Rory practically jumped out of his skin as he felt the familiar strong embrace of a certain South African wrap around his shoulders. Before his brain could even process anything, the sudden pressure and physical strength sent a warm jolt down his spine. Katja’s voice tickled his ear. “That would’ve been a sack, bru! Can’t get too distracted by your surroundings. No matter how alluring they might be.” She gave him a wink when he tilted his head up and over to look her in the eyes. He followed her gaze over towards Haven, noticing Lorcán had wandered off to talk to her. Rory’s heart beat faster as the anxiety compounded in his chest.

“There’s still some spots left over there. Care to join?” Rory nodded in agreement, free from Katja’s grasp as he grabbed hold of his tray in both hands and made his way towards the free seats. He let Katja lead the way, sitting down next to her quietly for a moment, cracking open a bottle of Hyper-Aid to refill his electrolytes and taking a sip. As he pulled the bottle from his lips, he paused before setting it down and looking towards Katja. He needed an outside perspective… and he just needed to pull this band-aid.

”Give it to me straight, Kruger… why does everyone think Haven and I have a thing going? Is it ‘cause of the way I asked to share a tent? You and Lorc both made comments, and Mei looks like she wants to kill me whenever I’m talking with Wings lately.”

Katja was about to take a bit out of her overstuffed taco when Rory sprung his question on her. She looked over at him with a gentle smile after she had put the taco back on her plate. “Yeah, Banjo told me about that. Subtlety isn’t really your strong suit, is it?” She chuckled softly, continuing quickly before Rory started thinking it was meant as an insult. “But there’s nothing wrong with that! I mean, look at me! There’s nothing subtle to be found about me!” Katja laughed loudly as she gave him a light slap on his shoulder.

Katja took a deep sigh after her laughing had receded before continuing in a more mellow tone, the same gentle smile from earlier on her lips. “I can only speak for myself here, of course. But it’s not necessarily that I think you have a thing going with Haven. It’s just that you two have been spending a lot of time together lately and, well, I guess people are drawing their own conclusions from that. Some might tease you over it…” Her eyes quickly flicked over to Banjo before returning back to Rory. “While others might wish you were spending that time and attention on them.” Her smile grew a bit wider, but with a hint of sadness to be found in her eyes.

“But you know what? It doesn’t matter what other people think.” She drew her arm around his shoulder again, giving it a slight rub as she softly pulled him closer. “It’s about how you feel about it. And if you don’t feel like you’ve got a thing going on with Haven, then so be it. Right?” She rubbed his shoulder again, to emphasize the point, before letting him go again.

Rory's eyes narrowed as he looked up at Katja. He didn't usually have trouble reading her, but dips in the conversation left him lost on what was going on inside her head. The message, at least what Rory could take from it, was clear. He reached down and scooped up his taco, taking a big bite and chewing while he thought for a moment.

"I don't know if it's worth trying to have a thing with her, Kat. Sure, we'll get to graduate with degrees... but my degree isn't going to mean anything once I'm out of here. Not after Hyperion... and not with the way things are now." Rory felt a quiver in his throat, forcing him to pause for a moment and close his eyes for a moment. When recentering, he gave a somber look up at Katja. "Unlike you or Haven... the league chooses where I'm going to play ball, you know? And I can't exactly ask anyone to follow me on that track. Especially not anyone I care about."

Rory set the taco back down on his tray, wiping his hands and mouth with his napkin as he considered Katja's words further. Someone was jealous he was spending too much time with Haven... the thought actually broke through the self-important doom spiral to elicit a little chuckle. He shook his head, rolling his eyes in a strange about-face from his previous sincerity. Somber didn't suit Rory, and he still had to get back at Katja for her little dig earlier. "It is cute you think someone is jealous I'm giving Haven too much attention, Amazon. I mean, we've hung out a bit... but not nearly as much as you and the Addams family have been spending lately." He motioned off in the last direction he had seen Amma. ”If anything, I sh-" Rory stopped mid-sentence, eyes wide as he realized what he had nearly said. He lifted a fist to cover his mouth as he coughed and cleared his throat. "Uhh... I mean, you know, someone's probably jealous of whatever you and Amma seem to have going on as of late."

Katja listened intently to Rory as he aired his heart out, even though she had started wolfing down on her meal. She felt for him, she really did. She felt that he was right about their degrees and the worth they’d have in the outside world. She had first hand experience of what the Munnies thought about their kind. Still, she did not agree with Rory’s mentality of going at it alone. But before she could address that, the conversation took a bit of a swerve. She chuckled as she quickly caught on to what he was trying to do. He was trying to flip the script on her. But in typical Rory fashion, he had a verbal slip. And Katja was going to pounce on it.

Katja slowly turned her head towards Rory, revealing a wolfish grin on her face. “If anything, I… What, Rory?” She leaned in closer to him, her icy blue eyes locking with his as she brought her face level with his. Suddenly her hand reached out to Rory. Or so it initially seemed, anyway. In actuality, Katja didn’t reach for him, but for his tray. “Mine!” She said triumphantly as she quickly ate the last piece of his taco. She loudly laughed as she turned away to shield her own tray against any possible retaliation... And to hide the blush that she felt on her face.

Rory audibly gulped as Katja lowered her face to be even with his. She knew, and that froze him with fear and anticipation. He felt his heart skip a beat as her hand reached towards him... only for it to be yet another joke. While Katja turned away to keep her own food secure, Rory playfully hit the side of her arm with a closed fist.

It took a moment for Katja’s laughter to die down - and the blushing to become less obvious - after which she returned her attention to her food. After devouring a couple more tacos in the but a few bites she looked back over to Rory. “That someone doesn’t have to worry himself about what Amma and I are up to.” Katja let out a sigh after she took a swig from one of her water bottles. “Truth be told,” she mumbled softly, more to herself than to Rory, “I don’t even know if we’re up to anything to begin with.” finishing that thought with a soft, regretful chuckle.

Katja closed her eyes for a moment, her expression had become a little more serious compared to earlier, but there was still that ever present smile. “In all seriousness though, you shouldn’t just think of the negatives.” She said as she referred back to the earlier, more serious topic. “No matter what happens, we’ll always have your back, bru. Yes, even Amma… maybe.” She gave him a deliberately exaggerated look of nervousness before continuing normally. “But just know that you’re never alone. And know that there’s more than enough people who care less about the track they’re traveling, and more about the person they’re sharing it with.”

Katja looked back at her tray, which was almost empty by now except for a small leftover. She was quiet for a moment as she thought it over again, finally settling on how to end Rory’s doubts. “The least you can do is talk to Haven about this whole thing. I’ve got a feeling you’ll have more than enough time for that tonight.” Katja picked up the last bit of food on her plate, holding it out in front of her for a few seconds before she cast a sideward glance at him with that grin from earlier. “Unless you plan on spending the night differently, of course.” She then flicked the final morsel up in the air before catching it neatly in her mouth.

Rory remained nervous and confused as Katja continued speaking, remaining a bit frozen in place as he looked over towards his teammate. He watched her carefully as she spoke about Amma, but turned away when she chose to be a bit more supportive. He knew what to expect from a Katja pep talk, and she didn't exactly disappoint... even if he instinctively wanted to reject her optimism.

And then, of course, came the last joke. Rory leaned over to bump his shoulder into Katja's, shaking his head. He wasn't exactly opposed to that... hell, given the past few days, they could probably use a bit of stress relief. But he couldn't help but feel a bit sad. He had slipped up, and Katja knew how he felt. Her continued insistence that he ask Haven out was enough of an answer to the question he never bothered to ask. While a nervous optimism brewed inside his chest, his expression seemed down for a moment. He muttered cryptically, "Yeah... well, I guess that's that." Rory's smile returned as he stood up with his empty tray. He turned his gaze back towards Katja. There was a bit more confidence in his voice. "Thanks for the pep talk, Kruger." He turned to leave, but paused and turned to look back at Katja for a moment. His smile seemed a little more genuine as he flashed a cheeky grin. "Be careful, Amazon, in case you and Gone Girl do get up to anything. I don't think she can handle roughhousing like us Chimeras can." His dumb smile hid his complete obliviousness to the clear innuendo, and his chuckle at his joke could be heard as he made his way towards the deserts to fetch himself something sweet.

Having caught the last scrap of food, despite the little bump by Rory, Katja looked down at her teammate with smug satisfaction. It was then that she noticed his dejected look, coupled with his somber muttering of something she didn’t quite catch. She didn’t quite understand why he’d look like that, which made her retrace her steps. Was it the implication of him and Haven being intimate in the tent? No, that couldn’t be it. If he minded it then he would’ve looked angry or at least annoyed, not sad. Was it what she had said about Amma? No, that didn’t make sense either. After all, she had just admitted to him that she didn’t know where she stood with her. Perhaps it was about how she had reacted to his slip of the tongue? Sure, she acknowledged it, but after that she didn’t bring it up agai-

Oh.

Oh.

Fuck.

Kruger, you stupid moron!

He had accidentally admitted his feelings for her. And what did she do? Not just acknowledge it, but turn it into a joke and then not just continue talking about his relations with another girl, but joke about them being intimate.

Katja felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as the realization of what just transpired finally dawned on her. Without realizing it, she had just rejected him without batting an eye. She had been so concerned with the feelings of her female teammates who had interests in Rory that she had been completely oblivious to his own feelings. Or, for that matter, her own feelings.

While all of this went on in Katja’s mind, Rory had still been talking to her. As if on autopilot, Katja had been absently nodding and smiling at him as she was trying to piece everything together. She only really became conscious of her surroundings again when he had just started walking away. She wanted to call out after him, but no words came when she tried. She didn’t know what to say. What could she say to make it up to him when her words had caused this problem in the first place?

It was at that moment that her instinct took over. Katja never considered herself to be good at expressing herself with words. She tried, obviously. Many times in fact. But at the end of the day, there was only one way she truly knew would get her feelings across.

In one quick motion she got herself off her seat and had already taken a long stride after Rory. It only took the tall girl a couple more steps to catch up behind him. She didn’t say a word to him. Instead, as he was about to queue in line for deserts, she put her arms over his shoulders, gently pulling herself closer to him. Closing her eyes, the taller girl rested her chin on his crown. She embraced him as such, not caring if others could see them. She’d explain it later to Haven, or Mei, or whoever would ask about it. But they didn't matter now. The only thing that mattered now was making up her earlier trivialisation of Rory’s feelings.

Katja held him close for several seconds, gently swaying from side to side. “I’m sorry for being such an idiot.” She softly whispered to him, before finally letting him go and looking down to the side, her cheeks visibly reddening.

As Rory felt Katja's arms wrap around him, he froze. The embrace was softer than usual, more tender and sweet than her usual bear hugs. He couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of being enveloped by her, pushing down less pure thoughts while wrapped up in the arms of Katja. When she let go and whispered to him, Rory turned around. A puzzled expression clearly covered his face, a bit lost in what she was thinking.

Why was she claiming to be an idiot? That was usually his line, and his apology. It's the apology he would use for saying the wrong thing, or misunderstanding a situation. Hell, it was the very same apology he gave to Mei for misunderstanding her feelings-

Oh.

Rory looked up at Katja, noticing her blushing cheeks and slightly embarrassed expression. The more he thought about it, she seemed to blush a lot around him. He always chalked it up to being physical exertion… but that didn't explain this moment. He still didn't quite understand what was happening. But, he had a guess.

His smile was soft as he reached a hand up to squeeze her shoulder. He spoke softly, practically whispering back. ”Look, Kat… it's ok. We're still cool. I'm OK. I never expected you to feel the same in the first place. I never wanted the way I feel to make things awkward… with you, or with Haven, or anyone else in Blackjack. So… there's no need for this, Kat. Last thing I need is to get the wrong idea.” Rory gave one last firm squeeze on Katja's shoulder, looking up into her eyes with a soft smile. ”Ok?”

Returning her gaze back to Rory, a soft smile reforming on her face again as she nodded. Wanting to make sure that she didn’t accidentally mess things up again, Katja listened intently to him before she replied, speaking in a gentle, soft tone. “Thanks Rory.” She paused for a moment, looking for the right words to express herself. She softly whispered to him. “You’re a good kid.” Bending through her knees to negate the size difference, she gave Rory one final, tight embrace. “Don’t you forget that! And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!” She said softly, but forcefully to him, after which she softly bumped the side of her head against his.

The large South African let go a few seconds later, putting her hand on Rory’s shoulder as she returned back to her full height. She looked him straight in the eyes to make sure he understood that she was serious about this. “I mean it, bru. You are one of the good ones. One of the very few. And if you ever feel down, don’t hesitate to give me a call. I’ll be there for you, no matter what!” Her smile widened into that ever familiar grin as she finished, giving a forceful pat on his shoulders before taking a step back.

Katja took a step over to the dessert display and quickly glanced over whatever they had on offer. Her eyes quickly fell on a large piece of chocolate cake, which she quickly grabbed. She then proudly displayed it to Rory as if it were some grand prize. She addressed Rory after taking a hefty bite out of it. “Now, I don’t know about you…” She gestured down at her legs, which were still caked with mud from her earlier working with Banjo. “But I am desperately in need of a shower!”

Katja gave a short wave to Rory with her free hand, the other filled with the cake she was definitely going to save for her way back to her tent. “Good night, pup! See ya tomorrow!” As she started to walk away Katja turned around to face Rory again, taking a few steps backwards so as to continue on her way. “And say hi to Valkie for me!” She gave a coy wink followed by a titter before finally turning around for real and heading for her tent.

Rory paused as he watched Katja walk away, smiling as he watched her go. Internally, he was just as confused as he was before. She knew how he felt… but he was left more confused than ever at what was going on inside Katja’s head. She was supportive, though, and the most positive person on team Blackjack. At the end of the day, that’s the best he could ask for. He tried not to think about Katja taking a shower, instead focusing on the fact that he most certainly needed one. Rory swung by the dessert table, plucked out a smore, and gobbled it down as he strode away. He tried not to focus on any errant stares that lingered on him after his interaction with Katja. They were just friends, after all.

Rory ducked back towards his tent, quickly stripping down into nothing but a towel and grabbing a bar of soap. He slipped into his shower shoes, jogged across the campsite, and slipped into the first open partition he could. The water wasn’t as warm as he would have preferred, but he wasn’t particularly concerned with the water temperature. Instead, he focused on scrubbing away the day’s grime. He wasn’t exactly sure what senses of Haven’s were heightened, now that he thought about it. Did birds have better senses of smell? Or was it just hearing and eyesight? He didn’t exactly want to find out the hard way, instead doing everything he could to scrape off every inch of sweat and dirt he could. When finished, he quickly dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist before heading back to the tent. He hesitated as he stood outside of it, suddenly and acutely aware of his lack of dress as he stood at the entrance. His heart beat out of his chest. If Katja had managed to catch on to his slip up… was Haven clever enough to get what he had really asked? Was she even at the tent yet?

Subtlety isn’t really your strong suit, is it?

Rory sighed, relenting to the circumstances of the situation.

It was time he and Haven had a talk.
In Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Location: Southern Plateau - Pacific Royal Campus
Welcome Home #1.082: Still Burning
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Interaction(s): Lorcán - @Lord Wraith, Amma - @Rockette
Previously: And you're gone

“Dude, I have to hand it to you, I would have quit the moment I took off, bro.”

Rory banged away at the metal bar as Lorcán approached, completely immersed in his work. He still listened, of course, as his roommate dragged on. Unsurprisingly, and to Rory’s annoyance, he had opened with a joke. Not even an apology to start off. He kept his eyes focused on his work, the rhythmic beating of the metal ringing in his ears alongside the surfer’s words.

“Y’know Bulltrue has a metal bender right?”

Rory leaned over to examine the piece.

“I mean I suppose you can keep bustin’ your hump out here and ignoring me. That’s cool, I get it. But you’re only tiring yourself out.”

Rory continued banging against the bar, further shaping it into pace. His arm was sore, but he didn’t show it. He removed the clamp on the bar and tossed it over to where the others were.

“Tiring yourself out before your night with Sky Betty as I heard.” Lorcán jabbed into his ribs, eliciting a grunt and an instinctive glare from Rory as he turned and grabbed another metal bar. Under the surface, though, those words tickled at something in the back of his head. Lorcán’s verbal jab was pointed enough and clear to cut through some of the fog. His wording had to have been off… Rory quickly turned back to the workbench and fetched a new metal bar. His cheeks heated a little more red than they already were from the work. Lorcán wasn’t there, so he had to have heard it from the others. And if the others had pieced together Rory’s weird wording, then certainly Haven had as well.

“Look, you can be angry all you want, but at least I didn't ask Haven to the dance. That was a pretty kook thing to do. None of this matters anyway, you’re just as raked under as I am. No degree, what are you going to do? Even I know there aren’t a lot of options for a Jake with your abilities.” Rory’s embarrassment faded as he went back to hammering a new metal bar into shape, his rage rising. Still not even a word of apology. Just more jabs… no, deflection. Rory’s grip tightened on the hammer, as he delivered more decisive swings.

“Look, I’m sorry I ran off. It wasn't my intention to actually leave you with the work. Why don't you power up? Even in three minutes the two of us can blast through the rest of this and I’ll cover the rest once you tap out.”

He extended a hand to Rory. Rory continued hammering the bar into place… and a little beyond the desired angle.

“Come on, wolves stick together, dude, two of us would be better than one. If you’re eager to see this through, let me help you, bro.”

Rory’s final swing of the hammer cleaved the end of the metal bar off, and he tossed the hammer onto the bench in frustration as he spun around to face Lorcán. His face was fresh hot with anger, sweat pooling down his neck and back as he looked at the extended hand. He looked back up to Lorcán incredulously, before his eyes focused on a particular figure behind his shoulder. Amma smiled while looking the two of them over like they were slabs of meat. He wasn't necessarily opposed to the objectification... but given her and Lorc were who knows where moments before left him feeling off. Something about this felt wrong, and he desperately wanted to know what they were doing. Rory looked back at Lorcán and slapped his hand out of the way. Despite the anger in his face, he took a breath and kept his voice even as he spoke. ”You don’t get to decide we’re good, bro. None of this might matter to you, man, but it matters to me. We’ve got one year left here together before we all go off… The twins are going to be running the damn course this year, Lorc.”

Rory sighed, looking around at the other crews for a moment, before turning his gaze back and keeping his voice lowered. ”It doesn’t matter if you meant to leave me to do the work myself, man. You did. And instead of apologizing, you’re deflecting. What the Hell is going on, man?”

Lorcán’s eyes narrowed as his hand was slapped away. The next few words out of Rory’s mouth fell on deaf ears as Lorcán replied everything he had just said to his roommate back. Nothing he said should have accounted for the minor assault he had just endured.

But he wasn't about to talk to his best friend the same way Rory has just spoken to him. Lorcán didn't exactly have the moral highground but he also didn't need to sink any lower. Lifting his face, he took a breath before raising his hands to wave the white flags.

“Whoa, whoa, let’s steer out of the riptide here. I’m not meaning to deflect, bro. Clearly I should have spoken to you before bailing. The ceremony really got me in the shallows earlier. I just wanted to blow off some steam.”

Taking another breath, he continued to speak.

“Bro, I completely forgot the twins were starting this year, like a total grommet I even forgot that Ripley would be doing the course too. I wasn't thinking about anyone but myself, it was totally selfish and it was kook-like ignorant. I don’t blame you for being upset, frustrated and like rightfully mad.”

Lorcán kicked the ground, trying to figure out his next couple of words.

“I’m going to get to work, there’s just over an hour left. But I’ll like stay out of your way and I’ll totally shut up now.”

He reluctantly admitted defeat realizing he couldn't force Rory to forgive him. Snapping a quick picture of the plans with his phone, Lorcán filled his arms with materials and made himself a separate workspace to try his best to catch up.

Rory sighed, picked up his hammer, and got back to work on his own. The anger had passed, a cold frustration left in its place. What didn't make any sense, though, was what Lorcán had meant by 'blowing off some steam.' Usually that meant tossing the ball around or wrestling... neither of which seemed like something Amma would do.

Regardless, the apology felt hollow... perhaps rightfully so. Rory had snapped and lashed out... something he hadn't ever really done before. That was more his father's modus operandi... and that alone was enough to keep Rory awake for a week. He had gone too far, even if Lorcán pushed all the wrong buttons.

And yet, it felt off. Lorcán had jabbed him first over and over before offering a half-hearted apology. And when it wasn't accepted, he tucked his tail between his legs and offered a more real apology before running. Rory recognized the guilt mixed with frustration: he had been hurt, and hurt Lorcán back. It was a gross feeling. A simple apology could probably wash it down. They just needed to be a little vulnerable and really honest with each other.

Instead, Rory turned back to the work at hand.
In Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP → 7 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
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Location: Southern Plateau - Pacific Royal Campus
Welcome Home #1.077: And you're gone
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Interaction(s): None
Previously: Tired of Tripping on my Shoes

Everything, for once, was coming up Rory. No last minute upsets in an important game. No sudden attacks or near-death experiences. His mess-ups with language hadn't seemed to cause any lasting damage in the relationships with his closest friends. Things were great.

Well, except for the impending doom of discredited degrees and a split-second decision to sell his soul to the government. But that was a future Rory problem.

Present Rory was doing just great.

Rory had managed to parse out his work assignment fairly quickly, beaming as he approached the work site. He had mustered up with his teammates, receiving the plans for a moment while Lorcán and Amma began talking ink. He couldn't really relate, and the last thing he wanted to do was interrupt to brag about his recent dance plans... especially after the beach incident. He still hadn't gotten around to apologizing for that. He'd find time, certainly. But for now, they had work to do. Rory eyed up the plans, making a few mental notes. He was certainly going to need power tools for this... he wasn't going to be able to copy powers all day. This was a marathon, not a sprint.

Rory left, fetching a reciprocating saw, some clamps, and a hammer. He managed to set himself up nearby his friends, doing his best not to eavesdrop. He watched the two, a slight uneasy feeling seeping into his stomach. He knew flirting when he saw it... and there was something between those two that felt familiar. He couldn't blame Lorcán: Amma was alluring in her own ways. But after everything that had happened today, and the gift given by Torres... she was at the bottom of Rory's "trust" list on the team. The last thing he wanted was to see his bro get hurt, especially when he had a good thing going. He just needed to buck up and be honest with Rora.

Though, Rory was the last person who could judge him, and he knew it. Hell, Rory had crushes on practically everyone in Blackjack at some point or another. Some were embarrassing, others based purely on looks. Those he still had feelings for after all this time... it was too late to ruin friendships now. The last thing he needed was awkward team lunches or awkward locker room interactions... or, worst of all, losing what little time he had left with his friends.

Rory paused as he had collected some metal bars. What were the lengths they needed?

"Hey, Roth, what-"

As Rory turned around, he was incredibly surprised to see his best friend scooping up Amma and taking off like a rocket. The sudden flash of combustion blinded Rory for a second, and the intense heat washed over him and left him more hot and sweaty than usual. He looked up in disbelief as they had taken off, turning back to look at their work. They had worked on a handful of bars... and now they were God knows where. Rory's gaze slowly turned towards his fellow classmates, who similarly turned their judging glares his direction. Rory walked over towards their station, snatched up the plans and the bars they hadn't yet finished, and returned to his station.

Once again, he'd have to cover for the chill-master general and little miss too-cool-for-school. Usually he only had to cover for a teammate at a time when it came to shirking basic responsibility. A two-for-one deal was a rare treat.

Complaining wasn't going to get the job done, however. So, Rory rolled up his sleeves and got to work. He clamped down one of the metal rods, measured out the length, and used a marker to mark the cut line. He used the reciprocating saw to cut off the excess metal, moved the bar down the clamp, and fetched the hammer. With a loud, strenuous series of hits, Rory hammered the piece into shape. He could feel the sweat accumulating on his back, and ripped his shirt off to toss aside. This was going to be a long day.

Rory fell helplessly behind his classmates, who with scoffs came throughout the day to remove work from his pile to do themselves. His cheeks were red hot with embarrassment and shame as he poured his feelings into his work. He slammed the hammer into the metal rods to bend them through his sheer force of will, unable to rely on the same powers as those who scoffed at his efforts. But he didn't stop. He couldn't stop until it was all finished. So he worked, not speaking a word to anyone as he silently stewed on his thoughts over the hours of work.

... 'you want to sleep together tonight'... but that could also mean... no, there's no way...

... I don't owe him an apology, Lorcán owes me one. I'd never leave him to do work like this alone. He knows that. But no, run off with the tatted french girl who might be spying for the enemy. He won't be upset that he has to do all your work for you...

... Rora seemed really bothered at the beach... there's something else going on. Maybe I should ask Haven if she knows anything? Probably after I ask about the flirting...

... Why web up my pants? Was Mei jealous? But Haven and I... well, I'm... but Haven isn't... is she? No...

... Maybe I should ask Banjo for prank advice? I'd go with the shaving cream thing again, but Lorc finds that really funny every time...

... No, Wings definitely knew I just meant sharing a tent... right?
In Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP → 7 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
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Location: Southern Plateau - Pacific Royal Campus
Welcome Home #1.068: Tired of Tripping on my Shoes
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Interaction(s): Mei - @Garden Gnome
Previously: We get by Just Fine

Rory's eyes watched Haven carefully, clocking the tensing of muscles as she took a moment to respond. She had taken a step closer, smiled at him, and responded. Her voice was, for lack of a better word, sultry. It almost felt like a whisper, or an invitation. But that didn't make sense... he had asked her. He was getting used to knowing when he had missed something: a reference, innuendo, obvious subtext, or a classic "Rory" phrased sentence. She didn't seem to be referencing anything, 'sure' didn't seem to have any sexual connotations, and there didn't seem to be anything obvious unsaid. This left the obvious problem being a poorly phrased question. Though, what could possibly have been misinterpreted? He asked if she wanted to sleep together. Classic sleepover, nothing weird there. Except... maybe there was something about the together part...

Haven had flown off to have a talk with Banjo, leaving Rory motionless trying to put together the pieces. He sighed, resolving to ask Lorcan about it. He was pleasantly surprised when he saw Mei's approach, his smile instinctively widening as he locked eyes with her. “Here, a hand knitted towel made by yours truly.” She had thrust the towel into his chest, reaching up to grab hold of it before she turned around to walk away. He looked at the towel, reading the stitching briefly.

"Wow... thanks, uh... wait, Mei, does this-" Rory tried to lift one leg up and reached a hand out to stop her, only to feel unexpected resistance. He had leaned his torso forward, but his legs remained stuck together. He tipped over, falling face first into the dirt. He had managed to lift his arms to protect his head out of pure instinct, a protective measure trained from years of being tackled by his favorite 7ft tall blonde athlete. Once prone, Rory flipped himself into his back to examine what had happened to his legs. He was a bit surprised to recognize the strands of silk that had practically glued his pant legs together. He looked up to where Mei had stormed off to. Judging by that reaction, he had royally fucked up.

Rory weighed his options. On the one hand, he could probably fetch his keys from the bag lying next to him and try to saw at the webbing... but that would take time. The other options was... well, a bit more bold. Rory kicked off his shoes and shimmied his way out of his PT sweatpants. He was left in only his black t-shirt, a pair of light gray boxer briefs, tube socks, and not even an ounce of dignity. Now free of his web-trappings and suitably covered in a fine coating of dirt, Rory darted after Mei with the towel in hand.

"Mei, wait! I'm sorry." He slowed to a stop as he approached, pointing to the towel he was holding. "I... uhh... look, can we talk for a second? I owe you an apology and an answer, if you want."

Mei could hear the owner of the familiar voice coming from outside of her tent. She hadn't expected Rory to come after her like that. Perhaps, there was more hope to this then she realised. "Hey Rory. I see you got yourself out of a sticky situation. I'm just setting up my tent to sleep on my own, but otherwise I'm free to talk. Go ahead."

Rory stared at Mei for a moment, processing her joke, before simply shaking his head and stifling a laugh. As he looked down, he winced at the realization he had left his pants behind. He had dreams about this. He paused, composing himself, before looking back up towards Mei. "I'm sorry I... well, thought you were joking. At the beach. I was a bit flustered, with the whole thing with Ro and the dance. And I never would have expected you to ask me to the dance. So I misunderstood what you were saying. I got in my own head. And I'm sorry for that."

Mei stared at Rory as he laughed at her silly attempt of a joke. She didn’t know if he really found it funny or he was just laughing to lower the tension in her tent. For her own sake, she decided to believe the former reasoning. Anything good that Rory gave her she would take. who knows when she would ever get it again? She wasn’t like Haven who received good signs of intimacy and actions given to her even without trying.

“Well, I hope it is abundantly clear to you now. I would never joke about such things. Should you ever forget, feel free to refer to the towel at any time. Hopedully that will jolt your memory back to remembering.”

Rory nodded, flashing a small smile as he looked at the towel. It still didn't make sense to him, why she was always this kind to him. "I appreciate it." He paused for a moment, taking the time to fold up the towel before looking back to Mei. "As for an answer... I would like to go to the dance. With you. If you still want to go with me, that is." He felt a sudden wave of embarrassment flood into his cheeks, but he held his ground as he looked towards Mei.

As Mei heard Rory's words, every part of her wanted to yell "YES" out loud without hesitation, and it took an enormous amount of willpower for her to resist herself from doing so as soon as the words left his mouth. She decided that him waiting for a minimum of a few minutes in silence would be payment for what he had done to her on the beach and earlier in the plateau.

After leaving Rory hanging in silence for a few minutes, internally dreading every single minute that she put both of them through, afraid that he might reconsider, Mei answered him. "You sure?" Not giving him any chance to respond, she continued immediately. "Of course, you're sure! Who else would you go with? I'll go with you, no further thought necessary." The more opportunities she gave him to not think about Haven, the better she would fare.

Rory's smile involuntarily widened, and he nodded in response to Mei's acceptance. Everything was finally coming up Rory. He ignored the small part of his brain telling him this was too good to be true. He turned around, back towards the rest of the camp, grinning like the idiot he was. He walked back towards the bag, pants, and shoes he left in the middle of everything. He scrambled to pick them up and scurried into his and Haven's tent to change.

As much as part of him knew some of the others would prefer he ran around all day in his underwear, he changed into a spare pair of shorts to get ready for his work assignment.
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