Kotone "sleepy bitch disease" Shiomi (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
orphne) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
expiationlogs2024-03-01 07:53 am
orphne) wrote in expiationlogs2024-03-01 07:53 am
[open/mingle] a light in the darkness
Who: any and everyone!
Where: astralin's farmhouse
What: mingle log for post-blackout!
Warnings: y'all tell me, please be good and don't break the house :(
If she hadn't been at the party, Kotone wouldn't have even known about the extent of the blackout. Sure, it's inconvenient, considering a lot of the lights are electric, and the fridge is, of course, powered by electricity as well, but the farmhouse she'd taken over from Astralin is an older and more traditional building. The main heat sources are the fireplaces strategically placed throughout the building -- a large one in the living space, a smaller one in the kitchen along with a wood-burning stove, and another large central one upstairs to help heat the bedrooms -- and the geothermal hot springs on the land. With the cold weather and snow on the ground, it's easy to take the food from the fridge and leave it outside in a locked box away from wild animals, but aside from the inconvenience of resorting to the candles and lanterns that were stockpiled in the basement, the farmhouse itself survives relatively unscathed!
Therefore, not long after the blast, Kotone sends a video message over the (charm) network inviting anyone who wants to take shelter from the cold, or even just cook some food, to come to Astralin's farmhouse on the edge of town for as long as they want or need.
She won't even make anyone help out on the farm. Probably!
1. Rural Snapshot
Power might go out, but life on the farm doesn't stop for something like that! The old wood stoves in the barn need to be cleaned up and made ready for use to keep the animals warm, and the animals still need to be taken care of. Goats, sheep, cows, chickens (a particularly big and brave one has the tiniest leather collar and a tag that says her name is "Scramble," and her friends Benedict and Sunny aren't far behind. They are Not For Eating (though their eggs are!))
Kotone won't make anyone help her with the farm chores of cleaning the barn, feeding the animals, or generally keeping things up and running, but she definitely won't turn down the help, either, giving pointers so the new folk don't completely muck it up (sometimes literally).
With the snow and general chill, there's not much to do with the crops themselves. Everyone is safe from the fields for now!
2. Potluck and BYOB (chef's recommendation: hot cocoa)
The farmhouse is not the inn -- Kotone has some food prepped and stored, with preserves from the fall harvest one of the key features, but it's not meant to feed the whole town. Thus, Kotone's going to request that anyone coming to stay at the farmhouse bring either raw ingredients or something they've made to share with any other hapless souls. Feel free to use the kitchen to cook, or get some help from someone else with cooking!
The wood-burning stove in the kitchen is perfect for heating up cocoa or wine, and there's room to get close with someone in front of any of the fireplaces. Like, it's encouraged to get close. It's a big farmhouse, but not that big. Make a friend! Share some warmth! The couches are cozy and comfortable, and if someone dozes off, well, Kotone won't be the one waking anyone up.
If someone would prefer to sleep in a bed, there are some bedrooms upstairs! One is, of course, sharing the room with plants. They're benign, normal plants, from potted flowers to hanging vines, but they are everywhere. Kotone herself doesn't have much of a green thumb other than keeping the plants watered and in view of sunlight, but the plants themselves seem to be flourishing throughout the farmhouse either way. It's almost as if someone (Astralin) had used magic to keep them growing strong and healthy, even indoors.
Oh, and speaking of sharing, again, the farmhouse isn't the inn. Expect to be sharing a space with someone else. Maybe a few people! Cozy up and make a new friend. It's better than freezing to death, right?
3. Hot Springs Episode
There are natural hot springs on the farmland that have been developed to mimic a Japanese onsen in places. The air might be cold and dark, but there are candles and lanterns around the springs to light it, and the water is nice and warm, perfect for those chill nights.
There are rules posted -- namely, clean yourself before going to soak -- and while there are separate bathing spaces for genders, Kotone doesn't really care too much about mixed bathing as long as everyone is respectful about it. Others may not be so casual about it, though, so one has to venture across at their own risk!
[ooc: This is a mingle! Feel free to use these prompts as inspiration or make your own. The only request I have is not to completely destroy the farmhouse or harm the animals -- anything else, go wild!]
Where: astralin's farmhouse
What: mingle log for post-blackout!
Warnings: y'all tell me, please be good and don't break the house :(
If she hadn't been at the party, Kotone wouldn't have even known about the extent of the blackout. Sure, it's inconvenient, considering a lot of the lights are electric, and the fridge is, of course, powered by electricity as well, but the farmhouse she'd taken over from Astralin is an older and more traditional building. The main heat sources are the fireplaces strategically placed throughout the building -- a large one in the living space, a smaller one in the kitchen along with a wood-burning stove, and another large central one upstairs to help heat the bedrooms -- and the geothermal hot springs on the land. With the cold weather and snow on the ground, it's easy to take the food from the fridge and leave it outside in a locked box away from wild animals, but aside from the inconvenience of resorting to the candles and lanterns that were stockpiled in the basement, the farmhouse itself survives relatively unscathed!
Therefore, not long after the blast, Kotone sends a video message over the (charm) network inviting anyone who wants to take shelter from the cold, or even just cook some food, to come to Astralin's farmhouse on the edge of town for as long as they want or need.
She won't even make anyone help out on the farm. Probably!
Power might go out, but life on the farm doesn't stop for something like that! The old wood stoves in the barn need to be cleaned up and made ready for use to keep the animals warm, and the animals still need to be taken care of. Goats, sheep, cows, chickens (a particularly big and brave one has the tiniest leather collar and a tag that says her name is "Scramble," and her friends Benedict and Sunny aren't far behind. They are Not For Eating (though their eggs are!))
Kotone won't make anyone help her with the farm chores of cleaning the barn, feeding the animals, or generally keeping things up and running, but she definitely won't turn down the help, either, giving pointers so the new folk don't completely muck it up (sometimes literally).
With the snow and general chill, there's not much to do with the crops themselves. Everyone is safe from the fields for now!
The farmhouse is not the inn -- Kotone has some food prepped and stored, with preserves from the fall harvest one of the key features, but it's not meant to feed the whole town. Thus, Kotone's going to request that anyone coming to stay at the farmhouse bring either raw ingredients or something they've made to share with any other hapless souls. Feel free to use the kitchen to cook, or get some help from someone else with cooking!
The wood-burning stove in the kitchen is perfect for heating up cocoa or wine, and there's room to get close with someone in front of any of the fireplaces. Like, it's encouraged to get close. It's a big farmhouse, but not that big. Make a friend! Share some warmth! The couches are cozy and comfortable, and if someone dozes off, well, Kotone won't be the one waking anyone up.
If someone would prefer to sleep in a bed, there are some bedrooms upstairs! One is, of course, sharing the room with plants. They're benign, normal plants, from potted flowers to hanging vines, but they are everywhere. Kotone herself doesn't have much of a green thumb other than keeping the plants watered and in view of sunlight, but the plants themselves seem to be flourishing throughout the farmhouse either way. It's almost as if someone (Astralin) had used magic to keep them growing strong and healthy, even indoors.
Oh, and speaking of sharing, again, the farmhouse isn't the inn. Expect to be sharing a space with someone else. Maybe a few people! Cozy up and make a new friend. It's better than freezing to death, right?
There are natural hot springs on the farmland that have been developed to mimic a Japanese onsen in places. The air might be cold and dark, but there are candles and lanterns around the springs to light it, and the water is nice and warm, perfect for those chill nights.
There are rules posted -- namely, clean yourself before going to soak -- and while there are separate bathing spaces for genders, Kotone doesn't really care too much about mixed bathing as long as everyone is respectful about it. Others may not be so casual about it, though, so one has to venture across at their own risk!
[ooc: This is a mingle! Feel free to use these prompts as inspiration or make your own. The only request I have is not to completely destroy the farmhouse or harm the animals -- anything else, go wild!]
no subject
Of course, still thinking about her like that makes his lips tremble. There was no possible way for him to remain entirely unaffected at the thought of this being their last night together. Thoughts of how he's going to face the others barely register in his mind, because he's still just focusing on her. He tries to smile despite all this, but Kotone can easily tell that he's so close to crying.
He helplessly leans his face against her hand, taking in her comfort even though he was the one that should be comforting her right now. Maybe this is okay, mutual comfort. Just as long as he doesn't start crying.]
...Okay. [His voice cracks a little, but he nods, wanting to grant her request. Scott doesn't think there's really anything that interesting in his life at home to talk about, but that's not the point, he knows it's not. She just wants him to talk about whatever that comes to his mind; usually something he's really good at, but a little hard right now.
Words remain lodged in his throat for a minute, before he manages something, albeit shaky at first.]
So, um, I stole the headmaster's car recently back home. [He huffs, trying to smile.] Look, he wasn't using it and my friends needed a break from that stuffy old mansion.
no subject
She lets her hand fall away from his face to rest on her chest, holding his hand close and tucking her head in against him more comfortably. The thought of Scott doing something like that makes her laugh softly as she tries to picture it.]
I didn't know you knew how to drive. I never learned.
[When's the last time she'd even been in a car? Not for a long, long time. It's not like she has a fear of them or anything, even though there had been the "accident" on the bridge. She didn't have a lot of fears like that. It's just there was never really a reason for her to learn how to drive.]
Mitsuru-senpai -- my senpai -- promised to take me for a ride on her motorcycle a long time ago. I still have the key she gave me.
[She doesn't do more than tilt her head to indicate the pile of junk on the desk, but there is a distinctly vehicle-appropriate key in among the mix.]
no subject
He knows it's completely childish. He knows that him being here isn't going to determine whether or not she makes it past tonight. Scott can only make sure she's not alone in any of this. That's what she wants, what the both of them know for certain at least.]
I can show you later.
[Not that Scott actually has a driver's license, but he knows how to drive and that's all that matters. Although, a little hard to teach someone how to drive when there's not even a car around these parts. Still, none of that really matters, all he cares is telling her that he'll teach her 'later,' a promise that he doesn't know he can fulfill because of what tonight signifies.
He barely glances at the pile at her desk, just wanting to keep his eyes on her.]
Wow, she gave you that? Almost feels like a love confession. [Scott laughs, grin turning watery and lopsided.] Cars-- motorcycles especially, are like people's pride and joy.
no subject
[Not that there's really any cars to drive here, but it's a nice thought. Something to look forward to, if she makes it past tonight. A car could appear any day, after all! Weirder things have happened!
But the idea of it being a love confession does make her laugh a little, even as she shakes her head against his lap. Not so much a confession as,] It was a promise. 'Cause for her, her motorcycle was like freedom, you know?
[She rubs her thumb gently across the back of Scott's hand, just relishing the warmth of his skin against hers.]
You'll have that same freedom too, when you go home.
no subject
[He really wants a motorcycle sometime, because there's just that sense of being out in the open that a car can't fully duplicate. It would be even cooler if he could modify it somehow. Add something to the engine so that he can drive really fast down the road, speeding down without a real thought in mind.
He should probably get his driver's license first though. There's a lot he needs to do whenever he gets back.]
...
[Yeah, he has the chance to do all that when he gets home. He has a whole future waiting for him, right? But when Kotone goes home... she won't get that freedom, she'll... be a door, some sort of guardian to stop death from happening. All of that is still confusing to Scott, but he still understands that her future is grim. Maybe nonexistent.
For a moment, Scott doesn't say anything, and although he tried so hard to keep it together, a couple of tears starts slipping down his glasses to roll down his cheeks.]
Y-yeah, I can get a motorcycle... [His voice cracks at the end.]
no subject
[She can hear it in his voice more than see his face in the dim moonlight, but she reaches up nonetheless, letting her fingertips brush just beneath his eyes in an attempt to wipe his tears away. It's weird -- she doesn't want him to cry over her, but she doesn't want him to feel like he can't cry in front of her, either. He's just so emotional all the time, and that's not a bad thing at all.
It makes him way stronger than her, she thinks.
The pad of her thumb brushes against his cheekbone, then she cups his cheek with a quiet, gentle exhale.]
...Can I ask for something selfish?
no subject
[Part of him wants to apologize for crying like this, but even with the dimness of their surroundings, he can tell that she's not really upset. She... probably expected him to cry, huh? Part of him wants to be ashamed, because boys shouldn't cry so much, but he can't help it. He loves her and as such, he will always be upset about her fate, even though he's accepted it as well. They promised to be honest with each other, but he can't muster up everything that he really wants to say. But guess just expressing himself in this manner is enough.
Scott leans his face against her hand, tears still streaming down past his shades to wet the still gentle fingers holding his cheek.]
Of course, what is it? [He asks, nodding minutely. He doesn't want to break any contact.]
no subject
[His tears twist something in her heart, something that's still hard to grasp, even now, even a full year after everything that had happened back home, a full year here in Aldrip. Her fingertips brush against his cheeks as if that alone could somehow stem his tears, if she could do anything to make him feel better.
In the past, she'd have thought maybe it would have been better not to tell him. That sparring him this pain until it's too late to avoid anymore would be for the best. After what happened to Shinji, though, that had gotten harder to justify. Seeing her friends again here after what had happened to her, hearing from them how much they'd missed her...
She can't do that to Scott. It's not right. Eventually, she takes a deep breath and glances up toward his glasses with a wan but genuine smile.]
When I go, I don't want you to forget how to live for yourself. Okay? I know it's really hard, but... [It's so, so hard. In some ways, she'd been grateful to have the distraction of going to school after Shinji had been put in the hospital. Scott would need that reminder; she's pretty sure it's not egotistical to think so.
That's what she's afraid of, more than anything. She's not afraid of dying, but now, she's afraid of what her dying might mean for her friends. That her being gone will hurt Scott so badly that he'll just stop. Another deep breath, and she adds softly, as firmly as she can muster,] Please just keep living as best you can. Promise me?
no subject
He's about ready to promise her anything and it's not like her request is surprising or something that he doesn't plan on doing, but it's still hard. He knows he has to move on at some point, even though Kotone disappearing-- essentially dying is what the implication will be when she's gone from Aldrip. It's not just a return home like for him and the others, it's a death sentence for her. It's still incredibly unfair, despite her strength in facing and accepting it.]
I promise.
[He weakly says, almost sounding like he's saying that to please her, but... he still means it. It will be so, so hard to move on when she's gone, but he can't stay in his room forever. Maybe he'd try harder to find a way back home at that point, or if he can go to Kotone's world... something that he's considered once Ken mentioned that she might not be fully gone back in her world. But all that is so questionable, he doesn't want to bring it up. Scott can almost see Kotone being upset about it too.
Definitely not the point in what they're dealing with right now. Whether or not he can really help her, he has to keep living.] I'll live, for you. Even though I'll miss you every day.
no subject
[That's really all she can ask for. She already knows he'll keep his word, no matter how hard it is -- the rest of that is up to him. It's not a position she ever wanted to put him in, but none of them have any say in how they die. It's how they live that matters.
After a moment, she lets her hand drop back down to her chest, taking his in both of hers again and closing her eyes. It's exhausting to keep her hand up like that, and if he wants to cry, then he can cry all he wants. She doesn't mind.]
...Can you tell me more about stuff? Anything's fine.
[She's getting sleepy.]
no subject
[If it was hard talking about stuff before, now it's even worse. Nothing comes to mind for a while, breath sometimes hitching in his chest as he looks down at her exhausted form. He can tell she's on the verge of falling asleep, possibly forever, and he's still crying like an idiot. He has to fulfill her request though, he doesn't want to fail her now. He can't let her down.
He uselessly wipes his face with his free hand, before finding something, just anything, to talk about.]
T-there was this prick back at my old school that thought I was winking at his girlfriend...
[It was so fucking stupid back then, but right now, he can laugh at it. Funny how shit like that seems trivial now compared to everything that's happened here.]
no subject
It wouldn't be bad to go like this. Knowing that even if it'll hurt him, he's promised to move on... it's hard, but it's what she needed to know, too. Death had never been something she'd been afraid of, and her new fear, what others might do without her, had been soothed, too.
The hint of a smile on her lips stays there until eventually, she falls asleep to the sound of his voice. So after all those dramatics, she's almost surprised to wake up naturally in the morning with the light of the sun and a crick in her neck, blinking a few times with confusion. Is this...?]
Scott? [A small, tentative voice. He's here, right? She's still in Aldrip with the boy she loves?]
no subject
Scott only really stops talking when he sees her eyes slowly close, words passing through trembling lips when her breathing evens out and signaling her sleep. His body wants to sleep too, but he's determined to stay awake. To sit here with her and gaze down at her until the next day. He's not sure what to expect, whether she'll simply fade away, if her body will become cold, but... he'll do his best. He promised her.
He's fighting against the pull of his body's exhaustion when the sound of his name snaps his eyes open, immediately awake-- almost like getting an adrenaline boost. Heart thudding in his chest, he looks down at the confused expression of his girlfriend and he almost starts crying again, right then and there.]
Hey. [He sounds exhausted, he looks as such too, even though his shades help a lot with covering that. But really no matter how tired he actually feels, it's nothing compared to the surge of relief, his chest breaking in an entirely different way from seeing Kotone awake and alive on his lap. His hand tightens in hers-- to the point of being shy of painful, but he is so, so overwhelmed seeing her eyes open once more.]
M-Morning sleepyhead. [Don't mind his voice cracking there.]
no subject
She rolls over to bury her face in against his stomach with a soft hiccup, wrapping her arms around him as best she can with the sheer relief of not being alone. Of still being here, despite it all.]
Morning... [And this time, for once, it's her voice that cracks. He hadn't slept at all, huh? Or if he had, barely any. He'd stayed here with her just like he'd promised. Her laugh is watery and muffled against him as she adds with obvious affection,] You look terrible.
[Her way of saying she'd noticed what he'd done, and she appreciates it more than she can ever say.]
no subject
But before he can bring a hand to her face, she's rolling over to bury her face against him and his arms instantly come up wrap around her shoulders.
He wants to tell her that she can cry as much as she wants, but Scott half feels like she's going to try even harder not to cry if he points it out. Instead, he rubs her back, fingers caressing and gentle, as if fully showing her that she's warm and here with him. She's not cold or unable to be touched. She's alive.]
Terrible? Wow. [His voice is so loving though, just filled with obvious relief.] Only this once.