Quills of Melancholy

Ally loved these kinds of events. She didn't particularly love the heels she was forced to wear, but she did love the dress and the fanfare and the people. Her glass of ginger ale easily masked for a glass of champagne--she didn't care about people knowing she was sober, but there were significantly more interesting topics to discuss--as she made her rounds, greeting some and stopping to chat with others. She spent quite some time with Rhodey and Pepper, both of whom gave her big hugs as she came by.

"Ally, you really outdid yourself with this," Pepper said, giving her step-daughter a kiss on the cheek. "I don't think the September Foundation Gala has looked any better."

"September Foundation Gala after party. And you helped me with half of this!"

"But you were the one to execute it. Give yourself some credit."

"Just take the compliment," Rhodey chuckled. "She won't leave you alone until you do."

She chatted for a little while before she continued her rounds, stopping by the food stand for a bite of whatever she could get her hands on. She sensed another approaching, but didn't look up at them until they spoke. He was a handsome man, salt and pepper hair, with perhaps the smuggest look she had ever seen plastered across his face. And that was saying something.

"Ally. " The way the name rolled of his tongue was at the same time inquisitive and a promise for something that was not really meant to be said out loud. Much power was carried in a name as he was now aware. Funny how these things turned out sometimes.

However, beyond that information, he couldn't care less about what she was called. It transpired on his face a bit. He could hear his sister scream into his ear that this was supposed to be necessary for their family. Well fuck their family, he was the only one left and no one would ever control his actions or decisions ever again. Because now, he agreed to play a different game all together.

He drank some of the champagne and cocked an eyebrow. His eyes were not staring but sizing, attractive in how direct that gaze was. "If you don't know who is on your guest list, then you're just a shitty host. If you know, congratulations, if you don't, then you're not up there yet to know it. " Now he sounded like Father, oh well. People thought him dumb, he wasn't, he just did not talk much because of his---anger issues. That had been tamed a bit...sometimes.

Titus slowed down, and titled his head to just listen for any noise or rapid breathing. He let his war hammer drop a bit, let it scrape the ground, let it hit some of the metal rails for an echo. He was in no hurry to leave this location because he was certain he had seen someone come in here.

The melody had stopped and in silence, he knew that all survivor had the same impatience of waiting at some point. Some liked the chase, some liked to just work on the generator until death. This one, might just want to cower in a corner or ...A smile stretched on his features, sinister in nature as it did not reach his eyes at all.

"I know you're here. " he coaxed with a false sweet voice. "Whoever the fuck you are" he added more in a growl of less warmth emotion. He opened a locker, thinking he had heard something in it and clenched his jaws, as it was empty. He let a huff of frustration and slammed it shut. " You fucking little shit, just come the fuck out, it's not like you will escape this anyway...huh? Wanna show me how much of a big man you are? " he provoked whoever was hiding as he continued to walk and stopped at another locker.

Morrigan - Dorian - Merill

starter call. For my Dragon Age muses. They all three have modern verses (which I would love to explore). Like this post if you want me to write a starter. Specify which muse you'd like to interact with and in which verse.

despite merrill's concerns, angus had in fact wandered in here of his own accord: of the two hawkes, between himself and margo, she was by far more intimidating and much better at combat magic. angus - well - he liked to use magic in the kitchen. or to fix his shorts when he worried the hem out too much. no, he would have made an awful body guard. would have made an awful most-things, come to think of it, because he really had enjoyed is life in the starkhaven circle . . . before it burned down, at least. which, he wanted to find the mage responsible and scold them. could they not have at least left the library in tact? speaking of books . . .

angus made a confused sound, then his brain caught up, and he glanced at the title. “ -- uh,” then he opened it and skimmed through a few pages, thick dark eyebrows raising higher and higher until they threatened to disappear altogether. he cleared his throat and snapped the book shut. “um, merrill, this is . . . uh. well, you - i mean - this is . . . ” maker help him.

he took a deep breath and looked anywhere on the continent of thedas but at her.

To her, his reaction was quite interesting. The way confusion seemed to really freeze his brain and how seemed awkward about it. She merely lifted an eyebrow and tilted her head. She wanted to ask why this was so challenging to him and partly got an answer when he spoke up again.

She took the book back from him. "Oh I know that. I've had sex multiple times...I am just confused why you humans need a manual to know what to do. " The concept of novel was still new to her. Her people told stories orally, that was why not much had been written in the first place. what was written, were laws, commands, recipes, how tos.

Moving back out of her parents had been the best thing for her sanity she was loosing her mind being in the rotation of caring for everyone else and no breather. Granted Merrill was also a little mentally all over the place they gelled well enough. She did feel bad that her clothes were in fact just everywhere, she hadn't had a day off in like two weeks and she finally had two in a row. "I know, I'm sorry.. Sorry guys.."

As she sat back down, Merrill had already forgotten why she wanted to go to the mall. She took a handful of muesli in her mouth and tapped her mouth with the back of her spoon. Why did she want to go to the mall. "Right, no reason really, I just saw an ad that said they had remodeled and that there were new boutiques and stores and stuff. " And while she was talking it clicked. "Quiet hours! Today are quiet hours!"

She didn't mind being in a crowd. She also didn't mind chaos, it was jsut awfully distracting to any train of thought she had. She pointed at the painting with her spoon. "I really need to give this back before it triggers anything, I think last time that one was worth 23 millions dirty...now it's clean." She didn't seem more phased at what had just come out of her mouth than that. It wasn't like the FBI would be knocking at their door. Well ...said a voice in her head and that just ruined her mood a bit.

She joined Himiko on the couch and sat down next to her. "You know, if you keep working like that, you're going to end up in the hospital. It's not healthy to not sleep, barely eat and just never stop. I knew someone like that once... they ended up in the psych ward ..." She took another bite. "Then jumped off a bridge... that was the end of that." She crunched on her breakfast. "I'm not even sure they would know to call me if that happened to you, you've replied to a craiglist add for a roommate situation...probably would be a suspect actually."

In these moments he cares more about her than himself, theres something still so innocent about her, watching fishes dance on fingertips... 

She is wise in ways he can not comprehend, and there is something awful in the idea that she sees the universe so differently from him that he can not sympathise, nor can he offer her anything to ease it. Maybe that is the hardest part of all of this, that he wishes simply to wave a hand like he can with the mortals and…deal with it. 

In dreams he can shape the universe, and in turn, shape the waking world in ways people never truly grasped. Their world, he can not. 

A source of deep frustration. 

Then the world had changed…and he had been as vulnerable and as scared as them all. 

"Mh..." Delirium grew quiet for a moment. Then slowly she moved towards him, closer to him again. Things she was not used in doing anymore. Her arm kidnapped his, rolling around it and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I accept your apology, since you accepted mine for lying. You are here now. I like this now. " She admitted. In her family, she felt so lonely at times it was a crashing weight. She wondered sometimes how Destiny could deal with all of it , and then remembered that he was a constant while she was volatile.

Only when she straightened again, seeming to remember his presence, did he bother to speak up - not that he really minded.

"She likes you." The observation came out softer than he intended, almost an afterthought. "Usually strangers get a polite sniff or a tentative lick. You're already in the inner circle - that took me weeks and probably more treats than strictly necessary."

He watched Tango circle back to her feet, relentless and devoted in the way only dogs managed without considerable embarrassment. It was definitely endearing.

"Well of course she likes me. Why wouldn't she? " It was said with so much confidence, like it was a fact known by everyone but Elias. There was no joke in it either. With some things Merrill just felt a connection, her intuition sometimes got her in troubles, but most of the time was just spot on, even if coming across as naïve or childish. At least her head was clearer this morning than the fog around them.

She nodded. "Okay, well I don't mind teaming up with you, you wouldn't mind, right Tango ? " She scratched her chest/neck area again and gave her a kiss on her nose, which in turn triggered a french kiss from the dog. "Pbrffefergrg....ew...ew...ew...Taaango....we're not that close." Merrill chuckled and wiped her mouth with her sleeve.

He stopped, keeping his distance, motioning to his newfound companions to stay back. Only the hound stayed by his side. The last thing he wanted to do was startle her and have her disappear again. "Of course I kept it," he said softly. Partly because he was a sentimental bastard, partly because he hoped that she would come looking for him. There hadn't been a single day he'd taken it off.

And now, he had found her.

Any words he might have rehearsed, anything he may have planned to say were forgotten as he stood there in front of her. She was lovely as ever, proud and with that wild aura about her that both fascinated and intrigued him. He couldn't be mad. After all, she was only staying true to her word. He was the one breaking his.

She wasn't the gentle kind, though there were glimpses of a more nurturing nature since she had become a mother. She did not want her son to feel the same way she felt as a child. Burdened with obligations and taken away from what love really meant. What a true heart really meant.

She lifted a hand up. "Don't come any closer or I'll leave." she warned. "Do you know what this is ? " she pointed behind her. "It took me much to open this portal, one use only. Come closer and I'll leave, and this time, you won't be able to find me." The threat was like an empty bark. Working truly only on outsiders. To him, he could hear the doubt in her voice and see the longing in her eyes. Maybe a hint of fear. He had much knowledge and hold on her still, that is what happened when you let someone love you the way they loved each other.

Elias looked, by any measure , like a deer staring directly into oncoming headlights. Completely alert, faintly frozen, and genuinely uncertain whether the socially correct thing to do was to return the hug or simply wait it out with as much dignity as the situation allowed.

He opted for the latter. Mostly.

In his defence, he hadn't thought he'd been particularly loud, at least not enough to warrant such concern. The cursing had been mostly contained to himself barking the occasional 'Fuck' or 'Damn it' with each bent nail. Though , he was , admittedly, not always the most reliable judge of his own volume when something had gotten under his skin - but he'd have put money on having kept that particular exchange to a grumble at most.

It was a rare weekend off, genuinely off, with no extra shifts quietly absorbed to fill the hours and no particular excursion to occupy the rest of them. What he had somehow found himself conscripted into instead was DIY assistance, which he was fine with, having made a private and considered decision to accept any requests after the burst pipe incident in the middle of last summer. Besides , the tea and a chance to check in on her were always a bonus.

His arms settled, somewhat belatedly, into something approximating a reciprocal hug - more for her sake than his.

"I appreciate it." Genuine, if slightly muffled by the logistical reality of the height difference. "Really. I'm fine. Just had a disagreement with a nail and the nail had some strong opinions about it."

Merrill had maybe used the opportunity to give him a hug, but she did not regret that choice. As he was taller, she had to get on her toes to really be able to do so. He kind of engulfed her petite figure. She would be lying if she had not enjoyed it, and took his scent in, the way his body felt. There was such a human and intimate connection in a hug. Such comfort too in thinking that one was not alone.

When he finally hugged her back, she smiled, more to herself than to him. Get that man to loosen up was really a feat she had to work for. However, she was good at bribes and gentle nudging. Even if it was to console him from a loss against inanimate objects.

"Well I know all about objects not cooperating." She offered. Which was true, in her line of work, some objects did just have a stubborn personality. Something in her mind told her that nails must be like that too. It did amuse her more than it should. She let go of him and looked at the poor display of crooked nails in front of her. Maybe it was not the best idea to give objects a voice in front of her, as it fed certain delusions, but she felt good today.

She picked up one of the nails. "I just think you're not going to be a carpenter any time soon, that would just ...give you nightmares." she giggled. "Maybe I should take over the nails and you do the sanding?"

exhaustion starters | accepting

@quillsofmelancholy said: "I feel like a jukebox. Juice - juice box. Empty juice box." for Strange from Tony

~ Pulling away the coffee cup that was precariously dangling from Tony's uncoordinated grasp, Stephen glanced into it's depths. Holding it up to his nose and instantly recoiling when the bitter, acrid scent attacked his senses. Mumbling to himself as his mouth downturned in obvious displeasure. ' Why not just eat coffee grounds at this point..'

Setting the mug aside - and OUT of Stark's grabbing fingers - Stephen stepped back from the desk. One hand on the back of Tony's chair, pulling it away from the screens he'd been staring into for the past....32 hours. ' Okay, well. I think that's quite enough...up up. '

Spinning the chair around to face him, he GRABBED either side of the armrests, boxing Tony in as he LEANED DOWN to lock blue eyes to the others face. Neatly manicured brows raising. ' And just so you're aware...if you fight me on this, Anthony, I am not above MANHANDLING you out of that chair. ' ~

Tony is honestly not sure where Stephen came from, he was sure he was alone so the little flinch he has when the other male speaks up is a tension in his shoulders that will remain. The genius sighed. Of all people, the one he would not weasel his way from had found his current state. He was tired, that was sure, but at this point, everything that came with sleep was worse.

"Oh I've tried, ... also tried the IV idea ...bad idea." Sometimes he gave the internet too much credit. He would not go into that one just yet. "At least it's not booze, am I right" he tried to joke, but that joke either landed or caused more dramatic pauses given his history. One had to joke one way or another about his own self-destruction right? Stark did not oppose any resistance when the mug was pulled from his grasp. He was not drinking that black ichor for pleasure but really to not fall asleep.

He let the other man pull the chair and turn it towards him. In his state of exhaustion he jut tared at that face. Such a pretty face. "Kinda...hard to ...get up,,, when you lock me in my chair like that, and stare me down...with those pretty blue eyes. " Tony pointed out.