The Law Of Nature Is Named Wasp [OPEN + Closed]

[crushed_pearls]

Who: Erin Peters and YOU, plus some closed threads
What: Erin tries to settle back into life as December starts
When: First like, ten days of December?
Where: Various
Warnings: CW Lost shit, possibly Erin's general deal, use of a hurdy-gurdy



1. The world is beautiful [Tauva and/or Drunken Sailor]

Erin's nightly drink routines have changed subtly. Find her in Tauva or the Drunken Sailor of an evening, nursing a drink very slowly with a slate and stylus to hand, practicing her braille. If it's in Tauva, the scents of her cigars have changed! The smoke has a variety of alluring fruity scents, and she retrieves them from a wooden box stamped with a stylized map of Cuba ringed by thorny vines; at the Drunken Sailor, she nurses a beer with pretzels. Either way, the televisions in the bars are playing the Muppets if no one stops her, and Erin sings along to every.

Single.

Musical number.

Under her breath, at least until she spots you and waves you over.

2. The flower that never fades [Fight Club]

Since returning to fight club Erin's mostly kept her head down; she's most active in tactics class, though she's still taken a bit of a step back (this week's theme is Don't Stand In Front Of The Fucking Gunline), but otherwise she's been doing a lot of drilling, and a lot of observing how other people fight. Maybe she's approached you to ask about a technique unfamiliar to her, or you've noticed her imitating your style and incorporating it into her own. She's also taken to bringing, though not wearing, her armor. Every now and again when she's taking a break she sits on the ice mail, her ass slowly going numb, and just watches the way everyone moves, looking thoughtful.

Of note as well is the second sword, sheathed above her saber on the small of her back. For almost all of December's first fight club that blade stays in its sheath, the only visible part of it being a pommel made of kaleidoscopic glass. As class starts to wind down though, Erin steps back into the area set aside for sword drills and pulls it free, revealing a blade of stained glass that depicts mighty battles between gods and giants.

She's stanced up to run drills, but Erin can't quite seem to start. She's lost in her own head, staring at the blade.

3. Midnight at noon [Bellona Theater]

Erin's late-night theater visitations have moved into the afternoons; find her there with a hurdy-gurdy connected to an amp, trying to shake the rust off. There's a lot of false notes and good-natured swearing. It's been a hot fucking minute, after all, but when Erin can let herself drop into the zone pirate shanties and ominous music float from the theater for quite a distance. She's oddly happy to get walked in on, even to take requests.

The first person to ask for Wonderwall is getting a nickel thrown at them, though.

4. A study in scarlet [Spas]

She's finally biting the bullet, going 'fuck it, we ball' on seeing if her hair will take dye, but Erin needs a friend to help with that one. If that friend is you, she's looking to turn it a deep red color and has given you a stern warning not to wear clothing you don't want to get stained. She intends to try it without making her hair more human, at first, and that means the front seats might just be a splash zone. Have fun explaining those scarlet stains to everyone on your way back to your room to change your clothes.

5. Cave paintings [Closed to April]

Hey so I forgot in all the you know everything from the back half of last month but I have a portrait of myself thoughtfully provided by Peter Smith. He even knows I intend to use it for a bit of an experiment though I did not of course name any names or provide any details. You ready to do dark science?

6. There is only one stage of the life cycle, and it is... [Closed to Crabb]

Torturing Crichton with the knowledge that he missed out on the Peter Jackson adaptations of The Lord of the Rings has Erin on a bit of a fantasy kick, and she's decided to continue introducing Crabb to the genre by skipping all of its foundational authors and going directly from Stardust (a feature of previous reading dates when it was Erin's turn) to Howl's Moving Castle. Sat on Erin's bed, there on the pillow, is a little wooden box with a hinged lid. It's been there for the entire date, and Erin's not said a word about it. It'll keep.

7. Chaos reigns [Wildcard]

Have a different idea, a missed connection, something to slip in later in the month? I'm available on Discord!

Comments

[crushed_pearls]

"No shade or anything, Klaus," Erin sighs, not quite able to bring herself to feel apologetic. "To be frank I'm holding a bit of a grudge but I can keep the peace like an adult." A pause. "...Something about that phrasing is off to me but I cannot fuckin' spot it...anyway, 's just. What it is. Catching up at the expedition wasn't too bad, and your boy did legitimately help me with a difficult problem. That's not nothin'."

Erin's fingers rub her wrist for a moment, and she takes a drink so she can Stop Doing That. "But it's gonna be a hot minute before I trust him to mind his manners."

[busball]

Klaus is quiet for a moment, letting out the smallest of sighs. “What did he do?” This also will help Klaus from doing the same thing. Also will help them to decide if it’s actually worth the grudge or not because they know Nobunaga can kind of upset people or get people in a weird mood.

“I’ll offer you the same deal I’ve offered other people. If he gets too much…” A beat. “You get a get out of Nobunaga jail free card. Usually I tell people to text me a demon and fire emoji together, but we can figure something out. I’m pretty good at distracting him.” They shrug. “Also he listens to me pretty well, so you know. I can deal.” They don’t always see eye to eye every day either. “Pretty stuck on that demon thing.”

[crushed_pearls]

"Yeah, he sure is." Erin sighs and turns her head away. "He grabbed my wrist, early on, and I just about turned him into jelly about it. I understand, up here -" she taps her temple with a finger, "that he had good intentions, but I do not. Like. Being touched. And especially not by men. So whether or not it's reasonable, whether or not it's actually his fault, I'm on fucking edge around him waiting to see if he remembers that he spent the one warning everyone gets. And that's the long and short. I'm not going around blackening his name or like, putting up passive-aggressive fliers, but I'd rather have good fences make good neighbors."

[busball]

Klaus winces slightly because absolutely is guilty of similar things. They’ve been pretty good at asking first since a few people have expressed discomfort with being touched. They are doing their best to be respectful of it.

“Yeah. I get it. There’s things about my past that get me sometimes. Not touching, but…you know.” Stuff. “I won’t touch without permission.” It’s hard sometimes when people are so…sad sometimes. He looks down. “But I hope you eventually feel less concerned about him. He’s nice when he’s not stuck on how evil he thinks he is or the Demon King stuff.”

[crushed_pearls]

"I can't throw stones there," Erin admits, with a guilty shrug. "Considering and all. I'm sure we'll run into each other again sometime, my roommate's going to that poetry club. You mighta met her, actually - Helena, really short, very primly dressed, quite kind? She navigates with a cane."

Erin takes another, more thoughtful, sip of her beer. "We didn't get to chat all that much on the expedition. I gotta ask what kinda life you lived to handle the sheer intensity of dating the Demon King. I can't imagine him putting on the brakes like...ever."

"...Thank you brain, I definitely required that mental image of Nobunaga bursting out of a cake for Valentine's Day..."

[busball]

"Probably, yeah." As for the roommate. "Uhhh. No. Not yet? I haven't met a lot of people to be honest." But he'll have to.

Klaus laughs a little. "There's so much, really. I mean, not that I'm not basically an over sharer by default, so that's not a problem." They smile a little at that.

"I mean, you might not have needed that, but I'm not gonna complain."

Right right. But his life. "I was bought by my dad when I was a kid? Well, a baby, actually. Peter refuses to let me call it adoption." That's not technically true, but he told him it wasn't an adoption, so... "There's seven of us? We were bought for our abilities. Annnd I didn't actually have a name-name till late into being thirteen. We were...uh...numbers? I'm Number Four. That's why sometimes Nobunaga calls me Lucky Four. Which is fine." It's at least said with affection and not cold indifference.

The shrug. "But anyway. I had ghost powers? And I found out recently about the dying over and over stuff. I just thought I was like one of those lovable cartoon characters! You know? Just like...one of those weird things. But no. Just dying and coming back and over and over. He trained us to be childhood superheroes. Anyway...I lost all my powers after the universe was reset, though. So it's...you know...just a thing? I guess my childhood was a lot fucked up, so I don't know how to be...normal? If normal even exists. I doubt it."

[crushed_pearls]

Erin sucks in a Deep Fucking Breath, pressing her hands together as if in prayer, and holds it for a moment.

Long breath out.

One more in, actually.

"...Mister Klaus that was a wild series of words you just said, and yet despite you saying 'universe was reset' I find myself stuck on the bit where your father. Was a serial killer. With you as the repeat victim."

(TWO? NICKELS?)

...Who's the second - Yato.

(YEAH, HIM.)

Erin's voice softens again as the urge to shout slowly subsides. "...You are remarkably chill given. All that."

[busball]

Klaus hasn’t even told her the worst part of that. “Yeaaaaahhhh. But that was when I was like four. And then again recently with busball. But the ones in between were all me. Overdoses, falling of a building that one time, my fake nephew accidentally harpooning me in the chest. The usual.” There is nothing usual about that. “Dad killed Luther before the end of the world to get us to do what he wanted. Weddings and funerals always bring people together?” He shrugs. “And then left me to die. More trouble than I was worth. Apparently.” Their gaze drops at that and they fidget slightly. “I got back to everyone through my void, though. And saved Sloane with ghost!Luther before I was killed by that Samurai again.”

Is that a lot? Yeah.

“Yeah. That’s all the drugs, alcohol, and all the trauma and mental health shit.” They laugh to lighten it up. As if it’s possible.

“Anyway. Most of my childhood is pretty heavy and most of my adulthood is, too. So like tap out anytime. It’s fair.”

[crushed_pearls]

"...No, say what you've gotta. Having my problems outclassed is too new for me to bail here."

An attempt at comforting humor, but it comes with an offered hand, if Klaus wants it.

[busball]

Klaus frowns at that slightly. "Hey now. That's my emotional support coping mechanism." Downplaying shit is a fucking skill.

But the hand is like...totally not expected. But does he really count as a man anyway? It's a very non-binary whatever going on here. Still, they're just gonna casually take her hand since it's a touch with permission situation.

"I never know where to start this stuff. Uh...I guess my powers. I used to be able to see ghosts, talk to them, control them, use them in fights or whatever, and apparently banish them, but I never knew how to do that till like when I found out about dying over and over being a power." There's a shrug. "I see them how they die. I never actually liked it. Dad used to lock me in a mausoleum when I was little. To get me used to the ghosts and make me stop being...you know...I guess a scared little bitch. It didn't work, though."

Obviously. "Now I'm claustrophobic. And still scared of ghosts, so. Woops." He shrugs. "So like that trope of 'the two people won't talk to each other until they're locked in a room together' is basically my nightmare. In case something ever happens. Like...please don't. Small spaces I can get out of? I can deal. I know I'll get out of them. If I'm trapped? Bad deal. Even worse when you're tied to a chair and shut up in a closet and the drugs are wearing off and there's ghosts vying for your attention and you're having a panic attack." They shudder as they think about it.

"But that wasn't Dad for once. That was just...these guys Five used to work with that kidnapped me and tortured me for like 10 hours." A beat. "It's fine, though. I popped a boner while they were strangling me and they got uncomfortable real fast." He'd say that's free advice, but...probably not useful to anyone else.

[crushed_pearls]

Erin laughs at the unexpected end to that description and immediately looks guilty for laughing. This does not stop her from laughing again as she remembers the famous comedy routine that goes the same way, which Klaus just. Did. For real. In his actual life. She covers her mouth with her other hand and does her best to get back to an appropriately grave expression.

"Well. Good news, locks don't work on me one way or another, so if you can contact me or I'm in there with you we're getting out. I'm not a fan of confinement myself."

"...Damn that's grim reassurance but I guess we're at the grim reassurance store."

[busball]

Klaus can't blame anyone for laughing. Like if it hadn't been his entire life, he'd definitely have laughed more. He laughed at that, though.

"That is good news. I'm really anxious about that shit." They smile brightly. "But thanks...I'll make sure to keep my head enough to message you if something happens." They really hope they think about it if they could.

"Ehhh. You got anything you need to share? I swear, it gets more depressing the longer I talk about myself."

[crushed_pearls]

"Pick your poison: equally grim, funny, wondrous, or personal gossip?" The offer is casual, but the tilt of Erin's head is watchful. What will Klaus pick out? He seems like a deeply silly person, but even if that's true...he's also a survivor.

Somewhere under this fluff is knife-sharp flint.

[busball]

Klaus considers the options. There's good options in like...fucking all of it. "I mean, I feel like it's fair to get to share something grim if you want to, but I'm not gonna make you, so if you prefer the gossip, that's also good with me. I know it's hard to talk about the shitty stuff."

[crushed_pearls]

"Eventually the shitty stuff gets numb enough that you don't notice," says Erin, person moved to tears multiple times by the bare fact that people chose to listen to her story before judging her, with the approximate self-awareness of a stoned squirrel. "But perhaps the gossip..."

What to share though, what to share, what to -

Erin chooses violence immediately.

"Y'know Valdis made a wish to a god to find love?"

[busball]

"Yeah. I get that. Eventually, it's kind of like...what's a little more trauma, honestly?" Klaus shrugs. "But Pratt says that sometimes you hit a point where it fucks you up real bad, but I guess I haven't hit that point yet." But if like...she prefers the gossip, that's fair. They're not gonna judge her.

Klaus snorts softly. "Did she? Which god did she make that wish from?"

[crushed_pearls]

"Yato! New passenger, self-described god of fortune. He's bound to fulfill her wish." Erin's smile is a goblin thing, nearly physically composed of mischief. "He seems to need to grant wishes by hand, so surely spreading the news can only help...?"

[busball]

"Oh." Klaus looks down for a moment, trying not to be obviously awkward about this current information. There's been a lot of vibes because of the whole...boyfriend wanting to become a weapon for a god thing that Erin almost definitely doesn't know about.

"Guess that's one of those things that happens? I guess." They clear their throat. "Nobunaga's in talks to become his weapon." It's not not obvious how he feels about it, but he's trying to temper that a little bit with humor. "Guess he gets around, huh?"

[crushed_pearls]

"...Like his vassal or...?"

[busball]

"Like sell your soul to be a weapon. I don't really get it. I've never wanted to be anything less. I've already been a weapon sort of. Not a great one, obviously. My powers aren't that impressive. But Dad kind of made weapons of all of us anyway." They shrug. "I think he'd be an actual weapon? Or whatever. Warned me he could be called on possibly in the middle of sex if it happens and I am so not into that. I mean, sure...danger can happen all the time, but Jesus."

There's a long pause before. "I'm supposed to talk to the guy before a decision is made, but I don't know. I guess I'm sorting through it."

[crushed_pearls]

"His shiki!" Erin looks both comprehending and relieved. "The afterlife thing Yato was talking about - but does that even work here? We get back up..."

Erin trails off in thought before she realizes she's being an ass. She gives Klaus's hand an apologetic squeeze. "...He do that kinda shit a lot, buddy?"

[busball]

"I don't know. I know that emotions affect him and I know you've met Nobunaga." By which they mean he has big emotions and it's a concern.

"I didn't know about the Siffleur thing until after it happened. So at least we're talking about this before it happens." He frowns. "I love him, but we're both pretty dumb at relationships. I mean, I usually stole from my exes to buy more drugs, so..."

[crushed_pearls]

You know that look people get when they're thinking about doing something they really don't want to do? That concentrated look that's just pained enough that it seems like they might be constipated? Erin has that look on her face. She has that look on her face for several minutes.

At last, with severe regret and hesitation: "Can I offer you some advice from the perspective of the person who is being the Nobunaga in my own relationships? Specifically with regard to repeatedly doing wild-ass dangerous shit?"

[busball]

Klaus really is not sure what that look means entirely in this moment, but he’s almost certain whatever it is, she’s gonna hurt herself if she keeps doing it.

And then she compares herself to Nobunaga and he feels like that had to hurt her. “…Yeah. I guess so.” A beat. “It’s not just let him do wild shit and learn to live with it, is it? Cause…” They’re pretty sure that’s not gonna work. Even if they do normally just drink about their problems and never face them.

[crushed_pearls]

"No, god no, do not do that, worst possible idea." Erin has to take a drink at that idea, jesus - if Cass and Crabb didn't have her back...

"...No, it's. Like, it's not on you to manage his emotions or anything, that's a bit fucked as an idea, but...firm reminders that when he's his own enemy, he's hurting the people who care about him? Those might get you far. Like, y'know, you don't gotta shout or bully unless that's something he's into, but." Erin sighs. "...Let's say that after getting here I got hit in the face several times with the wet fish of how worrying it is that I don't know how to care if I get hurt. I'm working on that not just because it'll make my love happy but because like, I will be more happy once I succeed, but an external reason to care's a good start."