You've got to give until you get (open)

[ossie_oswald]

CHARACTERS: Ossie and YOU!
DATE: Post-excursion
LOCATION: Various
SITUATION: Ossie concocts some bright ideas
WARNINGS: Aftermath of excessive drinking

You've got to prime the pump, you must have faith and believe

Ossie hasn’t felt the full brunt of a hangover in something like sixty-ish years. It’s a rough guess; one day he woke up for another morning of torment in Arcadia without a pounding headache. Or perhaps just not feeling it anymore. Like an evolutionary adaption on a much smaller scale. Or maybe his liver is magic now. Who knows? Not him.
The point is that he swans out of bed as put-together as he always is, rising early with Giles. He has a plan thought of last night and he’s intending on following through. Write drunk and edit sober, as they say.
At around midday, there’s a knock at your door. A small care package of painkillers and bottled water has been left for you, along with a small wrapped sweet from Scoops. Ossie can be seen dropping off a similar package at the doors neighbouring yours.

You've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive

You might be wanting a nice quiet breakfast/brunch/’whenever you wake up’ meal to deal with the worst of the Never Have I Ever game. TOO BAD, HERE’S OSWALD. He’s just going to sit himself down across from you with something to snack on for himself, asking something to the effect of “how have you pulled up?” “are you feeling alright?” “do you want me to get you some water?”
He might be mother hen-ing a bit.

Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face, cool your feet

Ossie’s on a tear. He can’t help it. Once he gets going with the gift-giving he’s a veritable little Saint Nick. Even if you aren’t hungover, or really doing much of anything, you’re not safe from Ossie.
Catch him leaving a little packet of trail mix in amongst your belongings if you leave them unattended, or dropping it near you while you’re doing something else.

Leave the bottle full for others, thank you kindly, desert Pete

Wildcard!

Comments

you've got to give

[goodweather]

"Well aren't you sunny," Phil grumbles as he pokes another four holes in his breakfast. Phil's not actually really that hungover; he knows full well where his limits are and he knows for a fact he didn't quite cross them. Still, toeing the line kind of fucking sucks.

[ossie_oswald]

"Terribly sorry about that," he lies sunnily, "do you want me to get you anything? Some water, perhaps? I've got some asprins on me."

He beams, "It was quite a bit of fun though, wasn't it? We ought to have more get-togethers like it. Some levity to break up the monotony."

[goodweather]

“I’ve got water, and I’m already waiting for the ibuprofen to kick in.”

Phil gives up for now on choking down the rest of his food and offers a small smile. “Yeah. We really should. It’s—it’s nice, and a closed group of people like this, it’s good for them, I think. Gives people a reason to talk to each other.”

[ossie_oswald]

"Mm. Far better than merely flitting about while people are drinking separately. You know- I've been thinking of starting up a social club. Something to give people reason to come together like that. The mix of rejoicing and commiserating... why, I believe it's just what this place needs."

Ossie nods to himself.

"Have you tried a prairie oyster before, old thing? It works wonders for hangovers- it's what we did in the days before ibuprofen."

Discovered in 1961, in fact.

[goodweather]

“I think that’s a good idea. Even if it’s just you and me it’s a good excuse to actually talk regularly.” He really does enjoy his company, after all, and he doesn’t think it’d hurt to see him a little more than he does, which is honestly not much.

He huffs. Phil won’t turn down such easy generosity. “Christ, I don’t think I’ve had one in fifteen years. Sure, why not. I’ll take it.”

You've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive

[midnightroads]

Bash is at Sand Dollars, but seems to be in perfect form; he wasn't drinking last night, just fruit juice. Doesn't mean he's not glad to see Ossie again.

"Naw, but how're you doing? That was sure a long night. Lots of soul-baring and shit."

[ossie_oswald]

"Mm, long but enjoyable I think. Certainly brought out the social aspect of social drinking."

Ossie leans back in his seat, "for the record, I regret none of what I said last night. It was delightful flirting with you, and I do certainly intend on doing more of it, wot, in case there was any worry pertaining to my intoxication."

[midnightroads]

"Oh, good. You have a deft hand at it, Ossie." Bash smiles over the rim of his coffee mug before taking a sip. "Though there are a few things I might mention to ensure we do so without stepping on potential metaphorical bruises."

And this is private enough space, much moreso than that crowded beach.

[ossie_oswald]

"By all means, dear boy, I appreciate the initiative."

Ossie leans forward in interest, stirring his tea that he has absolutely no plans of drinking because Giles didn't make it for him.

"Can't dance without knowing where ones partners toes are, wot."

I am so so so sorry. I don't regret this, but I AM SO SO SO SORRY

[konpeito_aji]

Nobunaga cannot put the man's face to the man's crimes drinks. If he wasn't so hungover, he'd be so much faster mentally. Oh well, it can't be helped.

He remembers eventually nail polish.

That's not much to go off of though!

But more importantly, he's acting like a mother hen, Hideyoshi's job, but unlike Hideyoshi, bringing everyone the all important sugar.

So Nobunaga wordlessly (because he can barely string words together still) takes the man in a one-armed hug, and kisses his forehead.

You are a treasure, and a rare find, and he's not going to let go - metaphorically - without a fight.

This is probably not the most grateful return gesture he means it to be, since, while he's wearing his "bare minimum" Japanese Sengoku-era plate mail armor, and just was returning after exercise and darts with Six to get the rest of it, he cuts a pretty intimidating figure all demon king, weapons and violence even on the best of occasions, and being hungover is in no way lessening that.

Still, he's grateful, and oh thank Amaterasu it's sugar. He instantly crouches down and starts nomming on it.

"Arigatou..." He bows. He was so focused on getting the word out, actually kind of nervous, because he doesn't normally do manners easily (Demon King things...) he ended up forcing it into Japanese anyway. Oh well, the gesture was probably understood.

He wants to convey something about Hideyoshi. That he misses him the most at times like this, how he was so reliable, and even though Nobunaga always said he was a monkey on his back, nagging, mother-hen-ing, it was that devotion that let Nobunaga run wild like he wanted, because he knew Hideyoshi would look after the others, doing what the Demon King was useless at. He wanted to help. Maybe deliver sweets to others too, but again, it'd contrast so poorly with the Demon King thing, it couldn't be as effective from him as just... anyone else.

Even so Nobunaga should really learn to keep his hands and lips to his own damned self!

[ossie_oswald]

Ossie goes very still very suddenly when he's pulled into a hug and a forehead kiss, and the moment he lets go, Ossie takes a very conservative couple of steps backwards.

"Quite alright, old thing. Only- next time asking permission first and giving a fellow some warning wouldn't go amiss, wot."

Some people are just... affectionate. That's... fine. Only Ossie briefly envisions the fellow doing that to someone like Erin and the vision of his mind's eye is soaked in red immediately.

"I do hope you feel better soon, many of us ought to have switched to water far sooner than we did."

[konpeito_aji]

Nobunaga is not affectionate, and probably wouldn't mind violence, but won't ever kiss Erin like that, purely because she explained so thoroughly to him what a lesbian is.

"I'm too stubborn for that."

The Demon King of 6th Heaven is the most stubborn of all time, after all. Still, Ossie has absolutely saved whoever Nobunaga's next victim is. He will remember to ask! Or at the bare minimum, warn.

"Are you all right then? No ill effects yourself?"

[ossie_oswald]

For the sake of his own tattered sanity he's going to deeply deeply hope that Nobunaga meant 'too stubborn to switch to water' and not anything else. Christ he needs to secure some sort of protection here.

"Fit as a fiddle and all that jazz. I've hangover cures from my wilder days aplenty. Most aren't as lucky, so," raises his basket a little.

"Best get back to it."

Don't ask to help don't ask to help don't ask to help-

Prime the Pump

[theweakhavepurpose]

That gentle knock is loud enough to wake up a kraken beneath the ship in Pratt's head. He's not even sure why he gets up, completely on autopilot as he stumbles from the bed, trips over the couch, bashes his foot on his shovel (huh how did that get here again) opens the door, sees the care package nearby.

And faceplants right into the carpeting. At least he doesn't knock over the gifts.

[ossie_oswald]

"Pratt?"

Ossie turns around to see his acquaintance face-down on the floor, and Ossie immediately sets down his basket to attend to him, kneeling down beside him to gently shake his shoulder.

"Are you quite alright, old thing?"

[theweakhavepurpose]

"I think I'm dying. Again. For the third time." He groans, not opening his eyes. "Mind shooting me and getting this over with?"

He hasn't even registered who this is because the dim lighting in the hallway is hurting his eyes.

[ossie_oswald]

"I think I've something better, in fact."

Ossie takes the little individually packaged cookie and unwraps it, sacrificing a shard of glamour to the Wyrd as he infuses it with the gift of warm breath. The cookie straight up looks like it's out of a ghibli film, as delicious looking as anything Pratt has ever seen.

"Get some sugar into you and see if this helps."

If he does, he'll find the worst of his hangover symptoms relieved through Ossie's magic.

[tempingainteasy]

Being that they aren't exactly a flesh and blood creature, their circulatory and digestive system is really only present in theory. They're usually only as drink as they want to be or think they should be, and hangovers they don't even bother to think about.

However, being a thing that exists in assumptions and expectations has its downfalls, and being seen all night with a drink in hand and being drunk means that April is walking a tightrope of awareness over the Niagara gorge of a hangover.

(Alright, more accurately it's more of a game of operation with a light up nose for the hangover, but it's been awhile since they shoehorned some mention of Canadiana and the CBC Canada content quota cannot be ignored.)

So April's first thought seeing the painkillers is 'oh, goddammit' as the throbbing begins behind their eyes.

Fortunately that's quickly erased as they notice the guy who left them there is still in the hall; unfortunately, that's because they also noticed what that guy is.

"Ooohh no," they say in a indignant rolling grumble, the kind directed at a cat with a mouse in its mouth, the kind that's ready to build up into a full scolding depending on what that cat does next. "No you don't-"

April quickly vanishes back to their room, returning before the door can swing shut with a notepad in their hand. Documentation on the fair is laughable; the early records are detailed and extensive, but practically useless between how much shit the Victorians made up (which, admittedly made it very easy for April and other things like them to come into existence) and colonial tunnelvision from the researchers wanting to see familiar patterns where they didn't exist.

Attempts at more accurate research have been spotty at best, but it did result in nailing down a few key procedures. Primarily: don't take candy from Strangers.

[ossie_oswald]

Ossie hears some faint grumbling behind him and figures that it's the begrudging noises of someone unhappy to be awake. Fair enough; such is the difficulties of trying to nurse those with hangovers. He continues his way down the hall with his little wicker basket dropping his gifts and knocking softly. He's even half-mumbling a song to himself as he goes.

A keen ear would recognize it as Tam Lin.

[tempingainteasy]

Alright, good, he's still here.

April finds the page she was looking for and holds her notepad up to read off of while she points at the 'gifts'.

"These are not my belongings and I do not claim them; I am not accepting unsolicited gifts from any representative, member, or resident of any court, kingdom, realm, season, landmark, municipality, or other domains not mentioned, mortal or fair; I accept no offers on behalf of my company from any representative, member, or resident of any court, kingdom, realm, season, landmark, municipality, or other domains not mentioned, mortal or fair." April recites, and not even the outrage in their voice or the accusatory finger moving to Oswald can bring life to a corporate script.

"All future offers from you and any kin more, less, or equally fair, from any domains or residences previously listed will be refused, please see our anti-bribery policy - however much that matters this far out of Canada - subsection-"

April cites section, subsection, paragraph for both federal and internal policy, and then finally turns their eyes - made very clear for this purpose - to the funny looking man reeking of Strange magic.

The conclusion is still another paragraph in itself and April shows no sign of stopping. You have to cover every inch of your ass when you're dealing with these guys.

[ossie_oswald]

Ossie does finally turn around when he realises they're speaking to him with a smile, that oddly seems to widen as she goes through a very extensive script for... rejecting the gift? Well, that's a bit much, isn't it? Still, he listens very patiently until she's done and not a moment before.

"Had dealings with Autumn, have you?" he asks in an implacably chipper tone.

"Not to worry old thing, these here are pro bono publico. Buckshee, if you will. I paid nothing for these, and so I distribute them free of any strings. You can have my word on that, if you'd like, though I don't have a pen on me."

You've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive

[be_seeing_you]

He's not hung over, but he's looking gloomy enough that it could easily be assumed he is. He's keeping his head down, not looking at anyone, doing his best not to invite conversation. Clearly, someone didn't get that memo.

The memory of his fluster from the night before rises with a new tinge of heat. Oh no. Not him.

"I'm fine. Thank you." No sooner has he said this than he sticks his nose back in his book and attempts to continue reading.

[ossie_oswald]

Oswald can, in fact, take a hint. He is however passing over the very obvious hints that Peter wants to be left alone in favour of sitting down across from him.

"Well, at the very least, may I offer my apologies? I was most unbecoming last night with my teasing, and I should have backed off far before I did. It won't happen again, and it was all in the spirit of fun, wot."

[be_seeing_you]

Number 6 was afraid of this. Some people just won't be stopped. The apology, however, softens his grumpiness some.

"Apology accepted. Of course, I realize it was meant in good fun. I just so happen to be tender on the subject. You're not the first or even the third to raise the issue of my not having a lover and not even that night alone." His annoyance carries through that gripe despite how he tries to suppress it.

"I have my reasons."

[ossie_oswald]

"I've no doubt you do," Ossie says with the exact tone of a man who does not necessarily believe those reasons to be based in truth.

"And my apologies for pressing such a sore subject. It is of course the right of every person to choose whether or not they pursue any aspect of companionship."

There's a tangible 'but' hanging in the air.