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

[midnightroads]

Bash places his hand on top of Ossie's, but doesn't grab. Just resting on top of it like a butterfly briefly landing.

"So. I'm still working out my own toes, so to speak. Flirting is good. It's great. I love it, that hasn't changed for me."

[ossie_oswald]

"I have some advice I received upon my return from the last situation, if you'd care for it. But I won't press, either, I understand that often this is simply something one must work through in their own time."

His smile is all sweet and compassion, and Ossie doesn't move his hand until Bash does.

[midnightroads]

"I'll take whatever advice you have. I'm not very smart, so I rely on the wisdom of others to get by."

The hand lingers, still.

cw: sexual assault references

[ossie_oswald]

"Well, first is that pithy little sentiment one must chew the rind of to appreciate properly. If it wasn't you, it would've been anyone. Could have been anyone. You could have committed no possible fault nor error that would warrant whatever you went through as punishment. It was nothing to do with sex and everything to do with power, and nothing to do with you, and everything to do with your captors."

Counting off on his fingers, a second point.

"Second. There is no response to what you went through that is 'required'. Some of us choose to never partake in the act again, some do it liberally, some do it only with select people, some under only specific circumstances. Any or none of these are reasonable responses, and you can only choose what is right for you."

"Thirdly; some of us, myself included, were not physically distressed the entire time it was happening. This doesn't mean it was fine and dandy or that the experience as a whole was not traumatic, it simply means that ones body was functioning as bodies do in the circumstances. Some of us may very well even come to enjoy similar... situations as was found in our durances. I was spied upon during mine, and I've come to enjoy voyeurism upon my return. The opposite may also be true, of course, and there's never any telling which way the dice will fall. What brings us pleasure is a complicated mix of bio and psychology, and once again, does not bring any fault or blame onto oneself."

Fourth finger now, "and finally... well, seeking active and enthusiastic yes-es and no's are vital to one's recovery. To know ones hard limits is important, and what brings one bliss. But also vital is the capacity for ambiguity, for neutrality. For sex itself and specific acts within to neither be an incredible fulfilling spiritual experience or the worst thing you've experienced. Does that all make sense?"

[midnightroads]

He nods easily to the first two parts, but it's the third that almost seems to stop his breathing, because that...that is something that hits a tender spot in his everything. Because Bash was one of the lucky ones, a Dom, and thus not in the same sort of distress as some of those around him. And because of that, writing off the trauma had been so easy, so simple.

But there's the arrow straight to the heart that he probably needed.

"I..."

[ossie_oswald]

"I know, it's probably a lot to take in at once. Sorry about that, but it's the format I received it in."

Ossie tries his best to stay jovial, gives a brief glance around the room to ensure their privacy and give Bash a minute.

[midnightroads]

He needs that minute, eventually lifting his coffee to his lips and sipping, with the hand not resting on Ossie's.

"Okay. I think I got words for part of what I need."

[ossie_oswald]

"Whenever you're ready, Bash."

And all his attention returns to him.

[midnightroads]

"I need to not be the dominant partner in a persistent complete dynamic. I'm not saying I need someone else to take that role, but I'm not good to be in charge of, responsible for someone on a 24/7 basis again, right now."

Again is, of course, the operative word.

[ossie_oswald]

"That in and of itself is easy enough to accomplish. At this juncture I'm not seeking out any committed dynamics; I have my man as my primary commitment. I'm free to flirt and fuck as I please, but you get the distinction, wot."

It earns Bash a small nod and a smile, "I'm sorry. We aren't... sympathetic victims. But we had our own torments all the same."

[midnightroads]

"You and Giles are adorable together, I wouldn't want to stick myself in between that in any way that'd mess with what you got."

He chuckles. "Mostly, I just needed to state that aloud, that being 'Mr. Perfect Super-Dom' isn't my role anymore. That I get to not be that, here."

[ossie_oswald]

"You know what they say- 'perfect is the enemy of good'. But it's just as you say; here you can be anything you please."

Such is the nature of the fairest lands- even if this place isn't them quite directly.

"I'm a switch myself. For both dominance and positioning; really I just enjoy myself when my partner is enjoying themself. Or theirselves, as it were."