bakerstreet | T R U T H or D A R E

T R U T H or D A R E

Oh yeah, you know this game. So gather around the popcorn bowl, hug your pillow, and do the thing with the flashlight under your chin to make yourself look spooky. It's time to either admit something truthfully, or do something out of the ordinary. No crossing your fingers!

HOW TO PLAY
1. Post a character to the meme.
2. Others will tag asking, "Truth or dare?" You must pick one or the other.
3. If you pick Truth, your opponent will ask you a question that you MUST answer truthfully!
4. If you pick Dare, your opponent will command you to do something, which you MUST do! Also, if you refuse to answer a Truth question or don't answer adequately, you must perform a dare.
5. When your turn is over, it becomes your opponent's turn! Remember, you can ask anything for Truth or demand anything for Dare.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO ASK/DARE!
Have no fear. If you want some ideas of what questions to ask for Truths, check this list out.
And if you need ideas for Dares... (and I'm assuming you need ideas for non-sexual dares...) check this list!
The linked website has lots more questions and dares if you navigate around a little, too.

NOTE: This is not specifically a smut meme, but obviously it wouldn't be Truth or Dare without the possibility for inappropriate and even dirty questions and dares. But, please be considerate to other players! You may want to indicate your preferences when you first tag the meme,

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only | Expand All

Hey, Madison. Truth or dare?

[Why is he asking this? The last few days have been a nightmare. Ethan could use a little levity in his life right now, and he's pretty sure Madison feels the same way. Well, not necessarily through childish games, but...]

[The past few days have indeed been a nightmare. Right now Madison is even more tired than usual, and that's saying something. Not only have they been through hell, but the many close calls and the things she saw... Madison feels they maybe deserve this quiet moment they're having right now, and she doesn't mind the silence being broken by such a silly question.

It feels oddly surreal with all of that behind them, and she just looks at him for a moment, offering him a warm smile.]

Truth.

Not feeling very daring right now.

[Not yet, anyway. Madison's always been a formidable truth or dare player.]

[For now, Ethan had brought Madison to his rather rundown mess of a home because he still needed to work out a way to get a better place. Joint custody with Grace or not, he can't rebuild his life and give Shaun the life he deserves living in a place like this. Too many bad memories, and too unkempt. He's glad he has Madison here to help him start cleaning things up.]

Truth. Hmm...

[He thinks about it while gathering various papers and making a neat pile of them.]

How would you feel if I asked you out on a date?

[Sure it's a rundown mess, but Madison doesn't really mind, and she doesn't mind helping with the cleanup either. Even if it's messy, the place looks like Ethan, with its rather interesting and classy decor despite the shabby quality of the actual home itself. Watching him mull the question over, her smile widens slightly at his question. Reaching a hand over the small space between them, she lets it fall lightly on his on top of the papers.]

How do you think I'd feel?

[But she knows there's no sense in playing coy, even if she likes to mess with him a bit. Madison squeezes his hand.]

I'd feel good, Ethan. And I'd say yes.

[For a moment she just looks at him, takes in the cut on his head she nursed on the day they met, the fine lines between his eyebrows, and then she chuckles slightly. It's interesting, that she can feel lighthearted, after what happened.]

What about you, then? Truth or dare?

Edited (derp, almost forgot to add the truth or dare bit XD) 2013-12-18 20:00 (UTC)

[He looks down at their hands, and a small smile crosses his lips. It's good not to be alone right now. After his and Grace's separation, he never really expected he'd find someone else to share his life with again. ...Well, not to be too presumptuous. Ethan doesn't want to get ahead of himself, but he's pretty sure he and Madison connected in a way that not too many people can claim. He thinks he might be in love, or maybe it's the aftereffects of going through such traumatic experiences together.

Either way, he thinks he's willing to give it a shot. Whether it works out or not will remain to be seen.]

That's good! Because I was thinking about asking.

[He lets his hand linger beneath Madison's for a few seconds before moving away and grabbing some more papers from the floor.]

I'll go with truth for now too, I think.

[It's good to see him smile, to see him have an expression besides pain and sadness and worry. She's not willing to believe that he's completely better; neither of them are, and it'll be a good while until they are. But it's still nice, to be with him now, to have found something good through all of the terrible things they went through together. She does feel like she's found something she never expected in him, though it's still too soon to tell. But whatever the case, after everything else, she's more than willing to put her heart on the line for him. When it's not at all daunting, knowing him. Normally she'd be concerned about falling in love too fast, or about dealing with the less pleasant feelings that have been keeping her awake anew since what happened.

But in many ways, Ethan is a special case.]

I've been wanting to ask, too. I guess I just never found the right time. Looks like you beat me to bringing it up.

[She lets his hand go when he moves away, and she picks up a pair of shoes from the floor and sets them by the door, ignoring the sound of rain outside the window and looking at him over her shoulder as she mulls over options in her head.]

Truth, huh? Let's see... what's something you've never told anyone else before?

[It might be a little invasive, but Madison's not usually one to shy away. She wants to get to know him better, and this seems like as good a way as any.]

[No; it's going to be a long while before the psychological wounds can be healed. Elation at having rescued Shaun has kept him going for the past few days, and having Madison's company through some of it has been immensely helpful as well. She, at least, already knows what she's getting into with him. She knows about all the dirt and all the pain.]

I just thought... I don't know. I'd be nice to go out to a restaurant, maybe catch a movie. But it'd be a lot better if you came along with me.

[That question is a difficult one. Madison already does know an awful lot about the worst of him, so some of the most obvious answers are out. So he decides to just be cheeky about it.]

I've never told anyone that I just asked you out on a date.

[That's the funny part of it, that Madison's partially so comfortable jumping the gun and giving this a try because she knows about all of it, though it would just make most people run. There's no lying or hiding things, to pretense, just the two of them being able to be honest with each other without worrying their baggage is going to drive the other away. Even as dark as all of it is, there's still comfort to the idea that she's not going to scare him away, because not only was he there with her, he was even darker places. Someday, she wants to talk about them, but for now she'll let him rest. He doesn't need to think about any of the things he's been through any more than he needs to. But that unspoken understanding makes things feel warmer in the room. It's something she hasn't experienced with someone in a long time.]

I'd like that. Whenever you're feeling up to it.

[Even with as bumbling as he's proven he can be from time to time, Ethan is still charming in his way, she's come to find. That comment makes her melt just subtly, and she wonders if he has any idea. At his response to her question she gives him a look, but it's dampened by the fact that she can't help but laugh softly.]

Oh, really? Alright then, smart guy. I guess you're a harder lock to pick than I'm used to.

[She's being equally cheeky, but then she crushes it with sincerity]

I care about you a lot, Ethan.

[It's the farthest she'll go with talking about feelings just now, until she feels like he's ready to hear it.]

[He wants some levity to help, because even if they aren't talking about it, he's constantly haunted by the whole experience on top of the remaining guilt over Jason's death. For now, a distraction is most welcome. On top of that, Madison risked everything to help him... a stranger at the time. She's something special, without a doubt.]

Yeah. Sometime soon, hopefully.

[Ethan has no idea what effect his words might have on her. He does know he can be a bit awkward at times, but at least Madison doesn't seem to mind.

While Madison responds, he smiles down a little at the book that he'd just picked up. She'd made that much obvious through her actions. Though he says nothing more on the matter, he does decide to continue the game.]

Truth or dare?

[A distraction is what Madison is more than willing to provide, whether it's dragging him grocery shopping with her (when the store is less crowded than usual, of course) or doing things like playing truth or dare to keep his mind on the brighter things and not what they're both trying not to think about at any given time.]

Maybe when you're feeling better. You still don't look so good.

[Going through everything he went through can't help leaving a physical mark, and Ethan definitely endured his share of damage. More than his share. It makes her wince sometimes when she catches sight of those wounds, though it also does its part to remind her just what kind of person he is. That he would go through so much to save his son.

It's back, that smile, and Madison returns it and feels somewhat comforted, as she always does whenever he gives her some indication that he's not on the verge of breaking down. He deserves to be happy, and she wants that for him]

Hmm. I think I'll go with dare this time.

I appreciate your honesty.

[He's teasing, but really... he knows. The electrical burns and cuts still pain him, and he often finds himself touching the bandage around the stump of his little finger. But it was all worth it, and he knows they'll stop hurting him eventually. He was definitely lucky to have Madison around to help fix them up at the time.

And now he has to think of a dare. He could say something silly, or maybe he could use it to mask another something he wants but is too hesitant to seriously request.]

I dare you... to spend the night here with me.

[And then he quickly adds, as if suddenly regretting his decision to just outright say that.]

If you want to. Of course.

[A small smile, and she places some books on the living room shelf as she watches him, almost curious, giving him a warm look all the while.]

Well, you know me.

[It's both a joke and a sincere statement. Because she did lie to him before, but since then she's been nothing but absolutely truthful with him, and she's made a point of never straying from that. Honesty is normally who Madison is, when she can be. When her work allows her to be.

At his dare, she stops, stares, and then her smile widens as her eyes narrow subtly. Drifting in his direction, casually, as though he hasn't gotten to her in the most pleasant of ways, she stops just short of him, slides the remote she was holding onto the coffee table, and just looks at him.]

Of course I want to.

[It's a firm and sincere statement, and a tentative hand brushes his cheek before retreating to her side. Somehow, this little game seems like it's becoming a tool for them to express what they really want without any fear of serious rejection, and she's fine with that.]

I'm glad you asked, actually. I'll be honest here and say I've... been thinking about it.

[Direct and not at all bashful, as she tries to be whenever possible. Now and then, she second guesses herself, but in this case she can't bring herself to.]

Edited 2013-12-19 06:08 (UTC)

Yeah.

[But he'd like to know her better. The lie had stung, there's no doubt about that. But Madison had more than made up for it through her actions. Ethan is sure he wouldn't have made it out of that warehouse alive without her help... that Lieutenant Blake was a lunatic, and he can only hope he's going to eventually face changes for police brutality. One day, if not just yet.

Ethan watches her closely when she approaches, and he feels a slight tightening in his chest when she brushes her hand over his cheek. He'd reach out and do the same, but he's still a bit hesitant about reaching out physically. Yes, they'd been intimate at the motel, but... this is different. They aren't under massive amounts of pressure anymore, clouding their judgment. Ethan is worried about overstepping his bounds now, so he simply gives her another small smile in return.]

I'm glad to hear it. I'm not crazy about being alone here at night. [He admits, though anyone could probably guess as much considering... well, everything.]

[Under his watchful gaze, Madison would normally feel a bit scrutinized, but Ethan is so nonthreatening in so many ways that it doesn't feel that way now. She returns that smile.]

I can imagine. It doesn't just have to be tonight. Just let me know whenever you want me here. I'm... not usually all that busy. And to be honest, I'm not all that wild about nights alone in my apartment these days, either.

[What with all the nightmares from before, which have only intensified, spending nights with Ethan sounds more than welcome. Not just because she'd rather not be by herself on those mostly sleepless nights, but also because she enjoys his company. There's something to be said for the fact that the only time she's been able to fall asleep without any trouble in recent memory was that night in the motel in his arms.

And even now, with all this in mind, she still keeps playing their little game.]

Truth or dare?

Thanks. It means a lot. Really.

[He doesn't know the extent of Madison's nightmares, but he does remember her telling him about insomnia. Maybe she does still have some secrets for him to discover... and he hopes he'll have the chance to do so. It's a nice change of pace, spending time with Madison when he isn't injured or desperate.

Ethan moves away after a few more moments, gathering a pile of old mail and glancing at the fronts of each letting briefly so he can sort them into piles of useful and junk.]

...How about a dare for me too this time?

No problem.

[Madison gives him a smile, and in a nervous and instinctive gesture brushes some hair behind her ear, watching him as he moves away and starts sorting mail.

When he suggests dare, Madison ponders it carefully, takes her time. She moves around the room, collecting magazines and sorting them into a neat stack, placing books on the bookshelf, running possibilities over in her head. There are many she could say, but only one she's really driven to say. Stopping to look at him, her hand resting on the back of the sofa where she just draped a stray blanket, she smiles again.]

What if I dared you to kiss me?

Edited 2013-12-19 23:06 (UTC)

[Surprised by the dare, he lets out a brief chuckle, pausing the mail sorting to look over his shoulder at Madison.]

That's hardly a dare.

[But he tosses an old cell phone advertisement in the junk pile before walking over to her. His steps are a bit stilted, legs still healing from some of the abuse they'd taken during his flight from the cops. It's not the most smooth or romantic kiss he's ever managed. But it's one he happily offers, brief as it is.]

Your turn again. Truth or dare?

[She gives him a slight smirk and shrugs]

Maybe it was just my sneaky way of getting you to kiss me? A dare seemed like as good a way as any.

[Watching him as he walks over to her, Madison smiles, watching his slightly labored walk and wondering exactly which of the terrible things he'd had to go through caused the pain in them. She forgets about it quickly when he kisses her, because it's not the kind of thing that needs to be on her mind during that. She returns the gesture, bringing up her hand to run the backs of her fingers down his cheek briefly before she answers]

How about truth this time?

I guess you're right. That might've been my next dare for you, honestly.

[When Madison brings her hand down from his face, he takes it in his own and gives it a little squeeze. It's still amazing to him, that she wants to be here alone with him. That she isn't afraid or concerned about her safety. But then again, she hasn't lived with him before. If the blackouts continue... she might start seeing things the same way as Grace. Better be careful.]

Okay. Let me think.

What's the most interesting story you've ever covered as a journalist?

[A little laugh, and she nods.]

See, I'm not the only one. We're both taking advantage of the opportunity. Nothing wrong with that, right?

[When he takes her hand, she squeezes his back (carefully minding the injured pinkie), and then lifts it to her lips and places a gentle kiss along the ridge of his knuckles, eyes still on his.

His question prompts a moment of thought, and then she smiles.]

Well, there was this one a couple of years ago. I was young, just starting out, and I was following this case. It was a... bizzarre string of missing cases, all young, attractive women. Mostly models. It was starting to look like it was connected, like maybe there was some kind of serial killer, you know? So I did some digging, asked around, and it turned out at least four of the woman had had contact with the same modeling agent. This guy named... Don Juan, of all things, if you can believe it.

[An amused smile, and she shakes her head.]

Obviously not his real name, but...

So I followed him around, tailed him for a couple of days. Busy guy, spent a lot of nights at his office. Then, he finally went home, and I followed him. He lived in this ridiculous marble mansion, real flamingos in the pool and all that. It probably wasn't the smartest idea, but I picked the lock on his door after he went in. Did some snooping around. I was in the bathroom, looking through his stuff, and this girl came in. Completely naked, and we both screamed. Scared the crap out of me.

I was worried, obviously. Here I was thinking she was a kidnap victim, a potential homicide victim. But it turned out the guy was picking these girls up, brought them back to his place to party. And they'd just... shack up with him, not end up leaving for days. He was giving them free drugs, that sort of thing. They were all there completely of their own free will.

Turned out there was no case at all, as far as serial killing went. But I did get to cover the biggest drug bust in the city's history, and that's how I ended up getting my job at the Tribune. I sold them my story, and they hired me on the spot.

[The story is a little embarrassing in a way. It shows just how impulsive she can be. But there are worse things, she knows, and she wants to tell him the truth about whatever he asks. Giving him a little smile, she kisses his hand again.]

Truth or dare?

[He arches an eyebrow when Madison kisses his knuckles, then goes to do the same to her in return. It only seems appropriate.

Ethan then listens to the story, ready to hear some gruesome tale of bloody homicide or something similar. The true result has him shaking his head in disbelief.]

Wow... that's crazy. And you are reckless! I mean, I admire the heck out of you, but you're going to have to stop doing things like this.

[Because he'll worry way too much thinking about Madison going around stalking potential killers. As paranoid as he is about protecting his loved ones now, just the thought of her doing something like that again is unnerving.]

Alright, seeing as we're going back and forth, how about another truth?

[She smiles when he kisses her knuckles, and then considers his words. Madison can't really argue with that. She knows she's reckless, knows that more often than not she'll put her life on the line for a story, for the sake of delving into the truth and doing what she can to put whatever parts of the world she's able to touch into order. Madison's always had a bit of a complex about that, about being able to make a difference by getting the story.

Sure, it's not always the most ethical thing. Sometimes it's meant hounding people like Ethan to get the information she needs, even when they're going through the worst time of their life. But meeting him has been an eye opener for her. Even though she hasn't thought much about it, has been too distracted, she realizes it's been a turning point. That she's going to start doing things much differently.]

I know.

[It's in response both to the fact that he thinks she's reckless and to the fact that she needs to stop.]

I will. I guess I... never really had to think about how me doing things like that affected the people around me. Never really had anyone that close, at least not for a while. But now...

[A small, almost nervous smile, and she keeps looking him straight in the eye.]

I know what it's going to do to you if you have to worry about me. I'll... be more careful. I won't make you have to spend all your time worrying about what I'm doing. I promise.

[A beat, as she runs over options in her head. After everything he and Shaun have been through, she feels like it's important for him to be able to remember something good, too.]

What's your favorite memory with Shaun?

[Ethan had almost expected Madison to brush off his concern, or argue that she can handle herself and he needn't worry about her. He's pleasantly surprised when she agrees that it needs to stop.]

I appreciate that. I'm sure you'll do great even without putting your life on the line every step of the way.

[He'd always lived a very careful life. With a wife and two children and a low-key job, there was never any reason to take crazy risks. Ethan would like to return to that sort of life. While he now knows exactly how far he can go for someone he loves, his preference would be to keep everyone he loves as safe as possible at all times. Hopefully he won't become too overbearing about it, but he knows he'll be told if he is.

Madison's next question is an easy one, and he smiles again at the memory.]

The first time I held him in my arms after he was born. It was a difficult pregnancy for Grace, and we were a little worried... but he came out healthy and, well, perfect. I felt like the luckiest man in the world to have two great sons. Jason was really happy to have a new brother.

[He tries not to let the mention of Jason bring him down from the happy memory. Ethan knows the best way to honor Jason's memory is to think of all the good times. It's just... hard.]

Edited 2013-12-22 20:35 (UTC)

[At any other point in her life, Madison probably would have brushed off that concern, been sure she could handle herself. She can, and she knows it. She can survive just about anything. But...

She doesn't have to.

All the things she's experienced recently have hardened her just a little, made her grow up just a little. With that has come the realization that she can throw herself into her career, can put every bit of her energy into it, but she can't die for it. She's been in tough scrapes before, but never anything quite so real as narrowly escaping dying at the hands of a serial killer.

Even the job she loves isn't worth her life, and it's been a reality check realizing just how far she'll go for a story. It's not a healthy way to live. And for Ethan's sakes, to make life easier for him, she'll have to learn to dial that back a bit. She'll need to learn to make more rational choices when it comes to her investigative work.]

It won't be an easy transition, but I figure it's about time. You're much more important than a job.

[And he is, increasingly more so as time goes on, as she takes the time to consider all of the things she's learned about him, all of the parts of the person he is. Ethan was willing to give up nearly everything to save someone he cared for; the least she can do is give up acting like a reckless teenager for someone she cares for.

When he talks about that day, Madison can't help smiling. She knows enough to know that Jason is his late son, and she doesn't want to ask about that, doesn't want to make him think about it any more than necessary.]

He's a great kid. I haven't spent a lot of time with him, but it's easy to see that. And you're an amazing father. He's lucky to have you.

[And he really, really is. Madison's aware that there's no way Shaun would be alive without his father, and that fact is a heavy one that reminds her time and time again just what kind of man Ethan Mars is.]

I get it, I think. When I had nothing left but Shaun, it was so easy to take every insane risk to get him back. I never knew I had that in me.

[And if Madison has been living alone for all this time, he sees why she might throw her all into her career, to the point of extreme recklessness. Why not? It's a very competitive job, and she probably felt like she had nothing to lose. It's easy to be reckless when there's nothing else.]

He is. [Shaun has been incredibly brave throughout all of this. While he doubts he'll want to be anywhere near large amounts of water anytime soon, at least it isn't keeping him shut inside. In a way, Shaun is taking it better than Ethan himself is.

It's probably easy enough to say that he's an amazing father after seeing what he'd done to save his kid. But Ethan still has his doubts. If he had admitted the full extent of his blackouts earlier... made sure someone else was around when he took Shaun out... none of this would have happened in the first place. If he'd been paying better attention in the mall, Jason would still be with them too.]

...Thanks. But... I have a lot of work to do. Grace realizes that too. I don't want to mess up like this ever again.

T R U T H or D A R E

Madisooon

Ethaaan

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)