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[memety]

the power games meme



This meme is about gaining, using and abusing power over others. Now with more options! Warning: contains possible triggers.

How to play

- Post your character with their name and canon in the subject line. You can also give your preferences if you do/don't want to thread anything R-rated or above.
- When replying, go to RNG and roll numbers 1-2 to get a scenario type, then 1-16 to select a scenario.
- Play out that scenario! Please respect others' wishes if they don't want to play out a particular scene.

i. manipulation

01. Mind games. You're messing with this person's head, using whatever you know about them to your advantage. Words are barbs, and everyone has a weakness.
02. Stay close to me. You're not letting this person out of your sight. And you don't care what extreme measures you have to go to in order to do it.
03. Blackmail. You know something and you're not afraid to use it against them. Now they have to do what you want.
04. Love makes you do things. It's because you love them that you're making them do this. If they truly loved you, wouldn't they do as you say?
05. For your own good. It doesn't matter what the other person wants. You know what's best, and you're going to force it on them whether they like it or not.
06. Break you down. You're going to make the other person think they're worthless. Crush their self-esteem, break them until they're entirely helpless.
07. Betrayal. You made a promise, and you broke it. Or perhaps you betrayed this person's trust. It's all part of gaining the upper hand.
08. Lies, lies, lies. Fool the other person with words and you'll have them wrapped around your finger in no time.
09. Sob story. A little bit of emotional manipulation never hurt anyone, right? You're going to use this person's feelings for you against them. Make them feel sorry!
10. In your debt. Look, you saved them. The other person wouldn't be here without you. They should show some gratitude.
11. I need you. You're depending on the other person to do as you say. They're the only one who can help.
12. Turn up the charm. There's nothing like a bit of good old-fashioned flirting to get someone eating out of your hand.
13. Negotiating. There's a bargain to be struck, if only you can find the right words – and the right leverage.
14. For my sake. Why should they do as you say? Because you're the one asking.
15. The truth. It's the thing that hurts most of all.
16. Your choice. Combine any of the above scenarios or choose your own! It's up to you.

ii. mastery

01. Pretty little puppet. You can command this person at will. They're a plaything, to do with as you please.
02. You're mine. You own this person, and you're going to make sure they know it.
03. No escape. Maybe you've locked the other person up somewhere, maybe you've got them in chains. Either way, they're not going anywhere.
04. Put in your place. That's it. The other person made one too many caustic comments, got in your way one last time. Now you're going to show them who's boss.
05. Force of strength. Nothing like a good old fashioned brawl to really prove who's stronger.
06. Cornered. Finally, you've got them alone. This is the moment you've been waiting for – and perhaps the moment they've been dreading.
07. Turning the tables. They thought they'd won, but here's your chance! Maybe it's time to give them a taste of their own medicine, or maybe you have a new trick up your sleeve.
08. Punishment. The other person has done something wrong, or maybe just something you don't like. Now you're going to punish them.
09. Back and forth. I have a laser gun! Well, I have a lightsaber! Whatever it is, you're closely matched and trying to outdo each other.
10. Make them beg. You hold all the power and whatever it is they want or need, you're going to make them beg for it.
11. Call my bluff. You're making claims you can't back up. Can you bluff your way out of this, or will the other person catch on?
12. Time to pay. The other person owes you, and it's time for them to pay up.
13. Show of dominance. You're not actually going to hurt this person. You're just going to show them that you could.
14. The most precious thing. Whatever is most important to the other person, you're going to take it away. Because you can.
15. Consequences. You warned them. They failed, and now they're going to pay the price.
16. Your choice. Combine any of the above scenarios or choose your own! It's up to you.

Comments

[hellsbestlawyer]

Lindsey's sleeping arrangements for Eliot was simple: as long as he remained in the tent, he was free to sleep wherever he wanted. The bed was a large queen size big enough for the two of them, but Lindsey didn't force his brother to sleep there if the younger man didn't want to. There was also a couch and a large cushions that could be spread onto the rug. He let Eliot choose.

There were no chains to bind Eliot, but the one thing that Lindsey refused to remove was the collar. It was a sign of Eliot's status, and having Eliot wear it all the time was safer than constant removing and putting back on. He could not be seen in public without it, nor could he in private either, but Lindsey wasn't terribly concerned.

There was only one rule, never leave his tent.

[retrieverchef]

There was no way Eliot was sleeping in his brother's bed. It was just asking for trouble. Lindsey had never been particularly gracious about losing sleep. Eliot doubted that had changed. And he kicked when he had nightmares. So he curled up on the couch instead.

He twisted in his sleep, trying to get away from Chapman, to not take the gun the other man forced into his hands. "No..." he muttered. "Don't want to."

Of course, that was followed by an even rougher thrust, enough to rip a scream from his throat. He jerked upright, waking with an almost painful jolt. He scrubbed a hand across his face, trying to calm his raw nerves. Then he stood and walked to the door of the tent, pulling it open and sitting in the doorway. Everything felt better when he could see the sky. He hadn't been able to back there.

[hellsbestlawyer]

Lindsey was waken up by the scream anyway, a noise that filtered groggily into his sleeping brain until he heard it in his dreams. He slowly got pulled back to the wakeful world while rubbing an eye and sitting up.

When he could finally keep both eyes open without nodding off, he realized that his brother was missing. Stronger than a jolt of a triple Espresso, he leaped out of bed and started checking the various areas inside. When he exhausted that, he put on his shoes and nearly tripped over his brother when rushing out of the tent.

"Eliot? Damnit, Eliot! What did I say about staying inside?"

[retrieverchef]

Eliot blinked tiredly up at his brother. "I did," he said quietly. He leaned sleepily against the tent pole, his eyes nearly drifting shut.

[hellsbestlawyer]

Lindsey wanted to yell at Eliot again, but seeing how tired his twin looked, he shut up and sat down on the step beside him. It took a few minutes, but he finally was able to speak calmly. "That was you screaming. You were having a nightmare."

[retrieverchef]

Eliot shrugged sleepily. "It happens. Sometimes things happen to make them worse. They're not usually this bad."

He didn't say that this was just the first one that had woken Lindsey. He didn't usually scream in his sleep.

[hellsbestlawyer]

Lindsey was not stupid, he wouldn't be in his current position if he was, so it was easy to figure out that this wasn't Eliot's first nightmare. Given what happened to his brother after he came, he would be surprised if Eliot didn't have any.

What he didn't know was it wasn't about the circus.

"But they're still bad. What are they about?"

[retrieverchef]

Eliot shrugged, only half-opening his eyes. "A mix of stuff," he muttered, his voice slurring as he began to drift off again. "Th'army."

[hellsbestlawyer]

In the middle of the night, both tired and alone with just the two of them, Lindsey relaxed a bit. Still, it felt like he was sitting next to a stranger.

"I don't know anything that happened to you after we went our separate ways." He almost sounded regretful.

[retrieverchef]

"Joined the army 'bout a month after ya left," he murmured. "Couple years later, they traded me to the navy. Put me in Special Forces. Lasted 'bout a year. Mission went wrong. Couldn't get home for 'bout five years. Got kicked out. Aimee and I got engaged. Job went 'bout as wrong as it could. Got home and she was married. Said she thought I'd left her. Was on m'way to California when I ended up here.@

[hellsbestlawyer]

Lindsey gave Eliot a sideways glance. If Eliot didn't look so tired already, he would've commented on how he summed up everything without actually telling him much.

But somewhere, he sensed this was his brother distancing himself from the pain of all that happened so he let it go. For now.

"What about those guys you mentioned?"

[retrieverchef]

"Told you my last mission went wrong," he muttered, scowling slightly. He would've glared at Lindsey if he hadn't been so tired. "One was the mission. The other was why it went wrong."

[hellsbestlawyer]

He used to be a lawyer, he asked all sorts of direct and uncomfortable questions. "They are part of the why?"

[retrieverchef]

"Part of the huh?" he muttered, his voice barely intelligible by this point. He was really more asleep than awake, talking without thinking, not aware enough to filter his words.

[hellsbestlawyer]

Lindsey knew, and he may be taking advantage of it. "Part of the reason why the mission failed," he concluded without requiring Eliot's confirmation. He decided to ask a more direct question. "What did they do?"

[retrieverchef]

"They killed m'unit," Eliot slurred, leaning against Lindsey. His brother was a much more stable pillow than the tent pole. "They.."

He trailed off, his voice gaining a choked tone. He curled into Lindsey, subconsciously trying to hide from the memory so he could sleep. "They broke me," he whispered.

[hellsbestlawyer]

With Eliot burying his face into Lindsey's shoulder like that, he wouldn't be able to see how his twin's expression hardened. A murderous light lit up Lindsey's eyes with a cool blue that he normally reserved only for a certain souled vampire.

"You're with me now," he said softly, one hand running through Eliot's hair like how his brother used to comfort him as a kid. "I am not going to let anyone hurt you again."

Those men will pay. They will wish they never crossed the path of the Spencers.

uh-oh... the "I'm gonna kill Angel" look... uh-oh...

[retrieverchef]

Eliot nodded sleepily against his brother's shoulder, completely oblivious to Lindsey's plans. He went completely limp against the older man as he fell back asleep.

Yuuuup.

[hellsbestlawyer]

Lindsey held Eliot for a while longer since he was in the dilemma of not having enough strength to move his sleeping brother. Still, he wasn't sleepy anymore, and new plans started to churn through his mind regarding two names he will need to do more research on.

Morning would find Eliot still in the same position, with Lindsey slumped against him dozing lightly.

[retrieverchef]

Eliot woke to the sun shining in his face. Those last few hours were the best sleep he'd had since he'd been caught again. He noticed Lindsey nearly drooling on his shoulder and poked him. "Linds? Wake up."

[hellsbestlawyer]

Lindsey awoke to the soft prodding from his brother. It would seem that his whole side had fallen asleep where he supported Eliot last night. Groaning groggily, he opened his eyes and muttered, "What is it?"

[retrieverchef]

"It's mornin'," Eliot muttered quietly. "Didn't think you'd want everyone t'see you sleepin' in your doorway."

[hellsbestlawyer]

"Ah fuck," heartfelt tired reaction as Lindsey yawned and struggled to get up while looking all bleary eyed. He grimaced when he tried to shake sensation back into his limbs. "Think I got time for a short nap?"

[retrieverchef]

Eliot shrugged. "You're the manager," he said simply. "I guess you could go late. Or I can make you some coffee. It's early yet but..."

[hellsbestlawyer]

Lindsey meanwhile was trying to rub some feeling back into his limbs. He groaned as the pin and needles started. "Yeah, I can if I don't make it a habit.... Come on, you might as well get some rest too. The bed's big enough for both."