Don't just stand there! Get out there and (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
memelikeyoumeanit) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
bakerstreet2013-12-16 07:12 pm
memelikeyoumeanit) wrote in bakerstreet2013-12-16 07:12 pm
THE BODY HORROR/HORROR MOVIE MEME.
Monsters, Mayhem, the deep darkness of the human soul. This is the meme for those tropes and ideals, the ones that change you and re-arrange you. Chose your side and follow the rules to horror movies in the following scenarios. Will you survive?
It goes without saying that this meme contains mature themes and is not appropriate for all audiences
1. Roll to decide, good guy or a bad guy.
2. Roll for your scenario.
3. Play it out, but stick to your sides.
4. So much profit it'll make your head spin.
1. You may be a victim, a cop, or the unwitting protagonist, but you are fundamentally good. There's no going back from that, something within you screams Do the right thing.
2. Whatever your reasons, whatever you do - you are a bad mamma jamma. You are making the choice to walk down the dark path regardless of it dominating your destiny. There is no going back. Do the wrong thing and enjoy it because it's fun as hell.
1. ANIMAL I HAVE BECOME.: the obligatory vampire/werewolf/zombie/sea monster meme. You've been cursed, you've been bitten, you're out to terrorize your town, make allies, and generally just give into the beastly side of your nature. You can become whatever you want. Just be warned there are people out there who want to hurt you.
2. THE DARKEST CURSE: So maybe you're not cursed to turn into something, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of ways that an enterprising witch or wizard could mess with you. Maybe you're growing tentacles, maybe you're gaining weight or losing weight maybe you're growing a third eye, whatever it is you're at the mercy of someone becoming something else entirely.
3. POSSESSION: demons, monsters, dead spirits, souls, or just bad places. You are no longer yourself. someone or something has crawled in there or been placed in there with you. Did you want this? Do you rejoice in it? Are your friends going to help you out?
4. 1970S SCIENCE FICTION Becoming mechanized, becoming a robot, being mutated by scientific or technology. It's something that we're afraid of. You are becoming One of Us. Will you fight or flee?
5. I'M JUST A MONSTER You're not becoming anything. Not physically at least. You are however mentally re-arranging yourself. Switch your alignment from good to bad or bad to good for this scenario and go at it. (It's the SAW/Torture option.)
6. WILDCARD do whatever you'd like, but: Keep to the roles you rolled and and B - during the thread one person must undergo a transformation of some sort.
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[ Carlos says that Night Vale is his home and the irritation that had been growing with every word out of Carlos's mouth grows exponentially. He can't remember a time when he's felt this angry! How dare he talk about how he really should be leaving and how Night Vale is the most scientifically interesting and how Night Vale is home. How dare he! Can't he see how much Desert Bluffs wants him to stay. Visitors aren't often allowed to live this long. Carlos is truly special to have made it all the way to Little Gerry's without a scratch on him! It's not right! It's just not right!
But it's okay, Kevin has to tell himself. It's okay. The food is here and Carlos is going to eat it and then he'll want to stay forever! He may even be more open to the idea of staying with Kevin specifically.
If Kevin were a normal man from Normalville, Pensylvannia, he probably could not tell Carlos what the real spices in the lasagna are. He could tell Carlos the ingredient that alters the consumer's way of thinking about Desert Bluffs, but as for whether or not Gerry uses oregano or garlic (Kevin assumes he at least uses garlic - it is Italian food, after all) Kevin knows about as much as he does about the gluten. ]
I have no idea. [ Kevin shrugs, smile turning a little sheepish, and takes a bite of his own food. ] I'm sorry. Gerry likes to keep his recipes a secret, especially from me. He worries that I'll end up spilling all of his secrets on air without even meaning to because I get so excited! I suppose those worries aren't completely unfounded. I have been known to speak a little too much about things better kept off air every now and then.
[ A little spark of pride lights itself in Kevin's chest when he doesn't make a fool of himself the way he did with the gluten. Okay, so he couldn't actually answer Carlos's question and the response he did give was actually sort of a lie (Gerry has no secret recipes, but it wouldn't be good if Carlos found out about the mind altering chemical), but not making a fool of himself is still extremely satisfying. And the more Carlos eat, the more Kevin's confidence grows. He reaches across the table to rest his hand on Carlos's, a friendly gesture, really, and smiles warmly (terrifyingly) at Carlos again. ]
Are you certain you have to leave?
[ He doesn't explain his reasoning for asking again, doesn't try to push Carlos to say yes with claims that the science must make him so tired and it would be such a shame for Carlos to leave so soon. Kevin shouldn't need to push, not now. Even if Carlos isn't thinking about living here for good yet, he's had enough that he should be thinking about staying just one night. ]
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"Sounds like someone else I know," and if that fondness isn't wholly for Kevin, it's not actually wholly for someone else, either. "Hey. Uh. Sorry if I came off harsh a minute ago. You've been really nice to me, just, where I come from you don't really just offer people your clothes when you barely even know them. It caught me offguard and I didn't... I'm not..." he flounders a bit, makes an ineffectual gesture with his hands, feeling horribly awkward. And then Kevin's hand comes down over his and he calms, almost instantly, with the question.
"Well," he finds himself returning the smile (which is really not terrifying at all), "if you didn't mind showing me more around town after this, I suppose I could get a few more readings, and head back in the morning."
True, it's not as fast as the chemicals have worked on people in the past, but he apparently has something pretty strong holding him somewhere else. And he's gone from about to bolt to being more than happy to wander around for the rest of the day, and with Kevin, specifically.
And he's really only about five little bites into his dinner, to boot.
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And maybe the chemicals are actually working even faster than he'd previously thought, given Carlos's sudden change of heart. Most people are farther along in the process of wanting to stay here for good by this point, but most people weren't just talking about leaving five seconds before they started eating. Either way, Carlos's willingness to stay even for a night (for now) is a good sigh. A very good sign. Who knows how he'll feel by the end of the meal? ]
Of course I'd be more than happy to show you around some more, silly! I already told you it's my pleasure to introduce you to all of the quirks and charms Desert Bluffs has to offer. We've barely seen anything yet! [ Kevin strokes his thumb slowly back and forth against the skin of Carlos's hand - still just a friendly gesture, of course. The feeling of victory that wells up in his chest is maybe a little premature, Carlos is still talking about leaving eventually, but it's there and it's presence only makes Kevin's bigger, happier (sharper, more menacing) than it has been all night. ] The station is nearby, we can go there next when you finish! The station is like a second home to me. I think you'll really like it!
[ And what better place to take Carlos than the place where the city -and Kevin's - influence is the greatest? The food does wonders, to be sure, but nothing works quite like the job site of the Voice of Desert Bluffs. ]
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Seven bites into lunch and there's nothing that rings alarm bells in Kevin's smile at all, anymore, even as it's slowly growing sharklike to the point that it's barely even human anymore.
"There won't be a problem with that? Going to the station, I mean?" he'd actually be interested in doing that even without the chemicals, "If you don't mind me running some tests, I think it would make for some excellent data. But I wouldn't want to upset anything there, if there are other broadcasts going or anything. Are there any other places in town you'd consider interesting?"
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[ Kevin's voice goes dark when he talks about his booth, not quite threatening, or maybe just on the cusp of it. His smile changes ever so slightly, his black eyes shine in a way that is decidedly off - insane. It's at odds with the slow, gentle movement of his thumb on Carlos's skin. But that's okay, right? Surely Carlos can understand why the idea of someone being in there without his permission would set him off like this. How would he feel if someone entered his lab without permission? Kevin's booth is his work place, his home. His booth is a more intimate place for him than his own bedroom.
And then, in an instant, the insanity is gone and Kevin is back to his usual cheerful self. It's a sudden enough change that anyone not used to it or not expecting it could very well be hit with a case of mood whiplash, but maybe it doesn't bother Carlos. Mind altering drugs can make people okay with the strangest things. ]
No matter, I'm sure no one will be in there! Everyone knows better than that.
[ Kevin leans back in his seat as he considers Carlos's next question. He takes his hand back without really meaning to do it, bringing it up to scratch at the back of his head as he thinks about all the other places he could bring Carlos. ]
The dog park is just lovely this time of year! I would certainly consider stopping by for a visit before you leave! [ If you leave, Kevin adds in his head. If you leave. ] I would dearly love for you to meet Grandma Josephine, as well, but I'm not sure if we'll have the opportunity to see her today.
[ He fails to sound as disappointed about that as his words suggest he should. Carlos will stay. Carlos has to stay. Kevin will not let Carlos leave. Carlos will meet Grandma Josephine and he will love Kevin. He has to.
Kevin's grin continues to grow. ]
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And then,
"Dog... Park? You have a functioning Dog Park?" he knows, knows that's a weird question to ask because of course they have a functioning Dog Park. Most cities do. Most cities don't have strange hooded figures and places no one is allowed to be. Night Vale was...
Night Vale was weird, wasn't it? Crazy, kind of. Any sane, safe place on this earth would have a Dog Park.
"I'd love to see the dog park," it's easier to let the capital letters in his voice go than he thought it would be, and more of a relief than he was expecting. Maybe Night Vale was getting to him a bit. Maybe a little vacation wouldn't hurt, actually. He was losing touch with reality. It might be skewing his data points. He takes another bite of his dinner, "Maybe another time," he says with a gentle smile, of meeting Grandma Josephine "If all of your food here is as good as this, I definitely want to try the cupcakes. But I'm the most interested in your studio."
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The more Carlos says about Night Vale, the more Kevin comes to believe that it truly is an awful place to live. No wheat? No dog park? What do they have? He raises his eyebrows slightly, smile slipping in favor of a more inquisitive expression. ]
Does Night Vale not have a functioning dog park? That sounds absolutely dreadful! What do you do with your pets? Certainly you can't keep them cooped up inside all day! That just isn't fair to the animals!
[ Of course, Kevin does not mention the bones and entrails that litter the ground and trees of the dog park and why would he? A dog park without those things would be just as strange as a non-functioning one! That is how animals get their daily intake of fresh meat, after all. What would they possibly do without that available to them? And that's to say nothing of their decorative value. There's not a place in existence that looks complete without a touch of blood and viscera. Kevin pointedly does not mention this about his studio, either.For all of its obvious decorative value to a Desert Bluffs native, an Outsider who's only beginning to give in to the chemicals and influence of the town may not be ready to hear about that. Best to wait until Carlos has finished his dinner, until they've gotten farther into the city and Desert Bluff's influence has really begun to set in to mention that.
As always, Kevin's smile returns right away. ]
Her cupcakes are even better than the food here! As good as Little Gerry's is, nothing beats Grandma Josephine's baking. I'm sure you'll love them! I'm sure you'll love her, too. I've never met anyone who didn't think of her as their own grandmother.
[ Kevin rests his cheek in his hand, looking at Carlos with all the fondness that certainly is not appropriate for the amount of time they've known each other. "Another time" is not the answer Kevin wanted, but it will do, even with that "maybe" attached to it. It implies that they'll be together again whenever they part for the day.
He watches Carlos chew, admires the line of his jaw, how strong it is, and how utterly fitting it is for someone as perfect as Carlos. Even Carlos's chewing is perfect! He is an absolute gift from whatever smiling god it is that watches over them. ]
I'm glad you like your food so much. Would you like to try some of mine? I had a big lunch and I would hate for this go to to waste!
[ He pushes his plate towards Carlos, hardly worried about a lack of drugs in his own food. They are there, Kevin is well aware of that; they just don't effect him. They are made from his own body and blood, after all - from the body and blood of all Desert Bluffs natives. It's a neat little trick StrexCorp came up with to take "you are what you eat" to an all new level. Ingest little bits of the people born to this town and you'll become just like one of them. ]
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"I've never much cared for gnocchi, but... I suppose a little bite wouldn't hurt. The lasagna's so good, after all," he does try a little bite, cautious of the food, but not of doing something so intimate as eating off of someone else's plate, when he barely knows them. "Oh, it's good!" he sounds surprised, because he is, but he goes back to his lasagna fairly quickly. He hasn't been shoveling food into his mouth or anything, but he's already closing in on done, every spare moment after the first bite devoted to having a little bit more of it.
He tries to think of something else to say, and fails miserably, becoming more aware of how adoring Kevin looks, as he becomes less aware of how terrifying. He can feel his cheeks start to heat a bit, and his tongue suddenly feels like it's stuck to the roof of his mouth. It's one of those times when he can tell he's going to start to say things that are stupid if he opens his mouth, and yet he knows that at any moment, he's going to feel compelled to.
For now, though, he manages to stay silent, putting another bite of lasagna in there to keep himself from speaking.
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Kevin can't help but to chuckle a little bit at how surprised Carlos sounds when he likes the gnocchi. He really wasn't expecting to like it based on past experience, wasn't he? That's so sweet, thinking any of his Desert Bluffs experiences will be the same as his experiences elsewhere. That will never happen. Not as long as Desert Bluffs remains as it is and Kevin thinks that will be for a good long time. He hopes Desert Bluffs will stay the same for a good long time. Change is a good thing, he knows that! Progress is the most efficient thing for the world and efficiency is one of Kevin's favorite things, but he loves Desert Bluffs as it is. He can't think of anything that could possibly make it better.
The surprise gets a chuckle, but the silence brings a touch of disappointment. A touch of disappointment and plenty of worry. He worries that the silence is a sign he isn't as comfortable around Kevin as he should be considering how much he's already eaten. He worries that somehow the effects are wearing off, something that's never happened before. He worries that he'll have to punish Gerry for not making the food strong enough today. Kevin and Desert Bluffs are extremely influential all on their own, but there's only so much they can do without a little help. His worry and disappointment don't show in his smile, though. If his worries are unfounded, he doesn't want to slip up and let it show in front of Carlos. He'll just have to say something himself. It won't be too hard. He does talk for a living, after all. ]
Would you say you're more of a morning person or a night person? Personally, I'm a morning person! There's just something invigorating about those first few hours of the day that I just can't help but love. The birds are chirping, squirrels are playing, and even the ants are going about their business with a determination they lack as the day goes on! Everything just feels so new and refreshed, I don't know how anyone can think about sleeping through such a beautiful time of day! I could never do it.
[ This topic has nothing to do with anything. It's a way of getting to know Carlos, to gauge how he's feeling. No matter what the food should be leaving Carlos comfortable enough to answer a question like that. If he can't muster the words to answer that question than something has definitely gone wrong. ]
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He's suddenly aware that he might be on a date with a man he has only just met, who is looking at him, for a moment there, like the table between them might not be a good enough barrier. An attractive man he has only just met. He looks like Cecil.... Ten minutes ago, that might have been what was keeping him oblivious, but now...
The chemicals in the food, the influence of the town... re-writing someone was difficult, and more likely to be noticed. It took more energy, it destroyed the sort of diversity that a town needed to stay healthy, even if a little enforced homogeny also helped maintain things. But tweaking, twisting logic inside someone's head until their worldview snapped into place, that was far, far easier, and less likely to be noticed and fought against. Because the town could be fought against. But Carlos, like most people new to Desert Bluffs, doesn't even think to try.
So these sudden thoughts of Cecil aren't of him pining for returning to Night Vale. They're him doing things like wondering if Kevin will make the same sort of half-shocked, half-pleased noise if he kisses him, and then not being able to meet his eyes because that's not the kind of thought you have about someone you've just met and it's not like being around Cecil has ever made him anything other than aware of every last inch of a body that suddenly seems too awkward and big, a brain fast enough with equations but eternally stuck in second gear when it comes to matters of the heart, rather than mind.
"I like mornings," his what he says, and then mentally kicks himself because what is he, three? "I, uh, I don't really think I'm either, though. I mean, I am a scientist, I stay up pretty late. Doing science," oh god, what has happened to his mouth, it's like a runaway train, and now, he's just making it worse, but he can't stop, "I've probably seen more sunrises from the night side than the day, but there's nothing wrong with mornings. I don't mind them. They're good. And there's, you know, more light. In the daytime. Scientifically."
What is wrong with him. He finally has to just stuff another bite of lasagna in his mouth to avoid continuing to babble and make it worse. He sort of wants to bury his head in his hands, but manages to refrain from doing so. Perhaps he can sink down into the earth, instead.
a million years later...
Oh, Carlos speaks and Kevin thinks he understands his silence now. He thinks understands it very well. True, Carlos isn't the worst speaker ever. He has something to say and not every word comes out in a nervous stutter. But he's still noticeably awkward in a way Kevin finds utterly endearing. Carlos is nervous around him and that is just so adorable. He reaches across the table to rest his hand on top of the one not currently shoveling food into Carlos's mouth in what he hopes is a comforting gesture. He doesn't want Carlos to feel like he has to keep silent because he thinks he sounds stupid to Kevin. If anything, he just sounds even more impressive being that dedicated to his work. There's nothing more attractive to Kevin than dedication to one's work and hearing about Carlos's just makes him fall even more in love.
But Carlos doesn't have to worry about this being a date. Kevin knows better than to be so presumptuous as to assume that Carlos would even want to go on a date with him. They just met, after all! As much as Kevin would love to be on a date with Carlos, he won't assume this is anything more than a night out with a new friend. Although, if he knew what thoughts were running through Carlos's head, if he knew that Carlos was comparing him to his boyfriend in the best possible way, he might rethink not considering this a date. If he knew that Carlos was wondering what sort of noise he would make if Carlos kissed him he might starting thinking this really could be a date. He certainly would be writing those victory songs, at the very least.
Kevin does grin. He grins in that positively inhuman way of his. He grins with a grin that could be mistaken for threatening to someone entirely unused to Kevin, who doesn't realize that it's actually immense fondness, clearly, in his smile. There's nothing inhuman about Kevin, why would his smile be inhuman in any way? No, it's just his own special brand of fondness. Fondness and a little bit of concern. Kevin does love to see others have as much dedication to their jobs as he has to his, but he'd hate to see Carlos's health suffer because of it. He runs his fingers gently over Carlos's knuckles, resting his cheek in his other hand. ]
I hope you don't stay up so late too often. That just isn't healthy. The sunrise is beautiful, but it would be such a shame if your work were to suffer because you were staying up so late. [ Kevin takes his hand back, fingers dragging softly across Carlos's as it moves. ] Efficiency decreases as exhaustion increases, you know. A brilliant scientist like you probably can't afford to let his work suffer because you didn't get enough sleep.
[ There's nothing but absolutely genuine concern in his voice. Maybe he's too genuine about it, too concerned. But that's okay, right? There couldn't possibly be any sort of ulterior motive to Kevin's concern. He loves Carlos. He would never want anything bad to happen to him, would never be anything less than sincere in the things he says. And anyway, what are the chances Carlos would notice if there were something underneath that genuine concern of Kevin's after eating as much as he already has? ]
I will wait. Your Kevin is perfect. :)
What does he do? What does he say? He should be finding a way to let him down gently, right? He does have Cecil to go back home to, even if he's already thinking about that less, already wondering if he really has to go back tonight. Kevin is clearly some kind of monster, his inhumanity so close to the surface that even Carlos can sense it, but he's finding that it's harder to hold onto any actual judgement in that word. Partially, that's the lasagna, but partially, it's another thing that Kevin actually has Night Vale itself to thank for. Carlos has seen so much strangeness, so much monstrosity, turn out to be perfectly harmless, even helpful, that it's hard for him to be afraid of things anymore just because they're clearly not human. And Kevin has been so nice, really.
"I try to get sleep," he protests, though it's good-natured, "but everything here is so fasc--" his breath catches, audibly, words cutting off abruptly when Kevin's fingers drag against his, and he feels it like a bolt straight up his arm to his spine. Someone else might have drawn their hand sharply back or the like, but he's too shocked to react, just keeps going, "--cinating. It's hard to stop and put myself to bed at a reasonable hour. I try not to get too exhausted, though. Exhausted people make mistakes, and you can't make mistakes in Science. Particularly not if people's lives are on the line." He goes to take another bite of lasagna to fill the silence, as though a bit of food can make that earlier moment just go away, like magic. There is no more lasagna, so he takes a sip of his water, instead, fidgets.
Whatever was in Kevin's voice, he hasn't picked up on it. He's too busy desperately playing a game of mind over matter where he's convincing himself that that didn't feel good and that he's not attracted at all to a man who looks just like Cecil but is, quite importantly, not. The food he's eaten keeps him from feeling very guilty about it (of course Kevin is attractive, Cecil is attractive, why wouldn't someone who looked like him be? And there was just enough difference there to be interesting, new, exciting...), but it's still strange and he doesn't know what it is he does feel about it.
I hope this tag turns out to be worth the nearly four month wait hahaha... I'm so sorry.
Of course, of course. It would be such a shame to lose a life over a silly little mistake. [ Then again, if you were looking to redecorate loss of life might not be such a bad thing. ] You know, if you were to work for StrexCorp you wouldn't have to worry about putting yourself to bed. StrexCorp ensures that all of its employees go to bed when they're supposed to and wake up when they're supposed to. As you said, exhausted people make mistakes and mistakes are not productive. StrexCorp does everything they can to make sure all of its employees are in tip top shape so that we're all as productive as possible. [ He says this casually, like he's not trying to convince Carlos of anything, merely stating a fact about Kevin's own place of business.
He is, of course, stating this for the sole purpose of perhaps wooing Carlos into becoming a StrexCorp employee. It hadn't been Kevin's original intention to mention the possibility of Carlos coming to work for StrexCorp -- certainly not this soon, at least -- but now seems as good a time as any if they're talking about work. Kevin loves working for StrexCorp. He can't imagine working for anyone else. It's only natural that he talk about all the benefits of working for them.
When Carlos doesn't pull his hand away Kevin takes the opportunity to wrap his fingers around Carlos's. His touch remains gentle, feather light, but definitely there. It's something of a test to see how far he can go before the city and the food's influence no longer reaches Carlos. ]
Oh, you've already finished your lasagna! [ He says it like he hasn't been watching Carlos take every bite, like he hasn't been aware of when Carlos ate the last bite from the moment he sunk his fork into it. ] Would you like anything for dessert? I just love the tiramisu! I don't think I've ever left Little Gerry's without getting it. I would even go so far as to say it's to die for.
[ Kevin puts emphasis on the word "die", but his voice is too cheery, too bright. It lacks the foreboding darkness that emphasis like that should have, that would be present if this were fiction and that phrase were foreshadowing for something and that's appropriate. Kevin has no intention of letting Carlos die. Not right now, at least. He wants to keep Carlos here, to make him a valuable member of the StrexCorp and Desert Bluffs community, to make Carlos his. Letting Carlos die just wouldn't do. ]
No problem! Shit happens. :)
But Carlos isn't perfect, no matter what Cecil says, and being faced with someone who was (and he would have once argued that Cecil was perfect) he wasn't sure what to do with himself. There are butterflies. He's nervous. He's sitting across the table from an incredibly attractive man, who is quite clearly interested in him and who has, dear Lord, just curled his fingers around his. He's flushed and, without the distraction of food, he runs a hand, nervously, backwards through his hair, turning it wilder than usual.
"That sounds. Um. Interesting. I'll, uh, I'll think about it," he will not, but his hesitance comes not from thinking there's anything weird about how he talks about StrexCorp, but from being distracted by the fingers lacing with his own. He's deliberately not looking at their linked hands, but it's literally the only part of his body he's currently physically aware of. He swallows once, trying to regain some kind of equilibrium.
No. No he does not want dessert. This is awkward and strange and he's not sure why he's letting any of it happen, even as all of the things that are actually awkward and strange about it are being shuffled, quietly, away from any part of his brain where he could become aware of them. He should want to get out of here because there is something creepy about Kevin and this town and the overbearing way this whole day has gone. He should want to get out of here because this is not Night Vale, and Kevin is a monster, and Kevin is slowly taking more and more liberties with him. That's why he should want to leave.
It shouldn't have anything to do with Kevin being attractive and all of his deep-seated beliefs about himself not being attractive and his social anxiety around new people. That should be the last reason in his head for wanting to flee out of the restaurant.
"Do... do we have time?" is what he actually says, and he would check his watch (never accurate in Night Vale, not since he had given the other one to Cecil, but he'd never shaken the habit) but Kevin has claimed that hand, "I need to head back soon and I still wanted to see the station," he wonders if it is the locus of this town the way NCVR is. It never occurs to him that if he's right, he probably shouldn't walk into it, but then, back when he first arrived in Night Vale, he'd walked right into their station and nothing had hurt him.
He says he needs to head back soon, but it's a noticeably vague "soon", rather than "by nightfall" or "by six o'clock" or "now".
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It helps that they are all the perfect versions of themselves. One does not become a high ranking StrexCorp employee if they are anything less than perfect. ]
I'm so glad to hear it! Just think, if you were to come work for StrexCorp, we would be coworkers! Only distantly, but coworkers all the same. [ Kevin giggles, the idea making him giddy with excitement though he knows there's still a long way to go before there's any real possibility of it happening.
He leans over, not moving his hand from Carlos's, and fixes his hair where Carlos messed it up when he ran his hand through it. ]
Of course there's time! There's always time for dessert. And don't you worry about visiting the station. I have access to it 24/7. There will be plenty of time for that, too. [ Kevin's smile widens showing off even more of his too many teeth. ] You'll be able to leave whenever you want to. I know you must be very eager to get back to your work in Night Vale. I would never want to keep someone as brilliant as you from his very important work. Getting in the way of productivity would be simply awful!
[ Of course, if Carlos decides he never wants to leave, well, Kevin won't have any issue finding other ways for Carlos to be productive. The station could always use new scientific consultants. It's just so very hard to find competent, long term consultants that don't eventually end up helping with the decorating rather than performing their actual duties. It's always so sad when that happens. Kevin would much rather keep all of his contacts in one piece, but, well, somethings are just unavoidable.
But Carlos is special, different. He's certain Carlos would never be demoted from scientist to interior... decorator. Yes, that's a good way to describe it. Interior decorator.
Kevin uses the hand not still holding Carlos's to wave the waitress over. Carlos hasn't exactly said yes to dessert, but there's nothing wrong with ordering it anyway and saving it for later. Kevin is certain there will be a later. ]
Two orders of the tiramisu and coffee, please. [ The waitress leaves and Kevin turns back to Carlos again, smile smaller now. More human looking for some value of human. ] I hope you don't mind, it's just. Well, if you do leave Desert Bluffs tonight, I'm not sure when you'll be coming back and at the risk of it being a very long time before we saw each other again I just can't let you leave without getting a taste.
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He wants to protest the touch. He wants to protest dessert. He is very aware that his own desires for dessert are being ignored and his objections are being misunderstood or discarded. He is very aware that Kevin's fingers are still laced around his. Something is not right, something is... something is...
Something about the way Kevin says he didn't want him to leave without getting a taste makes him shudder. It is not unpleasant. He has to get out of here, he doesn't want to... he doesn't even know what he doesn't want to do, he...
"Sorry. Sorry, I'll be right. I'll be. Back. Before dessert just... um..." Carlos, brave, perfect Carlos, flees to the bathroom.
The porcelain tiles do not bring the clarity that he was hoping for, but the water he splashes on his face does cool the heat of his cheeks somewhat. He leans on the counter, closes his eyes, tries to compose himself. Cecil always had this way of making him flustered and Kevin seems to have the same. What is he doing? He needs to... get back? Does he? He doesn't have plans tonight. He could theoretically stay, if he wanted to, explore some more mysteries of this place, get some more readings. He definitely does want to see the station, and driving back at night seems silly and Kevin is... Kevin is...
He splashes some more water on his face, scrubs at it with a paper towel and tries to ignore all of the things his brain is so helpfully providing him that Kevin is. Not Cecil, should be the most important one, but it is alarmingly absent-- he keeps having to remind his brain of that one, that his attraction is completely inappropriate, no matter how attracted Kevin is to him, or how proprietarily he touches him.
He feels better, by the time he's headed back to the table, embarrassed about his earlier behavior, smiling sheepishly as he approaches,
"Sorry. I just. Sometimes I don't do people very well," he apologizes, "I feel better now." He does, but there's a little furrow that appears in his brow as he approaches the table all the same. He knows he was sitting across from Kevin when he got up, but it feels wrong, somehow, like maybe he's not remembering correctly, and he had been sitting next to him all along. Or should have been. Was it weird, that he was sitting across from him? Puzzled, he just hovers for a moment, indecisive.
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Kevin very nearly reaches out to keep Carlos right where he is, to keep him from running away. That is not the right reaction. That is not the way Carlos should have reacted. Why did Carlos react that way? Kevin has never seen anyone react so strongly, so negatively after finishing an entire meal in Desert Bluffs. Carlos should not have had such an adverse reaction to his touch. That should not have happened.
The hand that had been holding Carlos's curls into a fist. He can still feel the warmth of Carlos's hand on his skin. It does nothing to make him feel better. His smile turns into a frown, his nails dig into his skin hard enough that it's a miracle they aren't drawing blood, and Kevin glares fiercely at the few people stupid enough to stare at him and Carlos's currently empty seat. ]
There is nothing productive about staring like that. Finish your meal and then get back to work.
[ Kevin could kill Gerry. Kevin should kill him. It is his job to ensure everyone who eats here stays in Desert Bluffs and if Carlos still has it in him to react so negatively to Kevin's touch, he is clearly not doing his job. What good is he if he can't do his job correctly? This kind of mistake will hurt his value quite badly. If Kevin doesn't take it upon himself to kill Gerry, Gerry will be lucky if StrexCorp doesn't get someone else to do it in his stead.
The waitress comes back with their dessert and a box. Kevin glares at her, too, and if he hadn't seen Carlos coming out of the bathroom at that exact moment, he very likely would have taken his anger out on her. This place could use some redecorating. But he does see Carlos and so the waitress is allowed to scurry off towards another table while Kevin wipes all traces of anger from his face. He's smiling again by the time Carlos is walking to the table. It's a smaller smile, perhaps a touch of worry in his expression. ]
Oh. [ Perhaps Gerry still has all of his value, after all. ] I was worried you'd gotten sick. I am so glad you're okay now. I suppose I was getting a little carried away. You just let me know if I'm doing anything to make you uncomfortable and I will stop it immediately.
[ Just a minor annoyance then. Kevin can deal with touching Carlos a little less if it means keeping him around a little longer. It will be a shame, but Carlos is still in such a delicate state right now. One wrong move could undo all of the progress they'd made with the lasagna. At least Carlos isn't insisting on going back to Night Vale this very second. Carlos's hesitance to sit back down does not go unnoticed, though. ]
Carlos? Are you certain you're feeling okay? You can sit back down if you'd like.
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He's not reaching a decision any easier on the seats, still waffling between the two. It seems like he should be over on Kevin's side of the booth. It feels more right, but now he's worried maybe Kevin wouldn't want him there. He takes his old seat after another awkward pause where he just stands there, and it just feels... wrong to be over here, on this side. But now he's seated and it would be weird to get back up.
He doesn't even realize he's put his hand back in easy reacquisition range, as he looks at the dessert,
"Wow, that looks... really good," he's not usually a huge fan of desserts, in general, but this one looks delicious. There's a box, though, so he looks for confirmation from Kevin on whether they're eating it here, or not. Kevin doesn't necessarily have any way to know this, but Gerry has done his job perfectly well-- time seems less imperative already, and he's stopped insisting that they don't have time to eat it, is just looking to Kevin for confirmation on if they will.
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If Kevin were a mind reader he might have told Carlos that he would be ecstatic to have Carlos sit next to him. Of all the things Kevin is, however, a mind reader is not one of them. He does watch Carlos with a bit of confusion when he continues to stand in place rather than sit down, but doesn't ask. He isn't expecting Carlos to sit next to him all of a sudden. The food and the town influence people to stay in Desert Bluffs, to love the town. They do not influence seating arrangements. So as much as Kevin would like to be sitting next to Carlos, he makes no mention of it.
What he does do is take Carlos's hand back in his as soon as it's within his reach. ]
It is good! In fact, I wouldn't hesitate to say it's one of the best desserts in the world! [ Not that he's done too much travelling in his life, but a little exaggeration never hurt anyone. Kevin smiles a little more, all worry gone from his expression now that he knows Carlos isn't planning on going anywhere any time soon. He takes his own fork and sinks it in, but doesn't take a bite just yet. ] Our waitress must have thought you wouldn't want it after you ran off to the bathroom like that. I didn't even ask for it.
[ He takes a bite now and watches Carlos with a fond smile to see how he'll react when he takes his first bite. ]
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But Kevin was all of those things. Kevin touched him like it was okay for him to touch him, like he touched him all the time. Kevin was familiar with him and interested in him and they were definitely, definitely on a date at this point. He doesn't take Kevin's hand, but when Kevin takes his, his fingers lace with his, automatically, and his brain tells him that that, like the rest of Desert Bluffs, is lovely and perfect and exactly what he's always wanted. He strokes his own thumb back against Kevin's, just the tiniest bit, almost experimental, flushing slightly.
Something is different about him since the bathroom. He is too used to using all kinds of mental tricks on himself to get himself to calm down, too used to panicking in social situations. The very things that help him calm down, reminding himself that it's okay, that he's okay, that the other person probably doesn't hate him, that he should pull himself together and go back out there, seem to have worked with whatever was in the lasagna. He has convinced himself that everything is alright, that everything is as it should be, and that Kevin's behavior isn't strange compared to his own.
After that, everything else falls into place around it.
It's not complete. There is nothing the lasagna can do about the fact that Carlos does, in fact, have a boyfriend. There is nothing the lasagna can do about the fact that, so far, at least, there are no weird scientific things to uncover, here, like there are in Night Vale. But it can temporarily push those things aside to make room for tirimisu, and not needing to get back, and the feel of skin he has convinced himself should be against his own.
"Sorry about that," he says again, but he's more apologizing reflexively, at this point, and already lifting the bite of tirimisu up to his mouth. It's delicious, soft and sweet and perfect, with that tiny undercurrent of alcohol burn to it, but light, airy, not cloying despite the texture of it. Despite his earlier nervousness, there is no reaction to that except to close his eyes in bliss for just a moment, dragging them open a few moments later with a look more suited to a bedroom than a restaurant.
"Wow," he's definitely impressed, "That is really good."
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It sends a little shiver down Kevin's spine to think of how well things are progressing now. If things keep going this well, who knows what wonders the station will work?
He squeezes Carlos's hand to show he fully approves of the movement of his thumb. He will definitely have to thank Gerry for this later on. Even if he's not fully responsible for Carlos's change in attitude, he certainly did help. Kevin doubts Carlos would still be here if it weren't for Gerry's handy cooking skills. He reaches over again with his free hand, fixing the hair that was once again messed up when Carlos ran his hand through it. Carlos's hair is perfect in color, length, and feel, but this habit of running his hands through it will have to come to an end. StrexCorp has some wonderful behavior training classes, but Carlos may not be ready for something that intensive yet. Maybe a change in style?
They'll have to discuss it at little later on. There's still a long way to go before Kevin can hope to dig his claws that deeply into Carlos. Once they've severed all ties Carlos has to Night Vale that Desert Bluff's influence alone can't take care of, they can talk about minor details like that. ]
I told you it would be! I never lie about food. Food is a necessary component to a healthy and productive life, after all. Who would ever want to lie about something so important?
[ Kevin takes another bite of his own dessert. The look Carlos is giving him is wonderful. It's true that the lasagna couldn't technically break Cecil and Carlos up. For all that it did do with the help of specially developed StrexCorp chemicals, it did not telepathically let Cecil know that Carlos is currently holding hands with and making bedroom eyes at Kevin, but does that really matter now? At this point, Kevin may as well be Carlos's boyfriend.
Regardless, Kevin will take care of Cecil soon enough whether Carlos wants him to or not. Kevin cannot allow such an imperfect version of himself to continue living.
But those are matters for another time. Kevin is not aware that Cecil is Carlos's boyfriend and he is not aware that Cecil is his double. Taking care of him is a task for another time. ]
So tell me, Carlos. What tests are you going to run on my beloved radio station?
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This whole thing is... nice, actually. It's a little like something out of a storybook, unreal, particularly with the other diners looking over curiously. It should make him nervous, and maybe it normally would have, but there's this delicious dessert and Kevin seems to be perfectly capable of taking care of everything and navigating everything. He can just relax. He doesn't have to worry about anything. It brings a smile to his face for no reason other than he can't imagine not smiling. It's definitely more genuine that everyone else's smiles though, softer, with just a hint of teeth before he takes the next bite of tiramisu
"Mm. Well," he swallows the latest bite of dessert and reaches into his labcoat to pull out his little hand held meter. The indicator is vibrating madly on zero, like it's being held there by force, but Carlos is definitely too far gone to fully process what that might mean, "Huh, that's weird. I've never seen it do that before..." he does get distracted by it, just not nearly as panicked as he should be.
"Anyway! I made this myself-- it's hard to take all of my equipment everywhere in Night Vale, there's just too much to try to measure in a given situation to carry it all, so I combined a few different things all in one device depending on which option you select," although he opted to be a scientist, mechanical engineering had always been one of his strongest suits, and combined with some of the technology he could find in Night Vale, he'd made a device far beyond current scientific devices. He had no idea where some of the parts had come from, though... "Depending on where you set the dial, it can read radiation, seismic activity (though it's a little less sensitive than I'd like on that front), and can provide basic sonar, though it's a bit more like a stud finder than any true sonar equipment. It, ah," he runs his hand back through his hair again, definitely a nervous habit they'd have to talk about, "it can also be used as an EMF reader," he admits, a little sheepishly. He has no idea if Kevin will know that having that on a field reader like this one almost certainly means he's used it to look for ghosts or other paranormal things, but he knows, and he's always a little embarrassed, particularly because that's not just in the realm of strange science, but outright pseudo-science. On the other hand, a dragon is running for mayor in Night Vale. He's never picked anything up on the EMF that wasn't something he expected to pick up, but it's still handy to have.
"I was just going to run the full barrage of things. The readings in the radio station in Night Vale were... very strange. I'm curious if yours will be as well, or if it will just provide me with a better baseline," he has another bite of tiramisu, clearly lighting up a bit more than usual when talking about Science.
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There is no such thing as overly fond when the person you're with is equally as fond, perhaps even more fond than you. Perhaps Carlos can make something to measure their fondness levels. Kevin would be interested in seeing just how fond Carlos is of him compared to how fond he is of Carlos. If the way Carlos continues to run his thumb along Kevin's hand, he has a feeling he would be rather pleased with the results. Kevin doesn't think he's ever been quite so captivated with a person the way he is with Carlos. It's nice that the feeling seems to be mutual, even if Carlos's feelings did require some chemical coercion.
Carlos's smile might be soft, might not be as big as everyone else's, but it makes Kevin fall in love all over again, and he's glad for it. Kevin feels warm inside in a way he doesn't think he's ever felt before. The warmth from Carlos's hand travels all through his body, the warm in his smile filling his brain in a way that leaves him feeling giddy and excited. He's definitely never felt this way about anyone or anything before. Not even StrexCorp with their helpful recurring dreams and occasional tendency to shift people's thoughts around to ensure they're thinking as productively as possible.
The way Carlos makes him feel is totally unique. It's a little terrifying, mostly it's wonderful. And if helping Carlos fix his mistakes does turn out to be a full time job, well, that's okay. That's okay because Kevin likes helping people fix their mistakes. Not counting what he's feeling right now, of course, helping others to fix their mistakes is the best feeling in the world! Carlos will have to learn to fix some problems without aide eventually, but StrexCorp will be more than happy to help Kevin get him to that point. Many people within StrexCorp are indebted to Kevin, after all. It's only right that they take some time out of their busy lives to make sure Carlos becomes the most perfect version of himself possible. Especially since he may just be coming to work for StrexCorp in the potentially near future.
But those thoughts are pushed to the side when Carlos breaks out his science equipment. He takes his hand from Carlos without even really meaning to so he can lean over better, get a closer look at whatever it is that Carlos is holding. Kevin's eyes go wide with interest, he listens closely to all that Carlos has to say, and doesn't care one bit about what having an EMF reader on the device means. It's all amazing and wonderful and Kevin could listen to Carlos talk about science for days. It helps that Carlos just exudes the sort of energy that could be used to power the entire city. It's absolutely adorable seeing him light up like that. ]
You really are brilliant, Carlos, to have been able to make that yourself! [ It shows in his voice that Kevin is honestly impressed with his work. He's not just saying it because he wants Carlos to like him. He's already taking care of that in a slightly different way. He motions to the device and, more specifically, the way it's vibrating. ] What does it mean when it vibrates like that? Nothing bad, I hope!
Kevin leans back in his seat again, but doesn't try to resume holding Carlos's hand. Instead, he digs into his dessert a little more. Kevin wasn't just trying to get Carlos under the influence of more of the food's influence when he was talking about how great it is. He really does love it almost more than any other desert and it would be such a shame to let it go to waste just because he was holding Carlos's hand with the hand he eats with. ]
You will have to tell me all about Night Vale and its radio station one day! I would love to hear whatever you can tell me.
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Carlos flushes and ducks his head slightly. He can tell the compliment is genuine and it makes him feel... feel... There's a weird flutter of guilt for... some reason, something he feels like he could remember if he just concentrated on it a second. But it's hard to feel properly over the giddy feeling of butterflies in his stomach that are unique to when a person you are attracted to thinks something you do is genuinely awesome, and very few other people do.
"Th-Thank you," he stammers out and he's flushing and smiling and generally too adorable for words for a moment before the rest of the question settles in, and and looks down at the meter again, brow furrowing,
"I don't know. I've never seen it do that before. It's almost like it wants to be registering something, but the needle's stuck, or being held there," that is exactly, precisely what is happening. That is what has been happening since he crossed over into the town boundaries, though its gotten stronger near Kevin. Not that he knows that. "It's pretty strange, isn't it?" he probably should investigate that. He should... but, you know, maybe after another bite of tiramisu.
He takes another bite, and he can't remember ever settling into a conversation like this, but he's so relaxed. Everything is nice. Kevin really seems to like him and everyone's so friendly and smiling. Night Vale's nowhere near so cheery as this place. He wonders why Cecil is always so down on it. It seems kind of mean, honestly.
"I don't think there's a whole lot to tell, and I've only been inside once or twice," he says with a shrug, "But I'll be happy to, if you really want to know about it."
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Oh, there's no need to thank me for speaking the truth. Thank you for your contributions to the scientific world. We could all stand to be as productive as you seem to be. [ Kevin lets his smile relax just slightly, eyebrows raising in genuine interest and curiosity. ] That is strange. You should probably get that fixed. A problem like that can only hinder your progress in reaching your full productive potential.
[ It's not said unkindly, more matter-of-fact than anything. He has a real interest in Carlos and it would be a shame if his hard work is hindered by faulty equipment. A perfect person is a productive person and a productive person is a person who takes the maintenance of their equipment seriously.
Kevin takes another bite of his dessert and his smile brightens once again as he swallows. ]
Oh, yes, I would truly love to hear anything you could tell me about it. Maybe it's silly, but as a radio professional myself I can't help but to be immensely curious about the community radio of Desert Bluff's sister city. [ Kevin's smile grows sharper, maybe a little menacing. His tone is, perhaps, a little too interested, a little too invested in hearing about Night Vale's radio station, but the explanation for that is completely reasonable, isn't it? ] You know, I've always wanted to visit Night Vale. It sounds like such a wonderful little place.
[ For visiting. Desert Bluffs is the only adequate place to live. Now if only Carlos would see it that way. ]
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