bakerstreet | lights out

lights out

LIGHTS OUT
a dark room meme

Uh oh! Looks like something weird is happening, here! Did someone forget to pay the electricity bill? Or has that storm outside caused a blackout? Who knows! Reasoning aside, you are now trapped in darkness. You can't see anything, anything at all! And you can't even adjust to this darkness, for some reason! There's only black, black, black. Something about this room is odd, for certain!

How this is going to go down
♦ You will post as your character as ANON, because you're in the dark!
♦ There is no putting your character's name in the subject line. However, if you like, you can put your character's series/canon. It's no fun if you know who you're interacting with right away!
♦ You're free to set up your character fumbling around in the dark and such, just so you remember which comment is yours in this anon mess, if anything.
♦ Those who reply to you will roll the RNG for the specifics of the situation!
♦ Yay! In the dark shenanigans!!
♦ When you guys are ready, the lights go on, you can log into your character journals, and it's time to admire the awkward in the light.

♦ ONE: WHY IS IT SO SMALL AND CRAMPED IN THIS ROOM? Wait, this isn't a room, this is a closet. It looks like you've been locked inside for Seven Minutes in Heaven, or just for shits and giggles! The door doesn't seem to be opening, and it sounds like some ... Barry Manilow is playing? Oh, talk about awkward.
♦ TWO: BRR, WHY IS IT SO COLD? Looks like your clothes are missing! For some reason, you're only dressed in your underwear, or even commando if you feel like being really mean to your muse. Are you in bed with someone? Just can't find your clothes? Are THEY wearing your clothes? Up to you, because it really doesn't make it any less awkward.
♦ THREE: A LITTLE HANDSY: Did someone just cop a feel? There's a lot of accidental (or... not accidental groping going on, for whatever reason! Talk about an awkward situation, mmmhmm!
♦ FOUR: OOPS, STUCK! One of you is stuck somewhere in this room, and can't get out! Either in a hole in the floor or tied to a bed or something! Whatever you can think of! Hopefully the other person can help you out in the dark.
♦ FIVE: ON AND OFF! Rather than totally darkness, the lights are flashing on and off, creepily. And it looks like there might be monsters in there with you guys?! Or are those illusions?

If you don't want to roll the RNG, that's fine! Go ahead and create your own situation, if you'd like!

Have fun, everyone!

(originally posted here at memebells)

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[You know what? She doesn't wanna know. She just - no. She doesn't want to know.]

All right, well - whatever. Your "magic" won't work [and the music swells louder] my powers seem ta be... quiet. But if we're in a closet there's gotta be a door, right? Help me find it.

[Because it's totally the best idea to go grouping about in the dark.

...and there was something familiar about his voice. She couldn't quite place it. It was like her mind was filled with fuzz when she tried. Better to focus on finding the door and getting out.]

And why do you have powers, lady? [...he really ought to know her name. This is frustrating.

He gropes forward in the closet hands delicately feeling along the wall. This is made more difficult by the fact that she is also trying to find the door. He ends up rather closer to her than intended, but... well. Hopefully they'll be out of here soon.

And it does make the music seem to get a bit quieter, but maybe it's the distraction of soft bits in his vicinity.]

You seem a significant amount shorter than me. I shall reach over your head.

I'm just lucky.

[And if you believe that, her tone seems to imply, I've got a bridge to sell you. "Lucky." Fah.

...and then his hand brushed over her back. She arched slightly into the touch, an instinctive response to unfamiliar warmth, before trying to step away from it - and banging her nose softly into a wall. Brilliant.]

Yeah, you do that.

[The problem with this is as she finds a corner, she turns around. And so while his hand is lifted up, there is absolutely no barrier against her running flush into his side.]

Oh - sorry!

[She tries to step back immediately... well. Almost immediately.]

Right. Lucky.

[He's just begun feeling along the wall toward the ceiling when she runs into him. Instinctively he catches her shoulder. Though... right, it's not like she could fall that far if she stumbled.]

This is very awkward.

"You said it," she breathed, rolling her shoulder slightly under his touch before stepping back to hit the wall. As before, the music decreased and increased in relation to their contact, and she didn't notice. She let her head thud back against it in annoyance. "Tell ya what - I'll stay here an' you look, then I'll take a turn."

He lifted it hand up, closing his fingers. Awkward, indeed, or potentially something else? Still, he didn't exactly like being trapped in a small place, in the dark. "Right."

He set to feeling along the wall again until he found a deep, vertical crack. "This may be a door. Only there is no handle." He shoved experimentally, then put his shoulder into it. Nothing budged. "Bloody--!"

"Are there hinges? Let me see." One hand extended in the dark, she brushed along his (she hoped it was his) back before coming alongside him to feel the outline of the door. No hinges that she could feel, but there wasn't much of a chance for her to explore. With one hand on the door and the her side pressed into the stranger, the music volume decreased and words appeared written, glowing briefly on the door before fading into nothingness.

If you want to get out, you have to play the game!

The music volume increased (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDEynk7SwxE). She had a horrible feeling she knew exactly what game this was now. What else did you play when you were stuck in a closet with someone, after all? She let her head thud forward this time and groaned.

"I... haven't been able to find any. It might be the sort of door that hasn't any." He sounded exasperated; this situation had gone beyond awkward and into annoying.

Though having the lady pressed against his side was a momentary distraction from that. Only half conscious of the motion, he leaned a little against her.

...and the words. "Game? What game?" he demanded. He tried to manipulate that momentary light, but it escaped his grasp. "I'll not be the pawn in the game of another."

She dropped her head against the door again. And one more time for good measure, entirely too aware of the way he was leaning against her.

"You've gotta be kiddin' me."

No. No, she didn't want to believe this was her only option. But it was a very small closet and it was getting very warm in here - a small space with undoubtedly limited air - and the music was getting louder.

She straightened up turning to face him, "Did we try all the walls? Is this the only door?"

He rolled his eyes, even though the expression wasn't visible. "I can feel around again," he said dryly. "Though I'd rather like to know what this supposed game is. Any ideas?"

But he did begin moving a hand along the wall again, just to show he was cooperating. Sort of.

Oh, I've got an idea, all right.

And the music just wouldn't stop.

"Seven Minutes in Heaven," she muttered, blushing, and grateful for the dark because it meant this stranger couldn't see. "Unless you have any other ideas."

"I've no idea what that is." He grimaced. "Goodness but that music is getting loud."

Oh, he was going to see someone bleed for this.

"It's-- it's someone's idea of a real bad joke, is what it is."

But her powers were gone, maybe it wasn't such a horrible joke as it was still... cruel. To give her this ability without allowing her any choice in who she would be able to touch. Gawd, it made her want to-- it just wasn't fair.

She took a deep breath. Time to man up. She moved to face him, "It's a game teenagers play." Between that and the music... "Do I really need ta spell it out?"

"I have no idea what teenagers on Midgard do for fun," he said dryly. "Nor have I had any desire to close that gap in my knowledge. Last I saw, those of that age were considered adults anyway."

"...you have no idea how weird that sounds, do you."

"Considering I am the one who spoke it, no."

"Teenagers in 'Midgard,' whatever that means, do the same things for fun I imagine teenagers anywhere do - make out with an' humiliate each other."

She sighed, her shoulders slumping. Great, I'm stuck in a closet with an alien. I bet he has tentacles.

"'Seven Minutes in Heaven' combines those two great traditions." One first thumped against the wall behind her in aggravation at the music that just kept thrumming through the closet. "An' lousy music, apparently."

He huffed out a sigh. "Oh, I'm sorry, too old fashioned? Earth. What a dull name."

"Lovely. Well, I'm not at all interested in being humiliated for anyone's entertainment. They'll grow bored eventually and then revenge might be exacted."

"I happen ta like it! At least then I know what you're talkin' about! We work hard enough ta save the dang thing, we might as well get ta call it what we like."

She did not have claustrophobia issues, thankfully. And equally thankfully, right now the only issues she had were her own. And they were plenty loud enough, standing next to a man who something told her she should be able to remember who was saying that kissing her would be humiliating.

Well. It would be. For both of them. She could recognize that.

But it was still insulting!

"An' fine! You just stay over in your side of the closet, then!" She moved to claim her own corner, unfortunately brushing very thoroughly against him as she did so. She didn't care. "If the idea of kissin' me for seven minutes is too humiliatin' for you, then you can go over an' bang your head against the wall to the beat, for all I care."

"You are the one that said the intention of this was humiliation," he snapped. "You always--"

...always what? Why had those words even slipped from his mouth?

He drummed his fingers against the wall and let the words flow naturally to their conclusion. "...always acted as if I were some sort of shameful secret."

Hm.

That shut her up. Yes, she'd had a horrible feeling that she should remember this person, bu she hadn't expected that feeling to be returned.

Her voice was cautious when she spoke, "What are you talkin' about?"

...belatedly, she realized that she could be locked in a closet with, not only a tentacled alien, but a crazy tentacled alien, and with the lack of room to maneuver and without her powers, any conflict would end towards the person with more strength. She was betting on the alien.

Unless she had a weapon. Maybe one of those hangers?

Better to wait and see. He hadn't threatened her yet, after all.

He sighed. "I don't know."

He scrubbed at his face with one hand. "I feel as if I ought to recognize you. Most disquieting."

"I think I'd remember you," her voice was subdued. "'Magic' ain't exactly a normal thing on Earth."

She'd almost called it 'Midgard' for him, and wondered at herself for the impulse. She wasn't usually given to making things easier on anyone else. But she could sense that 'disquieting' was just the surface issue and this song just went on repeat, good Gawd!

She took a breath, tried to think, "But if it makes ya feel any better... I've been havin' the same feelin'."

She bit her lip and made a decision, holding out her hand to where she approximated the side of his face might be, "Don't freak out, okay?" She sought to touch his cheek.

"I'd like to think I'm rather memorable," he said, tone dry. "And I don't think it makes me feel better. But less potentially mad, perhaps."

He sucked in a quick breath at the touch, glad that she had warned him. But it wasn't unwelcome. Rather, it felt nice, right almost. He half-lifted his hand, hesitated, then allowed it to complete the motion. He covered her hand with his, turning his face slightly into the touch.

"I... feel as if we have done this before."

Her hand is gloved.

"Well, that'd be a sight," heart pounding rapidly, she felt her voice sounded somewhat tight in her attempt to be casual, but there really wasn't anything she could do about it, "seein' as I've never played this game before in my life. An' usually I can't... touch people."

But it felt familiar to her as well. And caught up in it, she forgot to be afraid.

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