EVENT; LIFTS & CORRIDORS

[ataraxites]

CHARACTERS: Ensemble production!
LOCATION: The Corridors.
WARNINGS: Space crazy, violence, etc.
SUMMARY: You may have simply been taking the lift with passerbys, but now you're hopelessly lost.
NOTES: Notes on the corridors.

Those on their way to meet a friend at dinner, or heading to their department, may never reach their intended destination. Instead, characters will find themselves in an unfamiliar part of the ship, abruptly stranded. All attempts to access the elevator will prove fruitless, as the doors cannot be pried open and the lift will not respond when called. It looks like you have no where to go but forward. Hallways will connect only to other hallways, giving you the impression that you're always on your way somewhere- but can't quite manage to arrive. Time spent in the hallways will seem endless, but with luck you may find a break in the monotony. It is possible for characters to find one another, which would be preferable, as it's probably safer traveling in groups. Those that spend an excessive amount of time in their own company will find themselves feeling increasingly hostile and paranoid, until even the walls seem to be watching. That may not be such an exaggeration, with those murals that continually appear...

Comments

[incubo]

One way's the same as another for me, so yeah, shit, why not. [ he falls into step with merlin, pushing a hand back through his hair to smooth it down.

at the question about his diet, he laughs, the sound short and sharp. ] Man, I wish it was that simple. Nah, I'm an incubus. [ a glance toward the other man, inquiring. ] You ever heard of one? Or do I need to explain it?

[servant]

I know what an incubus is.

[Or. He thinks he's seen the word, on the pages of one of Gaius' books while he was furiously flipping through it and trying to find something that had the body of a serpent or the head of a lion or whatever was troubling Camelot on any given day. And he's tired of not knowing anything about anything on this ship. He may not have much pride, but he has some. Merlin's quiet for a few seconds.]

But just for the sake of argument, why don't you go ahead and remind me of it?

[His pride seems largely temporary.]

[incubo]

.. Uh-huh. [ though his glance is knowing, he plays along anyway for the sake of merlin's non-existent pride.

tucking his hands into his back pockets, he shrugs a little, turning to look down the hallway again as they walk. ]

I'm a-- thing. You know, like.. Otherworldly. The female version's a succubus, and we eat sexual energy. [ his hands slide back out of his pockets, one rubbing at his nape as if uncomfortable. while it's true that he's open about what he is here, it doesn't mean he likes it any more than he ever has. ] --It sounds fuckin' sleazy as hell, I know, and it pretty much is. But, you know, it's how we stay alive, so whatever.

[servant]

[A thing. Something troubles him about that choice of words, and Merlin's glued to every one that follows. And yet it still takes a moment to sink in: sexual energy. He's not entirely sure what that means, but it makes him feel a sweep of heat across his cheekbones and down the back of his neck.]

So...when you feed on people, what does it do to them?

[incubo]

I'm basically built for sex, so-- [ a shrug, mouth quirking in a crooked grin. ] --the best orgasm of their lives, mostly. They're exhausted for a coupla' hours, then good as new again.

[ he makes it a point not to feed like the few succubi he's met. raised as a human, murder doesn't sit right with him. granted, it means he's always hungry, given that he never takes quite enough energy, and he feeds considerably more often than succubi need to, but he supposes it's the price he pays for a conscience. ]

.. I prefer not to feed on a person more than once or twice, though, just in case. Don't really have that luxury here.

[servant]

[Merlin doesn't know what to say to any of that, still only understands about half of it. He's a country boy, had a basic idea of how things worked when he came to Camelot. But then Gaius sat him down and had the man-to-man talk with him. But orgasms are still a bit of a gray area.]

[He understood enough for his face and ears feel like they're on fire, but the explanation still begs another question from him.]

What about love? Is that never a part of it?

[incubo]

Love? [ he gives him a strange look, hoping his stare doesn't seem too bitter, too angry, before glancing away again. his laugh then is the sharp one from earlier. ] No. Love's never a part of it.

[ he lifts a hand, ghosting the fingers along merlin's jaw, not quite touching. ] I can make people feel like they're in love with me. For a little while. But it's not real, you know? [ his hand drops away again, mouth a thin line in his face. ] .. People want someone who can be theirs, right? And I can't ever, ever just devote myself to one person. I'll either kill them or starve to death that way.

[servant]

[Merlin blinks, but doesn't recoil from the almost-touch, just listens to his words. He sounds like a walking love potion, which Merlin knows quite well isn't the same thing.]

What if you fell in love with another like you? If you were lucky enough to, I mean. Would that work?

[incubo]

.. We're rare, and not inclined toward love, anyway. Territorial, too. Even me, and I was raised like a human.

[ he's heard of a few succubi, met fewer, and not one had seemed to want more out of her life. but then, given the way they lived, the way they were raised, is it any wonder? ]

Anyway, it's not gonna' happen, so it's not worth talking about. [ he waves a dismissive hand, shaking his head. ] So what's your story, huh? You're named after a legend or a bird, I guess, so were your parents into crystals and shit?

[servant]

I don't think you should give up. Even if it took a lot of sorting out, I believe there's someone out there who's worth it.

[Because he's sort of a hopeless romantic that way. But as for him.]

Uhm, no, not really. That name means something to you, does it?

[incubo]

[ finch doesn't bother responding to the first part. maybe he's bitter, but he just doesn't see it happening for a number of complicated, impossible reasons.

to the second, though, he shrugs. ] Yeah, sorta, I guess. [ weird that he doesn't know the legend behind the name. you'd think you'd at least wikipedia that shit or something. hadn't he ever at least seen sword in the stone? ] Where I'm from, there's this story about a guy named Merlin. Big wizard-type, I guess, and there's a king named Arthur and a bunch of other stuff involved. [ a brief pause, then a laugh. ] .. It's kinda' funny, actually. In the stories, Merlin's dad is an incubus.

[servant]

[That stops Merlin in his tracks, the information surprising enough that it makes him speak without thinking.]

My father was not an incubus!

[Because that would make him an incubus and - oh god.]

[incubo]

[ .. wait, what? he hadn't been talking about this merlin. unless.. he had been? no, no way. there is no fucking way. finch's life is fucked up enough without adding legendary wizards (who apparently have big ears).

he actually stops and stares for several seconds, then bursts into laughter. ]

Jesus fucking Christ, you are not him. Are you serious? [ he leans in slightly, then, lifting a hand to tweak his chin. ] You're awfully cute for a big badass wizard. --And for the record? Not all of us have kids that are also incubi or succubi. Sometimes they're just like their other parent.

[servant]

[His ears are perfect, ok. Men have fought over his ears. Merlin starts to shake his head, but then stops himself and just lets Finch speak.]

I might not be as big and badass as you think.

[But then he grins, cheeky and unable to help himself.]

I am cute though.

[incubo]

[ sure if you say so, merlin. ]

Well, you're certainly not big. And not gonna' lie, I'm a little disappointed that you're not wearing a pointy hat. I guess I'll live with it, though.

[ despite himself, he grins at the comment, rolling his eyes dramatically. ]

Aaaaand I see you have a healthy ego.

[servant]

I hate hats. And my mother always said I was a handsome boy, I'm not about to call my own mother a liar.

[Merlin smirks a bit, but it fades when he remembers that there's a problem here.]

You won't tell anyone, will you? What you know about me.