♥ January (Lasra) Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

January (Lasra) Event Log
The new year has dawned and many natives are busy with their VR pilgrimages to the sacred mountain. Others are busy redecorating the town after all the excitement of the last month. With the cold winter days and nights continuing, the occasionally clear blue skies seem all the colder even with Havenwell's nicely temperature controlled environment. The winter has fully set in and so the celebrations continue as natives try to incorporate more of the offworlders' traditions into their own. They know it can't be easy being away from your homes for so long, but they hope adding touches of home to their celebrations might help ease the loneliness some.

---

❥ PROMPT I: Festive Flora Festoons

They're trying to keep the holiday spirit going with some greenery among all the cold wintery snowy weather! All around the city, over doorways, strung across roads and walkways, threaded in entryways and hallways alike, people can find colorful wreaths and garlands hung overhead. Prominently displayed among the Rawna-centric ribbons and synthetic greens are real live plants! It seems the natives have picked up on the idea of holiday decorations involving seasonal flora and other decor to brighten the darker winter days. Sadly, it seems they've missed the mark on what kinds of plants are meant to be involved. Here and there, people can find all manner of plant strung up from things that look like ivy to pine-adjacent trees to weird decorations that miss the 'plant' mark entirely. Moreover, it seems these decorations are being tampered with by the gods in a haphazard manner. Some, not all, of these decorations carry a strange field around them, affecting people when they walk beneath them. Watch out, offworlders! While the natives are also getting caught sometimes, you're the most susceptible to this mysterious meddling.

♥ Mistletoe: Some of these plants are actually mistletoe, and for those familiar with the Earth tradition, they carry the same effects. On occasion when you and another person walk under the mistletoe, an invisible force field springs up, trapping you both in a six foot circle beneath the plant. Any attempts to destroy the decoration does nothing to dispel the field and teleportation does nothing but bounce you to the other side of this odd bounded circle. For those in know, they may have an inkling of what needs to happen to escape this little trap: positive physical contact in the form of hugs or kisses! Platonic kisses on the hand and cheek do seem to work for some people, though, so maybe you can both escape this without too much embarrassment? ...Maybe?

♥ Missile...toe??: Some of the plants around town have brightly colored stockings and socks hung in them. The natives seem to think that hanging footwear is an integral part of the offworld winter tradition, so they've carried it over to Lasra. On occasion, when you and another person are caught under these decorations, a cloud will form overhead and begin pelting both of you with tiny foam darts. The cloud moves with you both and will give chase for an indeterminate amount of time. It even seems that it can follow you indoors, which is entirely illogical but so is a cloud blitzing you with foam darts and here we are. It isn't omnipotent though and quick thinking or some fancy moves can throw it off your trail for awhile. The only problem is you and the other person can't seem to get more than six feet apart from one another, so you better come up with an action plan to either dispel the cloud or figure out a way to elude it or you'll be spending your day annoyed at the constant barrage of toys.

♥ Verdant veritas: This is just getting weird now. Some of the garlands have miniaturized versions of entire trees hung upside down from them. These trees range from off-colored pines to what passes for this world's version of plastic palm trees to miscolored birches, oaks, and fruit trees. Most of these trees are plastic, but it can be a little strange to see a scaled down tree hanging into the roadway. Getting caught under one of these with another person when they go haywire will trap you both in an entirely uncomfortably small circle of 3 feet from one another. The only way to widen it is to tell the other person a truth about yourself that they may not know. With each truth you tell, the circle widens by 1 foot until it snaps at some indeterminable point. For some, this might just be 2 truths and you're free. For others it might be 20. The natives tend to get caught by this one the most, so at least you have examples of what needs to happen should you find yourself trapped!

♥ Berries aplenty: Some of the decorations are filled with red and white berries hanging in clusters. These are the most innocuous seeming of all the garlands and, since the berries are small enough, the easiest to miss. They do, however, seem to be causing quite a stir with anyone caught beneath it. When you and another person walk beneath these garlands, you'll find yourselves trapped with one of you suddenly wearing a Santa outfit projected over your normal clothes like an illusion. You cannot escape the six foot circle under the berries unless you sit on Santa's lap and tell them what you really really want for the holidays. You've been a good person/robot/cat/creature this year, right? The gods hope so because only those on the Nice List who say what you want and mean it get to leave the clutches of the berries.

❥ PROMPT II: Ski for Free(dom)

For those of you who frequent the worlds of virtual reality, there's a new game available! In SkiFreezin', you and a friend can enjoy an excursion to a beautiful mountain covered with freshly-fallen snow for a fun ski trip!

But hopefully you're quick to clear the course; every so often innocent skiers looking for a fun time might find themselves in the sights of the mountain's inhabitant; a cranky creature giving chase with stick figure limbs and angry eyebrows. Better get to the finish line quick! If it catches up, you just might find yourself dumped into a pile of snow with a hat placed on your head at a jaunty angle befitting a snowman.

And the chase doesn't end there! The VR network's errors that brought on Havenwell's cube-shaped bee friends is acting up again, bringing the particularly pixelated pursuer to the city's snowy streets to chase around the local inhabitants. And if it catches you...well, Frosty, hope you like snowbanks!

❥ PROMPT III: The Weather Outside (and Inside) is Frightful

To some, the best part of winter is the beautiful snowy landscape and Aellyn is delivering on that this year. All across Havenwell, the snow is drifting down in lazy, cozy piles that turn the city even more picturesque than usual. It's a lovely sight and even the natives are enjoying it by doing things like building snowrobots, snow forts, snow sculptures, and snow fights! Some of the less jolly ones are grumbling about the need to shovel the snow to keep roads and walkways clear, but overall the city seems to be enjoying the weather.

The grumbling might be justified, however, because at random times and in random places all over the city, the gentle drifts of snow suddenly become small localized Snowpocalypse pockets! Small storm clouds will whip up in pocketed areas, dumping feet upon feet of snow all at once before dissipating. These massive snow drops have the potential to trap people inside homes, businesses, in doorways, or even bury them outside. If you're unlucky enough to be caught outside, you'll need to cuddle up to keep warm until you or the locals can dig you out. If you're stuck inside, you better start digging out from your doors or you might be stuck for awhile. The cold of these snow drops seem to seep in through the walls, making even those inside want to cuddle up for warmth before either digging themselves out or awaiting rescue.

The gods must not know the saying, "All things in moderation" when it comes to snow!

---

This event will run from 15 January to 31 January. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread. You can also use the Havenwell Status page or the General Plotting Comment to give you other ideas for original prompts!

Comments

[daikonrose]

But what if she snuck out of bed early enough to beat them both to shoveling and breakfast, huh? What if she got up at four AM! There was no downside to this strategy!

"I've defrosted, for sure," she was quick to assure them; warmth might not be much of a thing yet, but the situation was no longer dire. "I'm very grateful!"

[whenyouneedme]

This was just going to end up with everyone up at four AM. Maybe they should have put her in the middle, geez.

The lack of chattering teeth was a very good sign. Defrosting was too! This was a good pace to be heading in, especially considering the dreadful state these two had been just a few minutes ago. Let's keep that going.

"I can feel my toes," Kai confirmed helpfully. "And I think my hands are starting to warm up a bit."

Perhaps a demonstration of this was in order. Enhance those arm taps to Holding Hands.

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Perhaps next time they're all at the freezing mercy of Havenwell's whims, they will all know better than to let Kyoko have an easy escape route that will absolutely result in everyone being up at four AM. Next time, next time.

Presently, though, Shinji's on board with this ~scandalous hand holding plan~ almost immediately - if Kai hadn't initiated it, he likely would have gone for that hand regardless. His own are not exactly warm yet, but a couple degrees less chilly than the other boy's. Here, he will facilitate even more warm-ups.

"Jeez," so cold still! And Kyoko's probably worse, he can imagine, having been left to her own devices for as long as she had been. "Kyoko, if you want my other hand to help warm yours up..." he's moving it under the covers, across Kai's chest and well within grabbing range, should she take him up up on that offer.

[daikonrose]

Jeez you guys, have a little more faith in her Stealth.

But any further plots for the morning immediately flew out of her brain because hand hold. Maybe Kaito's hands were still chilly from his point of view, but they were warm against Kyoko's icy ones. So warm. So very hot that she was sure she would combust at the slightest provocation.

Provocation such as Shinji offering up his hand as well. "--Huh?" But if she held his hand right now, she'd have to reach over Kaito? And basically hold him? Right here in his very own bed? Next to his boyfriend? Who was the one proposing this scenario?

"Huh?" She was just straight-up squeaking at this point. "You--you don't... have to go that far...!"

[whenyouneedme]

"S'not goin' far, you're both right here."

Right here, with his chest as a convenient table for handholds. Kai did know that wasn't what she meant though. He looked over at her though, giving her icy cold hand a squeeze.

"I'd let you get away with it," he said gently, "but you're freezing, so I gotta insist."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Oh no, she looks so uncomfortable with all of this. Shinji can't help but frown, he wouldn't have even put her in this position if it weren't for the circumstances. It's strictly a gesture to help her out! But he can't ignore that combustion, either.

"I'm sorry, I know it's asking a lot," he offers softly, worry kitting his brow together. "It'll just be until you warm up some more, okay?"

[daikonrose]

Kaito squeezed her hand, and her heart jumped violently, just as he looked at her. For a moment she was caught frozen, staring at this pair of sweetly concerned boys, with their gentle words. How could she possibly escape them?

And then she burrowed down under the blankets, leaving only a puff of her mussed hair in view. After a beat, her muffled voice piped up. "'m the one... who should say sorry, though...." For reaching her shaky hand over to gingerly cover Shinji's.

[whenyouneedme]

What Kai didn't expect as he watched Kyoko worm her way out of sight was the desire to roll over and tuck that flustered bundle into his arms. It was really quite sudden, chasing the heels of how charming the motion had been. What... was he supposed to do with this? He didn't know.

Luckily, he wasn't able to linger on it long. That warmth and affection was being superseded by even more warm and affection as he felt that shaky hand take Shinji's right there on his chest. This already felt extremely cozy, like he'd gotten caught up in the middle of a hug.

It was really, really nice.

"Nope. We're the ones bullying you into warming up."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

It's true, they were both big bullies.

Reaching out for someone is a tough request, Shinji knows this, and while he made that decision to ask her out of a purely beneficial mindset, the second those chilly fingers wrap around his, it sets something extra warm stirring in Shinji's chest. This whole situation... is really cozy. Profoundly cozy, and awfully intimate, if he takes a moment to really sit on it. Of course, it's easy to package that thought up as 'what else are they supposed to do?' but it probably didn't need to be quite like this.

An extra layer of fondness settles over his worries about pushing Kyoko's boundaries too far, and he squeezes her hand gently in his. "I'm the one who asked for it, I don't think there's anything I can hold against you."

He'd easily forgive her, but ? for what ? he just doesn't know.

[daikonrose]

Kyoko didn't know anything about all these warm feelings being directed at her; there was only the security of darkness under the blanket, and the weight all this flustered guilt crushing her.

She had plenty of things to apologize for, but all she piped up with was, "But... I'm... being a pain, when you're both being so nice to me, even though I have to intrude on you like this." Her voice was small, and made even smaller by the layers draped over her. "I can't help it."

[whenyouneedme]

"Kyoko."

Warm as it was, there was still a firm solemnity to Kai's voice. She wasn't being a pain at all, but maybe a little dramatic. That was just part of Kyoko's nature, Kai was sure, but come on.

"You're exactly where we want you to be. Promise. This is... really good."

Kai glanced over at Shinji as if it confirm that it was really good. It was, wasn't it?

[hedgehogsdilemma]

"Right." He wouldn't even have needed the prompting for Kai to offer his reassurance. He can confirm, this is good. "We're really glad you're here, Kyoko."

For everyone's sake, it's amazing for their peace of mind for sure, but also, just... wow. In spite of the urgency that brought them to this point, the comfort that can be taken from this amount of rust between the three of them is unreal. Too cozy. Perfect for warming hearts as well as hands.

[daikonrose]

She was wanted here. This was good. They were glad.

Each assurance was another stab of guilt in her chest.

Shinji and Kaito could feel however they wanted about this arrangement, but Kyoko knew very well what she deserved. Being a pain was the smallest of her sins, but she couldn't confess to the worst one--so why should she be allowed to relax?

"That's... because you're just always too nice to me. Both of you." Would they still welcome her into such an intimate space if they knew about the wishes buried in her heart? "It's ridiculous, you know? This kind of scenario."

[whenyouneedme]

"Absolutely."

It was definitely a little ridiculous! Even Kai could admit that, but he did so rather cheerfully. "But it could be kinda fun? I mean it'd be better without the popsicle element, but... I dunno how sleeopovers go. This seems like a very sleepover kinda thing."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

It's a pretty absurd situation to be in strictly on the basis of the house being so dang cold in the first place! This is a nice place, it shouldn't be so easy to freeze it over! Something like a cozy slumber party is probably the expected result, which is pretty ridiculous too, and Shinji's honestly grateful that Kai said it with no real regard for any tension the idea holds.

"Not quite like any sleepover I've ever heard of." A small laugh plays in his voice as he says it, appreciating the lighthearted tone that thought sets. "If we could have planned ahead, it probably wouldn't have ended up like this, but this will work just fine until nobody's feeling like a popsicle."

[daikonrose]

A sleepover. Right--that's what Kaito had called it from the very beginning, right? Kyoko had brushed over it before, but was that really how he was thinking of this? The silliness was enough to finally crack Kyoko's shell of shame.

"Where exactly... did you get your information on sleepovers?" was the final murmur from beneath the covers, before her head popped up into view again, so she could give him a very skeptical stare. Her already intense bedhead surely made it all the more piercing. "Who introduced that word to you?"

[whenyouneedme]

Extremely piercing. Incredibly adorable. Begging for a ruffle that wasn't going to happen. Kai's grin brightened at the sight though.

"I dunno. TV? Other kids? I never had a sleepover."

Wait, no, that wasn't right. "Oh. Though I guess I've crashed on your couch. And you've slept over, Shinji... and we did exactly this!"

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Dangerous. But also. Kind of charming. Kyoko. He gives her hand a teeny tiny squeeze, as if to try and pacify that skepticism, not that he's actually much more well versed in this whole sleepover business than Kai is.

"I guess, to be fair, those sleepovers started because we were having trouble with sleeping in the first place." And then. Ah. It just kept going. "This isn't really that different from back then."

[daikonrose]

A small flush had come into her cheeks--whether it was more from that mysterious little squeeze to her hand or the casual references to Shinji and Kaito sleeping together. But Kyoko persevered, stubborn.

"Sleepovers are more like.. more like parties, you know? You don't apply that word to any time you're a guest in someone's house overnight. It definitely doesn't apply here!"

[whenyouneedme]

"Hohh. I mean this is pretty close to a party," Kai countered. "I am having a good time with my favorite people. What else would I want from a party."

A Frozen Party.

[hedgehogsdilemma]

If Shinji's being completely honest, "It's about as much as I'd want from a party, too." Anything too wild would be too much for a comfy night!

"I guess we could have had some snacks, though?" That's not too much, and probably more party-like. Is talking about meals a good enough substitute for party snacks? Probably... not, but the spirit is sort of there.

[daikonrose]

"You two...." The good news was that Kyoko had totally forgotten to be flustered at last, for at least this one moment. The bafflement was just too strong, the disbelief too overwhelming. "What kind of party takes place in a bed?"

[whenyouneedme]

Kai blinked. "A slumber party?" Obviously???

[hedgehogsdilemma]

"I... guess?"

Like. Actually probably no parties, really. But a slumber party is kind of adjacent enough to what they have going on right now, isn't it? He doesn't have a better answer other than 'none', and he's not about to be that big of a party pooper.

[daikonrose]

"Slumber parties are for girls." Right?? Probably? "And even if they happen to feature a bed, that doesn't mean they include all this skinship! It's a totally different thing!"