[ OPEN ] i know some places and i've seen some faces

[falcony]

WHO: sam wilson and anyone/everyone.
WHAT: captain america cookout.
WHERE: sam's horizon domain
WHEN: third saturday of september (aka, about 3 weeks after the jailbreak)
NOTES: see below!

HELLO ALL AND WELCOME TO SAM'S CAPTAIN AMERICA COOKOUT!!!!

Over the last week or so, Sam has been going out of his way to contact as many people as he knows to invite them to a cookout at his place in the Horizon. He knows that after the jailbreak, a lot of people were separated, and this was his first thought on how to bring people together. The purpose behind it is simply because Sam thinks that the one thing all of them have in common, opinion on the Singularity and their situations aside, is that they were all brought here and can actually access the Horizon. He sees merit and use in coming together when they can, especially in ways that don't involve the politics of the land they're now living in. So, what better way to do that than around food?

The long and short of it is - this is a peace meal. Leave your issues at the door. Sam has very few rules and there is very little he will give in terms of what this cookout will entail, but three things he will make very clear:

1.) There will be no fighting at his home. You want to duke it out? Take it somewhere else. There will not be warnings or second chances. Don't be an ass.
2.) There is no meeting or serious reason for this cookout. Literally, he just wants people to come together who may no longer be able to see each other due to the travel constraints. It's meant to be fun. Come have fun. (he knows y'all know what that is, even when some of you pretend you don't). Bring food if you want to! There is also a kitchen (if you know what that is) and places to crash. Hope you like seafood!
3.) Anyone who can come into the Horizon is welcome. He'd love it if everyone came, so spread the word.

The cookout itself is set up out front, with picnic tables and chairs and fire pits and lights abound. There are tables set up near grilles if anyone wants to do any actual cooking outside, and a table (probably multiple) set up with sides and napkins and utensils. There are a variety of different places to go and sit and hang out while you're eating. Anything and everything you can want is available - food, drinks, yard games, music playing from out in the trees that will remain consistent unless someone tries to find the speakers and hijack the playlists, etc. If you can't find something outside, you're more than welcome to check the house.

All throughout the party, too, there will be a new friend. Red, as Sam fondly calls him, is a blood-red hunting hawk with silver in between the feathers. He can be found circling around Sam quite often, or perched on his shoulders, but also if you are out and about you can often see him checking up on anyone and everyone. He's a very curious little bird, and also pretty sassy, if you want to interact with him.



If you haven't, or have, been to Sam's domain before, feel free to take a look around. Anywhere is open (save for one locked bedroom) so everyone has open access, but most of the cookout itself will be located in the front yard.

OOC: This is mean to be an OPEN LOG, so leave your TLs or closed threads below! This party will last basically as long as people want it to, but the idea is for it to be an afternoon into the evening. Y'all have free reign save for destroying Sam's home, but if you have any questions, hit me up on plurk (disarmingly or disco (dai#3757). Sam's TL is below, and he will be bouncing around like the good host he is, but lets get a little party started.

Comments

[falcony]

[ annoying is the best way to put it, really - because they can manage, they can make this work, and they will. but god damn sam would pay money for anything resembling the last hundred years from home. the horizon can only do so much. and it's almost made more obvious by how easy it is to revert back - that this conversation with amos is going so well. that he can feel that connection, or at least something very obviously working, in the words they exchange. ]

Anything can be paradise if it's far enough away from your every-day - which, you know, is making a spaceship look really nice right about now. [ which, okay, that sparks an idea in sam - something he might bring up later, or maybe in this conversation here shortly. because if amos is here, then he's got a domain of his own, and if they can constantly change and update what it is they make here...god. sam is struck with an intense desire to see it. but they've also just met. so maybe...sam will see how this goes.

sam snorts a bit, though, at that comment about common sense - shaking his head. ] You in the business to invent wire? Cause I'm not entirely sure I want to get down that far. But hey, who knows. [ he sounds thoughtful as they walk, and even before they make it to the ice chest, sam is pointing to amos with the neck of his bottle. ] You get your ass to the Free Cities and we can co-teach a class. Maybe we can bring about the Industrial Revolution all on our own.

[ it's an easy statement to make and sam doesn't think twice about it - this may be their first conversation, but just as sam is willing to open up his home to everyone for this event, he's just as willing to open up whatever home he's making here, too. and it's genuine, the way sam wants to open what he has to others, to amos specifically, her.

sam finds himself nodding, because yeah, yeah, okay. that does make sense and honestly, he's really quite interested in it. sam's almost about to ask more about it, too - what they eat, what the weirdest thing amos has had made into food, or beer, but the next statement he makes has sam all but choking on his next swig of beer - his eyes wide (but of course, dramatically so) as he turns to look. ]

You serious? I mean- okay, yeah, it makes sense you wouldn't have five-star restaurants up in space, I get that. But that was the best you've ever had? Man, that hurts me. If you weren't already in 'none of this is real' I'd try and convince you to eat some of the crawfish I boiled up, but now I'm not even sure if you'd know what it's supposed to taste like. Damn. [ sam looks actually a bit disappointed at this concept - mostly because so much of his home, and his life, is associated with food that it really does sadden him to think someone could grow used to. bad food. even if it makes sense. ] What do they have out in Solvunn? Or are you more on your own over there?

[baltimores]

[ Pay money for, kill for... same difference, right? Though a thoughtful look crosses Amos' face at Sam's words. ]

My everyday was arright, I figure. Better than my time on Earth. I almost don't know what to do with this. It's like it's too much. [ Too much land, too many resources, not enough people. There's something peaceful and freeing about it, but it's not like he knows what to do with that, so there's that little something there stopping him from appreciating it as much as he knows he should. ] I got my ship back at my place, though. If you want to see. Not like it's real or anything. Not like I'll probably be able to build it out there. But, you know. If you want.

[ Since Sam's being so friendly towards him. Since Sam's the only other person he's come across who laments this dark ages bullshit they're stuck in, he's pretty sure. Since Sam reminds him of Holden.

Amos runs a hand through his hair, scratching at an itch that isn't there. Just. Sam brings up a good point about how far behind they are. (About how this is going to be someone he wants to say in touch with, both for his own general good, and for the good of not losing his mind.) ]

Maybe I should. [ Get out to the Free Cities. It's not like he's got any attachment to Solvunn. It's not like it's magically solving his problems, like he'd hoped it would. All he's really got there is Himeka, anyway, and he'd... abandoned her without so much of a word. Somewhere like the Free Cities, it'd probably be a lot more difficult to just up and leave. At least he'd be familiar with the environment. ] Shit, I might even be down for inventing the wire. I'll probably go nuts without something. If we gotta be the ones to spur development on...

[ It's funny to think about, but then again, ending up on a ship as famous as the Roci was a pretty funny development for him, too. He's just going to keep finding himself in these kinds of situations. Which, if they actually yield something good, that's fine. He can handle a little notoriety, so long as it's for the right reasons.

He's almost bemused at Sam's expression at prison food being good. What? It was. ]

I've had crawfish. I grew up in Baltimore. [ There's a teasing lilt to his voice; no offence taken here, especially now that things have kinda taken a funny turn. ] Just, you know, only so many chances you get to eat it when you're poor and the environment's already kinda at its breaking point. [ He notes Sam's disappointment, though, and... damn. There's a bit of Alex in him too, huh. ] Wouldn't mind getting the chance to have the real thing again.

[ Which, score another point for the Free Cities — or just wherever it is Sam is — probably. Although... ]

Grub in Solvunn's real good. Don't even gotta try there. I go fishing sometimes, but before I went out to the Tertiary Settlement — [ before he ended up on his own out there, yeah — ] there was meat. [ There's almost a sense of awe to how he says the word. Meat. ] I mean, stuff grown in a vat's fine, but you ever seen a cow before? Holy shit, you can get a lot off of those things. They eat good there.

[falcony]

[ there's something in the way amos says that - something thoughtful but also something else in his words - that has sam turning back to the land around them. has him resituating, just for a moment, the lens at which he sees it all. because for someone who lives up in space, who doesn't really have the choice otherwise, he can see it. see the kind of uncertainty that would come with seeing so much land, so much open space.

it's a bit humbling, in a way. makes sam feel both more grateful, and more homesick, all in one. ]

Guess it comes down to what you want to do with it. If anything. [ and then there's that, and sam... does not do a good job at looking both relieved and excited all at once. not having to bring it up, yes, but also there is something simple and easy (both things sam feels like he's searching for, more often than not) about this. about amos' offer, about this weird but the now-normal way they just...go on tours of crazy locations built up from their memories alone. sam smiles, all the same, and decides not to think too much into it. ] Man, I would absolutely be down to see it. You just let me know a good time. I might even bring a not-real dinner.

[ amos doesn't immediately laugh off the offer, and sam finds himself leaning into it. finds himself latching a bit more onto that maybe i should than this initial meeting should probably allow. but sam's smile widens all the same, shrugs once as if trying to convince himself he doesn't need to look too excited about the idea. ]

I'm not going anywhere, so if you decide you want to make that trek, I'll be there. Could probably hook you up with a place to stay and a job, too. Plus, if you're serious about getting this whole wire thing going, I'll help with whatever. 'cause that going nuts thing is real.

[ sam gives amos an incredulous look at his comment about crawfish - because yes, okay, he has a point. he's from baltimore. if he'd never had crawfish that would probably be a much bigger deal. but the teasing goes both ways, and sam has no issue tossing it back to him. ] You literally just told me prison food was the best you've had. Not sure I trust your culinary expertise at this point.

[ there are terms here that sam doesn't understand entirely, but can take enough context clues from. tertiary settlement, for one. but if the place is anything like sam's started to build up in his head, he can imagine it - farms, cattle, crops. talk about farm to table...and sam almost nods. almost. because then amos says grown in a vat and sam looks at him with some concern. ] You grow meat in a vat in space? [ the concern gives way to a smile, though, because even sam can't quite keep that serious expression on his face. ] But yeah, I've seen cows. And a lot more. But it makes sense they eat well there, they've got all the pieces of a good meal. I've lucked out 'cause I've got a friend whose been going hunting for me. Keeps me on my toes with what I want to make, since I'm never sure what he's going to bring back, but I'm not complaining. [ thank god for geralt, tbh. he might not want to talk about his feelings but he'll sure as hell leave an entire deer carcass in sam's apartment. ] Fish, now - Cadens is out in a desert, so we're not getting much of that, but I can keep enough of the cravings at bay with the shit I can make up here.

[baltimores]

[ It's all Amos can do to shrug at first. I dunno. What is it that people do with land? He'd love it if he could become a plant guy, but he wouldn't know the first thing about it, and with his track record he'd probably kill everything, anyway. It's one of those nice to have in theory, less so in practice kind of things. Or where he'd work better as a supporting player, but he'd need to have someone to give him guidance first, and... isn't that always the issue.

But then there's the change in Sam's expression, that extra engagement, enthusiasm, and it's a really, really good sign for Amos. Even if it's just about being somewhere with advanced, approximated tech. (And he doesn't think it is. Amos thinks Sam himself might want to hang out with him, too. That this really is something beyond politeness. Strangers finding solace with one another in a strange land. It's not a foreign concept.) ]

Sure. [ It's a simple statement, but there's a pleasantness to his tone, to his entire being. That this is what playing host is like. Never thought he'd see the day. He doesn't hate it. ] I'm generally free whenever. Get up with the sun, go to bed sometime after it sets kinda thing. I don't got a real routine or anything. [ Because, you know. Totally alone. Doing a great job of acclimating to a communal society, here. ] You can bring your crawfish. Never seen that on the Roci before.

[ There's humour to his voice, though he's also serious — it'd be an intriguing novelty. Holden would probably get it. Naomi and Alex wouldn't, but none of them are here anyway. It's a little private joke for Amos. One day Sam might get it, too. He's not going anywhere, after all.

Amos frowns, glancing upwards in thought, back at Sam. ​] I might make my way out there. Already did one trek across empty and hostile lands; I could probably manage another. [ It's both empty musing, and... maybe not. Maybe he is serious about this. It's something for him to think about, at least. In case Solvunn doesn't perk up, doesn't offer him direction, doesn't... do anything for him. A place to stay. A job. ] Kinda getting the sense I'd be able to do more there than where I'm at now.

[ It was the waiting in prison that was starting to get at him. The lack of anything to do. He's free in Solvunn, now, but it's kind of the waiting game again. A day-to-day slog. Which is fine, except he'd had a taste of more back home that Sam is reminding him of now.

There's almost a mock offence to Amos' tone when the topic turns back to prison food, though. Later, after all of this, he'll reflect on what it means that he was able to feel this comfortable with someone else this fast. ]

Hey! It's all natural grown. You know how long it's been since I had anything like that? You get used to the culinary up in space, and some of it's pretty good, but then you get the real thing again and it's... [ Amos' voice trails off. He doesn't have a word for it. Amazing seems lacklustre. ] No other place to grow meat in space. You gotta calculate every last resource you have. Animals don't exactly rate high on the priority scale. Definitely not ones as big as those fuckers. Gotta make do so you can actually live up there.

[ He looks almost pleased at the thought of hunting, though. ] Y'know, I've never hunted before, but kinda feels like one of those things I could do. [ It's not a boast or anything, just plainly stated. Killing something to eat later? An action he can take for an action he'll enjoy. ] Don't even mind that much that there won't be fish. Everything you can eat on this planet's incredible, far as I'm concerned.

[falcony]

[ that is the heart of it, isn't it? that maybe it's about being somewhere with advanced tech, but maybe it's actually just about feeling a little less like total strangers with each passing comment. that maybe sam is more than just a little willing to bridge that gap with people he does mesh with, given how much effort sam's been putting into trying to mesh with others, with varying degrees of success. it's a subtle thing, something he doesn't actually give words to, more so it's just a sudden feeling - like this can be good, this could be easy, this will be worth doing, someone worth knowing, and so sam lets himself lean into it without much more.

and - with the offer, with the schedule, with the mention of crawfish, sam is simply beaming at the concept. ]

Done. Want to meet here, or I can probably find your place if I look for it, right? And what...in a week? Same time as now? [ because sam is excited about it - about the ship, about amos' domain, about the concept of having this to look forward to - a little less like he's just drifting through the days of work and eating and general anxiousness about the state of things, and a little more like plans. like settling. either way, they'll have it figured out - sam's not worried about it, and waves off the details for a later time. they'll get it figured out, if anything sam will catch amos before he leaves.

the look back to him that amos gives, and then the subsequent mention of trekking across hostile lands has sam's brows lifting. ] That sounds like a story I'm going to get out of you at some point. [ a promise for another conversation, another time. but sam doesn't push it now, just giving a quick nod to whatever it is amos feels like saying. ]

Think on it, and let me know what you decide. I know it's not an easy thing, so no need to have it all figured out, but my offer stands. Free Cities might not have anything mechanical to engineer, but we're working on it, and god knows there's plenty to do. [ sam says it lightly, and partially in jest, but there is a lot of truth to it - to what sam is trying to do, what he's working on setting up, what the cities have in both work and promise. they just met, though, so sam doesn't necessarily feel like he can really push the subject quite yet, but there's time. they have plans. and whether or not sam finds it strange that he feels a kind of urgency to this - he'll unpack that later, himself.

sam listens, as amos starts in on discussing food. when he trails off, thinking about it. he'd never considered that aspect of it all - of space, of eating, of what the options were once you got there. but he can't really help but smile at the way amos gets into it, the way he himself gets a little lost in all and then comes back around to talk about hunting. ]

Consider that a promise for if you do decide to come - I like cooking, a lot, and if you want to go get the meat I'll make whatever I can from it. You might even learn a thing or two about - what, I guess for you it'd be old school? Southern food. [ sam laughs a little to himself but also to the conversation at hand, before something catches his attention back at the house. either someone calling for him, or maybe just a noise (god dam it julie and lloyd), but either way - sam's attention is now split. ]

Here- I've got to check on something. [ hosting mode: activated. ] You can come on in with me or just enjoy the party, but find me before you leave, alright? We'll get the whole ship thing scheduled. [ and then sam smiles - genuine, happy, content with how this has gone, as his hand clasps down on amos' shoulder. ]

I'm glad we finally met - Amos. For real.

[baltimores]

[ Sam's excitement both is and isn't something he'd thought to anticipate. It makes sense, really. People who haven't been to space tend to get hyped up about the concept. Hell, he'd been like that when he was a lot younger, though back then it was more about getting off of a dying rock than the wonders of the cosmos or some shit. But the eagerness, at scheduling a meeting, at hanging out again... Amos hadn't been all that sure what to think about a big party for no reason. Still isn't, really. But it can't be all bad if this is the guy hosting it; if he wants to see his space, spend time with him.

Yeah, this was a good call.

A small huff of amusement at the idea of a trek across hostile lands being a good story. ] Not much to tell there, but sure. Some other time. [ Since, you know. Them hanging out. Might be a regular thing, if all goes well. And the more Amos thinks about it, will think about it, the more invested he is in that.

It's all he can really do but nod at the idea of thinking about making his way out to the Free Cities, to somewhere not Solvunn, like it isn't the only thing he's going to be thinking about for. A while now. Already, in his quick mental tally, the pros seem to outweigh the cons, and that's without factoring in Sam or Geralt. A thoughtful hum; that'll probably factor in the more he considers it. It's not like moving would be any bigger a change than being in this world already is.

Not to mention the idea of being right by someone who can cook... Not that Amos can't feed himself, but he's never had the chance or want to take passion in what he eats. Another potential point in the Cities' favour. ] There're so many more options for food here. Wouldn't be opposed to expanding my palate at all.

[ He glances as Sam claps his shoulder, a move he's all too familiar with — one he'd normally make himself — and nods, lips quirked upwards in a smile. He'll stick around, at least. Probably along the outskirts of this, drinking a not-real beer, hanging under. Shit, a fucking tree, and ain't something? See if he can find a way to enjoy the atmosphere. Make proper plans with Sam for later. ]

Yeah. [ Yeah, they'll get things scheduled; yeah, Amos is pretty sure he's glad they've met, too. ] I'll be right here.

[ He figures Sam isn't the type to throw platitudes around. Actually means what he says. Which is good; they'll have that much in common, too. ]