[ 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

Kylo Ren | The Tower

[photophobic]

Who invited the tall, dark, ominously looming volcano man? Sam, presumably, though why anyone would want Kylo Ren and his inexorably inevitable trail of destruction at their cheery picnic is a mystery even the lord of the mountain himself may not be able to unravel.

Still, he's here. Kylo lingers at the fringes of the gathering, seemingly unaware or uncaring of the way he leaves scorched earth wherever the frayed hem of his heavy-draped skirts touches the ground. Topping off the aesthetic effect of black on black on black, Kylo is frequently accompanied by a large, glossy-feathered raven that alights on his fire-veined shoulder with practiced ease, busying itself with preening Kylo's hair when not otherwise occupied making a nuisance of itself elsewhere.

Unlike many of the guests, this is Kylo's first time visiting Sam's domain, and it shows. Beyond the vague aura of directionless menace he always seems to carry no matter what he's doing, there's an intense curiosity in the dark focus of his eyes that locks in place and doesn't flinch— and any of Sam's guests remaining here long enough will find themselves caught in his unintentionally baleful stare sooner or later.

[Kylo's going to be mooching around staring at all you lovely folks because he's exceedingly rude like that. I'm cool with prose or brackets, feel free to hit me up on plurk starktech or on discord @ cryloren#2195 if you have any questions or want to plot!]

[gynvael]

Exactly one person has made Geralt appear as if he blended right into the party. He might be lingering a bit on the outskirts, but at least he's got a drink and isn't glowering at the guests while the ground scorched around him. Had the man showed up any other way, Geralt wouldn't have paid much attention. As it is, he realizes, almost instantly, who this has to be. Because Jaskier has spoken about him, has composed a damn song altogether, and it is not, for once—as Geralt assumed—an embellishment.

He's curious. Besides, this is the only person here so far, he thinks, who remained explicitly in Thorne's castle. Or—he's fairly certain. Hard to miss who was up on that platform. It isn't a thing one does when planning to flee.

Geralt skirts around a cluster of passing guests. They've locked eyes somewhere along the way, and while there's no challenge in Geralt's gaze, he makes no move to break it, either. If Kylo has been watching, he might've noticed Geralt hasn't exactly been an active participant in the festivities—but that he has, in fact, been into the liquor, that he has no reservations entering Sam's house, and that Jaskier is one of the few people he's bothered to speak with.

"If you sit by the fire," he says by way of greeting, "they'll likely not notice the smoke."

[photophobic]

Kylo's lips tic slightly, possibly indicating amusement— but it's far from easy to tell for certain. It's... generous, perhaps, to offer a helpful suggestion though, and while he isn't the type to openly acknowledge such things there is a subtle shift in the tension he carries across his broad, bared shoulders. His stare slides into a more companionable octave.

"If I sit by the fire, people will assume I haven't realised my robes have caught," he counters. Surprisingly amicably, really. "I'm not too concerned about being noticed."

Which might be obvious, considering the inbuilt drama Kylo carries with him wherever he goes. He assesses Geralt with the marked absence of a scowl.

"Free at last. He must be pleased."

His eyes flick across the gathering in Jaskier's direction in lieu of further explanation.

[gynvael]

There's the faintest interest in his eyes when Kylo treats his remark with sincerity. Most would presume not. He makes a noise in response that seems to say, Fair enough.

No. Clearly not concerned. Though who here is? Someone's already made her entry on a fucking cow beast and Jaskier's winged miniature bear is guzzling wine off to the side. Geralt's found it easier to simply take things as they are, such as a man smoldering upon the grass and looking as if he belonged in an especially dramatic painting.

No wonder the bard was enamoured.

Speaking of. Geralt's gaze lands on Jaskier. Lute in hand, as always. If Kylo is assessing the Witcher, Geralt seems to pay little mind. Pleased is one way to put it. He knows Jaskier was—concerned. Back there. Not that they've especially solved anything after getting the hell out.

"Little less caged," he replies. "Lifts the mood. Food was better in there, though."

That is said dryly, even if there's truth to it, too.

[photophobic]

"Castle Thorne does seem to have the best cooks," Kylo agrees easily enough, "And a lack of interest in having its prisoners starve. Not that there are any left in the dungeon now."

Kylo doesn't seem particularly displeased about it either. If anything, the attack on Thorne served to separate the wheat from the chaff. Resentful prisoners are a complication best lived without. Someone else's problem. If he'd been in Ambrose's position, he definitely would have handled the situation differently. Still, he is curious:

"I take it there wasn't much of a welcome waiting for you?"

[falcony]

Sam most certainly did invite the tall, dark, ominously looming...volcano man. Though to his credit, he hadn't expected the volcano-ing, when he had. Or maybe Sam had expected it and then forgotten when the party had gotten started. Either way - when he catches Kylo's arrival he is a little concerned about the volcanoing, but only a little, and that little bit of worry is soon gone when he remembers that there had been multiple reasons that this whole get together had been outside.

He plans to say hi as soon as he notices Kylo's arrival, but something probably comes up that pulls his attention. It's not until a little later that Sam is able to find him along the outer edges of the party itself. Sam arrives with either an extra drink or plate of food (depending on what he thinks Kylo will be more willing to accept).

"Hey, man. Thanks for coming." Please take whatever extra thing he's holding. He promises it'll be good. And then, because he has definitely noticed the curious eyes - "Did you want a tour?"

[photophobic]

Kylo blinks curiously at the plate of pastries Sam presents him with, but he doesn't reach to take one— why would he? He's not hungry, and he's definitely not diplomatic enough to realise it might be polite to sample his host's offerings anyway. That, or he simply isn't worried about being considered rude.

"An interesting choice," he comments, indicating their surroundings with a thoughtful sweep of his gaze. "I wouldn't want to... damage it."

Which suggests he has at least read the memo when it comes to the rules of the gathering, and also that his current level of volcanoing might be as tame as he knows how to make it. He glances down at the grass withering beneath his feet, then adds a clarification: "Your home."

[falcony]

A part of Sam had expected that reaction, somehow, and therefore doesn’t seem all that tripped up over Kylo’s lack of social graces. Instead, Sam will shrug and lean down to set the plate on the grass at his feet and with his now free hand, he’ll start picking at his own plate of pastries. Whether or not this is real or necessary, there is something familiar and comforting about it that Sam doesn’t mind playing into, if only for himself.

At Kylo’s comment, though, Sam gives a small chuckle. “Listen, man- anything damaged around here can be fixed, as long as you’re willing to do the work.” Which also may have something to do with both the rules that Sam has set and the house in particular. His eyes don’t go down to Kylo’s feet, he doesn’t need to to know what’s happening, but he does glance back to the other - like he’s considering what to ask, or maybe more specifically, how to ask it. He has a few different sets of things on his mind, things that he realizes only Kylo will be able to answer, and Sam is very aware of the precarious place it might put Kylo in.

Sam’s tone, when he finally does ask, is a bit complicated. Curious, but obviously, even if only marginally, a bit hesitant. “How are things back at the castle after everything?”

[souille]

Abigail tries not to stare, but it's difficult when the smoke curls around him in the air and his footsteps literally leave scorched earth in their wake. She tries to focus on the food and conversation going on around her, but she keeps catching him out of the corner of her eye. Eventually, she decides to satisfy her curiosity, heading over to where he's lingering at the edges, offering a polite smile and one of the beers she's grabbed.

"Not really a party person?"

[photophobic]

If anything, Kylo seems more gratified than annoyed by Abigail's persisting curiosity— and by the time she makes the decision to try making his acquaintance, Kylo's fairly curious about her himself. It's always interesting, watching someone debating an approach, and this one is strangely charming.

Charming enough that he takes the beer she offers him despite not being particularly thirsty, though he doesn't drink it. He meets her eyes, gaze heavy and just a little too intense, then glances over the gathering he's clearly not quite a part of.

"This is the first I've been invited to," he says. "But no. I don't think so. Are you?"

[souille]

She leans back against the trunk of a tree, sipping from the bottle she's brought for herself, following his gaze over to the heart of the gathering.

"First time for me, too." As an adult able to participate properly, at least. "I kind of like it, it's pretty chill."

[the_archive]

Someone so obviously (at least in the moment) of the Desolation can't help but draw Jon's attention, and though he doesn't turn towards him, he doesn't need to. Plenty of his spare eyes stare relentlessly, keeping track of that burning shape. He's seen Kylo Ren before, in the castle before he got himself imprisoned, but he's never spoken to him.

The smell of burning grass makes his scarred hand ache, and he works it unconsciously, Jude Perry's handprint feeling tight and raw.

[photophobic]

Jon's thoughts can't seem to stop snagging on his presence, to the point where even here in the Horizon Kylo can't help but find his attention caught in turn. This fear he seems to have inspired simply with his appearance is sharp and strangely disproportionate— Kylo certainly hasn't done anything to warrant it.

Kylo decides to put a theory to the test, pacing smoothly towards Jon with a slow, easily predictable approach. The greenery beneath his feet withers.

Will the panic pouring through Jon's senses have him run?

[the_archive]

His back stiffens at the burning man's approach, but no, he doesn't run. The large eye that runs vertically up the back of Jon's neck stares, wide with a constricted pupil, until Jon turns at last to face him. He wrap his good hand around his bad, jaw set, looking up at this giant.

"Can I help you?"

The fear isn't any less. It's an effort not to look at those hands again, and his breath shakes slightly.

Hello fellow Tower

[not_caroline]

Coraline had seen the volcano from the canopy of her forest during their initial intrusion into Horizon, but she'd made no attempt to approach actual fucking lava. She's a daredevil, not suicidal.

But seeing the person who is very clearly behind it... despite the height and the fiery energy, he's not like. Scary. Not to her. He just looks like a particularly dramatic Elemental who's really leaning into the goth volcano look. And when she realises he's staring, she stares back with defiance and challenge.

[photophobic]

Kylo's gaze remains coolly focused— he's not interested enough to engage in conversation simply because a child throws him an angry look, though his lips do pull into an unpleasant smile as the raven on his shoulder leans in to his ear, as if the two are engaged in some kind of silent conversation.

His fire-tipped fingers reach to stroke the bird's glossy feathers in idle indulgence, possibly a soothing motion for one or both of them. Clearly, the lord of the mountain isn't here to start fights. If Coraline wants one, she'll have to come and get it.

[impressionism]

Hennessy is still deeply suspicious of this entire place, but at least she's got her memories this time around. She's managed to re-attire herself in her characteristically loud and slightly aggressive preferred style of dress: leather pants, precariously high heels, a crocheted halter top in an improbably unnatural shade of hot pink, and a certain fluidity to her flower tattoos that make them morph into slightly more menacing looking thorny versions when observed too closely.

Common sense would tell her to stay away from the lava man, but it's a little late to start having any of that. She approaches with a deliberate casualness after having made a brief circuit of the party.

"So what's your deal, anyway? Beyond killing people with your mind and being Ronan's bodyguard?"

[photophobic]

Kylo eyes Hennessey up slowly, his expression measured in a way that suggests caution. Whether that's for her sake, his, or Ronan's isn't clear.

"My deal?"

His lips tic. He doesn't correct her assumption, despite not having killed a single person here, with his mind or otherwise.

"You might have to be a little more specific."

[impressionism]

Hennessy looks faintly exasperated, but it's mostly good-natured. So far this guy hasn't been anything besides helpful, but that alone makes her an entirely different kind of uneasy than his general aura of intimidation ought to have.

"What do you do when you're not... all this."

She waves a hand at him in a way that encompasses the whole effect he's got with the lava and the all-black wardrobe.

"Does everyone have a magic sword and psychic powers where you're from, or do you have to pretend to be an accountant or something equally mundane to avoid being experimented on?"

[princessvegas]

By the time Julie traipses enough away from the lights and crowd to discover what looks to be a volcano man-monster, she is completely trashed on far more than just the booze. She doesn't look much more than just tipsy, but she's seeing all kinds of shit right now. This, however, is enough to make her stop.

She just kind of blinks at him for a moment, then digs into the front pocket of her tiny denim shorts. She fishes out a suspiciously half-full baggie of pink pills, which she holds close to her face and squints at, as if it will start to murmur answers to her if she only peers intently enough.

"The fuck..." she mutters to herself, glancing up at the plumes of smoke emanating from the monster's... feet? Maybe? She's so confused. The pills don't give her an answer, so she tries again, this time with a bag of powder that she pulls out of her boot.

This might go on for a while if he doesn't stop her.

[photophobic]

Kylo watches her with vague, slowly developing amusement, his eyes following hers as she accuses the various substances stashed about her person of constructing him— but no. She's not seeing things.

"I'm as real as you are," he assures her in a low murmur, though honestly? Depending on what exactly she's on, that might not be as helpful a path to lead her down as he imagines.

[princessvegas]

There is a brief flash of alarm in her eyes at this thought, and she instinctively touches her own face with her free hand. No, it's okay, she's fine, she's there. Once she reassures herself of her own existence, she looks him up and down again, this time with curiosity instead of disbelief.

"What happened to you?" she asks, but it's not critical of him -- she actually sounds marginally concerned, as if she thinks an accident has befallen him to cause this. Also, she's mildly worried that volcano-legs might be contagious. She really doesn't know how the Horizon works, and she is suddenly struck with the idea that someone might be able to manifest this shit onto other people.

After a beat of silence, she offers him the bag of powder. Julie Lawry does not let people have a bad time at parties.

[sankt]

It's later in the gathering. As Sam Wilson's home begins to shed those souls less committed to making merry, the chance of catching someone alone grows by the moment—if indeed time can be said to pass in this place.

Even outside the Horizon, the Darkling has a way of just

appearing

when he isn't expected, and the dreamscape facilitates this habit beautifully. In a place so mutable, it takes nearly no effort to make his voice the anchor of his presence—but for this seething creature, so aware, perhaps something like an echo comes just before it. Like the smoke that would curl from the Darkling's mouth were the timbre of his voice made visible.

"Subtle."

Here he is, tall and slim, pale and dark, his cloak like a sheet of ink dragging through water.

"Couldn't be bothered to make yourself presentable for the occasion?"

[photophobic]

There he is. Kylo had been wondering if Kirigan's desire to maintain his air of detached mystique would be strong enough to keep him from attending even at the fringes of Sam's little soirée— but perhaps beyond his curiosity and interest in keeping tabs on the runaways, he'd failed to factor in the Darkling's passion for particularly sour put-downs. Kylo's mouth tugs at a corner, vaguely unpleasant smile threatening to spill amusement over his face.

"My invitation didn't come with a dress code."

Honestly, the true surprise is that he'd received one at all. Or that Kirigan had; neither of them seem overly suited to performances of camaraderie over a hotdog. But it's now, and only now, that Kylo turns to face the man wreathed in shadow at his side, sizing him up thoughtfully. His tone is quite deliberately light. Artificially mild.

"Looking for someone?"

[sankt]

"Not here."

He isn't particularly interested in sharing who it is he's looking for, and slides away from the question by lifting his chin to indicate the gathering proper, still amicably buzzing at a distance.

"When I first heard about this, I thought it was a joke." It is possible he was invited directly, but the only thing less likely is that he'd accept such an invitation in earnest—yet here he is, technically in attendance. "I'm still not convinced it isn't."

Kylo's shape has changed in the soft periphery of his vision, dark becoming light to indicate a face turning toward him. Because it pleases him to do so, and he sees little need for pretence in this place, he withholds the courtesy of his full attention in return.

(The Darkling has been here for hours. Hours, spent as a distant shape, waiting, while his body sleeps in a locked room.)