villagelogs | 028-029 » the winds of change

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028-029 » the winds of change

WHO: Everyone.
WHERE: Eastern/Central Mathias.
WHEN: Days 028-029
WHAT: A town meeting is called.
WARNINGS: Will update as necessary. PM this account to have a warning added!
NOTES: Plotting post over here!

RECOMMENDED ♫ Deadly Avenger "Ikiryo"

DAY 028
SOMETHING ON THE WIND
Another day dawns in the fair town of Mathias. The sky is a blanket of light grey, tiny specks of snow lightly falling as the hours pass. It makes the town feel almost quaint, the scenery quite peaceful in its winter garb. But beneath the veneer of peace there is a pervasive dread of something approaching. Something inevitable is on the wind, something that has come before and will come again...

Throughout the day, residents will consistently experience feelings of deja vu, that sense of having done or seen or said something before that can never be fully recalled. It happens again and again, tugging at the back of their minds, the memories just frustratingly out of reach.

Residents will also notice a note pinned around town:

The note can be found on the town hall's bulletin board and the front doors of many town establishments, including the Grey Gull, the library, and the boarding house. At the bottom of the note it is specified that the meeting will take place "tomorrow, when the sun is over the town square."

NEW ARRIVALs
The newest arrivals to Mathias will wake on the frozen lawn of the town hall atop a snowdrift. They had best hurry inside and get warmed up before hypothermia sets in.

DAY 029
A GATHERING OF MINDS
In the late afternoon when the sun hangs over the town square, residents will converge upon the Town Hall, where a larger meeting room has been filled with rows of chairs. After most people arrive, John Constantine stands and addresses the room... and then sits again. A grand introduction, truly.

Residents are encouraged to share their experiences and information they have gathered in the town while holding questions until the end. Rather than getting tangled in the intricacies of each person's tale, it seems better to absorb the broad strokes and try to connect the puzzle pieces to get a look at the bigger picture that is the mystery of Mathias Township.

THE INEVITABLE
As the meeting comes to an end and residents begin to converse among themselves, the feeling of something approaching and sense of deja vu begin to build, becoming almost oppressive as night falls. An hour after nightfall, residents learn the reason for these sensations that cease immediately as the earth begins to rumble. The buildings shake, furniture tumbles, and breakables crash to the floor as the earthquake sets in without warning.

The tremors last around a minute, far longer than a normal earthquake, and then the town settles again. There are no aftershocks, which many may note is quite unusual. Residents will find quite a bit of mess in their homes and other locations around town, but there is no structural damage to be found despite the intense shaking.

CONDITIONS UPDATE
— THE WEATHER is fairly typical of a northern winter. The sky is grey, the temperature hovers just below freezing during the day (colder at night), and a light snow falls during both days. Residents should bundle up when going outside and not venture too far into the dark night...

— THE FOG remains blocking the paths in the forest, urging residents to stay huddled within the town proper, and it also now blocks the northern section of town, beginning just before where residents know the chasm in the earth to be. Venturing into the fog is ill-advised.

— DISAPPEARANCES continue with Sherlock Holmes being the latest victim of the town's unsettling whims.

OOC NOTES
— TOWN MEETING STRUCTURE The town meeting section of the log is designed for characters to share any information they would like to with the other residents in attendance. ICly, characters should "hold questions until the end" with the intent that they can get the Big Picture first and connect any dots they see. OOCly, this means players should post their character's information sharing tag in the Meeting section, but the actual conversation about whatever they share happens after the meeting proper in the Mingle section. That way, these conversations can happen however players prefer, be that one-on-one or in small or large groups.

— HOUSING Please be sure your character's housing arrangements are up to date on our list. We're missing a few people and it really helps to know where everyone is for planning. Frequent updates for wandering characters are perfectly acceptable.

— THE BULLETIN BOARD has been updated. Players should note there is a change to the wall near the board that may be of great interest to some residents.

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[Castiel is glad to be back in their own house. Or, rather, the borrowed house that they've claimed for themselves here in Mathias, he supposes is the technical way of describing it. Mostly, Castiel is trying to give Dean the space and time he's asked for, not wanting to pressure him into anything, even as much as he yearns for Dean, for that intimacy between them the night they kissed.

He tries to keep himself busy, tidying up the home, taking stock of what they have through running an inventory of sorts, making a list of what they should stock up on and anything that they might still need, and organizing what they do have stocked up. Between his conflicting emotions and his struggle with reconciling his newly human needs with his angelic abilities, it's all quite a lot for Castiel; he tries not to let himself get overwhelmed.

He's in the middle of dusting the living room as a means of getting out of his own head when Claire approaches, knocking any semblance of pretense right out of the water by directly asking about him and Dean. Castiel stiffens before he can help himself as he turns to her.] What do you mean? It's been a long few days; I think we're both just stressed out from being trapped in that other house.

[Castiel says, as if he could actually fool Claire with his attempt at avoiding answering the question.]

Right. Yeah, totally.

[ No human in the history of humanity has sounded less convinced of anything than Claire does in this moment. ]

So here's the thing, Mary Poppins. I don't think that anything spooky going on in Mathias would make you stress-clean the house. 'cause that's a very Jody thing you do. And no offense, you're no Jody.

[ She misses Jody. ]

Though you do get props for making decent sandwiches.

[ Claire flops down onto the couch with the sort of practice casual sprawl that only teenagers and young adults can manage, careful not to jostle her right hand. ]

Take it from someone who's made deflection an art form... what you are is a pretty shitty liar. Just saying.

[Castiel wishes, in that moment, that he could forget all he's learned and experienced of human sarcasm, particularly the sarcasm and wit of young adult humans. He hears Claire's lack of conviction in her tone; he sighs, rubs a hand over the bottom half of his face as he tries to think of an answer that isn't exactly the truth but will still satisfy her curiosity in some way.

He huffs out something of a laugh when Claire mentions that he's 'no Jody.' She's certainly not wrong there.] I'm glad I have decent sandwiches going for me. That seems to be the only thing I have going for me, at the moment.

[He sighs again, shoulders sagging. He considers a moment before deciding to join Claire on the couch, curling up into the opposite corner from where Claire has sprawled herself out.] I don't know that you'll want to hear what I have to say regarding me and Dean.

[He can't imagine that Claire Novak will want to know that, in her father's body, he made out with Dean Winchester after an attempt at talking through their feelings.]

[ Claire's eyes narrow. What's with the self-deprecation around here? Sheesh. She's the only one who is allowed to give these oafs shit, no one else - not even they themselves. ]

Bullshit.

[ She says that easily and without heat, stretching out one leg to poke Cas' knee with the tip of her boot. ]

Remember... when you came back for me. I told you that you're nicer. And a bit of a doofus. Doesn't mean best you can do is sandwiches.

[ Not his fault she was clever enough to give him the slip either. He's... trusting. With a big old heart that she never suspected him to have when all she felt, chained to his comet, was something ancient and righteous and fierce.

In so many ways, though, he's just like her. An outer shell that's heart and fierce, and if you dig below... if you see the truth...

I can barely keep it together on a good day. ]

Are you putting yourself down because your grace fizzled out in this shit hole?

[As Claire pokes him with her boot, Castiel actually manages a quirk of a smile, a burst of fondness for Claire flaring up in his chest. Even his ancient and celestial self can appreciate her concern and the way she tries to cheer him up. Truth be told, it does feel good to talk to someone about everything he's been through, especially with someone who isn't Dean.

At her mentioning that he's more than good for sandwiches, Castiel's smile widens as he turns to look at her.] Thanks Claire. I appreciate that.

[And of course, in the next moment, they come to the meat and potatoes of it all, as Dean might say. He feels relaxed enough around Claire that he feels he can talk about it; his shoulders sag and he lets himself relax back against the back of the couch.]

I think that's certainly part of it. My Grace has restored itself now, but who's to say that next time I won't accidentally use even more of it and possibly incapacitate and/or kill myself? Plus, the fact that I'm still an angel yet I need to perform human functions. It's all very...well, it's a lot, as you kids might say.

[Castiel manages a flicker of a smile in Claire's direction before letting out a long, low breath. He concentrates on the floor by his feet when he next speaks.]

There's also the fact that I'm in love with Dean.

.... huh.

[ Her breath leaves her in a little puff with the sound, and for a moment Claire thinks she can practically hear the record scratch in her brain as her mind tries to wrap its head around that.

Her face goes on a bit of a journey, of internalizing the concept to her nose wrinkling as she weighs Castiel against her father's body, as she contemplates Dean in general as a romantic aspect for any self-respecting person, as she comes to the conclusion she'd rather not think about it because neither of them is her father but they're kind of her Dads, so like, ew but also good on them, maybe.

Eventually she narrows her eyes. ]

Alright, so why are you moping in here instead of making gross heart eyes at the guy?

[ Never let it be said that complex emotional stakes cannot be boiled down to... well. This. ]

Edited 2021-01-29 05:42 (UTC)

[Castiel physically tenses, bracing himself for Claire's reaction. He can't blame her for however she chooses to react; it's a...unique situation, and one that does effect her, from multiple angles.

The 'huh' somewhat catches him off-guard, a more mild response than he expects. Castiel turns to her, expression cautious, as she processes this information. Perhaps he shouldn't have told her. But she already knows that something is going on between him and Dean; Claire is an intelligent, clever, and bright young woman, and himself and Dean aren't exactly acting subtly with the way that they're attempting to walk on eggshells around one another.

When she asks him that, Castiel sighs, shoulders sagging. Now here comes the part that will probably, he thinks, prove especially awkward.]

Because we made out the other night and Dean needed space when I talked to him about it.

[It is, of course, more complicated than how he describes the situation, but it feels like the best way to summarize the entire experience for Claire.]

First of all: Gross.

[ But there's a wry smile once she's done sticking out her tongue in fake disgust. Who likes to hear about old guys getting it on, after all. Like good for Cas, but also... again with the sort-of-dads motif.

And her father's corpse.

How's her life this shitty and complicated?

Not the point of this conversation though. Claire's expression slides into something more neutral, and she looks at Cas for a while, with those too blue eyes that are so much like his.

Difficult to reconcile the comet she was once chained to with the soft, lovesick creature in front of her. ]

Alright. So, we're waiting for Dean to untwist his panties. Gotcha. I suggest alcohol. Cures any woe temporarily. And you look like you can use a pick me up. Also, just saying, Dean's like really old, so if he gives you shit, I can totally kick his ass for you. Defend you honor, all that jazz.

[ She's not serious - not in what she says about kicking anyone's ass, at least. But there's something genuine in the way her hand curls around his and squeezes for a moment before Claire gets up to retrieve two glasses and some of Dean's booze.

She chews on her bottom lip as she pours. ]

He'll get over himself, y'know. Love's stupid, and so is Dean sometimes, but it'll work out.

[Castiel doesn't know what to expect out of Claire's reaction but he braces for it, all the same. He feels the weight of her gaze, wonders what she's thinking. It's difficult not to dwell on how similar her blue eyes are to his own. (Or, rather, the eyes of his vessel, her father's body, which is a train of thought he doesn't want to particularly travel down at this moment.)

Castiel listens as Claire mentions something about Dean's panties being in a twist and then alcohol curing everything, and he manages to smile, almost laugh, even.

When her hand squeezes around his, he squeezes back.

At her comment about love and stupidity, he does at last laugh out loud, watching her pour them some of Dean's alcohol.]

I appreciate your sense of optimism. Technically, I'm older than Dean. But I guess we're both of us old fools, in our own ways.

Yeah well... you may be older than dirt, but you're a precious little doofus when it comes to humans and emotions. Here.

[ Claire joins Cas on the couch again, passing one of the glasses off to him. She's definitely poured them more than what any decent waiter would ever. Like what's the point of only pouring two fingers into a glass when there's so much more room in the glass, right?

Claire clinks her glass to Cas' and gives him a smile she hopes is encouraging. ]

You are braver than I am when it comes to liking people. So here's to speaking your truth.

[Castiel smiles, mostly to himself, at Claire's words; they mean more to him than he can rightfully express beyond gratefully accepting the glass she offers to him and lifting it up in a sort of toast, clinking his glass with hers when she does so.]

Here's to speaking truths, and finding new paths in a new place.

[He feels it's a worthy addition; they may not ever be able to escape Mathias, Castiel realizes. But that doesn't mean that they can't forge new ways forward regardless. And he's very much grateful for having his family here, all of them.

He takes a sip of his drink a moment later. The taste is...interesting. And it burns down his throat. But that doesn't stop Castiel from drinking more of it.]

Huh. That's interesting. And Dean made this, did he?

[A moment later, he realizes something about what Claire told him earlier.] Claire, is there...someone here you like?

Yeah, Dean made it.

[ Claire winces as her sip goes down. She has no idea if it's good or bad for something hacked together on the guy's own merits, but hey, it gets the job done and hasn't killed anyone yet. So as far as alcohol goes, good measure.

Castiel's question, to her credit, doesn't make her blush.

It does, however, make her bite her lip, gaze skittering away like a nervous little animal as Claire fidgets where she sits, her entire body language going from deliberately relaxed to something a little smaller - a little younger. ]

What? No. Don't be ridiculous. This place is basically packed to the brim with old dudes. Like, really old.

[ Her comment was more about Kaia. Her reaction is more about the here and now, though, about things Claire's felt sitting in her chest. ]

[There's something to be said for drinking the fruits of one's labor, or, in this case, the fruits of other people's labor, particularly when that other person is Dean. Castiel smiles to himself, almost out of instinct, at this point, hearing Dean's name in connection with whatever form of alcohol it is they're drinking.

Claire's reaction to his question catches his attention. He sips again from his drink, arching an eyebrow at the way she fidgets and bites her lip. He does have to laugh at her description of those currently populating Mathias at the moment.]

You're not wrong there. Us older dudes do seem to make up an overwhelming amount of the population here.

But that's beside the point. What's on your mind, Claire?

[He's tempted to tease her, the way she's ribbed him over liking Dean. But he also doesn't want to pressure her, or cause her to feel guilty in anyway over her own feelings; he wants her to be able to confide in him, if she feels comfortable enough to do so.]

Claire narrows her eyes, somewhere on the pricpe between relaxed and defensive. She doesn't like talking about these things, doesn't like to be on the emotionally vulnerable end of a conversation. So she downs the rest of her drink, motions for Cas to do the same, and pours them both more alcohol.

We're too sober for this shit. Question, though. So you're like. I mean, I remember what you felt like. Totally not even really human - I mean, just... light and energy, right. But obviously, you've grown beyond that. You have feelings and shit. So, how did you know? With Dean, I mean. How'd you know it's love?

[Claire downs her drink, indicates for Castiel to do the same, and so he does, the alcohol burning its way to his stomach. He's sure he'll come to regret drinking like this, given that his angelic abilities are altered here.

When she asks about how and when he knew he loves Dean, Castiel lets out a long, low breath. If he weren't on his way to inebriation, he isn't certain he could discuss this as freely as he will now.]

It took me a long time to be able to name what I feel for Dean. I doubted and questioned everything; I didn't understand why Dean means more to me than others, what about that difference really distinguished between familial love and romantic.

But one day, I just knew. The truth of my feelings hit me, like a pie to the face, as Dean might say. I felt as though I were seeing the sun for the first time. It was... terrifying, admittedly. But also liberating.

Like a pie to the face...?

[ Claire snorts, an undignified but amused sound. ]

Alright, a poet you are not.

[ She tops off their glasses, then just holds her drink for a moment, thinking about... well. About herself. About Ellie, about Kaia. About being teased in high school for not having a boyfriend, figuring out something about herself slowly but surely, and then throwing herself headfirst into hunting to avoid doing something about the things she figured out. ]

Dean's a good dude, far as dudes go. Won't pretend I get the appeal, but I mean... I don't know, guess I hope he gets his shit together with you, y'know? I mean, if he doesn't, there's always the alcohol. Just...

[ Claire frowns a little. ]

Like sure, give him some time to figure himself out, but y'know. Don't let him come back for more make out sessions until he's sure. You deserve that respect, too, y'know.

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028-029 » the winds of change

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