PLAYER EVENT ★ HELIOLOGY

[ricksybusiness]

INTRODUCTION. It's difficult to tell time without the presence of a sun or moon. There are no stars. The world is in constant blackness, the heavens barely visible from below and the only light artificial. It's been like this for months. Suddenly, those who expressed interest in observing the sun (or lack thereof) will all at once receive a text message on their ALASTAIR jewellery from 82736775: Get your shit and go look at the sky. Now's the time. If you need me, I'm around. It's time to get to work. OBSERVATION. Find the highest point you can and point the telescopes at the sky. Should be easy, right? Be mindful that there are still guards patrolling the city, looking for escaped prisoners, and some citizens would be very happy to tip them off to your presence. There are still animals in the forests to contend with, and there are still nosey citizens who may ask you too many questions. There are also your fellow ALASTAIR agents, who may not be very willing to share the spot they already staked out before you just showed up. People and animals aren't all you need to look out for, either. Seven hours after the observation starts, there is a lightning storm. It lasts for 30 minutes, bolts of electricity arcing across the sky. It might be a good idea to scurry down someplace lower when this happens -- you know what they say about lightning and height. 82736775 doesn't contact anyone after the initial text, so observers are free to give up whenever they decide they've been sitting out in the freezing dark for long enough. [ note: even if you didn't sign up, feel free to tag in! your character won't have a telescope but that doesn't mean they can't mingle. ]

[ previously: ic info | ooc info ]
[ direct questions here! ]

Comments

[winces]

[ she squints at him through the darkness, tempted to point out he definitely could stop her if she wanted...

but she realizes this might just be his way of conceding. she's beginning to realize he has quite a lot of ways of saying yes without actually saying the word.

she has to wonder if he realizes he's allowed the things that he wants.

...heck — that he's allowed to want things, period. ]

...Thank you.

[ she takes care to sit as far away from him as possible, at least, to give him his space. perching herself right at the edge of the log, she huddles up so that she practically curls into a little ball, save for her hands that she stretches out towards the fire. ]

[headlining]

[He knows exactly what he's doing. There's a sort of reporter's impartiality that he's ingrained into his own personality. A sort of mechanism to distance himself from the things he learns and the topics he investigates. None of what he does has to do with what he wants. It's hard for him to think of it in any other way.]

[He places his boots near the log he's sitting on, and starts to remove his coat so he can dry that off too. His glasses catch the light of the fire, obscuring the eyes behind them.]

What were you doing out and about? You weren't one of the people getting some stargazing done, were you?

[winces]

[ after a few, blissful moments, she draws her hands back to press her palms to her cheeks, willing the warmth to transfer faster across her skin. ]

For a little while, yes. [ try more than a handful of hours. ] I don't think I really found anything, though...

[headlining]

Oh, that's too bad. I managed to get something. A few lights...

[He doesn't know what they mean. He's no astronomer. He leans forward, finally free of his coat, and tries to warm his hands by the fire.]

Hopefully it'll be worth something in the end.

[winces]

[ she perks up a little. ]

W-Wait — did you say "a few lights"?

[ she turns on the log a little, whipping about so quickly that her knees bumps against his. ]

Oh my gosh — so did I! But I wasn't sure if I was imagining it or not... I'd been staring into that little peep-eye thing for so long...

[headlining]

[He instinctively moves his knees away at the impact, though he doesn't twist away from her, entirely - he's still facing her. He moves his arms so that his elbows rest on his knees.]

Yes, well, they looked a bit like stars, didn't they? I wonder what it means.

[winces]

They did... [ she seems uncertain though, worrying on her bottom lip a little. ]

But. I mean — they didn't look like the stars I'm used to... They started to kind of — glow red after a while?

But, gosh, maybe it's just been so long since I've seen real stars that I don't even remember...

[headlining]

You make it sound like it's been years since you've seen them.

[He agrees with her, they were awfully strange-looking, but, well, maybe it was this never-ending darkness that was messing with them.]

Whatever they are, I'm sure the telescope man will figure them out.

[winces]

[ she blushes brightly, suddenly abashed. ]

I-I mean I guess you're right... [ she tries to recall how long it's been, exactly. a couple of weeks...? maybe over a month...?

gosh — thinking of it that way makes it seem like forever. ]

I hope it'll help, somehow.

[headlining]

It probably will. I mean, a few lights is better than just eternal blackness, right?

[He lets out a huff, his usually serious expression turning into one that's more softer, almost wistful.]

In any case, it gives us a bit of hope to hold on to.

[winces]

[ she smiles then, reaching up to curl her hands around her warmed cheeks. ]

That's true, [ she concedes, ] I didn't really think of it that way. I didn't realize you were so optimistic, Mr. Keats!

[headlining]

Ah, me? [He almost looks sheepish - he attempts to hide his face by turning away and scratching the back of his neck.]

Nah, I just like saying how it is. I mean, this all could end in nothing. It could all just be a waste of time.

[winces]

[ she blinks at his gesture for a moment...

before her lips purse into a small, knowing smile. ]

Mm, that's true. But that's not what you thought to say first.

[ SHE SEES THROUGH YOU, KEATS, SHE KNOWS WHAT YOU'RE DOING ]

[headlining]

[MISTER CELLOPHANE, SHOULD HAVE BEEN MY NAAAAMMMME]

[He lets out a very grumpy huff at that. She saw right through him, TIME TO TURN ON THE TSUNDERE.]

Whatever. It's just an opinion. Nothing to make a fuss about.

[winces]

[ her grin splits right across her face, almost leering at this point. how dare she look so smug, tbh. leaning towards him, she cups her chin in her hands. ]

I don't know, Mr. Keats, it's very easy to think negatively. It's a lot harder to be so positive. And if I don't make a fuss about it, who will? You're too modest for that~

[headlining]

I would rather nobody make a fuss about it at all. Especially you.

[He tries to save face by staring her square in the eye, doing his best not to focus on the fact that she's grinning so mischievously.]

And it doesn't mean I feel positively on everything, you know?

[winces]

[ she pouts a little, looking injured. ]

"Especially" me? What did I do...!

[headlining]

You're making a fuss about it! That's what you did. Just...just let it go.

[You're embarrassing him, Olivia!! Also, time to activate his special ability: SUBJECT CHANGE.]

Don't you own a coat or something? How did you wander around dressed like that in the rain?

[winces]

Easily, [ olivia sniffs, straightening up a bit and turning back towards the fire. yes, she's a little petulant, but she didn't like the sound of that especially you at all. as if she were some sort of bad exception. >:'c ]

[headlining]

I don't think you wandered around "easily" in the rain, Olivia.

[He lets out a short sigh. Don't take his grumpy nature personally, Olivia, he's like that to everybody.]

You need to invest in an umbrella for days like this. Though I would still go for the coat, personally.

[winces]

[ her lips purse briefly, though he was wise to call it an "investment" rather than a "purchase." it appeals to the frugal, practical side of olivia's nature — at least when it comes to spending money. ]

I'm wearing a coat, [ she insists. it's the one "santa" had gotten her, but it did better to serve her in the snow than the rain, admittedly. ]

[headlining]

I mean a better coat. The one you're wearing doesn't really work.

[This is the look of a man who is doing his best to quell the urge to just go and buy a coat for her right this minute, all while trying to hide the kind gesture by complaining about it.]

You'll catch a cold, you know.

[winces]

[ she sniffles once, reminiscent of the time he'd caught her standing outside his apartment door, trying to be sneaky... ]

I don't get sick, [ she claims simply, which is also. reminiscent of that time. ]

In any case, you're just as wet as I am.

[headlining]

I can survive. You - [he pauses, gesturing to her with a finger] - have already been sick, don't you remember? You're more likely to catch something bad than me.

[winces]

[ she turns towards that finger and gives it a lofty stare. ] I don't know what you're talking about.

[ a few sneezes doesn't make a cold, keats, gosh!! but of all the things to be stubborn about... seriously, this girl. ]