Repose

[locked to eddie n., cat c., jason w., cris m., atticus m., mary m., holly r.]

[Locked separately to each of them. She tries Sasha and see that it bounces back:] How are you doing after all that shit?

[locked to damian w.]

How are you doing, baby bird?

[locked to tim d.]

Good job disappearing again.

[locked to dick g.]

Have you talked to our brother? I think he needs you. We all d

[locked to misha b.]

How are you doing, sweetheart? Have you heard from Damian?

[public]

Who else is a little worried that they might get Freddy Krueger-ed in their sleep while doing one of these nice dream things?

[Not really a delivery. It's left right by Sam's pillow after Cris gets up to go to the store on the 14th. It ain't much, but inside a mug, bent to fit, is a card. Cris scrawled inside: You're sure lucky, ain't you? - C]

[It's all individual - not a group lock - but the same message goes to everyone she knows: Sam and Cris, Aedan, Patrick, Destiny, Dahlia, Steve, Liam, Seven, Daniel. (If your kid is missing and they know each other, give me a heads-up. I didn't mean to leave anyone out!)]

everything ok with you?

[Locked to Sam M]

So, decide on any New Year's resolutions I ought to hold you to?

[Locked to Cris M]

Hello Cris. How are you? How have things been since New Year's?

[Locked to Daniel W]

Hello Daniel.

[Public]

Looks like I missed out on letters from the past.

[Several days into the new year, when she's finally received all of her gifts, had a chance to look through everything, and hide it. Then she has to go through the process again, as she's moved from one level of the center to another. They tell her that the first part of her stay there is over, that her withdrawl dymptoms should start to ease, but there are still so many that linger. Nevertheless, she gets a new (not quite so spartan or supervised) room. And a tiny step up in "freedoms".]

[Dahlia]
hey. wanted to thank you for teh books. i'm still working my way throuhg the first one because my attention gets kinda fucked up, but so far so good. [...] i really apreciate it.

[Patrick]
[She's not the best at drawing, and her lines are a little shaky in addition to that, but she manages a "big-circle, two-little-circles" version of a mouse and puts eyes and a smiley face on it. Then it gets a speech bubble:]
thank you for the cute mouse. i keep it on the little shefl right by my bed in my new room. it makes me smile when i look at it.

[Daniel]
[This gift was unexpected in every way, and it means she doesn't quite know what to say in thanks. The necklace itself has been hidden as well as she can, tucked in her things. She's honestly suprised that they actually gave it to her, box and all.]
daniel,
thank you for the nekclace. it's beautiful. i hope you didn't spend too much on it, as i cant give a gift in return right now. i dont know when i'll have a chance to wear it but i'll keep it safe until then.
thank you,
marta (sunshine)

[The Martins]
thank you guys so much for the gifts. i'm not sure whne i'm going to get a chance to use any of it, but hopefully before anything expires. you really didnt need to get me anything, but thank yuo for doing it.
-marta

[Aedan]
aedan,
thank you os much for everything you sent to me for christmas. i think they didn't want to give me the tea, but they couldn't find anythign wrong with them, so i did get them. i'm kinda hiding all the food for now but i had jsut a little of the peanut butter fudge. i dont go outside yet, but i've been wearing everything else.
thank you,
marta

[Steve]
thank you again for evverything you got for me for christmas.
-marta

[locked to batboys (minus Tim)]

I've made a New Years resolution to be a better sister. People have been giving me reality checks lately, and I'm sorry I'm a shithead.

[locked to cat c.]

Wellllllllll. [She links her to the latest conversation with Eddie.] I guess he doesn't even know if he loves me anymore. So that's great. [...] What the fuck am I supposed to do?

[locked to cris m.]

Did you have a good Christmas? And thank you for the supplies. Clearly Atticus got to you already.

[Locked to Liam R.]

The book isn't rubbish. [...] How was your Christmas?

[Locked to Misha B. & Damian W.]

Your gift to me was far too generous. I don't know how to thank you.

[Locked to Cris M.]

Thank you for the gifts, please forgive me for not getting you anything. This was my first time participating in any gift giving for Christmas, and I'm not very good at it.

[Sam & Cris M]

[There is a long, long line of :D!]

[Damian W & Misha B]

I know it's New Year or whatever but I hope your Christmas was/is awesome.

[Jason W]

scale of one to ten, how much did it suck?

[Cat C]

you're super fucking generous.

[Eddie N/Steph M]

was it at least a good Christmas?

[Clary House]

hey, was your Christmas merry and bright? because mine was totally awesome. and thanks, P. I'm basically marathoning Stranger Things because weird-ass town, it felt right. when does Newt move in?

[Delivered, reservation for two on New Years Eve at a four-star French Restaurant in the Capital that is known for being difficult to get reservations for. Also delivered, a smart jacket. The reservation may be confirmed for any time during the evening, and may be followed - if they wish, by dancing.

When they arrive, they will find their meal is entirely paid for along with a bottle of their choice of wine (if they drink).]

[No presents from her this year, but she can at least send messages on the forum. All the same, but each is locked separately (except Sam and Cris, which is locked to both of them).]

[Individual Locks to: Patrick, Destiny, Dahlia, Aedan, Sam/Cris, Daniel, Jude, ...and Seven]

Merry Christmas. And Happy New Year.
-Marta (Sunshine)

[Locked to Sam M, Lou D, Iris M, Manning T, Leo B, Dawn L, Daniel W]
Okay, so what's the plan? We can't host without bringing down the ceiling, so who's volunteering this late in the game?

[Locked to PJ R]
Hey, PJ, how you doing?

[Locked to Oliver K]
Oliver, you got plans for Christmas?

[Locked to Holly R]
Hey, chica.

[Locked to Jason W]
How's it going?

[Locked to Stephanie M]
Hey, chica, you got plans for Christmas?

Who: Cris, Daniel, Sam
What: A prezzie that will probably go all kinds of wrong
Where: Above Webster's Music
When: Nowish
Warnings/Rating: Vamps and language

Sam thought this was a great idea, yeah?? She hadn't seen Daniel in a while, and she could tell he was messed up and sad and drunk, but none of that deterred her. She was bouncy chaos in smudged eye-makeup, a heathered tee, jeans and Docs. Gone was the girl that had minded even the slightest nip of cold. She didn't even wear a jacket, yeah? Her fingers were bedecked in loud rings painted cheery pastels, and her hair was a mess. Her jeans rode low and loose, and there were vestiges of portraiture in the oil paint that declared itself in random spatters along denim and black boots.

But, yeah, she thought this was a good idea. She was trying to reconnect lately, ok? It felt like hugely important to her, and she didn't know why. It was like she'd somehow drifted the fuck away from everyone, or everyone had drifted the fuck away from her, and maybe that was just clarity wrapped in bloodlust or something. She was different now. She got that, yeah? It wasn't that the damage was like GONE, but it kinda was. She didn't see scars when she looked in the mirror anymore, and she was more concerned about the gaping maw blood-hunger left in her belly than she was in wishing for the days of needles. So, yeah, different. Anyway, she wanted to see Daniel, and Daniel was whining about wanting to be human, and Cris could do that.

Merry Christmas, huh? She stopped outside the music store, and she wondered if a vampire-someone needed to be invited INTO another vampire's house. No fucking clue, so she looked over at Cris, and then she tipped her head back and YELLED at the upstairs window. "CAN I COME IN???!!!"

Gin fueled can’t sleep thoughts by yours truly. I know you’ve all missed me and my views on the world. Sorry, I got weirdly into football.

Hobby horse jousting but on roller skates. Yay or nay?

I’m glad they made Gaston 200 more times evil in the live action movie because I’d have bit right into that. Madame Gaston? Yes please.

I counted all my hats. Guess how many I have.

I literally live in a B&B down the street from my actual house. But now I can say things like “I’m going up north for the weekend” even if it’s like spitting distance north.

I spilled gin on the carpet.

I once had a rabbit that looked like Winston Churchill. She was a girl but I named her Winston anyway. I called her Winnie.

What kind of cookies does everyone want me to burn for Christmas?

Wish I may, wish I might; what would you wish on a star tonight?

[Locked to Cris M]
HEY. I'm gonna meet up with Leo in the Capital. Also there's some weird shit on the air, like something strange feeling, but it was gone fast or whatever. IDK. OH! And Leo is buying us a fryer and we're gonna invite his GF over for dinner. We'll invite Lou and Iris too, and Manning and the kids, but IDK if they're gonna wanna come. And I have NO IDEA where we're gonna find the room for this, so, yeah, that's on YOU. ;)

[Locked to Caleb R]
Back in town. Miss anything? How are the new guys working out?

[Locked to Cisco D]
Hear I missed some excitement.

[Locked to Billy K]
Enjoy having the place to yourself while I was gone?

[Locked to Cris M]
Fill me in, brother.

[When it happens, it's almost instantaneous. There's a feeling of coolness, solid and immovable, here, then gone. For some, it might take time to even notice the effects. Others couldn't miss it if they tried. All abilities, all differentiations, deviations from humanity are nullified. A super soldier might return to who they were before the serum. A werewolf might be suddenly devoid of their lycanthropic half. A witch, now magicless and mundane. Who it hits, if it does, is apparently random, collateral damage of a shock-wave whose epicenter can't be determined.

The induced humanity holds for, at most, a week. For others, it lasts all of an hour. For a few, it doesn't so much as brush by. And those who are already human notice nothing. They don't feel the coolness. You can't be pushed into a state you already inhabit, after all.

But, for a brief period of time, Repose is almost as it advertises itself: a normal, little town, sleeping on the edge of a city. Of course, that doesn't last long.]

[Public]

it's a brand new world, post-rabies. which means if you're skeevy enough to turn up to a strip place, stare and don't tip, you have options. elsewhere options.

what's the one thing you'd miss if it was gone, even if you don't exactly like it right now anyway?

[Sam M]

hey, so I finally have enough cash to drop by the store and pick out whatever. upgrade from ballpoint pen. give me a guided tour?

[Cris M]

hi :) how's shit post rabies and stuff?

[Clary House: Patrick G, Destiny S, Matt D]

so are we talking about the fact Matt is still missing and it's nearly a week since the party? does he do this like, often?

[[Family lock: Cat C, Eddie N, Stephanie M]

so are we throwing a party, or what?

[With the same lock that Manning used, she sends out several photos with no additional comment.

1. TJ sitting next to and leaning over a baby carrier where AJ is just visible as tiny wrinkled hands and a pink face in a pile of carefully-tucked blanket.

2. AJ on her back on a lush sheepskin on the floor, Iris' hand visible on AJ's tummy, tiny eyes peering over at the snouts of the two dogs as they lay nearby with their heads on their front paws, studying her.

3. Obviously taken as a selfie, but all that's visible of Iris is the end of a light braid coming over her shoulder. AJ is cradled close and in the middle of a huge, toothless yawn.

4. Manning, TJ, and AJ, all asleep on the couch. Manning laying with his head propped on the arm of the couch, AJ propped by his arm and the cushions, TJ starfished along his other side with his hand on her back so that she doesn't slip off the couch (though it's easily deep enough for all of them).]