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Tweak says, "but will it go unrequited???"

paxnarrator (paxnarrator) wrote in paxletalelogs,
@ 2017-06-12 09:11:00

Entry tags:

eris, event post, loki, mod post, pan, xochipilli

we r who we r
Who: EVERYONE.
What: LA Pride march.
Where: Hollywood Boulevard.
When: Sunday, March 11.
Notes: Hey guys! Sorry this is going up a day late; LA Pride switched from a parade to a march, so I wanted to wait to get some details (and also just to make sure nothing happened, just with the way our political and social climate has been going) to do this event right and make sure it would work for our purposes. The atmosphere still seems to have been one of celebration, and I think we're good to move forward with this idea! So feel free to have your characters dip in wherever, please remember to label where your characters are located (we're focusing on Hollywood Blvd, which means they could be standing on the starwalk, outside the chinese theater, closer to one of the ridic museums or restaurants around there, etc.) along with a timestamp if at all possible, label if you're expecting a certain character to join yours in the thread, and also please ask before joining a thread that contains two or more characters (unless it's been preplanned, ofc!). As always, even though this event is backdated, you can take your time writing out any planned -- or unplanned -- threads. And yeah! Any other questions, please direct toward the mod email.

Rainbow colored flags flapped in the afternoon hours of Sunday, moving in wind that swerved over the heads of ten thousand marchers moving up the iconic Hollywood Boulevard past the Chinese Theater that had seen starlets and producers and the Starwalk that immortalized those who had lived and died for the entertainment of others. The marchers had a far more political mindset, holding signs that read #RESIST and Trump OR Truth! They were an eclectic lot; some shirtless or pantsless, instead opting for chaps or booty shorts, some with fairy wings, most dressed in the colors of the day as they moved as one giant mass united by an idealistic world that they wanted to make reality.

Supporters and protesters alike lined the streets, separated by armed and vested police officers. Wesboro Baptist Church attendees screamed into a microphone, hurling abuse at the protesters, who mostly ignored the insults and marched on, holding their signs proudly toward the sky. Those who chose not to partake in the march watched from the sidewalk, saluting with peace signs, drinks, weed, and anything else that came to hand. Palm trees waved in the slight breeze of the hot day, the sun beating down and giving little relief to those who were prostrating themselves beneath its rays, but there were smiles, laughter, and music aplenty to keep the spirits of the attendees of the LA Pride #ResistMarch afloat.

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Re: Nish&Jen / Gabe&Eshan

xochipilli
2017-06-13 02:47 pm UTC (link)

"I think someone said upward of ten thousand were expected?" Eshan offered, drawing his hand back after shaking Jen's. "So, hah, yeah, if you guys were hoping to meet up with anyone else, I think walkie-talkies or something might've been in order."

"Or, you know, there's cell phones," Gabe chided gently, causing Eshan to roll his eyes albeit while smiling.

"You're the last person I'd be expecting to hear that correction from, babe," he teased back, leaning forward to press a kiss to Gabe's temple. Gabe shook his head, turning the conversation back to their companions. A hand reached up to adjust his glasses.

"So how long have you guys been here? Looks like the march is going strong, or we can see what else is happening." He glanced between the brunette and the blond, making no comment (verbally or physically) about the fact that Nish seemed to have moved on fairly quickly after the break up with Rafe; part of him wondered if this woman was part of the reason for their rift, but it wasn't his business. All of this, of course, merely served to bring the man into his thoughts again, though the smile pressed to his face revealed nothing to those present. He just hoped that Rafe was taking care of himself.

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Re: Nish&Jen / Gabe&Eshan

nishka
2017-06-13 05:43 pm UTC (link)

Nish’s eyebrows rose just a little when Eshan estimated the crowd. Lately she’d been feeling less inclined to be around people, but she’d agreed to come to this because Jen wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. But now, the idea of being in a sea of that many people made her want nothing more than to go home and curl up with Bear and have a nap.

“We just got here, actually,” Nish said in answer, “we parked like, ten blocks away and walked ‘cause everything’s blocked off anywhere near here. I was actually thinking about finding a vendor with something cold to drink,” she said, glancing around them but not spotting anything immediately obvious like a lemonade stand or a hotdog truck that sells pop.

“I thought I saw something back the way we came,” Jen said, looking past the small group down the crowded sidewalk. “We could follow the parade until we find something?” Nish shrugged and looked to Gabe to see what they wanted to do. There was no reason why the two men had to follow them, but it was nice to hang out with people she knew.

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Re: Nish&Jen / Gabe&Eshan

xochipilli
2017-06-13 05:57 pm UTC (link)

"Ah yeah, we took public transit, which..." Eshan grinned. "I would not recommend. There was a homeless guy on that bus who had not bathed in weeks."

Gabe poked him in the side, sliding a hand over the small of his boyfriend's back before ushering them all to start walking, as well as they could, through the throng of people. "We came down Hollywood, there was a small churro truck a little ways back with some water bottles, I think, if they're still there," he mentioned. The march was headed in that direction anyway, so they'd be following the various signs and protestors as they moved.

"This is a huge turnout compared to last year," Gabe commented as they looked out over the crowd.

"Given the political climate, it's not that surprising," Eshan replied. Gabe caught his hand, squeezing.

"Not at all," he replied, glancing at Nish and Jen. "So how'd you two meet? Obviously you're getting out of the complex more than was implied earlier," he tried on teasingly, a smile moving around one corner of his mouth.

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Re: Nish&Jen / Gabe&Eshan

nishka
2017-06-13 06:21 pm UTC (link)

Nish chuckled slightly, “I guess,” she said, turning a smile on Gabe. “We actually met at a painting class...I thought I should try getting some instruction, and I ended up sitting next to her,” she said, now smiling at Jen, who playfully bumped shoulders with her.

“We bonded over Big Bang Theory and Bob Ross videos,” Jen laughed. “I think I kind of threw myself at her, actually.” Nish laughed and rolled her eyes.

“You did not, you liar,” she said with a grin, turning her attention back to Gabe. “So what about you guys? I don’t really know much about you,” she said, shifting her eyes to direct the comment to Eshan.

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Re: Nish&Jen / Gabe&Eshan

xochipilli
2017-06-13 06:40 pm UTC (link)

Eshan looped an arm around Gabe's neck, pulling the slightly shorter man into his taller, lanky body. "Movie set. This one's a regular celeb--"

"Screenwriter," Gabe corrected, rolling his eyes. "Eshan's a camera grip, and I, ah, was having some words with the director."

"When they were done fighting, I came over to tell him I thought his ideas were better," Eshan grinned, and Gabe's hand came up to hook around Eshan's wrist. "He asked me out for coffee so we could talk about them, ah, a little more privately."

"You make it sound illegal," Gabe snorted, hipchecking the taller man. Eshan laughed, his arm loosening to take Gabe's hand once more. "He's been in Texas for the last few months, shooting on another film, while I've been here. Long distance sucks, but we've made it work."

"The key is sexting and getting really good at phone sex," Eshan leaned over to whisper roughly, pulling red cheeks and a slightly embarrassed laugh out of Gabe. "Oh, come on, it goes with being a writer, doesn't it?"

"No, I would definitely say it does not, necessarily, though I guess I've got a back up career should I need it... Anyway, a painting class, huh?" He deftly switched topics, the burning in his cheeks subsiding. He turned the focus back on the other party. "That's great. I'm glad you're keeping up with that, Nish. So when are you going to invite me to a showing?"

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Re: Nish&Jen / Gabe&Eshan

nishka
2017-06-13 07:12 pm UTC (link)

At the mention of sexting and phone sex, Jen immediately started to laugh and Nish grinned, though she tried not to be as obvious about it for Gabe’s sake. “We should definitely do that, Nish,” Jen said, grabbing her glittering arm playfully.

“Why, when I can have the real thing whenever I want?” Nish asked with just as much playfulness.

“Role-play! We can pretend that you’re away on business or something…”

“Not that kind of job, Jen,”

“Just pretend…” Nish shook her head and grinned, rolling her eyes at Gabe to share her amusement. His question brought out a look of alarm though.

“Ohh god, I’m not planning anything like that,” she protested, “it’s just a class, learning technique, getting feedback…”

“...copying Bob Ross paintings,” Jen added at the end with a smirk. Nish chuckled.

“At least we have better hair.”

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Re: Nish&Jen / Gabe&Eshan

xochipilli
2017-06-14 06:10 pm UTC (link)

Eshan barked a laugh, and Gabe shook his head.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to shove you into anything. It was only a joke," he carefully reassured one half of their companions. "Bob Ross has a lot to teach us, especially about the trees. I think he was a tree whisperer, in some respects."

"Maybe he was a bender, just of paint; the avatar in our world," Eshan commented, looking back over his shoulder as he was carefully pushing his way through another part of the crowd. Before he could continue in his particular vein of conversation. "Hey, I think I see the truck!" He pointed, which amounted to little more than through and over the heads of more of the crowd, but something like an umbrella was visible in the distance. Gabe motioned for Nish and Jen to stick close as they started to weave more purposefully through the crowd.

And then, a brief five minutes later, they were there, standing at the edge of a semi-long line of like-minded march goers who were all waiting for water bottles.

"Looks like it's cash only," Gabe commented, quickly taking up a spot in line. "We can always go for lunch, once we're done here?" He glanced at Eshan, who nodded, then back over to Nish and Jen. "Get something a little more substantial than sugar and water."

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Re: Nish&Jen / Gabe&Eshan

nishka
2017-06-16 07:51 pm UTC (link)

Nish was nodding too, somewhat too eager to get out of the massive crowd of people. “Lunch sounds like a great idea, though who knows if we could even get a table down here. I could definitely use some sugar in the meantime,” she added, pulling out a thin fold of bills from her back pocket as they waited in line, while at the same time Jen slipped her credit card back into her only functional pocket.

“I could eat,” Jen chimed in with a nod. “We could follow the parade and just...duck out when we find a place with food?” She paused, distracted by a group of women walking by wearing nothing but strategically placed rainbows that made her raise her eyebrows holding up signs that say ‘LOVE TRUMPS HATE’. Nish followed her eyes and then sighed.

“We should have brought signs or something,” she said regretfully. Jen elbowed her as the line moved forward a few steps.

“You didn’t even want to come,” she reminded her. Nish rolled her eyes, but smiled.

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Re: Nish&Jen / Gabe&Eshan

xochipilli
2017-06-18 05:43 pm UTC (link)

"There's an LBTQ center around here somewhere," Gabe offered. "Maybe they've got extras. But if you guys are gonna wander off into the march, we'll have to part ways; this is already incredibly overwhelming," he continued, offering a laugh to calm his words.

"Yeah, we were just going to see what was happening; not gonna lie, I'm a little bummed they didn't do a parade this year, but, all the same, it's understandable why," Eshan added, opening his mouth to say something more before he was interrupted. A girl with bright pink hair, being semi-pushed by a boy with livid orange hair, moved between them.

"Uh, excuse me?" The girl was holding out a sharpie and her sign, focusing on Gabe. "Are you Gabriel Bautista? You wrote Lizard Eye?"

Gabe glanced at Eshan, clear surprise on his face, before he suddenly switched to a more extroverted version of himself. "Yeah, hi, I'm surprised you picked me out of everyone--"

"Trevor did, I'm too short," the girl replied, her face reddening massively. She held out the pen with a trembling grasp. "Would you...?"

"Of course; what's your name?"

"Lindsey," she somewhat whispered, and Gabe signed the offered sign with a flourish. Then he offered both back to the girl, who took them after some hesitation, as though she was not worthy of touching them after he had.

"Do you want a picture?"

"Oh, no, no no no, I think...we've already interrupted--"

Trevor stepped in, wrapping an arm around Lindsey's shoulders. "Sorry, she just loves your stuff, and we had no idea we'd see someone here. Not like, well, maybe Brad Pitt or Gwenyth Paltrow or something like that, but yeah. Say thanks, Lindsey." She nodded, and started to shuffle backward into the crowd. They were soon gone as quickly as they'd come. Eshan started laughing, wrapping an arm around Gabe's shoulders as Gabe hid his face between his hands. Then he turned back to Jen and Nish, his own embarrassment clear even as other people around them were glancing at them, trying to comprehend what had happened.

"I swear, that never happens," he said, "so of course, today of all days..."

"He's not really lying," Eshan added. "I think this is the second time he's been recognized, at least when I've been around him. And you definitely didn't have time to set up a plant, did you, babe?" Gabe gave him a little shove, though he was grinning ear to ear. His glasses went askew on his face, and he moved to quickly readjust them.

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Re: Nish&Jen / Gabe&Eshan

nishka
2017-06-20 08:09 pm UTC (link)

Jen was too busy gaping at Gabe to listen to much of the playful banter between the two men. You’re Gabriel Bautista?” she asked incredulously, a look of new respect and admiration on her features. “Nish, you didn’t tell me you were connected!”

“I’m…not…” she replied, at a loss for words. She wasn’t familiar with Gabe’s work, but obviously Jen was and was slightly in awe of him now. She caught Gabe’s eye and raised both eyebrows, a slightly amused smile on her lips. She knew of course that he was a writer, but she hadn’t expected this. Obviously, neither had he.

“You know what,” Nish said to shift attention away from Gabe who seemed to be growing more embarrassed by the second. “I think I’d rather eat than march,” she decided aloud, tilting her head to indicate they should keep walking. “I’m not really in the mood for a big crowd either. Jen looked as if she wanted to excitedly ask Gabe something but Nish pulled her away by linking her arm in hers and tugging her down the sidewalk towards what looked like a restaurant not far away.

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