OPEN ● ● ● Every Christmas is Last Christmas

[lateness]

CHARACTERS: the doctor (12), the doctor (11), clara oswald, river song, and all of you
LOCATION: the mess hall, the kitchens, the simulation room
DATE: december 24th, 25th
CONTENT: team tardis throws a big christmas party for the station
WARNINGS: none for now, will warn as needed (no fires!!!)

PART I
'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS ...

1.0 Inside the kitchen and mess hall, Orbers will find the entire place decked out to the nines (Or elevens! Hohoho). No one knows how this all came together, but you will find almost everything Christmas related decorated along the walls and tables.

Hanging all around the walls are blue Christmas stockings! Each stocking will have the name of Orber etched in gold knitting. Inside each stocking is an array of personalized treats (if your character is a smoker, for example, then they will find a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, etc.)

On the tables at each place setting there are various coloured paper crowns for Orbers to decorate on their head – courtesy of Clara Oswald and her assistant, the Doctor (the chinny one) – and Christmas crackers to share with friends. Go on, then! Pull that cracker, see the assortment of sweets and surprises you’ve received. As far as refreshments go, there is plenty to share amongst everyone! There is eggnog, "naughty" eggnog, cookies, cakes, candy canes and sugar gumdrops. It is a downright delightful spread of treats to indulge and tide you over for before you feast with your teammates.

2.0 Before the main feast is prepared, there are plenty of activities to keep you (or a friend or two) occupied. Do you see those Christmas trees on almost every corner of the station? Yeah, the Doctor(s) got awfully distracted (something about if a hot dog is a sandwich) and these bare trees could use some decorative love. Or perhaps you can express your creative talents in the kitchen, where you may want to test out a new recipe to share with the rest of the class. Whether it be a savoury or a sweet dish, there is sure to be at least one person who might like it.

There is also a magician’s kit lying around if you want to take a crack at learning a few new tricks to show off to others! Or if you wish to partake in any group activity, there is a stack of board games and a deck of cards to play a friendly game of Go Fish! Who knows? The game-world’s your oyster.

3.0 By evening, the mess hall will be set up with napkins and plates and cutlery of varying Christmas-y colours. It isn’t perfect, but nothing ever really is, is it? Especially after the Doctor (the cross Scots one) might have very nearly burned the kitchens down a little earlier – something about improving the heat for the roast. Still, it’s finally time for the Christmas feast! And oh, what a smell there is wafting through the large space. There’s plenty of delicious food to go around – especially using much of the ingredients that had come in through the last supply drop. There are varying plates of savoury and sweet dishes, some recognizable, some a little more ... eclectic (you use what space ingredients you’re given, after all), but all of what the hosts have prepared look ... surprisingly edible, some of it even delicious. Roast veg, gravy, stuffing, biscuits, gingerbread, hot cocoa, marshmallows, something mulled, and sweets!

Of course, the more food, the merrier! If you’ve taken part in the cooking and baking from earlier, arriving with your own special Signature Dish, the Doctors (yes, both of them!) will be so pleased to see it join the rest of the feast.

And for those who might have run across the Doctor’s enthusiastic ramblings on Jammie Dodgers at one point will finally get a chance to try them. They’ll be stacked up to resemble a tree on a plate, sprinkled with (edible) glitter in blue and silver.

PART II
SIMPLY HAVING A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS TIME

4.0 Christmas Morning finds everyone with an open invitation to the simulation room to attend a very merry Christmas morning. Step inside and be taken away to a warm and cozy living room that is elaborately decorated for the holiday. You’ve been decorated for the occasion too, decked out in pajamas and a robe. With slippers to match, everyone that’s a part of Christmas morning will look like they’re ready to play their part in the festivities. There’s a fire crackling in the fireplace, the smell of cinnamon and clove in the air, and the distant sound of traditional Christmas songs playing on an antique radio over in the corner of the room. There’s also a tree, of course, one that almost seems too large to be in such a quaint place. It’s fully decorated, absolutely covered with a variety of kitschy ornaments like Santa Claus on a T-Rex or bears in tutus. There also happen to be ornaments of every single orber present on the station, presented in the form of ridiculous looking little elves.

Around the tree and scattered around the floor are opened gift boxes, wrapping paper strewn about. Toys from the boxes are discarded on the floor and around the room, plastic dinosaurs and robots that come to life when you wind them up. There are ridiculous looking squeaky alien toys, marshmallow launchers, and even a giant stuffed giraffe. Who could all of these toys belong to?

There also happen to be gifts beneath the tree for everyone. There aren’t any labels on the gifts so feel free to choose whichever one you like (but only one, there won’t be any greedy Scrooges here on Christmas!). No matter what size package that is chosen, big or small, there’s a sweater inside: an ugly Christmas sweater for everyone. One that can be put on over your pajamas to take part in an ugly sweater contest once everyone has unwrapped their gifts.

And of course no Christmas morning is complete without some sort of breakfast. Set up in the corner of the room is a small table with pastries and cocoa, with a big bowl of mini marshmallows. There’s coffee present too, for those that prefer their breakfast with a little less sugar. There’s plenty of seating around the living room to grab a leather chair or a spot on the fluffy couch. Or maybe sit in one of the red velvet chairs over by the windows to watch the slow and steady snowfall over a picturesque view of the British countryside.

5.0 As the events of the morning slowly come to an end, the simulation shifts to a quiet little town. There’s snow on rooftops and colorful lights lining buildings that manage to glisten and glow even in the daylight. The entire street is completely over the top with decoration; fresh garlands that smell of pleasant pine, miniature christmas trees decorated from top to bottom, and vibrant red bows are just about everywhere. There’s no hustle and bustle here, just a relaxed afternoon in the most Christmasy town ever.

The smell of cider and gingerbread baking are in the air, brought on by a bakery that’s open for a visit. Want to make a gingerbread house? There are materials set out to do that. There are things for gingerbread people too, if that’s more your bag.

There’s a bookstore filled with all kinds of books. If you’re not from Earth and are curious about Christmas, there’s plenty of children’s books on the matter waiting for you to enjoy. They’re set up on an elaborate display up front, though anyone is free to browse around and look through what else they have to offer.

A toy store, magician’s shop, and a boisterous pub round off the shops found on the street. There’s street vendors selling chestnuts that have been roasted over an open fire, wassail, and marshmallows for roasting. There’s also a band playing live music, Christmas carols of course. Join in and sing along or don’t. No one’s going to judge you either way. Take your time to enjoy everything or rush through because it’s too much Christmas, all in your face at once. Either way, the marketplace is present for hours in the afternoon and leading into the evening hours.

6.0 As night falls everyone is guided out of town and down a candle lit path that leads to a frozen over pond. It’s been set up for ice skating, with skates set aside for anyone that wants a pair. There’s baubles of lights set out all around the area, and the moon hangs high overhead. No seriously, the moon looks incredibly huge tonight. It’s blue glow reflects on the ice along with the warm yellow glow of all the lights. It’s a welcoming atmosphere, inviting anyone that’s brave enough to put on skates and take part.

The band from the Christmas market earlier are back to play throughout the night, playing quieter songs mixed in with lively pieces that are meant to get people speed skating around the ice.

Set a short distance away from the ice is a long table, with plenty of mismatched seats. Fairy lights twinkle overhead, and are also glowing from inside glass canisters that make up the centerpieces on the table. There’s dark blue galaxy dinnerware at every place, and a small feast spread out so no matter where someone sits there’s plenty within reach. It always manages to stay warm, and nothing ever seems to run out. It’s a perfect place to take a break and grab a quick meal, or just sit and chat with someone while you both enjoy a drink.

The area around the pond can be explored, so go crazy playing in the snow or whatever it is you want to do there. Just don’t wander too far off from the group. There may or may not be razor-toothed snowmen keeping you from going too far. They may hiss or blow snow in your face, but they probably won’t try to bite anyone.

🎄 After all of that is said and done, Orbers may find themselves drawn towards a small bonfire billowing from the center of this quaint little town. But it isn’t just the scent of warm Maplewood dancing underneath your nose. There sitting on top of a milk-crate is The Doctor (12) playing a jaunty little tune from his electric guitar. Orbers are more than welcome to sit around the bonfire and reflect on these past few months and where they might find themselves in the future.

If you find yourselves by your lonesome fear not! The Doctor (11) will be there offer you a hug (or smooch if you’re feeling saucy).

No matter what strife you have been through this year, just remember ...

Each and every one of your lives is a story. So best make it a good one.

Comments

[business]

No?

( smiling brightly at her, rhys doesn't skip a beat in spinning her in a lazy circle under his arm, before gesturing her to come closer. his sour mood seems entirely crumbled by daisy, who rhysand agrees should probably always be the grumpy one between them. settling a hand on her waist, he drags them into a lazy sway, only stopping their feet once he taps his thumb on her ribcage, offering her the lead. )

Teach me how you dance, then.

[business]

( strange to think the baseline of his own species could vary from world to world — but then, from what rhys has learned, some places don't even have fae, so anything could really be possible. he'll just count himself lucky he wasn't born into the goblin-y side of fae life.

the doctor does catch him off guard with the compliment. in the middle of swallowing down the brownie, he lifts a fist to his mouth, to avoid laughter spluttering chocolate bits everywhere. rhys is not lacking in self confidence, of course, but still — he blushes. a little. )

I have looked, once or twice. Thank you. Actually, I'm a — ( halfbreed, he'd say, but alina has told him in no uncertain terms how little she cares for the term. so. ) Actually, my father was High Fae, and my mother was Illyrian. Are you familiar? ( he holds his hands up against the sides of his shoulders, fingers flapping like wings. ) Soldier folk with big bat wings. I'd show you mine, but it'd rip my shirt off.

[morethan084]

[Daisy laughs as he spins her around, willingly going with him until she’s facing him again. Even though he can be ridiculous, he’s also pretty smooth.

There’s no way that drink has already taken effect, right?

Daisy squints, as if she’s actually thinking about showing him.]

They’re not playing the right music for the type of dancing I do.

[cheapbastard]

( she is really fuckin' drunk. he's going to have to make sure that she doesn't lose her way getting back to her room because he thinks she'll fall asleep or pass out in a hallway if not.

he can't help but laugh when she starts singing a christmas song and, after a moment, billy joins in because why the fuck not. it's the spirit of the season and he's pretty drunk too so might as well go along with it.

he doesn't want her to be singing alone, of course. and yes, he would bully the fuck out of anyone who doesn't sing. )

[cheapbastard]

"Show me someone who isn't stressed and paranoid and I'll be fuckin' shocked."

The way the world worked, wasn't someone stressed about something? Paranoid maybe was a little more of a reach but hey, he's got his reasons.

"There's always something to be stressed the fuck out about even here while we're about to break our fuckin' asses on the ice."

[cheapbastard]

Too late now.

( she's here and he's here and they're stuck. )

But if you find a way to take off without anyone noticing, take me with you. I'll owe you.

( he waits a moment and then smiles a bit since he knows that's not going to happen. )

[aurable]

I'm aware of 'Go,' but that's something entirely different. [ He eyed the stack of board games off in the corner, but nothing had yet to catch his eye. Turning his attention back to her he says, ]

No time like the present to learn. What are the rules?

[cheapbastard]

Oh my fuckin' god.

( that was absolutely fuckin' terrible but it catches billy off guard enough that he laughs and shakes his head. )

Did you think of that one before or did you come up with it right on the spot?

[ruinously]

[ Oh, Clara. If it were only as simple as saving his soul. Dean's story just gets so, so much worse.

He accepts the hug, because he needs it, because talking about all this is exhausting, it's emotionally draining but somehow it needs to come out, because he's been bottling all of it up for so long with no outlet except Sam who's both unreliable and untrustworthy, and he's just...

God, he's tired. Going back to hell will almost be a relief. ]

It isn't that simple, [ He says, breaking back a little, giving her a small smile. ]

An angel busted me outta hell, the one I told you about. But not before I'd broken the first of sixty-six seals that kept Lucifer in his cage, and kickstarted the apocalypse. It's..

All of it, is my fault. If I hadn't broken, if--

[ He takes a shaky breath. ]

"The first seal shall be broken when a righteous man sheds blood in Hell." It was me. I started everything, and now my brother betrayed me, didn't listen to me, didn't trust me, consorted with a demon and chose and trusted her over me, and broke Lucifer free.

That's my regret, that's why I'm here. To go back, and never break that first seal, which means...I stay in Hell. Forever.

[ruinously]

You magic users, man.

[ aha -- success! a laugh :3 ]

Yeah, get me off this ice before I break somethin'. [ He's gonna just clutch at him and stumble off and kick those damned skates off. Screw this. ]

[aurable]

It's more of a hand-me-down than a proper gift, I'm afraid. [ Drift offers with a note of apology coloring his voice as Alina inspects the shoddy wrapping. Maybe he should have gone with gold or silver? The fear of coming across as too ostentatious had weighed on him. Doing this had felt right at the time, but he didn't want to come across as if he expected Alina was somehow indebted to him for it. So, the gift itself appropriately wound up being as unobtrusive as he so often tried to be.

They weren't friends, but at the risk of acknowledging his lonely soul, he would like to be down the road. It could have been when she — against the advice of several others — risked her life alongside him on a narrow margin of success. Or sometime between now and when late-night conversations made to quiet the drone of boredom had him telling her too much. Maybe he just felt he owed her for knocking her around like a pinball inside his alt-mode. He didn't know, but Drift was confident of one thing—he didn't trust easily, and he saw enough of himself in Alina to guess as to why she might be the same. He could be wrong, but this gift was more of a natural progression of sorts.

What he was giving her was not meant to stay in one hand forever, and he had held onto it long enough.

The brown paper packaging unfurls in Alina's hand without fanfare, and it might even take her a moment to even register what she was holding. In the shape of a fat teardrop that fit the size of her handle was an amber-gold crystal. It was carved and polished smooth with a perfectly round hole in the center for the thick leather thong looped through. The surface of the crystal greedily caught up every reflection of candle or lamplight, simmering with tiny reflected fireflies in an amber sky. If Alina touched the surface, the amber hue suddenly flickered with pulsating hints of an impossibly bright blue rippling through like lighting across stormclouds. ]

That is a nexus crystal, [ Drift started to explain. ] My people considered them the core of ancient weapons passed down from warrior to warrior. There's a legend that the crystal burns brighter, the stronger the wielder's faith is, but now I've come to see it differently.

That there's no definitive way to mark the boundaries of the quality of a person's heart and soul, but a little help now and again doesn't hurt. [ He smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes, ]

When I told you I left my old life behind, the sword that crystal was bound to was given to me as an attestation of that. A weapon is never meant to belong to one person forever, and with the blade broken, I think it's time it changed hands once more. You have a gift I was lucky enough to witness once before and I believe that—[ He nodded down at the crystal ] has already chosen which hands it wanted to fall into.

[firstroar]

[titles... they're there for a reason. he wouldn't say them if they didn't matter.

and so:] I will use...the name you want me to. However long or short. Because it's yours.

[bossily]

[Her eyes open as he starts to explain, the soft touch to her cheek anchoring her to the reality of the moment rather than the weight of his words. Here, they're safe. There's no darkness because if he ever slips back into it, she'll be there to light the way and pull him out.

But she can feel the restraint in the way he holds her, his fingers carrying a tension that's easy for her to pick up on. She turns her head to press kisses against his fingertips, like she can ward away all the years of darkness and torment he experienced.

The fact he was in a state like that for so long and still is such a good man helps ease the way her heart breaks for him. She can't handle the idea of him being left like that forever. He wasn't ever supposed to wake up. But she's so glad that he did.]

But you did wake up. And you're here now. So I suppose I owe someone in your world a great deal of thanks.

[Where no matter what happens, she will always be there to see him and protect him. She reminds him of that as she rises up to softly press her lips against his.]

And now we, Mr. Kovacs -

[She speaks with her lips against his as she laughs, pulling away so she can take him by the hand and drag him over to sit on the bed with her. It's time to try and help take some of the weight off his shoulders so he can forget the ghosts of his past and the darkness that's always in the back of his mind. ]

Have some celebrating to be doing.

[lateness]

Print them out? Oh — oh! We could have a whole collection of them, people do that, don't they? They've got whole books of photos, just for photos.

[ And frames! Frames exist too.

Humans can be such beautiful sentimental creatures. The Doctor doesn't mind taking photos, he rather enjoys being the photographer as well; but he's always let others keep these hardcopy records for him. Maybe because the memories lying about might be too painful as time passes, or because he remembers it all in his own mind, in vivid detail, it's hard to say.

The TARDIS remains mostly sentimentality-free; each new face he takes on is a testament of this. No TARDIS design has ever stayed past its regenerated Doctor.

And yes, he could see whether Newt or Hermann have ideas about a little printing device for their comms devices but ... perhaps he would like to take a first stab at it. It'd be a very cool new project, honestly. ]

[bossily]

Me?

[Somehow, she's not expecting to be asked how she's doing. And for a moment she looks bewildered, like she can't figure out how to answer.]

I'm fine. [A lie, but a smooth one.]

And you're fine, too. You don't have to worry about unloading on me. I'm here to listen.

[It's far easier to listen to someone else's problems and try to find solutions to them than to focus on her own, after all. And maybe Gwen is the same way, she realizes. So she moves to her feet and holds out her hand, fingers wiggling in invitation.]

Come on. I've got something to show you.

[bossily]

[At the mention of a sword, her face lights up. She shakes her head in an eager sort of way, signaling that she definitely wants to use a pirate sword.]

Oh, you'll have to promise to come with me.

[Why yes, that is a pleading face she's giving right now.]

You will, won't you? It'd be too much fun to say no.

[lateness]

Popcorn! Ah, yes, popcorn's brilliant, isn't it? But no — no, I'm just a traveler, and I do love Earth. Humans are just so — so — [ It's hard to put a word down that describes just what it means to be human, why he admires them so much, why he continues going back to Earth to 'pick up strays', as the TARDIS put it once.

But whatever that word is, it's fond. ]

Oh, well now. That's quite an honour, eh? [ The Doctor grins, doing his best not to let it get to his head. He does have a fair-sized ego, sometimes a slightly oversized one, but for Xichen's sake, he'll be good. ] I love a good get-togethering party, though. And after the last few missions, I'd say we did well to earn a bit of fun and rest. Who knows what they've got in store for us next?

[bossily]

Yes.

[She claps her hands together before finger gunning in his direction. When he's right, he's right. And right now, he's right.]

Just think about it. Our walls could be covered in pictures. Ones of the places we travel, the things we see, the people we meet here. And us, of course.

[I mean, it's Clara. Of course there's going to be pictures of herself involved. But he'll be in them too, and that sounds absolutely perfect. It's a way to make the station feel even more like home. To her, home is wherever the Doctor is. And with both of her Doctors here, there isn't any doubt in her mind that it's home now. Why not make it as comfortable and happy as possible?]

[calmness]

So? [xichen tilts his head, wondering what the doctor sees in humanity. recently, at least back home, xichen's found himself losing his faith but moments like this -- the party -- and the opportunities to see the goodness through other's eyes remind him of the purities once again.]

An earned one. [it's okay to be a little smug, doctor. xichen's warm smile is encouraging.]

I fear that the next mission will not be any kinder to us. Not after the last few required such high prices to be paid. [he shakes his head, then.] But it's best to focus on the now, isn't it? Take this moment to enjoy.

[bossily]

[Well, that makes Clara's eyebrows arch. And she just stares up at Daisy with a smirk on her face. Ever so slowly she starts to wiggle her hands like she's going to pull them free. She's laughing as she does it, so there's no real threat that she's going to let go.]

How tempting is tempting, exactly?

[bossily]

Sorry?

[Of course she doesn't take that the right way, looking very cross for a moment that he's dared to notice that. Her hands go to her hips and everything.]

I'm fine. A few drinks is nothing.

[kovach]

[ he remembers wanting to go back into that darkness, to just abandoning the world he woke up in because it lacked everything he once loved, carried nothing he wanted to get back to. but he'd stayed, urged by quell's voice, and now it's led him here — to clara's lips brushing his fingers and coaxing out a soft sigh from his own, assuring him of the gratefulness in being awake right now.

his being awake brings him here, and it's what he can use to make sure that the girl in front of him survives, that she carries on into tomorrow and the day after that, that she gets dozens of more christmas that would have been taken from her.

when she kisses him, he only wishes he could be around to share in them with her. as nice as it is now, he knows he's on a clock.

but when she laughs against his mouth, the sweetness ever present on her lips, he can live in the moment with her, pretending that they have a lifetime of this as he smiles with her, humming a chuckle of his own as he follows her lead over to the bed. ]

Mm, yeah, yeah. [ settled at her side, he leans down, brushing her hair from her neck with a tuck of his fingertips, pressing his lips gently there against her pulse, somewhere between both intimate and chaste all at once. ] Want to go hard or gentle tonight? [ with a helpless smirk, he draws back to look her in the eye, raising his brow teasingly. ] I mean with what's in the bag.

[kovach]

[ he does actually like the dinosaur, considering he'd always liked the creatures in some of the books he'd picked up with rei, bordering more on myths than anything actually historical with just how long ago they had even existed in his world.

then again, he does have a greater personal appreciation for unicorns for an entirely different reason. ]

Maybe the joke's that we're better off not wearing anything at all.

[ yes, he's self-aware of the reputation they've sort of developed around the station. he's entirely shameless about it too. ]

fin.

[lateness]

A brilliant idea, Clara!

[ They have more than enough walls in their room, and if that isn't enough, they've got the whole ceiling too. He remembers the photo in the North Wing, and wonders whether there might be a similar technology that already exists aboard the station. He might have to speak with the Commander about it, if an audience could be granted with the man. (Barring that, he supposes there's always Viveca.)

Either way, he feels the stirrings of a new project coming to fruition in his mind, something he could work on and surprise Clara with in the near future. It'd be a nice way to commemorate their time here, wouldn't it, and it'd be new too. He's never done this sort of thing before, record-keep mementos beyond his private diary; he'd never found a point to it, never wanted to. But everything about this station's journey has been full of new experiences, so why not one more? ]

Come on, then — let's take a few more, eh? For the occasion.

[bossily]

Trade?

[Pretending is something she excels at. It's easy to act like she wasn't just crying her heart out only moments ago, to act like everything is perfectly happy and marshmallows are enough to solve her every problem.

Though she's feeling a sense of urgency to make excuses to leave, she also feels drawn in to stay. Alina has a way of spreading light and warmth and making her feel that there isn't anywhere better to be when she's hurting this way. ]

What I'm willing to trade, Alina, is a kiss.

[She figures Alina will shy away from the offer, will give up roasted marshmallows just to steer clear of such a ridiculous offer. There isn't any intent behind the offer other than to just give the appearance of levity. Of girls being silly and having fun on Christmas, trading secrets and giggling together by a fire.

She leans in as she says her offer, voice barely above a whisper. And she looks a little confident in the moments after, like she's so clever to choose something that will fluster her friend.]