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

takeshi kovacs | altered carbon | ota

[kovach]

CHRISTMAS EVE —

---

1.0 ( ota ) — [ if asked, he's not here because he chooses to be, having been easily coaxed into the celebration by one clara oswald (with very little effort on her part, really), but somehow he knows he would have found himself here, whether he was urged to come or not. despite his efforts in appearing as much of a withdrawn loner as he could be, he enjoys a good gathering of people, particularly if it's a collection of people he actually likes.

he even puts a pink paper crown atop his head, which is likely to be the most festive thing he's wearing, adorned in his typical dark clothing otherwise, long trench coat atop his clothes, which always tends to give him an even taller appearance than he already naturally has. he chuckles quietly to himself when he checks one of the stockings with his own name, finding a fresh pack of cigarettes inside, primed and ready with a lighter to make use of tonight.

for now, he's going to need to start off with a drink at least, shuffling over to the refreshments to get a cup of "naughty" eggnog. as soon as he tastes it, his nose scrunches. ]

Shit. [ his tongue smacks against the roof of his mouth as he tries to get used to the taste. ] We got anything straight here? Something with less ... milk? Or egg?


2.0.A ( ota ) — [ he might not typically do much with the tradition of tree decorating, but it isn't as if he's immune to the sort of good feelings that come from it. the ornaments that hang down, particularly the crystals and the tinsel give the vague impression of the branches of a songspire tree, a memory that's both pleasant and slightly heartwrenching to draw himself back on.

though he'd mostly wandered over to gaze, he notices someone of a smaller height hoping to reach up and put up some ornaments or lights and he snickers briefly before stepping over. ] Need a hand?


2.0.B ( ota ) — [ his eyes mostly glaze over the board games on offer, most he's unfamiliar with, until his eyes land on the go board pieces. it draws him back to days long past, to playing with his sister, even as kids, to the days in stronghold, playing within the rebel hideout.

with plenty of the naughty eggnog in his system now (he's caved into the taste) and another glass of it in hand, he sets it down for a moment so he can begin setting it up, welcome to anyone who might be interested in joining. ]


3.0.A ( close cr only, cw: weed use ) — [ of course, takeshi kovacs wouldn't be complete without his familiar pink backpack, hanging off of his shoulder. by now, his trench coat has long since disappeared somewhere, the sleeves of his dark button-up rolled up along his arms as he spins the back around to hold in front of his chest.

when he sees a familiar face, he slides in close to them, a sort of goofy smile on his face (clearly plenty drunk), as he unzips the back, the fluorescent glow of the inside only barely showing off the contents within before he reaches inside and just barely pulls out a small ziplock bag of what's evidently rolled blunts. ] What do you say? Wanna ... light up the Christmas spirit a bit more?


3.0.B ( closed to clara ) — [ as the night nears closer to its end, kovacs has somehow turned from the impending grinch to someone who seems like he's not carrying as much weight on his shoulders, like the alcohol and the buzz of it all has actually made him ... have fun the past several hours, something he definitely hadn't been anticipating when he'd caved to coming to this tonight.

though his coat is still long lost somewhere around the mess hall, his pink paper crown is still perfectly topped on his head, but while he's still surrounded by plenty of company, plenty of new friends or acquaintances, as he'd prefer to call them, there's only one person he wants to see, one person he can find through the crowd.

when he locates clara, he sneaks his fingers into hers, giving her a gentle but eager pull, saying nothing until he can guide them beneath a doorway with a hanging piece of mistletoe. taking both of her hands in his, smaller ones warm against his palm, he leans down to match her height, pressing an affectionate kiss to her mouth as the rest of the room simply falls away. ]

CHRISTMAS DAY —

---

4.0 ( ota ) — [ he isn't much for christmas traditions but he joins everybody else in the simulation, something very quaint about it all, the appearance a cozy little room that feels light years away from the station.

as people start passing gift boxes around, one shoved right into his arms, he gives a puzzled look as he opens it, pulling out the sweater within. ]

Oh, hell no.

[ it's clearly not that he's against the pink or the rainbows or the unicorns, as evidenced by the bag that he typically carries on a day to day, but even the prospect of wearing any ridiculous sweater is beyond what he's willing to play along with, no matter how much any pair of doe eyes from the number of small women he's befriended over the last several months try to plead.

but of course he caves, practically grumbling as he tugs the sweater down over his chest. it technically fits, only in that it's a little short, the bottom portion rolling up a bit to show some belly. ] I'm not fucking doing this.

[ too late. ]


5.0 ( ota ) — [ though he's not one for a crowd, kovacs is appreciative of the town setting, of the appearance of a peaceful little marketplace, an improvement from the sort of grim, musky cities he typically finds himself in.

typically, he'd strut straight off to the pub for a drink, but instead, he finds himself shifting around the bookstore, fingers tracing along the spines, not to look for anything in particular, but to just look. it's been a long time since he's settled to read anything, not since in more recent days, old paper books like this have become a bit of a relic in his world.

of course, he wouldn't know where to start so if anyone notices him pensive along the aisles, maybe someone can offer a recommendation. ]


6.0 ( ota ) — [ surprisingly, when kovacs puts on a pair of skates, it's not from anyone's influence, no need for someone to nudge around the tall, brute man to engage in something that's probably a little more fun than anyone might expect him to volunteer by his own will.

but as he slides along the ice, with an impressive sense of grace, his envoy instincts kick in upon noticing the strange shift of one of the other skating orbers. whether it's because it's their first time or they just caught off balance, he could perceive the way their skate is set to bend the wrong way, prompting them to begin tipping over.

he moves fast on his own skates, snatching their hand swiftly to halt their fall. ] Steady — ! Just don't ... fucking drop me too.

WILD CARD —

---

( if anyone would like to do anything in particular that isn't listed above, just go ahead and ask, either through pm or hit me up at hepburns. i've got a permissions post too, with some of his more typical warnings, along with some information on his envoy abilities (which come into play in 6.0 a bit). )

clara oswald | doctor who

[bossily]

1.0 - Closed to Itachi

[As the Doctors say things are ready and people start to trickle in, Clara slips away to go make sure one of the newer arrivals is going to be in attendance. It isn't too hard to figure out where his room is, given how many other people here she knows. And she waits outside his door to see if he'll pop out.

When he doesn't, she has no problem knocking]

I hope you're not hiding away in there, determined not to have a good time!

[Yeah, she's not giving up on him easily. He's going to this party.]

1.0 - OTA

[As people come to get their paper crowns, Clara makes sure each and every person gets the one she specifically made for them. She took a lot of time to do it, so she wants it to be perfect. So whenever anyone approaches the crowns she offers them a smile and holds up a finger to signal that they wait.]

Hold on. I've got the perfect one for you.

[And sure enough, the crown is just the perfect color with some thoughtful little decoration on it. She put a lot of thought into this, and she's definitely not a stalker that remembers tiny little details about everyone she meets. Nope.]

2.0 - ota
[So maybe sometimes Clara is a little bit of a perfectionist. And decorating Christmas trees happens to be one of those things that has to be done just right. She enjoys getting the others here to take part, but occasionally she'll quietly slip over and move an ornament someone else placed to somewhere new.

Or she might softly cough and point to a bald spot on the tree that needs an ornament placed on it.

And she definitely approaches anyone tall and strong enough to help her out with something. It's with a glittery paper tardis ornament in hand that she very awkwardly asks:]

You're not against lifting me up high enough to place this, are you?

3.0 - ota

[Clara disappears to the kitchen for a while and eventually comes back with tray of souffles that she made using her mother's recipe. The night is starting to wind down, but there's still plenty of people here she can inflict her cooking upon.

The good news is, that she's actually a talented baker. The bad news is, she's going to give you sad eyes until you at least take a bite. So when she stops in front of you and just holds out the tray, it's probably going to be easier on everyone involved if you just indulge a little.]

4.0 - ota
[Everything about this is absolutely perfect. Clara doesn't even mind being in her long flannel nightgown in front of other people. She just sits in a chair over by the windows and watches everyone enjoy their time together. There's a sad sort of smile on her face as she observes everyone around her, realizing that so many of the people here are like family to her now.

She thinks of Christmas with her own family, something she'll never get to celebrate again. She thinks of the fact that every Christmas is last Christmas, and can't help but think of all those times she fantasized about a last Christmas with Danny. It's in those moments that a stark realization comes to her, and she spends the vast majority of Christmas morning quietly trying to sort out her thoughts.

However, she's good at pretending that everything is fine. She greets people who approach her with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes, and moves in for a quick Christmas morning hug.]

5.0 - ota
[Clara's a little more energetic by the time everyone takes to the small market area. She's trying to wear her usual smile, though it slips from time to time. She pours nearly an hour into her time in the bookstore, reading through various books that she pulls from the shelves. She even decides to pop into the pub to see exactly how much she can drink before she gets tipsy enough that she's nice and festive.

Once she's feeling warm and fuzzy headed she's in the perfect sort of mood for dancing. Which means that when she walks past the band playing she's quick to grab hold of someone's hand and pull them into a dance.]

6.0 -ota
[Clara isn't exactly good at skating, but she isn't hopeless either. She moves across the ice with the skill of an adult that used to do this sort of thing a lot as a child. She isn't practiced, but it's like riding a bike, she supposes. You never really forget how to skate.

She's laughing and smiling as she joins hands with someone to help them stay balanced, and laughs even louder when she tries to speed skate along to the music with someone else that's able to stay up on their feet.

As the night wears on, however, some of her merriment has died off. She can be found sitting in the snow at the edge of the pond, looking up at the moon. There's tears in her eyes as she does it, though she's quick to wipe away any that fall.]

bonfire - closed to Kovacs
[She's been dreading this moment all day. Ever since this morning, she knew she was going to have to talk to him. She remembers the exact moment she glanced across the room to spot him standing there, looking so young and handsome and absolutely perfect. Everything in the simulation room made life feel absolutely normal. It was as close to what normalcy with Takeshi Kovacs was going to feel like. It was what she had wanted with Danny, but something that she couldn't have because she never was going to be able to choose him. The realization that she was going to put Takeshi through the exact same situation she had Danny hit her all at once. That was the exact moment her heart broke, shattering into thousands of pieces. She knew right then and there that she couldn't keep doing this, that it wasn't right to do.

Clara Oswald could be selfish, and she could be fickle. But she never intentionally was cruel. And even on Christmas, important things had to be done. No matter how much she knew that it would hurt. She had no right to care about her own feelings or broken heart. But knowing she was going to cause him pain had her acting off all day as she tried to sort out the best way to talk to him. She couldn't just come out and say it, not when he was enjoying himself and everyone was there.

Their first Christmas was their last Christmas. Everything in Clara's life is meant to be beautiful because it's intense but fleeting. This is no different, she tells herself, quietly approaching him at the bonfire.

She stands beside him for a minute or two, letting her fingers brush against his as she takes the last few moments of this calm time together to say goodbye in her head. Never be cruel or cowardly, she tells herself, and her hand slips into his so she can pull him away from the crowd.

Nothing is sad until it's over. Then everything is. Her heart has no right to be broken right now. But she's very nearly choking on her words and her feelings as she manages to get out a very quiet:]

I know that you know we need to talk.

[He reads her too well to not know.]

Megatron » Transformers IDW

[flickerandfade]

2.0

Megatron is staring at the Christmas tree with a feeling of growing familiarity and uncertainty. There had been the whole cloaking device that had been put together to hide the crew from anti-mechanoid organics back on the Lost Light and it had looked distressingly like this human Christmas tree, right down to the ornamentation. Anyone who comes upong Megatron will find him staring at the tree in deep and contemplative thought. Perhaps pondering the strange whims of the universe. Or maybe just what the hell Brainstorm's convenience engine actually ended up doing.

[ Happy to write other starters or to go with a wild-card if you've something else you want to do! ]

3.0A

[morethan084]

[Daisy's been all over the place, emotionally, since the last mission. For obvious and less obvious reasons. The memories she had to relive were bad enough, but then everything happened with Newton and that's left her feeling pretty damn stressed and depressed. On the other hand, things seemed to be going well with Kirigan.

She came to the party, as promised, but she's been standing off to the side for a good portion of it.

Spotting Kovacs, Daisy smiles a tight smile in his direction that doesn't quite reach her eyes. The last time the two of them had seen each other was pretty emotional on the both of them. She notices the look on his face and realizes he must've helped himself to eggnog,]

Hey.

[The backpack wasn't hard to spot either, and she knows exactly what it holds. Eyebrows lifting when he shows off the blunts, Daisy looks around as if it mattered that they could get caught.]

Uh, sure.

[A few hits couldn't hurt. Daisy scoots over to give him space to sit down if he wants to.]

Haven't seen you in a minute. How're you doing?

[blackfire]

（ he isn't the most sociable of men — and never was, in truth, even prior to joining akatsuki. his life was subsumed by work, and power set him too distantly apart from his peers to make the social barrier worth overcoming. here, people seem less inclined to keep their distance from him, seeing as how none but shikamaru know the depths of why they should.

he hears the steps outside the door, the way they pause, the knock that follows. but he wasn't expecting clara's voice, and he hesitates in between turning a page of his book of poems.

he sets it aside and opens the door to greet her. his room is almost bare enough to be unoccupied, with only a few books and a steaming pot of freshly made tea to make it seem lived in at all. if one were to remove those scant objects, he's little more than a ghost in this space. ）

Clara-san.

（ he says it politely, by way of welcome. ）

I'm not hiding.

（ ... is the dumbest possible thing to say, and also the thing that happens to fall out of his mouth. ）

shikamaru nara ( naruto )

[mendo]

CHRISTMAS EVE

[ he saw the video announcement detailing an upcoming party to celebrate christmas — some kind of winter holiday he surmises. his initial response was disinterest, but then he figured that it would be a good opportunity to assess the rest of the orbers onboard.

it turns out that it was somewhat worth his while to attend when he picks up a stocking with his name inscribed on it in gold stitching. it contained a pack of cigarettes, a small bottle of lighter fuel and a couple of hairbands.

pocketing the items with a light chuckle, shikamaru returns the stocking to its place before he moves onto the refreshment tables. he won't be there for long, stopping by only long enough to inspect the drink they're offering. somebody called it an eggnog. lifting a cup of the concoction to his nose, he takes a tentative whiff of it. well, it doesn't smell too bad and it isn't like he was really planning on drinking it anyway.

he's mostly using it as an accessory to blend in.

for the duration of the night's festivities, shikamaru will be observing the people around him. occasionally, he will pause at a table with an interesting board game — mainly ones that require stratagem — and watch the players make their moves. he may even join in if invited. ]

CHRISTMAS DAY

[ missing for most of the morning, shikamaru doesn't join the group until later in the day when the simulation of the town has already gone up. he is slightly thrown by its realism but quick to adjust and even enjoy the festive atmosphere.

in the afternoon, he spends his time exploring the bookstore. he can first be found flipping through the pages of christmas books, his brows raised in mild amusement at the tales. some of the traditions aren't too different from the rinne festival in konoha. the rest of the time, he meanders through the aisles, his eyes skimming over the spines of various literary works. ] Anything good? [ he may venture an ask for anyone holding a particularly eye-catching cover. ]

☁ ☁ ☁
[ in the evening, shikamaru can be found sitting on a bench with a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips as he watches people ice skate above the frozen pond. he doesn't really get the appeal, so if invited to join in, he will simply decline.

(but who knows? maybe if pressed enough, he may relent and try it out.)

all in all, he's pretty comfortable just admiring the strikingly large moon in the sky and soaking in the hustle and bustle of laughter and good cheer all around him. he may even decide to go on a stroll around the pond, a thin trial of smoke following in his wake.

if he sees anyone in danger from those razor-toothed snowmen or at risk of taking a hard tumble on the ice, he won't hesitate to lend a hand. ]

WILDCARD

[ ooc | i've left the prompts open, so feel free to plug your character in wherever and whenever. want to do something else that wasn't mentioned? go for it! don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or ideas. ]

christmas day + wildcard and this is absolutely a 'come bother me' prompt and i do not care

[blackfire]

（ he is not skating. he sees little use in it — shinobi can move faster with the body flicker than by sliding, and no self-respecting fighter would risk their balance by willingly letting them slip around on ice without reason or cause. he supposes he can understand the appeal as a fun exercise but, like shikamaru, he has little desire to engage.

itachi is wearing what is possibly the worst ugly sweater in existence and has, somewhere along the way, acquired a headband of reindeer antlers with little bows.

he looks spectacularly ridiculous, but there's absolutely zero sense of self-consciousness about being so. instead, he's got his hands cupped around a steaming mug of cocoa. while tea is always his beverage of choice, and this is perhaps too sweet even for him, he finds he does not mind it.

the marshmallows are ... a quaint touch.

he's aware of the presence of shikamaru's chakra, and when the man approaches him, itachi turns his head faintly to observe him. ）

It seems a great many interesting things can be done with this illusion.

[mendo]

[ what the heck is he wearing?

shikamaru couldn't believe his eyes the moment he saw uchiha across the way. it's almost embarrassing to think that it's the same guy who'd rattled him so thoroughly after their last face-to-face encounter. that sweater is just... offensive.

—and are those deer antlers on his head???

he is way too caught up in itachi's incredible fashion crime to bother acknowledging his comment. ]

Who dressed you this morning or did you just wake up looking like that?

[ he refuses to look him in the eyes, but he's sure staring daggers at that antler headband. ]

itachi and the incredible fashion crime, a novel

[blackfire]

（ way to ignore his idle commentary on the sunlight room, shikamaru, a+, great ninja skills.

at the comments about his clothing, he just lifts a shoulder in an unselfconscious shrug. ）

The sweaters seem to be part of the celebratory custom. The headband was （ 'foisted upon' ） gifted to me. Parting with it seems impolite.

（ why does this matter. ）

christmas day — ice skating ;

[lateness]

[ The Doctor has been busy all of yesterday and today, flitting about and causing bits of trouble and good cheer wherever he could. This happens to be the most calm and uneventful Christmas he's ever celebrated, being so much more used to universe-ending situations, invasions, and other less fun things. It's a nice change, a new change. And for someone who has gotten on his years, spent a long time roaming the galaxies, new is always welcome.

It's the evening now and the Doctor had found himself gravitating towards the frozen over pond, a set of ice skates in hand, getting those lingering at the fringe to come on in and join the fun. He's dressed as he usually is, in wool and tweed, but he's pulled a particularly garish Christmas jumper (in blue!) over under his coat for the festivities. (Plus: it's warm.)

Fortunately (or unfortunately), the Doctor has spotted the young man by the edge, looking on as other Orbers twirl about over the simulated ice rink in this simulated world of Christmas that they've set up. ]

Come on, then — not going to have a go on the ice before the night's through?

shika is just suffering from immense secondhand embarrassment rn

[mendo]

[ consider: maybe if he wasn't wearing something so outrageous, shikamaru wouldn't have ignored his idle commentary. ]

I didn't take you for someone who would care about celebratory customs.

[ and this matters because it's currently creating severe cracks in his perception of him. 👎👎👎 ]

Can you at least do me a favor and take that stupid headband off? You look ridiculous.

good. suffer.

[blackfire]

I don't. But it seems this holiday is important to our allies, and it costs me nothing to participate.

（ therefore, who cares if he looks ridiculous by shikamaru's metric? itachi has never cared for his appearance. he does lift a hand away from his mug of cocoa to touch the headband in idle consideration, but the only thing that comes of this is that he straightens it faintly, jingling one of the bells. ）

If being seen with me is an embarrassment, you may leave. I will not be offended.

（ this is all said in the selfsame lack of intonation as is his custom — so it's impossible to know, really, that he's faintly amused by all this. ）

[mendo]

[ shikamaru recognizes the man from yesterday's party — one of the alleged doctors responsible for these ongoing festivities. he neither approached nor exchanged words with him, but from what he has seen of him, he seems to really enjoy this holiday.

so much so that he has joined the ranks of people who're wearing some choice-looking sweaters.

with a slow release of smoke from his mouth, shikamaru offers him a faint smile. ] I'm good. [ leaning forward, he rests his arms on top of his thighs. ] Those shoes aren't very efficient for walking on ice. [ he nods his head towards a few skaters who seem to be in the process of losing their balance. ]

t e r r i b l e

[mendo]

[ he lets out a sigh, but it seems that itachi's fashion foul isn't enough to make him leave. just yet. ]

Whatever. It doesn't matter. [ he pulls his gaze away from the antlers, lowering them down to just below his chin without ever meeting his eyes. ] Are you waiting for someone?

[blackfire]

No.

（ he's allowed to mingle, you know. it's not a crime. ）

I've been studying the sensory perceptions this room seems able to generate.

（ and so, this conversation has come full circle and been hauled back around to ninja work. as always. ）

Yzak Jule | Gundam SEED

[coordination]

PART 1

A. The Festive Fun
[ Despite the comfy or casualness of the events at hand, Yzak Jule is Extra™ and thus is dressed in a very nice suit. Always gotta put his best self forward and look presentable!

In the kitchen and mess hall, Yzak's stocking isn't incredibly impressive. If anyone happens to take a peek while he is, there'll be a couple of books, a little notebook and some pens, some socks. Boring as hell but he doesn't seem disappointed.

He will be ignoring the paper crowns because they don't go with his suit! And he curiously fiddles with one of the crackers when he comes across one.

He'll also be at one of the bare trees, very carefully considering a balanced placement of ornaments. If he sees someone else placing too similar-looking things too close to each other, he'll bark out an order such as move it a little more to the left, or maybe that one's small, you can't see it as well when it's there!, or even that branch is starting to sag, move that one over there!

If they're playing games, he'll observe, and could be invited to join! He ... he's not as much as a terrible sore loser as he once was, so he won't be ruining game boards (but if Athrun is playing, too, he might look like he wants to, if he's losing). ]


B. Mistle-no
[ Somewhere deep, deep down, Yzak Jule would, perhaps, actually quite enjoy a nice kiss. One could even say that somewhere deep, deep down, he's a bit of a gushy nerdy romantic. But heaped over that are a bunch of twisted up issues that result in him taking note of any mistletoe hanging around, since it's already been hung all over the station, as if it's personally offending him. ]

Overkill is really an understatement.


C. A Real Tough Cookie
[ Yzak was involved in a bit of the baking prepwork for the party. Namely, a set of cookies out for people to take. But they're not plain cookies or gingerbread men. They're ... familiar. A presentation of his genius, great skill! (and like, actually they are pretty impressive looking, all of Yzak's ego aside) Different types from sugar cookies to gingerbread, they resemble the crew in some way - be it little simplistic versions of their faces, a notable weapon they carry, a helmet. Kaiju and Charter marks and automail, maybe someone's favorite animal or a thing they've spoken about liking. It reflects a clear observation of his team, and you'll probably see something that is very much For You! (feel free for it to be anything) ]

PART 2

A. Good Morning
[ Yzak is decked out in some PJs and sitting comfortably over near the crackling fire. There's an opened gift box with ... this... next to him, being completely ignored. He's sipping at a steaming cup of dark coffee and otherwise seems quite relaxed and content for a change. ]


B. Good Afternoon & Evening
[ Once the warm, cozy morning is done, Yzak is back in the fancy digs and can be found in various places throughout the afternoon. Taking a slow stroll through the town to take in all of the scents filling the air. Browsing through the bookstore and the magician's shop to see what he finds. He even stops to listen to the musicians for a few minutes. He nods a couple of times as he does, focusing more on the violin player in particular and muttering a 'not bad' after the end of a song. And then adding: ]

But it wasn't terribly complicated. Those take a lot more skill.

[ At night, he feasts, he nurses a drink as he watches others iceskate. He can be convinced to join if one turns it into a racing challenge or tries to imply he's not good at it (or, maybe, if they just ask him for a skating partner, because he might be in a slightly less dour mood today in the spirit of the holiday, or something). He can also be seen wandering too close to a snowman that blows in his face, resulting in him yelling. ]

HEY FUCK YOU!

[ And punching its head clean off. But as it's a simulation, a quick little gust of powdery snow surrounds where its head was, and poof! It's back, but with a vengeance, blowing ten times as hard and knocking Yzak into a snowbank. Otherwise he ends up at the bonfire, looking up at the familiar sight of the moon quite nostalgically. ]

PART WILDCARD

[ Throw something else entirely different at me here! Anything goes! More than one tag-in for different prompts is fine and encouraged! As we have all month and I want to do different things with CR. Contact with a PM here, at gaignun, or Tara#1768 for anything! ]

[mendo]

[ it isn't the worst conversation they could be having right now. ]

It's impressive. [ he crosses his arms against his chest. ] The technology they have here is more advanced than anything I've seen before.

🔥💔

[kovach]

[ kovacs hadn't been sure he'd enjoy christmas; as much as he knew about the holiday, it wasn't like he was ever in any particular place or state of mind to dabble in the festiveness of the day in all his years. but for once, he wants to try, wants to give in a little not because of the doctors' excess excitable nature in promoting it, but because clara finds it important enough, because she wants him there, and as much as it's felt a bit too good to be true, it's been nice to be genuinely wanted, to be looked at the way she's been looking at him the last two months.

except by the time that it's actual christmas, clara's eyes change, weighted with something heavier that hadn't been there the night before where she'd looked at him for hours with bright and wide eyes. the look, though, is familiar, and he knows it because it's the same one she'd had the very first night she'd came into his room, when she'd first come back from her world with everything on her shoulders, when she'd pleaded to him for something to help hold her up and he chose to give her everything he had on a whim.

he thought he'd help to ease it away, but there it is again. and this time, she carries it when she looks at him — it's already time, isn't it? he thinks.

through the day, he says nothing of it, wanting the choice to be hers, wanting to make sure that when it comes out, it's on her terms, and when the night falls, watching the doctor strum his guitar at the fire, kovacs' own tall stance watching a short distance away, one hand in the pocket of his coat and the other loose at his side, he knows it's time when he feels the soft graze of her fingers take his.

he doesn't look at her; he likes to think he's good at maintaining a neutral expression but he always gives things away from his eyes, and lately, no one knows his eyes better than clara. and it's hard to look when he knows the moment he does, it really will all be over.

but she guides him away, and when she speaks, he sighs quietly, finally looking at her, knowing he won't be able to hide his eyes, even with the warm flicker of the fire burning in the night, making them brighter. ]

Yeah. I know.

[kovach]

[ it's funny how quickly things can change, with the way their last extended stay at the station between missions had left him in such a sour state, how the haunting hallucinations of quell and stronghold had pestered at him in the late hours, scraping at his soul as they often did. but he hasn't seen a single hallucination since they'd come back from the castle, which is even stranger considering the dreams he'd experienced there.

but something feels slightly lifted, either from the trust he finds himself maintaining for some of the orbers here, or the time he's spent with clara, he doesn't feel ... as hauntingly burdened.

of course, right now, that could be credited to all he's had to drink tonight, keeping him light on his feet and in a plentiful good mood by the time he slides over to daisy with his bag. she'd gotten high with him before, so he figures she might be in for a second round.

when she gives him room to sit, he sinks his weight down on it, bag on his lap as he fully pulls the plastic of goods out, opening it up to hand her one. ]

I'm — [ he nods, like that's somehow answer enough, lips pursed like a sure to a question not asked. ] Good. [ no, that's too positive for him. ] Alive. [ more fitting. ] How 'bout you? Keeping my room warm?

[morethan084]

[Taking the joint from him, Daisy leans forward on her arms as she waits for him to take out the lighter. Watching his face as he finds the right word to use, she smiles sadly.]

Yeah, alive.

[That was a good answer, so she steals it to use too.

Eyes widening at his comment, Daisy lets out an embarrassed laugh as she looks to the ground. Is there really any point in continuing to lie about it? Especially when she’s caught sight of him heading back to the room when she’s leaving.]

Someone’s got to. Since you’re spending all of your time in someone else’s room.

[She lifts her gaze to look around the room for Clara before giving him a pointed look.]

1.0

[spoilers]

[ River isn't particularly close to many people on the station, even as long as she's been here. Trust doesn't come easily to her. But she does pay attention. She notices when her husbands take a fondness to someone, and to a lesser degree, Clara as well.

She eyes his paper crown with a glimmer of amusement. ]

Well, I'd have stocked a full bar, but it wasn't up to me. Wouldn't have really fit the Christmas theme, I suppose.

[spoilers]

Plenty of orbers had paused to admire the Christmas trees scattered throughout the station, or even to help decorate them, but there's something different about the way Megatron seems to be staring at it, lost in thought. River recognizes him from their first conversation, considers perhaps such a very human ritual as Christmas might be stretching his understanding of organics.

"We meet again. Am I interrupting?"

[blackfire]

I'm not entirely certain it's all technology as we understand it. Degar is a powerful magic user, it's possibly a hybridization of the two.

( but he hasn't been able to dispel or affect it. it's not directly unsettling — but he doesn't have a great deal of appreciation for situations when he can't take something apart and come out understanding it. )

blue (toward the terra), ota

[firstroar]

12/24

13:00-14:00
Blue makes a brief appearance in the kitchen to heat up the last of the stew Sabriel had made for him, lingering mostly because the buzz of festivities has him curious. Sensing that buzz at all...it's a relief, it means he's getting better.

"Is...there another holiday happening?" he asks, directing the question to whomever might be there in the kitchen with him.


18:00-22:00
That was the last of Blue being physically around for festivities on the 24th. He returned to his quarters to rest his body, to give his form a safe place while he once again stretches that extrasensory muscle. This means that, amidst the goings-on of the later hours, a pale ghost may be perceived lingering around, observing the happenings with bright red eyes. Spooky? Probably. Dangerous? Not at all.

The specter seems to be simply a curious watcher, lingering amidst the clusters of merriment of strangers and familiar minds alike. When he is noticed, those eyes naturally fix toward the source, quiet and curious.

To stranger and friend alike, a thought is passed along: Hello. What is it you're doing?

---

12/25

11:00-13:00
'Bright and early' isn't very feasible for him, and even then, it takes a while to make his way to the simulation room. Since the shift to that snowscape, he's been more amenable to the place, even though there's still something foreboding about it - something too close to the Mother system back in his universe.

But so many are there...enough anchors to reality as to not lose himself to any potential AI traps, right?

...

While the sweater is warm and the slippers comfy, Blue is unnerved by the shifting of his physical senses more than he was in simply walking into a snowy landscape. It's countered by the general states of mind by the others already within - real people, not simulations, which can give him some solace. He'll gravitate toward those people to watch them interacting with the Christmas morning spread, seeking the value of it all in those around him.


18:00-20:00
He couldn't explore everything even if he wished to, given his physical limitations. After some time to retreat and rest, Blue makes an effort to return, still striving to connect with people here.

That was the intention, but...this place - the pond, the candlelit path...it halts him, quiets the wandering of his mind and gives him a brief moment of reflection in a solitude that isn't frightening. It leaves the Mu silent and still, staring skyward at this false sky in the midst of the mental ambience around him, wondering on how far he's come in such a blink of time.

So much has changed...so fast. And somehow, he's still kept his head above water. It's taken others to pull him up above the choppy waves of circumstance, and that isn't something to take for granted, either. He's only alive...because of those people.

Is that what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown?

He can't sit there forever: The longer her lingers, the harder it'll be to leave on his own. Eventually his gaze will pull away and he'll look to others, look to catch an eye, perhaps seek the help he'll need to get up and get out of here.

1.0

[spoilers]

[ River manages to avoid the paper crowns for a fair portion of the evening, but she knows how much effort Clara's put into them. ]

Really, sweetie, the hair.

[ But it's a half-hearted protest, and she obligingly stays put while Clara finds just the paper crown to suit her. ]

Did you actually make one for everyone on the station?