MOD LOG #3

[bequiet]

MOD LOG #3

Arriving in style
Content Warnings: Fighting, death, violence
Themes: Survival, plot

It's early in the day when it happens. The red dust that seems to be everywhere sweeps through the city streets, mixing with the steady patter of rain and making it hard to see and breathe. All red and leaving the taste of copper if inhaled, what could have been an easy day without any trouble quickly becomes anything but. While those in the community are heading for cover or finding ways to continue on through it, the new arrivals begin waking up in different cities all over the world. There won't be anyone to greet them, and leaving the room through the door is their choice - after doing so, they'll immediately step out into the city they were assigned. The streets are empty, houses abandoned, everything crumbling and in ruins. There will be signs noting their location, which they'll catch a glimpse of before a sharp push forward causes darkness to engulf them.

Waking up for the second time, in Reims but not in the Reset Room, they'll come to inside the red dust as it whips through the streets of the community. They won't be alone for long. Another person will be waking up beside them, and after a few moments of disorientation, try to attack. They might have weapons or use their hands, and they will not stop until they've taken a fatal blow. Their blood is dust, and they, along with their weapons, disintegrate after they've died. Can you stop them on your own? Will someone come to your aid?

The Sight of Lightning
Content Warnings: Poison, sex
Themes: Survival, plot

The day after the storm, the same red dust will find its way through Reims and come into contact with every person. Since the dust is everywhere, some might not notice that it's floating through the community and know that something is off. The effects don't begin until night fall, where everyone will feel the desire to seek out companionship of many different kinds. Though it is not always the case, the people that saw each other in color will "want" to be with that person more strongly than they might already, and will be more likely to confess or do something about it. Some might feel an intense need to be around another person, though not necessarily sexually - almost as if they need that person around them to be happy or content. For some, it might be a desire that can only be fulfilled by more than one person.

The effects wear off the next time the person gets wet. This can be a splash of water across the face or fully submerged. Or even drinking something.

OOC
From your mods:

Please be mindful of content - if something triggery comes up or if it goes up a rating to say, something sexy, mark your threads in the subject line. We're very flexible and allow any material; we just want our players to be respectful of each other. If you have questions, pp the mod account, use the faq or comment to the appropriate post below. Have fun! The OOC Plotting Post.

NAVIGATION

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Comments

[first_summers]

[ Faith is-- Buffy stops walking, staring at Spike in confusion for a moment before looking down? Had she-- A hand lifts to her press at her stomach, feeling for a wound that isn't there anymore, and a few more seconds pass before she shakes her head and slowly types out her reply. ]

I don't remember.

[lovesbitch]

[ he stops too, realizing his mistake instantly and reaching for her arm. ] It's okay. That's normal or so I hear

[first_summers]

[ It's not his mistake, it's just... wrong. Like so many things about this place. She doesn't have anything to say, so she just nods and takes his hand, not giving even a moment's thought to the action. She feels more settled when she holds onto him, that's all there is to it. ]

[lovesbitch]

[ o-oh. he doesn't hesitate to lace their fingers and squeeze in reassurance, but there's something about it that's foreign and new. something they were on the precipice of, maybe, before the end. he slips his phone into his pocket with his free hand and leads her into the shared house he's become familiar with. though he usually just sleeps on the deck like an animal, he leads her into the middle of the house where someone abandoned a bed and some other things. spike will lead her right to it and nudge her to sit gently. ]

[first_summers]

[ She's tried hard not to think about what might have been if he hadn't died to save the world. It's what she had to do to make it through - losing Sunnydale and the inherent trust she'd one had for her friends had been hard enough without those bittersweet wonderings. And she doesn't want to think about it now, some part of her terrified that this will have have been some strange dream and he'll still be gone when she wakes. For now, it just seems better to be.

Her instincts are on autopilot as they move through the house and she subconsciously takes note of the work done to soundproof the spaces, as well as the various exits. It's not until following that prompting to sit that she rouses from her stupor enough to smile up at him. ] I'm glad you're here, Spike.

[lovesbitch]

[ he nods as if in acceptance of the words, even if he doesn't think along the same line at all. he isn't glad he's here, and he's even less glad that she's here. but he can still be selfishly happy that they're together, right? because he is. ]

Rest up, Slayer. Might be the only time you get the chance. [ spike starts to pull back reluctantly, as if he intends to leave her alone to get her rest. ]

[first_summers]

[ Her body moves without thinking as he pulls away - her back straightens, muscles going tense in a moment of irrational panic, and she leans forward slightly, as if she might physically stop him from going. She won't, though. She shouldn't. She has to. ]

Please stay. [ The words leave her lips like a prayer and she doesn't care, nothing matters except that he doesn't leave yet. ] Even just for a little while.

[lovesbitch]

[ his heart is breaking in his chest all over again, but when he takes in the look she gives him it's not like he could say no. That was the best night of my life, Buffy. spike swallows it all down and nods, steeling himself and crawling into bed beside her. ] Not goin' anywhere.

[first_summers]

[ As horrible as that night had been, her time with him was... Words couldn't describe how much it meant to her, how dearly she still holds it. How she'd missed the feeling of his arms around her these past weeks.

Settling down onto the mattress, she's quiet at first, her eyes on his chest instead of his face, but after a few moments her thoughts slip out. ] I shouldn't have asked you for this. It isn't fair.

[lovesbitch]

[ he lays down eye level with her even if he can't look at her face either, breathing shallowly though he has no reason to. his hand curls on the bed and he frowns. should'ves or could'ves in their relationship were more than meaningless, and buffy already knows he'd pull the moon down if he thought it was what she wanted. so her apology all but falls on deaf ears here. ] Fair. What the hell's that, huh? [ it's gentle though it just as easily could've come out another way. he smiles though it's visibly wan, flicking his eyes up to hers before dancing away just as fast. ]

[first_summers]

[ Is that why she'd asked him for this? Knowing it's unfair because of the way he feels for her, knowing that he would do what she asked. Is she just using him again to feel something other than pain and hopelessness?

No. There's more to this, she's more certain of that than she's been of anything in a long time. It's too soon to say it though, and she's too frightened of so many things centering on him. So with a glance to that smile with eyes shining with pooling tears, she moves closer to hide her face against his shoulder, her fingers curling around the fabric of his jumpsuit. ]

[lovesbitch]

[ the brief sight of her watery eyes tightens something in his long-dead chest and spike doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her, trying to be the steady pillar that she needs now. his eyes squeeze tightly too, staving off tears of his own even as buffy attempts to bury herself against his chest. ] Buffy, it's okay. We're gonna figure a way out of this. Like we always do. [ or like the scoobies do. they only have the fighty ones and not the brainy ones which sucks, but. they'll manage. spike has to believe that. ]

[first_summers]

[ Why does everything have to be so hard? Why can't this one thing in her life be easy, just this single thing? Hasn't she earned that? ]

I can't lose you again. [ It slips out without her notice and her grip on his jumpsuit tightens, as if by sheer force of will she can keep him there with her forever. Because even his show of confidence isn't enough to banish the fear curled in her chest. ]

[lovesbitch]

[ the words draw a sharp, ragged breath from his chest, fingers digging into her back where they hold her in place. ] I'm probably the least important person here, Slayer. [ especially with buffy here. she's naturally at the tippy top of the list. he doesn't regret dying for the cause, even if he regrets that it hurt her. ]

You can't be afraid to use me again if you have to. I'll come back again. [ until he doesn't, but hey. ]

[first_summers]

[ Lifting her head at that, her expression is firm despite the shadow of sadness draped across her features. ] No, I won't do that, Spike. I don't care what happens, but it won't come to that again. I won't let it.

[ She'd forfeit her own life again before risking his, just as she's done so many times before now. It's not what he wants to hear, but she refuses to even consider the option of him sacrificing himself, even if there might be a chance he'd come back. ]

[lovesbitch]

[ he pulls back his hands from her abruptly as if she'd burned him and he looks confused. not the kind of slapstick dumbguy confused that he usually is, but seriously, devastatingly lost. ] You have to. I'm expendable. [ and that's probably his best quality!! ]

[first_summers]

[ It hurts when he pulls away like that, like she's fallen on one of her own stakes, and her grip on him is suddenly weak enough that she loses hold of the yellow fabric as he moves. She props herself up on an elbow and looks away because she can't bear to see him wearing that expression. She can't let him see the tears that are back in full force, blurring her vision and slipping down her cheeks in a trail of painful heat. ] Not to me.

[lovesbitch]

[ he hates to see her this upset, especially over him. he frowns, working his way closer even as he sits up some. ] Buffy. You know the last thing I'd ever want to do is hurt you again. [ she does know that, right? he lays a cool hand against the warm rise of her cheek and thumbs away her tears. ] I'm just saying. Whatever it takes, we're getting out of this.

[first_summers]

[ She knows. Of everything in her life, that's one of the few things she's completely certain of. That night won't ever be repeated, and he'll do anything he can to keep her safe in the ways she needs it. But he matters just as much as she does.

Lifting her hand to cover his on her cheek, she slips her fingers over the back of his before sliding her grip down to his wrist, holding him there. ] Not whatever it takes. I'd rather be stuck here forever than lose you again.

[lovesbitch]

[ he wasn't going anywhere, but the grip on his wrist gets a shallow breath anyway. spike knows they're both too stubborn, there's not a lot of other places this line of thinking can go. she thinks she can save him, but spike is already dead. if they get out of here then he assumes he goes back to being a pile of dust. (little does he know...) ] You don't mean that. [ it's gentle, and there's a wan smile to go along. ] What about Dawn? Harris? Your merry band of girls. I know you miss it already.

[first_summers]

I don't know that I do. [ The words taste bitter on her tongue, but there's a hesitant, uncertain truth to them. She's beyond conflicted about her situation and the people who had previously meant the entire world to her. Her eyes close for a moment and she gives a tiny shake of her head, enough for expression but not to dislodge his hand. ] Nothing's been the same since that night.

[lovesbitch]

[ his expression darkens, but he keeps close, cupping her cheek and looking into her eyes like she's the best thing he's ever seen. ] That's bollocks, Summers, and you know it. You're gonna save this place and then you're gonna get back to saving our world. [ that's why I love you he just barely restrains himself from saying. ]

[first_summers]

[ He seems so certain and she... She doesn't want to talk about this anymore. It's hard and it hurts and what's the point of it when they don't yet have any idea of where to start. Instead she just lets herself sink into those eyes that have always seen her as she is, and she leans back into him again. No words, just a silent request. ]

[lovesbitch]

[ like he could ever deny her. spike settles back down and cradles the back of her head in both hands now, determined to keep her close if that's where she wants to be. ] Go to sleep. None of that matters now.