⇨ The Tourist Trap: PROLOGUE

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone, anywhere in Portland.
When: Any time before the start of the event.
Where: Portland area, in the new reality.
What: Once you've submitted your AU summary, you can use this post to do some CLOSED THREADING to play out some character interactions that happened before the event start. This means that memory regains will not be in play yet. Open top levels are not allowed - these threads are intended to sort out closed interactions between planned backstory connections, during the week leading up to the actual event start.
Warnings: Could be anything.

PORTLAND, AS YOU KNEW IT↴ The shift went unseen and unfelt. One moment you were one person, and the next, another. This before all that, though, in the new life that you remember living here in Portland. No memories of your true self have arisen yet, and at the time this was the only life you knew. Did these events truly happen at all? Or do they only exist in memory?

Comments

[dontpokethat]

"--No." Definitely, definitely not. "No, absolutely not. I don't think he even-- look, have you ever known him to actually date anyone?" Because so far as Ginko can tell, that just... isn't something he does.

"It's not going to happen."

[pipers_son]

"That's exactly why ya should date him." Sighing, Joker rolls his head to the side, scraping his fingers through his hair.

"Some things, ya gotta do ta realize how bad an idea they are, or else yer always gonna be wonderin'. Yer never gonna stop thinkin' about it, never gonna stop longin'. It's bleedin' masochistic is what it is." Hand pulling away from his hair, he snaps his fingers to point at Ginko. "So ya date 'im. And ya realize all the annoyin' stuff ya wouldn't realize if ya kept it platonic-like."

Pausing, he considered something and shrugged. "Or it actually turns out well, even if he's a mess of a creature on the Lord's good earth, but in that case, ain't it a win-win situation there?"

[dontpokethat]

"I'm not wondering anything, I know it would be a bad idea, even if it were possible."

He rests his elbows on the table and lets out a frustrated groan, resting his forehead in his hands. "It's... it's not even a matter of whether dating him would be a good idea, it's that... it just wouldn't work. And even if it did, he..."

He presses his lips together, faltering briefly before he keeps going. "...he's already got that whole thing with Foster. I... can't be dating the same guy as one of my best friends."

The last thing he needs is to end up constantly comparing himself and Foster. Definitely not.

[pipers_son]

....Oh. Right. That.

Joker ponders for a second if he should point out that it might not be what Ginko thinks- demons, and all that- but keeps quiet. Instead, he hums, thinking. This is clearly something Ginko has been fussing about, and Psi can't make it easy, being.... himself, and all that.

"Could always try datin' me," he suggests offhandedly. "Sometimes folks don't realize what they're doin' or what they're feelin' until they see the results in front of 'em. And demons are particularly thick, although I ain't sayin' that with a trace of bias or anythin'."

[dontpokethat]

Ginko is, unfortunately, in the process of taking a bite of his pastry when Joker makes that suggestion - meaning he nearly ends up choking on it.

"I-- I mean, I guess that makes sense," he sputters, once he can talk again. "But I-- are you sure that's a good idea?"

[pipers_son]

Whups. On account of that he very much likes Ginko alive instead of dead by choking on pastries, the angel reaches over to smack him on the back some. Good thing he knows the Heimlich, although that's a worst case scenario.

"Well, it's debatable, ta be honest, but what makes ya say that?"

[dontpokethat]

"I mean, it's--" He gestures uselessly for a couple seconds, then just lets his hands drop. "There are so many ways that could go wrong. Seriously, us pretending to date just to see how he reacts-- it sounds like the plot of a crappy movie or something. We just... we shouldn't."

Besides which, he feels like even fake-dating someone as attractive and nice as Joker would have the potential to create a whole new problem for him.

[pipers_son]

"Always wanted ta be in movies," he says slyly, a smile to match. "Bet ya would be a great romance lead, too."

But he's getting sidetracked, here. Joker considers the problem and then shrugs. "Well, then, we could skip all the fake datin' and I could just ask him what he thinks of the idea. Wouldn't even be a lie then, would it? Just askin' him what he thinks of a possibility. That'd be enough ta get an idea of how he feels about ya a little more."

[dontpokethat]

"Doubt it." He pretty much just mumbles it, enough that it might not even sound like words, depending on how much attention Joker is paying.

Ginko almost rejects that idea outright, as well, but his mouth twists into a frown as he thinks it over. "No, that... I mean. Maybe?"

Hmmm.

"If you did that, would you be able to do it without... you know, giving him the idea that... that there's a reason for it? Y'know, just... a hypothetical thing."

[pipers_son]

"Sure." Joker shrugs. "That sorta thing is easy. We always chat about different kinds of nonsense all the time, so this'd just be one more, wouldn't it?"

Leaning over, he pats his shoulder with a grin. "There's no need ta worry. I know what I'm doin'."

[dontpokethat]

"...Yeah. 'Course."

If he sounds doubtful, it's less that he doesn't trust that Joker knows what he's doing and more that he feels like this will find a way to blow up in his face anyway.

[pipers_son]

Such a vote of confidence.

Joker decides to change the conversation around, sort of. "So have ya gotten many crushes in the past?" he asks cheerfully, partially because he really is genuinely curious. It wouldn't be unusual if he did, or if he didn't, but Joker can't help but be curious either way. After all, a demon as a crush certainly is, well.... a thing.

[dontpokethat]

Oh good a change of topic-- wait no Ginko still wants to die a little.

"I mean, not... not a lot. It's happened before, but they're not super frequent or anything."

[pipers_son]

"Takes ya a bit ta get those kinda feelings ta blossom, huh?" Joker laughs a little bit, leaning over to see if there's anything he can steal from Ginko's lunch- not to seriously eat, just to see.

"In contrast, I bet tons of people have gotten crushes on ya~."

[dontpokethat]

"Guess so." Honestly, there's not much, unless he wants to nab half a fruit pastry or a partially-consumed cup of tea.

Ginko gives him a look of sheer incredulity. "Uh... why? 'Cuz I seriously doubt that."

[pipers_son]

Listen, the fruit pastry investigation is important, partially because Joker is a bored nosy bastard of an angel. After trying to guess the flavor, he puts it back.

"Why wouldn't they?" He flashes him another grin, although it's only a little teasing. "Yer quiet, got that nice gentle look about ya that I bet all sorts like, and ya ain't half bad ta look at. Lots of people love an animal lover, too."

[dontpokethat]

Ginko, honestly, looks vaguely suspicious when Joker picks up his pastry, but relaxes a little when it becomes clear that his lunch is not about to be eaten by an angel.

That's not to say that he stops frowning, though; that would be unlikely, given what he's listening to Joker claim. He hunches his shoulders slightly, simultaneously flustered and indignant.

"And I live in my car, and I can barely hold a conversation without saying something stupid," he counters. "So, probably safe to assume anyone with bad enough taste to be interested isn't going to stay interested for long."

[pipers_son]

"And that's why ya have an angel and a demon or Lord knows what else botherin' ya at any given time in the day," he retorts, laughing lightly. "Take it from me as some bastard who's been around centuries- the first step ta that kinda thing is just plain likin' someone, and the romance comes later."

At least, that's what he's observed, time and time again. So long as a pair weren't utterly disgusted with each other, they could make the relationship work even if just on a purely business level- he thinks of the arranged political and royal marriages especially with that.

"Yer a delight, Ginko, just a subtle one."

[dontpokethat]

"Hmm. And here I'd thought you guys just liked screwing around with me." He's partly joking, but, uh. Not entirely, what with the way Joker and Psi acted sometimes.

He sighs and slumps back in his seat, shoving his fingers up under his hat. "...Thanks, I guess."

[pipers_son]

"Well, we do like that," Joker says with a wink, "but only because yer so cute when ya get worked up."

....So basically they're like immature children, it's fine.

"Anyway, if ya want someone, I'm sure you'll find 'em eventually. Lotsa people in the world."

[dontpokethat]

Ginko lifts his hand enough that he can stare incredulously at Joker. "I'm not cute."

Then he just... makes a noncommittal grunting noise and stares up at the ceiling. "Maybe. Not sure how much it matters how many people are in the world, anyway; not like I'm planning on leaving Portland any time soon."

Even if he had the funds to be able to afford to travel, he can't imagine that living as a changeling would be anything but more difficult somewhere with less supernatural goings-on.

[pipers_son]

"And plenty of people come by through Portland." Blocking Ginko's view of the ceiling is Joker, who's hopped to his feet to come over and lean over him with a wide grin.

"And eventually one of 'em will find 'emselves charmed by yer kissable big nose, or want ta cup yer nice soft face in their hands, or be enamored with how yer petal hair falls around yer face. They'll definitely love how ya care so much for yer guinea pig that ya keep a whole thing in the backseat of yer car."

Joker winks.

"You'll see."

[dontpokethat]

...Well. Ginko's first impulse is to keep arguing, but he hardly knows where to start with all that. So, instead, he just sits there, wide-eyed. ...Aaand his face might be turning kind of red.

Eventually, his gaze flicks away and he regains his composure enough to come up with a response, if not a great one. "Yeah, well-- we'll see."

[pipers_son]

Laughing quietly, Joker cuts Ginko some slack and steps back. Best to make sure he has blood for the rest of his body and all that too, right?

"Anyway, I outta get goin'. If ya do see Psi, tell him I'm around, alright?"

[dontpokethat]

Ginko lets out a breath and slumps down in his chair once Joker moves away. That should not have been so stressful holy shit.

"Y-yeah. I'll let him know." He raises a hand in a half-hearted wave.