⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 119 - Day 126
Where: The Summerlands
What: Ignatius and Gild portal everyone to the Summerlands, with hopes of appealing to the Summer Maiden for help. Meanwhile, the carnival gets the chance to relax in luxury as only tentatively welcome guests. Here is the location write up from the last time the carnival visited. Since then, of course, some things have changed.
Warnings: Nothing in particular.

THE SUN RISES↴ After taking the time to rest, Ignatius and Gild will be able to pool together their energy to portal the carnival (and the airship) to the Summerlands. Those still in Polaris will be left to their own devices for the moment as Gild intends to ask for the Summerlands aid in relocating them, hopefully as soon as possible. With the effort the carnival put into sorting things out in there, however, they should be fine on their own for a little while, at least. They will arrive in the flowery fields at the base of the mountains, and soon the Summer Fae will notice their presence. Since the last time they visited, however, the atmosphere has changed. ► YOUR ARRIVAL: As the Summer Fae discover the group's arrival, it will quickly become apparent that there is a tension present that wasn't there any of the other times the carnival has visited. The Summer Maiden comes to greet the group personally, with an entourage of armed Summer Fae. They are not at all aggressive unless provoked, but there is clearly a wariness that is new. They seem uncertain about Ignatius being here, and while Gild will be able to do a lot of the talking and smooth things over, the Summer Maiden will deflect having a serious conversation about affairs until the carnival has taken time to 'rest.' It's more likely that the Maiden needs a moment to think over this new information before dealing with it. ► SUMMER CITY: After the Summer Fae become aware of everyone's presence, and the initial uncertainties are accommodated, they will invite you into their city. There are stairs that lead up the sides of the mountains, but thankfully there are also magical means of getting up there as well. The Summer Fae will be willing to help workers with the injured as needed, offering herbal remedies and healing magic to those that want it. You'll also be invited to join them for dinner, but it feels like more of a formality, and no one is obligated to take them up on it. ► SUMMER PEOPLE: The fae here will do their best to entertain these new visitors - but it doesn't seem that much happens here besides day after day of peaceful meditation and relaxation. It is not uncommon to see Summer Fae spent days doing exactly the same thing, whether that be enjoying the weather, listening to music, or dancing - the day and night periods may be similar to earth, but when you don't need rest it can all blur together just the same. Some of the fae work on feats of agriculture or craftsmanship, and while there is no particularly need to work in this place, they take pride in the fact that they do. ► FAMILIAR FACES: One very different thing about the Summerlands this go around is that there appears to be a small settlement built at the base of the mountains, filled entirely with the former residents of the Manor. Alyss and Reyna will explain that they set up a place to live down there with the Summer Fae's help, and that the fae seems to be trying to remain hands off except when they are needed. The Manor folk overall seem to be doing well, though there is some tension regarding their place in the Summerlands - they are clearly seen as refugees, and while the Summer Fae do their best to help them, the arrival of the carnival and the request for even more help with refugee aid seems to be making things awkward. ► OF THINGS TO COME: The Summer Maiden will remain distant for the first few days, but according to Gild and based on personal observation, it will seem that the news that the Ringmaster has been taken and the idea that even more desperate mortals are requesting to come here are putting her at significant ill ease. She's not rude or dismissive, but she seems reluctant to address the situation head on, though she has said that she will hold a meeting with the carnival later in the week to discuss everything in more detail. None of them seem particularly angry or resentful, but they seem to regard the carnival as an ill portent of things to come.

Comments

[atouts]

"As if they'll care," Childermass sighs as well, raising his head back up to look at Lambert once he reaches out to touch his face. "Why would what Winter does to anyone less than another High Fae move them?"

But he doesn't particularly want to talk about faeries, even while in a land of them. He waves a hand after the tail now that it's been moved.

"And this. I don't want this to be what's keeping us apart anymore. If I can find a way to accept the Void, then surely I can accept what's changed about you."

[whattaprick]

“Maybe it’ll be a nice preview of what could happen to them if they ever end up in a Winter fae’s hands,” Lambert shrugs. “Seeing as Ignatius isn’t a good example anymore.”

But he doesn’t want to talk about faeries either. After a moment of consideration, frowning as he mulls it over, Lambert volunteers a suggestion.

“Nothing says you have to accept it all at once. I mean, I’m the one attached to the damn things, and I have a hard time accepting it. Besides,” he hesitates, reluctant to voice the thought but wanting to be honest about it, “Even if you never accept them, even if you don’t want me like ... that because of it ... I’d understand. I don’t need to be in your bed to be with you.”

At least, that’s what he’s been trying to convince himself of the past few days. If this is all there is to have, then ... that’s what it’ll have to be.

[atouts]

Childermass just looks at Lambert, dead silent, when he suggests it's okay if there's a sheer absence of that... Followed, of course, by a restrained grin spreading across his face and, inevitably, a snort of laughter. Not an angry or upset laugh, just a real one.

"Lambert, please. We both know you can't go two hours without thinking about sex," he says. Probably not totally accurate but he's pretty sure he's close. "Besides, Baker isn't allowed up on beds. Who else am I going to get to be a personal heater?"

[whattaprick]

Lambert scowls at Childermass, indignant. He was trying to be sincere, you jerk! The fit of pique passes swiftly, though, and he settles down, managing to smirk at Childermass in turn.

“Thinking isn’t the same as having,” he points out, haughtily. “I haven’t even touched you once below the waist for two weeks or kissed you, have I?” Not the first time, either. Childermass’s stint as a Harbinger was easier, in some ways, because he wasn’t right there — and because Lambert hadn’t gotten so used to being able to be with him.

Besides, there’s nothing for killing libido like the thought your lover might flinch at every touch, or even just at seeing you naked. Even for someone like Lambert, who thinks about sex all the time.

[atouts]

"You haven't," Childermass agrees, "But I don't want it to be that way forever. I just thought... If I saw these changes more, wouldn't I get used to them faster?"

He can only shrug as he says that, though. He'd wanted that, only he hadn't really considered Lambert first. If Lambert wants to keep them wrapped until the Summer Court, then that's just how it'll be.

"I can wait," he adds, just to make that clear. "If you can manage to, it's only fair I do the same."

[whattaprick]

Lambert can’t help but respond to that claim with open skepticism.

“Considering you can barely touch me without wincing, wouldn’t you be happier waiting anyway?” he points out, reasonably in his opinion. He reaches up to touch the base of a horn, nervously, where he knows the metal’s been bolted into his skull, and bites at his lip, trying to figure out how to word what’s been bothering him.

“I know how you feel about me hasn’t changed,” he says, haltingly. That might be a bold claim even now, but Childermass was the one who’d told him he still loved him, so he’ll press on anyway. “But the way you look at me has, you know? Sometimes it makes me feel like I’m not even here.”

[atouts]

Childermass is quiet for a time, squinting quizzically at Lambert once he's said that. If it's something he's been doing, it isn't something he's even been aware of.

"What do you mean like you're not even here? I certainly haven't been addressing thin air all this time."

[whattaprick]

Lambert just stares back, helplessly, before he looks away, brows knitting together.

“I don’t want you just to get used to me, I want — I want you to want me.” He swallows around an unexpected tightness in his throat, feeling woefully inarticulate.

“They changed my bones, not who I am, and we don’t ... we don’t have any more time. Not to sort any of this out, not to keep missing each other when we’re both right here.” His words clip and stumble into each other at the end in their rush to get out.

“I don’t need you to fix me. I need you with me.”

[atouts]

God, if anyone asks him for life advice in the future, Childermass is undoubtedly going to say 'don't fall in love'. It's a complete mess, all ways, and it has him reaching for Lambert's hand when he says all that.

"I—" He starts, sounding as if he's about to protest. That it's all one and the same but is it? He can't fix Lambert anymore than he can fix Strange or anyone else and they would resent the idea the same, wouldn't they? He falters, lost for words for a second, two, and then he just sags where sits, shoulders falling. "I am here, with you. All of you, right now, not just some memory of you. I'm sorry that I've been making it seem otherwise."

[whattaprick]

Lambert let’s Childermass take his hand, turning it to catch the magician’s fingers with his own, and lets out a sigh that would rattle his bones if they weren’t made of metal.

“Okay,” he says. How close to heart he takes that statement is hard to say, tail limp on the blanket, but he won’t give Childermass time to think about it before he manages to marshal himself enough to ask what’s really on his mind.

“Can I ... can I just hold you right now?” Hastily, he’ll clarify — “Not just your hand. Just for a while.”

[atouts]

Childermass summons a sad kind of smile to his face at the request and shifts closer towards Lambert on the blanket, giving Lambert's own hand a small squeeze.

"Of course," he says, quiet but resolute. "I would like that."

[whattaprick]

It’ll take Lambert a moment of hesitation, still, like he’s not exactly sure where to put his hands, but he eventually settles on tugging Childermass between his legs, back to chest, the easier to wrap his arms around him ... and the less Childermass has to look. He’s warm as ever, muscles just a bit bulkier, and his breath runs warm as he tucks his chin on top of the magician’s head.

And if that breath sounds a little choked at times, if he unconsciously tightens his grip on Childermass ... well, hopefully the magician won’t mind it. He’ll sit quietly with him like that for as long as the magician will let him, and even if they haven’t exactly talked through anything, he feels better for it.