tunasub | it's fucking decembo

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it's fucking decembo

you know what to do. whether it's magic compulsion (feat. magical attraction or not), that you're trapped until you kiss, or just tradition and social pressure, you've been caught under the mistletoe and that means you have to kiss.

platonic is ok too. feel free to leave your own comment or reply to one of mine with a blank if you want me to write a starter!

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[For whatever reason, which shall be left open for the time being, they find themselves under a familiar sprig. The fact that he recognizes it intrigues Louis, who's yet to react to the implications as he gazes curiously at the mistletoe overhead.]

This is . . .

[ Johnny is sitting in his wheelchair and looking glum, more than usual, because he hates Christmas (to the surprise of no one.) His only saving grace is that he's not at his family's house right now. And he has a slice of cake on a paper plate, which is pretty okay. That's... it. ]

Just ignore it. It's a stupid tradition.

[Louis isn't one to beam at most people on most days, so he doesn't mind Johnny's expression. He does wonder if Johnny is that miserable to be here, though. At least the cake looks good.]

If it bothers you, I won't insist on anything.

[But they will continue to exist under the mistletoe.]

How's the cake?

[ a shrug. ]

S'okay. You want some?

[ holding the plate out to Louis. ]

[Oh, that's very generous. He does kind of want some, but there's a problem as he looks at the plate.]

Can I really have it? I'm afraid I don't have a spare set of utensils on me, though . . .

[ Johnny just stares at him for a second, then puts his fork on top of the cake slice, too. He's so far past caring about cooties! It's fine. ]

... You know, this isn't a thing I see very often back home.

[ she's kind of just staring up at the mistletoe, amused. ]

Which might be a good thing, considering how many teenaged boys I work with.

[ despite appearances, Bucciarati? Loves Christmas. Being a hardened mafioso with permanent RBF does not preclude one from enjoying the holidays and the cozy family atmosphere. Today, his serious demeanor is metered by a more relaxed expression. ]

Concerned they would try to trick you under it?

Concerned that they'd get themselves hurt in their increasingly creative efforts to get me and any of the other ladies under it, actually.

[ SMT boys sure are prone to Dramatic. Surely Bucciarati knows nothing about overly dramatic males. ]

I just thought it might be better not to encourage them.

Hm... I'm surprised. You strike me as the type to be popular with teenage boys.

[ he can say this confidently, because he, too, is surrounded by them... ]

Admitting it is a little...

[ Is that bragging? She's not sure. ]

Regardless, I try to avoid it with any minors.

[ So like, the place is all decorated for Yule. Wreathes here and there, strings of lights strung over trees, holly bushes dotting the snowy scenery, et cetera, et cetera. Fine, reasonable. But what diligent force put in the effort of spreading these decorations past the borders of the habitable areas, all the way through the woods and even out towards the very edges of the coast?

Vangeance marvels over this line of thought as he aimlessly follows the trail of decorations through the woods, wondering if there really is no end to it, and when he finds himself on a familiar stretch of coast, well -- it's only natural to look around to see if he can find its usual inhabitant, right?

Maybe Cinnabar has seen a stretch of land not plagued by decorations.

(Too bad he hasn't been paying attention overhead, where mistletoe is dotted here and there. Also it's like, magical mistletoe you can't move away from without kissing. Because otherwise these two will never smooch.) ]

[ probably the same force that covered the place in fall festival flair not so long ago. Cinnabar's long given up on questioning the strange and colorful (and seemingly random) symbols and items that humans like to put on and around where they live. Flowers, they understand - colorful fabrics, too. The candles and snowmen and big horned animals (rain deers?) are more perplexing, to say nothing of the singing... they're sleepy this time of year to begin with, so the noise feels extra grating.

Sleepy, but not enough to actually sleep through the night, as usual. Vangeance's search will be fruitful, even if the lights and shiny things dotting the landscape actually provide Cinnabar with a bit of camouflage they don't usually have. They're sitting up in some beachy scrub, beneath a line of spindly trees, which, unfortunately for both of them, are absolutely still plagued by decorations. They appear a little drowsy, but the holiday lights provide a bit of energy, enough for them to notice his approach. ]

You... You came out here again. [ it's more resignation than actual annoyance, voice lacking its typical venom. At this point, they're accustomed (relatively) to his nighttime wanderings. Truth be told, he's not a terrible conversation partner. (They're still skittish about the word friend.) With a small sigh, they get to their feet, dusting off their shorts. ] I heard humans get sick if they don't sleep...

Edited 2021-12-07 06:06 (UTC)

[ That dour greeting only earns a gentle laugh and a small nod, the feathers on Vangeance's helm bobbing from the movement. ]

Good evening to you too, Cinnabar.

[ Maybe for someone else, he would have taken that brusque statement as an indirect demand to be left alone, an understandable request for some private time. But he's spent just enough time around Cinnabar that he thinks he can tell when a statement is just blunt, not meant to be barbed. So Vangeance quietly wanders a few steps closer, pulling his cloak closer about himself to ward off the winter chill as he continues mildly. ]

I've actually been sleeping too much since arriving here. I had quite the busy job back in my homeland, so this place has left me with too much idle time. An evening walk now and then will be good for me.

[ His footsteps slow, then stop a short distance away from where Cinnabar's standing. Ostensibly because he's paused to admire the decorations hanging overhead, but mostly because he's cottoned onto Cinnabar not liking when he draws too close. ]

The decorations have been placed all the way here, I see ... [ Vangeance smiles to himself before pointing up at the various bits and baubles hanging from the tree branches above him. ] Impressive, aren't they? I haven't found any place free of them so far.

Well... I guess it would be hypocritical of me to scold you for that.

[ to their credit, they don't start backing up when he gets closer the way they used to. They do still look mildly uneasy about it, at least in their body language - they hold an arm against their waist as if trying to make themself smaller, and the particles of mercury in the air around them shrink in towards them, if only a little bit - but they stay put, though they look away shyly after a moment or two. His pointing at the lights provides a convenient excuse, at least, and Cinnabar follows his line of sight.

Impressive? Sort of. Certainly, they've never seen anything like it. As with many of the human festivals here, though, the decorations mostly make Cinnabar feel out of place. Everything is so alien, and they are not the right gem to try and understand it all. Someone like Jade should be doing this, not them. ]

The lights aren't bad. [ they're a different flavor that Cinnabar doesn't hate. ] ... Is this normal? All these decorations. I can't imagine having a party when it's so dark and cold.

Aren't the dark and the cold good reasons to have a party? The human spirit can be quite frail, and sometimes levity is necessary for keeping one's head up during the long winter months.

[ That said, he gives a small hum, reaching out to touch a hand against a nearby string of lights. The glass feels smooth to the touch but cold, flecked with snow. ]

I'm afraid I'm actually unaccustomed to these lights -- nothing like them exists in my homeland. But some of the other decorations are more familiar. For example --

[ Snow crunches underfoot when he takes a half-step closer, turning so he can direct Cinnabar's gaze towards a nearby cluster of decorations. ]

Holly, with its prickly leaves, is thought to ward off evil spirits. Similarly, these trees, evergreens. Because they remain enduring and healthy throughout the winter, they're considered symbols of health and renewal and are often hung indoors. Some also believe their strength encourages the sun's return in the spring. [ A pause before he gives a soft laugh. ] It's a rather silly superstition, I suppose. But it's good to have hope during cold and dreary winters.

Hmm.

[ they don't offer more of a comment than that. If the gems tried to have a party during the winter, Cinnabar suspects they'd just fall asleep halfway through setting it up. It's not something they usually have the luxury to even consider, with the Lunarian attacks, but maybe now...

No, it doesn't matter. They're not home. With a soft shake of their head, they look back to Vangeance, then the decorations he's pointing at. Perhaps surprisingly, the topic seems to actually hold some interest to them - the hard dismissive line of their brow relaxes slightly, giving way to curiosity. ]

So this plant is called holly. [ the evergreen trees, they know, but not that one. ] Superstitions are all silly.

[ another pause. ]

... But I understand admiring its strength. A plant like that.

WHY THE HELL NOT

[ she's a Persona user and a journalist, of course she's going to realize Stands are a thing in the course of her digging into the Unusual, and that's led her to... well, several people and many places, but most importantly-- Avdol!

And some weirdo who could do something with their Stand and mistletoe, which is why despite her best attempts (and those of Artemis), Maya finds herself firmly rooted underneath it with her unfortunate companion. She's also mumbling to herself, even as she futilely tries to yank a foot free for the umpteenth time. ]

All right, so maybe we're dealing with a mythological weakness here... there has to be a loophole. Mistletoe was used to kill Baldur, but it's not as though we're using it as an arrow... we also can't hope to incinerate it... hm.

[ I mean the user has basically left them to stand there and die, but she's not about to let that fly. ]

[ if it was able to be incinerated, trust that it would be incinerated already?! Magician's Red is there, trying his best, but the flames apparently aren't doing anything. Avdol's busy trying to figure out why. He's supposed to be the Stand expert! However, he's got nothing. Absolutely nothing. As far as he can tell, it has all the properties of a normal plant. ]

I'm sorry, Miss Amane... I've never heard of a Stand like this. And -- urk -- [ as he speaks, his own Stand is trying very hard to pull him out of the magical range of this evil plant, but mostly only succeeding in stretching his clothes and halfway-choking him. ] -- as far as mythological explanations, I can only think of two...!

[ and they're both BAD!!! ]

Okay--!

[ It's said strangely brightly, as though Maya is determined to just ignore the fact that they are both in Very Real Trouble if they can't figure out a way to get free. Because she is, mostly. She's dealt with so many seemingly impossible situations, there's no way she can let herself get dismayed by yet another one. ]

Apologies aside, tell me what you've got. If we can guess the rules it's operating by, then we can find a way to get out of this without technically breaking them, I bet!

[ Magician's Red releases him, and he rubs at his throat while the big bird looms behind him, staring imperiously at the mistletoe. It's probably looking for a distraction, because, as a Stand, it is a reflection of its User, and said User is not looking forward to what he has to say next. ]

... To my knowledge, mistletoe can be a symbol of human sacrifice, as in your example, but... more commonly, it represents love and fertility, especially when a man and woman stand beneath it...

... Oh, right! Silly me, you would have thought as a journalist for a teen magazine, it would have clicked!

[ Maya places her fist in her palm, apparently not as reluctant about this as Avdol is, mostly because she's just pleased they have a plausible lead. ]

If I'm remembering correctly, the original tradition is to kiss beneath the mistletoe and pluck a berry for each kiss until all the berries are gone. Though that part is a bit older...

[ he was not expecting her to be reluctant, because she is very rarely reluctant about anything. That's part of the problem!! ]

L -- Let's not worry about such things! We can start with the... the less extreme option.

[ a kiss... it doesn't say it has to be on the lips, though, right? Maybe they can get away with that much. Avdol's never really celebrated Christmas, so he's not sure how specific the rules are. He closes his eyes, drawing in a breath to calm his nerves for a brief moment; Magician's Red slowly dissipates into the air. There are worse traps to be in than simply stuck in a prank with one's work partner, right? Especially when she's an attractive woman. ]

Let me see your hand, please.

[ Wow, a gentleman. A vaguely flustered gentleman, it looks like, and Maya decides to behave herself enough to-- well, be at least a little merciful, so she offers her hand without any teasing addendums. ]

Oh, I promise I'm not worried.

[ Mostly. ]

since it's also THAT time of year

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