EVENT 01: Welcome to the Pentagon!

[unrequite]

WELCOME TO THE PENTAGON!

Picture a Las Vegas sized hotel, but with no casino. It's just very big. And there is no gift shop.

The Pentagon welcomes you...

You wake up from a doze seated in a firm lobby chair. Walked through a set of automatic sliding doors, bag in tow. Where did you get that bag? Listen, don't worry about it.

- All guests to the Pentagon arrived with a medium-sized standard rolling bag. It is filled with any items they would have brought with them if they had time to pack a standard rolling bag before they left. Weapons are okay!
- All guests may bring one living animal. The animal will retain any powers it may have as long as it is not worldbreaking.
- All guests will have their powers. They will not be allowed to use it to break the world. They may break other things, but they will be pulled aside by one of the receptionists for a Talking To. They may be barred from the hotel for the night and it gets cold outside the Pentagon!
- Guests are not limited to standard entry to the hotel. However, if they break hotel property upon entry, they will be expected to pay for repairs. Method of payment will come as soon as I'm not fuckballs tired.

Things to do:

- Check in! There is a handy dandy receptionist at the front desk ready to take your name and your reservation. Yes, you have a reservation! It's here, in this shared suite. You don't remember making that reservation? What a pity. Well, while we get you resituated in the system, I suppose you will have to make peace with your roommate. Please don't fuck up your relationship with your roommate, that would be so terribly awkward. If you would like to trade rooms, that is fine, but please notify the front desk with all involved parties with the details of the room change! Also, please allow one day for admin to catch up with bookings before you trade rooms! Try to be nice to your one night roomie okay okay

- Get breakfast! A free continental breakfast is served from 6 am to 10 am. Please come by for fresh food!

- Chill in the lobby! When it isn't doubling as the breakfast area, the lobby area functions as both a waiting room, a meeting place, and a chill seating area in case you don't want to eat your gas station hotdog at the gas station like a neanderthal. wow.

- Find your room!

Each suite has a:
- kitchenette (one pot, one pan, plastic silverware, paper plates and bowls. no food. that's at the gas station across the street.)
- microwave
- fridge (with drinks! you will have to pay for them if you take them. it's going to be Esspensive.)
- two beds (small, but very comfy)
- bathroom with bath and shower (with standard toiletries. if you need more, you can call the front desk! there are towels, but if you make a real mess, call the front desk for fresh ones.)
- toilet (no bidet)
- closet (3 hangers, one extra set of sheets, one extra comforter, two extra pillows, a small ironing board, an iron)
- shared side table (two drawer compartments, one for each bed; there are outlets for electronics)
- wardrobe (just one, but it's big! please share.)
- desk with rolling chair (just one! again, please share. also: a notepad with a cheap ballpoint pen, a phone, and a phone directory for standard hotel amenities)
- pullout bed couch (for more guests! this bed is far less comfy than the standard beds.)
- television (with standard cable and standard trash programming. nothing particular stands out about the programming.)

- book shop? ... There is a bookshop where the gift shop should be. Where did it come from? Perhaps it's always been there, in the same way the faceless staff of the Pentagon have always been there. There is currently caution tape over the front entrance. Although the entrance isn't locked, it is not advised to enter the bookshop early. Who knows what might happen (the people who were in the City knows what will happen no don't touch that—)

- gas station? across the street? The street stretches into the horizon. This place is flat. so very flat. but there's a gas station.

- fresh produce (limited, but good variety. may be slightly wilted.)
- standard basic groceries (including pet food for your Living Creatures)
- liquor section (we in the south now boyzzz)
- lotto ticket machine (?)
- chargers/small electronics
- wall o candy
- basic amenities and toiletries(fancier than hotel amenities but not by much)
- magazines!
- slushy machine
- coffee machine
- rolling hotdogs
- hot fast food
- car maintenance products. you know. for your car
- gas station guy. nice guy

How do you pay? the gas station guy will charge it to your room! Who's paying for your room? Erm. Tehe. pero

You can also go to the gas station guy and buy a bus ticket to Sin City for a vacay. Sin City is great! Lots to do in Sin City. Buses to Sin City leave every Wednesday evening — don't be late! However, after a month at maximum, you will be back in your room in the Pentagon. Guess the hotel likes you!

Other hotel amenities. This hotel isn't 5 star, but it isn't 3 star either! Standard fancy hotel amenities, such as a small gym, a pool and sauna, a well maintained laundry room, a small spa, and a business center with computers and print station also exist. The only amenity that does not exist is the standard fancy hotel restaurant. Make your food yourselves!!

welcome nerds. enjoy your stay!

OOC:
- I will make a receptionist thread. please feel free to add your character to the queue for a randomly selected room! if you would like to also have a conversation with one of our three randomly selected receptionists, please say so in your comment. thank. EDIT: room assignments are here! please add any new characters to any random rooms you like. if you change rooms, please be sure to update the spreadsheet. thank yoooou
- i'll make up how to make money and pay for stuff later. for now please don't starve just buy stuff it's Fine
- electricity works. there's local internet but search engines bring up very little about the area. gps does NOT work (for now)
- uh that's it i'm tired please tell me if i missed anything

Comments

room prompt!

[unrequite]

[ For all that Taishin is a bit of an introvert, she is a runner and quite literally a track star, so Midnight has grown accustomed to seeing her bed unoccupied after dinnertime. He's already grown fond of her sullen grouchiness, but for this conversation, he feels like he needs an hour or two of quiet alonetime with Yesod.

He comes to the with some groceries, items that Yesod's cleared at the gas station. Having already texted that he'd be over for a late dinner a few days ago, he knocks with full confidence that Yesod was awaiting his arrival. ]

[wordchain]

[ The door opens immediately; as expected, Yesod has been waiting for Midnight. Though he stops by Midnight's and Netzach's assigned rooms each day himself, much like their own visits — particularly to make sure that they can eat meals together and retreat to a quieter space to rest and be in each other's company even here — and they can reach one another easily enough, whether in person or via text or call, this is different. Yesod appreciates his young roommate's reliable routine (and perhaps she and Nill are friends?), affording him and Midnight some privacy for tonight's conversation.

He greets Midnight with a kiss, hands outstretched to take Midnight's and lead him into the room, over to take a seat on his bed. With the door closed, the groceries set down, they can talk. ]

Would you prefer to stay here for a while or start on our dinner preparations together?

[unrequite]

[ Midnight laughs softly into the kiss, holding Yesod close a brief moment before following him in. Hello, danna-san. ]

Let's start dinner. I shouldn't like to be in the midst of eating by the time Miss Taishin returns. She's already quite patient with sharing her room with us.

[ A bit playfully worded: she hasn't even remotely implied that the room is hers, but Midnight is happy to be around another princess to carefully spoil. He goes to wash his hands at the sink, tying up his hair before he does. ]

What are we making tonight, darling?

[wordchain]

[ Yesod maintains the contact a moment longer himself, squeezing Midnight's hands lightly in a promise to resume it shortly, before they move apart to wash their hands. Fastening his apron around his waist, he turns to the groceries. ]

We can use these ingredients to make a noodle stir fry.

[ That won't be too heavy for the hour, and they will have enough for Netzach and Taishin as well.

Yesod begins to wash the vegetables to prepare, but he glances back up, over at Midnight. ]

It's unlikely that we will be interrupted here, but you know that I would also join you and Netzach elsewhere whenever you like.

[unrequite]

[ A pleasant, satisfied hum. A noodle stirfry can look and taste like a lot of things, but Midnight does like Yesod's take on it: light, lean, filling. He puts on his own apron and begins to look for the singular pot and singular pan... He wishes that they'd brought more of their kitchenware here from their place in Sin City, but that's a trip they can save for when they're not busy settling in.

Speaking of settling in... ]

I think Operator Logos would be happy to see you both as well. However... I confess to having some ulterior motives to wanting dinner with just us tonight.

[ A hum. ]

I haven't seen Kaveh yet.

[wordchain]

[ Admittedly, Yesod is contemplating a trip back to Sin City as soon as possible to ensure that they will have more at their disposal even without their own kitchen. He places importance on being able to take care of his husbands, and he rather enjoys cooking for them as part of that — he won't let the limited space here deter him.

(At least Illuga will make the hotel's kitchen an acceptable substitute soon. Thank you to Illuga's genius defying suite kitchenettes.)

For now, Yesod pauses to adjust the ties of Midnight's apron at the small of his back, if only as a gesture to invite Midnight's assistance in turn, touches exchanged while they busy themselves with their current task. Then Midnight's admission has Yesod's full attention; he listens, solemn.

Needless to say, Midnight's conspicuous absence when Kaveh and Alhaitham made their entrance didn't escape Yesod's notice, and Yesod is certain that it has been on Netzach's mind as well. It feels too close to Midnight removing himself from situations where he believed himself unwelcome.

It's good that Midnight continues to choose to come to them, to confide in them. It's good that Midnight is here right now. ]

Do you want to see him?

[ Yesod thinks of that simulated city, how often Midnight must have spent time with Kaveh there. Seventh Hell was the product of their collaboration. Midnight assisted Kaveh and Netzach to shape the apartment that became a home, first for the Librarians, and then once more with Midnight's own presence.

They haven't seen each other in too many months, but before that, Kaveh did a great deal to make all of them feel welcome, again and again, through difficult moments and in brighter ones. Already, he is doing the same here.

Up together — Yesod thinks of the apparent pledge that Midnight and Kaveh reaffirmed during that all too brief call, too. ]

[unrequite]

[ Midnight does indeed adjust Yesod's apron for him, giving him a kiss on the head when he's done. There. Always perfect, but now even more perfect. ]

Mm. Well, I have to give their plant back to them at some point... It'll be a lovely reunion.

[ He knows how Yesod and Netzach adore Kaveh in their own ways. That, conversely, has made it quite difficult to bring this up. In spite of Yesod already seeing him at some truly heinous lows, Midnight is aware that this one is rather singular in and of itself. ]

I'm not sure how to face him, to be honest. It hasn't been that long, all things considered, but I feel as though I've changed... Or, rather, I've stayed dreadfully stagnant as a person.

[wordchain]

[ Midnight has been taking good care of Yashar, of course, but they do need to return the mint plant to Kaveh and Alhaitham, now that they can. Maybe that would serve as a means to make it easier for Midnight to take a first step in that direction, though it clearly isn't a simple matter, nor a straightforward reunion, just as Midnight's interactions with Alhaitham are complicated.

"You hold my heart" — Midnight said this to Kaveh, Yesod recalls, yet Midnight hasn't answered his question directly. ]

How so? During that call, Kaveh seemed quite pleased to see you.

[ Kaveh expressed his happiness to see Midnight happy. ]

Nevertheless, Netzach and I would accompany you, if you would like us to be there at first.

[unrequite]

[ A beat. Midnight begins to wash vegetables, laying them in paper plates when he's done. There are knives at the gas station, but they haven't gotten an extra one yet, strictly because they can borrow them from the kitchen. ]

I think I'd like for you both to be there, if only to...

[ Midnight switches off the water to think. His voice is very soft. ]

My darling, I think I might be afraid. I hardly know how to... I'm not often afraid, you know. Haven't got the time for it.

[wordchain]

[ Yesod doesn't reach for the knife or the vegetables just yet, his attention on Midnight. It has become natural to offer physical contact as a form of reassurance between the three of them, and he stands closer, leaning into Midnight's side, to establish that connection again. ]

We would encourage you to acknowledge it.

[ Especially considering that this fear seems persistent, left unresolved. It's good, too, that Midnight is taking the time now to examine it. ]

Will you tell us your reasons?

[unrequite]

[ Midnight's hands slow and eventually reach and turn the faucet off. He leans back against Yesod, resting his weight ever so slightly against him. ]

... Have I ever disappointed you, danna-san?

[wordchain]

[ As Midnight leans against him in kind, Yesod wraps his arms around Midnight's waist to hold him there, steady. The vegetables can wait awhile longer, unless Midnight would find it easier to speak while their hands are busy with practical things. ]

As far as I'm concerned, no. You haven't.

[ What Midnight may think of himself with regard to disappointing people is a different matter, and the true question to answer. Yesod waits for Midnight to continue, studying Midnight's expression. ]

[unrequite]

[ Midnight hums. Well, dinner does need to get done at some point, but... He turns a little to wrap his arms around Yesod, resting his head on top of Yesod's hair. ]

... I have broken a promise I made to Kaveh. An important one, one I wanted to keep. The sort of promise that keeps me from making terrible, foolish decisions.

[ A hum. It's the exact timbre he makes when he's thought of something he doesn't like very much. ]

I've failed, I think. So I wonder... Would you forgive me, Yesod, if I broke a promise to you?

[wordchain]

[ Dinner won't be neglected, but Midnight confiding in him is something that Yesod takes just as seriously, something that he wants to handle with care. He hopes that their embrace brings Midnight comfort, even if he can't wrap himself around Midnight easily to tuck him against his body, not while they're standing.

The weight of a promise that Midnight is convinced he has broken beyond repair hangs over him, then. He doesn't make them lightly, Yesod imagines — the nickname that Midnight has gifted him is also proof of that.

Exchanging such endearments became a promise to keep, too, acknowledging the significance of names. Yesod has ventured to convey as much as he can, how deeply he values the gesture and his husbands, in his own choices: yakiri for Midnight, who will never lose his place in their hearts, alongside ori for Netzach, whose gentle light illuminates their lives each day.

He doesn't think that Midnight would break any promise for unforgivable reasons. ]

I would want us to speak as we are now, in order to understand the circumstances fully. You would still have your home with us regardless.

[ Midnight always will. ]

I believe that Kaveh would want to understand what has occurred as well.