I'll follow behind you on rainbow road

[paragon]

Who: CAPTAIN AMERICA WANTS YOU
Where: The Baromanogerneson Residence (i.e., 5031)
When: May 9th
What: Mario Kart and subversion, two great tastes that taste great together.
Warnings: Please warn in subjects as needed!
[Open]

The thought had formed pretty much as soon as he'd opened the box that was left on the front porch. The people here need a way to talk. There are two rooms in the house where they would be free to do so. He'd come home one day — not long after the body had disappeared from the upstairs bathroom and all the cameras he'd ripped from their wiring between there and the garage had been put back in place in their absence with a friendly maintenance note left behind that all fixtures in need of repair had been seen to, along with a bill for the expenses — to find Natasha sitting on the bed, writing a note in Sharpie. He'd leaned against the door frame and watched her hold it up to the cameras and make a deal: Steve wouldn't break any more cameras, if they give them the privacy of their bedrooms. As there had only been the three of them at the time (despite the insistence in his head that the house has always been filled by his teammates, just as he remembers of the last few years before Wayward Pines), that had meant the master bedroom downstairs, and Bucky's upstairs.

It had actually worked, though Steve wouldn't have trusted the word of whoever's behind the cameras himself if it weren't for Natasha's daily inspections, and so far the deal's held.

But it's not — can't be — a luxury only afforded to them, for their own sakes. He's told others here and there, and he knows his friends have, too. It's not enough, but nor does he have a way to get people over without arousing suspicion. But then there's the Nintendo system. A little unorthodox, as far as his own methods go, but he'll work with anything he has.

He doesn't put it down anywhere in writing, letting news of the party travel by word of mouth and hoping that's enough to keep it out of the wrong ears. At least for now. There's a chance — a good chance — that it will eventually get the Sheriff's attention, but by then it will have had the effect it's supposed to and given the people here the chance to speak to each other truthfully. And if that comes down on anyone, it's gonna be the people prepared to deal with it.

The day of the ninth is a rainy one, a good day to stay inside and play games with friends. It also provides a good excuse to use the master bedroom just off the end of the foyer as a temporary coat room. Straight ahead in the living room, Mario Kart is all ready to go, and in the kitchen next to that, snack food and drinks are available.

((ooc: THIS IS A MINGLE POST. While I will be tagging around with Steve a bit, this is mostly to give people a chance to chat with each other without the cameras watching. Per Natasha's deal with the powers that be, the cameras in the master bedroom and Bucky's room upstairs have been removed. Natasha will be greeting people at the door and taking them on a "tour" (i.e., to the master bedroom to explain the camera situation, why the party's really happening, and that they are not to discuss the lack of cameras while elsewhere in the house). Feel free to wander in there any time for a chat, or simply enjoy some Mario Kart and refreshments! Commenting around is encouraged, and please note in your top-levels whether they're open or closed. If you have any questions for me I can be found on plurk (jeeps) or discord (jeeps#9644).))

Comments

caroline forbes • open

[coy]

[ Caroline plays one or two rounds and loses on purpose, despite her competitive nature. If only because she doesn't want to draw attention to her better than your average bear vampiric reflexes. She could probably beat some people but not all of them.

However, she has other reasons not to win, she wants to be available to talk to people, without being heard. She wants to get information and maybe share anything she might know (which isn't much right now).

And Steve, if you think that your not!sister would show up empty handed, you are so wrong. She brings quite a few snacks and might even be caught subtly re-arranging the way the rest are laid out for the guests because... that's Caroline for you. If she's not hovering in the kitchen, she might be offering to get someone a drink or having one herself where the noise is... less.]

[paragon]

[ Natasha hadn't needed to give Caroline the rundown. She's been to the house, she knows it; to Steve it would've been unconscionable not to have already told her. So he doesn't take up her time now, when there are probably other people she cares about that she needs to talk to. He just stays aware of her, less to keep tabs than because it's something he wouldn't know how to turn off if he cared to, though she mostly stays in his periphery rather than in the midst of things. Which isn't really how he remembers her, but he's not sure if he ought to trust that. It wasn't really her, any more than it was him.

Still, this is the third time he's checked on things in the kitchen only to find her hovering there, nudging things around with a critical eye, and this time he doesn't leave her to it. He goes to her, slipping his hands into his pockets and leaning back against the counter slightly. ] When are you gonna get started on the furniture?

[coy]

Shut up, [ she says quickly, instinctively, like a little sister would to her big brother. She looks up at him, suddenly sheepish as she laughs, her hands stilling and then laying flat on the counter] Sorry, old habits die hard. [ Whether that's the obsessive organization or the fact that she just told him to shut up when he teased her, your guess is as good as mine.

She hadn't wanted to stay on the edges, honestly. But she was trying to force herself to accept this new place, to not get lost in the fake emotions of being a part of a family that wasn't hers, of having a brother (something she'd always longed for). And well, it had been a bit for his sake, considering what she was. She wasn't sure if she could lie to him for much longer, given that their shared, false memories gave him the edge to be able to tell when she was keeping something from him.

Caroline just didn't know how to say it, how to explain it, without him freaking out and disowning her. If her own mother had done it, if her own father had tortured her because of it, what would a fake!brother do?

Welp, there was always compulsion even if the idea sickened her.]

But if you want my opinion, I do think the room would flow better if the couch was on the other wall-- [ She's teasing him now, giving his side a gentle jab of the elbow.]

[paragon]

[ The jab doesn't do much to budge him at all, but there's still a smile lingering at the corners of his mouth from her response. It's familiar, and this time not just because of a shared history that he can't really trust, but because all of the people he's loved the most in his life have been the ones not afraid to give him a hard time. Who have let him give it back in kind.

Whatever the foundation for it, it feels honest and real, and he shakes his head slightly — she doesn't have to apologize for it.

Which doesn't mean it puts him off of the reason for the teasing in the first place, but they can get to that. ] I always want your opinion. [ It's only his earnestness that interrupts her, matter-of-fact and unapologetic. His expression doesn't change much, but Steve possesses an inordinate amount of focus, and right now she can see that it's for her if she looks for it. ]

[coy]

[ There's a fair amount of nerves that rise up when he looks at her like that, mostly because she's been putting off telling him something pretty damn big. It's now or never. And it's never going to be a good time to tell him that his not!sister drinks blood to survive and is undead.

She doesn't want to lose him but she's pretty sure she might and she's already fretting about the fact that she might have to compel him to forget she'd said anything at all... ]

Don't worry, I'm not afraid to give it, like ever-- [ As she's speaking, she reaches for a chip and dips it into the salsa, putting way too much for one chip. And when she brings it to her mouth to eat, a huge glob of salsa plops onto the front of her sweater.

She knows that he's quick enough, smart enough to see that she'd done it on purpose. Caroline was always careful when it comes to her clothes and she's pretty damn graceful, so to be as clumsy as to spill on herself... ]

Dammit-- [ She says it convincingly, at least she hopes it's convincing enough for the cameras, reaching for the paper towels to try and wipe at the salsa that was starting to stain her sweater.]

Hey, can I throw this in the wash? Maybe borrow a shirt from upstairs? [ She can't ask for the tour because she's already been on it and well, she's given one to Poe earlier. But it's clear what she wants is to get Steve upstairs in one of the rooms upstairs so she can talk to him.]

[paragon]

You don't wanna borrow any of Bucky's shirts. [ Given that Bucky's is the only room upstairs without cameras, and most of his shirts bear the names of bands neither of them know the first thing about (and are happy to keep it that way).

Still, that comment's mostly for the cameras too. He's quicker than she knows — reflexes fast enough to have stopped the salsa from falling on her, at least, and he'd stopped himself before he could do just that. ] I'm sure Nat won't mind letting you borrow something.

[ Never mind that she most definitely had minded, the last time he'd let someone at her wardrobe. He nods Caroline in the direction of the hallway, pushing himself off of the counter and past the living room where the game is being played. At the end of the hall he closes the bedroom door behind them and continues into the master bathroom. ] You can soak it in some cold water.

[ He assumes she really does want to try to keep the stain from setting, and he knows a little something about that himself. The life skill of a guy who'd once had only a couple shirts to his name and a propensity for getting beaten up while wearing them. Steve walks in and gives her the space in front of the sink, standing to the side of the counter and facing her. ] It's safe in here too. What's goin' on?

[ He hadn't missed her nerves before. ]

[coy]

[ The only reason she'd suggested upstairs was because, well, earlier, she'd been in the other room without cameras with Poe and that was awkward.

But she doesn't resist him when he suggests that they go to get something of Nat's. After all, it made more sense for her to wear a woman's blouse, even if Caroline had almost 5 inches on Natasha.

Either way, she follows and by the time they get into the room with the door closed, she's so worked up in her nerves, she blinks at him blankly when he talks about soaking the sweater in cold water.] What? Oh, yeah. Right.

[ It's no surprise that he caught her nerves, she wasn't always the best actress and she was a lousy liar when her life didn't depend on it. She's suddenly thankful she has something to distract herself with, moving to pull the sweater off (she's got a tank top on beneath it) and set it in the sink, turning on the cold water.

Her eyes stay on sweater for a moment as she tries to gather her thoughts and nerves and courage.] I... guess it's obvious that I needed to tell you something. [ Her hands start to tremble as a memory of Matt floods into her mind, Please make me forget, Caroline. I don't want to look at you and see what I'm seeing right now. It's painful and her brow furrows hard.]

Back home... I'm... [ She looks at him briefly through the mirror before looking back down, rubbing at the stain vigorously now.] I died back home. That's the easiest way to explain it. [ She pauses and shakes her head.] No, it's not. The easiest way to explain it is... to show you.

[ She looks at him then, rubbing her hands off at her sides and turning to face him. She probably looks exhausted but she thinks if he just sees it. ] Take my hands and close your eyes. And just... relax.

[paragon]

[ He'd think the furrowed lines on her brow were a family trait if he didn't know better, and he's pretty sure they're there on his own face regardless. He can only guess, because he's looking at her, not her reflection — or his own as a result — even if she won't look directly at him. He's not afraid of what she has to tell him, and he's not sure if that's because of how much he's seen or because he already cares for her so much that he doesn't think it can matter. Probably both. The shared expression is only there because he doesn't like to think of her dying, not because he's feeling any of the same nerves.

All the better to be the solid, steady presence before her when she does face him, though that's less intentional than something set in his bones. Consciously, Steve's just grateful for the excuse to lift his hands to grasp hers and give them a squeeze to still their shaking. ] Okay.

[ He holds her gaze for another moment before closing his eyes. Relaxing isn't his strong suit, but he can certainly be still and focused, if it's all the same. ]

[coy]

[ Still and focused will work just fine for this. She takes his hands when he lets her and she tries to relax and just show him the basics. There's no need to force him into her drama. She shows him her death at the hands of Katherine, except from her own point of view. He'll feel her confusion and terror, he'll recognize the name of the Salvatores and perhaps even the face of Caroline's Pines!best friend Elena except the name is Katherine, which is Elena's Pines!twin sister.

Then she shows him her struggle with coming to terms with the fact that she's a.... vampire. The words echo through the memory before she eases them out of the memory. Small doses are best, especially considering she isn't sure if she can control her mind from wandering into the worse memories (and not all of them are back yet).

She keeps her hands in his for a hopeful moment before she lets go of them, in case he wants to recoil in horror at what she is. Because she knows he has to know what a vampire is and what that means, for the most part. ]

[volitaunt]

[ He's remembered more since the last time they spoke. His mother, losing her, the General recruiting him into the Resistance. The mission that killed L'ulo, who might as well have been his uncle. The past few days have been a seesaw of emotion between remembering the loss of family and discovering the existence of it here. (A cousin, a half-cousin, a nephew, a sister he lost fourteen years ago so hazy that he forgets she exists and feels the worse for it.)

He watches Caroline from the kitchen doorway as she rearranges things, bottle of root beer in hand. He shouldn't let the sight of her center him. He should fight this. Right now he doesn't have the energy to try, which means the best thing he can do is keep a good chunk of the room between them. ] What're your criteria? For the way things go?

[ It's not a mocking question. He has no eye for this kind of thing. ]

[coy]

[ The thing is, Caroline would be there for him in a heartbeat if he'd reached out. They were in a precarious sort of situation, teetering on the edge of real friendship and still reeling from the fact that whatever deeper affection they felt for one another wasn't true, no matter how real it still feels.

She glances up from adjusting the salsa bowl, looking like she's been caught red-handed and she lets out a breath, looking amused.] It's about flow. Salsa and guacamole go first, along with the dip, then chips at the end because you just fill your plate with however many chips you think you'll need for them. [ She then points to the veggie tray.] Then comes the veggie tray because after you load up with the unhealthy stuff, you either go somewhere else or you pile up to try to make yourself better for eating so much by getting something healthy.

[volitaunt]

[ Therein lies the problem. Poe doesn't want to reach out. He got in touch with Cassian, after meeting Caroline the first time, but that had been different. Then he'd been angry, wired.

He spent the previous night taking apart his motorcycle, the previous day working the farm from sunup to sundown, then came home and started putting the bike back together. Today was another day buried in the guts of tractors, smeared with the bile of engine grease and lubricant.

He can't even talk to BB-8 freely, which is driving him and the droid crazy. Normally, being around people helps, but right now it's a reinforcement of everything they aren't allowed to do. He shouldn't be at a party, he should be gathering intel, building weapons, doing something.

Poe relaxes a little as he listens to her, talking about casual human behaviors like parts of an engine, functioning together for a specific set of variable results. ]

This is why I could never be in politics. Junk food and vegetables are complicated enough.

[coy]

[ The thing is, Poe, being at parties in this place is all about gathering intel. It's just a different way, it's Caroline's way. Gossip is just a different form of intel.

And as she goes on to explain, others might feel foolish for thinking so much about the placement of snacks but Caroline takes pride in her ability to make a party go on without a hitch. It's something she's quite good at and food placement is as important to her as perhaps the position of a particular valve is to Poe.

Which he seems to understand because he doesn't scoff at her or laugh, he just acknowledges that what she's talking about it weirdly complicated.]

Ah, you see, [ she plucks a carrot from the bowl and before she takes a bite--] there's not always a huge difference between a carrot and a senator.

[volitaunt]

But carrots are actually good for something.

[ He'll regret that joke later, when he remembers what the First Order did to the Hosnian system. For now, though, it's just a joke, and he finally crosses the kitchen to select a few vegetables of his own. He's tried chips. They're too salty for him. Rather, there's a lot of salt and not enough substance. He likes salt just fine. ]

So this is your brother's place. [ He 'remembers' that. Whether it's the truth or something this place made up for her remains to be seen.]

[coy]

Oh-ho, [ she laughs, moving to take another bite of character. And of course, she almost corrects him when he speaks about her brother because she doesn't have a brother.

But she does. Here. Steve is her brother and there are times, especially when she's with him, that it feels so damn real. She nods at his statement.]

Yeah, he and his many roommates, [ she laughs, quietly. However, her next question is more pointed, she gives him a kind of look,] Did you get the tour? [ Because there are rooms that he can speak freely in.] If not, I can give you one. You should go on the tour.

[volitaunt]

[ Okay, then. He can tell there's something being said beyond the obvious, and he gestures toward the entrance to the kitchen. ] Lead the way.

[coy]

[ Caroline's memories of her fake past make her feel too weird to take them up to Bucky's room, if only because she had a rabid crush on the guy when she was young. So the master bedroom it is. Of course, along the way, she parrots some of the things Natasha said on a tour Caroline took the first time she'd been in the house.

It's boring stuff but the moment they step into the master bedroom, she closes the door behind them.] I promise I'm not going to pounce or anything, [ she reassures him first.]

This room doesn't have any cameras or surveillance. So we can talk... freely. [ She tugs on the sleeves of her sweater a little nervously, realizing how close they are to a bed. But this isn't a seduction tactic.]

At the risk of sounding like some kind of movie: welcome to the resistance.

[seaweedbrain]

[ After watching a couple of games, Percy heads into the kitchen to investigate the snacks available. He doesn't actually know a whole lot of people here, which is kind of weird, but then he figures the town is big enough that there are probably faces he's missed or forgotten.

He enters when Caroline's around and watches her shifting and moving snack-bowls and drink-cups around, probably too focused to notice him for the moment.

It's weird, the sudden feeling that jolts him in the chest like an electric shock. That blonde hair, the meticulousness of her action ... it's so familiar, so reminiscent of something he can't put his finger on. But he knows it's important, he's just not sure why.

And then, just like that, it's gone. ]

That row of cups is crooked.

[ It's a teasing remark, of course, because there are no crooked rows of cups. ]

[coy]

[ She looks up at him when he mentions the crooked row of cups and she gives him a good-natured roll of her eyes. ] I know I shouldn't say it to a student but... shut up. [ She grins at him, moving to the straighten the cups for good measure. And yes, she recognizes him from the school, somehow. She's only a part-time teacher there and she teaches music.

Even if she didn't recognize his face, it's also safe to assume he's a student, right?]

Steve-- [ she corrects for the sake of the cameras.] My brother might be amazing at everything but party organizing? I'm much better. [ She looks at Percy.]

I'm Caroline, by the way.

[seaweedbrain]

[ Percy grins too, having received the response he both: expected, and wanted t b h. ]

Hey. I'm Percy.

So this party is your idea then?

[coy]

No, it was Steve and Natasha's. [ She moves to grab a chip to munch on.] You should ask Nat to take you on the tour of the place if you haven't been already.

[seaweedbrain]

Uh ... which one's Nat?

[ Look, okay, he came on Clary's insistence. ]

[coy]

Red head. Gorgeous. Looks like she couple kick anyone's ass.

[ Where is the lie? ]

[seaweedbrain]

[ There is no lie.

Slowly: ]

Oh, yeah ... I might've seen her earlier. Think she'd go for a guy like me?

[ He's obviously joking, considering he's a smol fry. ]

*COULD i meant could, dang it oh well, spelling is overrated

[coy]

[ she laughs, patting his shoulder.]

She'd crush you like a bug besides... there's plenty of girls your age that are super cute, right?