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[youngtimer]

NeverAcorned - Standard UN || HoratioV - Fog/Lighthouse UN || 5ofDiamonds - Casino Business || Odyssean - Anonymous/Sock UN

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, NEVERACORNED. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 208.52.15.25 *** NEVERACORNED has joined 208.52.15.25 <NEVERACORNED> This is the private channel for Horatio Hargreeves. Leave me a message and I'll reply as soon as I can. If this is related to the Lucky 38, please start your message with a '38' so I can prioritize. <NEVERACORNED> Spammers will be banned, IP tracked, and have their index fingers broken. Have a nice day. :)

Comments

<novoselic> at some point on 10/1

[comeasyouare]

There once was a boy who was a Halloween fanatic. He loved dressing up for Halloween, he loved pulling pranks and watching horror movies, and above everything else... he loved candy. One fateful year, while he went trick-or-treating, he visited a house. This house was creepy as hell! It was big, it was old, it smelled like a grandmother and it was owned by a happy, old rich couple. The boy came here thinking that he would be handed out big chocolate bars, because it was a rich person's house but when he knocked on their door... he was handed a bag of that shitty candy that nobody likes! Tootsie rolls, shitty flavoured dum-dums, those weird... peanut things... needless to say, the boy was heartbroken. He was so heartbroken that he died, right there on their porch and now, every Halloween he goes out and finds people to curse. He wants everyone to suffer the same way he did!

Everybody is already suffering from his curse!! Send this to ten people to break the curse, or to avoid getting cursed, or you'll be stuck looking freakier than usual for the rest of your life!!!!!!!!!!

10/1

[worksforit]

[No message, but on October 1st when Five went to get coffee at his usual place he'd be informed that his coffee for the day had already been paid for by an anonymous benefactor.]

[Action] Sometime After Felfri

[hadthehighground]

This had been awhile in coming, but Obi-Wan had never forgotten. Particularly after Five's kindness towards him in Felfri. He had spent some days after returning sleeping, getting used to his monster form again, and struggling with his feelings. So much had happened lately, and Obi-Wan was having trouble managing it all. The lack of the Force wasn't helping, and in fact was one of his issues.

Eventually though, he managed to drag himself away from the house he had just moved into. Making sure that Gosalyn was set for the evening, before taking some time away. He took the speeder and made his way into Bavan, and to the place where he knew he would find the man. The nymph aglow in the darkness outside and in the dim lighting as he approached the bar. It's there that he sat. Not wearing the purple robe that Jiang Cheng had given him. It didn't seem right to at the moment. Instead he had just wrapped himself up in his brown cloak to fight off the chill of the evening.

Obi-Wan looks positively glum as he sits, his eyes downcast and his shoulders slumped. He looked tired despite the fact that he had spent so much time sleeping. Both physically and mentally as well. This one has certainly seen better days.

<KrisKringle>

[getmeoutofthedraft]

Ho ho ho! Your secret Santa gift recipient for this year is suibian on the network.

No idea who that is. No idea what they'll want. It is a CHRISTMAS MYSTERY.

Please spend no more than 20 solars on a gift for... whoever that is, and ensure they receive it on or before Christmas Day (December 25). If not, Santa Claus will come to your house and glare disappointedly through the windows until you cough up.

Merry Winter-Holiday-Of-Your-Choice!

[[OOC: it's Wei Wuxian, by the way]]

[coffeepots]

[On Christmas Eve, someone seems to have left a present at your apartment door! There's a box of monster-shaped cookies, a bottle of pineapple juice (no wine for you, Five), and a woolen scarf in the color of your choice. The box holding everything has been wrapped in an attempt to distract from the fact that it's just a cardboard box and not a fancy gift basket.

...There also seems to be a voucher for a free eighteen-inch pizza at the bottom of the box, which can be redeemed at the pizza restaurant on the corner.

Attached is a handwritten note. It can be somewhat difficult to make out what it says due to how horrible the handwriting is, but if you squint and tilt your head, you can make out the following:]

happy holidays, from your superintendent
➼ hawkeye

[youngtimer]

[pineapple juice, really. really. Five takes it to the bar, pours out enough to make room, then adds enough blue curacao and white rum to make it palatable. he then ties a ribbon around it, and leaves it on Hawkeye's own doorstep with a note:]

I fixed it for you.

Merr Crimms

[blackdogstar]

[Sirius drops the present, knocks and runs. When Five comes to investigate, he will find a bottle of whiskey with a neat little card attached that says it's from Santa in pretty cursive.]

[youngtimer]

[Five has done a drop and dash of his own, recently, so to discover one on his own doorstep is not too much of a surprise. he figures whoever Hawkeye gave his name to has come and gone, and smiles a little as he picks up the bottle. bringing it back inside, he uncorks it and gives it a whiff]

Look, Dolores. Someone brought us some Christmas cheer. Care for a drop?

[he and his mannequin will proceed to have an extensive discussion of the merits of the whiskey, its flavor notes and body, and compare it at length to spirits they've had in the past, throughout time. there may be a bit of heated dispute about whether or not it compares to a certain bar in Istanbul, but that's after the third shot, so the alcohol is mostly the culprit. all in all, a thoroughly appreciated and apropos gift]

( backdated to dec 25th because i'm slowly climbing out from the holiday backlog )

[itsjiaheng]

[ a package arrives in the evening, probably because there is one (1) delivery bird working his tail feathers off today and this is just where five ended up in the carefully arranged queue. probably needed to figure out where to find him!

a small flat box is wrapped in glittery silver paper and a folded note is tucked under purple ribbon. this is not a very well wrapped gift as he has wrapped exactly four presents before this one, but he's done his best!

there's a little wooden box inside with a metal clasp and hinges. inside, neatly set in a luxurious looking velvety interior are four... bullets? upon closer inspection it appears they're not real, but very convincing looking solid chunks of metal.

the note, at least, clarifies a little: ]

hey!

i was told i was shoppin for a real manly dude
so i surveyed several other men of manliness and everyone agrees chilling your fancy booze with fuckin bullets instead of ice is like
peak
enjoy!
merry christmas!!!!!

— secret santa

[youngtimer]

[Five opens the parcel and as he reads the note, he laughs. longer and harder than he has in a very long time. mostly because whoever told this person he was a Manly Man was taking a dig at him - which means it was totally Hawkeye - and because whoever did this has NO IDEA what he looks like or that he used to be an assassin.

and yet somehow, the gift is perfect. he tips the bullets out into his hand and immediately pops them into his freezer for later use. he intends to toast the beautiful complexity of the mathematics of the multiverse when they're ready]

ACTION

[ohmyscream]

[ They had agreed to meet up for coffee. Annie is at the café already because fitting into a booth or by a table requires some work. She's wearing a dark navy sweater with a modified bottom to accommodate her pincers and a long dark green skirt that does a decent job of covering up just how much of her body looks like she has been fused with a scorpion. She is very much a girly-girl with the added high pony-tail and just her overall vibe.

Her tail however can't easily be tucked away like the rest of her. It curves up high and is just the exact sort of thing people have made note of. Annie has a few cats climbing over her as she waits and looks utterly content with her fate as a living cat tree. ]

[youngtimer]

[Five has his usual attire on - navy dress pants with a dark red tuxedo stripe up the side, a waistcoat and dress shirt with vents to accomodate his wings, and snappy red sleeve garters. a pocketwatch chain dangles from one pocket of the waistcoat, attached smartly to one of the buttonholes, and he hangs up his coat on one of the places offered at the entrance before making his way over, grinning as he sees the cats climbing all over his new friend]

I can see you're right at home. Have you grabbed a coffee already? I can bring you one.

<teslacoils> you know what fuck it we're doing this because I want to

[terribibble]

We ought to talk about my nickname. I've been putting it off and putting it off because it seems unkind to say but I'd rather you find a different one. It's not your fault. It's just Ford was my best friend's name. It's a little like hearing a ghost.

yes good plz with the feels

[youngtimer]

No more Ford, no problem. Especially since you should have known by now I don't have feelings to hurt.

[lies, Horatio. FILTHY LIES]

<a.dyer>

[ohmyscream]

I need one of these things:

chocolate

murder

sleep

a blanket fort with a big sign that says "fuck off".

<NeverAcorned>

[youngtimer]

My sister Allison was the blanket fort architect, but chocolate and murder I can do. We could go hunting and then find some all-night donut shop.

<a.dyer>

[ohmyscream]

Need serious advice.

Attempting to plan a dinner date. Where would you take someone without trying to act like you're trying too hard?

I want to give her an excuse to dress up because she deserves to feel cute. I also don't want to like, act desperate? Even though I'm super into her?

I have no clue what I'm doing on my end aside from a clear plan of make her feel as amazing as she actually is.

[ Annie is overthinking it. She knows she is. Too late she is all in on this. ]

<HoratioV>

[youngtimer]

Dinner date, huh? Well, not Jack's, for sure. Then again, you're asking someone who has about zero chance of landing a dinner date, all things considered. Lemme check the map.

Have I met this girl?

[read: I do not want to have to punch her face in if she hurts you, but I will if I must.]

<Player1> the week after the team-building exercise

[knifemonopoly]

sorry for causing you so much trouble. thanks for getting it.

<5ofDiamonds>

[youngtimer]

Don't mention it. Glad to see you back. Something like it got me way back in January, so. ... You need someone to talk about it, I'm around. Totally understand if you don't want to.

<a.dyer>

[ohmyscream]

I was not a disaster!

That was a concern. Peace and I had fun.

<NeverAcorned>

[youngtimer]

[ding. Five looks up from his casino paperwork and sees 'a.dyer' bright and clear on his screen, rolling his eyes over to Dolores]

God, can't she just come over if she wants to bother me?

"She's young. This is the technology of the young. Maybe you should embrace it more if you're so dedicated to Starting Over, darling."

Ugh. Don't give me that smirk, Dolores. Get a better hobby than badgering me. [right. fingers to the keyboard. ignoring the mannequin ex now]

Compared to my siblings from home, you couldn't be a disaster on their level if you tried. But I'm glad. Where'd you end up going?

<WhiteWizard>

[softspokenlandlord]

Good evening, Horatio, it's Ryou.

[...This is. This is gonna be a weird one. The spacing between the messages is thusly somewhat prolonged.]

So. This is a very rude line of questioning, and I apologize in advance for it. Also thank you for saving me from the tree, I don't believe I've said that enough.

But I am curious as to whether you have any suggestions for uh. Alcohol? You brought some to the party, so I thought maybe you'd be someone I can trust for advice there.

<NeverAcorned>

[youngtimer]

[this message takes Horatio a little by surprise, and yet from a different angle, it doesn't. Ryou seemed like a quiet person who didn't want to make waves: but he had also seemed very sensitive, which meant that Ryslig was probably starting to take a toll on his mental health. he knew what that was like all too well]

Alcohol? Yeah, okay. What sort of advice are you looking for? Having trouble dealing with the aftermath of whatever the trees were showing you? Need something for a nightcap?

<a.dyer>

[ohmyscream]

So Peace is gone.

Also I had an argument with Altair. I was right though.

Would it be a pain if I just came over for a few days? It's too quiet out here.

<NeverAcorned>

[youngtimer]

Shit and double shit. ... Yeah, come on over. I've even got an extra bedroom up here, bring whatever you need. And your cat. I'll tell security to let you on the VIP elevator.

sometime after the Midsummer Night's Dream event, in late June

[gothicgambit]

[It's the morning after Atem has dumped politely dropped off the near-bloodless body of unconscious Celeste at Horatio's presidential suite in Lucky 38. Fog had rolled in during the night, and while Celeste isn't quite at 100% functional, she's conscious. And she isn't about to let some temporary shakiness keep her down.

So wherever Five has decided to take his mid-morning coffee, one of several undoubtedly, he would quickly be joined by Celeste sitting down across from him.]

Did you know Atem is infatuated with Ryou?

[Good morning to you too..]

[youngtimer]

[Celeste getting delivered to his door unconscious is becoming a habit, Horatio was thinking to himself as he enjoyed his coffee. Dolores was trying to tell him maybe there was a reason for it. He'd been just about to go off on her when Celeste sat down next to him. Horatio gave Dolores a pointed look]

We'll settle this later, Dolores. ... Excuse me, Celeste - no, I don't think I did. But it's about as clear as glass that Ryou's head over heels for him. You think they both suffered brain damage before they showed up here?

[he pours her a cup of coffee and slides the sugar bowl over to her]

action, backdated to the end of June!

[knifemonopoly]

[Knock knock, Horatio.

It was actually a little tricky to knock on Horatio's door with his arms full of unconscious girl, but Atem manages, and there's no sign of awkwardness when the door to the suite at the casino opens. It's late but not terribly late, and Celeste's being cradled with care. The bandage over the bite mark is hidden under the high collar she favors, but she's pale and Atem's got a lifelike flush and that alone might be enough for a keen observer to piece together what's happened.

Atem doesn't look particularly guilty, though. He's unrepentant, but not gloating, either -- from his expression, he might as well be walking a friend into a hospital with a broken leg. An injury that's not life threatening, but which needs care, and one he doesn't feel guilt over.]

[youngtimer]

[he's in the middle of reading a book he borrowed from Javert's library on the various forms of manticores, a margarita at his elbow, when the knock disturbs him. he barely even looks up, guessing it's Celeste]

Just come on in, Jesus...

[but she doesn't. he sighs, wondering if she's got her arms full of groceries or some ridiculous wardrobe finds, and gets to his feet, abandoning his book. as he pulls the door open, he's not shocked. not angry. just ... yep. this is his life. his lips purse inward and he turns to lead Atem toward her room]

Follow me. ... What the fuck happened this time?

9/7, 2am <fenrir>

[dead_eyed_wolf]

this is a deadman’s switch message
i went on kind of a dangerous errand
i’m sorry if i miss any shifts
i should be back soon but i didn’t want you to worry.

god this is old - lmk on Plurk if you just wanna handwave

[youngtimer]

Whatever caused this, I'm sure you did what you had to do.
I just want the story when you get back. If it was important to you, it might be important to me too.

10/5, late evening, cw; drugs

[softspokenlandlord]

So you know a lot, right?

Do you know how to make marijuana edible? I have some and smoking it sounds terrible but this is supposed to relax you, right? If you're unaware, that's okay, just...direct me to the nearest professional before I

[Bite my boyfriend's face off?

Cry in a corner about how hard my life is?

Wildly dissociate as the memories of my death resurface?]

do something stupid.

sorry this is so late! <3

[youngtimer]

[is he concerned about Ryou? yes. is his favorite way to help people cope with their emotions contingent upon enabling? absolutely.]

Yeah, I know how. It's a little tricky to get just right the first time but if you bring it to the Lucky I can help. We've got the food processor you'd need in the kitchen.

early november, in the physical mail

[boneshears]

[In the mail that comes with the dawn, there is a package.]

[It's neatly wrapped in brown paper and tied with string, and the address and the recipient's name is picked out so neatly on the front of the parcel that you'd almost think it was printed, and not merely the sender's handwriting. Below the layers of paper and string there is a cotton wrapped notebook, carefully hand bound in pale leather, tattooed with delicate filigree patterns and filled with extremely high quality paper. The only thing accompanying the notebook is a note in the same exceedingly neat hand.]

Use it well.

-GM

<chimera> CALENDAR THEME

[boneshears]

Thanks for taking part in the pin up calendar! Your theme is: MARCH / MAIDS

for reaction's sake only because I love you and you deserve this

[youngtimer]

[Horatio knows what he's signed up for. It's going to be ridiculous no matter what. But when he opens the message and sees that single word in capslock, his throat clutches a little and his eyebrows raise.

him, a SERVANT, of all things. so much bullshit. he rakes a hand back through his hair and holds it there at the base of his skull for a moment as he leans back in his chair and stares at it.

He's glad he opened it in his office. If Dolores could see it she'd be laughing her head off, and he really doesn't need any more reasons for her to needle him. Especially not now that he realizes who would be the perfect person to help him find a costume...]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shit.

[action]

[boneshears]

[There's a hammering on Horatio's door. There's been a hammering every few days for the last 2 weeks from Gabriel alone, who's noticed messages going unanswered and things in the casino Five usually handled going undone or covered by the others. He's going to find out if he's alive, most importantly. Questions about the manticore's now blind eye would go unanswered. He'd check how he was doing now that the woman from his home universe was gone. He'd... Seen the name on the gravestone when he'd gone looking for Horatio.]

Horatio? Five? You alive in there?

[A pause.]

I don't wanna break your door in, but I will if I have to.

sweet jeebus I swear I replied to this on my phone. must've eaten it. bastard.

[youngtimer]

I'd appreciate it if you didn't.

[Horatio's voice comes from behind, drifting up the hall as he approaches from the elevator. He's dirty, his hair mussed and sticking out in all directions, clothing rumpled, one antenna a little crooked, but otherwise he's completely unscathed. As he approaches in the closeness of the hallway, the only scents Gabriel will pick up on are grave dirt and sleep sweat.]

If you're asking if I'm alive, I must've been out a while. What fucking day is it?

< VersaillesWitch> [PRIVATE]

[gothicgambit]

[Several messages sit unread in Horatio's inbox. Each dated as follows.]

11-5 4:23 pm
I'm stopping by that cafe near the apartments, shall I be permitted to keep my tea if I purchase you a scone?

11-7 7:48 pm
Horatio. You haven't appeared at work in three days nor will you answer your door. If this is some idea of a joke it is not very funny. If I find you are that drunk I will be extremely displeased.

11-14 4:12 am
Horatio. Five. Please.

11-14 4:13 am
You can't disappear. I swear to god you can't fucking do that to me.

11-20 4:00 pm
Just forget it. Let me know when you get back.

Action!

[youngtimer]

[she's only his second contact after he wakes up because he came upon Gabriel knocking at his door when he returned to his suite. otherwise, she would have been first. not his head of security, the logical choice - a thought he'll have soon enough. but her. especially when he flips open his laptop to catch up on things as best he can and sees that string of unread messages.

she was up. that early/late. worrying? who knew. he knew better than to assume, even if part of him wanted that to be the case, wanted her to care.

he breathes in slowly, scrubbing a hand over his face as he works through the hard-packed shroud of cottony sleep still surrounding his brain. a part of him insists that he needs to be on his A-game when he contacts her, that she is going to rip him into confetti if she sees a single flaw in his armor... but he remembers the way she came to his suite, face bare, sleepless. she trusted him.

he decides, in turn, to trust her. without even bothering to comb his disheveled hair or change out of the clothes he'd slept in for a month, Horatio closes his laptop and heads back out of the casino. in minutes that feel like eons, he's knocking on the door of the apartment she and Mukuro share ... and hoping that his chief of security isn't there. he'd know for certain if he knew what day it was, or even what time.

he's not sure why that doesn't seem important right now.

he just knocks, though she may hear his heart in his throat before his knuckles on the door]

<KrisKringle>

[getmeoutofthedraft]

Ho ho ho! Merry freaking Christmas!

Your Secret Santa recipient this year is Soo Won ("gulfan" on the network). Please buy, make, or otherwise procure him (?) a nice gift before December 26! You can give this directly, or label it clearly and drop it off at Crowe Clinic C/O Hawkeye Pierce.

Remember: Saint Nick is watching, and he knows where you live!

Happy Holidays, etcetera, and so forth,
Santa Claus

forward dated - 24th

[boneshears]

On the 24th, a very beautifully wrapped gift will be waiting outside Horatio's apartment in the Lucky 38, bound tightly in soft, green paper and a deep red ribbon. The tag is simply written - Horatio, Happy Nattensfest, Gabriel + Monty.

Inside the box contained within are a pair of black, fingerless gloves. They're leather, and the knuckles are reinforced with steel caps to protect them from harm. The gloves are designed for hefting an axe, designed for improving grip while not sacrificing comfort or aesthetics. They're clearly handmade, boasting Gabriel's tattooed sigil on the inside, picked out in red ink.

Also contained within is a bag of extremely fine coffee, and a box of homemade lebkuchen (chocolate dipped, but the biscuits themselves tend on the fiery side).