If it were the real me and you | OPEN

[lupusxylem]

Who: Wolfwood and YOU!
What: Wolfwood schedules a cult book burning and invites everyone
When: March 10th
Where: The Church
Warnings: Relevant info for this event can be found here, general warnings for: monster attack which could lead to blood/gore/etc in threads, please tag accordingly! Will update as needed



Netbook | Morning

Hey everyone, it's me Wolfwood. Nicholas D. Wolfwood if you're new.

So, here's the deal. The church I bought has a problem. It came with a bunch of religious texts inside of it, and while that's...you know. What you'd expect in a church, these ones are like

super fuckin culty.

Not exactly what I asked for. Not that I asked for them at all. I keep trying to get rid of them but they keep showing up again later so

Basically Im gonna be burning them again this evening if anybody wants to come to the bonfire, or help me in getting rid of them cause theres a shit ton. Bring marshmallows or whatever, I dont care.

and before someone comes preaching to me about burning books, again: its cult propaganda bullshit. read it for yourself if you dont believe me
just make sure you chuck it in the fire afterwards or ill do it myself.

Church | Evening

[Should you choose to come to the Church later that evening for whatever reason, you'll find the Priest himself already hard at work setting up a pyre in the yard just outside of it. (Just look for the massive bound cross propped up nearby, you can't miss it.) With the way he loads up the firepit he's created with kindling, it's clear he's already had to do this once before. It's a bit tricky to find anything dry given that the snow is still on the ground in a lot of places, but he's making do with what he's got. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Beyond getting the fire going, there's a matter of getting the aforementioned books out of the church. It's just as Wolfwood described, should you grow curious and crack one open. They're very religious, but strangely...plant focused. Like it's a religion that revolves around the Forest itself, almost. Definitely nothing orthodox about this, that's for sure. There are quite a number of them to take care of as they've all refilled the church pews since the last time he did this.

Or, perhaps you're just here because you think bonfires are cool and want to simply enjoy yourself for a change. The Forest seems to have had its fun with the animal race given that everyone's back to normal at this point, so really, why not kick back and enjoy the warmth of the flames while it isn't sub-zero temperatures outside anymore?

Feel free to mingle...or don't. Perhaps the distant unease in the atmosphere is enough to stop you.]

Comments

[oleaeuropaea]

I did, but...

[That had felt... "fun." Not for the residents of the grove, necessarily, but certainly for the Forest. That wasn't in line of retribution, and it hadn't felt like it had let out all of the steam it needed to. But maybe he was wrong. Wolfwood had always had the better head on his shoulders of the two.

He tries to convince himself of that, even as his own mind continues to twist with worry.]

Promise me. First sign of the Forest not being happy, and we put the whole thing out, yeah? [He hesitates, worrying his lip as he twists his next words over and over within his head.] If not for you or me, for everyone else. I don't want anyone to get hurt.

[lupusxylem]

[He watches the gears in Vash's head turn, as he worries himself into a knot without even having to voice it. It's what convinces Wolfwood to unload the new batch of sticks he'd just picked up so his hands are free.

So he can turn to face Vash properly, reaching out to take his flesh hand to hold.]

I will, okay? Promise you.

[His other hand reaches up, brushing a bit of his bangs off his forehead.]

Not in the business here to put people in danger for no reason. You know that. I just... [...] The church is the only thing here that's really mine. So I'm trying to keep it that way.

[oleaeuropaea]

[Ultimately, that faint bit of contact is what ultimately convinces Vash to drop the single stick he's holding. It doesn't quite land on the pile, hitting the ground a few inches off and bouncing once against the damp dirt beneath them. It's still progress though, just as the way he cranes his neck into Wolfwood's touch is.]

I know. [This is to the first part. And to the second:] I know. I just... can't shake the feeling that something's about to go wrong.

[But maybe he's the one that's wrong. Wolfwood has a good head on his shoulders. And it isn't like Vash hasn't taken his paranoia too far on many occasions. He was the one that was always sneaking off, right?

Surely, surely it will all be alright.]

Thank you.

[lupusxylem]

Guess I can't blame you for that. Things go wrong in this place more often than they do right.

[He will admit, he's had...a lot of happiness happen to him here. Success. Things are marginally less of a constant danger here than they are back on No Man's Land, but only by the smallest of margins. Vash's concerns aren't at all unfounded, not by a long shot.

So as Vash leans into his touch, Wolfwood takes it one step further and brings that same hand down to cup his cheek, brushing a thumb over his cheekbone.]

I can take a break and do a loop of the Grove with you, just to make sure there's nothing going on out there. Would that help?

[It might not entirely eradicate Vash's worry, but...it might help him feel better, God willing.]

[oleaeuropaea]

[There's no further argument from Vash, at least. He might not have been able to put a stop to the bonfire, and he'll probably be anxious about it until the last of the embers are extinguished, but at least he can take comfort in the fact that Wolfwood is taking this seriously.

His head tilts into that hand fully, and both of his own palms rise to cup Wolfwood's within his own. He sighs as he angles his head to kiss a particularly rough spot on his palm. He doesn't want to think about what he'd do without this modicum of comfort. Without someone to keep his head evenly on his shoulders.]

That'd be nice. Since you're offerin'. [Not that he's moving from his presently contented space.]

[lupusxylem]

There's that smile.

[Even if it's, you know. Just barely there.

Wolfwood stays still, letting Vash put his hands over his own, chuckling at the way his lips tickle the sensitive skin of his hands. They might be a little sappy (literal) from picking up sticks, so hopefully he doesn't mind that too much.]

I bet you probably just need t'get some of that pent up energy out anyway. You must have an infinite supply, I already saw you out with Angelina today.

[oleaeuropaea]

[Vash doesn't seem to be bothered at all. It's a nice, earthy smell, the kind of thing he's been getting more and more used to. It makes him long for the days back on Earth, the ones that Rem lovingly described and that he had only ever dreamed about. It was the kind of life that humanity deserved.

Minus the whole evil Forest thing.

In any case, he's outright grinning the moment Wolfwood speaks, almost compelled to by the words he croons. Where would he be without the Punisher, really. He'd always been so good at grabbing hold of him and pulling him back from the brink.]

Mm? [He blinks once, a bit dreamy.] Oh, I figured she needed a little extra attention, since we'll probably be out late.

[He doesn't need to mention his extra preparations. That's not important.]

[lupusxylem]

[Vash is so endearing when he gets all gooey with affection like that. Not like it's a hard state to put him into, considering.

Wolfwood brushes his hair back again, at least sort of attempting to pull back a little so they can stand upright and start to walk through the Grove.]

You're probably right. I figured it'd be better to do this at night anyway, since it's a fire and all.

[Not JUST a book burning, but a bonfire. Even if you aren't into burning books, bonfires are cool and should exclusively happen when it's dark enough to enjoy them.]

[oleaeuropaea]

You probably have the right idea.

[With timing, at least. He's still not in love with the idea, but they've already gone back and forth about that. He just has to take Wolfwood at his word and hope for the best.]

C'mon. The sooner we go, the sooner we'll get back.

[Yes, he finally does straighten out. But he also snatches up Wolfwood's hand just as quick. If they're doing this, they're doing it gay. He doesn't make the rules.]

[lupusxylem]

[Fine then, they'll do it gay! Wolfwood isn't so afraid of PDA that he won't hold Vash's hand in public, not that there's really anyone out in the Grove right now to watch. It's off down Vash's usual patrol route, then, hand-in-hand.

Better than circling the drain about Wolfwood's poor decisions. Whatever comes from it, comes from it. He's prepared to deal with that, even though he's not really expecting anything to actually happen.]

You could probably walk this path in your sleep. You do it every day, don'tcha?

[oleaeuropaea]

[If nothing else, it's a far less prominent display of aggression. He doubts they'd ever be able to fully fool the forest, but he can pretend that they just look like a simple couple, rather than a pair of idiots on edge. The lack of subtlety would be funny, if it weren't so dire.]

Lately, yeah. [He sounds more than sheepish about it. Ashamed, perhaps. Has his paranoia really been so obvious?] Sometimes more than once, even.

[He wants everyone to be safe. Wolfwood none the least of which.]

[lupusxylem]

That's better than most of us have been doin'.

[He mumbles as they go, stretching his free arm above his head.]

I guess it ain't a bad idea, since the fog has pulled back so far. I've seen the others going out into the woods, but I haven't been all that interested to try again, myself.

[He just antagonizes the woods from within the Grove like a real man.]

[oleaeuropaea]

I've got a century worth of wandering in my bones. You can't expect me to just sit still.

[Even if he has, in a lot of regards. He's embraced this occasionally peaceful life with open arms. A few trouble spots here and there every few weeks is still a hell of a lot better than gunfire every other day. It's just a matter of time until the apprehension goes away, then everything will be better for them all.

Just a matter of time.]

I've thought about going out there myself. Maybe just to see what's out there, or... [He pauses, glancing toward the wall of fog.] Maybe to see if I can figure out what way Nai went.

Then again, I think I'm afraid that I'll find nothing.

[lupusxylem]

[Oh, Vash...

Wolfwood is silent for a moment, at that. It's no secret that he had no love for Nai. He's pretty sure nobody on No Man's Land does. But...that was Vash's brother, and for all the reasons he has to hate the guy, they shared a strange moment of solidarity when Vash died back in the ice castle. They fought, back-to-back, for his sake.

He exhales slowly, giving Vash's hand a littlee squeeze.]

...I can come with you, if you ever do. If you want.