[ Opening Mingle ]

[randomly_modding]

[Everyone will wake up suddenly, as if having drifted off -- while sitting upright in an uncomfortable office chair. In one hand they're holding the communicator, and in their lap is propped a clipboard with a job application (standard, looking something like this; it requests up to ten years of job history, ) and a pen. The waiting room is also fairly standard, except for being empty.]

[The communicator's lock screen reads, Complete the job application. Time limit, twenty-four hours.]

[There are magazines, fake plants, and computers. There's a staff lounge with food -- tupperware that might have belonged to some of these nonexistent workers, popcorn and cocoa packets, vending machines -- and restrooms. There are exits, but characters will be unable to use them... or make their own, or escape in any way.]

[So the characters are stuck here, until tomorrow morning. Set up a comment telling everyone what your character is doing, and thinking, whether they're obeying the task or not, at any time during the day. Then tag other people! Be sure to check back later in the week, when people are encouraged make threads for the evening as well as the day! Characters that have been claimed are also welcome at this point to join the community, and will be able to make their own posts, which can be tagged by anyone taking part in the event.]

Comments

[promisebreaker]

[Peter has the application sitting on his lap, one knee is jiggling up and down while he taps the pen against the clipboard with the other hand. His brow is furrowed, glasses slipping down his nose a bit. He pushes them up then returns to his tapping and staring at the application.

It's not a hard application; it's just that there's a lot to notice in the office and he's not sure he wants to work the mail room. He knows that's where a lot of people get their start, but he kind of thought that he'd be an intern or a lab assistant, something more related to the science end of things. After a few more moments, he lays the clipboard to the side and goes to explore. If he can find a scientist, maybe he can talk his way into a job.]

Somehow I don't think I'm going to need twenty-four hours to finish this...

[He wanders down the hall, poking his head into the break room. Ooooh! Food.

And just like that, Peter is sidetracked. He's starving, but then he's a teenage boy with a spider's metabolism. He's always starving.]

[scealu]

[ illyria watches the boy eat far more food than she's witnessed any other human consume.

it is mildly nauseating. ]

Gluttony was not part of the directive.

[promisebreaker]

[Have the most surprised look ever while he finishes chewing and swallows.]

Huh? Oh...no. It's not--I'm not even close to full.

[Because gluttony is when you overeat, Illyria. Peter is currently undereating. He'll get to full here in...a while.]

[scealu]

[ that's fine, most humans are good at evading true meaning in favor of babbling and excuses. things illyria is good at? invading personal space -- as peter's probably finding out right about now. ]

You require more sustenance than other younglings of your kind.

[ except that there are no others of your kind. ]

[promisebreaker]

[Younglings? Who says younglings?

And yes, he is a lone duckling...spider...kid.]

Uhm...yeah? I mean...yeah.

[scealu]

[ hey. don't look at her like that.

not that she cares. ]

And the prospect of food outweighs your desire to escape.

[ this is illyria-speak for: humans are gross. and also stupid and annoying. ]

[promisebreaker]

[Of course she doesn't!]

I can't think on an empty stomach.

[ yeah well, so's your face!]

[scealu]

[ what. ]

I fail to see how one has to do with the other.

[ not that she ca-- oh, you get it. ]

[promisebreaker]

You ever try to hatch a genius plan on an empty stomach?

[Said in a tone that only a teenage boy can carry off.]

[scealu]

[ well, he does have a point. ]

Continue.

[ she'll just be over here. inspecting you. ]

[promisebreaker]

[ okay, that's weird: someone watching you eat. he takes a bite a little hesitantly, but when she continues to watch him so closely, he swallows and speaks up ]

Uhm...are you going to keep doing that?

[scealu]

[ she squints. illyria is yet accustoming herself to the brazen questioning of lesser beings. and given the circumstances, her temper's a little short. ]

I will do as I please.

[ and there's something about peter that's peculiar. something not entirely normal... ]

[promisebreaker]

[Peter shrugs and takes a big bite. He's going to chew extra loudly.]

If that's what you really wanna do with your time.

[Talking with his mouth full as well.]

Hope you don't mind a belated tag!

[confiscate]

[ The application is filled out in under a half hour of unflinching concentration (as would be expected for first in the class) but just sitting around afterward? Well, that's pretty boring.

Gwen leaves her completed application and her communicator on the desk where she had awoken and begins wandering. She peeks from room to room quietly, intending to pass by the break room in kind.

A dark hair of head gets her attention and she stops -- ]

Peter?

[ She is still angry at you, boy.

But she's not spitting tacks. Yet. ]

Never ever

[promisebreaker]

[Peter looks up, surprised because he knows that voice. He also has a bit of a deer in the headlights look about him, and his mouth is half full of some brownies he found stashed in a cabinet. He swallows (thankfully) before responding.]

I--uhm--yeah...Gwen. Uh...hi? [His voice breaks a bit on the 'hi'. He's supposed to be staying away from her. That was the deal and yes he's been thinking about breaking that promise, but he hasn't had time to think that through thoroughly so he doesn't exactly know how to respond to her. Especially here.]

[confiscate]

...Hi, [ she says, her voice a bit slow.

She hadn't expected to see him here, of all places. In the wake of her confusion, of feeling floundered and helpless, she settles on unflinching professionalism. ]

Did you... finish your application?

[ Or, you know.

Lameness. ]

[promisebreaker]

[It's okay, he's incredibly awkward. He clears his throat and scrubs a hand over his hair, sending it going everywhere. He shifts his weight and ends up with one hand up on the back of his neck, rubbing at it.]

Uhm...I--no. I mean...I will. Eventually. I just--you know. Thought I'd explore. First.

You?

[confiscate]

[ If she was still his girlfriend, she'd be shaking her head and (gently) reprimanding him. Rather, she remains distant and neutral. ]

Did it when I came in.

[promisebreaker]

Right. [Sometimes when he looks at her, he forgets that she's not still his girlfriend. Of course, there's no danger of that with her demeanor. He doesn't blame her. He would never blame her.]

I mean--get it over with. That's--that's smart.

[confiscate]

[ Suddenly, she is all too well aware that she's in a very strange room, having just filled out an application for god knows what and is now facing down the boy who couldn't even dump her to her face.

Gwen's expression loses some of its ease. ]

You --

[ Nope, she's got nothing. Turning to walk away now. ]

[promisebreaker]

[He steps forward, reaching out to grab her arm.]

Gwen, wait.

[Except he has no idea what to say to her or how to make this better.]

[confiscate]

[ Her arm grabbed, Gwen freezes utterly. Her heels click down on the floor, in a gesture that could be called impatience -- were anyone else making it.

Having nothing to say and not wanting to ask, she simply looks at him. ]

[promisebreaker]

[ There are so many things he wants to say to her and so many things that he can't. He promised her father. He promised and he wants to break that promise more than anything, but he knows Captain Stacy was right. He bites his bottom lip hard, shaking his head a moment. He lets a breath out, not realizing he was holding it until now. ]

I--I don't---I'm sorry.

[confiscate]

[ Turning back fully, Gwen's expression gives away nothing. She does pull her arm away, however, letting the movement be gentle enough to get her point across without being forceful.

Her words, when they come, are quiet and nearly impassive. ]

What are you sorry for, Peter?

[ It's not a real question, like she doesn't know. She does. She just wants to hear his answer. ]

[promisebreaker]

I--I--I [He's already shaking his head.] I don't know. I--everything. Getting you involved in what happened. [He swallows hard.] Your dad. [It's a very quiet statement. He is sorry for not being fast enough to save Captain Stacy. He is sorry for putting her father in that position to begin with. He is sorry for so many things.]