randomizing | [ Opening Mingle ]

[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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She would have been happy, so damn happy to see him in front of her and okay just like she had wanted for so long, like she'd finally gotten to have him back... and it's only the anger and pain in his voice and that accusing tone that completely throws Cassie for a loop. Why would he be talking to her like this? Why--]

Dad!

[Truly her father's daughter, her gut response is a kind of anguish too, mixed even now with relief that he really hadn't been killed all over again like she thought. She's startled, flinching visibly at his words, before she quickly gets to her feet out of the chair, closer to Scott.]

Dad, what are you talking about? It's me! You're-- you're okay, right? [It hurts to think that he could be so angry like this. "Get out"?] What's wrong?

[It hurts so much to hear her voice again and he takes a tiny step backwards, as though the physical distance will somehow equate to mental distance as well.

It doesn't, of course.]

What's wrong? [He laughs then, a low bitter sound, hating that question and everything it stands for.] What's wrong is that you're dead! You're dead because Doom killed you and I couldn't do anything to stop him. But now you're here but you can't be here because you're dead and nothing makes sense!

[He hates this girl for dressing up in that torn outfit, he hates this place for trapping him here, and if by some unholy miracle it actually is his baby standing in front of him, he is going to hate himself to eternity and back for leaving her and causing her so much pain.]

["You're dead" he tells her, and it's enough to shock her, to leave her unable to take another step toward him when Scott sets that distance. This is not the usual parental concern she'd get from her mom and step-dad, their warnings that she'd be hurt, that she couldn't do anything except put herself in harm's way. This was different, final. Dead. Even though it hadn't registered for her, just hearing it from her dad is enough to send the events of that moment into motion in her head again. Him crushed by Doom, seemingly dead, Cassie attacking in anger, knocking him down and his blast in retaliation--]

But I'm not... [She starts weakly, the look in her eyes giving away that she finally understands. Disarmed. But it couldn't be, could it? And yet here she is, and her suit is destroyed and even though she's alive--]

[Choking out, overwhelmed, now she can't be angry at him for talking to her like this, instead almost pleading. No, don't leave her.] Daddy.

[Thank god there's a chair next to him because Scott's legs really can't support him anymore and he's collapsing into the chair with his shoulders bent and hands buried into his face because if he keeps looking at her, he'll fall apart completely.

This can't be real because if it is and she's really Cassie and he gets to have her back and then someone takes her away again, he won't be able to handle it.]

God, don't do this to me. I can't do this again. I can't lose her again.

[He doesn't even know who he's talking to anymore but it's easier than having to face her.]

[Just barely, Cassie keeps standing, listening to him talk to no one in particular, hurting for him enough that she has to look away too, biting her lip. What can she even say?]

I'm not trying to do this to you. I don't...

[She folds an arm across her stomach and holds onto her elbow, feeling like she might crumble.] I- I don't remember it. I'm so sorry, please don't...

[Don't not look at her, oh god.]

[Scott's quiet for a moment, a long moment punctuated only by the wall clock ticking the seconds away—and then he speaks up. He doesn't look up, not yet, but his voice is loud and surprisingly clear.]

Remember that time when you were little and you wanted to make banana bread? Except we were out of bananas so you decided to use beets instead.

[Cue a small, strangled laugh. Has he completely lost it? Who knows.]

I never told you because I didn't want to hurt your feelings, but it was gross.

[That gets her to look up, and to chuckle very softly, if weakly considering the weight of all this. But it's enough that she can breathe out slowly and step closer, taking the seat beside him, though staring at the floor when she does. They didn't even have any real time to talk back then... She can't believe it really did get cut short in that fight. That the last thing she'll ever know is that anger at Doom.

'Dad...']

[Trying to find her voice hurts, but even if it's strained, Cassie manages eventually.] And there was... uh, ha, that dinner recipe practice from school. Pretzels and cheese.

You were always...

[--the best dad ever. She'd missed him so much. Tears well up in her eyes even while she tries really hard not to let them fall. Damn it.]

[Even though he doesn't see her move, he can hear her steps, feel the air whoosh out from the seats of the standard office chairs as she settles herself next to time.

Her. Cassie. The center of his entire world.

Because who else would it be, to be talking so casually about pretzels and cheese and those Home Ec. classes he'd cursed so much when she was younger?]

Pretzels and cheese...

[It's barely a whisper but Scott's losing his stability now and he doesn't think he can manage anymore. The sound of his heartbeat is loud in his ears and suddenly it's all very hard to breathe and he has to do something - anything - or he'll be swallowed up by all of this. Cassie, Cassie, his Cassie--

--and then he's moving and sobbing and his arms are reaching out to wrap themselves around Cassie as he buries himself in her shoulder. Such a complete reversal from their usual roles but right now he doesn't even care.]

God, I missed you so much!

[She hugs him back automatically, her chest twisting painfully inside at the way he sounds, how upset he clearly is. How all she can do is hug him so tight, like the first time she saw him again and brought him back with her. Clinging and desperate... only this time it isn't a happy reunion mingled with the confusion, is it? And if what he says really happened, how could he not be upset? She can't even begin to grasp it.]

Daddy... [Oh my god, she really did this to him. She really...] Oh god, Dad, I'm--

I'm sorry. [The words are chocked up, difficult, half stuck at the pit of her stomach and somehow it's like she's very small without her body changing for once. She keeps whispering, holding him to her shoulder, trembling and almost to tears as the scene runs over and over again in her head. The idea that those were he last moments for good was too scary, too awful. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.]

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

[ Opening Mingle ]

that's okay i didn't need my heart anyway

it's okay neither of us do

welp w e l p

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