apocalypsehowcomm | Event

Event - Lullaby

Lullaby

➥ For You Never Shut Your Eye

Photo of a small grassy area within an urban environment. Two men are passed out across the grass and sidewalk. There is a purple gradient filter over the photo.
(cw: supernaturally-induced sleep/fatigue, supernaturally-induced sleep disorders/somniloquy, needles/injections)

The line between waking and sleep is beginning to blur. People will find themselves sleeping far too much, but it never feels like enough. The music is growing more prevalent and persistent throughout town. The effect is still weaker within the building, but as October wears on, more and more people are affected and ADI staff are more intent than ever to find the source and also figure out how to block the effects. Characters will find themselves conscripted (between Halloween Party preparations) into assisting with building or testing anti-music and sleep devices along or with helping to try to track down the source of the music.

For those helping to build and test devices, there is an R&D lab in the basement levels of ADI that will be available. Devices native staff have been able to devise include:

Headphones that play different frequencies to try to cancel out the sound of the singing.
An armband that periodically stabs a small needle into the arm with a small dosage of adrenaline.
Headbands set to a constant low vibration.

The efficacy of all of these devices is… questionable, but perhaps others may have their own expertise to lend to the efforts, attempting something on a broader scale than just personal protection devices.

For those helping to track the source of the music, finding it seems to be impossible, but there is a definite pattern that characters will note as the days pass. The epicenters of the music are moving, migrating out of the graveyards and converging on ADI Headquarters. As this goes on, the building will become less and less of a safe haven, the music penetrating its walls and affecting the staff there more heavily. You might find yourself having to help a neighbor who's fallen asleep while working. Or you might not even be able to fully tell they've fallen asleep as they sleepwalk and talk almost like they're actually still conscious. Even those who have never been prone to sleepwalking and talking may find themselves affected and… far more open with what they say when in the unguarded state of semi-unconsciousness.

➥ Till the Sun Is In the Sky

A caucasian woman is lying on the floor, eyes closed. The room is dark around her with a spotlight shining on her. A secondary image of the woman, semi-transparent and wrapped in white clothes floats just above the woman on the floor. There is a purple gradient filter over the photo.
(cw: supernaturally-induced sleep/fatigue, thanatophobia, character death, death by poisoning, blood, choking, emetophobia, death by crushing)

By the 25th, some people may find waking up to be a challenge in and of itself. But they do manage to wake up. Seemingly. Perhaps the day is much like any other, heading to ADI or out around the city, grabbing coffee and- something is wrong. Something is very wrong. That cup of coffee you just drank had tasted a little different than usual. A touch of almond to it? It hits you that your throat is burning, bile and blood rising up and choking you as you hack and gasp and vomit. Your legs grow weak, you're losing control of everything, falling, dying.

And then you wake up.

Just a nightmare. Just a bizarre and horrible nightmare. You head out and… is this home? You're home! Or maybe… wait, this doesn't seem right. Have you gone somewhere else? Some things might be familiar, memories intertwined and mixing with fantastical elements, some your own, some not. You notice people you recognize, ones who might be as confused as you are. This isn't where they should be and they remember dying, too. Or seeing you die or someone else. It doesn't make sense, but somehow, they remember they had a dream they shared last night. And then something falls from above and nearly crushes you or your partner. Or maybe it does crush them, and you're suddenly looking at a dead body as the world and this nightmare that feels so very real becomes more and more hostile. Maybe something falls on you.

And then you 'wake up.'

➥ When the Blazing Sun Is Gone

Three sheet ghost halloween decorations stand in a line. There is a purple gradient filter over the photo.
(cw: supernaturally-induced sleep/fatigue, thanatophobia, character death, body horror, detailed description of painful physical transformation, description of the loss and regrowth of teeth, violence, mental status alterations, temporary power-loss, spiders)

Even with people dropping left and right thanks to the odd sleep effect taking hold, ADI staff are hellbent that their Halloween party will not be completely ruined. And on the 28th (a little before the actual holiday), everyone wakes up. Or… seems to. For those trapped in dreams, it will seem very much that they've woken up, the music has stopped, and they can actually carry on. For a few days, it even seems like things are normal. The party on the 31st is a blow-out bash. The entire first floor of ADI HQ has been transformed with decorations. The canteen is serving festive food and has set up a dance floor with holiday-appropriate music playing. Some of the offices feature additional activities, including party games like bobbing for apples in a trough that's been brought in, a guess this gross food booth, and more general party games. For a quieter time, there are also areas set up with board games and card games to play. And for some extra fun spooks a mini-haunted maze has been set up with faux spiders and webs, along with other goofy-looking monster creatures.

It's around 9 PM when the music and lights suddenly cut out. There's nothing for several seconds. Then, a voice begins to sing, filling the halls of ADI. It's a young girl's voice.

"Bye-bye, bye-bye,
Quickly you will die,
On the morning will be frost,
And you’ll go to the graveyard, the graveyard.

Grandfather will come there, too,
And he will bring the coffin.
Grandmother will come along,
Her tears, they will not soften.
Mama sings the prayer song, then,
And falls down on her knees.
Daddy takes you to the grave,
No one can hear his pleas.

Bye-bye, bye-bye,
Quickly you will die,
On the morning will be frost,
And you’ll go to the graveyard, the graveyard.

As the last notes of the song fade away, all hell breaks loose. Those who had been wearing particular sorts of costumes, ones that are more monstrous in nature, may find themselves transforming, growing, twisting, shifting. It's not a clean change, but a violent, agonizing one that cracks bones, tears and reshapes muscles and tendons, pushes out teeth to make room for new ones. Those transformed will find themselves compelled to chase, to hunt, to kill anyone they can get their claws, teeth, or other appendages on.

For those who stay themselves, it's not just their transformed friends who pose a danger, but the decorations they've set up, as well. Those fake giant spiders and webs? They're no longer fake. Neither are any of the other demonic little creatures. The goal of everything in ADI and even outside for those who manage to make it out the doors, is to remind you how very, very mortal you are. Those typically possessed of fantastic abilities will find that they have been sapped away. There's no calling on magic or innate abilities. You are mortal and you are going to die like everything mortal does.

In the chaos, characters will catch glimpses of a young girl flitting amongst the chaos, seeming unperturbed by it all. Trying to catch up to her or speak to her is fruitless, but she's there, and she's humming that song from before.

➥ When He Nothing Shines Upon

A caucasian woman has just woken up and stares grumpily at her phone. There is a purple gradient filter over the photo.
(cw: supernaturally-induced fatigue/malaise, thanatophobia)

Those who are killed at the party will find themselves waking up wherever they actually fell asleep a few hours or even days ago. If your character was one of the lucky few who somehow managed to escape the effect, you'll notice people waking up all over ADI HQ and elsewhere. There are no signs of damage on the bodies, but those who died in the dreams will find themselves feeling incredibly weak and generally ill for several hours to several days after the experience.

The music has actually stopped, and this time, it would seem you've actually woken up. Depending on how long you were passed out for, that may be a more unpleasant experience for some than others. There's a message posted from a random ADI employee's phone a few days later to the network:

Mr. S was right. This was fun! I'll have to come back next year to play with you. - Ava, the Lullaby Girl

P.S. Sorry for stealing your phone, horsegirl67. But I wanted to say, hi. C:

Unfortunately, there are no further messages and attempts to respond to the message will receive no reply for now.

But... fortunately…? All of the Halloween preparations are still up, and there's a festive party to attend if anyone actually feels keen on trying it in real life. Pam Ruan, the main organizer is bloody-minded about it now and will have her God damn Halloween party, but those who work themselves up to attend out of festive spirit or morbid curiosity will find it a distinctly muted affair that breaks early in the evening.

Happy Halloween, Gloucester!

➥ Mod Notes

GENERAL - Players are welcome to play NPCs for themselves when they are needed in a thread. If you need more information on general behavior for these types of NPCs, please feel free to ask! In general, the information provided in the prompt should be sufficient and you're welcome to make up any details beyond that for your specific scene. The Lullaby Girl (Ava) can be seen throughout character dreams, but they will not be able to interact with her during this event. They will either wake up or simply find that the physics of the dream are warped and she cannot be reached or there's a sheet of glass between her and the character or whatnot.
FOR YOU NEVER SHUT YOUR EYE (15-24 October) - Characters are welcome to develop their own devices for attempting to stop the music. Characters will have modern day technology available to them along with a few slightly more advanced electronics and tools. Please do not go too out there. This isn't Tony Stark's array of tools and the like. But characters can create additional devices to test within reason. Some of them may be more or less effective, but with how sporadic the effect is, it might be difficult to tell what's actually working or not. There can also be negative side-effects from devices, if you'd like to play those out. Characters with the appropriate magical charge may also attempt to supernaturally block the music, but this will not be condoned or facilitated by ADI. Characters searching for the source of the music will not be able to find it, just discover that it is moving. For characters who are sleep-talking, they may find themselves unusually honest. They may or may not recall conversations with other characters and all that they told them.
TILL THE SUN IS IN THE SKY (25-27 October) - Characters will experience repeated nightmares of dying in a shared dreamscape. They will remember every time that they die in the dreams. Feel free to get as creative and gruesome with this as you would like. These are dreams and fantastical situations that might not actually happen (e.g., a robot showing up and shooting a laser through your character) may occur. Players are welcome to introduce elements of their memories into the nightmares and mix those memories around between characters who might wind up in a dream together. Please ensure all top-levels are appropriately tagged for any and all content warnings. Add content warnings as you go along, if needed. Dying in the dreams will trigger the sense of waking up. This can be a fake wake-up or characters might actually wake for a short while and find others passed out around them.
WHEN THE BLAZING SUN IS GONE (28-31 October) - Again, this will be a shared dreamscape where characters will be under the illusion (at first) that all has returned to normal. For those who investigate, everything seems to be real, nothing too off, excepting the night of the Halloween party. Once the Lullaby Girl finishes her song, characters who are dressed in costumes that depict animals or other monstrous creatures may find themselves transformed into their costumes. Transformed characters may gain powers for the duration of this prompt/event related to their monstrous forms without mod approval. Go wild, kill your friends and neighbors, and generally trash everything around you. The decorations that come to life will be attempting to murder all characters, transformed or not. If characters escape into the city, they will find all of the festive decorations out there have come to life and want to kill them, as well. Death is unavoidable for this particular prompt, but it can be something swift and painless or something drawn out and horrible at player discretion. It is the only way to actually wake a character fully. Players also have the option of keeping their characters awake. They will not experience the shared dreamscape and will just be stuck with a lot of unconscious people around them for the duration of this portion of the event.
WHEN HE NOTHING SHINES UPON (31 October) - Ava, the Lullaby Girl, cannot be contacted or immediately located, but she will be available in future plots for interactions with characters. There is no immediate information regarding who Mr. S. is. Players may have the general sleep/death malaise last for a minimum of two hours and a maximum of three days. Regular medications for the flu can ameliorate some of the symptoms, but they will ultimately clear up on their own. Characters may wake up in whatever state players would like. Feel free to play out the effects of them having been slumped in a corridor for three days without food or water. It's going to be a bad time all around. Those who attend the real Halloween party will be thanked profusely by Pam and showered with candy. At least they'll get a few HR brownie points?

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ "not as if I'm a vampire,"
looks into the camera like The Office,

--wow!! he's not being unreasonable...?? were those words another human being actually said to him, just now?? presentable AND reasonable?? he needs to mark his calendar when he gets home tonight, commemorate this special occasion. seriously. maybe he's still dreaming, after all--? ah. worrisome.

Abel will just hesitate a moment, pinch the skin at the back of his hand with a soft "--ow," before clearing his throat. ...right, then! right. (not that 'pain' of any sort had ended dreaming, before. that logic doesn't seem to have occurred to him, presently. maybe he is tired, too--) ]

Wonderful~! Then, I was just on my way to grab some more trash bags. Would you like to accompany me? There's some picking up left to do, Sister!

[Subtly Glances at him pinching his own hand (and that tiny 'ow', sure happened, her ears seem to be in good working order)... She may be less present than she'd like to be atm, but she'd have to be close to blind AND deaf to not notice THAT, Abel......(???)]

You've really gotten into the spirit of things, haven't you. But of course; a "Father" does outrank a mere "Sister", come to think of it.

[...

She didn't just dig herself a hole just now, did she--]

[ .........she really is tired if she just threw him that one for free, isn't she,

Abel is kindly pretending he doesn't understand the connotations of that particularly statement (haha wouldn't it be great if he """conveniently""" recalls this detail later), instead chuckling cheerfully as he heads toward the back of the canteen and into the kitchen for the pantry. ]

Well, everyone has had a hard time of things-- it's good to give them some time to loosen up, you know? [ he'll bend to fetch a few trash bags from the box, giving a little grumble as he almost bonks his head on the shelving here, ] Contrary to what might be popular belief, I am more than capable of pulling my weight around here...! And while taking care of those who are feeling ill isn't quite in my wheelhouse, cleaning up after a party... is, conveniently enough. It seems the least I can do. --And, of course, making tea for certain sleepy Sisters, after the fact...

[ lifting to his feet, he holds out one of the trash bags for her to take should she so wish... as much as he would just like her to rest-- well, a deal is a deal, isn't it? ]

[ok to be FAIR he is a very pitiable creature, is this disputable? Can't blame him for holding onto every bone that gets thrown his way...]

It's certainly been eventful, and gives us an idea of what this place is capable of. [She sure sounds calm about it despite how drained she physically appeared to be, barely moments prior. No weird disconnects here, no need to squint.] Things may stay quiet around the office, at least for the next few days.

[She steps up to gladly alleviate the offered trash bag from him with a nod, giving him another Glance but not making any comment when he almost managed to hit his head. Being tall has its ups and downs, doesn't it? She may have teased him about it some other day, but... Mm, let's just get to work!]

Thank you. Where shall we start, Father, or would 'divide and conquer' be quicker?

[She's lucid enough to have a feeling that he probably wouldn't take to the latter suggestion, though. Hmm, wonder why that is?]

[ Abel can't deny that he is a little Concerned at the prospect of regular occurrences like this one being the norm; 'what this place can do, indeed. it's definitely worrisome a thought -- in no small part for the toll recent events have taken in their wake. the re-do party had been subdued, far quieter than it should've been for a group of misfits of all walks of life gathered together in one place. the mood sure was.... yeah, wasn't it? uncomfortable. morose. understandably so.

he is leading her back to where the food and drink had been distributed earlier in the night, gesturing to one side of the table while he hovers at the other. ]

Let's start here, shall we? Work our way to the middle~!

[ convenient, huh, this puts them in close proximity even if they are still "conquering" different areas.... convenient, convenient indeed! ]

Hey, Ciel... [ as Abel begins dropping discarded cups and plates into his bag, he'll pipe up gently, ] Would you mind if I asked you something? Something, um-- well, kind of personal, I guess?

[And they'll be done in no time precisely because attendance had been low and and the whole thing quite subdued; not much to clean up, when there isn't much of a mess anywhere to begin with. If anything, there may be more leftover party food packing and putting away than actual waste disposal... Would be a shame to let it all go to waste, right? Maybe they can put most of it away in the canteen fridge and people will hopefully pick away at them the following week? Or certain Fattydingdong can take some home, there should be plenty of options.

So she keeps quiet and simply hums in assent, they'll finish with the tables when they do and move onto something else after. Pointing how little cleanup work there actually is would be redundant, and only indirectly lampshade further how kind he is to humor her, permitting her help to begin with.]

I'll do my best to answer. What is it you'd like to ask? [But she makes no promises, maybe that's evasive in and of itself? He's free to go on, in any case.]

[ that's right; there really isn't much in the way of a mess at all. Abel had already taken care of most of the more obtrusive decorations that would get in the way come time for breakfast in the morning, leaving just to tidy up the food remains, plates and cutlery and so on. even so, he's happy to give her this task to assist with-- sometimes when one's mind is troubled, moving the hands doing something productive, no matter how mundane... helps. right?

he has a feeling there's more than one reason the good 'Sister' keeps busy, after all.

Abel pauses in his task, absent-minded as he holds the bag in one hand... but his attention is already settled on Ciel at the other end of the table, instead. ]

Have you slept at all...? Since, ah... the bad dreams?

[ 'bad dreams.' well, that's one way to put it, huh? ]

[An early night for everyone, is it... Maybe it's for the best, all things considered.

She barely pauses at the question, having folded and tucked the bag underneath an arm now and opting to put away the unused stacks of napkins and plastic cutlery into the storage cupboards near the sink instead. It'd be a waste to throw away what's been untouched, and that doesn't apply to just food.]

I believe I did, yes. But I don't think your question nor my answer would mean much, considering how things have been of late.

[It's been increasingly difficult to get restful sleep as the month progressed, and then the barrier between dream and reality seemed to have momentarily blurred completely.]

Maybe you're right...

[ he offers this reply with a small smile as he continues at his task, tidying things up and trying to push food items that would function as leftovers together for ease later. ]

I guess it's obvious even if you did get some shut-eye, it might not have been the sort you needed. [ you know. what with the nodding off at the table, and all... ] But I suppose what I was really wondering is-- um, if you... mm.

[ ... ]

Are you having trouble? Sleeping, properly... since then?

[There really isn't much to throw out that requires a big bag, trash and leftovers alike are easy to pile up and carry around with one's own two hands. There may have been a slight tweak to the plan, but they're still both working on their respective sides, steadily milling along towards the middle.

She watches his small smile from the corner of her eyes, her own expression softening before turning her back to him once more. He's just worried, isn't he?]

Well... Things seem to be quietening back down now, so it shouldn't be a problem for us anymore. [Being inclusive of everyone with "us" has nothing to do with deflecting away from herself, it's totally valid to speak in broad strokes when sleep difficulties had been plaguing everyone, yeah?] At least, not until that little girl who seemed to be responsible becomes active again.

[ Abel is reaching for a pumpkin-shaped cookie to take a bite of it almost as an after thought as he re-covers the tin they came in, giving a soft hum of acknowledgement. ]

That girl... [ perhaps it was a little eerie -- the reminder of a blonde-haired child who possessed a similar 'gift.' ] Do you think she's being used by someone...? Please tell me I'm not the only one who found the message she left us in poor taste, by the way. A-and creepy!

[On her end, Ciel's retrieved a roll of saran wrap. The leftover plates pumpkin pies and potato salad could be packed off that way, for starters. Free food for the early bird for a few days, provided they don't mind the connotations attached to everything. Wonder how long it'll take for everything to "properly" disappear...?]

We don't have enough information right now. I do think she went too far, even for Halloween. Nightmares are one thing, but not letting people get restful sleep at all for over a full month is beyond casual mischief and cruelty. Her objective concerns me more, personally. [Along with the full brunt of what she can do, if what just happened wasn't already the full scope. They really need to shape up and gather more intel, if that was only the "beginning".]

[ yes, he is definitely of the same mind as Ciel on this point; finding out more about the girl and her circumstances -- as well as what might be in store for them if they don't manage to find her -- is item #1 on his itinerary. it's almost a little reassuring, having something to search after. he's felt a bit restless since his arrival, not quite sure what he should be doing with himself--

ah, but none of that is important right now. he has a different task that he's put his mind to, right? so Abel pops the rest of the cookie into his mouth as he sticks a pie back into the box it had been delivered in. ]

The message she left on the network-- um, do you know who she was referring to, Miss Ciel? 'Mr. S?'

[ a shot in the dark, but... ]

[The question has her give a small shake of her head, along with a faint slump of her shoulders. She doesn't delay beyond that, keeping her hands busy in putting the lids back onto several boxes including a batch of candied apples and donuts with thematically decorated icing. Then it's stacking them up, and...]

It's the first time I've heard about either of them. I spent the last few weeks browsing the library and talking to native employees in Research for information, but there wasn't anything like this. We will probably have to wait after ADI: I'm guessing we'll either get an official statement soon, or they will keep silent until the next major directive is decided upon.

[And silence can be telling too, even if it's nothing good. It'd be like sweeping this under the rug, treating it as an incident everyone is expected to quickly get over from. Then again, American corporations dealing with apocalypses, of all things... Maybe they shouldn't jump to conclusions?]

[ well. he hadn't expected her to have the magical answers, but-- it would've sure been nice. Abel gives a tiny nod in response before he settles what he's packed up to one side of the table, forgoing further gathering in favor of gently rubbing at his chin. ]

I suppose there's no helping it. We'll just have to see if there's anything we can dig up until someone throws us a bone, mm? Maybe someone has heard of this girl or even someone else with abilities like she has to help us narrow something down.

[ ...hm. ]

...Miss Ciel, is there such a thing as a 'Witch' where you're from?

[Meanwhile she'll be attempting to pick up and bring over to the sink her new nice and hefty stack of three boxes. She's totally got this,

...]

We could... ask around. [--Hup, up they go--] That depends on how you define it. If you mean women capable of magic, then yes. [...okay so they're a BIT heavy, but it's fine, she's not wobbly and doing this carefully!] Legends of witches are supposedly common here in Gloucester, too.

--H-hey, do you need any help? Ah. Miss Ciel is quite strong...!

[ uwaaaaa, sugoi...

...he's watching her instead of doing anything useful, the bag forgotten where it's tucked under his arm and a two tins balanced in his hands. ]

Oh, well... I guess that's sort've it, but not quite what I mean. [ but the fact the word has a different connotation isn't shocking considering their difference in time periods, and answers his question for him, though! ] Still, I suppose it doesn't matter as much as if you've ever come across someone with, ah. Abilities? Back at home. Or is what happens in Gloucester first time you've seen it, Ciel? I know not all our homes are similar, so...

I should be okay, thank you for offering!

[It was only a bit harder than it should've been because she's not in top form, but these party foods are still rather light, nothing impressive there. That she's letting his silly praise slide may say more about her state, if anything...]

Oh, that's what you mean. No, Gloucester is not my first time. But there is a cost here, and from what I could gather, the functional and ethical merits of paying that price is a debated and divisive topic among outsiders like us.

[She's brought the boxes safely by the sink, and is peering back at him curiously, now. No sense beating around the bush with someone cut of the same `cloth`, in more ways than one OR two?]

[ right, right. there is a price to be paid for all things, and it is extremely hefty here. Abel is bringing the tins over to the counter, offloading things from the table so it can be properly cleaned and folded away later. ]

Mm, I wonder if that kind of price applies to people native to this world? This Gloucester, this America-- and so on. And I also wonder if people like Miss Ava are considered abnormal or strange, too-- they must be, right? Considering the ADI is doing its best to sweep the supernatural under the rug where no one can see it.

[ ...ah, he's getting lost from his original objective, isn't he? ]

--A-anyway, I was just curious if you'd come across anyone like this before, I suppose-- back at home? We would call Miss Ava a 'witch' where I'm from, but... they're quite rare. Is it the same for you?

[ Abel really is going about this in the most roundabout way, isn't he? ...he just wants to know if something so strange as this would've rattled her and she's putting on a brave face, really. coming out and asking... well, Ciel doesn't particularly seem the type to give him a straight answer...... ahem, ]

In a sense, yes. Attempts by natives of this world to connect with forces they shouldn't tend to cause incidents, though I've read of records where outsiders like us had gone rogue and needed to be restrained as well. Supposedly that's why the curfew at the apartment block is in place, actually.

[She's gone full 🤔, the boxes at least are no longer stacked and are just waiting to be fridged. Detour or not, she IS interested in how things work here, so she clearly doesn't mind going on about matters in Gloucester.]

Not exactly this way, no, but this sort of thing wouldn't be impossible where I'm from. [So it's also a thing in his world, he's indirectly confirmed that just now. ...Her own answer did sound rather roundabout though, didn't it? Perhaps she should clarify a little.] A "witch" is more of a title than any informative classification, so that should have no bearing over what someone like miss Aya is, nor how she is capable of what she did. [Everyone's concerned with semantics back home... Suppose the clear division between the three main forces of supernatural power made it inevitable.]

So, it's more of a general kind of title? [ Abel nods his head at that. leaning back against the counter, he nudges habitually at his glasses before tilting his head in Ciel's direction again. ]

I see... not impossible, but-- maybe not something you stumble upon every day, is that it?

[ that makes sense. maybe it doesn't precisely give him what he's looking for -- but it answers other questions, perhaps. ]

Well, in any case... I hope you're right, that we get a reprieve for a while. Time we can use to see what we can dig up, and time to catch up on some actual sleep, you know? I think everyone around here could use some... --Ah! We are in the kitchen, so I could get to work on that cup of tea I owe you, to those ends...!

[ and just like that, he will eagerly turn to start rummaging for ADI-insignia'd mugs and the kettle, rooting about underneath one of the cabinets for where he had stashed some Special Teabags. (there really isn't anything special about them aside from the fact they're store bought and not normal facets of the kitchen's usual stock, don't get excited,) ]

--Do you take sugar with your tea, Ciel? How many? Do you want to go sit down...? It won't take me too long; I'll put the leftovers away while the water heats, hm?

Right. And ayone who stumbles onto something like this every day would lead quite the interesting life, don't you think? ["Interesting", she says,]

Yes. You're giving me a hard time for falling asleep, but I'd say many others are handling this with a lot more difficulty than I am. So perhaps you should reroute your efforts into throwing a tea party for the entire office instead, Father? [She's gonna call him that forever anytime it wouldn't raise eyebrows/attract unwanted attention... He only gets a pass today because she's in habit, ftr]

Oh, are we already done? [Right better put these in the fridge--] That depends. What tea are you making, and are we having something else to go along with it? [She's not a tea snob she swears but there are Proper Ways to go at tea partaking, right? Right!]

[ >interesting, uh huh...

Abel is rapidly waving his hand in dismissal over his shoulder as he fills the kettle at the sink... PSHHHHH, PSHHHHHHHH, ]

Oh, please~! As if I don't fully intend to drag anyone I find falling asleep around here right off to bed... or for a cup of tea and then bed if they're being stubborn about it! [ stubborn, like SOME PEOPLE around here-- ] And a tea party sounds lovely, so don't tempt me~!

[ closes my eyes, an ADI tea party..... imagine how hideously that would go wrong,

now relocating to the stove, continuing to motor right along, ]

This is Sleepytime tea~! [ he gestures to the box... yes, it literally says Sleepytime on it and yes, that is a sleepy bear, just to prove how Sleepy and Cozy you will be drinking this wonderful tea, ] Have you had it? It has chamomile, lemongrass... a hint of spearmint, mmhm! Um-- I actually wasn't planning on having anything with it... You know they say you shouldn't eat right before bed, right? [ as if he takes this advice

as if either of them will even pretend he takes this advice ]

But! I can make an exception, just this once, if you're hungry... what are you in the mood for?

[yes, ~interesting~,]

So I'm just unlucky, is that it... I wasn't aware you had self-restraint to begin with, so that's a surprise for me, too.

[...what, she's just making a final round to make sure they've cleaned everything up, threw or put away whatever it was appropriate to do, etc]

[...Sleepytime...]

Sugar is a stimulant, yes. [And he still asked her if she wanted sugar with the tea... smh Brits, that is--]

Well... Just making sure: you are having tea with me too, yes?

[not asked in any coercive way shape or form, nah. clearly if she can't deflect/dodge her way out of this then naturally the only other option is ~~drag him down~~ take him along, right]

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