entrancelogs | OPEN | here come the night

Who: Adam Milligan (

halfwinchester) and whoever else might be admiring Ewaymas!
Where: Around the mansion.
When: Dec. 13, anytime from late night to mid-afternoon.
Rating: G for now!
Summary: What the hell's with all this Christmas stuff? At least one newcomer is out and about looking at the changes.
The Story:

_{[Very rarely does Adam sleep through the night--or at all, if he's being honest. When the light fades and the mansion gets quiet, it's the perfect time for thoughts of his time in the pit to creep back in, and almost every night begins and ends with him sitting wide-awake until he's too tired to mount a defense. Sometimes he likes to ward away his nightmares in the bathroom. It's smaller in there, and reminds him of the times he'd hidden there when he'd been sick with the flu as a young child.

That night, he's counting spots on the ceiling of his room when the snow starts to fall, and it's the first thing that grabs Adam's attention before the noise starts. Snow? Had that been in Wonderland's weather report? By the time his curiosity wins out over his apprehension, the noises outside his door have long since stopped.

He creeps into the hallway in bare feet to see what going's on. Christmas decorations? Is it Christmas?

The mansion looks beautifully done up in the late hours of the night, and for a while Adam looks around until the pull to return to his room grows too strong. He can be found downstairs inspecting the giant Christmas tree once daylight breaks, dressed for the weather in a heavy sweater. His breakfast is an apple, which he eats while poking at ornaments on the branches.

For once, he has something to do in the mansion that isn't simply "avoid angels." It's strange enough thinking it's already December. A lot of the time it feels like he just arrived, soul broken and all.]}

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She nods. Looks like he finally gets it.]

Yes, and they're everywhere.

[She steps back to put a little proper space between them.]

I'm really sorry to have startled you like that.

And... how many times have you done that already?

_{[He'd like to say he'd been more caught off guard than startled, but... getting embraced like that doesn't happen everyday. Startled is probably closer to the truth. On top of that, embarrassment has done a fine job sending a flush down his neck, too, by the time she apologizes again.]}

Err, it's okay? I guess. It happened. No offense to you, I just... wasn't expecting that. Nice wake-up call.

A few. Not that many!

[But a few times.]

Well, if you're not careful it won't be your only unexpected kiss today. Or you might be in my situation and do the kissing.

[A small step back and she nods in greeting.]

My name's Elizabeth. I figure you should know that.

_{[Elizabeth gets a look that's caught between doubt and a mild discomfort.]}

Oh, huh. Lucky me...

_{[What does a person say to someone who's been on a kissing rampage and is predicting it's going to keep on happening? This is bizarre on so many levels. So many. And all he can think is that he'd forgotten what it's like to touch someone like that after all the miserable time in the Cage, where physical forms don't really exist.

Adam nods slowly, like he's remembering how to do it.]}

If you're going to slip me tongue, a name is nice, yeah. _{[He clears his throat.]} How many more times you think you're going to do that to random people until it wears off? Or is this like the zombie virus and you just infected me?

[She's mildly amused by the way he puts things. It's a bit strange.]

I think we're all infected, so to speak. And I can't predict when it's going to happen. I suppose I could hide in my room until it's over, but I've spent enough time locked up as it is.

[And she doesn't like to do it herself is she can help it.]

_{[Because "we're all infected" doesn't sound ominous at all.]}

So... the next best plan is to hit on anyone you see? You've really got no fear if you're okay doing that over staying locked up a while. Thanks, I guess. For... that.

_{[What's the politest thing to do here? Accept her apology, or thank her for the kiss?]}

[He gets a small frown at his words. He makes it sound like she's some floozy!]

Before arriving in this world, I stayed locked up for twenty years. I'm not going to let their magic spells or whatever you call them keep me that way when I have my own free will now.

[Looking somewhat indignant, she turns to go.]

_{[Adam stares at her. He gets the "trapped in a place for years on end" part, but he wouldn't call getting mind-controlled by a plant and involuntarily making out with people free will. But hey, whatever floats her boat.]}

Sorry.

_{[That's about all that comes to mind now that he suddenly feels like someone chastising an excitable kid for trying to have some fun.]}

Do what you want, it's just... I wouldn't call that a safe bet. There are people walking around with loaded guns, you know. Or worse. I can live with that, but maybe not everyone else will sit back and take it. Just saying.

_{[If it'd been Michael standing here instead of him... not a pleasant thought.]}

[It's true that they are often manipulated. She's just glad to see more than the same walls of her tower back home. And if she is too afraid to even leave her room here, she might as well have rotted in that tower.]

I'll do my best to be careful. You should do the same. It might be you giving the kisses next time.

What, the mistletoe?

_{[Don't say that, Elizabeth. It takes some mental prep for him to do something so simple as leave his room; Hell had been his own prison he doesn't want to open his bedroom and step back into anytime soon. Granted, the mansion isn't anywhere near as bad, but...

Hadn't he earned a break yet? Maybe young women coming up to him and planting one on him is his break.]}

Yes. If you see someone standing under it, you'll be compelled to kiss them.

[Just as she had been compelled to plant one on him.]

Yeah, I got that, but--

_{[But it's not really helping explain why suddenly the mansion's turned whacky on him, no more than usual. It's a tough learning curve.]}

You know what, never... never mind.

_{[He shakes his head. Not his area. Not something he wants to make his area. But his name is something small and a relatively safe subject, which is why when he lifts his head, he swipes his tongue over his bottom lip and says:]}

It's Adam. My name.

It's nice to meet you Adam.

[She smiles a little, glad to at least have the name of the stranger she kissed.]

Well, I won't trouble you further.

[It's a bit awkward, after all.]

_{[Surprise lip-locks aside, he can do without getting some stranger worked about... magical, kiss-inducing mistletoe, so he's okay skipping out on the trouble as well.

Jesus, this is a day.]}

You... too. Er, good luck?

OPEN | here come the night

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