Well the wicked king of clubs awoke [semi-open]

[failedparenting]

Who: John Winchester and garbage men over 40. No girls or kids allowed.
Where: John Winchester's "study" in his and Mary's room
When: The night of 11/5
Rating: JFC i don't know, let's to a blanket R
Summary: It's old(er) dude poker night and that means drinking, cheating, and smoking.
The Story:

[Do you remember the Cold War? Did you unironically own a record player at any point of your life? Do you have really specific and strong feelings about Jane Fonda? Then this is the party for you! It's time for the occasional, semi monthly, floating old guy's poker game and get-together. It's a refuge from all these goddamn kids, where you can talk about about anything you want, from damn kids today to your eyesight to dat ass you saw the other day. Tonight it's in John and Mary's room, which is more like a modest middle class home on the inside, save for John's "study". It's more of a hunter's bunker: guns on the walls, notebooks on shelves, some really fucking suspect symbols carved into some wooden boxes on a table in a corner.

Don't touch that, please

There's plenty of beer in the fridge and shitty whiskey on the card table in the middle of the room. There's 70s rock blaring from the hi-fi stero. It's like a dad paradise. The game is Texas hold 'em. The stakes aren't money here; everything they bet is for favors or services. Sometimes public embarrassment. Tread lightly, and only minimal cheating please.]





OOC NOTE: The invite goes out by word of mouth, so if your character fits the bill roughly, you can assume John or one of the Pines twins extended an invite!

Comments

[ofletters]

What, like the game? [ He glances around at the room in turn, and after consideration, shrugs. ] I wouldn't say "a lot." Every so often somebody decides we've had enough misery and they'll throw a party. Sometimes they're a lot bigger than this.

[ Thinking of Evie's 1920s event, for one. ]

It's not that hard to throw something together when the decorations just appear and the food is provided for you.

[shivving]

Yeah, I imagine that helps.

[ But that isn't really what he'd meant. Food...well, humans have a way of scrounging up some kind of food, if there's anything to be had at all. He's seen a lot of creativity when it comes to canned food and rations, and people dressing them up to look or even taste good for special occasions.

And decorations? They're nice and all, but really secondary, in the end. Joel's silent a moment, trying to figure out just what he's asking. ]

I meant more...the people. The...socializing.

[ Because that's what's really alien. People spending time together, purely for the joy of it. Tommy had seemed to have found something like that again in Wyoming, at the plant. Getting married. Talking about movie night for the kids. Making a life again. But for most of the world, people stick together out of necessity, and not much else. You're lucky if you have one person to spend time with just because, and not for some kind of mutual benefit. ]

[ofletters]

Socializing? [ That takes him by surprise, but it's easy enough to think of what the guy's world must be like, and so he offers a measured smile and a nod. ] Yeah, that too. Not everyone gets along here, but... we look out for each other.

[ Generally. ]

Most of us are in the same boat. [ Sam offers, shrugging. ] Stuck here, some with people from home, some not. Makes more sense to reach out than to close yourself off. ... Though, I get that, too. It sucks when the friends you made just vanish one day.

[ He's gone through that pain more than once. ]

[shivving]

...About that.

[ He says, slowly. Most of Wonderland, he thinks he can get used to. He can deal with bizarre things happening every few weeks, with the threat of unknown enemies on the horizon, even with people reaching out and making friends. It's all worth it, to be away from Infected, to have someplace safe for Ellie to live.

But people up and disappearing. That, he's not so thrilled with, and he makes an abortive, helpless gesture. ]

Is there any way to - stop it? Or to - to make sure that if someone does go, you go with 'em?

[ He's pretty sure he knows the answer. But dammit, he has to ask. ]

[ofletters]

[ He hates the question, hates seeing the carefully-guarded (but present nonetheless) grief in knowing that friends or family could vanish in an instant and that you might be left behind for weeks. Months. ]

No. [ Sam responds honestly, glancing away. ] If there is, we haven't figured it out yet.

[ Just like they haven't worked out how to keep their memories from Wonderland when they return home. ]

... It might not make you feel... that much better, but if she goes back, she'll be going right back to where she left off. I'm assuming you'd be there, right? So... she won't be alone.

[ Making a lot of assumptions, here, but. ]

[shivving]

[ It's supposed to be reassuring, he knows that. Normally, it would be. If he'd left her safe, or as safe as she's able to be in that world, if he'd known that she'd have nothing less than himself there to watch over her and make sure she didn't come to harm...well, that would be something.

But he hadn't left her safe. And she won't have him there, if - when - she goes back.

His expression freezes, going tense and closed-off, and he nods jerkily. ]

Right.

[ Wrong. ]

[ofletters]

Sorry. [ Sam adds quickly, as the change in Joel's demeanor is clear as day. ] Wrong thing to say.

[ Obviously. ]

But - I get it. I... had something similar going on last year. My brother was in... some trouble, and I knew as soon as I went back, I'd have to face that.

[ Unfortunately, he has no advice to give Joel, no soothing words; when Sam returned, Dean had still been a demon. ... But - ]

We're still trying to work on our memories, here. So maybe one day, when we get sent back, we can hold on to what we've learned in Wonderland.

[shivving]

Your brother?

[ Joel thinks, first, of the other Sam, and Henry. How awful things had turned out for them, and how it had upset Ellie - even if he'd discouraged her talking about it. It's not hard to imagine this guy in a similar role, taking care of a kid brother.

He nods, grateful for...well, if it's not quite hope, it's at least the possibility of it. Not that remembering would help Ellie, if she already knows who David is. If she's already so determined not to talk about whatever had happened. It means that whatever it is, it already has happened, and there's no taking that back.

Still, it's something, right? At least she'd know he was coming. ]

You figure that out, you let me know.