Hybrid Kingdom PSL

[no1likeme]

{ the “beach” episode }
for some more light-hearted/chaotic stuff happening at the hotel throughout the plot

Comments

[candybomb]

Not while I was there, unfortunately. It would've been hilarious to see someone else's reaction.

(( Maybe he should hang out in there to explain the joke to the ones who don't get it. ))

I'll keep my eyes open and report back!

[silvernaphil]

Want something to drink? I've got coke and coolers.

[He plunks a cooler on the counter for himself and stays in the crouch while he waits for a response.]

I've been thinking maybe it's too niche for the crowd here, y'know? Too terminally online.

[candybomb]

What's the sweetest thing you've got? I'll take that.

(( Lucas looks around once, not because he's being specifically nosy, but because he's looking for a place to sit. ))

I think it's funny. Hardly our fault they aren't up-to-date with humor.

[silvernaphil]

[Sweetest, huh? He pulls out a vodka cooler that's apparently meant to be rocket pop flavoured and hands it to Lucas as he stands up and kicks the bar fridge shut. That's about four different kinds of sweet in one, it'll have to do.

There's a couch and two armchairs in front of the entertainment unit with the TV, which is where David parks himself - draped all the way across the couch with his feet still hanging off the arm.]

Still weird to me that you're the most normal one here in some ways, Wheely Boy.

[candybomb]

(( Lucas has a monstrous sweet tooth. He's just been too busy to spend his days shoving hard candy endlessly into his face. But any chance for something sweet is one he'll pounce on. He takes the can with a quiet nod, quickly squinting to read the tiny print on it for the flavors (don't worry, he's not fretting about ingredients).

Satisfied by what he sees on the can, he follows David and settles into one of the arm chairs. Despite his often chaotic behavior, he doesn't flop into the chair. He lowers himself into it and sits there properly for a few sends before reclining more comfortably into it. The can cracks open and Lucas takes a long drink then sighs, satisfied that this is sweet enough. ))

What's really normal these days? Especially here.

[silvernaphil]

Well, that's what I mean, though.

[David's about to say something unusually frank and unusually complimentary all at once, which means he's keeping his eyes on the ceiling instead of looking at Lucas while he does. Lacing his hands behind his head, he continues:]

This place is crazy, yeah, but right now? This could just be my house, and you could be someone I hung out with before that cult fucked everything up. It's nice.

[There's a definite twinge of melancholy in those last two words. David tries not to think about his friends too much so he can focus on the work itself, but the reasons for it are never far from his mind.]

[candybomb]

(( It must seem stranger to someone who watched all this happen, the way everything subtly went to shit as that cult grew. Lucas has little attachment to anything but candy in the physical world so the cycles, the ebbs and flows of rejuvenation and decay are pretty normal to him. Though, this did happen somewhat suddenly given the short span of time... ))

I'm sorry you and your friends got caught up in this.

"light hearted/chaotic stuff" oops

[silvernaphil]

[Lucas's sincerity startles David at first and he sits up to scan Lucas's face, see if there's any other meaning behind what he said - but no, of course there isn't. He's not an asshole.

... but David's housemates and friends kind of are assholes, which probably doesn't help David when he's trying not to assume the worst.]

Be real with me. How much do you think brainwashing and all that shit can really do? 'Cause sometimes I feel like I must not have known them at all, but I mean... me and Jeremy have been friends since we were eight years old. If I don't know him, I don't know fuckin' anybody.