eyemind | time isn't real and the party is always } network + action

[hey, it’s a jack video! and she is grinning with excitement, because she has something cool to show you.]

So. Time is a construct, right? But it’s a pretty important one to a lot of us. We mark the passage of time in cycles, with celebrations, and I’m guessing most of us have missed at least one birthday, favorite holiday, or anniversary since we’ve been on this long, strange trip. For me, it’s been four birthdays since I was home. Not that I did a whole lot for my birthday, but it was still nice to take myself out for ice cream and check the box for surviving another year.

[the video feed flips around to show the observation room/lucifer’s bar, tastefully decorated with sparkly silver streamers and balloons. as jack slowly pans the camera across the room, you’ll see tables have been brought in and are loaded up with a variety of foods, an assortment of drinks, and of course a nice big cake.]

Anyway, whatever it is you’ve missed, we’re celebrating it - right now. So get thee to the observation room! If nothing else, you can celebrate an unbirthday with the rest of us.

[have a party mingle! or you can talk to jack on network, if you really want. feel free to assume your involvement with party setup, making food, etc. and have a good time!]

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[that's fair. lucifer's pretty cool for a devil guy, but definitely moves at a faster, more bombastic speed than murmur. still, jack grins with unfettered delight at this revelation. she's proud of you, angel bro!]

Aww, congrats! I'm so happy for you. And yes, whatever you want to know, I will advise to the best of my ability. Oh, but do I get to know who it is?

[He is, and he was helpful in his own way. He just lacks a nuanced perspective which is what Murmur hopes to find in Jack.]

Oh, of course. Do you remember Jonathan Sims? The second time he showed up that is. [The first time he was dating Martin after all.] He'd been in cryo for some time and awoke but fairly recently.

[Is he stalling a little bit on how to ask his question? Yes. Because it's awkward now that he's given face to the mysterious romantic interest.]

Oh, you mean the Archivist? [she says, in her best approximation of jon's accent, and grins.] Yeah, he seems nice. We talked a bit when he'd first arrived - the second time. He needed a story.

[her gaze wanders among the crowd until she settles on jon, across the room.]

He's not quite Kin, but he's definitely something else. And I think you two would be cute together - you both have that same "career academic" vibe.

[she turns back to murmur, ready to dispense customized advice, now that she knows who has captured his interest.]

So ... how can I help? Pointers on asking him out, maybe?

[Her impression earned a laugh, light and musical. Clearly Murmur was in an unusually light mood for a change, despite the slightly sour end to his earlier conversation.

As for her assertion that he's something else, he nods.]

He certainly is, we had a somewhat... rocky introduction. [That's one way to put 'I almost killed him.'] Do you think so? We do certainly have that in common.

[Couple of short book nerds being nerds with each other. Ah! Yes, the advice.]

Come to think of it that might help as well, but actually this question was more on the nature of how human relationships work in general. I am... wholly unfamiliar with the particulars, but I've been given to understand certain more physical aspects are generally quite important. Is this true?

[He's uncomfortable about getting down and dirty, that's what this is.]

[aha, there it is.]

I'm guessing you're not just talking about PDA, right?

[jack Gets It - murmur means the sex stuff. and a fair concern, because nobody needs nephilim, even if that's not really going to be a concern with jon.]

The thing about humans ... well, there's about as many answers to that question as there are humans. The importance on the physical aspects of a relationship varies from person to person. But figuring that out is part of what makes the relationship - you learn about each other, by talking, by trial and error. Talking especially. Some people are always down to get down, and some people just don't, but you can't ever assume either way. Consent is essential.

[He never had anyone to have The Talk with, sorry Jack you have been selected. At least he knows the general gist of things, it's the details that are lost in translation.]

We are not.

[She knows what's up. Nobody wants nephilim, and that means he's been a very good little choir boy. Bit of a hassle, now that things are where they are.]

So there is a possibility to, if nothing else, go slow?

[He just isn't sure he's ready! There's a lot of hang-ups there, even if the risk of nephilim is eliminated as far as Jon's concerned.]

[oof, that question ... jack's entire demeanor turns instantly serious.]

Mur, it's not just possible to go slow - it's important. You gotta make sure you're on the same page. And if anyone tries to push you into moving faster than you want, or tries to convince you to do anything you don't want to, you smite their ass and get out, because that's not OK. Like I said - consent is essential. And anything that isn't a clear, enthusiastic yes isn't consent.

[He blinked, his attention focusing on her more sharply than it had before. Did he say something wrong? He looked puzzled, like something in the context of what she was saying wasn't quite clicking.]

Well, yes of course it... [Wait.] ...I suppose I had not considered that I should also give consent... yes?

[Yeah that whole lack of actionable free will thing does in fact do a number to one's self perception. He looks very confused at the idea.]

Edited 2022-04-22 01:15 (UTC)

[with a loud sigh and a pained expression, jack rubs a hand across her face and mutters dark mother give me strength. she then inhales a deep breath and, once again composed,returns her attention to murmur.]

You know, I don't want to start any blasphemous rumors, but I think the big guy upstairs is a huge asshole. Yes, your consent is just as important as anyone else's.

[He fidgets a little, looking just the faintest bit embarrassed. If he looks it, he's really feeling it, as Jack has likely learned by now. Murmur is not good at expressing emotions so when they do shine through it's because they're hitting quite deep.]

I... such concepts are foreign to me.

[Free will is a lot of work. He might be starting to agree with her on the big guy being an asshole though.]

[she softens a little, taking note of murmur’s discomfort. it’s not his fault, after all.]

I know. I’m not mad at you, I’m just mad that you were never told things like this, because it’s important and you should’ve been.

The idea of a relationship of any kind beyond that of distant watcher with a mortal was forbidden, of course I would have never learned anything else.

[He's already breaking rules, even if this one won't result in nephilim.]

Yeah ... [she nods sympathetically.] And that's not fair to anyone - especially you.

[good thing she's here to help him learn.]

What else do you want to know?

What else should I know? This is wholly unfamiliar territory to me.

[He's smitten but he doesn't want to make any especially egregious social missteps.]

Is there something I absolutely should not do or say?

[jack takes a solemn moment to ponder his question. her own experiences have been varied, but she's never actually pursued a serious relationship until julia; jack knew it couldn't work out long-term with a human, and other monsters like her usually weren't exactly out of the closet in her world, so they could be difficult to find.]

Just don't do or say anything you don't want to do or say. Be honest, ask questions, make sure you're both on the same page. Talk about what you want from each other.

[she glances across the room at jon again, then turns back to murmur with a playful grin - the sort of playful a cat might look with a bird in its mouth.]

If he hurts you, by the way, he'll have to deal with me. I may not be able to give him nightmares, but I know plenty of ways to make his waking life a living hell. I'm a curse-positive witch, after all.

time isn't real and the party is always } network + action

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