welcome to the jungle we've got fun and games

[saddleclub]

Who: Y'all
When: Day 8 noonish
Where: THE JUNGLE

[So there is a mostly unexplored jungle out there.

It seems like a good day to explore it, eh?

Please look out for:

Venomous snakes, the smaller ones will leave you fevered and nauseas, the larger may stop your heart.

Spores, inhaling them can leave you with mild to severe continuing hallucinations

Pollen, it may make you sneeze.

Dark shadows in the undergrowth, that seem to whisper as you pass. In familiar voices...? Or that's just the wind.

Vicious monsters. They want to eat you.

And look out, if you go exploring, because halfway through your adventure the sky seems to open up and pour on you, try to find a safe shelter--if that exists in the jungle.

For those of you not inclined to explore well, you may see lights in the jungle, little wisps, of light in the growth, or maybe it's your team colors you see? The more you look the more you feel practically compelled to follow those lights and flashes of something familiar....

Maybe you get caught by the jungle's dangers, trapped in a cave by the downpour, or maybe you make it to an odd break around a still pond, the surface so smooth it's almost like a mirror. If you look in, your reflection looks back. And it smiles at you.

And if you make it this far, if you look deep into your reflection and let it stare back, you might find yourself leaning down, towards it--hopefully you have a companion to pull you back before pale arms reach to pull you in and drown you.

Even if you're pulled back from the glass pool, a strange dread lingers with you for a while. And the urge to be near others is incredibly strong. Be it their presence or their touch you crave, you need reassurance.

((OOC: Explore, use this an excuse for wet huddling together in a cave while hallucinating, get cool new scars from fighting beasts, encounter the glassy pool, or whatever! Grab a buddy, have a good(?) time.))]

Comments

[saddleclub]

I'll certainly stuff something.

[Rufus into a shower, at the very least.]

[ruinatings]

...What does that even mean?

[saddleclub]

That I'm going to dump you in a shower and turn cold water on you until you look somewhat human again.

[ruinatings]

--Excuse me!

[how dare you?? Rufus would try to walk away but he'd just faceplant so instead he's grumbling, as they approach the train.]

[saddleclub]

No.

[You're not excused. Ever. Ever again.]

[ruinatings]

Jusis!

[His tone is scolding but he's a muddy drunk mess so it's not very intimidating.]

[saddleclub]

Yes, that is my name. I'm amazed you remember it in your state. You certainly seem to have forgotten it lately.

[YOU NEVER CALL. He knows Rufus is from the future or whatever but he's still... Upset.]

[ruinatings]

I would never.

[He's also drunk enough to actually say that.]

[saddleclub]

[He knows that he was just being a dick! But actually the annoyed vehemence is a little heartwarming anyway so he relents and just makes an assenting noise as he drags Rufus into Ginger cabin.]

[ruinatings]

I'm not... that drunk.

[Not enough to forget important things! But he is really really drunk and he does think he's less drunk than he is.]

[saddleclub]

You are very drunk.

[One armed wresting with getting doors open and navigating Rufus into the shower. But he can't just sit him down here in all his clothes so he's going to have to try to sit Rufus down and get him undressed before actually shoving him under water. It's a little embarrassing but mainly he's concerned and annoyed and upset that Rufus was out in the jungle in this state and ugh. He's going to make sure the water is freezing when he turns it on his brother, petty revenge is the best type.]

[ruinatings]

I can do it myself!

[Noooo letting Jusis undress him is way too humiliating! And yet Rufus is way too far gone to be a lot of help, so despite the now-grouchy squirming he ends up having to. Which is the point where he actually realises what a mess he is and starts feeling stupid, so he's sitting on the floor of the shower with his face in is hands when the cold water hits him.

Jusis' revenge may be satisfied by seeing Rufus' very undignified shriek.]

[saddleclub]

[It's a little satisfying. He isn't a sadist but sometimes he's a bully and watching Rufus be undignified and yelling under cold water makes him both upset about their situation but at least mollified that his brother is still human and not some untouchable creature like he makes out to be.

He turns the water up to lukewarm and sets soap and whatever in reach.]

If you can manage not to drown for five minutes I'll get your clothes.

[ruinatings]

I'm fine Jusis. Go away.

[Well. He's more fine than he was a second ago, cause the icy water is pretty sobering. So he is capable of showering, just not while standing up, and rinsing his hair is a bit of an issue.]

[saddleclub]

[He scowls at the dismissal but goes, returning in a bit with folded clothes that get put on the sink with a towel and then he's investigating how Rufus is doing.]

Are you done?

[ruinatings]

No.

[Leave him alone Jusis!! It's just... It's a lot of soap. He has a lot of hair.]

...You can leave, you know. I'm not going to pass out.

[saddleclub]

[He rolls up his sleeves and crouches down to reach for Rufus.]

Lean forward.

[He'll help rinse your stupid hair.]

[ruinatings]

...

[Ugh whatever. He's not up to arguing. Besides... the truth is, he's kind of enjoying Jusis fussing over him. He feels like a mess, yes, but they were apart for so long, and he was prepared to be apart for even longer. Maybe the rest of his life.

So he's doing what he's told, though he's red-faced from embarrassment.]

...This is ridiculous.

[saddleclub]

Drink is known to make fools of everyone, you can't claim to be surprised.

[He is, despite the complete lack of empathy in his words, very gentle in rinsing Rufus's hair, and attempting not to get any soap in his brother's eyes. His tone may be clipped and unsympathetic but aside from the cold water treatment he'd never be truly mean. He cares about his brother, and he's pretty worried that Rufus is this drunk and why he'd let himself get this way.]

[ruinatings]

...I suppose I can't.

[It actually feels really nice, which is weird. Rufus doesn't let people get in his bubble so he's really not accustomed to this kind of tender attention.

He's so drunk there's nothing to block the swell of bittersweet emotion it's causing, but fortunately there's water everywhere and his hair is in the way so it's hard for Jusis to see the abrupt burst of tears before Rufus gets them under control. It only takes a few seconds.]

[saddleclub]

[Even Rufus can't hide the way tears hitch his breathing. Though Jusis isn't sure what he's caught, aside from Rufus being upset, and rather than call attention to it he makes sure Rufus is rinsed and shuts the water off, reaching behind himself without standing to snag the towel and drape it over Rufus's head.]

Come on, you can't stay in there all day. At least get dressed.

[He won't stop fussing over Rufus, at least, gentle actions in contrast to his vaguely rude tone.]

[ruinatings]

[Vaguely rude is the Jusis default so Rufus just thinks it's cute. Which is killing him. He manages not to lose it, though, instead focusing on the right way of gently squeezing water out of his hair to minimize breakage. It's ingrained.]

I'm going to.

[Of course he'll get dressed! He's just torn between wishing Jusis would go and leave him alone and wishing Jusis would just give him a hug and bring back the happiness that Rufus himself threw away in the name of perfection.

But in the habit of perfection he's not letting that out. He's just stumbling to his feet and yanking his clothes on.]

[saddleclub]

[It's not quite a hug but Jusis is slipping his arm around Rufus's ribs once he's dressed, pulling him around to steer him to his room.]

[ruinatings]

[It's... something. Awkward, mainly. But he's letting it happen because he doesn't want to end up on the floor again.

He will at least sit down properly on the edge of the bed rather than tumble into it.]

You're going quite out of your way.

[saddleclub]

[That's good. But he'll still steady his brother with hands on his shoulders.]

What is that supposed to mean?

[He doesn't understand where Rufus is coming from. Is his brother making fun of him or something?]