faderift | OPEN ↠ HARING EVENT

WHO: All
WHAT: WINTER IS HERE
WHEN: Haring 15-Wintermarch 1
WHERE: The Gallows, Kirkwall
NOTES: You can use this post as an event-style mingle log, or just use it as background information for your RP elsewhere!

It's been a chilly month already, but in mid-Haring the temperature suddenly plummets. One day it's merely cold, and the next morning the Inquisition wakes to frost on the inside of the window panes and an icy draft whistling through every crack in the tower's masonry. Downstairs, the pipes that feed the bathing chambers and the kitchens creak in the walls, loud enough to be heard even out in the courtyard, where they run beneath the stones, and around midday, when the sun has failed to raise the temperature above freezing, a blocked pipe finally gives, cracking open to spill water across the central court and send it running down side passages. The whole area floods several inches deep and almost immediately begins to freeze, presenting at first a gigantic, treacherous slush puddle and, after a few hours, a sheet of sheer ice.

Melting a safe path from door to door and laying down sand or wood to keep it from becoming slick again is a simple enough undertaking, but before the entire courtyard can be thawed, someone appears with ice skates—and that’s a better idea, surely, for at least a few days. Anyone who complains about the frivolity can be assured it’s good exercise, not to mention good training for a force that may have to travel or fight on ice in the future.

Temperatures remain cold enough that even some parts of the harbor begin to freeze, first just at the calmest edges of the shoreline, and then the more protected nooks and crannies of the bay, inlets and the spaces between piers and beneath docks. It snows most days--not real storms, just a couple inches here and there--little enough for the window to blow most of it off the icy plain of the courtyard and other wide open, paved spaces, accumulating on branches and in alleyways, and creating growing drifts in corners and against walls.

After a week or so actual chunks of floating ice begin to fill the narrow channels of the harbor, threatening smaller and less-sturdy vessels, and the situation in the poorer parts of the city begins to grow dire. With the Viscount's blessing, Inquisition teams (particularly mages) are called in to help. Some are assigned to the docks, to clear ice that makes landing and unloading treacherous, others to help escort ships into harbor by melting a path ahead. Others are sent into Lowtown to clear ice and snow and to provide warmth and medical attention where needed. At least one mage is sent with each team, and while many neighborhoods are pleasantly surprised and grateful for the quick work fire glyphs make of cold hearths and frozen streets, a few are unable to overcome their distrust, and refuse the teams entry, determined to take care of their own without the help of dangerous outsiders.

In the last week of the year, a true blizzard strikes, snow falling steadily for more than a day, blanketing the city at least three feet deep. Digging out the Gallows will be a group effort, and most non-essential trips outside the base will be cancelled for a few days until travel is less difficult, while those who reside in the city or elsewhere may be encouraged to stay a night or two in the fortress so they might continue to work without traveling through the storm. But on the first day of Wintermarch the First Day feast goes on as planned, with modest but plentiful food and ale served in the Gallows' dining hall for anyone who wishes to celebrate the new year.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Dude. Dude!" Taking a knife to one's leg is very alarming, to say the least, and Church is eager to help--but...uh. Plant. That's a plant. That's a mistletoe plant, in fact, and what the hell is it doing acting like it's alive (thanks, Thedas?!), and why isn't it hanging otherwise in a doorway?

"Uhhhh, seriously, you stabbing at it isn't working?" Because he has a really stupid idea. But it might just work. Because Thedas is fucking stupid like that.

It is indeed a plant, and of course it would be a ridiculous plant. He's not necessarily surprised by a sentient plant itself, but one quite so obnoxious is never appreciated. Thank god he wasn't allergic to the thing - yet. He looked up when he heard Church's voice, stalling in his vain attempts to get the thing off via force.

"I've been at it for fifteen minutes," he said, a mix of frustration and an exasperated whine in his voice. "The knife won't go through and it's not giving up its grip."

"You're gonna stab yourself at this rate, you dumbass. Look at it. I almost, almost can't believe Thedas has sentient plant life, but you know what? Sure. Why not. Why not sentient, aggressive mistletoe for the holidays! Is it okay if I kiss you?" Yes, he just abruptly asked that as if that was the most logical conclusion to all that.

"Really? You can't believe they have sentient plant life that locks on to us and we can't - " he paused when the other rushed into the question, partially out of a surprise and also because it was both a ridiculous and brilliant idea. Why hadn't he thought of that sooner?

"If it gets this thing off me, kiss me as much as you like," Kirk growled, reaching up to grab Church's collar and tug him close.

Church gives a little 'whoa', but laughs all the way down. "Well hey, I guess technically I've seen weirder stuff here than sentient mistletoe, but not by much."

This is definitely a lot more fun for Church than Kirk, or literally anyone else besieged by angry plants. And he's had quite a bit of practice with kissing in a human body. So it's without any hesitation that he closes the gap and gives Kirk a smooch.

Well, he would hope he has, especially considering he has a lady to keep happy. Or at least he think he does, but he hasn’t heard of them splitting in his absence so he’s going to keep the assumption they’re still together.

Kirk makes an “mmph” sound when the other kissed him, leaning into the pressure of it, tongue flicking out against Church’s, an instinctual response. A necessary kiss it might be, but damn if he wasn’t going to make it a good one. James Tiberius Kirk does not disappoint.

It'll be a cold day in hell when they split, but hey, he's not gonna say no to kisses from other people. (Unless Christine is watching and disapproves of watching her boyfriend kiss other people. You never know. She could be into watching.) Church takes the encouragement to not be coy or shy about it, because, damn. Is the plant thing off? What plant thing, who cares, this is good mouth feel time he will enjoy it.

Well, in that case, kiss away. Kirk didn't feel to guilty as it was. Sam and he were... rather open, as it were, though don't get the wrong idea. Kirk didn't go around making out willy nilly. He wasn't a jackass. And this was totally necessary, getting mistletoe off him. It would ruin their sheets if he took it home.

And oh, he was enjoying it. Church was rather good at this and he could see how Christine would want to keep a man like him around. He gripped tighter and grinned against the other's mouth, deepening it and getting a taste of the other. Look, he's not one to waste an opportunity, all right? And he never does anything by halves.

Mmmmmmmmsorry what there was something else going on wasn't there, something semi-important, he can't quite remember what it was because Captain Kiss is doing a damn fine job being distracting.

Church gets himself pretty comfy, straddling Kirk's non-plant leg. Ostensibly to ease the angle. That's it. Make it easier on his poor back. That's all.

And he's grinning despite himself, and when they do part, it's still there, silly and wide and satisfied. "So what's a space captain like you doing in a place like this?"

Ease away, Church, ease away.

He's panting a little when they part, because goodness Mr. Church, that was quite the kiss wasn't it. He was going to have to reevaluate some things he thought about you after that. He laughed at the pickup line though, nipping him as he was still in the mood of the thing.

"Suppose the same thing a space man like you is."

He probably should check the thing on his leg. Should. He will. Soon. He promises. But this is fun right now, and god he needed some fun.

OPEN ↠ HARING EVENT

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