I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Open)

[youwonscience]

WHO: Cosima Niehaus, any Riftwatch personnel who have not been banished from the Gallows
WHAT: A chill birthday/dance party
WHEN: March Drakonis 9, evening
WHERE: Fourth floor of the former mage tower

If they weren't hosting company, there probably would have been a sign or two. Cosima is not, however, entirely clear what the Chantry thinks of dancing. As it is, Cosima makes a point to tell those she's friendly with, as well as the entirety of the Research Division; she also makes it clear they should feel free to spread the word, that any Riftwatch agents who want to stop in are more than welcome. That word is: A quiet party with dancing, Drakonis 9, a couple hours after dinner.



Arrival

As Cosima currently has the fourth floor to herself, she hasn't set up in her own room, but rather the one across the way. She's pushed the furniture toward the edges of the room to make a larger dance floor and requisitioned some plates and cups (that she has promised very seriously to return all of). She has placed her approximation of an iPod shuffle in a bowl to attempt to amplify its sound a bit, and it's jauntily playing whatever random song it has decided to play at the moment. There are no real decorations to speak of, but she's thrown some extra cushions on the beds to encourage their use as makeshift couches.

For refreshments, she encouraged people to bring anything they wanted, but she's provided a good quantity of wine and one unfancy but large lemon cake. These she's purchased with her own funds, rather than begged from the kitchen.

The party is late enough that anyone other than those on particular assignments (or guard duty) should be done with work. The music is unlikely to get especially loud under the circumstances, and Cosima isn't looking to throw a rager anyway. She mainly wants to rope some people into dancing with her, and she's not going to be put off by claims of being bad at it. Those who arrive early are especially vulnerable to being grabbed by the hand and given a good-natured tug.

Later

For those who stay late (or arrive late), things chill out in the early hours. In addition to the wine, there's some smoking, and Cosima is inclined to conversation, curled up on one of the beds pushed against the wall. The music is still playing, but someone needed the bowl for something else, so it's necessarily even softer; the candles have burned down, giving the room a warmer glow.

If someone seems hesitant to come join her, Cosima's quick to wave them over with a languid loop of her arm, unwilling to see anyone left out even as things get mellow.

Comments

[youwonscience]

"No, a Riftwatch thing. Well," she immediately corrects, "a wanted-to-take-the-excuse-to-have-a-party thing, it's not like, officially sanctioned. But it's meant to be an open door. Research is probably over-represented because I spread the word by mouth and I'm at work in the division offices a lot."

Her smile is warm and open, unfeigned. "But I was hoping anyone would drop in. I've got music and all this space. And cake, I totally couldn't eat the amount of cake I have if no one showed."

[laruetheday]

Well... okay. Clarisse steps a little further into the room, and her expression relaxes a bit.

"I never say no to cake," she admits. Or... you know. Wine.

She's looking around at the party at large, taking it in, but after a few seconds she turns her attention back to Cosima. "You're a rifter too, right? You been here a long time?"

[youwonscience]

"Yes and yes," she says, subtly angling them over toward the cake. She appreciates a philosophy that includes not passing up cake when offered. "So the exact number sort of depends on how you count, because I've been here twice. First time was, um... 9:42 local year, when I arrived? I was here about three years. Came back about two years ago, though it's wild because I have new memories from home and the amount of time doesn't exactly match so, truly, I'd tell you what birthday this is if I had any real idea." Cosima glances over at Clarisse with a rueful smile before slicing her some lemon cake.

"But I'd round it to five years of Thedas time, nonconsecutive. It's pretty ... well. When I first came, Riftwatch didn't exist yet, we were still part of the Inquisition."

[laruetheday]

That's... a lot.

First of all, Clarisse knew that this is supposed to be permanent or whatever, but hearing somebody say they've been here for five years so casually is still kind of fucking scary.

Second— "You left and came back? I thought we couldn't go home again." Does it sound like a flicker of hope has crept into her voice? Maaaybe.

[youwonscience]

The way she pauses is clearly thoughtful; she'd definitely like them both to be more relaxed if they're going to get existential about rifters' existence. But, on the other hand, she believes in being honest with people.

"Alright, so here's the deal. I can tell you what I think happened, if you want. But in the absence of that, here's what I've got that's just facts. I was here for three years, then I was gone. About two years ago, I got spat out of a rift, same as the first time. But I had memories of like, another year or two in my home world that I hadn't had before." She looks at Clarisse, intent. "There wasn't any gap, at home. In the new memories, I hadn't been missing, I had no memory of Thedas while I was there. But when I came through the rift, here, I got back my first three years in Thedas plus the new stuff from where I came from."

She could have gone home, but that's not what Cosima thinks happened. On the other hand, it's a party and making that explicit feels like it would harsh the vibe.

[laruetheday]

It is kind of harshing the vibe, but that's also Clarisse's MO. She doesn't really believe in putting off hard conversations just so people can be more comfortable, but at the same time, Cosima's answer seems to satisfy her... enough for now, anyway. Enough so that she reaches out and starts pouring herself a cup of wine as Cosima finishes speaking.

"My friend says there's this theory that we're here, but there's another version of us still living back where we came from."

She takes a sip of the wine and nods. Excellent. But, anyway, "I hate thinking about this, actually, so we don't have to get into it. Since it's your birthday and all, we can just stick to the normal, boring shit instead. Like... where are you from, what's your favorite food that Thedas has no clue about, that stuff."

[youwonscience]

Cosima makes a note to figure out who Clarisse's friend is later, but doesn't see a need to press that right now. Instead, she says, "I'm happy to talk about it, now or later, if you want. I just know it can be rough, and like, I don't want to ruin your cake experience."

A joke, but a gentle one.

"That said, maybe we can hit something between boring and shitty? Like, I'm from California but on the other hand, I could also tell you about the time I found out my ex is the loose inspiration for a series of romance novels, some of which you can actually find in the Gallows library. Unless you'd rather the favorite food thing."

[laruetheday]

She's about to shrug and admit that it takes a lot to ruin her cake experience, but—

"Uh, what?"

There's so much to unpack about this revelation. Like, what is a "loose inspiration" and who is Cosima's ex and are they a member of Riftwatch? And if they are, is it so fucking awkward having to be around them all the time?

Clarisse clears her throat. "I have... questions."

[youwonscience]

She breaks into a small grin. "Yeah, I bet. Hit me, I'll answer what I can; I didn't bring it up expecting no follow-up." It's not the sort of thing you mention if you're not ready to talk about it, in Cosima's opinion.

[laruetheday]

"Okay."

Another sip of wine, for courage or... whatever. Most awkward question first: "Your ex is in Riftwatch?" Clarisse supposes the romance novel thing could be a fell-through-a-rift situation, or some magic fuckery, but it seems less likely.

[youwonscience]

Hilariously, that too, but one thing at a time.

"Was formerly in Riftwatch. She left to go back to the Inquisiton, which is where I assume she still is, though we're not in touch. Plus there's a war on, so you know." Keeping track of where a given person is in Thedas can get a bit complicated. "But we met before Riftwatch existed. We both came to Kirkwall via the Inquisition, and we joined Riftwatch when it formed. Her name is Herian Amsel, you might run across her if you ever have to read older reports."

[laruetheday]

The idea of having to go back and read a bunch of old reports is a very specific torture, and Clarisse makes a face as she starts cutting herself a piece of cake.

She's standing there wondering if Herian went back to the Inquisition because their breakup was so awkward or if it was the cause of the breakup, but she's not letting herself ask. In fact, she presses her lips together for a few seconds, like doing that will prevent her from speaking at all.

Finally, though: "So how'd you end up finding out she's in romance novels?"

[youwonscience]

"Sending crystal shenanigans, how else?" with a laugh. But then, "No, okay, that's oversimplifying a bit. Someone recommended the book series directly to her, either as a joke or teasing and thought she knew, and then," bless her, "she asked the entire organization if they knew of that series and got a lot of ... feedback."

Cosima takes a small drink of wine. "Someone ended up gifting her the whole set. I never did hear how they came to be based on Herian in particular, she was a little bit shifty about the whole thing, but I did get her to let me read part of the first one. Writing quality was only so-so, but it was charming because of the context. I don't know what became of the books, she probably didn't take them, so maybe all of them are in the library." A beat, then, "I did get to explain RPF to Herian that day, which was a bit wild. Does your world have that?"

[laruetheday]

Wow. The most important question here, how did Herian become the inspiration for a series of romance novels, is going to have to stay a mystery for the ages.

"Um..." Clarisse's nose wrinkles, her expression somewhere in between amused and concerned. "What's RPF?"

Is it like resting bitch face? Or something more... sinister.

[youwonscience]

"OK, so I don't know if your world has fan fiction, but basically ... where I'm from, people sometimes write stories or make art about characters in other stories for fun. And RPF is 'real person fiction,' where people make up fictional stories about actual famous people. It's um. Sure a thing that exists. Think historical fiction but amateur and often way thirstier."

At least no one could send Herian weird tweets, Cosima had thought at the time she found out about the novels, and also now.

[laruetheday]

A snort. Okay, she knows what that is. People have been doing it with the gods for ages, even if they don't know that's precisely what they're doing.

"Right." She takes a sip of wine. "We do have that stuff where I'm from, but I wasn't supposed to use computers or phones or anything, so... I guess I'm not great with the acronyms?" She's like a little old lady.

Anyway, would Clarisse be shocked to find out that kids in a few of the other cabins (hello, Apollo) were writing fanfic in notebooks or something? Not at all, buuut she's relieved that she never encountered any of it in the wild. For their sakes as well as hers.

[youwonscience]

Not supposed to catches Cosima's ear, and she's curious, but also aware that some of the potential answers to why are unpleasant enough not to dive into here and now. Instead, she says, "Hey, that's cool. Five years in Thedas, I try not to take too much stuff for granted. But anyway, the books were one of the weirder-but-not-bad things to happen to me here. It's nice when surprises can be that and not, like, surprise invasions or new mysterious illnesses or whatever."

[laruetheday]

Clarisse grins, shrugs a shoulder. "I haven't experienced too much Thedas weirdness yet, but there have definitely been some not-bad things about living here."

Look, if someone gave her the chance right now to go back home, she's not saying it wouldn't be tempting, but... Now there are complications.

[youwonscience]

"Yeah? You up for sharing a for instance?" It's kindly and lightly asked, clearly meant to give Clarisse an out if she'd prefer to say something general or change the subject entirely. At the same time, Cosima does look genuinely interested.

[laruetheday]

"There's legal weed here," is Clarisse's immediate first reaction, because back at UofA that shit was abundant but definitely not anything you could just walk around with.

"And honestly, this war stuff beats having to go to class and study," she admits. "And... I'm dating somebody. It's pretty new." She shrugs, like she's just along for the ride and not utterly smitten or anything, but her smile is kinda giving her away. "Still fun."

[youwonscience]

"On your first point, I have good news about 2016 California," she says, with a small grin. "But hey, that's great. I'm glad you found someone, that always makes a place feel more comfortable. For me, anyway."

She has a small pang, with Herian so close to the surface of her thoughts, but it doesn't show on her face and it passes quickly.

"Fun's a great way to approach early days, I think. See where things go." An invitation to expand without making her dodge a direct question she doesn't want to answer.

[laruetheday]

"Really happy for the citizens of 2016 California." But even if Clarisse could get back home, she'd be like four years behind and in the wrong state.

"It is a lot of fun. But it's also kind of intense?" she admits, after a few seconds. "I think just because of everything going on." The whole... war of it all. "We've gone on a couple missions together, and that whole thing at Starkhaven? And I guess I'm trying to figure out how I should be around her when we're doing that kind of dangerous shit."

Man, it's complicated. Also probably a weird conversation to be having at your birthday party, sorry, Cosima. Clarisse at least has the decency to look embarrassed as she sips her wine.

[youwonscience]

"I know what you mean about the intense thing," is a little softer, but not without warmth. If it's a weird conversation, it doesn't seem to bother Cosima. "Everything's kind of heightened when you're risking your lives all the time, which doesn't even mention the weirdness of rifters knowing we could just vanish. Though I guess it's, like, only existentially weirder than dying, it's effectively that you're gone without warning either way. But it's ... we don't really do anything, as an organization, when rifters vanish, which makes it hard."

At least if you die, you get a funeral.

"Sorry, back to kind of a bummer. But I'm glad you found someone, and I think if it's intense because of what's going on, probably the best thing is just to be honest. It's probably intense for her too, you know?"

[laruetheday]

Clarisse blows air between her lips, looking alarmed. She'd been more concerned with trying to balance romance and beating the shit out of monsters, but... Yep, that's a new, distressing thought. Both dying and disappearing into the ether, or whatever happens when rifters vanish.

Gross.

"Right," she says, after a pause. "I can be honest." Probably.

[youwonscience]

"I mean," with a bit of sympathy, "I've definitely been told I get too intense too fast before, so maybe take it with a grain of salt. I'm sure you'll figure it out, it's just kind of a situation there's not a lot of precedent for, you know?"

They're all just working it out as they go, especially the rifters.

"And hey, I'm all for focusing on the not-bad parts about living in Thedas. I think it helps. I've seen rifters who like, treat this like a big LARP and never really think of themselves as part of the world here. It's a rough approach."