TDM #7 - April Showers (and Other Weather Conditions)

[perchancetodreammods]

April Showers (and Other Weather Conditions)

New Arrivals

You wake from what should have been a normal night of sleep bolting upright from what is very clearly the bed you went to sleep in that night, but in a strange place. A tower, high in the air, with huge open windows that clouds could lazily float through. Before you is a massive oaken double door, emblazoned with a carving of an eye, and a note on black lies atop your bedsheets. The note instructs you to go through the door and come to a place called the Torn Oak for more answers, and is signed by someone called "the Outsider." You climb out of bed, pull on the door handle, and step out into an ethereal, mysterious, ever-shifting world of dreams.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Welcome to the Dreamscape. A beautiful, endless dream where you and a bunch of other unique and interesting minds from across the multiverse have been gathered to connect, commiserate, and make the impossible... possible! There are many fantastical locales to explore and even more to come, and you are given your very own Nimbus Cloud to serve as your home. This puffy pink cloud will host a pocket dimension just for you where the only limit to what you can create is your own imagination. Missing personal items or locations from the waking world? No problem--- the only thing you have to do in order to earn feathers, the local currency, is make meaningful connections with others. In fact, making these meaningful connections seems to be the only task assigned to you by your mysterious host, the Outsider.

In order to make your way in this weird and whimsical world, you'll need to form lasting bonds with your fellow dreamers, learn more about the Outsider and their intentions, and stay on your toes. There is something very strange happening here, and despite their jolly demeanor, they are clearly struggling to maintain control of their own domain--- something that could land all of you in danger.

DATE

4/5/2023

THEME

Weather-themed music and springtime!

QUICK NAV

Locations

Feather Info

The Outsider

Constellations

When you join the Dreamscape, you will receive a magical Constellation pendant, allowing you to connect to the DreamNet! The star-shaped pendant, which varies depending on your personal style, lights up and projects a hologram screen that will allow you to send messages, videos, and voice calls. A handy way to stay connected with fellow dreamers on the go that is intuitive enough for anyone to understand, whether you come from a world where email has been invented or not!

Mr. Blue Sky

{Electric Light Orchestra} ♫♪♩♬

Do you have a television in your Nimbus Cloud? Or perhaps you just have the screen of light that can be displayed from your Constellation charm. Whatever the case may be, it flicks on, and the Outsider is in a suit. No, not their usual ornate body suit, but a poorly-tailored black and white business suit, completed with a cloud-print tie. They are standing in front of a map of the Dreamscape, holding a pointing stick. They look ridiculous, even a bit disheveled. As they begin to speak, both their tone and their smile appear to be more forced than usual.

“Good afternoon, Dreamscape residents! It’s spring time here, which means we are officially clear of snowstorm territory and on to warm breezes, lovely flowers, and fresh leaves on all the trees. And of course it wouldn’t be spring without a little unpredictable weather!”

Cloud formations ranging from green to yellow to red began forming on their map, moving slowly across it from left to right.

“As you can see, we have some rather unique weather conditions rolling in! They’ll be rotating through all the locations in the Dreamscape, and changing every few hours, so I recommend that all of you stay up to date. I’ve provided resources on your Constellations and on any electronic devices in the Dreamscape to help you get the latest information on what weather will be impacting you, and what impact it will have on your location! Good luck out there, and whatever the weather, it’s better together!”

The Outsider’s rather cheesy presentation of the newest Dreamscape event, while amusing, seems out of character with their normally heartfelt or enthusiastic monologues. But before you have time to really dwell on that, the sky above you begins to shift and change. The spring time weather conditions are quickly arriving, affecting every location in the Dreamscape, and each type of weather has a magical effect of some kind that is influenced by the location itself and the people in it. You can choose whether to look up these effects and stay prepared or fly blind and hope for the best, but these weather conditions will be affecting every location except inside Nimbus Clouds!

Here Comes the Sun

{The Beatles} ♫♪♩♬

Everyone loves a sunny day, especially during a rainy season like early spring! If you’re in a place with sunshine, you’re in luck.

Clouds part above you, warmth filling the air as the sun’s golden rays envelop you and the landscape around you in a honey glow. As sunlight touches the ground, flowers begin to bloom in droves on any surface it might be reasonable to find them, and fresh green leaves sprout from the branches of every tree present. The sweet scent of nectar and florals fills the air everywhere that this light graces the ground, but the effects are particularly potent in the botanical gardens. The warm and almost heavenly glow from the celestial body above seems to soften the whole world, as if everything is faded slightly like an old photograph.

Breathe in. Take that sweetness into your lungs. Feel the warmth on your skin. You can feel a strange, calm euphoria rise up from your core so strongly that you feel compelled to exhale it out. With the dreamy light of the sun, you are instilled with a nearly overpowering joy. What will you do with this unexpected moment of bliss? Who will you spend it with? Will you reminisce about your favorite times, discover who you are without your burdens, or just allow yourself to float through the merry fields of flowers and forget? And of course, all this begs another important question--- how will you cope when it ends?

Northern Downpour

{Panic! at the Disco} ♫♪♩♬

One of the milder ones on the roster, light rains are the most common weather conditions you will encounter. Ranging from fading drizzles with a bit of sun to gloomy but calm showers, these peaceful storms have a large spread, change intensity often, and last longer than the other weather conditions. Occasionally, these storms can impact a single location for days at a time rather than just a few hours. If waiting out the rain doesn’t suit your schedule, there’s a shop in the Twisted City having a half off sale on umbrellas (making them only one feather, instead of two), but finding the shop is another matter. As with most shops in the Twisted City, it has a habit of disappearing, and reappearing elsewhere… But it’ll turn up eventually. (Probably.)

Whether you’re out in the rain or sheltered inside, the effect of the light rain is the same. As the persistent, musical sound of water droplets striking every surface fills the air and thrums in your ears, you begin to feel profoundly nostalgic, and feelings that you’ve been hiding or ignoring bubble to the surface. While it is up to you if this is enough to compel you to speak on these feelings, you will find that they nag at you, affecting your mood and plaguing your idle thoughts. Perhaps this is the time to have a conversation you’ve been avoiding?

Thunderclouds

{LSD} ♫♪♩♬

Another particularly common weather event that you’ll come across is heavy thunderstorms scattered in amongst the light rain. Much like the former, less intense version, these storms can linger, though not as long, and feature darker skies, heavier showers reaching up to the point of torrential downpours and even flooding, and the distant rumbling of thunder and flashes of lightning. The electricity is usually far enough in the distance that the rain is safe to walk in if you have an umbrella or don’t mind getting wet. Maybe you’re even the sort who likes to play in the rain--- in which case you’re in luck, these puddles are HUGE. However, this is also a great opportunity to huddle up and stay inside where it’s cozy.

Unlike the light rain, however, the heavy thunderstorms don’t influence your emotions. Instead, they are influenced by yours. Those in calm, playful, or romantic moods might see the storms grow a little lighter, the skies a brighter shade of gray, while Dreamers dealing with sadness might find the rain around them to be colder and heavier, or perhaps the clouds above you are darker and crackling with more lightning if you’re angry or scared. If you’re looking to change the vibe, start by changing the mood. Whether the severity of the storm is affected by you or the person next to you, a conversation could be enough to change the weather, and the state of the skies could be an indicator that someone around you could use a friend.

Jump Into the Fog

{The Wombats} ♫♪♩♬

More common at night or early in the morning, there is a slightly rarer chance that you’ll run into a patch of thick fog as you wander the Dreamscape. Dense, soupy, and gray, this fog is so intense it makes it hard to see more than a few feet in front of you, and will chill you down to your bones. Where fog is present, the sounds of the world will be duller, and everything will be eerily still.

This fog is not as innocent as the rain, however, and this is a very severe weather condition. As the cold sets in, sinking through your skin and making you shiver, so does a pervasive sense of anxiety, and a fear of the unknown. Listen closely and you’ll hear strange, unsettling sounds or barely-audible murmurs in the distance. What’s out there? It sounds so close, and yet you can’t see it.

What lurks in the fog is drawn from your own fears, and if you stray too far into the dense clouds, you’ll be met with a source of deep fear or stress from your own mind. Whether that’s monsters, people, places---you’ll find yourself among things that distress you. However, if you find another Dreamer to walk with, you may be able to escape the clutches of the fog. All you have to do is maintain physical contact with your companion. Hold hands, link arms, stand shoulder to shoulder or back to back, whatever works best for you, and as you proceed you’ll find that the fog is confused by the pairing, resulting in a fusion of your fears with those of your companion. Perhaps they conflict with one another, form something altogether new, or even result in something comical. Either way, this will allow you to share your burden with a friend, creating a situation that is easier to handle for both of you. Face your fears together, and the fog will lift, revealing the way forward. Or, if confrontation isn’t in the cards, you can always find somewhere indoors to hunker down and comfort each other until the danger passes instead.

Eye of the Storm

{MARINA} ♫♪♩♬

There is one more weather condition that it’s possible to run into, though this one is far less common and far more severe than any of the others. You almost won’t notice it at first as clouds loom overhead, threatening you with rain but never committing to it, and a brisk breeze blows through. However, the once-gentle gusts will escalate quickly, evolving into high winds with nearly enough force to bowl someone over.

As your hair and clothes whip in the wind, debris from the area begins to swirl around near the ground, and a piece of paper, fluttering in the breeze, flies up and slaps you, sticking to your body with the force of the gales. You peel it away from you and can barely make out the words printed on its surface before the rough winds rip it out of your hands and send it tumbling off into the distance.

Catch me if you can.

The page disappears from view, and there is a moment of complete, terrifying stillness as the tempest gales that seemed fit to carry you off just moments ago just drop off into nothing.

The paper, you realize, is cursed, having chosen you as its target, and from your mind a crisis of some kind is selected from your fears or memories and inflicted upon the surrounding area. This can be a natural disaster, an attacking army or monster, a chaotic mishap, or any other manner of catastrophe big enough to afflict the area you’re in, and it can range from comical to terrifying, all while massive gusts of wind bluster through the area. There are only two ways to end the disastrous effects of the high winds--- either resolve the crisis by overcoming the problem itself, or find that piece of paper and destroy it while the effects of the crisis attempt to keep you away from it, and the winds will persist until one of these things happens. Good luck out there! Maybe if you have an Emergency Wish, that could help you out?

Rain on Me

{Lady Gaga} ♫♪♩♬

As rotating weather effects impact the Dreamscape, this may be a good time to explore previous locations and see how they’ve changed with the weather and seasons. Investigate original locations like the Glass Lake and Twisted City, take the ferry over to Marrow Isle and see how Pumpkin Hollow looks in the spring, or visit your friends’ additions from last month’s wishing contest. Peruse the Locations page if you need ideas on where to go!

With all this rain, we’re sure to see some build-up over the course of this month, which will undoubtedly influence what’s to come, so stay tuned!

Additional Info!

-The Feather Info pages have yet to be updated with this information, but going forward we will be adding a new feather gain category: Shared Joy! You can earn this feather by meaningfully deepening your bond with another person over a shared wonderful moment of bliss. This is a fairly flexible category, but carries some weight. The rule of thumb is that it will count for any joyful interaction that brings characters significantly closer. Cannot be applied retroactively.

- Don't forget that we have a birthday chart for both players and characters!

-Reminder that activity check for March going into April has been waived. Existing players did not need to do AC this past week. Barring incident, it should resume as normal next month.

-NEW PLAYERS! Feel free to request a Discord link!

And last but not least, we have the winners of the wishing contest from last month's members-only event. Votes for first place were given 3 points, second place for 2, and third place for 1, ensuring that each vote was weighted according to priority.

In Third Place was Little Inkopolis & the ColisSeaum. Pearl Houzuki is awarded a free jumbo umbrella big enough for two people to stand under!

In Second Place was Blood Moon Library. Lioriley and Astarion are awarded a pair of stylish raincoats and a two-person umbrella of their own, to share.

In First Place is Rainbow Road. Princess Peach Toadstool and Lucas Kovach are awarded their own bespoke raincoats and colorful umbrellas respectively, as well as a letter informing that they will have the privilege of assisting in the planning of next month's Steamboat Gala. Details on that to be announced at the end of April!

An honorable mention to CB Ranch and Ambrosia Lounge, which tied for fourth place and were not far behind! A huge huge HUGE thank you to everyone who participated in making last month's event fun and filled with player participation!

Comments

[this_isgoodbye]

Gray blinked and grinned, surprised and delighted by her bluntness—and unhappy with the truth of it. He knew what it was like, too, his early days at the Time Agency filled with whispers about that poor messed up Thane kid, rabid dog on a leash that one…

When her fingers curled into his, Gray wrapped his own back around her hand, moving to enfold it between both of his. Remembering those early days, the fear and disbelief…the pity, the absolute surprise at every touch that didn’t hurt, didn’t cause him harm, didn’t cost him something…simple contact like this was something he still valued, and so rarely got. Sometimes, Gwen would just cover his hand or pat him on the shoulder in passing, but she was so careful about it outside of bed.

This…was nice. Simple…and somewhere between that thought and the next when she asked about his point of origin, Gray made a decision to keep her. Like Gwen, Ianto, Tosh and Owen and Susie, like Mickey and the Doctor. Amanda was his now.

He didn’t know what that looked like, but he’d kill anyone that took her away.

“Believe it or not? It was 2007 when I fell asleep—roundabouts.” He chuckled, absently rubbing her hand gently between his. “But—and I know this will sound strange—I was born in the 51st century, and I fought in both world wars.”

[miss_brilliant]

Amanda's brow furrowed as she listened, but only for a second. Then she grinned, shaking her head a little.

"Believe it or not? It really doesn't sound so strange to me at all. Because if it did, I'd be a real hypocrite. It was 2009 for me, and just last week, I used a piece of technology developed several million years ago by an alien race to swap places with a woman aboard a ship stranded billions of light years from Earth to help repair one of their hyperdrives." She chuckled quietly, "And either you understand most of that, or I'm the one who sounds crazy."

She shrugged, "I...spent a long time, since I was a kid, wishing for something science said was impossible, which for me at least meant I had to believe anything was, no matter how ridiculous it sounded, or...I don't know who I would have wound up being, but not the person I wanted to be."

[this_isgoodbye]

Listening to her talk…it makes him smile because it reminds him of Ianto. His constant scolding about remembering the human element in their work, keeping sight of the people they were protecting, believing ceaselessly that everyone deserved to be saved.

Ianto works so hard to keep him human, keep him present—to help him keep the rage and the bloodlust at bay. He shines, like Amanda shines, and Gray feels the glow of her as readily as the warmth of the intoxicating sunshine.

“It’s okay—I’ve done some space exploration myself.” He assured her with a nod. “So I do understand, mostly. The ideas if not the mechanics…listen, feel free to slug me if I’m outta line here, but—what was so impossible? Hearing that and…all that nonsense about anyone pitying a great gal like you, I…was something wrong?”

cw: non-graphic talk of serious injury in a car accident

[miss_brilliant]

"Ah. Right, it's...really weird to need to explain it. Either someone else has done it for me ahead of a meeting or..." she shakes her head, looking down--at their still-joined hands, and swallows (God, she can swallow on her own) before she starts to tell a story that still, somehow, never quite feels like it's hers.

"When I was nine, I was in a car accident. Idiot drunk driver swerved right in front of my dad. I don't remember it--don't remember the two days beforehand either. But what I do remember is waking up in the hospital, appraently three days after...and I couldn't feel my legs. Or my arms. Or anything else below my chin." She places her free hand on the back of her neck, almost to the very top, hoping that says what she hates to put into so many words.

"In the...waking world, I guess we're calling it? I'm relying on a machine to keep me breathing through the night, and I have every minute of every day for twenty-five years. And I spent the majority of that time...hoping that one day I wouldn't need it anymore. Not just because it really sucked to be nine years old and suddenly lose the ability to play video games, even though it did," she huffs out a weak laugh, "...but because I hated how everyone--almost everyone, it's not fair to say there weren't really great exceptions--treated me like...my life wasn't worth living. So I did everything I could to prove it was. Not the only reason I went into aeronautic engineering, I had legitimately wanted to be an astronaut for awhile before, but it did play a pretty big part."

She looks up with a faint smile, "And I am desperately hoping I am not about to regret saying all that, because you've been a nice guy and I don't have my chair to run over your toes if you get all condescending or pitying about it like I have more than a few times 'on accident' before."

CW: non-graphic mentions of child abuse/torture

[this_isgoodbye]

If not for the sun, for the quiet, tranquil joy suffusing every fiber of his being…no, Gray didn’t feel pity. He hadn’t been capable of that for a long time, not really.

…well, maybe for the driver that hurt her. The things Gray could do to make him suffer before he killed them—

She diverted his train of thought with that remark, yanking his mind right off the tracks and sending him tumbling back into the warm glow of joy. He laughed at that, quiet but long, a laugh like none he’d felt in decades. Maybe even a century plus.

“Trust me, I’m the last person in the universe that’d make that mistake—and not just ‘cause the girls on my team back home would string me up for it.” Gray chuckled. “Nah—you may have a broken neck, Doc, but you got a spine of steel and a mind like bear trap. Only a fool would pity you for that. Besides, I, uh…I get it.”

He knew he shouldn’t. Couldn’t risk sharing, couldn’t risk remembering…but he felt calm and happy and safe. Everything was warm and the air was sweet, and Amanda’s hand in his was slim and strong. Comforting to continue gently rubbing between his, his fingers mapping the bump of each knuckle. He looked down to watch his fingertips trace those contours as he spoke.

“When I was a child—real damn young—my home was attacked by…well, to spare you and to simplify? An enemy that had never heard of mercy before. My dad had my big brother get me to safety, but…I tripped, and I lost hold of his hand—and I was caught. I was—tortured, to be delicate. Didn’t stop till I was—hoo boy, maybe sixteen or seventeen. The group I used to work for, the Time Agency, they got me out. Saved me, but I uh…I was kind of a mess.”

Like Amanda, he used one hand to tap his temple so he didn’t have to explain too much more before he had both hands around hers again.

“So I understand pity. Mine just wasn’t so overt. Lotta whispers, lotta looks…” He trailed off with a snicker.

“And no fun mobility aids I could use to crush the toes of my enemies and see them limping before me, sadly.”

[miss_brilliant]

Amanda listened carefully, biting her lip but otherwise holding back any other reaction except for flexing her fingers just slightly to brush against his. When he finished, she drew a deep breath, choosing her words carefully.

"I definitely can't say I understand what that must have been like, and I know how insulting it can be when people just say they're sorry when you tell them the story. So…I guess, I'm...flattered,, that you felt you could tell me that. I know the kind of stories people don't share openly. Got to hear a lot of them growing up, going to camps and things with other disabled kids, a lot of them had way more traumatic accidents they actually could remember."

She smiled weakly, "Also. I'm glad to hear it sounds like you have some good support back home now, in some fashion, at least, if there's a couple women who'd feel they could tear into you if you were a sexist, ableist ass. I…know how much difference just one or two people can make. They don't make all the other stuff go away, but just having someone who doesn't treat you like you're going to break if they breathe on you wrong goes a long way."

It was a different matter of breaking, she knew--outside of a couple kind of rough years in high school (well. Rougher than high school already was for most people, she supposed), she had no idea what it felt like to have that sort of pain in your mind. But she'd watched it in people she'd known, in Nick when he'd been falling apart after Gloria and lashing out at everyone but her because she'd been the only person who didn't back away or start treating him differently for it, she'd stayed and hoped it was enough. He'd certainly been more than enough for her on the worst days.

[this_isgoodbye]

Hearing her lay it out like that—right down to pinning the women in his life that wouldn’t let him get away with anything—it should have left him feeling exposed. It had before, some of the stuff Ianto said to him before the team opened the Rift…

They’d been justified though. And Amanda, she wasn’t reading him. She was sympathizing. Empathizing. If long life had given him any gifts, lengthening his almost non-existent fuse was one of them so he could see moments like these for the gift that they were. Someone…who understood.

“Or like you’re going to break them.” He murmured. Meeting her gaze, he shrugged, almost sheepish. “I’ve done some things I’m not proud of, but…my people don’t let me get away with it. And—I’m not sure I ever realized how much I need that until now.”

Smiling, on impulse Gray lifted their joined hands and kissed her fingertips quickly.

“You’re one of them now, by the way. So never be afraid to rip me a new one if I’m outta line, okay? I like you…I look out for people I like.”

[miss_brilliant]

Amanda blinked rapidly at the touch of his lips, and maybe if she'd been more used to actually moving her own hands she would have pulled away as she supposed was the expected thing to do when a relatively strange man did something like that; but the combination of still getting used to her body and how wonderful this beautiful place and Jack's surprisingly pleasant company had been just left her grinning.

"Oh, don't worry. One of my people is a very…curmudgeonly Scotsman, and I've called him out on being an ass more than once. Not to me usually unless he wasn't to at least his third cup of coffee for the day yet. But the point stands, I'm not going to let you slide if you're being a complete dick."

Something about the way he said that last part 'I look out for people I like', did leave her feeling…not quite worried, but maybe a touch concerned, given what he'd said about his past. But considering the nature of this place, she hoped there wouldn't be any need for that to come to anything more than maybe getting a bit more forceful with telling someone off if they were a real asshole to her.

Hopefully.

But as those were just theoretical concerns for the moment, she smiled. "Because I like you too, Jack. And I don't hold my tongue for people I like anymore than the ones who get on my every last nerve. Probably less, actually."

[this_isgoodbye]

He wasn’t expecting her to say it back. Hearing it…it was never really easy for Gray because it felt kind of wrong. To be liked when he wasn’t trying, when he wasn’t wearing a smile as a mask instead of a real expression.

But when she said it, said she liked him—it made him feel warm in a way he hadn’t felt in a while. Not since he met Ianto.

“Good to know you’ll keep me honest.” He replied with a genuine laugh—then realized they were still crouched on the water and rolled his eyes at himself.

“God knows why, though—I’m such a knucklehead to just be huddled up like this. You…I dunno, wanna get coffee or something? I heard there’s a town or city around here where you can go to shop or eat. Probably don’t need to in dreams, but I’m as bad as your Scottish buddy with caffeine. Least that’s what our resident coffee gal, Gwen, tells me back home.”

[miss_brilliant]

Amanda blinked, brow knitting for a second as she considered his words, memories of a couple dozen-odd people in her high school years daring each other to ask her out, with both platonic and romantic intentions always turning out to be cruel jokes, weighing up against the reality of this sunshine-filled moment. If she were half as cynical as Nick--okay, she wouldn't even be here. But how long had it been, really, since she'd spent time with anyone who wasn't family or Mary and wasn't connected in some way to her work?

That…wasn't something an equation she particularly wanted to solve right now, pretty sure the answer would be pretty depressing.

"...would you believe I've actually never had coffee before?" she said in answer, grinning.

[this_isgoodbye]

Gray let his mouth drop open in mock horror, then he shook his head and got to his feet, using their joined hands to help her up—well, more use him for leverage if she needed it, but more just…didn’t want to let go just yet if he didn’t have to.

“This is completely unacceptable.” He declared dramatically. This time, he did let go of her hand so he could offer her his arm in an exaggerated gesture of chivalry.

“Madam Doctor? You simply must allow me to escort you to the nearest barista, posthaste.”

[miss_brilliant]

It was a little dizzying to feel someone helping her up without lifting her--in a good way, that made a sensation race through every part of her like--not the cliche butterflies (she knew those, those only woke for Nick)--maybe pop rocks, fizzing and crackling in a way that was both delightful and a bit overwhelming.

She laughed, bright and louder than she really intended to (which probably wasn't surprising, given how long it had been since she'd been able to do more than weakly chuckle, at least with her own vocal cords), as she took his arm.

"I would be honored to accompany you, sir." She grinned, only ducking her head a little

[this_isgoodbye]

Hearing her laugh—it was almost startling, in a really good way. A big laugh like that, loud and bright…it made him think of the first time he made Owen laugh like that, so loud he scared himself until Gray patted him on the back and squeezed his shoulder so he would know it was okay.

Gray wondered if this was how normal people felt when they made each other laugh. Kind of giddy, like just one too much glass of champagne, or like a kid watching a magic show.

Leading her off the water and onto dry land, Gray couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot. Couldn’t get over the rush…

“You have a really nice laugh. And a nice smile.” He told her honestly. “I like it—I’m not used to being able to make people laugh like that, so…thanks.”

[miss_brilliant]

"Oh," Amanda ducked her head, sweeping her hair behind her ear with her free hand (another small thing she hadn't fully realized how much she missed being able to do for herself, god). "Ah…you're welcome. And if it helps? I forgot what it was like to be able to laugh like that."

She glanced up then to look at him, unconsciously moving her fingers a little in his grip just to feel the brush of skin-on-skin. "Hope it's not out of bounds to hazard a guess that not a lot of people have told you you've got a nice smile, too."

[this_isgoodbye]

Gray had a ready answer for that, he always did--charm was a mask, a tool, and even with the sun smoothing every wrinkle in his mood, shaking out his thoughts so they fell billowing and soft across his mind the reflex was to reach for it. To say something witty or playful, if not outright flirty...

He made a conscious choice, however, not to. Right as her fingers shifted in his, and his thumb strayed to run over one knuckle.

"It's not out of bounds...but I don't hear it often." he admitted. "I don't smile a lot--real smiles. Not the kind you use around strangers or people you don't want to tell how you really feel about something. Those aren't the kind of smiles people say that about...maybe because they can tell they aren't real."

The touch of color that slips into his cheeks, Gray will deny with his dying breath--or would, if he ever had one. A real one.

"You make me smile for real. Laugh for real."