metalogs | ‘Cause a Halloween party’s a rad excuse To put your body through mad abuse

Who: The Stranger Things cast
What: A Housewarming Party hosted by the gang & Settling in to their new haunted home
When: Late October - Early November
Where: Private Housing, Sunset Falls
Content Warnings: probably drugs, drinking

Moving In.

[ It's not quite the joyous occasion they were hoping it would be. The disappearance of one of their own has left a heavy air over the group, but they're determined to try to make something of the situation. And so they proceed with the move, their belongings loaded up in the back of a teleporting truck.

Neighbors are welcome to spy the new arrivals. A perfect collection of unlikely friends that look like they belong in a horror movie cast. You'll get a drink for your trouble - or something a little less legal (or more legal, if you aren't) if you offer to lend a hand. Evidentially, some among their number are not terribly well equipped to do heavy lifting. Damn sticky nerd arms. ]

HOUSEWARMING PARTY is written in slanted block print on a piece of cardboard, staked just outside the newly purchased manor seated near the edge of town. It is a utterly ridiculous piece of architecture, and the gathered teens have more space than they know what to do with.

So how better than to fill it with a house party?
There's a stunning indoor pool just begging to be cannonballed into. A classy lounge for enjoying a little existential angst and ennui. There’s enough guest bedrooms for anyone who wants to crash, though be warned: few are furnished. Some rooms are off limits, for your own sanity rather than theirs.

The music pumping through the place alternates between 80s metal and pop, with some newer tunes sprinkled in there for flavor.

There’s food, a legion of kegs and, well, that less than legal stuff is making the rounds too. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ There is no point in lying to Cass about anything. It’s just Tim’s luck that he’s now got two people in his life who can basically smell the lies on him.

Three, if he counts Kon listening to his heart rate for changes. How does he keep collecting them? ]

His name’s Loki Laufeyson. He was one of the first people I met here.

[ Tim reaches for the cup. ]

If you’re going to use me as your roofie detector, fine, but we’re sharing.

[Maybe if Tim lied less, he wouldn't attract so many human lie-detectors.

Sharing is... acceptable. And a poor attempt at deflection.]

Loki. [She repeats. She likes the way it fits in her mouth.]

You like him. [It's cute that Tim is even trying to... play the cool. Play it cool? Play in cool? Is it 'play' or 'pay'?]

[ God dammit, is there no quarter to be given?

Why is his family like this? Tim sighs in tolerant annoyance. ]

He’s forward and annoying and bold and capricious and possibly a thief. Talking with him is like balancing on the edge of a knife.

[ Yes. Tim’s intrigued and likes him more than is prudent. ]

You really like him. [She says smugly.

It's good that he knows there's no point in hiding. She'll find it all out eventually. It's easier if he just tells her now.]

And he likes you.

[ Tim’s quiet for too long- or not, because it’s not like she’s using the silence to fill in more.

He just… needs to catch up to himself. Talking directly to people about this, about a guy he likes, is still new and enormous. Cass isn’t judging him about this. It’s all in his head. ]

Yeah, I think so. He just says it , too. I find you incredibly attractive. Like that’s something people can actually say without playing a part like Bruce does.

[Cass raises an eyebrow. If he gets the feeling that he's being judged, it's because he's definitely being judged.]

Sometimes people say what they feel, Tim.

[Look who he's talking to. Cass rarely minces words. Chooses them carefully, yes. Talks around things? Rarely.]

I say what I feel eventually.

Usually.

[ But never always, and it’s often when he’s pushed by circumstances or others to do so. Especially when it’s in regards to feelings about other people. Tim can’t remember the last time he let a relationship upgrade to “close”. It only puts things at risk. Them. Him. His mental health. If he doesn’t get close to more people, then he can’t be hurt by losing more people.

Tim glances over at Loki again. Gods are hard to kill, after all. It’s okay. ]

[Tim is... hurt-grief-love-sad. It's a look she saw lots after Kon... not-died. Well, real-died. But he came back. The look didn't go away. But it was... less.

Cass reaches out takes the cup. Takes a drink. Reaches out and flicks Tim's forehead. Not on-purposed hard, but not holding back.]

Loki says what he feels. You like it. [So maybe it isn't such a bad thing, hmm?]

Stop trying to... uh, com-apartment things. [She frowns. That didn't sound right.]

Hey!

[ The flick smarts, but it’s more the principle of it. ]

Yes, okay? I like it when he flirts with me, I like it when he turns up out of nowhere and upends my plans, and I liked it when I wasn’t supposed to, because I didn’t decide I was single yet.

[ Every time he hung out with him, Tim turned into a baby gay crisis afterwards. ]

[Cass doesn't know what "I didn't decide I was single" means. It doesn't matter.]

He's nice. [And cares about Tim. Which is... important. Very important.]

Stop trying to make excuses. You like him. You're allowed to like him. [Tim Drake is allowed to have nice things. Cass will fight anyone who says different. Including Tim Drake.]

They’re reasons, not excuses. Nothing needs to be excused.

[ Not by Cass, anyway. If Bernard arrives in a Confluence, Tim will have explaining to do. The decision to declare himself single and free to like someone else came after an internal debate between logic, morality, and libido. Morality lost, and Tim felt like a heel until he rationalized it away with Bernard’s absence from this universe. ]

He knows, by the way.

[ Tim gives her a slightly longer than normal break between sentences to try to underline he knows. ]

That Jason is my brother and Bruce is our dad. He overheard them talking about it.

[ Tim, Jason, and Bruce’s IDs are compromised if Loki doesn’t keep quiet. ]

I know. You should tell him to... be more careful. About how he talks. [The way brought it up to Cass-- he may not get why their identities are secrets.]

He brought it up. At a party. In public. [It's easy to see how... not-impressed Cass is about that.] No one was listening. I checked. But it was a risk.

[ Tim makes a face that might as well be under a mask. Yeah. Loki's getting another talk - he has to take this more seriously. He saw what happened to Tim in the summer; the danger should be apparent. ]

I will, but don't blame me for him knowing in the first place.

I know you wouldn't. [If Tim could get away with the rest of the Bats not knowing his identity, he would try. Not because he doesn't care. Because he cares.

It doesn't do any good to talk about it more here. She moves on. Takes another sip and hands him back the cup.]

I did threaten to kick his ass. [She's his big sister. It's her job. She's watched enough TV and movies to know that.]

[ It would be safer, for everyone involved. Alas.

He takes the cup back, glances at how much is gone. He's going to have to get more soon because Cass apparently doesn't mind continuing to steal his. ]

Cass! I can manage my own friends. I don't need anyone else to threaten them.

[Cass gives him A Look.

Because yes. Tim can manage his friends (or, at least, he tries very, very hard).

She ruffles his hair. Like she's seen Dick do before.]

It's cute that... you think you get a choice. [Her voice is teasing. She doesn't want to real-upset Tim. But play-upset Tim is fun.]

‘Cause a Halloween party’s a rad excuse To put your body through mad abuse | OPEN

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