It seemed like a good idea at the time...

[maddeninghatter]

Date & Time: 2698, fin-de-millenium, just prior to the formation of the United Earth
Location: Las Vegas
Characters: Break, Kevin, Gilbert, Oz, Elliot, Alice, Allen, Lenalee, Rosette, Chrono, Chrysos
Summary: Fear and loathing
Warnings: Showgirls and Gilbert weeping.

The statement “Let’s go to Vegas” exists as the multiverse’s quintessential definition of, “well it seemed like a good idea at the time.” Even in this case, it really had, between zombies, insurrection, and the day to day tedium of life on the moon. Besides which, Xerxes Break has a new sentient (sentient-er) weapon, which in a stunning show of good judgement is too dangerous to test on the moonbase, nor in any concentration of people. Las Vegas, set against the backdrop of the vast, desolate Mojave desert, seemed to be a perfect choice.

When our heroes wink into existence, squinting against the early-morning desert sunshine, they’ll find themselves duly welcomed. Come play in the casino. When you feel a bit peckish, indulge in all you can eat. Take your winnings and go shopping; at night, take in a show. And if you’ve done really well gambling, unwind in a ridiculously luxurious suite.

…or is this how you’re spending the night?

Thirty-six hours in Vegas, what could possibly go wrong?

(ooc: feel free to start threads willy-nilly, name your time and place, threadjack and mingle)

Comments

[senseandcecilbility]

Wa---!

[Kevin manages not to scream at Emily’s terrifying appearance, covering his mouth with both hands. However, he knows Break well enough to understand both the message and its translation. Pushing the doll away, he laments the fact that proper words have gone out of fashion.

Still, the next comment, hissed in his ear (he is not thinking about Mister Break in a swimsuit, he is not thinking about Mister Break in a swimsuit, he is not thinking about Mister Break in a swimsuit…) gives rise to a brand new concern. Ignoring the sudden high temperature on his face, he stares down at his collection of paper umbrellas like a despondent child.]

But Mister Break, I paid for these...

[maddeninghatter]

So?

[ He reaches up, brushing his fingers against the curve of Kevin’s ear — and produces a poker chip. ]

Buy more. Of… whatever it is.

[ Break doesn’t know about your umbrella fetish, Kevin, having made the logical assumption that Kevin must have gotten drunk by mistake. He shifts, producing from under his jacket the real bag of poker chips he’d swiped from the table. ]

[senseandcecilbility]

[Kevin's eyes widen at the chip's magic reappearance.

There is no doubt that the fastest way to this angel's heart is to safeguard his gambling chips. Nobody, nobody, has ever done this to him before and he is genuinely touched, not to mention way more than accidentally intoxicated.

That is certainly what love is all about.

He lets out a muffled cry of joy and wraps his arms around Break, resting his chin on top of the shorter man's head. Break can feel a wave of that delicious and happy divine warmth... which seems to be Kevin's angelic equivalent of a tail wagging.]

1/3

[maddeninghatter]

[ Generally Kevin sneaks his hugs in when Break is busy trying to die, or just recovering from stab!healing, but this time Break is able to respond with a full-throated and energetic: ]

Ugh!

[maddeninghatter]

[ Fortunately, that wave of angelic warmth kicks in, just in time to prevent Emily from shrieking HANDS OFF, PERVERT! or something equally inappropriate. It feels like a bright flame, lighting all the candles in the dark windows of his soul. It's a ridiculous, perfect moment, and part of him wishes it could linger on forever... ]

[maddeninghatter]

[ The other part of him realizes they're surrounded.

Oops. ]

Aah haha. Er, Mister Cecil...

[senseandcecilbility]

[Kevin is drunk enough to have missed the fact that they were being surrounded, but now that Break has mentioned it...]

Ah, can't they play somewhere else? Humans are so odd...

[He withdraws a little and holds Break's hands. His aura is still there, but now specifically directed at harmonizing Break's connection with Mad Hatter.]

For the sake of discretion, I believe I must stand back. However...

[He smiles shyly and attempts to kiss Break's cheek. Being too drunk though, he slips down and ends up kissing the corner of Break's lips instead.

There is not much blushing this time. Maybe he has not noticed his little mishap. Maybe he is too drunk and happy to care. Sometimes with Kevin, it is hard to know.]

1/3

[maddeninghatter]

[ Break erupts into a fit of giggles at this sloppy, drunken kiss. Kevin, you are an angelic hot mess.

...

Exactly one second later, Break is snapping the scabbard back onto his sword, rendering it a cane once more. Half of their would-be assailants are on the ground, moaning and bleeding. The other half are fleeing the scene, terrified, as fast as they possibly can.

Well. It's been a long day, and Break is a bit off his game. It happens. He spins back around, still giggling — ]

[maddeninghatter]

[ OH WAIT ]

[maddeninghatter]

[ He springs away from Kevin, hands raised, as if to ward him off. ]

I didn't use —

I mean, I'm okay! Really, I'm fine. Hahaha! I won't be requiring your, ah, services at the moment!

[ DON'T STAB ME BRO ]

[senseandcecilbility]

[Break turns around and springs away right in time to catch Kevin picking up his crystal ring.]

Oh! Are you sure?

[He ambles towards Break with a concerned and yes, still very drunk look on his face. He has witnessed his sword skills before, but nothing like this.

So many dead. But then again, he is in no position to judge his actions.]

Are you sure?

[He reaches out to touch Break’s cheek.]

[maddeninghatter]

[ They were dead men the moment they started firing their guns at Kevin. In any case, they're only mostly dead. Twenty-seventh century Earth medicine might yet save them. ]

I —

[ Kevin's touch is so gentle, so warm. He leans into it and lets his head tilt back...

Which is unfortunately when he hears footsteps of trouble. Twenty-seventh century casino security is, from what he's ascertained, serious enough to make the UE military forces look like a middle-school tiddlywinks team. Flight is their best option. He grabs for Kevin's arm. ]

Let's get out of here!

[senseandcecilbility]

[Kevin would never guess that he had anything to do with the gamblers' fate. Nobody has ever gone to such extremes to protect him. Except maybe for Michael, but Michael has always had a very peculiar way of showing how much he cared.

Through the mist of alcohol, the footsteps startle him as much as they do Break. Without asking further, he guides his partner in crime out of the room.

It is just that the most unobstructed path happens to be upwards, right into the ventilation system.]

[maddeninghatter]

[ This is a good plan, and it would have worked, except ventilation systems of the future are designed to transport air, not men. The large exhaust shaft in the ceiling rapidly narrows several meters up, effectively wedging them in, pressed against one another.

Stuck like this, Break knows that it's only a matter of seconds before the guards start firing up into the vent. But all he can think of right now, this close, is how Kevin feels, how he smells......



Right, he smells like a fruity distillery. Good god Kevin, how much did you drink? ]

Ugh, this is what we get for drunk flying.

[senseandcecilbility]

[Drunk flying! Kevin starts giggling against Break, fruity and warm indeed. He wraps an arm loosely around Break’s waist, bringing him closer to his quivering chest.]

It was not my intention to damage this nice establishment, but someone in my position should prioritize human life…mhmmm, your life, I think. Wouldn’t you agree?

[That, incidentally, is all warning Break gets before Kevin wraps them inside a crystal cocoon and explodes the ventilation system with a divine blast of scorching light.]

[maddeninghatter]

[ ....and that's yet another casino they're banned from.

Break is, to put it mildly, startled at the explosion. His body twitches as he grabs involuntarily for Kevin. In all the commotion, however, the first thing at hand is Kevin's angelic posterior. ]

[senseandcecilbility]

...

[It is a fact that nobody has grabbed Kevin's angelic posterior before. He lets out a surprised gasp that may or may not be carnal in nature.

It is hard to tell though, since he is now taking advantage of the commotion to gently pry Break from the ventilation system and attempt a more conventional escape through the front door.]

[maddeninghatter]

[ Break doesn't register any of Kevin's possibly carnal gasping, as he is far too busy reeling from the explosion and then, with Kevin's help, melting into the terrified crowd as it spills onto the street.

He is going to say something about drunk smiting, but thinks better of it, at least until they've been swept along some way away from the casino. ]

Aha, Mister Cecil. If you don't mind my asking, how much have you had to drink?

[senseandcecilbility]

[Kevin cannot deny that watching hundreds of terrified humans flee in his wake evokes a certain nostalgia. Drunkenly, he shakes his head and offers his arm just as he was taught, positioning himself between Break and the crowd.]

Only a few. [he replies merrily, and - to illustrates his point - drops dozens of little paper umbrellas on Break’s hand.

Naturally, this is no place to bother Break with paper umbrellas. That is why most of them are still safely inside his pocket. ]

Oh! It seems Sister Rosette found herself one of those ghostly horse carriages. I wonder if she won it at the roulette?

[maddeninghatter]

"Ghostly horse" —

Ah.

[ Probably the less said about his experience with Rosette at the wheel, the better. He turns the paper umbrellas over between his fingers; it takes a moment before he realizes what they are. Oh, Kevin. ]

Goodness, Mister Cecil, look at the time. I think it's high time everybody went to bed, don't you agree?

[senseandcecilbility]

Indeed, sir ~

[Kevin happily steps closer and leads the blind man out of this mess.

He is drunk, he has gambled for hours, and Mister Break is by his side. Life is good. ]

[maddeninghatter]

[ Break is, himself, feeling content as well. Mad Hatter is still affecting his mind to an unnatural extent; but with Kevin at his side, he's confident that he can continue to master his Chain.

With Kevin at his side, what an odd thing to be thinking. But here he is, holding onto Kevin's arm as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He feels a sensation of warmth wash over him — but this time, it has nothing to do with Kevin's divine aura.

And so he follows along, until they're at their casino-hotel (at which Break has been actually careful about not causing mayhem). They'll go in, and go to bed, and — ]

[maddeninghatter]

[ Ah. ]

Er, Mister Cecil, will you be all right going up on your own? I — I just thought of something.

[senseandcecilbility]

...

[He was about to say that yes, of course he would be all right. And then proceed to get lost in the huge hotel for hours until he found another card game with equally affable playmates.

However, Break has made him intrigued.]

Yes?

[maddeninghatter]

I just — I need to make sure Oz goes to bed, I don't want him to stay up all night.

[ He hesitates, conscious of the fact that this needs more explanation. ]

I want to go out to the desert again tomorrow morning. With Oz, this time. And you. And Gilbert. Alice, too, I think. What we accomplished today was only... only part of the reason I wanted to come here.