Mingle - Emergency Potluck

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WELCOME POTLUCK

Greetings, residents! Those more observant sorts among you may have noticed a large influx of very crowded ferries. In order to welcome our new residents en masse, Town Hall is holding a potluck in Town Square. Please bring a dish if you are able and make a new friend!

All of our newest arrivals need only bring themselves. We look forward to welcoming you all into our community, and may your lanterns always be lit.

This event is open to all! In light of our new influx of prospective players following the Great Sail Migration, we've decided to offer a small public event to tide everyone over until the TDM this weekend.

Comments

[lovethyneighb_or]

Hawkeye hugs him again, and Mulcahy chokes out another thick sob, setting down his plate somewhere nearby to clutch at his thin (too thin, he’d know) frame with both of his hands. A memory springs to mind: Hawkeye sobbing into his shoulder, begging and apologizing for not being able to strangle his own feelings in the bed of his heart.

It’s funny, isn’t it. Before this, he had become a dull wound. A bundle of old regrets to set on the shelf, some silent and static reminder. But he’s here, and alive, and just like that everything’s bright and red again.

His answer is the same now as it was before. “It wasn’t your fault.”

[notinflictthem]

Ah, father. Must be the priest bit, he's always so good at making Hawk feel absolved. For something he doesn't remember doing, in this case. He doesn't remember being in love with Mulcahy because this one wasn't. Only in the way he loves all his friends.

Hawk sniffs- "I've got my own clinic here set up all nice, after this you should come see it. A proper bed, too. You remember those? With mattresses?"

[lovethyneighb_or]

Mulcahy laughs aloud, wiping at his face. "Fortunately, I do! That was one of the few gifts we had on that ship. You loved lounging in yours. What I'm having much more difficulty recalling is food that isn't preserved in a can."

He has no clue why Number 2 did that. It was a magic realm, he completely didn't have to make everything in the grocery store cans.

"I'd love to see your clinic. It's good to see you settling in, Hawkeye. I'm at a bit of a loss of what to do myself considering the dearth of Christians, but they'll give me enough to live on until I find something."

[notinflictthem]

Hawkeye laughs, "I do! Sometimes in between patients I go upstairs just to be in bed," he wipes at his face, sniffling a little.

"C'mon-" he retrieves Mulcahy's plate for him, "fresh food, I won't judge if you start crying, I nearly did. I'll show you around after. I know you'll get a room at the Oak and Iron but- do you want to take the couch at mine? Just while you're settling in, I want to look out for you."

[lovethyneighb_or]

One part of him jumps at the opportunity to stay with one of his closest old friends and to see him outside of the Army, outside of the Serena Eterna, to see Hawkeye where he is just and entirely Hawkeye. The other is terrified of breaking his heart again, and sees the beginning of the rhyme.

It doesn't matter. What is he going to do--say no?

"That's very generous of you," he says, squeezing his shoulder. "I'd love to. It'd be nice to see you the way you are when you're not being drafted."

[notinflictthem]

Hawk scoops Mulcahy's head up against his chest with a hand, kissing him again atop his sanctified little head.

"Nobody's called me sir in months. Aside from John Jay, but- I feel like myself again. No choppers, no bombs- I get to sleep in some mornings. The height of luxury."

More or less.

"C'mon-" he releases Mulcahy again, "eat, I only spoon feed people when they're sick."

[lovethyneighb_or]

Mulcahy can't help the smile splitting his face as Hawkeye squishes him in, oh God he missed him so much.

"You don't need to tell me twice," he quips as he turns to dive into his food. Real food, fresh food, not canned or dreamed up by an impossible pocket in between universes. Do not mind the possibly impolite noises he makes while he does so. It's been a long time.

[notinflictthem]

"Good, right?" Hawk agrees, grabbing a fork to pilfer a piece of potato.

"I forgot that food tastes better when it remembers what the earth is as a concept. When you get settled in I've gotta introduce you to everyone too- Chris, Sally, Angel, John Jay, John Watson- they're all a bunch of characters, but you're used to that."

[lovethyneighb_or]

"Mmm--" Mulcahy chews, swallows. "Yes, of course, really I can't wait to see what kind of company you've picked up here--"

... Hey, hang on. This wouldn't normally give him any pause, but after so much time spent with people from across all kinds of places...

"... did you say John Watson?"

[notinflictthem]

"Uh yeah- army surgeon guy, with a cane and a mustache. Can't miss him. Why?"

[lovethyneighb_or]

"I can't help but be curious to know if he has a friend named Sherlock."

[notinflictthem]

"He's British, Father. His entire unit in Afghanistan were probably all called John Watson. You can ask if you want, but he'll probably just laugh at you."

Guess who hasn't had certain things explained to him yet.

[lovethyneighb_or]

"Well, there's every chance that could be the case, but I wouldn't be so sure. I've seen some very peculiar things you know."

You know, like his seven-foot-tall three-eyed ram-headed shadow demon friend who could mysteriously store and retrieve items from an invisible "inventory."

He's gonna bury himself in this sushi a little bit more.

[notinflictthem]

"Oh yeah?" Hawkeye asks, unknowing, "like what?"

[lovethyneighb_or]

“My seven-foot-tall three-eyed ram-headed shadow demon friend who could mysteriously store and retrieve items from an invisible ‘inventory.’”

As you do.

“You can imagine I was quite frightened of him for months, but he turned out to be very polite. He didn’t bother anybody unless they were really being quite rude. He’s…”

…

“… He hasn’t appeared yet. But I’d still like to hope.”

[notinflictthem]

Hawkeye laughs and then stops laughing because Mulcahy doesn't continue jokes that far.

"If he ever shows up- I mean, I probably won't need an introduction to pick him out of a crowd, but I'll want you to introduce us anyway."

[lovethyneighb_or]

“You liked him the first time, so I’ll be happy to introduce you for the second. You taught him poker.”

[notinflictthem]

Hawkeye laughs-

"Yeah, of course I did. Was he any good? I want to know before I start placing bets."

[lovethyneighb_or]

“Oh, I shouldn’t ruin the mystery.” Mulcahy grins into his drink as he takes another sip. Hawkeye’s just gonna have to find out for himself.

[notinflictthem]

There he is. Hawkeye ducks his head, grinning to himself.

"I missed you."

[lovethyneighb_or]

“I missed you too. Quite terribly.” He pats his shoulder. “It’s so, so wonderful to see you again.”

For all of the grief he’s troubled with, this? This is a blessing. Nothing short of a miracle.

[notinflictthem]

"I give it a day before you take that back," he jokes, patting him in return, "maybe less. You uh- you didn't have any of the others with you, did you? Trap? Henry? Radar?"

[lovethyneighb_or]

He shakes his head. “No. Just me and you, I’m afraid, but that’s all for the best. It would have done us no good to watch our fellows go through what we did.”

[notinflictthem]

"I don't know about that. I mean, we were schlepping our way through Korea together, right? I can't imagine anything worse than that."

Which isn't true. Sometimes he still wakes up gripping at himself, checking if he remembered to stitch himself back up when he cut his own liver out. But that's a lot to place on the good Father, when he himself still can't decide whether it really happened.

"I hope they turn up, anyway. I go to say a joke and then I look and Trap isn't there to finish it. Not to mention all the paperwork I have to do myself now."

[lovethyneighb_or]

…

(It’s just as well that this Hawkeye still can’t imagine worse than their lot in Korea. His only hope is that if Mulcahy gets hurt, he won’t mind that he can’t stand being sedated anymore.

He will always be proud that the only one to outlast him was Vickie, but oh, Lord, what cost does a deathless martyrdom come with. This is a debt with fearsome interest that he will never lift from his shoulders.)

He’s quiet for too long.

Eventually: “… Well, I, uh, I’m not doing much these days, so perhaps I could help.”