Realistic or Modern After We Left

[KingofAesir]

chapter 1: "At First Light, They Found Him"

7am

---​

mood

"Welcome! Make yourselves at home. Stay a while."

location

Greenwald Ski Lodge

interaction

All geminiy PenguinFox hery ohdittoh mogy mikaluvkitties qunqun jazzyball Winona _em_

The sun was slowly beginning to peak up over the snowy horizon as a van of young adults pulled up to a lodge that seemed like it had seen better days. It was winter in Norway, well into November as the group of them decided to start their winter break with a week spent at this lodge before they headed home for the holidays. They’d all been in Norway since a little before the start of the semester in August and had gotten to know each other fairly well, having all been grouped in the same dormitory hall. If they hadn’t known each other before coming to Norway they definitely had a decent idea of each other now. There were fourteen of them, all different one way or another, and mostly all from different places. But, through some sort of magic they had all managed to come together for this brief getaway.

The van they had paid to take them up here came to a slow rolling stop right outside the front door. The lodge was large, but in a little disrepair. Parts of its roof appeared saggy and probably needed to be repaired. The paint on the wooden siding that lined the lodge was a faded ugly yellow that was chipping in multiple areas, it desperately needed a fresh coat of paint. The door, different from the rest, seemed to be brand new it’s shiny brown contrasting with the muted and fading siding. Yellow was an odd choice for a house, but at this point it looked more murky brown than anything. The slopes, which were supposed to be the attraction of this place, were in two different extremes, so easy that they made bunny slopes look hard or double black diamond death traps. They probably should’ve scouted places out better but Donovan had been so sure this would be cool. The lack of pictures should’ve been a tip off. But they were here and had already paid so….it was too late to change their minds.

The driver, a Norwegian man in his late fifties with a mustache that made him look like he had stepped straight out of the 70s, turned to the group all bunched in the back of his van and reached out his hand. Money. He needed payment. The group all looked around at each other until someone finally let up and handed the man his fare for transporting them. His voice was gruff and heavy with an accent when he spoke.

“Good then. I’ll be back next week for ya. Call with the phone if you need me sooner.” He handed them a folded piece of paper with a hastily scribbled phone number on it. All fourteen of them clambered out of the van, piling over each other to grab their bags. The van driver gave a wave and pulled away from the lodge, disappearing behind the blanket of white. The group was now alone, left to their own devices with the whole range of the ski lodge at their disposal. It would probably be best to get inside soon, since it was still early morning and well below 20 degrees out. They had to hope the heat worked, otherwise they’d be shit out of luck up here.

And so begins our tale, fourteen young college kids walking up to an empty ski lodge. Alone. At least, mostly alone. Unbeknownst to most of them, another had arrived a day earlier and was waiting.

Welcome to Greenwald Ski Lodge, we hope your stay is pleasant and fun!

coded by weldherwings.

 

[mogy]

chapter 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM"

7am

---​

mood

"This is going to be fun!"

location

Near the van

interaction

KingofAesir (Morgan)

The cold air of the Norwegian outdoors caressed Argentina Park’s skin from the moment she stepped out of the van, her legs still shaky from the bumpy ride. The two—cold air and the inability to fully sense things from sitting in that van for some time—they cancelled each other out, helping the underdressed girl not start shivering immediately, however, she could still see her breath easily, and that meant it had been time to go inside as soon as possible. As she waited for the groups of teens to take their bags from the back of the van, in order to get to her own, she brushed her palms against her arms to warm herself, the thin jacket not providing much protection from the cold.

One would be surprised to hear, considering everything, but Argentina had never been a big fan of the unfriendly weather, and she had a special resentment towards snow for some unknown reason. Yet, she did decide to study in one of the snowiest countries in the world, and also come to a ski lodge of all places which might not have been the best choice for someone who appreciated summer more than any other season. But how could one not take the offer when there was supposedly a hot tub or something? That was one of the two things she was looking forward to on this trip. The other one was, well—

“Hey.” She took a few steps into the direction of the girl familiar. “So, you…me…bunk mates maybe? It could be fun…” Sure, maybe by the way the lodge looked like, there weren’t exactly bunks, nor beds for that matter, but it was a saying and out of all the people who came on the trip, Argentina really only wanted to share a room with Morgan. It was like the two seemed to just click ever since they first met, and while that might be the case for Argentina with most people, there was something different with her and Morgan. Though she really couldn’t place her finger on what it was. Maybe this trip could clear some things up, that was, if Morgan agreed to sharing the room.

And don’t get any ideas, Argentina was not flirting just now. The fact that she twirled her hair while talking was normal for any of her interactions, and her blushing was only because of her cheeks reacting to the cold air and exhibiting a rosy color. If Argentina was flirting, everyone would be aware of it.

As she awaited the response from the girl, enough people got their bags from the van for her to take her own suitcase out, holding it over the snow rather than pulling it. Of course, that might have looked spoiled to whoever was watching, if anyone really was, but she really did not vibe with snow, and now she rather regretted not bringing just a sports bag with her clothes neatly placed inside of it. It wasn't like she was actually going skiing.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[KingofAesir]

chapter 1: "At First Light, They Found Him"

7am

---​

mood

"Well, no going back now."

location

Outside the lodge

interaction

Tina mogy

Morgan was used to colder weather. It was often cold in New York and even in Oregon, where she was from, but this was a kind of chill that seeped into her bones. It felt like it was trying to drag her down, bury her beneath the snow. It didn’t help that this “lodge” didn’t seem like it was going to be quite the dream that Donovan had advertised. God, the fact that any of them had taken his word for it at all made her question their common sense. But, it didn’t look like it was going to collapse right at this moment and maybe the inside looked a little better. She hoped the inside looked a little better, otherwise she’d probably lose her mind in the week they were supposed to be here. She could be home in New York right now, lounging in her favorite recliner or going to Lee’s, a bar down the street from her apartment, with her friends. It would most likely be the latter anyway, she’d been obsessed with a case recently and had been spending most of her time pouring over any info she could get about it. Some little girl, JonBenét Ramsey, had been reported missing with a ransom note only to be found later dead in her own basement. She’d been mostly consumed by that in the months before coming to Norway, but hadn’t gotten any farther than thinking both or one of the parents were in on it.

But, here she was now, shaking away her thoughts and lifting her duffel up out of the van that had carried them here. She was the last to pluck up her things and she slammed the back shut, watching as it sputtled away down the barely visible trodden path. Teeth fiddling with the lip ring situated in the middle of her bottom lip, she tore her eyes away from the path back to the lodge before them. She imagined, perhaps, that the lodge had once been a splendid place to spend time. She saw the bright yellow colored siding in its prime, maybe a porch had once graced it’s entrance. She could see the phantom trails of smoke curling up out of the chimney and the fire raging inside. She was drawn out of her reverie by a voice speaking up next to her. Shaking her head, she turned to find Tina standing next to her. The other girl had four inches on Morgan but somehow she’d failed to notice just how much four inches was.

“So, you…me…bunk mates maybe? It could be fun…” Morgan threw her duffel over her shoulder and smiled over at her, nodding her head in an affirmative. Of the others that she had gotten to know, Tina was one of the ones she’d gotten along best with. Tina was flirty, easy to get along with. Morgan found her company more pleasant than some of the others at least. It also helped that she was easy on the eyes.

“Yeah, sure thing.” Morgan pulled off her jacket, she had a long sleeve on under it, a grey sweater that was warm enough for now. Tina was horridly underdressed and probably needed it more than her anyway.

“Here, put that on, you’ll freeze to death before we can get the heat started.” Morgan handed over the jacket with a grin and shuffled through the snow ahead of her, “C’mon, let’s see what this place’s deal is.”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[mikaluvkitties]

chapter 1: "At First Light, They Found Him"

7am

---​

mood

"I'm not even surprised at this point."

location

A shitheap, apparently.

interaction

Tina mogy
Morgan KingofAesir

This place was a shit heap. It had taken a nice, long glance to really internalize just how much of a shit heap it was, but it had been internalized. And then, all that judgment had been directed in a single look towards Donovan.

If you knew Rowan, you knew Rowan had a… certain flair for quality. What went in, what went on, even the where and with who. Rowan liked nice things. It would only make sense for Rowan to be deeply, deeply annoyed by this fuck-up of massive proportions.

But Rowan took a moment to stare at Don, then another to enjoy the way it sank into him that he’d fucked up, then let him go piss while he grabbed his bag… singular. Because Rowan wasn’t here to ski or whatever. That kind of activity had never really appealed to him. And even if it had, he wouldn’t have chosen a group almost entirely comprised of people who either didn’t like him or left Rowan kind of nauseous just looking at, especially when money wasnt an issue.

No, he was here to piss off Don and a shitty little cabin that might not heat up properly and had a bad paint job wasn’t going to ruin that for him.

But first, he had to get settled and see what this wretched place inspired in him. And that required friends.

So he grabbed his leather duffle with ease, squinting as if his clothes would come out unwrinkled through sheer of his owner’s discontent, and hauled ass over to Morgan, by far the person he was closest to on the trip. In his defense, they’d known each other even before going abroad, so she was pretty hard to beat out.

“I’m rooming with you,” he informed her matter-of-factly, then noticed the sweater in her hand and Tina to her side and, upon realizing what was happening before his eyes, allowed himself to accept an indignity. “I can, if necessary, sleep on the floor.” Quite a give when coming from Rowan.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[qunqun]

Chapter 1

7AM

mood

Cautious optimism

location

Back porch

interaction

Open

Matt was already tired of this whole experience. He’d spent a lifetime traveling, and he really preferred being by himself. No headaches, no stress.

He stepped out of the van, grabbing his bag from the back. From there he went inside, claiming a bed in one of the rooms - some golden area furthest from the door but closest to a window. Some habits died hard.

There was a craving now - a restlessness in his fingers. He stepped onto the back porch and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. Flight and a drive - he’d decided out of the kindness of his heart to not smoke in there. But now, there was nothing stopping him. He pulled a chair out as the cold air bit at him.

The cigarette smelled familiar - he didn’t particularly enjoy the smell, but it was something familiar. As depressing a thought it was, but his life wasn’t what people would call “stable.” People gravitated to the things that were familiar, but Matt… Matt hadn’t had much. Couple of outfits. Constantly changing surroundings and faces.

The sad truth of the matter was that a nicotine addiction was something familiar - a constant in a forever changing landscape.

He took a deep breath of smoke, as it filled his lungs and warmed him up. Hold for two. Exhale.

Matt was starting to realize that Tina was maybe developing feelings - had feelings. Like normal people had. Fucking annoying of her. Another drag of the cigarette. He should probably just break things off. But that wasn’t going to go very well now was it. Historically, telling people to fuck off for developing feelings was in general a “bad idea.”

He watched the landscape - the mountains. Beautiful things. Maybe he could get some writing done out here after all. He could appreciate beauty when he saw it, after all. When it was just him and the scenery outside, he cracked a small smile.

Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[mogy]

chapter 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM"

7am

---​

mood

"This is going to be fun!"

location

Near the van

interaction

KingofAesir (Morgan), mikaluvkitties (Rowan)

It was nice of Morgan to give up her jacket for Argentina. She didn’t really have any reason to do so, but she did anyway, and those where the kinds of things the tall girl appreciated in those she considered her friends. But perhaps, at this moment, she had been a little bit biased. What from the cold slowly turning her into an ice sculpture, cell by cell, what from Morgan being the one giving it to her. And there was no doubt Tina would make the most amazing ice sculpture the world had ever seen, but she’d rather preferred to remain an alive human girl if possible.

“Uh, thanks, I—” She struggled to find the right words to thank Morgan, but not because she didn’t know what to say, no. It was because she was trying to keep 30lbs of clothes from touching snow. And then, on top of all that, Rowan decided to crash the conversation, completely interrupting her in trying to speak. Now, she’ll say it once and never again, but she really did like Rowan. He was all kinds of weird, and weird was ten times better than normal, but he did just take her spot in Morgan’s room that she worked so hard for—almost speaking an entire question for it.

If he didn’t correct himself when he saw that the spot had already been reserved, she probably would’ve looked at him intimidatingly until he gave it up, but thankfully that was not necessary. The only thing that remained was taking the jacket, which, if one had been following, turned out to be more of a problem for Tina than one would think. Her hands were full, but she wouldn’t just leave Morgan hanging like that; that would be so lame.

She was at a standstill with herself over a debate which hadn’t at all been deep, and she knew what she had to do in order to not become an ice statue, so she slowly put down her suitcase into the snow, dying a little bit inside as she felt the weight come off her hands and slowly dive into the white. “Yeah. Thanks.” She chuckled a bit to herself, knowing how spoiled she must have looked to the two, but she hoped they knew her better than that.

But it was what it was. All of her clothes had now probably been wet, however, at least she had a jacket that smelled like forest after rain, mixed with a dash of pine and cinnamon. It was also warm, but that didn’t matter as much, right?

“And just a fact,” She looked at Rowan as she zipped the jacket up before continuing her joke. “You’re 100% the one sleeping on the floor.” As she laughed, she put her hands around the two shorter people that were one on each side before speaking again. “Now, this trio, hm, that sounds like a fun time to me.”

She looked down at both of them. “Argentina and the murder twins. Sounds like a band name. I’ll be the lead vocals, twin no.1 is drums, twin no.2 is bass.” She squeezed Rowan as she said twin no.1 and then squeezed Morgan when she said twin no.2, just to make sure they each knew their position in this new band that everyone will be talking about by the end of the trip.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[KingofAesir]

chapter 1: "At First Light, They Found Him"

7am

---​

mood

"Well, no going back now."

location

outside the lodge -> inside

interaction

Tina mogy
Rowan mikaluvkitties

Morgan was entirely too preoccupied with peering into the old, dented up mailbox at the front of the lodge to notice Tina struggling with her suitcase behind her. There was something in the back of it, but it was so dirty inside that she was afraid to stick her hand inside because there could be spiders or something. Spiders were weird and crawly and she wasn’t exactly afraid of them per se, she’d just rather not have one crawling around her. What kind of creature had eight legs anyway? A freaky one that’s what. But, she really wanted to see what the crumbled piece of paper in the back of the mailbox was. Was it illegal to steal mail in Norway? Was it even considered stealing if you were renting the house? The tips of her Doc Martens were sinking further into the snow below her, the fronts of them were slightly worn out from her habit of kicking the ground and cold wet was seeping into them. Morgan cursed before deciding to hell with it and shoving her hand into the mailbox, getting stuck halfway but managing to grab the paper with the tips of her fingers and yank it back out.

“I can, if necessary, sleep on the floor” Rowan appeared at her side before she could get the chance to open the letter, which she shoved into the pocket of the white-washed high rise jeans. Confused, she glanced behind her to find Tina had caught up, Morgan’s old letterman draped over her shoulders. She hadn’t caught the first half of what Rowan had said and now she’d all but forgotten the second half as she grinned over at Tina. The letterman looked kind of funky on Tina, it was a little short in the waist but the puffiness that letterman's usually had, paired with Tina’s slight frame, made her look even smaller. The paper she’d pulled out of the mailbox was now completely forgotten as she opened her mouth to comment on how it made her look, but Tina was already speaking, seemingly responding to whatever Rowan was talking about. Oh, right, Rowan was here now.

“And just a fact, You’re 100% the one sleeping on the floor.” Sleeping on the…Oh! He had been talking about rooming with the two of them, right. But the floor was probably really gross and moldy in this place, Morgan would really rather not have Rowan sleeping on a nasty old lodge floor. What if there was…like…that shit that gives you cancer in it, asbestos. Old houses had asbestos in them all the time she was pretty sure. It would suck if Rowan got lung cancer, he was like her only friend really back in New York and she’d rather not lose him. Her thoughts about lung cancer kept her from speaking again before Tina.

“Argentina and the murder twins. Sounds like a band name. I’ll be the lead vocals, twin no.1 is drums, twin no.2 is bass.” Morgan perked up at the nickname, finding it rather endearing. She already knew how to play guitar, bass wasn’t really a stretch they could definitely…floor cancer, right.

“Uh, we’ll drag you a mattress from somewhere else or something, Row.” Morgan peeked over at him from under Tina’s arm, “The floor in there is probably really fucking dirty.”

As they shuffled through the front door, her fears were somewhat confirmed. It did kind of look dirty and gross in here, but not so much that a little cleaning wouldn’t fix it right up anyway. Morgan pulled at her right earlobe as she spun to take in the living room they had just entered. The carpet was green, a remnant from a bygone era, but the rest of it looked mostly modern. The walls were unpainted wooden paneling, something that was more common in dens than in living rooms, but it wasn’t terrible really. At least it wasn’t moldy. Morgan reached up to tie her hair up with a hairband that she kept around her wrist 24/7 and retucked her sweater back into her jeans.

“It feels kinda stuffy in here. We should find the heat. I hope this place isn’t still using a furnace, my neighbors house caught on fire once because of those.”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[mikaluvkitties]

chapter 1: "At First Light, They Found Him"

7am

---​

mood

"I'm not even surprised at this point."

location

A shitheap, apparently.

interaction

Tina mogy
Morgan KingofAesir

Rowan did not sign up for two of the only people he could stand to flirt with each other in front of him.

Or maybe he did. Either way, he didn’t like it.

“And just a fact. You’re 100% the one sleeping on the floor.”

His mouth actually twitched at that, though he schooled it away before it could morph itself into something that could actually be called a frown. No, he was the picture of serenity: The last thing Rowan needed was frown lines, even if he could barely tolerate the way she had to look down at him and decided to touch him. Had he really decided to have sex with her? He couldn’t see what the appeal had been. He couldn’t even blame it on drugs. This was something he’d done to himself stone-cold sober.

He rolled his eyes as she spoke. How could she cast him as a drummer? Wasn’t the piano torture enough? ...Did he want to learn to play the drums? Hitting things was nice…
No. He hated playing instruments, actually. As subtly as he possibly could, he shrugged Tina off of his shoulder.

Thank God for Morgan, though. At least she cared about his well-being and that of his sleep clothes. They spared her a smile—Smile lines were… acceptable. If he got them for good reason.

And then he saw the living room. He froze in the door way, staring at the carpet as if it had personally called him a whore.

He looked up in horror towards Morgan, only to find her taking it in. If he’d known he had to face this carpet…

...He thought about the psychic harm he could inflict upon Don this week, the fights he could start, and decided he still would’ve come. It would be nice to hurt him. His face flattened out with his put-upon sigh, shoulders slumping as he accepted his face. “This is what we get for trusting Donovan,” he muttered. He paid no mind to the comment on the furnace, bothered by the cold but unconcerned by the thought of a fire. After all, what was the chance of that happening to them?

“Can we at least put our stuff away first? I am not carrying this around.”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[ohdittoh]

chapter 1: "At First Light, They Found Him"

7 am

---​

mood

I'm broke, sorry.

location

Just outside the van

interaction

Donovan jazzyball
Evan Winona

Nothing said a good time quite like a bunch of people shoved into a ratty van that wound around and out and about all kinds of hills and mountains in the most jerky way possible, right? There was a saying about this somewhere, right? Something like, You know you’ve lived when you’re stuck for five hours with a girl’s elbow in your gut and your face just a little too close to a guy who needs to learn what toothpaste and deodorant are. Yeah, that was it. And the scent wafting through the backseat, which he was so luckily placed in, was definitely not that of sweaty feet and dead cats. It was that of, uh, cleverly disguised roses.

Andy wore a grin on his face pretty much the whole way, when he wasn’t taking naps (though those only lasted about ten minutes at a time and were, unfortunately for everyone else, few and far between). Positive thinking really did him wonders, ya know, and he was really chill the whole ride. Sure, ya know, he got a few glares from people here and there — even though, ya know, he didn’t really try to do anything while people near him were trying to sleep — but he still insistently tried to strike up conversation with everyone from the people two inches from him to the driver up front, all at the same loud volume.

At one point, when there was a lull in the mood, he even tried to start, ya know, something to get the whole group’s spirits up — the trip wouldn’t be any fun if everyone acted miserable the whole time, seriously! “Okay,” he announced, “we’re gonna sing ourselves a song.” Though someone (or maybe someones insistently cried no), Andy drew in a deep breath and began: “Ninety-nine bottles of —“

Then, someone threw a shoe at him, which really pissed him off, and he held it up and went to throw it back at them, but then he remembered that it was probably best that he didn’t injure one of the people who he was going to be spending a week with (because, whew, how awkward, right?), so he decided it was probably best to drop the song before things escalated, and he also kept the shoe bak there with him.

Ya know. As a little token. A little momento.

Anyway, at some point really early — and Andy had no idea how it happened, honestly (though the odds were that they’d stopped to let everyone out to piss somewhere) — the spots got switched, and he wound up between Donovan and Evan. Of course, now, Donovan was drinking, and Evan was, uh, Evaning, so Andy reserved himself to conversing with them. It was a lot easier to talk to people who, ya know, you at least got pretty decently along with before the trip. Still, he didn’t wind up feeling the need to fill the silence between them as much as he had with everyone else, and he wound up dozing off for far longer than the usual ten minutes.

Andy woke up as the van lurched to a stop. Blinking a few slow times, he sat up in confusion. “Wha…?” he asked. In his grogginess, the sounds around him kind of sounded like gibberish. He felt a pat on his shoulder, and Andy looked over to see Donovan, grinning at him. “Right, uh, Andy — pay the man,” he instructed. “I gotta take a piss.”

“Wha…?” Andy asked, sitting up straighter and rubbing his eyes. He yawned. “Pay the who —“ But when he opened his eyes, Donovan was already gone, and he was face-to-face with the driver, who had his hand out, impatiently waiting for something to be placed in it.

Andy gave him a nervous grin. “Oh, uh, sir…” I’ve got no money. He did a shaka brah sign. “Yo. What’s up, my man? You did a great job driving us.” He gave him a sure nod, and then chuckled. “But uh, well, I gotta say…”

Thinkthinkthinkthink —

With a quick motion, Andy reached over and hugged Evan tightly by the shoulder. “Evan here’s got some money burning a hole in his pocket, and he’s got our fare right here.” With a quick glance to Evan as he pulled his arm off, Andy muttered, “Sorry, bud, but I’m broke,” and quickly moved out of the van, sure to grab whoever’s shoe on the way out.

When his feet hit the ground, he immediately noticed Don, headed right back over. He placed the shoe on his hand, then huffily smacked Don’s back with the sole of the shoe. “You’re a dick sometimes, Don,” Andy said, a grin creeping in in spite of his genuine frustration. “A real honking dick.”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[mogy]

chapter 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM"

7am

---​

mood

"This is going to be fun, if Rowan stops acting silly."

location

Inside the cabin

interaction

KingofAesir (Morgan), mikaluvkitties (Rowan)

The iconic ‘Argentina and the Murder Twins’ moment ended rather shortly, Rowan pushing Tina’s arm off of him, but she didn’t hesitate to keep her arm over Morgan’s shoulder for just a little bit longer.

But then came the time for all of them to actually go into the cabin, something Tina quite dreaded, and the moment of expecting the worst came to a weird half-climax (something Rowan would know about).

To be quite honest, Tina had seen far worse; Tina had slept in far worse; Tina had spent days in far worse at times previous, so her face remained pretty much the same as she entered the rundown cabin, wide smile and hopeful eyes. There wasn’t a lot that could disgust the girl, and unless the stain in the middle of the ceiling had been from someone’s blood, she would be more than happy to spend the next seven days at the cabin. What worried her when she’d been outside the cabin, though, had been the smell that the cabin would have on its inside, but she was surprised by the lack of something sour in the air. It just didn’t feel right.

Then again, she would be the last one to complain about the lack of an awful smell. Instead, she put her suitcase down on the carpeted floor and pulled the handle up as she listened to what Morgan was saying.

A furnace.

Lit.

Donovan would definitely be the one to have to take care of that judging by the quite bad reactions of literally every single person involved. It was his bad idea that led them there in the first place, so it made sense for him to be the scapegoat for the heat. But, like said previously, Tina was not complaining. It was cheap and it would be more than enough to have a really fun time. With Morgan.

And Rowan, apparently…who was now complaining about having to carry his own stuff. One didn’t see Tina complaining about that to anyone but herself, did they? My God, the sheer daring of some…

At moments like that, she really regretted having slept with him that one night when she was drunk and lonely. She didn’t regret sleeping with anyone else before, so when she realized what had happened with Rowan, it felt like a really bad movie, and she chose to try and forget it as soon as possible, which he went along with so far, but she still knew it happened, and just felt yucky about the whole thing. Especially at times when he would act like a brat.

“I’m fine with my stuff staying here for now. Why would anyone want to mess with my stuff?” She answered, now letting go of the handle that connected her to her suitcase, and walking forward to get a feel of the room a bit more. Her suitcase was positioned so that it wasn’t in anyone’s way, so she was fine with it. “But if you want to find the three of us a room, nobody’s stopping you.” These little games were so fun to play with people, only when the people were Rowan. He wouldn’t leave Morgan’s side, Tina highly doubted it, but giving him a choice was a sure way to make him squirm a bit.

Oh, and don’t judge her, you would do it too. Especially since it wasn’t meanspirited at all. Especially since it was only a touch meanspirited.

“So… First order of business, heat. Second order of business, alcohol. I mean, we definitely need something to heat us up quickly. Can’t have your jacket forever, can I?” Tina said as she nudged Morgan, shoulder to shoulder.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[mogy]

chapter 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM"

7am

---​

mood

"I do not want to be here."

location

just out of the van

interaction

hery (Rhys)

Something about fresh snow was never right after then. The feeling of it under Eddie’s boots; the soft squeak it made with every step; the extended smell of dirt that hid slyly underneath it—every single thing that made fresh snow what it was became the cluster of reasons why Eddie simply could not be around it. And he dreaded getting out of the van when the mountains around them started becoming whiter and whiter as the mileage grew. He’d rather risk feeling pain in his legs from being cramped up than get out of the van into an environment which reminded him of one place only.

But during the day, it was easier, and with Rhys obviously as excited as every other idiot there, he wouldn’t stand in his friend’s way of having fun. Even if that meant facing his biggest fear: snow.

One foot out, lip bite, other foot out, a breath in. He focused his eyes, looked around, and it was fine. But he still hated the feeling of it under his boots. “Thanks for inviting me.” His British accent as prominent as ever, false gratitude pointed at Rhys. He really did try to sound as genuine as possible, but Eddie was always known as a bad liar, and an even worse actor. He could just hope Rhys would brush over it like it was honest, and as he hoped, he walked over to the back of the truck, taking his duffel bag of clothes, backing away so others, who’ve yet not done so, could.

Those who have were already talking about rooming together, having fun, drinking, or whatever else they would be doing on this ski trip. It was actually kind of funny to Eddie how nobody was actively excited about skiing, but then again, he was the last person who was actually planning on skiing. This was actually his way of working on the friendship he had with Rhys, though, by the look of the other young man, they weren’t thinking of doing the same thing on this trip. With any luck, the sleeping arrangements the two decided on still stuck and he wouldn’t find himself being completely alone or with, god forbid, another person that wasn’t Rhys.

Don’t get him wrong, it wasn’t that he necessarily disliked the people who were on this trip, no. They seemed rather content with their lives and a pretty fun bunch to be around, but Eddie did not see himself with them at all. And I mean… At. All. He was so asocial, and so completely stupid when it came to social interactions, he could pretty much only envision himself as social as them in some weird mix of a dream and a nightmare. So, pretty much, summed up, he was ready to spend the next seven days in his room alone if Rhys decided to spend time with other people. And that wouldn’t have been nice of him since he was the one who invited Eddie to the gathering in the first place.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Winona]

CHAPTER 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM"

7am

mood

idk

location

idk

interaction

Donovan jazzyball Andy ohdittoh

The drive to the winter lodge was super interesting.

Nah, just kidding.

It'd been boring and drier than hell.

He'd attempted to waste some time by trying to play some card games with his worn deck, but playing solitaire on one's lap didn't work out so well when smashed so close to others. And after trying to show off his handful of magic tricks and trying to swindle a few dollars from others, that had quickly grown boring -- plus Evan didn't want to piss off his new roomies for a few days too soon.

He'd save the swindling for later.

So... his time had pretty much been left to taking naps with his head laid against the window, only for him to be rudely woken up whenever the van would hit a bump and his head would bounce and slam into the glass, causing him to let out a stream of curses under his breath.

And then the very end of the ride had Evan stuck beside Andy in the backseat with Donovan on the other side. It'd been cramped, and along with the pain in Evan's butt from sitting in the stupid van for hours on end, he was now sweaty and cramped against stupid Andy.

And Andy didn't shut the fuck up.

Luckily, it wasn't all too much longer until they were free. Safe at the stupid ski lodge. Unfortunately, everyone seemed to think they were getting out first, so every time that Evan would go to stand up, someone else would stand up. There was an irritated look on his face, 'till Andy was standing up beside him and--

Patting him on the shoulder.

And telling the driver that he'd been paying.

As the driver looked back at Evan, there was a sheepish grin on his face.

"Yeah, Rhys actually said he'd cover this one. Great guy, that one," and before his friend could give him any shit, Evan wiggled his way outta the back seat and hopped out onto the snowy ground. There was a relieved sigh as he finally set his feet on flat ground.

Evan stretched his arms above him, his muscles straining, and then he started towards where Andy had gone over by Donovan. The shorter boy reached up a hand, slamming the heel of his palm into Andy's shoulder as he glared at his buddy.

"What'd you do that for?" Evan snapped. "Makin' me pay." He gave an annoyed shake of his head, still not really paying attention to the tall blonde beside them.

What could he say? Donovan had them crazy I'm gonna strangle you in your sleep vibes. Something 'bout the dude just kinda got under Evan's skin, but he was Andy's friend, so... his path was forced to cross Donovan's more than he'd like to admit.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[hery]

CHAPTER 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM"

7am

mood

"Ski trip asf!"

location

outside the lodge nvm they're inside now

interaction

Eddie ( mogy )

Who Rhys was kidding, he couldn't say. Taking Eddie on this trip, he was practically begging for a liability in the form of a party foul. His loyalties always lied with the guy he dove through Hell with; why else would he intentionally embark on the same exchange program as him? After all the change the two boys had gone through, one commonality was sure to remain: their hometown was to be avoided like the plague.

The rare times Rhys did return, he was met with a dread that clung to his ankles and dragged him down. Visits with his family were rare. He'd blink and his sisters would grow an inch, whatever sibling bond they had waning in the face of the dread that repelled their big brother. He insisted to himself and his friend that their ordeal was all over, and it was, but not a day went by in which its Rhys didn't feel its aftermath. The sleeping pills were a small respite, at least.

Then, eventually, those horrid memories crumbled into fragments so short the feelings associated with them dulled. Rhys could still recall the visceral fear he felt, but at least it had less of a bite than he remembered. Maybe it wasn't so bad. Maybe moving on wouldn't be so hard.

And then, one day, scrawling notes at his desk, Rhys thought about the incident. Specifically, the night he came to in a daze outside his house, the world spinning as a shrill ring blared in his ears. The snow crunched under his limber frame as he collapsed to the ground, and it was then on that he feared he wasn't alone in his thoughts, much akin to an alter-Rhys dragging him around like an arcade claw.

He laughed to himself. So ridiculous it was. Without a second thought, he resumed his note-taking, unaware in the moment that he'd made it over the hill. Somehow, some part of him stopped caring so much. As if he'd released a fist and all of the apprehension and paranoia he'd been grasping slid off his palm like sand scattering to the floor.

Ed never seemed to get the memo.

A greater burden tethered him into the abyss, chains of shadow wrapping around his neck and limbs as he gasped for air, no sound escaping his lungs. It was an isolating, crushing condition, and it was one his best friend knew well. He had to just move on, Rhys reasoned, make his peace and hope one day he wakes up with the beginnings of normalcy kindling within.

"Thanks for inviting me," the lanky boy said to Rhys as the rest of group filed out of the bus, his thanks halfhearted and despondent. It was one of three things they had said to each other since the bus took off. It was silent and, while neither ever minded that, it wasn't a pleasant silence. The two hardly had anything to say to each other these days, ever since their paths in life began to diverge. As much pressure as it put on their fragile friendship, Rhys just wasn't who he was in high school anymore.

"No need to thank me," he answered dully, releasing a sigh, "Everybody's glad you're here. Just try to have fun, yeah?" He gave his friend a firm pat on the back and followed him to grab their things, keeping a firm grip on the boy's back. He bent over and slung his duffel bag around his shoulder, then finally joined the rest outside.

Everyone seemed to take turns avoiding the financial pain of shelling out a couple twenties for the bus driver, and Evan wasted no time sleazily stating, "Yeah, Rhys actually said he'd cover this one. Great guy, that one." Immediately after offering him up, his so-called friend slinked away alongside everyone else.

Yeah fucking right. Rhys smirked, confident in his ability to absolutely not be the sucker stuck taking one for the team. "Ah snap, friends," he apologized in his peculiar, accented English, "Seems I've misplaced my wallet." He spent about a half-second patting down his jeans, then threw his hands up in the air. "Me and Eddie will pick up the next bill. Scout's honor."

Before the mustachioed bus driver could grab him by the collar, Rhys shepherded Eddie away from the bus, his head hung high with a cocky air of untouchability. It was then that the college student picked up on the stale air of the lodge, pulling him back to the abandoned industrial complex that started it all. Thankfully, this place seemed to be a hair less dusty and dilapidated.

But just a hair. Rhys was a big fan of old Donnie, but hot damn had he chosen the trashiest place he could lay his hands upon. He always was a devoted helper, wasn't he?

He glanced at his side, the creak of the door, the cold nip at his nose, and the spattering of dust on his face reminding him of the boy he came here with. Had the building evoked some memories of his own? Rhys knew he himself could handle it, but if Eddie fell into a panicked frenzy, he wouldn't have been the most shocked. Some problems just never seemed to resolve themselves.

"Mission one is grabbing the best room and slipping a knife under our pillows," he murmured toward Eddie, stepping through the front door. A few already seemed to be inside, one of which Rhys crinkled his nose at. "You're staying with me. I don't trust you to defend yourself against that fucking lunatic." His eyes pointed to Rowan, who stood beside the punk chick and everyone's favorite bimbo.

Well, second favorite. Blayke was on the trip too.

As he made his way up the stairs, he kept his eyes trained on the trio by the furnace. His energetic call was deep and resounding: "It's a party!" he shouted, raising his voice to bellow, "WOOOO!" He began to snicker while his gaze drifted across the room, to which he had a much better view of from up the stairs. He caught the intense stare of a certain girl calling for her friend, the corner of his lips tugging to a grin. Shit... somehow, after they'd broken up, CC was even hotter than ever before.

His grin opened to a toothy smile, and he couldn't help but hold eye contact and bite his lip before turning and stepping up to the second floor, which creaked loudly under the two boys' weight. "Get pumped," he said to Eddie, giving him a shake. The other bag in Rhys' hand swayed, all of the bottles inside clinking with a chipper melody.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Winona]

CHAPTER 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM"

7 AM

mood

idk

location

idk

interaction

CC jazzyball

As she'd climbed out of the van, Freya's hands had come up to hold the camera that dangled around her neck up. Her gaze kind of moved around, her steps slow as she eyed the area around them, kind of trying to see if there were any decent angles. What could she say? Taking brief captures of every moment was kind of her thing.

She brought her camera up, peering through the lens and eyed the scape before her. The rolling snowy hills, snow dusted trees, it was all rather picturesque, but also all rather boring. How many millions of pictures of snow-capped Norwegian mountains already existed today?

Too many, that's how many.

With a click of her camera, she sighed and let it go to dangle around her neck when she heard CC's voice calling her name. With a groan and a kind of dramatic roll of her eyes, Freya walked back over to the van that people were still exiting and rummaged through the back for her bags -- one which held her clothes and items, the other which held other lenses and knickknacks that were related to her camera.

Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, Freya picked the duffle bag up in her hand and headed towards the front door of the ski lodge. The door was still partially open from CC, and Freya stepped in and came to a stop beside her friend and roommate for the next week -- because fuck the idea of rooming with a literal stranger.

The whole ski lodge kind of looked very...

Creepy.

With her free hand, Freya started feeling along the wall until she found the lights. Flipping the switch, she watched as the living room lights turned on after a brief moment, and everything looked... kind of better. Sure, outdated as hell, but at least it was clean. Maybe a little musty, but that was probably just due to being closed up for so long.

"Where do you wanna stay?" she asked as she started into the room, opening up doors as she went along -- bathroom, hallway that led into the kitchen...

So far, nothing too interesting.

Eventually, her exploration brought her to the staircase. With a tilt of her head, Freya started up the stairs. "You coming?" She asked. "Otherwise I'm picking a room where you get to sleep on the ground or something."

Ha, yeah, that was totally mean.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[_em_]

CHAPTER 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM

7AM

mood

fishing for roommates

location

whack-ass cabin

interaction

Winona - freya jazzyball - cc

The Norwegian winter was harsh against her mink coat. Blayke squinted as she stepped out of the van, wiping at the fur encasing her in a vain attempt to prevent it from matting. She pulled her blonde hair over one shoulder as she entered the cabin.

“Who decided it would be a good idea to go somewhere cold, again?” she called out to the group. “We could’ve just gone to my beach house.”

Sure, her dad had funded the trip, but she certainly hadn’t been the one to pick the location.The worn shack she was standing in certainly wasn’t her cup of tea, although…”I mean, it’s kind of cute, I guess. If you squint. In a poor way.”

Something smelled, and there was far too much dust for her liking, but going home meant mingling amidst her parents’ real estate cohorts. The thought alone was enough for her to resolutely adjust her pink ear muffs and commit to staying. Hopefully someone would find the heat soon.

The group started dissipating and, in an unfortunate twist of fate for her future roomie, Freya entered through the front door, nearly hitting Blayke.

“Oh, hey!” Blayke greeted, a blindlingly white smile on her too-perfect features as she quickly noticed CC lugging bags up the front steps, “I can’t wait to be roomies with you two!”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[ohdittoh]

chapter 1: "At First Light, They Found Him"

7 am

---​

mood

I'm broke, sorry.

location

On his way inside

interaction

Donovan jazzyball
Evan Winona

Andrew spotted Evan flopping out of the cramped van, and his eyes immediately flicked away guiltily. If you don’t see him, maybe he won’t see you, he thought, not really sure if he was kidding or doing it seriously as he stiffened his back and put his hands to his sides to become as much like a tree, pole, or other inanimate object as possible. One with the trees… He closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath. Think like a tree…you are a tree…

Unfortunately, that obviously didn’t work, and Andy felt a soft little punch at his shoulder. He looked down to see an angry little Evan glaring up at him. An apologetic grin spread across Andy’s face, his brows knitting upward. “Uh…hey, bro,” he said, “fancy seein’ you here.”

“What’d you do that for?” Evan demanded. “Makin’ me pay.” He shook his head annoyedly.

“I’m broke, Evan,” Andy said, sinking his shoulders and hanging his head a little bit in an almost cartoonish display of guilt. “If we’re talkin’ levels of broke-ness — brokity? Bro-brokeishness? Uh — there’s like…” He held out two hands in front of him, his palms turned flatly down. He hit the side of one hand against the air. “‘Oh, I’m broke,’ when you’ve really got, like, at least a hundo in the bank, then there’s…” He stacked his other hand on top of that one, giving a little ”boom” as it hit it. “’Oh, I’m broke,’ but you’ve got at least twenty in your pocket, ya know? And then there’s me.” He held his hand as high up above his head as he could. “‘Oh, I’m broke,’ but I’m really fuckin’ broke.” He gave Evan’s shoulder a gentle nudge (which, from the boxer, was probably far less gentle than he imagined it). “You get me?” His brows furrowed tighter together as he studied Evan’s glare. “You’re not, like…legit mad, right?” he asked, his voice legitimately concerned. “If you are, I’ll give you, like, a free punch or s —“

Andy felt a clap on his shoulder. Glancing over, he saw Don, giving them a wide, toothy grin. “Relax, both of you,” he chided. “Come on, we’re gonna be the only ones left out here in the cold if we don’t get movin’.”

Andy gave Evan another concerned, apologetic look, then looked over at Don with a wide grin that probably made the whole display look a little bit fake — which, ya know, it wasn’t, but Andy wasn’t the best at emotional regulation. “Right,” he agreed. Chuckling, he glanced back at Evan. “If we don’t, who knows what else we’ll get stuck with trying to do.”

Don gave Evan and Andy a little shake, then turned on his heel and went back toward the van. Andy watched him confusedly, blinking as he watched the friend who’d just said dude, we should go in do the exact opposite. “Uh…” Andy looked over at Evan. He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. “Did he just…?” He looked over his shoulder toward the van, and then he crossed his arms and chuckled, rolling his eyes. “Welp.”

He didn’t know Don for being all that bright, anyway.

He slung an arm around Evan’s shoulder, giving him a little jiggle. “C’mon, dude,” he said, slapping a totally light pat on Evan’s back and starting inside. “We should at least be getting in. If we don’t get in now, they’re gonna be all outta beer by the time we even get our boots off.”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Winona]

CHAPTER 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM"

7 AM

mood

idk

location

idk

interaction

CC jazzyball , Blayke _em_

As the stairs shifted under their weight, letting out groans, CC's hand found hers and Freya let out a snort of amused laughter because wow, imagine being in your twenties and still scared of shit like old creaky houses.

... Okay, so maybe Freya was kind of glad that CC was here and holding her hand, because the old house was really freaking creepy. Creepy in a kind of cool way, but even cool creepy was still, well, creepy. And she was kind of waiting for something to sneak up on them and scare the shit out of them as they peered around.

As CC stepped into the first bedroom, Freya followed after her. Her lip turned up at the sight of the frilly pink duvet, but she shrugged and dropped her stuff onto one of the beds. She glanced over as CC actually pulled back the sheets, her eyebrows drawing together while a smile played on her face as she watched her friend.

She was way too worried.

With a shake of her head, Freya had just turned her attention back to her bags when someone spoke behind them. She jumped in surprise, spinning to see who'd followed them into the room, and maybe she'd panicked for a minute. Maybe the whole creepy ski lodge thing had kind of gotten to her.

But it was just that blonde bimbo.

“Oh, hey!” Blayke greeted, “I can’t wait to be roomies with you two!”

"Hey," Freya greeted with a bit of a fake smile on her face. She glanced over at CC, and then kind of out of the corner of her eye reassessed that yeah, there were only two beds in the room, before she turned around and sat down at the end of the end of her bed. She stretched her legs out, her hands clasping together and resting on her lap. "Right, roomies, you ahh... you just mean in like... the whole lodge, right? Or are we like...? Are we... the three of us rooming together...?"

Please god no.

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Winona]

CHAPTER 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM"

7am

mood

idk

location

idk

interaction

Donovan jazzyball Andy ohdittoh

He was shoved. Throttled by hands. Knocked around by the two larger dudes, and hassled with words, too. Hey, he didn't care how broke Andy was -- Evan was just as broke. He'd just managed to buy himself a mattress, so really, his buddy's argument caused nothing but an annoyed look from underneath Evan's drawn together eyebrows.

Yeah, Andy best watch his back, 'cause Evan sure as heck was.

... Not that he'd actually do anything, but little threats in his mind kind of made him feel better.

Donovan had thrown a meaty hand on Evan's shoulder, shaking the poor boy this way and that and leaving his head spinning before he let go and headed towards the van to ahh... get his stuff? Something. There was a confused expression on Evan's face, and for a moment, he wondered if Donovan had forgotten that this wasn't just a pitstop -- that this was actually their destination, this was actually the ski lodge the gang was after.

Well, he'd never really been the sharpest tool in the shed. Not like Evan was. See, you couldn't be meaty muscular and a cunning street rat like Evan himself was. Yeah, not to brag or anything, but Evan was way smarter than Donovan, and definitely Andy, and probably half a dozen of the others here.

'Course, he didn't get too long to think on Donovan and what the heck the dude was doing before Andy slung a heavy arm around his shoulders (which were now sore from the abuse from stupid jocks).

“C’mon, dude,” he said, slapping Evan in the back and causing him to lose his breath for a minute. “We should at least be getting in. If we don’t get in now, they’re gonna be all outta beer by the time we even get our boots off.”

"Right, 'course," Evan said with a little chuckle. Of course, the fella didn't drink. He was sober, after all, and as much as he missed being able to drink with buddies, well ahh... drinking a good ol' ginger ale definitely had the same effect. Kind of. Not really. It wasn't the same at all, but ahh... kept him out of trouble. So that was something.

"Should we wait for him?" He asked, slowing down as they got closer to the lodge and glancing back over his shoulder. "Don't want the lil' dude gettin' lost and freezin' or somethin' in the cold."

As if to accentuate his point, Evan let out a loud whistle. "Yo Donovan, you comin'?"

coded by weldherwings.

 

[mogy]

chapter 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM"

7am

---​

mood

"I do not want to be here."

location

just out of the van

interaction

hery (Rhys)

"No need to thank me. Everybody's glad you're here. Just try to have fun, yeah?”

Well that was easier said than done, and Eddie seemed to have a much harder time adapting to new situations than anyone else did, even if others struggled too. He could almost stop the eyeroll at his friend’s encouraging words, but since his face had not been turned to his friend, he didn’t. They both knew that fun was not something Eddie had in his dictionary, and the dull way those encouraging words had been spoken definitely deserved an eyeroll. Two even, but that could’ve been noticed by Rhys, so one was enough for now.

Whatever happened with the money side of the situation, Eddie really wasn’t listening. He’d been thinking about everything and nothing and how much fun he was going to have, apparently, so when Rhys started talking to the angry fellow about covering the bill next time round, Eddie just nodded affirmingly at everything his friend had been saying. As long as he didn’t have to pay for anything he was fine and good. And even if he did, it was fine as well. Whatever.

And then, bag barely in hand, he was walking, ushered by his friend towards the house. The house itself, well, it looked like a house, nothing too special, but then again, from what he heard about Donnie from Rhys, he expected a bit more. Could you blame him?

The joke that Rhys made inside of the house, it was funny, but it completely went over Eddie’s head, as the blonde boy observed the rubbish inside of the humble abode they were going to spend the next week in. There was no difference in temperature between the outside and the inside, but what else would be the case in this situation? All Eddie did then was chuckle like a wind-up toy, like he would to any joke he didn’t particularly understand or hear. Rhys never was the funniest guy, but recently, as their lives diverged more and more from each other, less and less did he make Eddie genuinely laugh. Oh, and the times he did, he probably wasn’t aiming to do it. It was sad.

As Rhys mentioned a lunatic, Eddie initially thought he was talking about him, so he snapped back to reality, eyes back on Rhys. But the situation quickly caught up with him, and he looked in the direction Rhys had been looking at, only to be met with what seemed like a normal guy. Why the curly haired guy had been considered a lunatic, Eddie could only guess, but he was sure that during the week, he would know a bit more about the whole thing.

And there it was, the Rhys Eddie had not known. He was walking behind him on the stairs as the boy yelled like a lunatic. It only reminded him of what once was, and god, it wasn’t a good feeling. After that, the stairs weren’t just the stairs, but one obstacle after another, but he regained his composure by the time the two got to their room.

Being shaken, Eddie was not a fan of it, but if he didn’t act like he wanted to be here with every fiber of his being, Rhys would be disappointed, and Eddie didn’t want that to happen, so he pretended.

“It’s a party!” Even if he yelled, nothing about the words leaving his mouth spoke excitement. But he tried. “What kind of alcohol did you bring?” He continued once the shaking had stopped. Alcohol certainly was a choice of topic, but even if he hadn’t been that interested in the contents of the bag, it was something to further the conversation. Though it came at a risk of Rhys forcing Eddie to try it, it wasn’t like they could’ve talked about their friendly past adventures. And that was entirely the other boy’s fault.

“What was that stuff you made me try back home? Aquwit? Aqua-something?” He reminisced to a safe memory. “If you brought that, I’m not drinking.”

coded by weldherwings.

 

[hery]

CHAPTER 1: "AT FIRST LIGHT, THEY FOUND HIM"

7am

mood

"Room asf!"

location

lodge hallway 2F

interaction

Eddie ( mogy )

The room the boys chose left... much to be desired. A whole boatload of much. Rhys decided against scoping out them all, because then that would just be too mean and intentional if he and Eddie picked the best all for themselves, even if first come first serve was a legitimate rule. The guy may have changed since home, but he still had a fully-intact conscience.

Despite that, the room wasn't awful, especially in comparison to the few rooms they had already seen, but it certainly wasn't big. And Rhys was a boy scout, so he'd been in some pretty damn small spaces. The entire area was well-kept in that the bed was made and there was no clutter, but it was all coated in a thick layer of dust. Either someone's granny died here or this room hadn't seen a soul for a good while.

It was right across the hall from the staircase, just a bit off to the side. Out the door, it gave a good view of the luxurious, creaky-but-homey bannister and a few of the top steps. Great for remembering where their room was in a drunken stupor. First across from the stairs, first across from the stairs, first across from the stairs... Perfect. He could get so trashed.

They weren't the closest to the bathroom, though, but Rhys was never one to puke on the first night anyway. Maybe that's why he always had such bad hangovers. In response to his friend, he finally answered, "Well, my friend, we have..."

His voice trailed off as he struggled with the zipper to his bag until he tossed it on the bed and ripped it open. "Vi har en rekke pale ale og vodka. And... og... um. And..." He looked closer into the bag. While he searched, Eddie began to reminisce. Rhys had nearly forgotten about the aquavit night. He gave his friend a wistful, longing smile that was laced with subconscious pity.

He looked back down, then shrugged defeatedly. "Guess you lucked out," he answered, resigned to an aquavit-free week, "I must have forgotten to pack it." He scratched at his head. "I was sure I did, though..." His memory really wasn't what it used to be, was it? God forbid he was dealing with some kind of damage to his cognition.

"But that is the least of our priorities," the broad-shouldered college student remarked, continuing to rifle through the bag. His eyes lit up once he fished out a bottle of lager, rolling it around in his hand. "We should probably refrigerate these," he concluded, wasting no time picking up the beer bag again and heading toward the door, "And then find a bottle opener. I forgot that, too."

Oof... striking out left and right, wasn't he? That apprehensive, stoic look in Eddie's eyes wasn't making him feel any better about it.

Now standing just outside the doorway, he waited for his permanent walking partner. "Come on, we'll get some ale in you, too. You seriously need it, dude." He started down the stairs, the bottles once again clinking in the bag as it bounced up and down. "No time to stand around in the room! It'll be totally crunk before the afternoon if I can help it."

coded by weldherwings.