thespherelogs | May Log

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May Log

Who: Everyone!
Where: Anywhere
What: May mod log!
When: The First two weeks of May.
Warnings: Use your best discretion.

May Open log

First of May, First of May

So apparently the open festive mood on the locals hasn’t stopped so May opens with a tradition that happens within it. It’s May Day, or Beltane if you’re feeling formal and it doesn’t just last for the day. Instead it lasts for two weeks, because why do in one day what you can party for multiple days over?

There are the traditional May Day things of course. There’s the May pole stretching upwards with its brightly colored ribbons welcoming people to do it either together or separately. The colors are explained of course, purple for a good year, pink for fertility, green for fiscal gain, blue for calmness. Each ribbon wrapped around the ancient poll is a wish, an old woman tells you. So you should take it seriously. But if you do is up to you.

Ringing outside of the giant circle in the recreation dome are large bonfires. People are writing down their wishes for the year and burning them into the universe. Some more… adventurous people are hopping over the fire in order to increase the effectiveness of the wishes. In case you were wondering, John is standing ready with a med kit and a judgmental look on her face.

There are small picnics set up around rather than tables, and spring foods are placed on it. Strawberries, oat cakes, chocolate, and things like real food are scattered on them, letting people pick and share the platters around them equally. Wine flows freely, of course. Wine made here in the Sphere that comes in a variety of fruited flavors.

Traditional things such as three legged races and general races are occurring, people grouping those with powers together in order to make it fair. Other games are happening. Including Max in the dunk tank for a few minutes, so you may wanna get that in.

There are of course things that are non-traditional as well. After all, this is the Sphere. A series of bouncy castles is set up, as is an inflatable obstacle course. One of the larger castles is even set aside for the adults because well, why not.

Several large ball pits are set up and people are bringing drinks to them. There’s no way that can go wrong. It’s adults only because sometimes everyone just needs a ball pit.

Fireworks happen every night. Or at least something that looks like fireworks, minus the fire and the noise. But they fill the sky above the Sphere, making it seem as if they are under a real sky.

painting the roses red.

After celebrating the spring in April, May brings with it the work of what spring actually entails. What it entails especially after the loss of the person in charge (rip Annie) is doing the sort of normal planting in the fields. There are people around to supervise and to hand out seeds and the other things that one needs to successfully plant fields and all of that.

There are other fields and vegetable patches to be weeded and harvested, because the agriculture dome tends to always be in a state of flux depending on how many people are currently living in the sphere at the time.

But it wouldn’t be a community event if food wasn’t provided, so there’s a sort of barbecue going on. It definitely smells like barbecue that’s for sure, and there are people tending long pits of things that look like meat but that definitely aren’t. Still it tastes like good old bbq and that’s really what matters isn’t it?

Of course it wouldn’t be bbq without beer, so there’s a lot of it. It’s free-flowing (a little too free-flowing actually) and some of the teenagers have gotten their hands on it. On way too much of it as a matter of fact. Which is why it seemed like a good idea to them to show up at the work picnic with squirt guns full of washable paint.

If it’s washable and non-toxic, one argues, then it’s not as if anyone can be really angry.

But honestly it’s a paint fight. Join in or be an innocent victim there are definitely squirt guns a plenty around.

Everyone loves bathtime, right?

Well, people requested baths, so the staff at the pools in the Rec dome have tried to accommodate them! While normally, the events at the pools go something like this: The largest of the three pools, and the light is constant and sunny here. The large pool is Olympic sized, and is a sparkling blue. It’s fresh water, and probably clean enough to drink. I still wouldn’t drink it. The second pool is slightly smaller and more kidney shaped with a gradual sand mound at one end of it. This pool is salt water and looks a bit more like a beach than a pool. The third pool is a kiddie pool, complete with a splash pad, that’s running. Buckets drop, it’s got one of those mushroom things, and sprinkler jets. There aren’t any kids though, so people are welcome to go nuts.

Bathing suits and towels are provided in the divided changing rooms. There’s frozen and fruity drinks flowing freely, along with finger food and snacks.

The Sphere has increased it towards bathing though, through the use of temporary means. There’s a large bamboo building near it, and inside are various sets of hot and cool pools, sauna and steam pools, a masseuse and other spa treatments and the like. There’s three options for these times. 1.Strictly bathing suits, 2, strictly mixed nudity/ bathing suits and 3. Strictly separated nudity. No one below the age of eighteen is getting naked in the baths, sorry kids.

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Fair. Damn fair point.

"Stay still," Rhy chides. "So I can get to my feet and help you."

Llewellyn makes a sound, fussing a bit at being told to stay still; did Rhy know nothing about him? He was practically incapable of staying still. Especially when he was currently trapped under someone in the middle of the most absurd pit-trap he’d ever come across. “Wouldn’t it make more sense for me to get my footing? I’m closer to uh— wherever the floor is under all this.”

He does finally still though, either committing himself to his fate as a ball-pit creature or actually letting the more coordinated of the two of them get this sorted.

"Yes, but I am on top of you," Rhy counters. But once Llewellyn stills Rhy starts to move. Stupid balls making it hard to see. At least they've sunk to the bottom. But that means he's even more on Llewellyn. His hand moves to brace himself, which means an arm pressed near Llewellyn's arm.

The bigger issue is his leg. That needs to get under him, and there are balls everywhere. You move and the balls rush in to fill the spaces. But his knee goes down onto the ground, which is right between Llewellyn's legs. VERY close to being in a frustrating position.

"Okay, I'm half braced."

The other leg settles on its knees next to the other side of Llewellyn. Oops, straddling a guy.

He had to admit that was a good counter-point. Llewellyn still didn’t like it though, and he certainly didn’t need the reminder that Rhy was on top of him right now. He was more than aware of that. It was hard not to be at the moment.

Especially once Rhy started to try to shift and get himself into a more stable position to get off of him. This was... not what he had been thinking of when he decided he wanted to commit to trying new things while living here. “Half braced?” He echoed with a distracted tone once Rhy had ensured that he was in a slightly more stable position.

Clearing his throat with an awkward sound, he tried very hard to stay still. “Do you uh— think you’ve got your balance enough to get up?”

"Yeah, give me a moment," Rhy says, blissfully unaware of his position. There is more fumbling as he flails through the balls to right himself. And it takes no small amount of work, and his ankle brushing against Llewellyn's thigh as he stands, before he can reach down into the mass of balls to offer the man a hand up.

Ah... This was becoming more uncomfortable. There was a small part of him that wondered if whatever was in charge of this place was enjoying the awkward situation this ridiculous ball pit had put him in.

Hearing more than seeing the hand reaching down though the sea of balls, he reaches out and grabs onto what he assumes is Rhy’s arm and tries to tug himself up and hopefully free of this mess.

Oh, that is his arm. Except he's grabbing too high up and upsetting Rhy's balance. Which means he falls right back down. This time more on Llewellyn than before.

"This? This is horrid. Normally when men pull me down onto them, I'm getting something out of it. A few times."

Llewellyn had a friend that might suggest this ball pit was cursed. He was quite sure he would have a hard time disagreeing as Rhy toppled back in, directly on top of him. He’s at least grateful that the balls buffered the man’s fall some, otherwise he might have had the wind knocked out of him.

“In a ball pit or in general?” Just sort of pops out, his tone slightly bemused and defeated.

Honestly, it might be better if he just stays down here at this rate. Llewellyn was pretty sure he didn’t want anyone to see his face right now between the moments before Rhy got up and now. “Uh— well... I can’t exactly see what I’m doing down here. You could always just leave me down here next time you get up.”

"In general. And this is general."

Leave a friend in need? Hardly. Rhy moves once more, this time shifting to straddle Llewellyn, which is hard, with how the balls shift and flow around them.

"This place is not fun."

“Well that would be why I intended to use some caution while investigating rather than diving in? In case something not fun happened.” He responded, his awkward attempt at getting out from underneath Rhy before things became further complicated cut off as the man had straddled him. Yes, they were approaching truly awkward territory now, more so than before.

“One shouldn’t jump headlong into the unknown. Or push someone, anyway.” Says the man who has been doing so consistently for almost a year now. Hypocritical.

He raises an arm, trying to push some of the balls out of the way. He’s getting fidgety again, as Llewellyn tends to, regardless of how futile moving was. “It wasn’t bad at first though, your uh— face was priceless when that man pushed you in.”

"Ah, but it was fun, my friend."

That man would pay. But Rhy sighs, straightening. Wait, this was enough to get his head above the balls.

"Yes, well you can languish here. There is fun to be had, and I intend to seek it."

“I imagine that there is fun to be found elsewhere, and um... one of us might as well be having it.” He responds, a small sigh. His hand finds Rhy’s arm, and then moves up it to give it Rhy’s shoulder gentle squeeze in parting. The best he can manage considering his current predicament. “At some point, if I ever escape this, I’ll have to see if you can teach me how to find it.”

"Now Llewellyn, that almost sounded flirtatious."

Still, from here he can lean to the side to grab at the wall of the pit. Which lets him stand.

"I think you might be able to use my leg and waist to haul yourself up."

“Oh— uh... did it?” He responded, humming a little from his prison. Maybe it was twice now being straddled, but he didn't really mind the idea. He’d... had a lot of time to adjust since arriving, and a lot of talks that were quite helpful in being a little less anxious about that particular aspect of his life. Plus... well the whole network had gotten an earful of what kind of man he was. “Hm... I will have to remember that for if someone is ever interested?”

Because Rhy had been true to his word and ceased flirting the very day they met, he was quite certain that moment had passed.

“Mm... Saving me from this plastic filled grave after all?” He sounds a little relieved, honestly. He’s sure that the mess he left wouldn’t be missed in the dorm, but it would get terribly boring down there alone. Llewellyn finally reached up, clumsily grabbing at Rhy’s leg to attempt to pull himself up.

Interesting. Very interesting. The comment earns a new curve of Rhy's lips. Appraising. Now there was a door reopened.

"My my, dear detective, have I heard a repealing of an earlier statement? Is it once more allowed for me to praise the beauty of your eyes and the firmness of your hands, among other parts of your body?"

Oh no, Llewellyn, you've reinvited this into your life.

Huh... Maybe not as long passed as he first thought.

He’s still... a bit awkward about this. He’s very unpractised, all things considered. He’s not nearly as riddled with panic and anxiety as he had been the day he arrived though.

“Mm... I did tell you that you should still speak as you wanted at the time, Rhy. Though I do question the truth of some of those statements.” There is a small smile in his voice though, muffled as it is currently.

“I did appreciate the initial reprieve from your attentions? I was... not in a good state when I arrived, I’m afraid. You caught me at a rather complicated time.” He sits up shifting to get his feet under him. “I’ve since had time to... adjust.”

"If any know of complicated times in lives, it is myself."

His parents so recently dead, his brother nearly lost, so recently tortured, and still waiting to see if the man he had once loved might be worthy of him. Yes, Rhy understood complication.

"I turn my attentions away from where they will not be appreciated. Come now, give your hand here."

He offers out a hand this time.

“Yes... I sometimes wonder if life knows any other way to be than that.” He muses a little sadly, but reaches out to grasp Rhy’s hand for assistance. He supposes Rhy at least understands now, it’s not as though this place has pulled any punches with sharing the last year of either of their lives.

“Still... You should know, it wasn’t that your attention wouldn’t have been appreciated so much as I wasn’t in a place to respond to it... I simply was sorting my own mind, and that is not an easy thing for me at times.”

Well, Llewellyn had seen what Rhy had lost and longed for, correct?

Rhy grips the man's hand firmly, hauling Llewellyn easily from the pit. Once he had his feet, he was a solidly built man, and could do this much at least.

"Yes, you are quite easily ruffled, and your self-opinions are low, my dear."

Indeed he had, and it was not something he would soon forget. Regardless of the how the conversation had turned, he would still be mindful of that particular moment of Rhy’s life he had caught sight of.

Llewellyn is quite relieved to be on his feet again, however, looking quickly to see if he could catch sight of his hat. “I am that at times, yes.” He absentmindedly responded, and shrugged to the later subject. What kind of opinion could a man who had been abandoned as a child, tortured in his youth and was constantly unable to save the people who mattered have of himself but low?

“But I am also a firm believer in practice, I might uh... get the hang of such things yet.”

"Practice, as they say, makes perfect. But I've always felt that older men should be better at feigning confidence."

He's younger, and he doesn't mind that he's younger, that there is a gap better them, all he cares for is teasing now that it's free to him again. Confidence should be built up, not worn down.

"Expect better of yourself, Watts. If for not other reason than for the fact that your assets are enough to distract many an interested man."

As he should enjoy the opportunity to do so, even if it was nothing more than teasing and flirts without true intent behind them, it would be good for Watts to at least become accustomed to the idea.

“Most men have had far more time and opportunity to learn to feign such confidence, I have not for a variety of reasons.” And it would probably help if he weren’t so incredibly, bluntly honest about that. But alas, Llewellyn only lied for vary specific reasons.

Finally, he spotted his hat and picked it up. Looking inside for a moment, Llewellyn hummed a little and turned it over to let several more plastic balls roll out of it before putting it back on his head. “Mm... I will try to remember that, Rhy. You are more knowledgeable on that subject than I would be, I suppose.”

"Oh, quite a bit of knowledge. And skill. And many other things. And always, always willing to teach, my dear," Rhy purrs.

Almost reaches out to pull the man closer. Resists. Barely. Oh yes, this could be a lovely turn of events.

“Oh? That’s generous of you, Rhy.” He responds with a clumsy little smile.

He stops his movements to the edge of the ball pit and thinks for a moment (because Llewellyn is always thinking)before adding thoughtfully, “I only ask that you be patient with me, sometimes I am a quick study and other times I’m not.”

"You strike me as the quickest in the ways that matter," Rhy smiles, before lifting himself over the edge. "Should I take you to see something nice?"

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