From sad to interesting to hip

[firewalled]

[The first thing Rich notices is that his hospital bed is feeling mighty uncomfy at the moment. No matter how he tries to shift himself around, it feels like he's sleeping on rocks. He really doesn't want to wake up so soon, but with a mumble, he opens his eyes, hoping that maybe one of his friends has popped in to visit.

When he opens his eyes, he doesn't see any of his friends. In fact, he doesn't see the room he's almost gotten used to. When he turns his head to the side, he notices what he mistook for his hospital bed is actually a hard stone chair, something like a throne that he's currently seated in.

Then he notices that he is seated, and looking down at his legs, the bandages are completely gone. He makes a confused noise as he lifts his arms. They're mobile again... covered in scars, but otherwise healed. He frowns and looks around the room.]

Um... Mr. Nurse Dude? Did the doctors take the casts off while I was out?

[He takes in the rest of the room: the tall stained glass windows, the looming pillars, the sprawling velvet carpet covering stone floor. He feels way tinier than he usually does.]

...Also am I high?

[There is regrettably no answer. Not when he calls for Jake or Michael or Jeremy, not when he even tries calling for Chloe or Brooke. He waits for a while, but, antsy as he was when he couldn't move his limbs, it isn't long before he hops off the throne and starts using his newly healed legs to start wandering.]

((This is a joint intro of sorts! Rich's bestest bro Jake Dillinger (jakeyd) will have a tag under this post to respond to if you are so inclined.))

Comments

[jakeyd]

[Well, Jake only had his squip for under an hour so he's pretty unclear on the long term effects.]

Bro! [He pretends to be offended, putting his free hand to his chest.]

How dare you insinuate that I wouldn't have your back against a vampire! I am obviously just trying to prepare!

[He throws his head back over-dramatically and moves his hand to his forehead instead.] You wound me, dude.

[firewalled]

[Rich is definitely glad Jake didn't have to deal with that for longer.]

Aw, it's okay, man. I trust you. Besides, I'd want to get first punch on a vampire anyways, so you'd just have to wait!

[jakeyd]

[Jake laughs a little, because he can one-hundred percent see Rich running up to a vampire and straight up punching it.]

Got it bro, I'll just find a wooden stake while you keep it busy.

[firewalled]

[Excuse you, that's the best way to deal with any problem.]

See? This is why you're my best bro. We make the perfect team!

[jakeyd]

[It's definitely worked for Rich so far.]

Damn right! Action heroes have to stick together! Well they don't have to, but they should. The movie's always better that way.

[As fun as chilling with his bro again is, their situation is starting to weigh on Jake. He's begun glancing into any open doors or rooms they pass, a little concerned that they haven't run into any other people yet.]

[firewalled]

Heh, you're totally right! Better to see two guys being bros than just a boring lone wolf.

[But as they're walking along, Rich is definitely starting to get nervous.]

Geez. Maybe we should try to find food first. If we don't run into someone soon, we're going to need it.

JUST GUYS BEING BROS HOLDING HANDS

[jakeyd]

Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. I was already looking for a drink when I got dumped here.

[Jake wriggles the arm Rich has a hold of until they're simply holding hands, so he can give his friend a comforting little squeeze.]

Besides! If we find the food, someone's bound to come along eventually as soon they get hungry, right?

JAKE YOU CAN'T JUST DO THIS TO RICH HE'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HANDLE

[firewalled]

Yeah, dude, my throat's parched too. I could drink anything right now... except maybe not Mountain Dew.

[He turns back to grin about his joke, but then Jake suddenly grips his hand so tightly and reassuringly and his hand is so warm and strong and holy shit Rich is too bisexual to deal with this. He turns his head back away from Jake in an attempt to hide his blush.]

I, uh, I guess so! Heh, we'll find someone in no time.

8D? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BUDDY?

[jakey_d]

[Jake laughs, missing that there was any reaction to moving his hand at all. He's used to the both of them hanging off each other all the time, why would Rich suddenly be uncomfortable about it?]

Oh yeah dude, I don't think any of us are going to 'do the dew' again.

[Unless it's red. You know, they should probably start a petition to bring that stuff back just in case.]

Did anything look like it led to a kitchen back where you arrived? Or should we just keep going this way?

[firewalled]

[Of course they were used to touching each other... when Rich had been suppressing the realization that he was bi. That's not the case now. Rich is painfully aware that he's into dudes as well as ladies, and it's making him realize that his weird fixation on Jake wasn't just him wanting what Jake had, like his squip had said.

Whatever. Ignore it for now. Just focus on food. His bro's straight anyways. He can learn to ignore this.]

Nah, don't think I saw anything like thaaaaat...

[He trails off as they pass a room that is certainly not a kitchen, but... something way more awesome. He tugs on Jake's hand as he drags him over to the doorway, pointing at the set up inside.]

Dude! Look at all this cake! What the fuck?

[jakeyd]

[Jake had been taking care of watching the rooms on the other side of the hallway, so Rich's discovery comes as a complete surprise.]

Holy shit, dude! Is it like, thirty people's birthday today?!

[He's never seen this much cake in one place before outside of a bakery. Which this castle definitely isn't.]

[firewalled]

[Rich is amazed and utterly delighted by the existence of so much cake. He drags Jake into the room behind him.]

If it is, then where's the party?

[He is hungry and highly doubts anyone is going to miss a piece or two if they already just ditched it all here, so he grabs a chocolate cupcake and shoves it in his mouth.]

[jakeyd]

[Jake shrugs as he's dragged.]

I guess the party hasn't started yet? Either way it's gotta mean people will come by sometime. Nobody puts out a dope buffet for no reason.

[Though, he agrees no ones gonna miss a couple cupcakes--honestly, they could eat an entire cake and it's unlikely anyone would notice. Whoever paid for this much cake has to have a shitton of money, right? Jake's just looking for a drink first. He's thirsty as hell.]

[firewalled]

If someone gets pissed we party crashed, we can just pay them for the cake or something. I think it'll be fine, dude. Let's just grab some food.

[Jake will be happy to find a few bottles of chocolate milk in a cupboard that appear to be magically chilled. Rich, meanwhile, has shoved another cupcake in his mouth when he suddenly starts coughing, spitting out... a diamond ring?]

...Why the fuck was this in my food? ...Did I just eat someone's engagement cupcake?

[jakeyd]

Good point bro, besides it's not our fault we got dumped in the magical castle they booked as a venue.

[Jake gets as far as opening a bottle of chocolate milk...only to let the cap fall onto the ground when he sees what Rich coughed up. Oh no, oh no]

Dude!! We've gotta wash it and put it in another cupcake! Do you remember where is was sitting?!

[They can't pay for ruINING SOMEONE'S PROPOSAL]

[firewalled]

Uh, uhhh, oh god, okay, uh, it was vanilla, so...

[He takes another cupcake and breaks it open... only to find an emerald brooch. He snatches up another one, which holds just a... whole ruby.]

Okay. Someone's fucking with us.

[jakeyd]

[Jake's panic is replaced with confusion pretty quickly, watching precious gem after precious gem pop out of some damned cupcakes.]

Is this one of those things people who are like, criminally rich do? Like, putting gold leaf on food and shit?

[firewalled]

If they do, then they better not complain about a couple cupcakes missing! They can keep their fancy rings. I just wanted some damn sugar.

[Rich takes one half of the broken cupcakes and starts chowing down, apparently out of spite now.]

[jakeyd]

[Oh, are we fighting the power by eating rich people's food? Dope, Jake's in! Which he shows by chugging the entire bottle of chocolate milk in about a minute flat, managing to get away with only a silly looking milk mustache.]

Yeah bro, down with the man! [He would smash the glass bottle on the ground, but he still wants whomever set all this up's help, sooo. Probably not good to leave shattered glass all over their creepy castle. Jake settles for putting his hands in the air in a victory pose.]

[firewalled]

[Silly Jake, you were sort of rich for a while! Until... people found out where your parents got all that money. Maybe Rich won't bring that up. Just beam at how adorable Jake looks with a milk mustache.]

Fight the patriarchy! [Rich throws up the devil horns sign and sticks his tongue out before grabbing another cupcake. Just one more and then they can get back to work.]

[jakey_d]

Fuck yeah dude!!

[His parents might have something to do with his disdain with 'the man', actually. Not that he's thinking to hard about it right now, he mostly just wanted an excuse to chug some milk and snag a cupcake like Rich had. Huh, this one had a sapphire in it. What kind of ridiculously wealthy bullshittery, honestly?]

So uh, do you think it'd be better to chill here until someone comes along or keep looking for a real kitchen? With this much dessert there's gotta be someone working around here, right?

if we wanted them to find someone I could offer up Ryoji or Bunny!

[firewalled]

[If Jake's not thinking too hard about it, Rich won't either. He'll just enjoy himself and get some food in his stomach. But at Jake's question, he frowns.]

Well, I guess we could probably use some more legit food than just sugar. And people would be working in a kitchen, right?

Maybe Bunny in the kitchen is better considering Ryoji might sense Rich's.Issues? Unless u want that

[jakeyd]

Yeah...

[Jake puts one hand on his hip while the other rubs the back of his head thoughtfully. It really is weird how they haven't come across anyone else yet.]

With this much cake there's gotta be people working here, I just don't get how we haven't bumped into any of them.

[His parents had hosted and dragged him to enough catered events for him to feel that yet more is amiss with this place. The only time desserts get left out like this is if people are already having the main meal elsewhere, but...typically the location of the real meal wouldn't be so far away from the party room that they wouldn't have at least passed a waiter or two. Sure, the castle seemed huge enough for it to be plausible but rich people are typically pretty whiny about this stuff. Jake shoves his hands in his pockets.]

I'm ready to find out when you are, bro. [They won't find anything out chilling by the pastries, but he'll wait if Rich is still hungry.]

I didn't even think of that. We can go with Bunny!

[firewalled]

I don't really get it either, dude. Maybe it's like. A castle full of ghosts.

[He's mainly joking. Mainly. But it is super weird that no one is looking after this treasure trove of cupcakes and gems. Rich finishes off the cupcake he's eaten, tries to wipe the icing from his face, and then turns to Jake with a grin.]

Let's go, dude.

Works for me!

[jakeyd]

Hope not dude, I don't have my phone to sic the ghost buster's on 'em.

[He still needs a new one, the last one was a little bit. Crushed and burned.

Jake waits until Rich is next to him to start walking so that they take on the big empty hallways side by side this time.]

I'll cover the right. [He announces as they head back out, falling silent for several minutes after as they hunt for a kitchen. It doesn't take long for his hands to come out of his pockets, though, looking for something else to do as Jake gets more nervous about their situation. He ends up fiddling with one of the pins on his hoodie and letting his mind wander a bit. Can't get freaked out if he's not thinking about it to much, right? But wait, what if Rich is getting nervous, too? He should do something to keep that from happening.

Jake glances over and then away, hand moving away from his pins to scratch his cheek. Wasn't there something he wanted to talk to Rich about at the hospital, anyway...? Oh!
...Oh. Okay, this is a pretty weird time to bring it up but, whatever. It's all he can think of as suitable distraction material.]

Uh, hey, bro?