capeandcowllogs | DRUMROLL PLEASE...

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DRUMROLL PLEASE...

WHO: Everyone participating and attending the CHARITY BENEFIT. Don't forget to tag yourselves!
WHERE: One of the City's many fancy, large event ballrooms
WHEN: FRIDAY, the 5th, 5 PM onward
WARNINGS: Doubtfully any?
SUMMARY: It's the big night at last! FOR YOUR OWN REFERENCE: Bidding results have been posted here.
FORMAT: Whatever is your pleasure.

The night is here at last. Please make sure you're dressed as nicely as you're able, and take care to donate at the door if you're able -- it's not required, but it's all too a good cause. Upon entering the ballroom you'll see many tables laid out with white tablecloths and place settings; feel free can sit and order something, the restaurant is open until 11PM and the bar opens at 8PM. In the left corner is the table where at any given hour or half hour interval you can find someone signing autographs and photos for imPorts or natives alike. The schedule reads:

ERIDAN AMPORA, 5PM - 5:30PM
DEPUTY MAYOR EDWARD NYMGA, 5:30PM - 6PM
CAPTAIN METROPOLIS, 6PM - 6:30PM
MORDIN SOLUS, 6:30PM - 7PM
BEAST, 7PM - 8PM
HUNTRESS, 8PM - 9PM
GREEN ARROW, 9PM - 10PM
WILD TIGER, 10PM - 11PM
IRON MAN, 11PM - 12AM

In the right corner is the auction set-up; at 8PM sharp the auctioneer will set up a ballot for silent bids to be placed, and announce the highest bids at 15 minute intervals. Good luck! It should be wrapped, like the signings, at 12 midnight. Have fun tonight, Cityzens, eat, drink, be merry, and bid until your desired option has been pried from your cold not-dead fingers. At 12:15 the WINNING BIDS will be announced.

Congratulations, everyone; you have raised $136,022! Below are separate mingling threads to utilize as you'd like: there's loads to do, just mind the clock. As usual, don't be shy about new CR!

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To find a man sulking in this atmosphere was to find coal among diamonds, the dust of depression amidst gusts of laughter. Edward took little time in detecting the self-proclaimed Captain Metropolis, and took even fewer seconds delighting in his apparent displeasure.

"Nelson, m'boy!" Edward strode to his prize, wrapping an arm around the other man's plush shoulders. "Who the hell told you those colors worked together? The criminal! Crimes against fashion!"

Eddie had, of course, seen Captain Metropolis about to sign autographs. The man was on stage right after the deputy mayor.

"I mean, really, you're blond! Dear lord."

Edited 2013-04-06 06:08 (UTC)

Flinching, Nelson looked at Eddie slowly, his jaw clenched tightly. His shoulders stiffened even more once an arm was wrapped around them; he put his hand on Eddie's to try and guide the arm off him, or at least suggest such a movement.

"Red, blue and yellow go just fine together," he murmured indignantly, crossing his own arms and shifting his gaze a little. He huffed out a breath before pointedly asking:

"You didn't bid on my just to ask me about my costume, did you?"

Gil had been wandering aimlessly, even after discovering who had won his bid in the end (Kenzi, which is still nerve wracking but less so than any deviant who could be out here tonight or stranger) and hadn't actually noticed Nelson or the Deputy Mayor until as he moved past a group of women looking at him almost longingly. He tugged at his collar nervously and picked up the pace, finally having caught sight of Nelson and Eddie.

He moved toward them, to give the impression he had been summoned or was too busy to interact with others he didn't know, despite that defeating the purpose of this entire night.

Gil stood there rather awkwardly, wondering if he had walked in on them at an inconvenient moment.

"Ah... good evening, Deputy Mayor." He nodded politely at Eddie and then looked at Nelson. He looked somewhat ill to Gil, which got a worried from him immediately. "Mr. Nelson...? Is everything alright?"

"Of course not, Nelson," he said in answer, deftly patting the back of the other man's head. "That would be irrational. No, no, I have far more nuanced plans for you -- ah."

Eddie had just then notice Gilbert's presence, and took apparent delight in every word the other man spoke. What perfect timing the lad had, he thought, how funny that this all seemed nearly fated. But destiny was not a scientific reality for Edward Nygma, even while the very existence of his power grappled with the potential for prophecy. He believed in truth and fact, and sometimes where that fact was place on a linear chronological scale made no difference. But no man, he reasoned, was bound to some natal detail.

"Gilbert!" Eddie threw up his hands in greeting, one which synchronized to the smacking of Nelson's skull. Whoops. "How auspicious! I was just about to search for you -- I have a present for you, in fact."

He took a step closer, grabbing Nelson by the shoulder to match his stance.

"I've been meaning to say -- I found our discussion quite fascinating. Quite fascinating indeed, and I wanted to give you something as a sort of, ah, celebratory enjoyment for your epiphany." The epiphany that Eddie was very sure Gilbert had concluded with.

"So -- here you are!"

He pushed Nelson forward, towards Gilbert.

Edited 2013-04-07 03:08 (UTC)

"Gilbert! Everything's--" Nelson was momentarily extremely relieved for the interruption, though less so when it was obvious Eddie had been hoping for (possibly even expecting) it as well. He was dragged alongside Eddie and walked to match pace, face growing a bit redder. If Eddie hadn't pushed him Nelson would have moved away the moment his grip had relaxed.

He didn't know how he'd have finished that sentence anyway. He looked at Gil, then back at Eddie with some surprise, rubbing his head where he'd been smacked moments before.

"A present? You're giving me--" It actually gave Nelson some mild relief; he trusted Gil, at least. He couldn't imagine what Eddie would have had in store for him, otherwise, but he was still mildly skeptical of his boss's intentions. "Oh. Well. How kind of you. Though perhaps not entirely necessary..."

Because he and Gil could get lunch anytime, being good friends as they were. His expression remained flustered and a little conflicted, particularly colored by the embarrassment of Gil having to get involved at all.

Gil didn't comprehend the situation, however, made obvious by the slight daze in his eye and how he glanced back and forth between the two older men. He raised both his hands to steady Nelson in case, but when it appeared he could stand on his own, he let it go.

Before he could ask what the Deputy Mayor meant by "present", he hooked onto the "epiphany" portion of the comment. The colour didn't drain, but he did pale faintly and his stomach felt knotted suddenly. He barely looked at Nelson, gazing back at Eddie in a way that silently asked him not to bring up their conversation about HABIT in particular.

And then Nelson brought up the "present" bit again and Gil was dragged back to the present.

"A present...? I'm afraid I don't understand..."

Eddie was ever an observant man. Nelson's surprise, then flooded relief, did not escape his eyes. Nelson thought Edward had purchased him for the deputy mayor's own pleasure, and it appeared to be quite the daunting predicament. He acted with a quick gesture, leaning close into Nelson's ear as he walked over to Gilbert.

"I would have destroyed you," he whispered behind a sneer to Nelson, before turning his full attention onto Gil. His demeanor transformed within that slight motion, his smile now warm with charm.

"A present, for your amusement. I have my stipulations, of course -- you will attend a brunch with Captain Metropolis. He will be accurately uniformed. I thought, perhaps it would be a nice," he waved one gloved hand, as if breezing the details to swarm. "Release for you."

Nelson's shoulders stiffened when Eddie drew close to him, prepared to pull away from him again, but he couldn't help flinching a little when Eddie whispered to him; his jaw clenched, face growing extremely warm and even redder.

"I wasn't assuming--" He began to whisper back, but it was too late. He swallowed his protest, looking back toward Gil nervously. In a normal tone, he said: "I -- well, that's doable, I suppose. The offer was intended to include the costume, so that won't be any trouble."

Though knowing he'd be out with Gil now it was a little more embarrassing a prospect. For some reason not one person he'd met yet here really had good things to say about it. He smiled at Gil a little nervously.

"Er... that ought to be all right, don't you think, Gilbert?"

"Excuse me?!" he sputtered, his face tinted a rosy shade then. "Wait, did you bid on Mr. Nelson?!"

The Deputy Mayor hadn't struck Gil as the type to be interested in men, but he did seem a touch on the flamboyant side, at least seeing him in person now. Nothing like Isla Yura (thank the heavens.)

He raised his arms in protest and quickly shook his head to refuse this... so-called present. "No, that's-- that's fine. I'm not interested in... No offense, Mr. Nelson." But Nelson wasn't that kind of man either?

And the glow on his face brightened and he found himself fully aware of what the Deputy Mayor was trying to pull -- or so he thought -- and he exclaimed, "I-I'm not a homosexual! I can't a-accept this!"

“Careful, Nelson,” he said. “Don’t want you to suffer a conniption.” The hue on the older man's cheeks was to die for, thought Eddie, but he was masterful enough to keep his glee between tongue clicks in his cheek. What commanded his attention henceforth wasn't his own struggle to appear a gentleman -- it was Gilbert's confession.

“You’re not?” Eddie blinked, waiting for the falsehood to register. Nothing did. Eddie shifted to the side, his own neck hot under his collar -- rarely, only very rarely did he make an error in judgement, especially when concerning the details of others. He had coined both Gotham's and the City's mayoral sexualities, and yet Gilbert... Wasn't ringing false.

"Oh," the deputy mayor said with a clearing of his throat. "Well. You don't have to court him, I suppose."

"I'm fine," Nelson muttered, adjusting his tie and pointedly not looking at Eddie. The color in his face didn't go down immediately; he huffed a little, fidgeting, before he looked over at Gil now with about as much -- if not more -- surprise as Eddie.

His jaw clenched with very mild distress as he realized his mistake; perhaps he had gone overboard in thinking Gilbert reminded him of himself (while much younger), but the way he'd talked about his friend from home was certainly enough to leave an impression. Thank goodness he hadn't ever pushed the subject that far.

"I was never registered as a date," he said a little quickly, still flustered. He patted Gil's shoulder in a way he hoped was reassuring. "It's just a meal. Between friends, as the case may be, I certainly -- the Deputy Mayor is just having some fun at our expense, Gilbert, it's nothing to get so upset about. Of course you aren't."

Gil was almost appalled by the Deputy Mayor's assumption. He was certainly offended -- delicate sensibilities and all.

"I AM NOT!" he shouted again, straining the vocal chords in his throat. He took a moment to allow his shoulders to fall, but he quaked with frustration at the mere thought the Deputy Mayor thought so. "I didn't come here for ... that ... either!" he added, to make it clear he was mostly a victim of anonymous sign-ups.

"A-And I cannot accept the offer, anyway. It's your money... sir. I thank you, but Mr. Nelson is your da -- companion for that lunch."

Edited 2013-04-08 03:18 (UTC)

"Calm yourself, Mr. Nightray," said Eddie as he held up his hands in some pacifying surrender. The smile he wore was uneasy, but wholly focused on Gilbert. "It's not an insult implied. I have lots of friends--" he meant acquaintances "--of such a persuasion, and they're all quite lovely. Oh, I mean -- except the ones I don't like much, I suppose, but I don't dislike them for that reason."

He kept his hands upwards still, palms showing. People had glanced over, at Gilbert's distress, and Edward wanted to make it clear that he wasn't the irritating force here. The natural assumption should condemn Nelson.

"But I really must insist you follow though, Gilbert, as it's your civic duty and what not. Besides -- his value is more in terms of experience than anything else." Eddie glanced the older hero up and down, conjuring up that flamboyant and clearly militaristic kink costume. "Experience as a vigilante. Maybe a cautionary tale, you know."

Nelson kept his hand on Gil's shoulder, leaning a little closer to him. "Gilbert, please, uh-- lower your voice a little, you're shouting," he said lowly, still flustered. After another moment he took his hand away and stood a bit apart from either of them. He cast a wary glare in Eddie's direction, but only for a moment.

"I-- it really won't be anything like that, Gilbert. I'd much rather get lunch with you, I can see the Deputy Mayor any day," he added, fiddling with his tie again. "I've been meaning to show you... well, rather, talk to you more about the hero experience -- you might find it compelling, I know you don't think you're interested, but..." He shook his head, realizing he was beginning to derail himself. "It won't be much different from last time."

He looked from Nelson to Eddie, bewildered they were both still pressing on that silly subject.

"Civic duty..." he trailed off, not sure if Eddie was pulling his leg or being quite serious about the matter. Going to lunch with Nelson wasn't a problem, but Gil was a man who preferred to blend in with his surroundings, if not be there at all. The idea of sitting with a costumed Nelson in public was going to doom him to scrutiny and attention.

"Vigilantism is..." he refrained from the word illegal, but it was there, at the tip of his tongue. "... It's not my area of expertise. I have no interest in it. I don't mean offense, Mr. Nelson -- and Deputy Mayor Nygma." He added quickly.

"Probably because you're a sensible lad," said Edward. He stepped over, pushing Nelson out of the way, and offered a once-calming palm to clasp (gently) against Gilbert's shoulder. "I want you to brunch with him so you might see concrete evidence of why vigilantism is not only crazy to endeavor, but clearly a backfiring notion. Not that you'll need much persuasion, but -- as I've mentioned: cautionary."

Eddie shot a smirk to Nelson. The deputy mayor had made a promise to Hooded Justice.

Frowning, Nelson put his hand on Gil's arm and pulled him, gently, away from Eddie slightly (more protectively than possessively). He cleared his throat.

"Well -- Gilbert," he began, "We can discuss the details further more privately, how about that? Erm, dates and times and so forth. No need to hash it out completely right now." He'd rather not lunch in costume either; that had only been offered as a hero promotion, not under the assumption he'd be bought by someone who knew him.

Looking at Eddie again, he narrowed his eyes slightly. "It's hardly crazy. Th-though admittedly not for everyone."

He didn't mean to allow himself to be tugged over to Nelson's side like a doll, but he hadn't tried to pry himself away from either. The atmosphere around them felt heavy and awkward, and Gil slowly came to the realization he may have been caught in a tiff between the two other men.

He had had his share of distributing "justice" among criminals (well, one) lately and it left him with a shoulder wound from when a bullet grazed it. It had healed up already and no longer hurt, but it wasn't something he was rushing head first to experience again.

"That's fine with me," he said, albeit a touch reluctant. "I'm not a... a hero. That title is really..." Above him, he thought. Never mind he had probably saved Monica's life that night and had presumably assisted in her investigation.

"Really, really insane," said Edward, so helpfully finishing Gilbert's sentence for him. He drummed his fingers on Gil's shoulder, having to reach over a bit more to manage it, and smirked at Nelson all the while. "Oh no, I agree: there are other more effective methods for dealing with unpleasant social stimuli."

With those words, his gaze slid back to Gilbert between them. It was a meaningful glance, one that so silently alluded to their former discussion. A man of his position would be wary to outright say it, but Eddie hinted that revenge would always be more accurate than justice.

It was far more honest.

"But Nelson, dear, don't be a pain in the ass. You two won't be discussing details without me -- I've bought you! You're obligated to my terms!"

Edited 2013-04-08 05:47 (UTC)

"You're the one being--" Nelson pursed his lips, forcing himself not to argue. He exhaled a little. "Don't call me dear, please. Particularly not in front of Gilbert here," he said a little stiffly.

He moved away from Gil again, crossing his arms uncomfortably across his chest.

"Yes, I know," he added, with exasperation. "Not to worry, Mr. Deputy Mayor. Your terms will be -- I just meant dates. It's not a deception. Gilbert and I are entitled to work out when we're both available, I think."

It was the kind of foreboding touch that sent a deep chill down Gil's back. He hadn't realized he had pulled away quickly from Eddie's reach until the hand was no longer on his shoulder.

And it was a brief, fleeting moment that could have almost gone unnoticed by someone who was less perceptive, but Gil found breathing a difficult feat. It passed quickly, though his chest still felt as if something had compressed it.

"... Yes." He agreed, his left hand lightly brushed his throat. "I'm not available most weekdays due to work, so perhaps the weekend." He barely looked at Eddie as he spoke.

Eddie was, according to HABIT, a habit himself. Not a rabbit. He was an instrument of evil -- or, more accurately, he had been and always could be again. But what went unspoken to HABIT, what Eddie never uttered to anyone was this: every day he fought his inclinations. Every day he riddled to himself -- is it nurture or nature? Is evil something he was, or simply something he did? Was he a changed man, a changed mind? A changed heart?

This was one line of questioning he had not brought to his power's grace.

"Good," he said. He pocketed his hands, having noticed Gilbert's erratic reaction to his touch. With Gilbert, Eddie wasn't interested in cruel tactics; he simply thought the other man had some untapped potential. And Eddie was ever so incredible at riddling out potential.

"I would hate to be disappointed in my investment, after all." Eddie glanced between Gilbert and Nelson, making a few quick calculations. The gift was now more transparently a lecture: Nelson's experience, he figured, would persuade to Gilbert that ideology could corrupt results.

"I work during the week as well," Nelson said with a nod, then looked at Eddie. "As you know. Next week ought to be fine."

He moved closer to Gil again, not touching this time although every time Eddie did he clenched his jaw a little more.

"Are you all right, Gilbert?" He asked after another moment, protective reflexes flared. "You see, Mr. Deputy Mayor, I think he's overwhelmed. He's had a very rough evening and all this hero-talk can't be helping." He frowned a little, patting Eddie's shoulder.

"Your investment's in good hands, sir," he added, begrudgingly. "Gilbert and I have quite a lot in common. It'll work out."

"I'm fine," he answered quickly, braced for Eddie's power to ping on that little white lie. He snuck a glance at the Deputy Mayor and then looked back at Nelson. "I should find Kenzi to discuss our ... ah, arrangement."

Eddie glanced between the two men, keeping his own person separate.

“All right, well,” he said. The falsehood Gilbert had uttered was known to at least two of the three men in that company, and the untruth unspoken made Eddie all the more uncomfortable. But he wouldn't utter 'falsehood' in the face of something so trivial -- nor would he sabotage Gil's effort to save that face.

"Try to at least enjoy it, won't you?" A message directed to Gilbert alone. As Eddie glanced over Nelson, his smug smirk returned.

"Someone has to."

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retropolis - 2013-04-09 06:56 (UTC) - Expand

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invoking - 2013-04-09 07:49 (UTC) - Expand

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DRUMROLL PLEASE...

INTENDED FOR GILBERT AND NELSON

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