【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-star resort and casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.
Due to a high volume of check-ins, temporary accommodations have been made in our parking garage for all new arrivals. We aim to have all guests moved into their reserved rooms as soon as possible. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience!
All are invited to There Is No Tomorrow, a Phoenix Casino soiree to celebrate our beloved guests. The festivities will begin at 1800 hours on January 20th and end at 1800 hours on January 27th. Please look forward to 168 hours of delight.
In an effort to raise happiness and encourage better guest relationships, attendance is required. The house will assist guests that are too shy to appear of their own accord. Please note that black tie attire is mandatory. As always, we hope you enjoy your stay! 】
PARKING GARAGE
ANY CAR IN A STORM
PHOENIX CASINO HALL
WELCOME TO THE NEXT 168 HOURS
Phoenix Casino is a-flutter with activity and packed to the beak with guests. As a famously ever-changing space, the staff would be remiss if they didn't deck the crown jewel of the Golden Peacock out. The casino glitters from top to bottom, shining brighter than diamonds, rubies, sapphires, opals! Party-goers are shiny and glamorous with picture perfect makeup, fluttering gowns, and sharp suits. Card tables are packed and the slot machines are a-ringing as guests play, play, play! Prizes, luxury, booze, attractive people, it's the place that everyone wants to be at.
Those people being dragged inside by some invisible force...? Silly, they were so excited to come that their bodies moved before they realized what was happening. Those are struggles of joy and definitely not the casino's infamous ghost hands dragging unwilling guests to the party at the behest of the house. Look, they're literally hurling their bodies at the card tables with unrestrained glee!
All clocks indicating day hours and night hours have been removed from the casino. Once a guest has entered, their Watch will jam, making it impossible to keep track of the time. You don't need to worry about that tonight.
▶ All characters on the TDM are WILDCARDS, which means they have not yet been assigned a card value. Suits will not manifest until characters are accepted into the game.
▶ All TDMs are game canon. This TDM acts as the game's January event.
▶ Current characters may top level on the TDM. Any current characters posting to the TDM should note they are current in their subject header.
▶ The top level directory is for new characters only. We want to make sure new characters are prioritized and receive attention! If you would be interested in a game invitation, you can note that in your comment header. This month we also have an ongoing ATP / EMP where players can connect. Please feel free to utilize this for all of your peafowl needs!
▶ If you aren't satisfied with these prompts, please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort!
▶ Smut threads that take place on this TDM can be used for rewards. If both parties in the smut thread join the game, you may retroactively apply the character's initial card values to your 52 bank. If one character does not join the game the thread will not be applicable toward rewards (as that character would not have a card value). The character that does join would still receive a small payout for the encounter. Hopefully it was a fun thread regardless!
▶ We ask you to kindly add content warnings to your threads as appropriate.
▶ If you do not currently have permissions and kinks listed in your character’s journal we suggest leaving a note in your top level of any limits or boundaries for other players to reference.
[ An unfamiliar voice rouses Lighter a little better than his own fussing does, a soft, wakening electricity flooding his body. Rearing up from his pillow prison, he's met with another pair of green eyes, skin dark and pearly beneath lower lashes. He squints as if seeing any better will make the words clearer through the aching thud of his pulse. It doesn't. Because — no wonder he hadn't sensed anything amiss... she's so petite that she barely makes a dent in the mattress.
Already, he's a few steps behind when his bedmate goes scuttling over on quiet footsteps to investigate. That she has to bring half the sheets with her to stay decent makes him realize he's similarly in his overwarm skin and nothing else. The back of his neck heats, that blanched-hot prickle of anxiety. ]
Yeah... [ A rusty timbre, gripped by bad sleep. He clears it quietly and pulls himself up, blanket slipping over harsh muscle and dark scars. There's a flicker to his glance as he considers the room he's pretty sure he went to bed alone in, a sort of awkwardness to his demeanor at the second of her comments. ] They sure do think of everything. But uh... is that the truth, or are you just saying that to keep with the vibe?
[ Eyeing the bottle, he relents, popping the cap and tipping two of the painkillers into his palm. He lifts his hand as if to toast. ]
( Alice has always been perceptive, mostly to her detriment. She notices the small shift in his body language after she speaks, and then feels the warmth of a joke not landing creep up the sides of her neck. Her gaze falls away from him and she lifts her shoulder in a shrug, allowing her attention to be stolen by the rest of the room in an attempt to seem less interested in him. It also affords her the ability to locate her clothing, which conveniently sits nearby. She doesn't move, though. )
It is true. But I was also just trying to be funny. ( Admitting it makes her almost want to gag, or maybe it's something else coming up from the several days of no sleep and too much alcohol. Either way, she's readily moving along with him, her attention returning to him as she nods in solidarity with his cheers.
The motion makes her face fall as realization hits. ) Shit, I'm sorry. I could've gotten you a drink.
( She looks back towards the table stacked with plenty to drink and even more to eat. The pathetic grumbling of her stomach gives away her real desires. Orgasms were great, but she could have one of those quite literally when or wherever she wanted. A buffet of food? Some she had never seen before in her life? Fruit juice? )
Are you hungry?
( The sheet is dragged along with her as Alice clambers back out of the bed, heading first towards her clothing and the robe that was laid next to it, over one of the ornate chairs in the room. She'd had sense to be clean about how she set things down, which meant she'd been intentional about undressing. Curious.
She manoeuvres herself into the robe while covered by the sheet and then deposits the latter back onto the bed, her eyes finally ready to meet his again. Her breath comes to a halt, lingering on his gaze. He mirrors her in a way that feels familiar. Dark hair, green eyes. Cautious. )
[ Lighter shakes his head, the tousled mess of his hair sweeping every-which way but naturally coming to fall over the shadow of his brow, across his right eye. Reality settles in, but only so much — "reality" as a concept has slipped through his fingers on more than one occasion over the last 168 hours. Desert sand felt less treacherous. Fingertips poised at the bottlecap's rim, he deposits it back on the nightstand quietly, a halting gentleness to the way he carries himself despite his appearance.
It could have a little something to do with how (presumably) likewise hungover he is, but also seems ingrained, measured too much as a matter of instinct rather than conscious effort. Rolling over, his arm steeples to pinch his brow, massaging some of the ache away with the pads of his fingers. ]
Don't worry about it. I'm just causing a fuss on account of how terrible I feel. [ He flashes a weak thumbs up from the mess of blankets. ] As for food...
[ Its scent does drift in among the skin musk of the bedding and it doesn't immediately turn his stomach. ]
I could go for some. How — [ lifting his gaze in what he'd intended to be amiable despite the many questions he has, he finds himself quieting again, at the heart of her focus. His pupils are red, a fluttering thing, like something once injured, or a creature caught unaware by the light. Clearing his throat, he looks away in deference and finally continues. ] ...how about I wait here, and we can eat together when you're done.
[ It seems about the least he could offer, all things considered. ]
( Alice’s gaze lingers on him, a mix of curiosity and something else in her eyes. She gives a quiet exhale, her shoulders sagging just slightly as the reality of the situation starts to settle in again and her mind begins to swirl with questions. )
Yeah, sure. ( The edge in her voice has softened by his understanding. ) I’ll make it quick. Don’t get too comfy in my absence though... ( She adds with a small, sarcastic tilt of her head and a playful narrow of her eyes, though there’s no real bite to either. ) I don't want to come back to find you eating half the food on that table, leaving me with the scraps.
( She gives one more curious glance in his direction, then turns toward the bathroom, her bare feet silent on the floor as she moves away. But her mind stays with him for a moment longer, thinking of things she doesn’t quite know how to voice yet. She shakes it off before stepping into the shower, the cold air hitting her skin as she lets the water take over, hoping it’ll clear her head. )
Good news... ( She says with slight emphasis as she returns, her voice a bit clearer now that she's woken up, as she looks toward wherever Lighter has found himself in the interim. She's back in her robe, hesitant about putting her own clothes on again when they still stink of Twig. Her Watch has told her she's got a suite of her own to get to, and she wonders if that includes laundry services. She doesn't seem eager to find that out yet, though. ) You're not curled up with all the fruit juice and hoarding the bacon.
Better news, [ he intones with a slightly distracted cant of his head from his seated position in bed. ] There's fresh clothes in the closet over there.
[ Which he'd dutifully made use of as soon as she'd slipped into the shower, dressing himself in a plain black t-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts. ...There were things other than pajamas, but as far as he can tell, it's still early wherever they are, and having breakfast in bed fully dressed would defeat some of the charm surrounding it. It seems he's taking the term "breakfast" with a grain of salt, if the box of bon-bons in his lap is anything to judge by.
Otherwise, his attention is largely on his watch as he scrolls with a keen eye, trying to get the lay of the land now that he feels less like he got run over by a big rig. ]
Bacon's all yours. How are you feeling?
[ Probably like hell, much the same as him, but he wonders if she'll elaborate beyond that. ]
( Alice's attention is stolen immediately, her head twisting to locate the closet and she let out an audibly relieved sigh once she had. )
Oh, that is better news, ( she agrees, wisp of a frame practically floating towards the doors in search of something to wear. The boy had opted for comfortable, something he likely wouldn't wear outside of a suite. So Alice did the same, carefully touching over fabrics to make the best choice. She was overwhelmed with options here, and everything she had to choose felt brand new, right down to the fabric of her clothing.
With her back to him, she carefully slips one arm after the other out of her robe and into the oversized, jersey cotton shirt that fell around her frame like a nightie. )
The shower helped. I'm still not used to it being so hot... ( she trails off as she stops by the table to grab some yogurt and a slice of bacon on her way back to the bed, joining him on his side. She sits near the end, one leg pulled up and crossed while the other dangles over the edge.
Her big, green, curious eyes are on him again, blinking as she cleans her spoon, holding it between her lips for a moment before she lowers it to speak again. ) It's all very strange, isn't it? Like the shift of chrome... It glistens from one angle and is muted from another.
( Her head tilts, pondering her own words, before she becomes self conscious that she's speaking too much. Her cheeks barely color this time, but she ignores it better, taking small bites of food between her words. She isn't sure what to make of it yet. )
[ A hoarse chuckle sounds in his throat at her mention of hot water, genuine. He may not know her, but he can take an educated guess when someone's experienced a life bereft of kindnesses. As if to punctuate what he's going to say next, he picks up the box of chocolates from his lap and leans to offer her one, a single row of them already picked clean by his sweet tooth. His gaze sweeps the suite, the closet, the food. Assessing and thoughtful, but also somewhat shrewd and a little...
— awkward, almost, with how he wants to make eye contact but instinctively shies from it without his shades. ]
They don't skimp on the amenities, that's for sure. [ A beat. ] Which is the least our gracious hosts could do for us, given the strange circumstances. Like you said... once I think I've got one thing figured out, it's like it's all slipping through my fingers again. Chrome, sand, a mirage...
[ Lighter isn't a man who wants for luxury or excess, the marks of hardship still adorning him even when clothed. But he is someone who commands honor, and all of this surreptitious glamor under a power that whispers just trust me is grating on what few principles he has left.
He sighs to dissipate some of the tension he feels building in his chest again, quelling the thought. A half-smile tips the corner of his mouth. ]
All things considered, though. I feel alright. You've been a pretty easy suitemate for how we woke up.
( Alice offers him some reprieve from her gaze when she notices him struggling to meet it. She usually goes between two extremes: Either she can't bare to look someone in the eye or she can't bare to look away. He's making it difficult to choose one or the other; There's something magnetic about him. Luckily, having that thought alone is enough to embarrass Alice into staring anywhere but his face for the next five minutes.
She quietly thanks him as she selects a chocolate thoughtfully, curious about what sort it was. Sweets were uncommon place in her life nowadays, but Alice knew there was a childhood somewhere inside of her that had been abundant with them. She lets out a soft, intimate sound as it melts in her mouth before she falls over onto the bed in dramatic fashion, all sighs of happiness, deceased by hand of chocolate and gooey caramel.
Alice grins playfully, finally looking over at him from her horizontal view on the mattress as she pops the rest of the truffle into her mouth. She'd missed half of what he'd said with her antics, but certainly catches the compliment he ends it all with. And his simmering tension as she notices his shoulders fall and his smile soften.
She props herself up on her palm again, jet black hair tousled by he fall, and reaches forward into his lap to steal another chocolate, eating the second all in one bite this time. )
Well, you're not so difficult to wake up beside either. To be fair.
( Bashful, Alice isn't making eye contact when she says it and instead finds interest in her watch, licking the residual melted chocolate from the tips of her fingers as she reads over this morning's message, her lips and brows set in matching frowns. ) Do you think you could help me find my suite?
[ It's an expression he's seen any number of times, living in the ramshackle camaraderie of the desert where nothing sweet was ever guaranteed — pure bliss in the wake of an otherwise unattainable luxury. There's a comfort in it, like holding the shape of something he knows up to the light to trace its silhouette.
Popping another chocolate in his mouth, he then sets the box aside and leans over to try and also get a look at her watch's face. ]
Oh? Finally assigned after all that, huh? [ What a primer it was. ] Let see it. I haven't been on many of the floors yet, but if this really is some fancy resort, I can't imagine it'll be hard to find.
[ Granted, their surroundings, for all the ways reality has seeped in after the last few hours, do seem amorphous and difficult to grasp in a meaningful way. ]
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peacockstop2025-01-15 09:00 pm
no subject
Already, he's a few steps behind when his bedmate goes scuttling over on quiet footsteps to investigate. That she has to bring half the sheets with her to stay decent makes him realize he's similarly in his overwarm skin and nothing else. The back of his neck heats, that blanched-hot prickle of anxiety. ]
Yeah... [ A rusty timbre, gripped by bad sleep. He clears it quietly and pulls himself up, blanket slipping over harsh muscle and dark scars. There's a flicker to his glance as he considers the room he's pretty sure he went to bed alone in, a sort of awkwardness to his demeanor at the second of her comments. ] They sure do think of everything. But uh... is that the truth, or are you just saying that to keep with the vibe?
[ Eyeing the bottle, he relents, popping the cap and tipping two of the painkillers into his palm. He lifts his hand as if to toast. ]
My regards to the House.
[ Down the hatch they go, dry as can be. ]
no subject
It is true. But I was also just trying to be funny. ( Admitting it makes her almost want to gag, or maybe it's something else coming up from the several days of no sleep and too much alcohol. Either way, she's readily moving along with him, her attention returning to him as she nods in solidarity with his cheers.
The motion makes her face fall as realization hits. ) Shit, I'm sorry. I could've gotten you a drink.
( She looks back towards the table stacked with plenty to drink and even more to eat. The pathetic grumbling of her stomach gives away her real desires. Orgasms were great, but she could have one of those quite literally when or wherever she wanted. A buffet of food? Some she had never seen before in her life? Fruit juice? )
Are you hungry?
( The sheet is dragged along with her as Alice clambers back out of the bed, heading first towards her clothing and the robe that was laid next to it, over one of the ornate chairs in the room. She'd had sense to be clean about how she set things down, which meant she'd been intentional about undressing. Curious.
She manoeuvres herself into the robe while covered by the sheet and then deposits the latter back onto the bed, her eyes finally ready to meet his again. Her breath comes to a halt, lingering on his gaze. He mirrors her in a way that feels familiar. Dark hair, green eyes. Cautious. )
I'm going to have a shower before I eat, I think.
no subject
It could have a little something to do with how (presumably) likewise hungover he is, but also seems ingrained, measured too much as a matter of instinct rather than conscious effort. Rolling over, his arm steeples to pinch his brow, massaging some of the ache away with the pads of his fingers. ]
Don't worry about it. I'm just causing a fuss on account of how terrible I feel. [ He flashes a weak thumbs up from the mess of blankets. ] As for food...
[ Its scent does drift in among the skin musk of the bedding and it doesn't immediately turn his stomach. ]
I could go for some. How — [ lifting his gaze in what he'd intended to be amiable despite the many questions he has, he finds himself quieting again, at the heart of her focus. His pupils are red, a fluttering thing, like something once injured, or a creature caught unaware by the light. Clearing his throat, he looks away in deference and finally continues. ] ...how about I wait here, and we can eat together when you're done.
[ It seems about the least he could offer, all things considered. ]
no subject
Yeah, sure. ( The edge in her voice has softened by his understanding. ) I’ll make it quick. Don’t get too comfy in my absence though... ( She adds with a small, sarcastic tilt of her head and a playful narrow of her eyes, though there’s no real bite to either. ) I don't want to come back to find you eating half the food on that table, leaving me with the scraps.
( She gives one more curious glance in his direction, then turns toward the bathroom, her bare feet silent on the floor as she moves away. But her mind stays with him for a moment longer, thinking of things she doesn’t quite know how to voice yet. She shakes it off before stepping into the shower, the cold air hitting her skin as she lets the water take over, hoping it’ll clear her head. )
Good news... ( She says with slight emphasis as she returns, her voice a bit clearer now that she's woken up, as she looks toward wherever Lighter has found himself in the interim. She's back in her robe, hesitant about putting her own clothes on again when they still stink of Twig. Her Watch has told her she's got a suite of her own to get to, and she wonders if that includes laundry services. She doesn't seem eager to find that out yet, though. ) You're not curled up with all the fruit juice and hoarding the bacon.
no subject
[ Which he'd dutifully made use of as soon as she'd slipped into the shower, dressing himself in a plain black t-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts. ...There were things other than pajamas, but as far as he can tell, it's still early wherever they are, and having breakfast in bed fully dressed would defeat some of the charm surrounding it. It seems he's taking the term "breakfast" with a grain of salt, if the box of bon-bons in his lap is anything to judge by.
Otherwise, his attention is largely on his watch as he scrolls with a keen eye, trying to get the lay of the land now that he feels less like he got run over by a big rig. ]
Bacon's all yours. How are you feeling?
[ Probably like hell, much the same as him, but he wonders if she'll elaborate beyond that. ]
no subject
Oh, that is better news, ( she agrees, wisp of a frame practically floating towards the doors in search of something to wear. The boy had opted for comfortable, something he likely wouldn't wear outside of a suite. So Alice did the same, carefully touching over fabrics to make the best choice. She was overwhelmed with options here, and everything she had to choose felt brand new, right down to the fabric of her clothing.
With her back to him, she carefully slips one arm after the other out of her robe and into the oversized, jersey cotton shirt that fell around her frame like a nightie. )
The shower helped. I'm still not used to it being so hot... ( she trails off as she stops by the table to grab some yogurt and a slice of bacon on her way back to the bed, joining him on his side. She sits near the end, one leg pulled up and crossed while the other dangles over the edge.
Her big, green, curious eyes are on him again, blinking as she cleans her spoon, holding it between her lips for a moment before she lowers it to speak again. ) It's all very strange, isn't it? Like the shift of chrome... It glistens from one angle and is muted from another.
( Her head tilts, pondering her own words, before she becomes self conscious that she's speaking too much. Her cheeks barely color this time, but she ignores it better, taking small bites of food between her words. She isn't sure what to make of it yet. )
How do you feel?
no subject
— awkward, almost, with how he wants to make eye contact but instinctively shies from it without his shades. ]
They don't skimp on the amenities, that's for sure. [ A beat. ] Which is the least our gracious hosts could do for us, given the strange circumstances. Like you said... once I think I've got one thing figured out, it's like it's all slipping through my fingers again. Chrome, sand, a mirage...
[ Lighter isn't a man who wants for luxury or excess, the marks of hardship still adorning him even when clothed. But he is someone who commands honor, and all of this surreptitious glamor under a power that whispers just trust me is grating on what few principles he has left.
He sighs to dissipate some of the tension he feels building in his chest again, quelling the thought. A half-smile tips the corner of his mouth. ]
All things considered, though. I feel alright. You've been a pretty easy suitemate for how we woke up.
no subject
She quietly thanks him as she selects a chocolate thoughtfully, curious about what sort it was. Sweets were uncommon place in her life nowadays, but Alice knew there was a childhood somewhere inside of her that had been abundant with them. She lets out a soft, intimate sound as it melts in her mouth before she falls over onto the bed in dramatic fashion, all sighs of happiness, deceased by hand of chocolate and gooey caramel.
Alice grins playfully, finally looking over at him from her horizontal view on the mattress as she pops the rest of the truffle into her mouth. She'd missed half of what he'd said with her antics, but certainly catches the compliment he ends it all with. And his simmering tension as she notices his shoulders fall and his smile soften.
She props herself up on her palm again, jet black hair tousled by he fall, and reaches forward into his lap to steal another chocolate, eating the second all in one bite this time. )
Well, you're not so difficult to wake up beside either. To be fair.
( Bashful, Alice isn't making eye contact when she says it and instead finds interest in her watch, licking the residual melted chocolate from the tips of her fingers as she reads over this morning's message, her lips and brows set in matching frowns. ) Do you think you could help me find my suite?
no subject
Popping another chocolate in his mouth, he then sets the box aside and leans over to try and also get a look at her watch's face. ]
Oh? Finally assigned after all that, huh? [ What a primer it was. ] Let see it. I haven't been on many of the floors yet, but if this really is some fancy resort, I can't imagine it'll be hard to find.
[ Granted, their surroundings, for all the ways reality has seeped in after the last few hours, do seem amorphous and difficult to grasp in a meaningful way. ]