Event | Sinbrilee | Bacchanal

[ironwood]

Characters: Any and all!
Date: August 24 - 30th
Location: Sinbrilee
Situation: An ancient festival of an ancient city, all are welcome at the Bacchanal!
Warnings/Rating: Please label threads as appropriate.

Death and destruction cannot curtail the single most important festival celebrated by the denizens of Sinbrilee: The Bacchanal! The ghosts in and about the city have begun to gossip about high fashion and festivities, sending any that inquire to the Amphitheatre -- a grand, circular structure nestled in the west side of the city.

This structure bore the fall of Sinbrilee and the wear of time with dignity, having lost handfuls of archways and one long stretch of wall to crumbling decay. Despite this, it is obvious that the amphitheatre once hosted many a display and every more festivities than the mind can grasp. This was their solace and safety; here is where the people of Sinbrilee came to find the mind's escape from all that threatened them and their great turtle.

Ghosts have been busy throughout the week, clearing paths through debris and hanging great cloth banners of soft blues and greens to disguise the more blatant signs of its decline. Many hundreds of them shimmer and slid through the area, providing for tables upon tables of food, offering drink, and overseeing competition of sport and skill (some even denying death's non-corporeal curse to enter).

Here, well... Here is where the party begins!

Food & Drink | Music, Discussions, & Dancing | Wrestling & Competitions

Comments

[jirk]

Phasers are weapons.

[His tone's a little bit blunt. There's a laundry list of things Jim Kirk doesn't take anywhere near as seriously as he should, but anything with lethal stopping power is not on that list.]

Tricorders are for science, they scan things and tell us, you know, what they're made of. Replicators make food.

[He takes a deliberate step backward, tucking his hand against Korra's waist to pull her after him so she'll keep with the proper steps. She's a fast learner, she'll pick it up. And-- oh, then she comes across that intriguing little tidbit, and he perks up.]

Why, is she hot?

[alphatar]

[Starfleet really had a knack for awkwardly naming their equipment, at least to her. Those kinds of words just didn’t even come close to existing in her native language.]

What- I don’t- How would I know that?! [Stuttering that out was all she could do given the question.] She’s my friend and mentor. I mean she’s pretty I guess, but hot isn’t on my mind when I’m talking to her.

[Boys are supposed to be hot, that’s how it went.

OR SOMETHING.]

[jirk]

[ROLLING HIS EYES man Korra, sheltered much? Don't worry, that's what pseudo-adopted older brother-figures are for.]

Why not? Hot's hot, it kind of goes both ways. I mean, preference is one thing, but it's pretty much impossible to look at someone and not figure out whether or not they're attractive, even if they aren't-- you know, attractive to you specifically.

[He purses his lips.]

It's complicated.

[alphatar]

[Not able to fully comprehend all he just said in one go, Korra’s lips stuck out as she tried to clear up the confusion that just entered her head.

Wait, what preference? I mean I know Asami’s beautiful, I mean she had to be since she was Mako’s first girlfriend.

[If that was what he meant, the concept was all so bizarrely new. This whole topic jarred Korra out of paying attention to Jim’s body language and away from her mindset of martial arts. Too little too late before her feet managed to finally find each other and decided to collide with Jim’s feet for a fast ride straight to the carpet.]

[jirk]

[Carpet it is. Even Jim's NATURAL CHARISMA couldn't save them from the ground. And he rolls his eyes at Korra, where she's landed on top of him, his expression practically the picture definition of really?]

Preference. For partners. You know, women, men, aliens? Please tell me your culture isn't still doing that whole repression thing.

[alphatar]

[A flurry of hands, feet, and yelps may have caused some of the other dancers to stop. When Korra oriented on the fact that were on the floor, she caught Jim's eyeroll and squinched her mouth to one side of her face. She got her upper body straight as she sat on his chest, straddling him with her hands on her hips.

Flat eyed, there was no way she was letting him pin the blame of the fall on her. Not when he talked about things that never crossed her mind, and probably never would have until he brought them up.]

Everyone has partners. I mean me and my friends were partners when we patrolled the city. [That was the definition of partners.] I don't know how that's even related to what you're talking about.

What repression thing?

[jirk]

[GROAN. Jim actually covers his face with one hand, and then rubs it up into his hair. He can't believe this.]

Sexual partners. Ergo sexual preference.

[He doesn't even have one whit of shame, but at the same time there's a certain sort of surreality to his life when he's explaining this to a seventeen year old girl.]

[alphatar]

[Her eyes bulged, both of them wanting to just walk from the situation she found herself in. Looking down at him, she opened her mouth, closed it, squinted at him, and closed it even tighter before opening it once more.]

How does that even work!?

[She folded her arms under her chest and turned her head sideways as if he had just popped out of the floor he way laying on.]

[jirk]

[STARING AT HER IN DISBELIEF he honestly can't wrap his head around not getting it. 23rd century sex ed, thy name is...]

What do you mean how does it work?

[HE IS KIND OF INCREDULOUS ABOUT THIS.]

Okay, look, do you know anything about sex?

[This is a perfect thing to ask a teenage girl while she's lying on top of you in the middle of a dance floor, right? Right. Good job, Jim. Never change.]

[alphatar]

[That question, she just- STHSUAHUTHUASTHUSATHUSRA

Looking and smiling incredibly nervously at some the dancers that had looked on to make sure no one was hurt, Korra slammed both of her hands to the floor on either side of Jim's head and leaned down and whispered half-scandalized.]

It has something to do with-

[A beat.]

babies.

[There it was. Korra just divulged her entire vault of knowledge in regards to sexual activity.]

[jirk]

[By the expression on his face, the hamsters turning his brainpan in neat little functional circles just up and became deceased. Just like that. He stares at her in some combination of shock, horror, and a little anger, because who the hell lets a kid get to seventeen without proper sexual education?

NOPE SORRY THIS ENDS NOW. Jim sits up, dumping her onto the ground and then he gets to his feet and holds out a hand.]

Okay, first of all, no. Anyone who tells you that sex and babies go hand in hand is seriously doing a disservice to the whole-- idea. I mean, yeah, it can result in babies, but usually people take steps to avoid-- oh for. Will you just come with me?

[SO HE CAN EXPLAIN IT. SOMEWHERE ELSE.]

[alphatar]

[Not expecting that reaction, Korra fwumped onto the floor suddenly when he got up and looked at him, unsure how they even got to this subject. She took his hand and got to her feet.]

Sorry, I just kind of had to focus on my bending for- all of it really. [She swooped down to pick up her heels as they passed them. Having no idea just exactly what there was for him to explain, Korra waited until they got to where he was leading to before asking anything else.]

... cw for jim kirk sex ed?

[jirk]

[He grabs his boots as well and hops into them along the way, which no doubt looks hilarious from an outside perspective. He drags her up into the highest bleachers of the still-functional amphitheater, and points, his meaning clear, sit.

Normally, he'd be a little more discerning (also he has never had to teach anyone about sex before, what the hell!) but Korra's already talking about being in love and that is just. Nope. Nope nope. His spirit animal ladies and gentlemen.]

No, that's fine. It's good, bending's important to who you are.

[He sits on the bench a step lower than her, though he's facing her as he does it. Easier that way.]

Look, sex is awesome. It's great, it feels good, it causes chemical reactions in your brain that make you happy and relaxed. I won't say it's all good, but it's not all bad, either. Sometimes you'll end up with a sexual partner you're not compatible with and that's fine, never let anyone make you feel guilty or bad about that. But for somebody your age, it can be scary too if you don't know what you're getting into, and that's just about the last thing sex should be. For anyone.

[He spreads his hands.]

Okay, ask me things.

CW: Jim Kirk and Korra

[alphatar]

[Placing her shoes on the bench, Korra sat down and glanced at the the now tiny firefly that was the party down below. Her attention gets snapped right back to Jim the instant "sex is awesome is heard. Just the word alone makes her a little nervous.]

Well, I know about the kissing part. So do Mako and Jack actually. [Her mouth dug into her cheek, half-humored and half-pained. Really she was just trying to loosen herself up so she could actually say all the awkward questions she never asked anyone.]

Aside from being-

you know,

-naked.

[She took a deep breath and just tried to bypass the fact that she was talking about this stuff.]

What else is there to it? [Start off with the broader questions, then maybe, hopefully, the smaller ones get answered along the way.]

[jirk]

[Oh my god how does he condense that into a manageable spectrum that makes sense to a virgin? Why isn't Spock doing this?

(No, don't answer that)

Why isn't Bones doing this?

(Actually, no, don't answer that either)

Jim takes a deep breath. Holds it. Lets it out.]

You're a healer, right? I'm guessing you know the anatomy.

[alphatar]

[She moved her hair off her should and onto her back. No reason to keep the look up since no one else could see them way up here.]

Yeah, we had a lifelike dummy that responded the way a real person's chi would. I don't know all those weird names the way a neon surgeon like Dr. Natu does, but sure.

[jirk]

[Korra, what the hell is a 'neon surgeon'? Jim repeats the phrase to himself soundlessly, just moving his lips as he-- right. Neurosurgeon.]

It's not 'neon', it's 'neuro'. She's a brain surgeon.

[He taps a finger against his temple, but his tone stays neutral. Jim's been a teacher, too.]

Okay, so the physical aspect of it is pretty simple. And you don't have to be naked, that's ridiculous. There's lots of different types of sex, and not all of them involve being completely undressed.

[... but he's not going to describe frottage at the moment. Baby steps.]

The one you're probably the most familiar involves a man and a woman. First of all, it's never as simple as tab a into slot b. You mentioned kissing, right? That's important. Men and women aren't a hundred percent ready for sex all the time, you've got to kind of-- warm up for it. Like if you were about to do a bout, okay? Just different parts of your body.

[HE REALLY WISHES HE HAD KYLE'S RING he could make constructs that could explain this way better than words ever could.]

So kissing's good. You know when you kiss somebody you really like and you get that funny tingle in your stomach? That's part of it. Bodies are built so that we enjoy sex, because evolutionarily speaking, more sex meant more kids. It ensured the survival of the species, and we kind of have the leftover instincts of all that.

[He coughs.]

So, kissing-- is basically a form of foreplay. Think of it like stretching, getting ready for sex, but it doesn't always lead to it. And it doesn't have to always lead to it. It's also a form of affection or care, and lots of cultures use it as a greeting or a goodbye between, you know, friends and things. But if you're kissing someone you want to have sex with, you'll know. It feels way different. In a good way. If you're with the right person, you'll want to keep kissing them.

[Or you're Jim Kirk, and you kiss everybody, and there's no such thing as a 'right person'. But. Enough of that.]

Finding out what you like is important, too. Not everyone wants the same things. And bodies interpret a lot of signals differently when they're aroused. Finding someone who wants the same things you do is important. But what's also important is knowing you're allowed to say 'no' to anything you don't want. If you get halfway undressed and you suddenly don't want to be there? Say no. If the guy - or girl you're with - tries to pressure you into going further, he or she's a jerk and he doesn't deserve you. It's your body, and you are the only person who gets to say what you do with it, and when, and with who. Got it?

[Honestly, actual lessons aside, that's the one point he wants to drive home more than anything. Korra's a hell of a girl, but she's still naive, and Jim can think of at least a dozen ways a guy could take advantage of her if they wanted to.]

[alphatar]

[Brain people and their little metal knives.] Neuro just sounds weird.

[Putting her elbows on her knees, Korra leaned forward so she could catch every word. If this was important enough to get Jim to leave a party, then it was something she needed to pay attention to; readying herself to save any questions for later.

Eyebrows raised at the not needing to be naked part. That was something she assumed was a given. A bout she could understand. Always do warm ups before pro-bending, that was easy.

The explanation behind why the urge to kiss, what that feeling in her stomach was, why the heat rose up in her when she had-

Her face paled. She had no idea that when she was kissing Jack, with that strong hard passion, that her body was getting itself ready for sex. The smallest, faintest, shortest croak escaped her throat. Her kisses were rare, but now she knew that they meant she wanted to have sex.

At this point she placed both hands on her face and just rubbed in almost every direction. Did Jack or Mako know any of this? Did she just look like a complete moron that was just-

She breathed deeply and got herself back to being attentive. Later, she could deal with all of that later.]

That's a lot, but I think I got it. And I think I've made an idiot out of myself a couple of times too.

[She brought her knees together so she could put her chin in her hands. She looked worried, because there were more questions she had and Jim had just told her a ton more than she ever would have guessed existed in this hidden world of sex.]

So if there is someone that, I guess, I'm wanting to-

...have...sex with [That was more awkward than it sounded in her head.] what do I do after the kissing part? I've never really gotten past that. Things have kind of exploded in my face with Jack and Mako when that happened.

[jirk]

I said, [he starts off gently,] it doesn't always lead to sex. Or need to. It can be casual or between friends. Sex can be casual, if you want it to be. And one other thing - you don't need to listen to your body's urges, they aren't always right. Your emotions count, too. What you feel about the other person is important. When you have sex, you should be with someone you trust. Being friends with someone first helps, because it builds a rapport. You don't need to be in love, but it works for some people, and if that's what you want don't let anyone tell you it's not good enough or worth it.

[HE IS MESSING THIS UP SO BADLY HELP. Just. Augh. He scratches a fingernail across one eyebrow and gives her a bit of a squinted look as he tries to figure out exactly what to say.]

You haven't made any kind of idiot out of yourself, all right? You're learning. Nobody's perfect at anything their first time. Especially sex, because it involves two people who're trying to learn each other's bodies, and likes and dislikes. I've been having sex for-- [JIM] a long time now, and every partner's different. Knowing yourself and your preferences helps, but the other person - or people - are always variables. And there's nothing wrong with that. Sex should be fun. Forget romantic, forget people who tell you it should be 'perfect'. The best sex of my life's happened when no one's taking anything too seriously, when the only thing you're really concerned with is making each other feel good. You're probably going to smash your noses together at some point, or somebody will accidentally put their hand on your hair and pull it, or there'll be ridiculous noises as you're-- you know. And that's fine. Don't let it embarrass you, it's like that for everybody.

[And, well. He should know. He's had a larger sampling pool than most people do in their entire lives. But there've been a few partners that stood out over the years. Gaila was always a great time, and he slept with a touch-telepath a couple times, that was phenomenal. In Keeliai it's been Una and Bryn and Kyle, and a few others, one-offs. He's not used to the idea of being in one spot, having the same people around and available all the time. He doesn't mind it as much as he'd thought he would. Hell, Kyle fits all the criteria he just listed off for Korra, and that's a thought he doesn't want to dwell on too long.]

First of all, if you're sure you want to have sex with them, there's a few things you can do. And you don't have to go all the way the first time you fool around, that's important too. You can get naked if you're comfortable doing it, and if you want, you can use your hands - helps you get familiar with their body. People have different - uh, they're called erogenous zones. It basically means places that make you feel good when they're touched, and can make you more aroused if you're fooling around. For a lot of women it's the neck or shoulders, or the-- [if he uses the word 'tits' around Korra he is probably going to hate himself forever--] breasts. Thighs too. The more you know, the more fun you'll have. It's okay to know what you like, and it's okay to tell your partner. Following?

[alphatar]

[Having been around older women that had long lasting relationships, Korra just assumed everything had to be perfect and just fall into place. And she had somehow messed it all up, her tangled up love life being the evidence.]

So I should have sex with a friend I trust first? [She bit both her lips while looking at Jim nervously. That sounded all too awkward and she had never even though of anyone in a sexual sense. A making out sense, sure, but this was new ground and she was scared to set foot on it.]

I always thought that my emotions and body would show me who I loved. No one really taught me any of this stuff, it was just all about being the Avatar day in and day out in the compound.

[Which sounded more like a prison now that she was aware that most others her age already knew about this kind of stuff.]

Love isn't needed for sex. [She repeated quietly. It sounded weird, the casualness of it versus it never really even being mentioned outright during her training tenure.]

Well, I can try to not be embarrassed. But that's not easy.

[She nodded at the explanation of erogenous zones, but wasn't sure she understood what hers were or if she had any.]

I've never really let anyone...touch me like that. Guess I'll have to figure that out sometime too.

[She almost felt betrayed by her own body for not letting her directly know any of this information. As always, Korra needed things spelled out for her to clear up any confusion.]

I think so. [Her mind went back to the kiss she shared with Jack, how her hand went to his neck and through his hair.] I think I know a couple of places that are nice to touch while I'm kissing someone.

[A beat.]

So there's the kissing and the touching of the erogenous spots. [She took her hands off her chin and placed them on her shoulders.]

What else is there? [This was a bigger tutorial and it felt a lot more important than any other lesson she ever received.]

[jirk]

Hey, a boyfriend or a girlfriend can be 'friends that you trust'. And trust me, everybody else is in the same boat as you, okay? We look at our -- [there's a very, very tiny pause] parents, or some other example, and they seem to have it all together, so we go why isn't that me? But you have to realize, they had years to figure each other out. And they screwed up just as much along the way. We're just seeing their highlight reel.

[He tries to keep his tone firm. It's okay to 'screw up'. Hell, experience is the best teacher, right?]

For other things, depends on the person. Some people like oral sex. But hell, massages can count too. And I slept with this girl once who loved hearing poetry. There's no clear-cut thing I can tell you that everyone's going to love.

[... And then Jim gets the most perplexed, vaguely unsettled look on his face.]

Listen, have you ever--

[Oh god he's actually asking this question. Give him a minute.]

-- You know. With yourself? Solo?

[alphatar]

I do trust you. [She said, and she rubbed her shoulders. He said not to feel embarrassed or awkward about any of this stuff. But she was.]

[Her eyebrows tried to completely explore both the top and bottom of her forehead at the mention of oral sex.]

I thought sex was just sex?

[Way too many questions were coming to her head, and she felt that she was wasting his time by even just wanting to ask them. When he looked at her with that somewhat unnerved look, she squirmed slightly.

Then he asked a question that she just stared at him, a complete blank on her face.]

...with myself? [That blank look was accompanied by raised eyebrows.] I've never kissed myself, no.

[Because, what?]

[jirk]

Man, there's-- no. There isn't just one kind of sex. There's a huge amount of variety to it, and there's no shame - or harm - in trying whatever interests you. As long as everyone consents to it, that's the big part.

[Aaaaaaaugh Korra why is this a conversation he's having.]

No, with your-- [THIS WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD TIME FOR SOMEONE TO STAGE A DRAMATIC RESCUE OR A SPACE INVASION OR SOMETHING. He waits a beat as if such a miracle will actually occur, and when it doesn't he just heaves a sigh and shakes his head.] With your hands.

[alphatar]

Someone should write a book, because I thought there was just sex, like sex-sex for the whole- baby thing.

[Korra pushed her lower lip up as he paused mid-sentence.] My hands?

[Moving them off her shoulders she held them out to him for inspection, curious to see what he meant.]

I haven't touched anyone like that with them if that's what you mean...?

[jirk]

There are lots of books. Seriously. I'll find you one with-- pictures and diagrams and stuff.

[AND THEN HE JUST. MAKES THE MOST STRANGLED NOISE and pinches the bridge of his nose.]

I don't mean anyone else. [His tone is a tiny, tiny bit plaintive. He's trying to be patient, and a decent teacher, but some things are too much for any mere mortal.] I mean with yourself. It's a good way to find out what you like. And there's-- [ohgodhelp] things that you can use to make it more interesting. They're called toys, but they're kind of like... objects that simulate sex with a partner, but you use them alone.