The Midnight Hotel January catch-all

[gistful]

Characters: Anyone, everyone.
Date: Month of January, 2016
Location: The Midnight Hotel
Situation: Catch-all post! Feel free to use this post for anything that happens within the Midnight Hotel over the month of January, using the subject header to label specific rooms or for specific people. Please also see the OOC note at the bottom.
Warnings/Rating: None thus far.

The Midnight Hotel was among the few buildings which showed no sign of having been damaged by the invasion six months ago. That followed, of course; the Hotel hadn't even been present. But either way it stood out, and many of the kedan knew by now that the building, so different from the architecture of the rest of the city, was a safe-haven. Too many mistook it as a Foreigner safe-haven alone, but not all; even now there was usually one or two kedan present.

Some of them were gang-members, ones with whom Anton had forged closer relationships before the Foreigners' year-long disappearance or simply those who chose to visit in defiance of the general public's opinion.

Anton had taken great pains to give the Foreigners structure and normalcy. While the means of payment were, in some cases, not much more than an illusion, he gave as much in the way of purpose as he could. As a result there were now many Foreigners on staff at the Hotel, though of course the rules were still in strict effect. Anton himself was readily available at most given moments if needed for assistance, questions or otherwise.

There was also an oddity in the lobby: a construction in one of the corners where a long bank of three public consoles was being built. The Metalworkers responsible for its construction were generally taciturn and more concerned with their work than with interactions, but they didn't seem worried about being observed or by the close proximity of the Foreigners.


[ooc: The Midnight Hotel's status page is available here, with the rules at the top and ongoing status at the bottom. PLEASE POST TO THE STATUS PAGE IF YOUR CHARACTER WOULD LIKE A ROOM. Anton will manufacture means of payment until Foreigners are able to properly offer recompense or choose to move out, so you can assume they're 'paying' in some method.

If you have a specific job for your character to do around the Hotel (eg working the kitchen, security, house chores) please also note that so I can keep track of Anton's casual staff.]

Comments

[highprofilerichkid]

"And being grumpy about everything isn't a sign of being worldly and sophisticated or whatever. It's just a sign that you're no fun to be around." Tony puts his hands in his pockets and shakes his head. "Man. Do you ever lighten up? You actually have a good reason to be in a good mood, for once - if you can't manage it now, I give up."

You think a guy would be happy to be in a relationship with someone who can put up with the fact that he's, oh, sometimes a crazy murderer. But apparently not even that can add a little shine of silver to Solomon's personal raincloud.

Tony shrugs and turns to leave. "Sorry for wasting your time."

[peacefullywreathed]

Solomon frowned. That was the second time Stark had made a flippant remark regarding Solomon’s happiness in less than a minute, and while the first was nothing special save it was related to Raine, this one was directly related to time, as if Stark expected them to be connected. “What are you talking about? You’ve known about Raine and I for months. Whatever do you think happened recently that I ought to be dancing for?”

There were any number of things he could be happy about. There were any number of things he was currently unhappy about. None of them were Stark’s business, let alone responsibility, and the fact the teen seemed to believe he had a right to criticise Solomon for it was galling.

[highprofilerichkid]

Tony turns halfway back around to look at Solomon, and says, "I just figured you'd be happy that Raine decided to stick around even after you pulled your party trick where you turn into a crazy murderer. Whatever. It's not any of my business."

Honestly, he doesn't want to know any more than he'd already overheard. He really doesn't feel the need to be involved in Solomon's manpain and relationship angst. He already has enough of his own to deal with.

[peacefullywreathed]

... Stark had overheard their conversation. It had been spectacularly bad place to have that conversation, and in retrospect it should had been had elsewhere. But to bring it up here and now, so soon after spouting off about gratitude--to presume that Stark had a right to intervene in their private affairs simply because he happened to be in the right place at the right time--he claimed it wasn't any of his business, but by raising the issue at all Stark implied responsibility.

Solomon had gone very still and his expression slid smoothly into an impassivity. Not the sort that was a mask; the sort belonging to a man who could kill and not regret it. The sort belonging to a man who could very easily set his emotions aside and do what had to be done.

It was a pity he couldn't simply kill the idiot, but it was too impractical; Solomon would have to find a non-magical means and Stark would only come back. The Foreigner community was too small to expect to get away with it. (And Raine would be disappointed in him, besides.)

"You are a foolish little boy," Solomon said quietly, "who doesn't understand the merit of keeping one's mouth shut. No wonder Malicant got to you so easily. You are nothing but talk. Do you understand, little boy, that perhaps I simply don't care about you? You're either a minor amusement or a minor inconvenience. Your gratitude is meaningless. Your assumptions are asinine. The sheer magnitude of your idiocy would be amusing were you not currently throwing it in my way."

[highprofilerichkid]

Tony is visibly unimpressed by Solomon's little tirade. His eyes narrow and his jaw tightens when Solomon mentions Malicant - that definitely got his hackles up - but he doesn't rise to the bait. Yet.

"Yeah, cool, okay," he tosses off dismissively. "Thanks for the horoscope reading. Here's one for you: if I were you, I'd spend a lot less time worrying about being dangerous, and a lot more time worrying about being a snobby, bitter jerk. Raine knows what she's doing, and she can take care of herself." (Even if she does have terrible, terrible taste.) "Angsting about what happened in the Dreaming is making you more annoying than usual, and I'm betting it doesn't make for sexy pillow talk."

He turns away again and starts for the door. "But hey, what do I know? I'm just an idiot who talks too much." And it has nothing to do with the fact that you're totally not as subtle as you think, Solomon. Noooo, not at all.

[peacefullywreathed]

Is that what Stark thought Solomon had been doing all this time? Sulking? And he dared to imply that Solomon would, in any way, demean Raine's ability to handle herself? Not to mention assumed that Solomon was so conflicted.

And then he turned to leave like that, as if he was right and knew it, when he was completely, unequovocably, wrong. It was so ridiculously arrogant, so self-righteous and smug, that Solomon laughed, and it came out genuine--genuine, and amused, and derisive.

"You are an idiot who talks too much," Solomon said with a shake of his head. "The fact that you assume I've been angsting at all only tells me how little your opinion is worth. I'm not the one who demeans Raine's choice, Stark. I'm not the one constantly passing judgement on how and with whom she spends her time. I'm not a self-righteous fool who turns his guilt into some ridiculous badge of honour. I know what I am and what I do, and I, at least, am willing to accept my darkness. But you?"

Solomon snorted and turned away. "You're just a little boy pretending he's better than he is, and denying the rest."

[highprofilerichkid]

Oh, well, excuse me - here I was thinking you needed a reason to be a jerk. That was stupid.

[Just keep walking. Don't let him get to you. Walk away, urges the voice of reason that he's been (very slowly) cultivating.

But he's so irritated, and so frustrated, and Solomon is just so fucking snide and condescending and full of himself—]

It's not Raine I'm judging, it's you, [Tony snaps. His hand's on the doornob but he's looking at Solomon again, glaring, his shoulders tight and his fist clenched.] If she wants to spend her time with an asshole like you, that's cool, I guess. That's her business. Doesn't make you any less of an asshole.

[He barks out a humorless laugh.] But I guess you've "accepted your darkness" or whatever, and that makes it okay to kill people and be a dick. Glad that's working out so well for you. Personally, I'll take "pretending to be better," so long as it means I don't end up anything like you.

[peacefullywreathed]

"You are stupid, I'm glad you recognise it," Solomon agreed sanguinely, going to the bureau to collect his used mug. He turned toward Tony, and though his expression was cool, his eyes glinted more with amusement than anything else. It was a dark, cutting sort of amusement, though, almost a cruel-edged one that would have been exasperation if he and Stark had known and liked each other any better.

"Maybe you won't end up like me," he pointed out, "but since you don't have any idea of the difference between pretence and truth, you're certainly well on your way to becoming the man Malicant showed you. Congratulations."

[highprofilerichkid]

"No," Tony hisses. But the accusation cuts deep. He hates that Solomon was there for his fight with Malicant. He hates that Solomon has somehow managed to crawl into his life and like this; always catching him at his most vulnerable, always weaseling his way into Tony's biggest fears and regrets and using them to humiliate him.

"I'll never be like him. You don't know anything about me. You just like to think you do. You think think being old and bitter and cynical means you know everything, but you know what? You're just as full of shit as Malicant was."

[peacefullywreathed]

"Ah, the words of denial," Solomon said with a sigh. "You're the one who let Malicant talk. Enemies like him aren't dangerous because they lie, Stark; they're dangerous because they use the truth." He shrugged. "But, since you're so secure in your self-righteousness, go ahead and ignore me. I'm sure the people you inevitably hurt while clinging to your denial will forgive you."

~FLOUNCE~

[highprofilerichkid]

A dozen retorts jump to Tony's mind. He chokes back all of them - barely. Because you know what, Solomon? Good fucking point. He let Malicant talk, and now he's letting Solomon talk, and really, there's no reason he should have put up with either of their hot air. Malicant took a few little snippets of truth and distorted them into a horrible lie, and Solomon seems pretty proficient at doing exactly the same thing.

Tony stares at Solomon for a full three seconds, cheeks flushed with anger. Then he snaps, "You're right. I don't have to listen to anything you say," yanks the door open, and stomps out. And slams the door behind him.

[peacefullywreathed]

"Finally, some peace," Solomon muttered. Whether Stark actually paid any attention to Solomon or not remained to be seen, since, like all teens, he was intent on only listening to the parts he wanted and rejecting anything he didn't like.

Solomon put down his cup and headed for the shower. At least he was bloody well gone.