The Mother of All Logs

[steelweb]

WHO: Anyone and Everyone
WHAT: All the kissin's
WHEN: Dec 16 - 18
WHERE: Wherever you want!
WARNINGS: Affection, freak-outs, possible R ratings


Ok! Here is the post for collecting all your kissing logs! If you want to do individual Network posts and then lead in to kissing that way, that's fine, but if you're looking to do a straight up log, this is the place to do it. That way we don't flood the community with all the log posts.

Instructions:

1. Post your character's name. One reply per character so that they're all neatly organized.
2. When you tag to a character's thread, put your participating character's name in the subject line.
3. ???
3a. Feel free to edit the post tags to include your character name for easier activity reporting
4. PROFIT!

Comments

LIN BEIFONG

[steelweb]

Confirmed kisses:

Jenny
America
Koizumi

[dontmindmepleasecontinue]

He'd met Lin early on in this event. They'd gone out for pizza and then fought some zombies - which was about par for the course for this island, by all appearances. Since then he'd felt oddly comforted by her presence. Perhaps, in a world filled with uncertainty, it was just nice to know that somebody had your back when it mattered.

Also, she could fling about boulders three times his size with her mind. That didn't hurt.

He was strolling downtown as the stars came out, trying to clear his head. He'd gone through a lot his four days of memory, including quite a bit that was just too much and too confusing to try to understand right now, and he needed to just calm down and think about something else.

At the moment, he was admiring the new growth they had in town: pine and fur trees, vines and ivy growing all over the buildings. It was unnatural, but he liked the effect, and enough was unnatural these days that he was not really bothered by it.

He closes his eyes and leans back against a wall, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, just letting the world roll by him.

[steelweb]

The last few days had been a mess, and Lin wouldn't mind giving whomever had planned this a good dressing down as soon as she knew the culprit. Jenny had said she was on the police force, and the evidence seemed to bear her out, but it had been Lin's decision not to participate in patrols when she couldn't remember what laws she was meant to be defending. She would be no better than a vigilante in police uniform, and she knew, somehow, that she wouldn't really be helping if that were the case.

So instead she had spent her time exploring the strange new/old city she found herself in, subconsciously marking defensive positions and locations where there was likely to be trouble (though how she knew that was difficult to say). And then, of course, there had been the discovery of pizza.

Lin had a sneaking suspicion that her surprise at how much she enjoyed pizza meant that she hadn't tried it before, even when she'd had access to all her memories. Regardless, she found that she wanted to attempt as many varieties of the stuff as possible, and was headed out to the local sports bar to watch the latest lacross rerun - who would have thought that sports could be so fascinating? - and try the Bacon Supreme monstrosity that had smelled so good wafting by the other day.

She'd spent a good period of time with a young man in the same situation as herself - no memories and no purpose, hoping for a little companionship and someone who could watch each other's backs. She had the impression that he was intelligent, generally quiet (thank the spirits) with a serenely cheerful personality - it had been soothing against her heightened nerves. And it had turned out that he was good in a fight, too, and hadn't turned on her or fled when she ripped up a chunk of pavement and hurled it into that group of zombies without thinking. That was definitely a point in his favor.

Speaking of... Lin neatly sidestepped a pine tree that was trying diligently to embrace any passersby, and spotted her erstwhile companion. She hadn't been able to obtain his name the other day, so she simply paused next to him and dispensed with the pleasantries.

"Are you all right?"

[dontmindmepleasecontinue]

A small smile creeps over his face as she pauses next to him, before she even speaks. He leans slightly closer to her, neglecting to open his eyes.

"Just fine, thank you for asking." His smile turns to look a little contented, despite everything. "Just taking a moment to appreciate where we are and what we do have, instead of worrying about where we'd like to be and what we're missing."

[steelweb]

She huffed softly, a little surprised. Despite making the decision not to help with the police work, it seemed like all she could do was worry at the problem of the missing memories. Looking at his expression, she envied his ability to just set that all aside so easily and just... be. In the moment. Somehow she had this niggling feeling that someone else she knew had that ability, and she envied him for it too. She took a moment to just study his face, trying to figure out just how he was doing it. It didn't help, of course, but somehow looking at his calm instilled some in her as well.

A restlessness she hadn't really consciously recognized eased a little, and she took her own advice, stepping out of the flow of foot traffic to lean against the wall with him and take a deep breath. She let it out slowly through her nose, like she did before her warm ups (she did?) and prised away her mental fingers from any memories she thought she might possibly have within her grasp. Fighting back the surge of irrational panic, she let them drift away. She could always get them back later. Just... relax.

A run of fragrant juniper flowed across the brickwork, merrily draping itself in swoops and swags. Just over their heads, at a peak in the swag, several long, thin, green leaves began to uncurl themselves in a bunch.

[dontmindmepleasecontinue]

Koizumi's smile widens as she steps out of the flow of traffic, following his lead. It was good to be able to take a step back, but it was better to be able to help others do so. His eyes open briefly, glancing over at her calmly. His eyes are a dark brown, and though deep and intense, they were serene.

His eyes close again as he leans in toward her, even closer than before. His frame seems to lose what little tension it had still retained.

Above them, the innocuous little plant glints cheerily as it begins to sprout plump berries the color of pure, shining snow.

[steelweb]

Lin finds herself leaning in toward him till their shoulders are braced against one another. It surprises her - she didn't think he was that close - but somehow it doesn't bother her. Something is swirling in her stomach, tightening pleasantly in her chest, and it has to do with him somehow. For the first time in... ages, she feels like she doesn't have to let her past determine her future. Whatever hurt there is, causing that weird, panicky flutter informing her in no uncertain terms that she doesn't have time for this and this is a bad idea and you don't even know each other and one lunch does not count as worth anything in the long term - it doesn't matter. He trusts himself to be able to relax in her presence, and he brings out a patch of calm that she needed, even if she didn't really want to admit it.

She allowed herself the luxury of a small smile. It felt strange, like she wasn't used to doing it. That was a shame... it felt nice. This was nice. Finding someone who didn't necessarily need words either. Just enjoying one another's company. Taking comfort in the other's proximity. She gives him a sideways glance under her lashes and stops, struck by the easy peace in his face. Her breath hitched.

[dontmindmepleasecontinue]

Koizumi takes comfort from her touch and her heat when their shoulders come together, thinking how nice this was and taking nothing in this moment for granted. Though his eyes were closed, his concentration was fully on her. Somehow he gets the feeling that he's not really used to this; that something, perhaps the dead space he stumbled into earlier, makes things like this more complicated than he might have liked. Right now he doesn't care. Why bother worrying about something else, given what he had, right here and now.

Besides, given he only has four days of memory, right now he literally knows her almost as well as he knows himself. It was a strange position to be in, but not one that he really minded. He hears her breath hitch, and his head turns slightly toward her, his eyes slowly falling open.

[steelweb]

Lin's already tilting her head to press their lips together. She isn't conscious of making the decision to do so, but there it is. Firm, but gentle, but making no bones about her intentions to be here a little while. Sometime in the last few seconds she's shifted to face him, allowing her to ease a hand up to his cheek.

[dontmindmepleasecontinue]

His eyes are still only half open by the time her lips meet his, but at the contact they open wide - surprised and startled - as he freezes for just a moment. The moment passes, though, and he relaxes into the kiss, responding in kind as his eyes slide languidly shut once more. His hand mirrors hers, shifting up to her cheek.

He movements are all tender and gentle - and he very much lets her keep the initiative on this one, always responding to her lead.

[steelweb]

Something tells her it's been a while since she's done this, which makes her bizarrely determined to make the best out of this. She lightened up a little when she felt him freeze up, but as soon as he relaxes, she goes into it with a will. Pressing her fingertips into the hollow behind his ear and running her thumb down the outer curve to pull lightly on his earlobe, she puts more energy into it, opening her lips to encourage a reciprocal gesture. Long suppressed passion beats on the gates of her heart screaming that it's about spirits-damned time, drowning out the part of her mind waving its hands and saying that this is really a very bad idea.

[jenratedanomaly]

[Oh hey Lin. Just another day at the station. Don't mind Jenny trying to make on her merry way out of work just at the wrong minute. Seriously. Is the mistletoe stalking her? Because now the young officer can think of no better idea than to give Lin a kiss with a reckless smile on her face.

[steelweb]

[Lin has had a few run-ins with the plant, which she is not telling anyone about, thank you very much, so she's a little more prepared for the sudden kiss and wash of warmth it inspires. She'd meant to pull back, but instead finds herself steadying the younger woman and leaning into the kiss. Lin's kisses are firm, and a little authoritatively playful, and this one is no different. Are you up to the challenge, Jenny?]

[jenratedanomaly]

[Jenny's had a lot of practice with kissing, this event, and so she really is up for the challenge when Lin starts responding. The mistletoe might be encouraging the kisses, but Jenny's over-abundance of curiosity keeps her picking up new things from every kiss and learning from them while she can. It might not be an active thought, the way she tries out things from her other kisses, but it certainly has been an... educational.. week, at least.]

[steelweb]

[In some ways, Lin is a delight to kiss, because she is always looking for ways to emulate any new tricks and press any advantage she has. On the other hand, it means she's always looking to be in charge, which can be daunting for anyone with a weaker will than she has. But eventually she has to come up for air, looking at Jenny with heavy-lidded eyes, and then the spell breaks. Clarity and guilt return with a visible one-two punch, causing her to step back.]

[ohmycod]

[ ALIEN WOMAN WITH A TRIDENT MUGGING SOME DUDE

Are you going to just stand by, Lin? ]

[steelweb]

[Not for long! She may not be active duty police right now, but she's not going to stand for that! here she comes, marching purposefully across the street, pointing at the trident-wielding horned... fish... lady. You know, still not right!]

Hey! Stop that right now! Leave him alone!

[ohmycod]

[ SHIT ITS THE COPS

Random unimportant NPC manages to make a getaway in the time Meenah is distracted by this nosy busy-body. ]

Why, need him to help you cross the street?

[steelweb]

[Lin stops right in front of her, challenge in her stance, and folds her arms across her chest. Nope, not rising to your bait.]

No, but I'm not going to let you hurt him just because I don't know him.

[ohmycod]

[ Oh no. It's AUTHORITY. She hates AUTHORITY. Meenah rests the trident over her shoulder and puts her free hand on her hip, her own stance looking like one of total indifference. ]

Oh yeah? Who says I was gonna hurt him? We were just havin' a talk.

[steelweb]

A talk. With weapons and a participant who looked like he was afraid you were going to stab him. What were you talking about that hand him ready to run at the first opportunity?

[ohmycod]

What's with the fifth degree here? Can't a chick ask anemoneone for a little cash nowadays?

Just needed a little dough is all.

[steelweb]

Asking politely is more likely to work. You can get more hummingflies with honey than vinegar. [Oh, that's rich coming from you, Lin.] Did you even know him?

[Great swags of evergreen are sashaying themselves across the electric lines overhead, and right above the lovely ladies, a puff of very different green leaves appears, filling with white berries.]

[ohmycod]

Shove it out your blowhole. I've found you can get plenty of cake with a nice fork.

[ Suddenly, Meenah may be enjoying this little argument more and in a different way than before. What is up with this? ]

[steelweb]

You can also attract unwanted attention. [Exhibit A...] You can't just threaten people and expect to get away with it.

[Now this felt like old times. Arguing with a younger girl and trying to make her see reason. Enforcing the status quo. It almost made her smile. Almost.]