It's For Your Own Good

[thechurbyboxmod]

Blind Date Meme



Let's face it, sometimes it's difficult finding someone to share your time, and your heart (or maybe just your body), with. Luckily for you, you have well meaning friends. Unfortunately for you, you have well meaning friends who didn't tell you this was coming. That's right. They have taken it upon themselves (and no doubt friends of friends or family members or someone else who clearly doesn't know you) to arrange a date. Without telling you.

That's right. The dreaded blind date. Which means now you've got to get through at least a reasonable amount of time with a total stranger (or maybe not a stranger if you're particularly, well, we can't say if it's lucky or not) before you can reasonably escape. Maybe it will go well. Maybe this will be the start of the rest of your lives. Maybe you'll get laid. Maybe you'll have a horror story for the ages.

No matter what plays out, though, you're here. Might as well see just how your luck is going to play out.

How to Play

1. Post your character and canon below along with any preferences. Then go back and edit your comment with the next number in order (i.e. first TL is 1, second is 2, etc)

2. Tag other TLs. If a character isn't in normal preferences, ask if they might want a date that goes poorly instead!

3. Optionally, get yourself a truly blind experience by going here and randomly generating a number. Then find the matching TL (numbered back in step one) and enjoy your blind date.

4. For more fun, use the list in the first comment for randomized date locations!

Comments

[atypical_echo]

[Oh good. Mark was worried the guy would not really be into it. Though desserts weren't exactly likely here. They'd have to go elsewhere for that.]

Awesome. I've only been here once, with some old friends.

[He reaches into his pocket to pull out his phone and pulls up an app to punch in an order.]

Apparently they get so busy with serving the bar that it's just easier to order food via the app. I don't want to bother the bartender more than I have ot.

[bornofwords]

[ Sigma wouldn’t mind if there weren’t any, he could find a convenience store and grab a box of cookies later on if he wanted something. But he also wouldn’t say no to the company if Mark decided that he wanted to walk a bit after they ate. ]

So only once more than me, then. Sports bars are not your usual scene, or just not this one?

[ He observed the app and smiled a bit. ]

I’m sure they appreciate that. The bartender at the casino bar would have at least. I had to step in on a few occasions to help when people were getting a bit pushy and impatient.

[ Well… He didn’t have to. But he never did like standing by while an employee was dealing with a scene, both because he wanted to be useful and because it just seemed wrong to leave them to deal with it alone. At least people tended to more easily to ‘the manager.’ ]

[atypical_echo]

[There was also a fro-yo place down the street. For later. Maybe. If things went well.]

I'm more of an arts than a sports sort of person. I can recognize the appeal, but I never got so involved in it that I wanted to go out of my way to watch them with strangers.

[Still, he smiles at Sigma's observation.]

That's super nice of you. Retail work can really blow, and it can be hard to just deal with people making scenes.

[bornofwords]

[ Mark did strike him that way, but it was nice to learn it from him. ]

It seems a fairly popular past-time if the crowd is anything to go by, but I admit I haven’t seen the appeal either.

[ He smiled a little, a bit uncertain if he was actually nice or just practical… But it was nice to be complimented sometimes, and it felt like it was genuine from Mark. At least, he hoped it was. Sigma liked to think he could read people well enough by now, but pretty words and kindness had always been a good way to get him to let down his guard. ]

People can be difficult, especially if there’s something they want... But I did enjoy it, difficult patrons aside, it’s interesting to meet all kinds of people and to learn about them.

[atypical_echo]

Yeah, learning about people used to be something I liked too. It got to a point where trusting them was hard enough to not make it worthwhile for me.

[Trust had been so very, very hard to achieve lately.]

[bornofwords]

Sometimes it’s too easy to trust the wrong people, I think… Masters of manipulation know how to make you let your guard down, and it’s not a fun lesson to learn from my experience.

[ He admitted with a sad little dip in his tone. ]

So, no hard feelings if you decide you don’t trust me for now. I actually would hope you wouldn’t given we only just met.

[ He added in a quieter voice, getting the slight feeling that Mark must have had some experiences himself to have said that. They could see how the night went and go from there.

Hell… It would probably take him a while to get there himself after the last mess. Coming here tonight was a rather… unexpected step. But he had found he liked taking the chance so far, to meet someone like Mark. ]

[atypical_echo]

[None of the people he knew were truly masters of manipulation. Except by powers. But Damien had been another experience altogether.]

So far you're really making me comfortable, so don't worry about it, okay? I'm enjoying myself.

[bornofwords]

[ There is just a touch of relief on his face, even if he still hoped Mark wouldn’t push himself to trust before he was ready. Sigma was happy to earn it properly. ]

I’m glad to hear that I am, but I felt it important to say.

[ And he had, so that was enough for now. Finishing his drink, he ordered a soda to replace it as mentioned before. ]

And I’m enjoying myself too, so you know. This dibs’ed blind date has been nice.

[ He might have to thank the person who set this up after all, which he hadn’t thought would be the outcome at all. ]

[atypical_echo]

[It was important to say. Important to hear. And it made Mark smile right back to see that soda get ordered. More than that, their snack was being delivered too. So, you know, multiple points of 'staying for a bit longer']

Yeah, I feel like I should have them more often. Though, I suppose if things go well, I could just dibs a second date. Might be too early to be hoping for that of course.

[bornofwords]

[ Sigma offered a small thank you when the soda and food arrives, before catching the smile from Mark. He couldn’t help but observe that it was a nice one, it felt genuine… So the comments a soft hum, and a small grin in return, as though considering it. ]

Hmm… True that it might be too early to tell, though the odds may be in your favour should you decide later.

[ He offered lightly, picking a potato skin from the basket. He was enjoying this, and he definitely wanted to see how the rest of the date went… But Sigma finds he doesn’t mind the idea of meeting Mark again already. ]

[atypical_echo]

[Okay, that soft smile has gotten absolutely soft and slightly excited because this was something he was really hoping for.]

I like things being in my favor, as rare as that is. Okay, so let's do more ice breakers? Is that okay? Like... what's your heart's desire right now.

[bornofwords]

Sure, that sounds like a good idea.

[ To learn more about Mark would be nice, and these kinds of questions could be fun. The man does tilt his head slightly as Mark starts with a question; considering his answer briefly. It’s not a hard question to answer, really. ]

My heart’s desire, hm? Well… It probably sounds a bit mundane to most people, but a quiet place to call home.

[atypical_echo]

How quiet? I mean, quiet is nice, but I thrive in cities, so I guess truly quiet isn't my thing.

[But he loves people around him. He loves the buildings. The motion, the joy of it.]

[bornofwords]

[ Sigma hummed a little, it was a fair question. His definition of quiet was probably a little different from what Mark was thinking. ‘Quiet’ more or less meant no bombs going off or people using him and his home to further a plot and ‘silence’ the loose end that he was. He just wanted a home that couldn’t be taken from him, where no one could use him and then discard him… Quiet was just easier to say.

So he smiled a bit, shaking his head with a rustle of his earrings. ]

Quiet might not have been the most accurate way to put it, compared to the kind of noise I’m used to. Like I wouldn’t mind living in the city, I just wouldn’t want there to be a party invading my space every night and overly pushy neighbors insisting on one thing or another every time I turn around.

[atypical_echo]

Yeah, that I can agree with too. House parties really just aren't my jam. Get togethers with my friends are welcome though.

[And he smiles at that. They could probably mesh like that too. And that was sort of hope inspiring for him.]

I like parties to be mostly people I know, and we all know there isn't going to be a massive mess from it.

[bornofwords]

Yes, I think it would be nice if I knew the people who were going to be there… And to know they wouldn’t be the kind of people to make a mess and leave you with it. I’ve seen that a lot over the years. It’s always a pain to clean up.

[ He sounds relieved, honestly, that Mark seemed of a similar mind about what kind of get together was nice. Taking a sip of soda, he smiled a little. ]

What about you? What is your ‘heart’s desire’ now?

[atypical_echo]

Other than these tasty potato skins?

[He enjoys a bite of said skins and thinks about it.]

A small gallery showing I think.

[bornofwords]

Then one desire is fulfilled to start.

[ He chuckled softly at that, taking a bit of a potato skin himself while he considered the actual answer. ]

That sounds nice. A chance to share your art with others, to be able to see how they experience it in a small gathering… Wouldn’t mind seeing that, myself.

[ Sigma added with a smile. It was a lovely dream and one that seemed possible. ]

[atypical_echo]

It will take a while to get that though. I sort of have to actually impress someone at a gallery first. Be 'discovered' as it were.

[And he also doesn't really want people looking as much.]

[bornofwords]

That’s true, that would be challenging… But definitely worth trying.

[ It was a nice dream, after all. Something to bring something positive into the world, and it was clear by the way he talked about it that Mark really cared about his photography.

Though if he knew a little more about Mark, he could definitely understand not wanting to draw the wrong attention. ]

Have ever had your work displayed somewhere that those kinds of people might see it?

[atypical_echo]

Nope. See, you've got to know someone there to make sure you get seen. I'm considering a website I guess.

[bornofwords]

Right… Making connections like that would be hard, too. [ But he smiled a little at the idea, picking another potato skin to eat. ] That’s a good idea. You’d be able to reach a wide range of people that way… And with the way people share things online, there’s a better chance that the right person might see it.

[atypical_echo]

And a better chance people will steal it.

[Which was less of a thing when he was first in art school. He's learning how to make it all more secure though.]

Guess it's a weighing of good and bad and trying to figure out my future from that.

[bornofwords]

[ Sigma himself didn’t really know how easy or difficult making things more secure on the subject of art theft would be… Nor is he particularly skilled at making the right decision. It usually goes poorly. But Mark seems to have thoughts and ideas, at least, so he was further ahead there. ]

That’s true… I suppose they do say the things worth doing are always difficult. You seem to have taken things into consideration, though.

[atypical_echo]

My sister said that, from time to time. She's a shrink so I think she's supposed to say it.