The Quiet Meme

[amuse_box]

THE QUIET MEME

Rules:

- Post your character with name and canon, and also any preferences.
- Reply to other characters, using the RNG (1-7) to choose an option.
- Decide on roles and go to it!

1.  The Quiet Game
The first person to make any sound loses.  Do they lose a bet, do they have to buy the next round, or is this just for innocent (or, not so innocent) fun?  Are you the one making your partner lose, or are you the one barely able to contain yourself?

2.  At the Library/Museum/Church
You're both in a place where making noise just isn't very appropriate.  So why do you feel the urge to make some?

3.  Do Not Disturb
One of you needs quiet; perhaps they are studying, working hard at a project, or even sleeping.  Either way, they've asked you for some peace and quiet.  Why can't you just leave them alone?  How far will they go to get the quiet they deserve?

4.  Sneaky
One of you is sneaking somewhere you really shouldn't be sneaking.  Is it illegal, or are you just trying to get a midnight snack?  Are you breaking in, or out?  Did you overhear something you shouldn't have?

5.  Someone is There
Somebody is in the house!  Is it your friend playing a prank, or is it more serious than that?  Do you know who is there?  Are you hiding from them? How afraid are you?  Don't give yourself away!

6.  Can't Talk
One of you literally can't utter a sound.  Maybe someone or something magical stole your voice, or maybe you've just caught a bad cold, but not a peep from you.  How's your sign-language? 

7.  Forced
One of you has been forced to be keep quiet, restrained either by threat or physical force.  Is this a game with someone, or is it more dangerous than that?  How will you get the other person's attention, or are they the one who forced you in the first place?

Comments

[antiwar]

[ Howl unfurls his hold on his book -- which had been balanced between the bow of his forearm and his hip, and sets it down atop of whatever Claire had been reading.

Behold. ]

ASAI;OHFUCSBCHSMVMV

[vinovidivici]

[ Claire only takes in the cover for a fraction of a second before he violently smacks the book up out of Howl's hands - then catches it in midair just before it flies out of his reach.

At the same time a vacuum forms in his mouth from how fast his jaw drops . He tries to take in a gasp of air and simultaneously start on a "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?", but that luckily gets held in by how tense he suddenly is. Not even his vocal chords can move enough to produce more than a strangled wheeze!

And now he's gone deer in the headlights for a second, except for quickly retracting his arm to hide the book against his chest.

It doesn't mean anything, okay, he just really wasn't expecting that. ]

[antiwar]

[ Howl's face held anticipatory excitement for that fraction of a second, before it begins glowing at Claire's reaction. Somehow, he managed to make this even funnier than he had imagined it would be, so his shoulders begin to shake and soft, airy crackling sounds start escaping from the very back of his throat.

He rests his hand on Claire's scalp for a moment, fingers burrowing in the thickness of his gingerdom before he gives his head a little push, and begins to turn red from the lack of air he's getting from all this laughter.

Claire is ... well, he won't think "adorable", but whatever the totally platonic equivalent of it is. ]

[vinovidivici]

[ Claire misses seeing the beginning of Howl's laughing fit as he's hunched over the book as if it might fly away again, turning as red as his hair from eartips to nose. It's mainly embarrassment over his reaction and Howl's barely-audible laughter rather than over the book itself... But seriously man, why would you do that?!?!

When his head gets shoved and released he turns over his shoulder to glare at Howl, hoping that everything below his eyes (i.e. the bright red part) is hidden by his collar. It's a You dirty punk kind of look. And it's accompanied by lobbing the book at his head. ]

[antiwar]

[ Howl winces when the book hits his head, lips quickly pursing to let out a pained breath before they're inevitably tugged back into a boyish grin. He holds the point of impact on his head with the palm of his hand in a nursing manner, because he's a dramaqueen, and then begins trying to nudge Claire to the edge of the bookshelf, closer to the wall. He's like 10 lbs though so good luck getting Claire to budge.

Quiet for only a second, before he remembers the look on his face, Howl's lips close tight together and make a motoring, sputtering sound. His body can't help but allow the laughter to envelop and constrict his throat and lungs again. One of his hands clutches at Claire's shoulder for support, as he tries to rest his weight against him. ]

[vinovidivici]

[ Claire knows by now that Howl just needs time to process his little episodes, so he'll wait this one out with learned patience. While he's trying to will his cheeks back to normal human color he doesn't bother to look around to see if the library patrons are being disturbed (they are) by these two strapping (well, one strapping and one... a strap) fellows leaning on each other and blushing and spluttering. He doesn't care if Howl draws unwanted attention to him because his company is more valuable than it could ever be embarrassing... How tsundere.

As Howl makes that motorboat noise Claire's lips start a small rebellion and twitch upwards before he restores order. Now he's less flustered he can hear there's nothing mocking behind Howl's laughter. It's just childish and exuberant. He's urgently trying not to smile now as he remains steadfastly glued to one spot despite the nudging and the leaning. ]

[antiwar]

[ Howl's head ...rolls off of Claire's shoulder, where it had been resting against at this point, and gives a bump at his chin before he finally falls back against the adjacent shelf, wiping at the corner of his eye with the back of his hand (which smudges a bit of mascara). His fingers then splay over his face as they push up his nose for a second, traveling up to his forehead in a final bout of what looks like the most fun, pleasurable miniature seizure on earth.

And then: a deep breath.

And he just looks at Claire, the redness slowly starting to leave his face as he places a finger against his lips, making a "shh" gesture. ]

wow howl stop orgasming in the library

[vinovidivici]

[ Ignoring that dramatic finale (or at least trying to seem like he is) by turning back to the bookshelf. In truth he's still clearly watching Howl sidelong.

There's something so unjust about being shushed when Howl started this with his laughing fit. And his stupid book before that. And his bothering Claire before that. Claire glowers, simmering, and raises a hand as if to shove Howl... but in the end he just makes a sweeping gesture at the book on the floor. Pick up your trash! ]

never

[antiwar]

[ Yeesh what a big brooklyn baby. A BBB, as the young kids call it.

Howl sweeps his own hand, though far more limp-wristed, at Claire. His brow furrows and his lips purse while parted into an "o", making it sort of look like he was an angry ape for a second. An angry beautiful ape...

He then kneels, grabbing the book. Rolling his eyes like a teenager, he tries to take another peek at whatever book Claire was holding! ]

[vinovidivici]

[ Claire makes a half-hearted effort to block Howl's view with his shoulder and elbow him back a little but it's mostly for show. Fortunately and brilliantly he'd taken advantage of Howl's laughing fit to switch the book he was reading for another, similar one, by sleight of hand. Like a fantastic oversized card trick.

Unfortunately the library had two copies and he picked up the exact same fucking book as he had before. ]

[antiwar]

[ The fact that Claire was embarrassed and dorky enough to want to switch the book is just too adorable. It is too bad Howl is none the wiser! Honestly, that kind of shame is far more embarrassing than the book, itself!

Howl glances at it and smiles fondly at Claire, breaking the silence. ]

Awww... [ He tilts his head and tries to grab the book from Claire. ]

[vinovidivici]

[ That was... an unexpected reaction to "Microsoft Office 2007 For Dummies". Claire's eyebrows furrow. He chose that title to make Howl lose interest, throw him off the scent! Unless he's patronizing him over the "For Dummies" part? ... it's just a marketing scheme, Howl.

He glances down to the book in his hands and almost repeats his earlier aerial book smash in surprise when he realizes it's the wrong book (or the right one, depending on how you look at it). There it is, lingering in his hands like a repeating phantasm! But, even reflexively, he can't throw away something that he locked a piece of his dreams into. He scrabbles to fit it back into place on the shelf. ] No, that's not - it ain't -

[ Normally he's completely without shame about these things but there's something about consulting a book for advice that seems so much more furtive than asking a stranger on the street. It even had a chapter on honeymoon arrangements! Which he definitely did not look at. ]

[antiwar]

[ He had wondered if it was an act, in the past. He had seen enough men play up the innocent game to be suspicious at first. After all, when played straight, it could work brilliantly, though it was never Howl's preferred method.

Consistently, thoroughly, and unvarying, this man had shown no cracks in his blushing-virgin demeanor when it came to matters of the heart. How could someone who fell in love so easily and boldly and honestly also be so afraid to just confront some blatant raw truths regarding expressions of said love?

It's confusing but endearing, and he's not sure he actually would want to corrupt Claire. As fun as it would be, he almost feels guilty for giving him grief about this stuff.

But only almost.

So he nudges him and flashes him a wink. ] It "ain't"? It looks like it is! That's so darling of you! Let's take a look at it!

[ Aaand he's reaching back for the book! ]

[vinovidivici]

[ Claire halts, meets that look uncertainly, seems subdued by it; but he's decided that you're not getting ahold of this book, Howl. It's nothing personal: Howl might be his trusted confidante on these matters days or even just hours from now. He's simply set on gaining this one little victory, and doing it in a way that makes up for everything Howl's had a chance to laugh at him for today.

So he waits until Howl has almost touched the book then tucks it against his chest, ducks bodily under that reaching arm and makes a dash down the aisles of bookshelves, nimbly skirting a geriatric librarian who suddenly emerges from one of them and looking back over his shoulder to tip an imaginary hat to her. ]

[antiwar]

[ Howl's expression flickers to something surprised when the man before him is seemingly gone in a second, to mildly bemused as he looks over his shoulder. ]

Huh. What a drama queen.