[OPEN] Haven Games and Air Show!

[winged_knight]

WHO: OPEN!
WHERE: Games Caldera, Nexus Territory and other parts of Haven
WHEN: Starting Friday (7/05) and running for three days.
WHAT: A festival of games not unlike the Highland Games with a 'junkyard eclectic' carnival feel.
WARNINGS: None, but subject to change.

((ooc: Putting this up early since I'm not sure I'll be able to on Friday. And it gives people a chance to get sub-threads up.))

Over the past few weeks there's been a bustle of activity in an area southeast of the Hub, deeper in Nexus territory, within a crater the First Forged has granted use of for a very specific purpose: the first Haven Games and Air Show.

Now the time has come. Signs are posted on the Link, in every temple and at the Hub, all pointing the way to this location. A path, worn smooth and wide enough for both multiple vehicles, leads from the Hub to the north edge of the Caldera, winding its way down into the crater's basin with twists and turns. That's only one of many paths though--albeit the largest--that allow access to the floor of the crater which serves as the primary grounds for the festival of games, with events spread throughout its large expanse.

Nearest to that wide road entrance is what looks like a start or finish line with a staging area off to the side, set aside for the Scavenger Race. Along the south-east crater wall lies a shooting range, with safety precautions taken into account, where the Marksmanship Competition will occur. To the south-west lies a straight track of sorts and a make-shift sled--something like a barge with skids--filled with useless items from the Junk Pile. Obviously this is where the Hauling Challenge will take place.

The rock walls of the entire north-western section of the crater have been carefully sculpted into basic stadium seating, giving a clear view of the sky mostly unmarred by the Lambda. There is a small platform stage for presenting at the foot of stadium stands, dead center, and far above it on the lip of the crater a special place of honor has been crafted. A seat larger than the rest reserved for Nexus Prime himself, as promised, bracketed by tall pennant flags of tattered blue cloth. It appears that various events could make use of this space, attendees will have to check the program and see.

Interspersed throughout these areas are smaller booths, tents or roped off areas with simpler games like ring toss, potato sack racing or kites to fly, all unmanned but waiting for visitors to start playing. There's even a few areas where people can pick up simple refreshments. Much of what's here is clearly re-purposed from the Junk Pile; very little in the way of precious raw building materials was used.

★ First Annual ★ Haven Games and Air Show Located at the new Games Caldera, Nexus territory, a crater southeast of Haven's Hub. Three days of games: skill, chance and talent. Some food and refreshments available. Medical services onsite if necessary. Program of Events ☆ DAY ONE ☆ Event Time & Location Presider   Opening Ceremonies Morning at the Games Caldera Stadium Wing (with Barricade)   Drag Race Late morning near the Hub Knock Out A short race on the closest thing Haven has to a road, located outside the Hub.   Talent Competition Afternoon at the Games Caldera Stadium ?? Showcase your talents in this friendly competition. All performance acts (legal and safe) are welcome and judging will be by audience participation.   Air Show: Fireworks over Haven Evening at the Games Caldera Stadium Swoop Come and enjoy the spectacle of airborne feats with a little extra flash brought to you by Swoop. (fire retardant clothing suggested for organics) ☆ DAY TWO ☆ Marksmanship Competition Morning at the Games Caldera, south-east Strelok If firearms are your thing, join Strelok and others in a competition for the best aim, be it straight shooting or trick shots.   Scavenger Race Early afternoon at the Games Caldera, north Drift Test your skills as a hunter, both with speed and resourcefulness, in this cross country race to find various items from around Haven. Teams of two are required: One mech and one organic.   Karaoke Evening at the Bar Ravage and Glit A talented voice is suggested but not required for this friendly little singing activity. Pick a song and sing the lyrics provided, hopefully it's one you know! One additional drink beyond the usual ration will be granted per song sung! ☆ DAY THREE ☆ Paintball War All day at the Games Caldera, the Hub & the Junkpile ?? Some mysterious benefactor seems to have left some paintball equipment--some of it Cybertronian weaponry that's been hastily modified--along with some colored strips of cloth that could be worn as sashes or headbands, in a tent next to the Marksmanship Competition.   Hauling Challenge Morning at the Games Caldera, south-west ?? Test your strength by hauling a load of junk! (exciting, we know) See how far you can haul a weighted sled in a specific amount of time. Cross the finish line in time and proceed to the next round with an even heavier sled.   Air Show: Courtly Flight Afternoon (Dusk) at the Games Caldera Stadium Wing An intricate display of sky dancing custom choreographed for this very special event.   Closing Ceremonies Evening at the Games Caldera Stadium Wing + anyone else with well wishes.

Comments

[winged_knight]

Wing would have loved to have seen Drift's face as he watched the performance. The jet would have to thank Barricade (again) for his part in all this, Wing never would have managed it otherwise.

But the anticipation of this is starting to take over, a quivery thing at his core, the hard pulse of his spark slowly shaking loose the exhilaration of the flight itself. Because the offer, the proposal, hangs between them even if the precise words weren't spoken. But Wing would speak them, just to be able to, just to have Drift hear them, because he deserves all that and more.

It's just hard for Wing to have words at all right now, the same as Drift, so he relies on touch, reaching for the other swordmech. His fingers slide up Drift's arms, his gold optics glowing with adoration and a shy hopefulness.

[sword_redemption]

He's probably lucky he didn't see Drift's face, which was probably seventeen different flavors of derpy awe, and that sort of spark-deep amazement that this was Wing, was his, as much as he dared claim the jet. He almost wanted to look around, point at Wing and tell people, 'that is my lover, I've kissed that mouth, touched those wings'. But that would require him to tear his optics off of Wing, so that...didn't happen.

Does Drift need to speak? He's terrible with words, and the touches on his arms, Wing's fingers tingling, ionized from flight, on his arms was too much to push words through. So instead he pulls the jet closer, their nasal's bumping together before tipping his head, into a kiss that he hopes says everything.

[winged_knight]

Wing would have loved it, but the thrill of seeing such delight would have marred his concentration and likely flawed the performance. In hindsight, a video camera properly staged might have been a good idea. And even if Drift didn't have a chance to tell everyone those things it's going to become very plain to everyone, right here and right now, on this platform in front of the entire crowd.

Wing wants people to see, wants to proclaim this to the world, because it's too big to hold inside him or even clutched in his arms. He's going to try though, as they encircle Drift's frame and Wing lets himself be pulled closer, leaning in to met that nudge and that kiss, one that tingles with every bit of hope and love that the jet has, offered with his parted lips.

[sword_redemption]

There's still probably enough mooning schmoopiness on Drift's face to make up for what Wing might have missed. He wouldn't have wanted to distract from Wing's performance, which seemed less a performance than a pure statement of everything Wing was.

Drift's side of the kiss is a little more passionate than probably it should be in front of witnesses, one hand gripping under the flightpanels, pressing Wing's body against him fiercely, as though trying to dissolve all space between them.

He pulls away, slowly, mouth still lingering against Wing's, murmuring, "That was...you." Beautiful, passionate, perfect.

[winged_knight]

Wing melts into that kiss, completely heedless of that audience for a moment, the whole world dropping away as he gets lost in Drift. His arms find their way around the other mech's neck, fingers grazing the hilt of the Great Sword in a gentle almost-caress. That's when Wing loosens that little bit of concentration blocking out his connection to that sword, greedy to feel more of Drift, wishing to make the connection stronger going the other direction so he could pour all of his love into it. He lets it out into the kiss though, Drift's kiss that steals his breath and makes him quiver.

Wing hovers for a moment, some of him still deep in the kiss as Drift parts it enough to fit words between them. "And you," he murmers in return. "Made for you. Inspired by you."

[sword_redemption]

He feels a kind of pressure change, almost like a weight, or a sudden lack of it, from the sword between his shoulders. He has no idea what it is, and he doesn't spend more than a moment thinking about it, letting his hands come to Wing's face, thumbs sliding down the jet's cheeks.

He has no response to Wing's words, his blue optics trembling under the gold gaze. "...everything that's good in me is from you."

[winged_knight]

Wing hopes Drift would forgive him for the little trespass into his privacy, the way he gives in to that temptation. It's only the second time since they discovered the old link from the sword, the first being that time in the cave when Wing lay dying, reaching for anything to keep him in this world.

His white helm swivels slowly in Drift's grasp, a slight shake of the head. "It's always been there. I just shine the light on it so the good can be seen." Wing can't keep the smile off his face now, his mouth working to speak around it. "I didn't need to see it though, even in darkness I always had faith it was there."

[sword_redemption]

There's nothing Drift wouldn't forgive Wing for--the whole idea of Wing needing forgiveness is almost impossible for him to process, honestly. Wing saved him, and in a very basic, primal way, his life is Wing's, in ways the jet will never know.

His grin gets a little quivery, overcome by emotion, and he pulls the jet into another kiss, his hands reaching for the flight-worked wingpanels. "You talk too much sometimes." Too much for Drift's emotional stoicism to bear, at least.

[winged_knight]

Any moment is made a hundred times better by Drift's smile. Wing is seeing more of them now but it doesn't dampen the way they make shining little pinpoints of light during the course of each day Wing spends with him.

He welcomes the kiss, always, his still-spread wings pushing into Drift's hands. At this rate, Drift will steal all the breath he even has to speak. But not yet, Wing's not quite done. "You're probably right," he laughs softly, "But can I say one last thing?"

[sword_redemption]

It's Wing's influence, obviously, giving him things to smile about. And get frantic about, you know, like running into creepy haunted caves by himself.

But that was the past and Wing's here and safe and beautiful. And the flightpanels are silky and wonderful under his hands, so he'll pull away from the kiss, but let his hands keep skimming the silvery panels. "Anything."

[winged_knight]

The latter may not be Wing's intention but it's what love does to a mech so Wing will take it and all else that comes with it. In fact, that's what he wants to do the most today; hopefully, Drift will accept.

"Really, anything? Anything at all?" Wing gets a little giddy then, the rising swell in his wildly pulsing spark making him nervous and excited and happy and nearly overwrought with his own build up of anticipation. It bubbles up past his vocalizer in a giggle and he has to shutter his optics and duck his head a little, his crest pressing against Drift's. Wing cycles air through his vents, steadying himself, his hands working anxiously on Drift's shoulders. Which, well, really isn't helping any so he moves them, taking one of Drift's hands in both his own to keep them from shaking, pressing a kiss briefly to those battered knuckles. "Then I'll ask, with words this time..."

Wing tips his chin up to meet Drift's optics again, and the cool azure of them seems to flow into him, stilling his jittery circuits and the words just slip out, uninhibited, like the air between them was meant to carry them, a small chorus of sounds made of pure love.

"Would you be my conjunx endura?"

[sword_redemption]

"Of course." About the only thing Drift doesn't want to hear is something like 'go away and never talk to me again'. But he has a feeling that's not what Wing's going to ask.

SUCH A HUNCH he has.

Oh. OH. Well. Wow. He...somehow managed not to see that one coming. Behold the awesome power of his denial?

"I...are you sure? I mean. I mean," shhhh Drift don't give him a chance to have second thoughts!! "yes. Yes. Of course. More than anything." He's not even sure if he's answering in actual sensible sentences, but he hopes the main idea gets through.

[winged_knight]

It's a good thing then that Wing says the exact opposite; Drift's instincts are right on and oh, what a reward it is.

Air catches in Wing's vents as his cooling system stalls, pinions quivering slightly as the other swordmech responds. It doesn't matter if the sentences are fully sensible or not, Wing hears the right message in there and it's all he needs.

With a delighted chirr he throws his arms around Drift's neck; well, launches himself is more like it, which is maybe a tad unnecessary since they're already so close but he just can't contain his delight. It's only one of the few big things he's wanted for himself his whole life, not just a romantic companion and pleasure friend but a life partner, a thing he'd given up on having long before Drift entered his life. He might even be babbling something to this effect into Drift's neck at this point, but the quality of his sentences are not much better. Hopefully some of the sentiment comes across.