~ Tнє Pαяα∂σχ Hσυѕє ~ now back to regularly scheduled chaos

“Hello,” Orpheus returned, raising a hand in a friendly wave and offering the gesture to the other two, as well. It was mainly directed at Czeslaw, though, since the boy had been the one to speak directly to him. He accompanied the greeting with another smile, completely unaware that it might make the boy uncomfortable. He tilted his head, watching as the boy methodically laid down his cards. He didn’t know what the cards were, but he had a feeling he would figure that out if he just… watched. It seemed to be some sort of game, but he didn’t know how you played.
“Oh,” Orpheus replied, eyes widening as Czeslaw spoke again. “That’s alright, I’m perfectly content to stay here. If we decide to do a room in a bit, I’ll join, but I… well, I wouldn’t want to drag you away from your game.” He took a small step closer, gaze skating over the numbers and funny symbols on the cards. They seemed to correspond, though he didn’t know why some of the cards were black and some were red. It was interesting… and it reminded him a little bit of chess, if the red were to be replaced with white.
“What sort of game is it, if you don’t mind my asking?”

Orpheus just watched as L began to set the board back up. He recognized where some of the pieces went, but he also knew it would be much faster to just let L do it – he had played hundreds of times before, probably, and Orpheus had played once. It wasn’t like L was going to make any mistakes setting it up. It was interesting, watching him do it as deftly as he did, like he didn’t even really need to focus on it. There were so many things that L was good at that Orpheus didn’t understand, but he found he wanted to. He wanted to be closer to his friend that way, wanted to learn all about the things he was good at and the things he liked doing, because most of their friendship had been built from the situations they had both found themselves in. They were both in danger, and when you were in danger, that was when you most needed a friend. It had the unfortunate consequence of Orpheus not really knowing too much about L personally, though he had a sneaking suspicion that was also just how L comported himself. He must have been much safer if he kept his personal information close to his chest, at least with the kind of job he had. And the sort of danger he was in when someone had figured out who he was… Orpheus shrugged away the thought, not wanting to focus on the negative.
“That makes sense,” Orpheus murmured, catching L’s gaze for a long moment. “Either way… it’s possible to be cynical and still have hope, and if I can help give her some…” he trailed off, awkwardly scratching at the back of his neck. “I just want to take some of the weight off of her shoulders, if she’ll let me.” His eyes met L’s, and he couldn’t help having the same thought about him. He wanted to help, even when he couldn’t touch their worlds. The best he could do… well, the best he could do was likely to keep the promise he had made to L to make this place more even. To make it even at all.
“Yes,” Orpheus added after a moment, gaze drifting back to the chess board. “I think it means something. It’s not frightening to me at all, that you might know me. In fact… it’s exciting. But I think it still means something, even if it just… even if it just means we’re becoming better friends. That’s what friends do, right? Get to know each other?” He shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips as he looked back up at L.
“Fortunately for us,” he said, picking up a chess piece and making a different move than he had started with before, “we’re not dogs. I don’t think either of us would be very good as animals. We’re strange enough for humans.”

Orpheus hadn’t meant to offend Czeslaw or make him uncomfortable, he was just… curious. And though he had met a large handful of people in the House, most of them had been friendly. He hadn’t yet had much experience with anyone who might not believe he was acting with the best of intentions. He could tell he had done something wrong, though, judging from the expression on Czeslaw’s face and the speed at which he finished his game. He took a small step back, hoping that the space he added would make Czeslaw feel more comfortable.
“A room might be fun,” Orpheus replied after a moment, glancing towards the hallway. “Or… interesting, at least. I don’t… I don’t know how many of the rooms I’ve been in could really be called fun…” he shook off the thought, deciding to focus instead on the last two rooms he had been through. They had both been quite fun, and not nearly as stressful as many of the rooms he had been through. If they were going to do a room now, he hoped it was similar. He hoped the House was making a pointed effort to try to be more even, despite the fact that nothing could make up for the room where he had been forced to watch as the few people he had met were forced to try to kill each other. There was no balancing that out, but he could give the House props for trying.

Czes - Living Room - Orpheus

Czeslaw did appreciate it when Orpheus gave him more space. It was probably the best move he could have made. Now, he just needed to keep making those steps back until he was off the planet.
Well, Czes wasn't that harsh. But he did believe it was time for a room, so the awkwardness couldn't settle in any more between them.

"Really? That's odd, I must have been lucky with them," he joked. There was no way to know if it was a joke. It would be fine with him if Orpheus thought he was serious. The kid packed away his playing cards and stowed them in his jacket pocket. He adjusted his hat atop his head and hopped off the chair, strolling over to the exit in the same way he had been strolling down the street just ten minutes before. He stepped out into the hallway with one mere glance over his shoulder to check that Orpheus followed.
It was like he could smell the trauma on him.
"What kind of rooms have you had?" The tone was slightly serious, even if that of a child, and if it hadn't been clear he was joking before, then it was now. He was planning to go into the first door he saw; there was no point in hesitating or choosing.

Orpheus blinked, half hoping that Czeslaw was telling the truth. From what he had heard of the House, though… he doubted it. The House didn’t spare anyone from the worst of its rooms, even if they weren’t fighters. Even if they were younger. Which, he knew, he couldn’t automatically assume. In his world the gods appeared as children sometimes, if only to see how others would react. The people here weren’t all human – Asami was evidence of that – so Orpheus really had no proof that Czes was actually a child. He wasn’t going to ask, and his general policy was that it was best to treat children like they were adults anyway. There was no need to be condescending. Orpheus knew he hated it when people condescended to him, so he did his best not to do it to anyone.
He followed Czes, making sure to keep a few feet of distance between them at the very least. It had seemed to ease the awkwardness a little bit when he had backed off before, so he was hoping keeping a little bit of distance would keep the awkwardness at bay. Or, at the very least, that it would keep him from upsetting the other blinker too much.
“All sorts,” Orpheus replied after a moment, his voice soft. “Some pleasant… building a fortress out of blankets, that one has been my favorite… and some not so pleasant. There was a room where a lot of blinkers had to kill each other. I was in some sort of viewing room for that…” he shuddered against the thought, instead looking ahead at the doors. “Would you like to choose?”

Czes - Room Start - Orpheus

In the midst of listening passively to Orpheus's answer, Czeslaw halted with one hand extended toward the nearest door handle. He had been mid-stride, and was facing the wood of the door in close quarters. But it wasn't like him to level with someone and get empathetic.

Still, he remembered that room. And others like it in the past, but he was quite certain about which one Orpheus was talking about. Before he could be seen lingering on it too long, he opened the door and stepped inside.

Everything was beige and wood and brick. It wasn't clean or minimal, in fact there seemed to be other doors and facets and wall-hanging accoutrements to this place. The most striking feature was a circle of metal chairs in the center of the room--or at least, they all faced toward the very middle. The light seemed to be focused within this ring even though there was no source, no lamp in the ceiling. Other than that eerie light, and how perfect these seats were arranged, the rest of this scene was mundane.
It was never good news when the Paradox House gave you a place to sit. When it wanted you to engage, to interact... at best, with the House itself, and at worst, with each other. Needless to say this was worse than having to play a game of cards with Orpheus. He had hoped he could separate from his new acquaintance here. Perhaps he still could, if he tried one of the exit doors.

L | Amplifier Room | Razzle Dazzle strider ~∂єѕтιиу

L blinked in, pacing lightly back and forth, his hood up over his short blond hair, his dark eyes watchful. It hadn’t been long since his last blink, but he had gone back to the anxious movement almost immediately, not wanting or keep still for too long. The building was cold, anyway. Pacing would warm him, most likely.
He froze as his surroundings shifted, and took in the room quickly, glancing over his shoulder to make sure nothing was behind him...thankfully, his back was to a wall. He took note of the chairs in their neat arrangement, the eerie light, the doors...and then the people.
Just two, for the moment, and he knew them both, though one he’d seen only about a minute ago and the other he hadn’t seen in far longer. He stared at Czeslaw for a long moment, eyes wide as he remembered the few rooms they’d been in together in the past.
And then someone else blinked in, and his eyes narrowed. He knew this man, too, and he disliked him, though he hadn’t seen him many times before, and then usually just in passing.
He considered speaking, but he felt like he might not want to call that much attention to himself, so he edged towards Orpheus instead, eyes watchful.

The person who blinked in was hopefully better than Hook. It was a weary looking Sam, purple hoodie and large floppy hat. He looked all around very ... tired. But also seemed to brighten up when he appeared in the House. And it was obviously the House, because he could no longer feel the prickle of distant sunlight on even his very well covered skin. The House having apparently decided that this room would not be one of the ones where sunlight hurt the new vampire.
This did leave Sam looking at Nico and the dead grass. He shuffled over and sat at the outer most ring. Not because he was concerned about how Nico would do, but because he wanted to be mindful about how he might feel.
"You good?" Sam asked softly. "Or rather, hanging in there?"

The person who blinked in was undoubtedly better than Hook, at least in Nico’s eyes. He may have only encountered Sam a handful of times, but perhaps it took less than Nico thought it did to tear down his walls… he didn’t trust Sam completely yet, but he didn’t mind seeing him, even despite how vulnerable he was now. He managed a weak smile, though he didn’t feel like smiling in the slightest.
“Hanging in there,” Nico replied, giving a small sigh as he lay back in the grass, staring at the sky. It was filled with… platforms? They were small, but that was definitely what they were. Were they supposed to be climbing into the sky? It seemed odd, but odd was par for the course in the House.
“You?” he asked, glancing over at Sam instead of mentioning the likely purpose of the room.

Kid | Living Room/Hallway | ®Hawkpath®

Kid winced. "Er. Yes." Admittedly it had been pretty obvious. He stuck his hands in his pockets and nodded toward the hallways. Then he stared heading for it. Perhaps a bit slowly, in an effort not to look to much at L.
"I have a bit of an odd range of experiences."
Didn't they all?
"A room sounds nice," he added. He was heading for the hallway anyway and entered it in stride, saying to L without looking over his shoulder, "What about me were your curious about?"
Now there was the halls and doorways. He glanced at them and wondered which to choose.

L | Amplifier Room

L moved slowly, his bare feet silent against the hard floor. He was keeping a close eye on everyone (he trusted Orpheus but it was best to watch them all, if only so he could act if something happened) and everything else, too, which was a lot to watch at once, but...he was used to it. It was worth it, in case anything happened.
He nodded to Czeslaw, glancing down at himself for a split second before he looked up again. “Yes, it is,” he agreed, nodding. “And you.”
He’d have said more, but he didn’t dare let his attention rest on any one person for too long.
He glanced at Orpheus, one eyebrow raising a little at the comment...it seemed a bit…he wasn’t sure how to put it. Naive, maybe. “I don’t think that’s how it works…” he replied softly, but he didn’t manage to continue before Hook shut the door.
He started, his feet nearly leaving the ground at the sharp sound, and glared at Hook. He wasn’t feeling particularly understanding at the moment, but still...he was often rude without intending to be.
“That was rude,” he informed Hook, voice tight and laced with nerves. He didn’t look away, though he wanted to. It was important to see how Hook would react when informed of his rudeness.

Czes - Amplifier Room - L, Orpheus, Hook

Czeslaw stood at his door like a cornered animal, but not afraid. At least, not afraid in his face. It was more of a tired look, where he somehow looked... older. A different setting, which he thought he had surpassed in the last year or so in favor of a better peace of mind.
It seemed they were all at odds with each other all of a sudden, cornered in their own way. And personally, Czeslaw saw the arranged chairs, ready for them to take a seat, and he could only think of it as a taunt at this point. There was no way in hell he was going to cooperate. After all, this place couldn't do anything to him.

The crash of Hook's door made his shoulders jump and brought his attention back to the others. Suddenly Orpheus was talking. Yapping. And playing... music? To be fair, that wasn't the worst thing he could be doing from Czes's point of view. His body shook slightly as he regained control of his hand, prying it away from the doorknob. He was certain it was the same as Hook's, from the feel of it. He moved closer to the center but not into the ring of chairs, instead standing behind one and glancing warily between L and Hook.
"The doors don't work," he said matter-of-factly, secretly hoping to put a damper on Orpheus's fun.

Nico was fairly certain that the House would make them do its strange activity at some point, but until it did… he was content to stay here, even if it meant laying on grass that he had killed unintentionally. Well… Sam worried about being a monster, but at least he didn’t bring death around everywhere he went. That, it seemed, was Nico’s job. He gave a quiet sigh, shifting so he could see Sam a little bit better.
“Maybe we can get a better look at the shapes when we decide to go up there,” he murmured after a long moment, feeling his heart twist in his chest at the idea of going so far up high. He didn’t like heights at all, but there was no Zeus here. And like Kelsier had shown him, there was no reason to be afraid. It would be fine.
“But… for now, yeah. I think I’d like to stay here,” he admitted, relief crossing his expression. “I’m glad you have a place to stay, though. Even if there’s other stuff going on.”
Guilt squirmed in Nico’s stomach. He hadn’t seen Sam since he had set off on the quest that was probably going to be the death of him. He didn’t want to tell him, not know. He would… he would tell him soon. Probably.

Hook | Amplifier Room
The pirate traced his way back to the center of room, grabbing the back of one of the chairs as he watched Czes go through the same motions as he just did. His expression darkened as L spoke up, and he looked across the room at the detective as he stubbornly bit his tongue. If the detective wanted to try and ram his head through the bricks, then he could easily just open the damn door again... His upper lip twitched slightly as he forcibly swallowed his response, but his grip on the chair was now iron - a small price to pay for his silence.
He leaned back slightly as Orpheus started talking to them, cocking his head slightly in the other blinker’s direction as irritation crept through him. His hand pried away from the chair as the kid made a grab for his instrument, the captain had made his way in front of him after only a few strums. His good hand reached out and sharply tugged the guitar downward, his gazed locked on the blinker; “That is the furtherest thing from helpful right now,” he informed him quietly. With that, he released the instrument and returned to the center, feeling as though he’d taken care of the immediate issue. He then gave a delayed correction to what Czes had said, “Two don’t,”