03 | Text: Marriage of Backstay Sailor Boys

[anotheroldfashioned]

[Someone has heard Rasha's voice, but for Don - well. Loving himself is pretty much par for the course.]

So back in my time we have this thing called the Mickey Mouse club. A whole bunch of kids who sing and dance about Mickey Mouse. He's got a song.

Who's the leader of the club
that's made for you and me
M I C - K E Y M O U S E

And so on, and so forth. he's a talking mouse and he's Disney is amazing. He's pretty damn fantastic. He's not as great as I am but he's still pretty damn good. Where was I.

Anyway this boy band thing for those who are curious seems like the Mickey Mouse club and all of you look stupid in your hats and T-shirts. No class. No style. Nobody has any idea what class or style looks like and the only thing you have to turn to is my era. We defined it.

We peaked in the 60s. I'm at the peak. All there is to it, but I thought I'd provide some insight. Namely that. Children are dumb. And that's what this is.

[OOC: for anyone who wants to find Don, he'll be strutting around in his nicest 1960s cut suit at 100% Thot level 2 clubs flirting with anyone who gets close. Leave some action tags for him.]

Comments

[luckthis]

Like a mascot? Nothing about a Mickey the Mouse sounds appealing or trustworthy.

[hopticulture]

[ah figures this is a human she's talking to.....they really are the most common species brought here.......]

So I'm guessing you're from a similar place where most humans seem to be from, where all your animals don't actually talk or walk around like normal, huh?

[herbmixing]

Wow, those ARE some pretty big names.

[ Still not as big as, like, Lion King. But she won't argue the point too much. ]

So, my last name is Chambers, and I had to do firearms training before I went into the RPD. While I was at a shooting range, some guy came up behind me and hugged me from behind. He was pretending to help me aim the gun properly, I guess, and he just says...

'Hey, Chambers, I've got something I could put in your chamber.'

[torsion]

Just tell me.

I was never into that shit. Already told you I was born in '74. Not as relevant to me.

What, you just pissed it's timeless despite the fact it's pretty unappealing? Can't disagree with you if it's the case.

[winscenario]

More gorgeous than pretty. But yes, you are definitely both, as well as handsome and sexy.

[ His smile twitches in amusement, wondering if that much is enough to satisfy Don's curiosity, or his need for attention. Whatever it is that's affecting him right now.

He steps further into the flat, making sure the door is closed behind him. Then he reaches out for Don's shirt, undoing the buttons he'd been doing up so carefully. ]

I may not be the best guy to ask. I see it the way anyone else sees it, man or woman or anyone else, it really doesn't make as much of a difference where I'm from.

[ His fingers brush up Don's torso once he gets the shirt undone, palms sliding across his chest and over his pecs. ]

Well, I don't know if I'll have much coherence in me to keep talking, by that point.

[anotheroldfashioned]

[That's right.

There is tenderness in his touch as he runs his fingers through the other man's hair shuddering at the touch. He gently cups his cheek, hand sliding down his neck. He could grab or pull. He could be gentle.

He called him handsome.]

...What's that like.

[He pulls him inside.] Just seeing people. Just - seeing how they live their lives without exploiting them?

[He grew up a thief. He grew up exploiting people, surrounded by death and pain. Pressing his forehead to the other man he holds him close.]

Just seeing people?

[anotheroldfashioned]

[Is he?]

It's juvenile. I was raised to work.

I went to one of those early meetings in the movie theater. The kids kicked me out. I got the shit kicked out of me. Now I'm a parent. I've got two kids. I live with the damn mouse.

[anotheroldfashioned]

I was the one who came up with calling Kodak's projector the carousel.

[yes yes. bow down. worship. never mind Kodak is going out of business.

Don is a lot of things. Don Draper is a lot more things but every part of him recoils.]

How disgustingly immature.


[He'll cheat, he'll hurt, he'll break people. That makes him dangerous. But crass humor? Vile.]

I'm honestly sorry that happened to you.

[winscenario]

[ Gentle or rough, Jim wouldn't complain either way however Don decides to go about it. He does appreciate both after all, and the way Don pulls him in close to press their foreheads together makes him smile warmly, heart picking up pace just a hint. ]

I... don't know.

[ He laughs a little at the question, shrugging. ]

I've taken advantage of people before. Used my charm and looks to get what I wanted, without caring about whether I hurt people or not. I grew out of it, though. Grew past that. Guess I've learned to respect that everyone else is just like me-- equals. And I try to treat others the way I like to be treated.

[spoiledbugboy]

And what exactly are you trying to figure out?

[anotheroldfashioned]

No, but you're not the first talking animal I've met here. There was a deer. Kind of had an attitude. Made fun of me about not taking care of my fur when it's that time of the month.

I mean I spend 3 days out of the month a bear does that make me hip with all you animal kids?

[hatejakku]

[ Finn didn't want to sell the sake, Don did. He squints at him, still trying to figure out this whole mess.

But he likes the compliments and selling what he makes still doesn't sound terrible... Anyway, he hurriedly takes the shot, coughs, sputters, then gets pulled to his feet. He still coughs a little but manages himself. ]

Um, Rey... and James. Mostly them and you, to be honest. Why?

[anotheroldfashioned]

[Something about that makes him angry. treat others the way you want to be treated. He leans in to kiss him. It's a deep hard kiss before he pulls away.]

And how do you want to be treated?

[Because he turns off his emotions when people ask him to face them. With sex. Sex makes people be quiet. sex makes people not ask him about his own defects. Just like Midge. Just like Rachel. He kisses him hard again. The other man has complimented him just right.]

I want to hear you scream my name again. But I want to keep being gorgeous in your eyes.

[He's pulling him toward his bedroom, hands tangled in his hair. His other hand slides downward and it doesn't feel...weird to find a cock there. Which is good it makes him actually laugh as he holds the other man against him.]

[hopticulture]

Oh, that was probably Louis. He gets like that sometimes.

Bears are usually kind of scruffy anyway if that's what he was bugging you about. I wouldn't let it get to you.

[anotheroldfashioned]

I shouldn't be surprised. No offense, but kids sometimes can be...well. None of you know.

[She says it so normally.]

So your society is really all kinds of animals? Weird question. What kind of animals are creative? I mean are there certain kinds for certain jobs? It seems like it'd be hard for certain groups to be together.

[hopticulture]

I mean, that isn't too weird of a question. You're not going to expect eggs from a cat or milk from a duck, after all.

Asking which animals are creative is weird though. But I guess...I don't know, most would expect that a small female herbivore is likelier to write romance novels for small female herbivores, while a large male carnivore would write some sort of action comic for boys.

But it's a lot more complicated than that.

[winscenario]

[ Jim is a little surprised by the kiss. A little puzzled too, it feels too much like a distraction, but he lets that thought go for now. ]

Fairly. Honestly.

[ No one likes being lied to, do they? He also liked to be treated gently, but that's in a different context. Don isn't being particularly gentle right now, granted, but he doesn't mind that, though he still does gasp at the hand snaking lower to cup him over his trousers. ]

Don-- stop. Okay, hold on, stop. [ He reaches down to catch Don's wrists, stopping them halfway towards the bedroom. ] Are you... feeling alright? Look, I'll have sex with you if that's what you want, but...

[ Something just feels off, and he's worried. ] Did something happen?

[anotheroldfashioned]

[Rey and James. Interesting. Interesting names. As they are leaving Don grabs a shot off a passing waitress's tray before running a hand over her shoulder. She turns - angry - before she sees Don and melts.

He grins.]

That's Charlie.

[Tossing back the shot he points.]

Charlie. Rey. James. They all will have moments of...doubt. Of a lack of happiness. Happiness, I'd say - is the smell of a new...space ship. Let's go with space ship because you're from space.

[his tone turns sincere and he sounds remarkably sober.]

Finn, it's...giving people who don't have something to connect to culture. So we do it...through products.

I had a shitty childhood. It was dark and terrible and...

[something is clearly swimming up in his mind. He has been through a lot here and maybe, just maybe...]

And to be honest knowing that there was something bigger out there made me happy. Buying things...it was like people didn't care where I was from. Anybody could buy a ...a candy bar. You have candy in your world?

[anotheroldfashioned]

I'm fine.

[Why are you asking. Why are you asking this isn't supposed to go like this and that fantastic high is leaving.]

I went to that stupid concert for a client. [He chuckles] Kids don't understand shit but then I heard Rasha sing and I would one hundred percent represent him.

[No except. Okay.]

And you and Angie. You two-

[He breathes and pulls away.] You two came and saved me and I want...I want to pay you back doesn't that make sense? That's how this works.

[Because he cares. It shows on his face and he looks years younger.

He deflates on his his bed, sitting there staring at nothing. Then he looks up at Kirk. His features are a little desperate. He doesn't know that he looks like he needs to hear something.]

...Do you really care about me? Even though I've told you how my time is. Because - You grew out of all the stuff that I make a living doing.

[hatejakku]

[ Finn does not like the smell of new ships. The recycled air, the amonia, it's all bad memories. He likes old ships, something that someone's cared for.

But Don seems to be talking about the novelty of having something new, some happy little bead as a break in life's horrors and/or monotony. ]

I think so... [ About having candy (though he's never had any before leaving his galaxy) and about how this conversation is turning. ] But I'd argue that things, objects, can't give lasting happiness. People and experiences do that. Right?

[ It's an honest question, because maybe it's just him that thinks this way. He's not exactly a material person but he's grown up very different from most. ]

[anotheroldfashioned]

[This is fascinating stuff and honestly - being complimented slides by the wayside because he wants to hear about it so he switches to video]

I hope you don't mind. I'm genuinely curious and you seem a lot nicer then that stag kid.

[he folds his hands.]

So it's just - everybody's put in a box.

That seems a little sad.

[Though he can't think why. Well maybe because he worked so damn hard and it cost him...everything. And it could cost him more he lives in fear of that day.]

So like, if you want to be a cop or whatever a rabbit couldn't do that? Or if a bear wanted to say - paint?

[hopticulture]

[ah....he went to video. and yup that certainly is a human male! she can read between the lines and, sighing, she changes to video too. she's just hanging out at her place anyway.]

It's fine. Louis can be a bit cold sometimes...[her ear twitches a bit at that, thoughtful.] I'm Haru, by the way.

[aka don't call me 'that rabbit kid'.]

A lot of schools have herbivore and carnivore students together regardless of species or size, and I know a lot of workplaces are encouraged to be diverse.

But most animals stick to their own kind. It is a bit sad, especially with predation incidents on the rise...

[chin in hands.]

But a rabbit could be a cop [come on her name isn't Judy Hopps....] and a bear could definitely be a painter if they wanted to. But it's just easier for a lot of animals to see someone and judge them by their species.

[anotheroldfashioned]

So. Just like humans.

[He's not apologetic at all asking these things.] We just hired our first female copywriter.

[Peggy had spunk, and having a woman - particularly a young woman on his team was an asset. She could be used. But after being here he's starting to think it was a good idea for other reasons.]

Women and men, people of different races. All of that.

[He brushes a hand away.] It's just impressive that you guys are all trying to work it out. What do you want to do? If you don't mind my asking.

[anotheroldfashioned]

[He smiles. It's a little feral.]

Sure.

[And it dissolves] If you're lucky. I mean you have James, and I am profoundly honored to be counted among your friends.

[He bows. Out in the air he feels a little more normal. The alcohol is a pleasant buzz.]

I can explain with a metaphor better. We're going to go find you chocolate before we hit another bar. These friends, apart from me are they here right now? No. But I'm about to show you something you can share with them.

[There's a small hole in the wall store that has exactly what Don's looking for. He points.]

Follow me.

[hopticulture]

[female and male seems to be the main common ground between human society and animal society.

last she checked...]

...Humans are all carnivores though, right?

[their world doesn't really use "omnivore" as an identifier.]

But we're definitely trying. Sometimes I wonder if we'll ever really get how to all live together happily but...at least I'm figuring things out.

I was studying botany in college. I'd like to open a flower shop or have a store where I sell all sorts of plants and flowers when I get older. Kind of stereotypical for a herbivore, huh?