Truth or Dare: Nexus Edition

[the_rebel_son]

Lucifer isn't quite sure how this madness started. The angels had opened up the council chamber for visitors and of course Beelzebub had started them drinking, then they got rowdy and people started joining them. Who had brought up the idea of Truth or Dare was unknown but it rippled through the amassing group to a uniform good idea, despite the objective nature of it being a disaster.

Then there was some vote that Lucifer missed where Galahad, Prometheus, and Belial were made judges to keep things in line. That might have been the most reasonable and sane thing since this conversation started. Chairs were rearranged to a big circle.. and all the chairs from the villa had been taken. It was crowded, specially when they decided the judges should have chaises to lounge on. This was some true ancient Greek style madness with the drinking and the topics that were sure to come up. Still, it was all fun and games, right?


Rules of the Road:
1. Top level with your character.
2. Note if you are opting this in as canon for Nexus. This may be done in top level or in individual responses (If there is any questions about this please seek out players OOC.. Discord, PM in Dw etc)
3. A character may only ask truth or dare of the same character once.
4. However, a character may ask as many different characters as they please.
5. Characters may ask questions without doing a top level. However the 1 per the same character applies
6. If your character is crossing threads for a dare, please link back to the original comment where the dare was issued.
7. When in doubt ask?

Comments

[sohoangel]

Aziraphale blinks up at the man who approaches -- human, so far as he can tell -- and sits silently while he is serenaded by a song whose lyrics he does not recognize, but melody that he has heard many times before.

"Ah..." he says when the stranger is done, before clapping politely at the performance. What sort of dare prompted this? "Lovely rendition of In the Hall of the Mountain King. What were those numbers that you were rattling off to the tune of it?"

[malcolmeffect]

Ian laughs when he's done singing because the expression on the other's face is amusing. "The first hundred digits of Pi."

[sohoangel]

For a moment, Aziraphale thinks of a different sort of 'pie', and Ian gets to bear witness to the expression of an incredibly disgruntled angel. "I see. And might I inquire who put you up to this dare?"

[malcolmeffect]

Ian wonders what the expression is for but then surmises maybe this person had encountered a dare, or an uncomfortable truth, in the past few minutes. It was the name of the game after all.

He looks around for a moment and points out Harley. "Uh.. she did. I was dared to sing a song about an equation."

[sohoangel]

Aziraphale looks over in the direction Ian points and immediately relaxes when he sees who it is. Harley comes with her own particular brand of teasing, but so far as Aziraphale knows, she's unaware of the pie reference. Truly just a reference to the number, then.

With a much warmer expression, he smiles at Ian. "Good thing you have that particular song memorized. A useful number, that, or so I'm told." He offers a hand. "My name's Aziraphale. Was that the extent of your dare?"

[malcolmeffect]

"My daughter's never going to let me forget it." He comments more than a little amused by the situation. He takes the offered hand in a firm shake.

"Dr. Ian Malcolm. I only had to sing to people and you're the last one."

[sohoangel]

"Your daughter is a fan?" he asks, smiling. It does seem like the type of song a child with a bright mind would be interested in learning.

"A pleasure to meet you, Doctor. Sounds as though you're off the hook, then! Not so terrible a dare, well, unless you had a bit of stage fright." Which this man does not appear to have.

[malcolmeffect]

"Yes, uh... she's been interested in music since she was a baby." At least as far as Ian knew. there were times he was cut out of her life but better not to mention or think of those at a party.

"Not at all." He manages an amused and quiet laugh. "I sing and play jazz piano as a hobby. I've seen worse, for me, dares this evening."

[sohoangel]

"How delightful." Aziraphale loves children. In theory. In practice, it depends on their age and attitude. "How old is she now?"

"Oh! Well, then this must be old hat for you." He tilts his head curiously. "What other dares have you had? No one has dared me to do anything." Because he's only answered truth so far, as awkward as that can also be at times.

[malcolmeffect]

"Twelve." Ian loved his daughter and Aziraphale could probably get him to talk about her forever. "and recently, an obsessive gymnast."

"None, uh.. this was my first. Have you?"

[sohoangel]

Ian's love for his daughter is obvious to Aziraphale, who has a supernatural sense for such things. He'd be happy to listen for quite a while, and smiles at the man's reply. "Oh? Does she compete at all, or is she still learning?"

"I've asked a few people, and been asked in turn. I haven't participated in these sorts of parlor games in some time, but it's been fun so far." Well, except for his conversation with Moloch. 'Fun' is not a word he associates with him. "It's certainly a more diverse group of people than any I'd experience back on Earth."

[malcolmeffect]

"Her first competitions will be in the fall."

His comment gets a snorting laugh from the humans. "I have three children with me.. uh.. this.." He motions around at the people playing the game. "Starts before breakfast."

As an Atheist, Ian is still trying to wrap his head around the gods and angels and the rest of the Nexus but nods in agreement. Cynical amusement comes with his comments. "I never imagined I would be playing truth or dare in the Devil's Parlor."

[sohoangel]

"That's wonderful... oh! Your children are here with you?" Is that safe? Such parlor games can get out of hand, but all seems under control currently.

Ian's comment earns an uninhibited laugh from the angel. "Believe me, dear fellow, neither did I. I imagine my former superiors would have several words to say to me if they saw me in this state."

[malcolmeffect]

"No, not today." Ian raised a brow behind his glasses at the room. They would probably get a run for their money, even the devil, from his daughter. "I. uh.. usually do have her with me, and the other two... they aren't mine, but they seem like it for how often they're in my house."

Ian laughs even more. "My father already expects I gave up and went to the devil years ago."

[sohoangel]

"Oh? Children can come into our lives somewhat unexpectedly. I was a godfather of sorts to a child for a number of years, and currently serve as a a family friend to a few more. I would have thought even that nigh impossible a little over a decade ago."

Aziraphale raises his eyebrows. "For what, being a mathematician? If it helps any, you're keeping company with an angel, as well."

[malcolmeffect]

"Their father is putting the family through..uh.. a divorce." Ian had a lot of words to stick into that sentence, most were profanities and other curses. "My wife did the same. The kids have numerous shared experiences."

All of which he would have spared his daughter from, but that was in the past and not something to focus on now. Ian shakes his head disappointed. "My father's traditional. The son is supposed to be dutifully religious and take over the family business."

Ian was neither of those things and it caused strife, all the time.

[sohoangel]

"Ah, I see. Is this a blended family type of situation?" That's the term for it, he thinks. It's always a crapshoot which words from current vernacular will stick in his head.

The angel finds himself frowning in sympathy. "That's been the way of the world for quite a while. I can't say I'm unfamiliar to that sort of familial pressure. What's the family business?"

[malcolmeffect]

"No, I just watch them. Their mother is my uh.. employer's daughter and the kids sort of grew up together." It was complicated for sure but Ian had always heard "blended family" in reference to marriage. Though, Mrs. Murphy, or Hammond if she changed it back, was a nice enough woman he had no interest in marrying her.

"Book keeping and finance when I was in school. He owns his own business now." Ian had the head for the math, but not the boredom of something so mundane.

[sohoangel]

"Oh, I see. I didn't think that was so common anymore. Children from different families growing up together, I mean. I think it's lovely."

Aziraphale smiles at the mention of bookkeeping. "Oh, I do that for my bookshop. I find it rather soothing, personally, having everything add up on either side of the ledger, but I understand that it's not for everyone."

[malcolmeffect]

"I'm not sure it is, but divorces and rough work schedules call for non-traditional solutions." It was how Ian and Mrs. Murphy had fallen into an unspoken agreement to take on each others children, or Hammond took them, or someone else.

"I prefer theoretical mathematics." He could imagine though that small business owners would have to do a lot of the financial footwork on their own. It made sense for Aziraphale and his father to share that in common.

[sohoangel]

"It used to be that way, when humans lived in smaller communities. How lovely that you are able to make that work for your family."

Aziraphale has a fondness for playing the role of shopkeeper, even if he rarely sells anything. It's why it's so easy for him to keep his books balanced. "Ah, I see. I'm not as familiar with that branch of mathematics. The most complicated work I do is when I file my taxes annually, but I have a computer to help with that."

[malcolmeffect]

Ian is appreciative of anyone who delves into math because there are so many that treat it like it is impossible. "Theoretical projection requires computers too, but uh... if you understand what the computer is doing the data makes more sense."