puppycrush2 | week one | match ceremony

The weather is temperate and mild for the match ceremony on this fine Saturday evening, and the crew leads everyone onto a balcony with a cute seating set-up of couches and love-seats. The vibes are Trendy. There are enough places to sit for everyone, but there are only two single chairs, so everyone else is gonna have to cozy up on the couch. Or you can cuddle up in the chairs. I’m not your mom. Also there is only one egg seat. There's mood lighting, like fairy lights.

To one side, there's a small stage of sorts, with a podium where the characters will place their hands to lock in their answers.

Wednesday and Ryuji are led off to the other side so that they can take a seat of honor over on a comfy couch to one side--close to the other contestants, but just far enough away that it's clear they're getting special treatment. Don't you wanna go to the Honeymoon Suite now? Huh???

Anyway.

There are non-alcoholic drinks for people to take at will (all the better to catch spittakes on camera), and the weather is breezy and nice.

And, standing in front of the makeshift stage, with a set of seven unlit lights behind him and one lit light, stands the Overseer. He is dressed the part, of course. He also... looks tired for a moment, but he snaps back to his Proper Hostly Character as soon as the cameras are properly on them and everyone is settled in.

He presses a hand to his chest, sweeping the other outwards.

"Welcome, everyone, to your first Match Ceremony!"

He beams, all classic Tsukasa Sparkles. "As your host, allow me to explain how this will work."

For... the audience mostly. Maybe also for Ryuji? He's not sure how many of the contestants still don't know. It's fine.

"The lights behind me represent each Perfect Match. If--no, when you manage to light every single one, you'll have won, and you will all receive your wishes. For each Perfect Match you find at this ceremony, a light will be lit! And it is your task to figure out which pairs led to those lights appearing."

He nods firmly, eyes and expression shining with confidence in the competitors sitting before him. "And you do not even have to worry about losing a wish this week! It isn't possible for you to have a blackout, since Miss Addams and Sakamoto were a Perfect Match. Congratulations!"

Get on with it, Tsukasa. He clears his throat, pauses just long enough for there to be an inevitable easy cut to commercial break when they edit this later, and then:

"We will begin this week with Team Wonder."

He extends his hand to Dorothea, the other pressed over his heart. "If the lovely Miss Arnault would come up to start us off...?"

Looks like it’s the moment of truth, so strap in.

--

The ceremony has finally arrived! Each character on Team Wonder will be called up in an order determined by the producers (read: rng'd). Each will get their own sub-toplevel that characters can react to at will.

After the matches have all been locked in, we will then find out just how many you all got right.

Otherwise, feel free to use this log for reactions/toplevels for pre- and post-ceremony, and anything else you please. The world of reality TV dating is yours to embrace.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ phew. please. have mercy on him. he's calming down now that he doesn't have to explain anything. ]

It's super fancy! It's a penthouse suite! It's got a great view and a private chef and game room and all sortsa shit. It's soooooo comfy and way better than the bunk beds too.

A private chef?! Sanji-kun's being put out of business!

[ but, oh. oh. she's back to whispering. stage-whispering. ]

How many beds, Ryuji-kun? Two, or... just the one?

[ Oh my god??? This is the worst. This is utterly predictable and yet, still the worst. He's going to die, to perish, to let the ground swallow him up whole. ]

O-One.

[ wow............... ]

Do you sleep on the floor?

[ Just. Continues to blush and ruffles the back of his hair. ]

It's — It's a big bed.

[ oh my god

okay hold on she's done teasing she's serious

ly blushing a little ]

... How big?

[ WHY ARE YOU ASKING HIM THESE THINGS ]

I dunno! Western beds are always so big... d-don't they call them kings and queens and princesses and stuff?

What do you mean you don't know?! There's a difference between a big bed and a big bed, Ryuji-kun!

[ surely he gets that????? ]

[ flaps his hands!!! ]

It's a big, big bed! It's a king! [ it is, actually, a king. but ryuji does not know this. ] It's the biggest!

Oh, good.

[ pressing her hand to her chest. ]

I don't know how I'd handle having to sleep with Will-kun so soon into our relationship... I've got a maidenly heart, you know.

[ D-Don't say it like that!! ]

She's a maiden too! Come on! [ wait. ] Actually, she'd prolly wanna be a wench but look, you know what I mean!

[ it's just so funny to see his face. he's really like nukumizu. i'm positive the actual nukumizu is sighing in damn relief it's not him being teased right now, but also feeling for ryuji sakamoto, who he's considering his brother in arms thanks to it. ]

I do! And I'm sure of both things, too! I just wouldn't be able to sleep at all, I know it!

[ so nerve-wracking!!!!!!

ah... but then if he was too, maybe she'd feel better... maybe they could stay up talking, back to back or face to face...

...............

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ]