week two | mingle

[showhost]

Welcome to week two, Teens Who Are Definitely Searching for Love!

Hopefully everyone got a lot of rest over the weekend, and are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the upcoming week, because there are a few things of interest this week.

But first, some changes of note in the house!

First: there is a giant rectangular box on the living room table, addressed to Lessing. It is a care package. The only thing in it is his sword.

There is some Bauernbrot bread on the counter. Ask Lessing about that too.

There is now a hot tub near the pool. It’s large enough to seat about six teens comfortably, but you can get more in there if you really try for some reason.

Okay I think that’s everything. Additionally, Tsukasa is here early this week! He’s looking pretty perky, seemingly recovered from the Match Ceremony, and he’s got some interesting info to share with everyone.

Embrace Space | Property Damage, etc | Dates | Mini-Event
Truth Booth Voting | Match Ceremony Submissions

Comments

[warhawks]

[ Her eyes widen a bit. ]

Seriously? After I treated you like that...?

[ She's raising her voice again, but she can't help it. The kindness is making her feel hysterical; if she doesn't get mad, she'll start crying. ]

What's your problem? Nobody's this nice without a reason! I'm not going to have s-sex with you, so you can drop the act!

[hgeegh]

[?!]

I'm not . . . It's not about sex! I just want to help you!

[He's pent-up, but that would never affect what he wants out of her, which is her happiness. He has a lot of problems, he knows. She doesn't have to look at him to smile, though.]

[warhawks]

I don't believe you. I can't believe you!

You barely know me, so why...? If I was in your position, I'd never want to talk to me again.

[hgeegh]

[This is a delicate position to be in, to be sure.]

We don't have to talk. I just . . . don't want to see you sad.

[warhawks]

[ She stares at him a little longer, before sagging like a puppet with its strings cut. ]

... I'll take the tea.

[hgeegh]

R-really?

[Relief floods his system as he lights up.]

That's great! I'll have one brewed and ready for you every night, so just come and get it when it's time. Okay?

[warhawks]

Are you always awake this early?

[ She'll feel so bad if she's inconveniencing him even more than she already is. ]

[hgeegh]

[Little does she know, he's the happiest man on earth right now.]

Yeah. It's around the time I get up to prepare breakfast for the crew, so I've been sticking to it here, too.

[warhawks]

[ ... ]

Wait, the pirate thing is [ ryuji voice ] for real? [ BOY SHE THOUGHT YOU WERE A CHUUNI ]

[hgeegh]

It's real. I'm a bonafide pirate!

[He gives her a thumbs up.]

[warhawks]

[ At least this is a great distraction. ]

Holy crap. A real pirate...

[hgeegh]

[Hmm, how does Asa feel about pirates? Most people are wary of them. He doesn't want to alarm her unnecessarily.]

It's okay. I may be a pirate, but I'd never hurt a woman.

[warhawks]

Oh. You're one of those sorts.

[ SANJI YOU WERE DOING SO WELL ]

[hgeegh]

[This was an inevitability.]

"Those"?

[warhawks]

A horny pervert. [ Looks away from him... in disgust... ] Ugh, gross. This is why I can't stand boys.

[hgeegh]

[Oh . . . ]

Ah, Asa . . . ?

[Is everything . . . okay?]

[warhawks]

[ What she thinks: Not only is he a criminal, but a pervert too? I already decided I wasn't going to fall for him, but this is seriously the last straw. I shouldn't have to lower my standards. In fact, he should die for making me even consider it! I hate him!

What she says: ] What?

[hgeegh]

Um, I just want to say . . . I do like ladies, but it was drilled into my head since I was a kid that I shouldn't hurt a woman. That's how I was raised.

[It has nothing to do with perversion despite, uh. He just wants to clear that up for the sake of his mentor.]

[warhawks]

[ That's... slightly better? But she's far from appeased, because of course she's not. ]

You know women can be evil too, right? So what, you'd just let more people die instead of hurting one?

[hgeegh]

[His shoulders sag.]

Of course I know. A while back, there was this woman who humiliated my crewmate. I still haven't forgiven her for doing something so awful; however . . .

[He slides a hand in his pocket and pulls out a lollipop. A morning smoke sounds good right about now, but that'll have to wait. For now, gnawing on candy will have to do.]

. . . hitting women is the one thing I can't do. That doesn't mean I wouldn't lift a finger to protect people if they were in danger.

[warhawks]

That's... really stupid.

[ You can't just call someone's way of life stupid, Asa. At least she seems to mean it more in a "I can't believe this" way than a cruel one. ]

You'll die if you keep it up. You know that, right? You'll meet someone you can't stop without fighting, and they'll kill you.

[hgeegh]

I know.

[His gaze drifts to the floor. He's stupid and he'll die. It's not what she said, exactly, but he knows both are true.]

If not for Nami, that woman would've killed me. But Asa . . . I'd rather die than betray the person who taught me everything.

[Even though he doesn't want to die, he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he were to forsake his cherished principles. So he won't. He can't.]

[warhawks]

[ What he's saying is ridiculous. It's ridiculous, and she wants to call him a pervert again, but it comes from a place of too much sincerity for her to do more than sigh. ]

I get it. There are things I'd rather die than do... but I don't know if I actually could. I just don't have that kind of resolve. [ It's not that she's attached to her life. It's that she's terrified of letting go. ] You're a way better person than me. That's why I didn't want us to get any closer.

[hgeegh]

[There's no censure. Sanji's heart stutters at her understanding.

Is he a better person? He's just a cook in a sea of extraordinary individuals, both in and out of this house. His life has little worth, and that's why he can throw it aside so easily. By what standards can he claim to be a better person?

He lifts his head, heart racing. Asa must have her reasons, just like he has his, to feel the way she did. And now . . . ]

What changed?

[warhawks]

[ It's obvious in the way she immediately turns her head, lowers her gaze, and generally does her best to try and disappear into herself that she Does Not want to answer this question... but after everything she just accused him of, she owes him whatever honesty she can give. Good thing Sanji has that women-specific super hearing ability, though, or he might still miss what she mumbles out. ]

I can't stand being alone, but I hate rejection even more. I'm always torn between my fear of both... and then I end up making the worse choice, every single time. I wish I could just stop.

[ Stop trying. Stop caring. Stop existing. Any of the three would do. ]