puppycrush2 | week two

Entry tags:

!week: two,
mingle

week two | mingle

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A whole riddle. . . just so I can know what you were teasing me about.

[his grumpiness is 100% fake]

I won't disappoint, though.

I know you won't.

[ if there's one thing she knows about him, above all, it's-- ]

You never do.

[ that. it's that. he's never once disappointed her, truly disappointed her. she'll curl over him a little more, s... sorry about... you know... ]

Anything I can help with points wise?

[wah. . . why does that feel so. . .]

[. . . ANYWAY]

[he has to sit up a bit to pull his own list out of his pocket, but once he acquires it, his head settles back into Anna's lap. HIS GAZE IS FOCUSED ON THE LIST, AND ONLY THE LIST. NOTHING ELSE, YOU HEAR???]

I need to tell someone a secret.

[a simple two-pointer, but I can't have him do three-pointers now that's for the embrace space--]

Would you like to hear one?

[ please ]

Drop it on me.

[he has one picked out already!! though. . . it may be a bit solemn, judging by how he sobers a bit]

. . . I actually don't remember a lot about growing up.

[he recalls the village fire, and being rescued by the prince, and his relationship with his best friend. but a lot of details beyond those are. . . fuzzy]

I think. . . the fire must have had a bigger effect on me than I thought.

... If it helps, a lot of people don't remember a ton about their childhood. Some things stick out more than others.

[ but she's back to combing through his hair properly, the way... her mom used to, when she was sick or upset because of a fight her and sosuke had. ]

But... that probably didn't help any. It sounds super scary, and the closest I've gotten to that is Komari-chan almost blowing her face off with a firework.

[ and

to be honest she kind just kept grilling, staying in her background turned main character lane. ]

[executive decision, he knows what fireworks are. I cannot keep doing this!!!]

[. . . a tiny hum plays in his lips at the feeling of those fingers in his hair. he has grown so used to living with the traumatic memories of the village fire that he doesn't mind talking about it. but. . . it's still nice, to be soothed in this manner]

It was such a long time ago. [when he was veeeery little] Some memories of the fire itself are dull, too.

But maybe that's. . . okay.

I guess you don't have any lasting fear from it if you can stand a couple campfires too.

[ but. okay. good. she'll keep combing through anyway, because it feels nice. to her, seemingly to him. ]

What's your favorite thing about traveling?

[definitely to him. she is going good!]

Seeing new sights.

[it makes him wish he had some of the sightseeing drawings that one of his party members made for him bac home. he'd love to show them to Anna, and to tell her the stories behind each and every landmark]

I learn a lot about my world at every new place I go. And if I want to be king-- [. . . if he wants his best prince friend to be king!] I need to learn as much about it as I can, right?

[ ooh... that is a good thing, she's nodding in understanding too. that makes sense. ]

You've really planned this out... I mean, of course you have, but still! I've barely thought about what I'm doing next month.

[ much less like. a fucking life plan. career papers come later. ]

Oceans, forests... mountains? Have you been to a desert?

Grand Trad-- ah, the capital of Euchronia-- is surrounded by desert. I've hunted monsters there before.

[FOR BOUNTIES]

What kinda monsters?

[ she's never asked. they're from different worlds though she wants to know if they're like the sort in nukumizu's isekai stuff. ]

[what's an isekai--]

The desert is full of wild dogs and sandworms. The maneater manjula-- which is like a lion crossed with a scorpion-- also used to prowl its wastes, until my party and I took it out as part of a bounty.

[ a failing genre ]

Did you cook it?

It was poisonous.

[Hulkenberg would love Anna]

Oh, too bad. I would've loved hearing what a leopion tasted like.

[ that

isn't what it was called but consider: her name is cuter. ]

Your world sounds dangerous... [ sighs...... no longer a different land, a different world... ] At least I'll be well protected if I ever find a way to visit.

[ since he and his friends are sooooo strong. ]

What's the toughest thing you've fought, handsome?

Of course you'd be protected. [that goes without saying!!] We'd travel in a gauntlet runner, so you wouldn't have to worry about monsters unless we stopped in a dangerous area.

[and even then, if she stayed inside the runner, the danger would mostly avoid her. . . mostly since some monsters were known to attack the runner but it is fine—]

[his answer to her question. . . is quiet and solemn]

The toughest thing I have fought. . . was a human.

[FINALLY!!!]

[ FINALLY!!! ]

Oh, really? They're not one of your tribes like... the nidia or elda?

[ thank

fucking god they have talked enough about "his country" she isn't flabbergasted. ]

[by now he has had his date with Sanji too so THANK GOD HE IS AWARE THAT "HUMAN" MEANS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. . . TO SOME PEOPLE]

No. Not at all.

[a beat. tentatively, so as not to offend--]

Where I come from, humans are monsters. They're incredibly powerful. . . they can level entire villages if they wanted to. And they're far stronger than even the kingdom's strongest armies.

. . . nobody knows where they come from.

[ damn...... humans are the real monsters...... that's so deep. her hand moves from his hair to his cheek instead, tracing a spiral there. no offense taken, she... is understanding, sort of, or at least she is too normal to fully comprehend anything and therefore kind just. letting to punches roll so to speak. ]

Did you beat it? 'Cause if so, I think popularity be damned, you're more than worthy of ascending that throne. Who else is strong enough with his allies to protect the people?

[ like

that's just common sense, to her? ]

I did. [with help from his allies, and utilizing the special magic they have unlocked together] And a few others since then.

[IT'S A METAPHOR. . . HA HA, GET IT. anyway. his features darken, brow knitting together]

. . . there is one other person who is making a name for himself by taking down the humans. He is. . . also trying to become the next king.

[he speaks. . . very slowly, very carefully, and with a solemnity that suggests this guy is No Joke (TM)]

[ ... hmmmm. ]

And I'm guessing he's a total no-go in your books? I don't think I've ever seen you make this face before.

[ it's

not one she wants to see again, she thinks, gliding her finger up between his eyes and gently rubbing the creases there. ]

[HE HAS TO]

[LIKE]

[P. . . PAUSE. . . because he is acutely aware of the cameras and knows if he says too much then he will wind up giving everything away, and he can't do that]

. . . his name is Louis Guiabern. We can-- ah. . . talk about him the next time we're alone.

[read: this is not a conversation to have in public]

But he's currently in second place, behind Sanctifex Forden. The Sanctifex is the head of the state church, so naturally he's in first.

[Will is top twenty but he still has a long ways to go]

[ really thinkin about how the next time they're alone they ain't doing any kind of talking ]

Oh. Right, naturally.

[ ... ]

Wait, what? Seriously? Jeez, talk about a power grab... I bet the old king's body was still warm when they started talking about taking the seat for themselves.

[ ss sssooo fucking sorry. ]

And where are you on that list, my king-to-be?

[closes eyes DON'T REMIND ME]

[with great exhaustion]

Yeah. I think Sanctifex Forden has been eager to claim the crown for himself for. . . years now.

[and so far, he is getting what he wants. but. . . not if Will has anything to say about it]

I'm in the top twenty. Closer to twenty, I'm sure. . .

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MILD METAPHOR SPOILERS

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