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

[aspirings]

[He looks down, meets her gaze and is startled by it, jumping a little and blushing as he hastily looks away, as if he's just realized how close they really are.

And they'll be that close the entire walk to the station... will his heart be able to take it--?!

But her comfort is more important than that, surely, even if it's visible the way he swallows at the way she says "savior".]

Ah... if you don't mind walking to the station with me, then... I'd be happy for you to use my umbrella!

[makeine]

[ with him...? her cheeks pinken a bit -- but maybe it's just his mind playing tricks on him, since when she turns back forward her voice is the same as ever. if a little quieter, maybe. a touch quieter. ]

No, I'd... like that a lot, Tenma-kun.

[ spending time with him like that. ]

... But you know... I might need you to walk me the rest of the way, too. If it isn't too much of an inconvenience.

[aspirings]

[... Wait, was that--no, he's just being overly hopeful, isn't he? Still, if she wants to spend more time with him, he's never going to argue that. In some sense, all of his dreams are coming true right in front of his eyes--just not in the way he was hoping for, exactly.

Regardless, there's no time for that. He shakes his head vigorously, not as a "no" but entirely the picture of a boy trying to get his head back on straight in the present.]

O-of course! I'd like--I mean, um! It isn't an inconvenience at all...! [It could never be an inconvenience for you, he doesn't say, but isn't it implied in the enthusiasm of the moment?

He pantomimes opening the umbrella to move the scene forward, and then clears his throat.]

Um... here. We'll have to... stand a little bit closer.

[makeine]

[ stand closer... her expression remains hidden, but her ears betray her blush as ever as she shifts closer to tsukasa, hands brushing-- but

she doesn't jerk away, just leaves it there. back to back, the tips of his fingers closer to her palm than the other way around. ]

Like this? I don't want you to get rained on either, you know.

[aspirings]

[Oh.

Their hands brush, and Anna doesn't pull away, and with great focus and determination, neither does Tsukasa. He remains there, drags in a slow breath, and pauses.]

Y-yeah. Like that... is fine.

[He swallows, clears his throat, and:]

We should probably get going... don't wanna miss the train.

[... But before he steps forward, he gathers all of his courage, shifts his hand just a little bit, and hooks their pinkies together. Loose, and light, and easy for her to pull away from if he's read the signs wrong, but... something.]

[makeine]

[ oh.

she's reminded of other times in her life just the same. an innocent brush sparking yearning, a kind of wistfulness that shows in her expression to the audience (please, someone has to be watching), a kind of oddly genuine heartache as she abruptly "stops" tsukasa mid-walk to their station without a word, pinky still linked.

... ]

[aspirings]

[not anna out here hoping they've stopped the game of spin the bottle to watch their little impromptu play--

It's fine.

Tsukasa stops, of course, that tiny tug on his pinkie as loud as a full yank on his sleeve to someone as hopeful as he is in this moment.

And with a brief moment of hopeful confusion, he pauses, looking down at her with his lips slightly parted, as if ready to ask a question.]

[makeine]

[ why wouldn't they??? hello???

she knows he wants to ask, and anna keeps her gaze cast away for the moment as she speaks softly but clearly. ]

Tenma-kun. [ just to hold the floor. ] Do you... still like me?

[ when she hasn't been all that kind, when she's a little bit of a bully and takes advantage of his sweet heart... when she's been so spoiled by his sincerity, when there's no way she could ever give enough back in return for the things will-- tsukasa has done, in this story. ]

[aspirings]

[not assigned Will--



It's fine!!!

Tsukasa tilts his head at that, and the smile that flits across his face at that is a little warm and a little pained all at once, because maybe it's pathetic to admit it like this, and maybe it makes him seem unfair to stay close to her while still harboring these feelings, but--

(He knows what the next line to this story is as easily as he can breathe.)]

Yanami-san... I never stopped liking you.

[makeine]

[ god, she wishes she could've heard that instead of the beginnings of an apology. she wishes she could hear it now from someone seated not that far away, yet still so out of reach in her mind.

anna yanami is determined not to cry this time. she breathes in, turning up to face tsukasa with a bit of hope. ]

... In that case, can I check something? It won't take but a second, and... I think I'm right.

[aspirings]

[She turns her face up to him and he mirrors her, meeting her eyes.

Then here--

-it'd be burgeoning hope, holding his breath, a hesitantly dawning realization.

So his response is breathed out.]

Yeah... of course.

[The brain cell not dedicated to acting is starting to wonder if this is really a good idea given the last scene they played out and Anna's emotional state but uh, OOPS, TOO LATE NOW]

[makeine]

[ maybe this state will be fixed tonight. who can say.

regardless!!! of her personal troubles!!! she'll finish this scene off before her composure breaks and she wishes it was someone else standing in front of her, just a little taller with a different-- ]

If you drop that umbrella, I really won't forgive you.

[ teased as she reaches up to clasp her hands behind tsukasa's neck, standing on her tiptoes and pulling him down ever so slightly for what looks like an uncertain, sweet kiss on the lips, but behind the scenes is just one to his cheek from the front.

her feet drop back down and she smiles wider. ]

Thanks for waiting for me.

1/2

[aspirings]

[his first thought

in the midst of all of this

is

Wow that was really good positioning if they were on a stage, nobody would be able to tell--]

2/2

[aspirings]

[anyway uh.

The Scene.

Tsukasa keeps his head tilted down until Anna drops back down from her tiptoes, and then he pauses, considering.

But honestly...

He brings a hand to his chin, and:]

That feels like scene to me, Anna-chan. Very impressive!

[makeine]

Thank you! It made it pretty easy to steal a kiss from you too, for the game's sake.

[ heheh. ]

[aspirings]

Impeccable technique, too! I've yet to play a major role in a romantic play, but I'll have to remember the angle you used.

[flawless...... I mean wxs will never do a romance because then the shippers in the fanbase will be mad but you know

Tsukasa doesn't know that]