puppycrush2 | week two

[Listen... he's always pretending he's a prince, or at least daydreaming about it--

So of course, he offers her his arm as they stroll on in. It feels right and proper. don't worry will he doesn't mean anything by it it's fine]

Some of them are. Some are much more humble, though. [Like Wonder Stage!] Still, I believe all stages are the same at their core, whether magnificent like this, or smaller and homier.

They're place where dreams are born and smiles are guaranteed!

[wow he's so cheesy and lame]

[ easy peasy she'll take it, lead on you princely wonder. she's already got a king-hopeful at home. ]

That's amazing! It makes me wanna get up on stage too!

[ mostly because she likes attention but A NY WAY ]

Maybe I should've asked for one of those instead. We could hold talent shows and stuff.

[yeah and will's like, legit.

Anyway here we just have two peacocks in their natural habitat, it's fine! They stroll on into the stage area to take a proper look at it, and Tsukasa lights up--both at the stage, and Anna's comment.]

That would be spectacular! There's a lot you can learn from someone by how they act on stage, after all...!

[hm.... but still,]

Even so, I hope you've been enjoying the hot tub.

Of course!

[ girl who hasn't written anna's top level yet ]

You're out with a totally reinvigorated Anna-chan! Don't I look slimmer too? Hot tubs melt off fat within an hour!

[ they sure do not! ]

[it

what

huh?]

[anyway Tsukasa has a younger teenage sister so he knows better than to touch anything about weight with a ten foot pole for a young woman.]

You do look incredible in your outfit, Anna-chan. It suits you very well.

You look right at home in a place like this.

[ tsukasa, you're such a smart man. ]

Right? Riiiight?

[ a little spin. yes she's lifting tsukasa's arm for this like he's the one spinning her. ]

You're gonna be the talk of the town with a lady like me on your arm. [ clasping back. ] So what's the best seat in the house for stuff like this?

[ nevermind their tickets got them in one of the middle-high spots she's wondering if they can trade out. ]

[Thankfully, he picks up on it very quickly and does lift his arm for that proper spin. Terrible. The theater kid energy in this theater is already off the charts and the actors aren't even here yet.

Regardless! She asks that, and he pauses, looking over the theater for a moment, contemplative.

There are many good seats, he's sure. In one sense, he imagines there isn't a single bad one.

But... the best seat...]

Why, that's the view from onstage, of course. [He loves watching incredible performances, and he knows he's got a ways to go before he's at the level of the actors they'll be seeing today.

But that's still where he always wants to be in the end.]

[ the actors aren't here yet? wdym?

because anna's looking at the stage and pulling him over to it. ]

Production'll protect us, right? I wanna see what you do.

[ let's have the best seats in the house for a little while!!!!!! ]

[H--huh?

She's totally thrown him with that one, and it's easy to tug him forward to the stage as he blinks at her.

......... Will production protect them, though?]

[... Still.

This is a whole other world, and a magnificent stage, and they're still early enough that hardly anyone is here, or if they are, they're mingling in the lobby. So it wouldn't be that disruptive, probably. Right?

How often will he get the chance to say he performed in a different world like this?

So... he nods, and moves towards the stairs onto the stage, tugging her along with him.]

Alright then. [Let's do it!!] This way. Set the scene, Anna-chan. What sort of mood is it?

[ oh boy!!! ]

Let's see... A confession scene! [ if you thought it'd be anything else from her. ] A real classic! After school special, on-- the rooftop? Or behind the gym building? Classroom? What do you think'll be funnest, Tsukasa-kun?

[If Tsukasa were smarter and less eager to put on a show for Anna and stand on this stage, he would maybe think about this a little more critically.

But he's not and he won't.]

Ohh, I see! A fitting theme for the situation.

[He closes his eyes for a moment to consider that. A confession scene. Okay. It's not a role he's played a lot personally, but it's not outside of his repertoire--after all, most stage plays, TV shows and the like have at least a romantic subplot, if not the main plot itself.

So it doesn't really matter that he's not personally very familiar with romantic love--he can imagine the role right there in front of him.

A confession. An after school special confession. Maybe not the funniest, but most fitting is the rooftop, right? But it's best if he portrays that in the role, and not just by outlining it for her. He has to change tone, then--shy, her classmate from forever who's been admiring her since she joined his class, but has always been too shy to say anything. Some sort of push that shoves him out of that inertia, and now...]

[He turns to face her properly, and he's blushing, a hand balled in a fist at his side, the other loose at his side as if he doesn't know what to do with it.]

Y-Yanami-san...! I...

[Deep breath in. Deep breath out.]

I'm sorry. I know that maybe someone like me doesn't have the right to ask someone like you this, but I just... I can't keep it to myself anymore!

[Now, lift that loose hand and bring it to his chest, grasping at his shirt over his heart as if he's dragging the words out of himself--]

I really... really like you! I... haven't been able to take my eyes off of you from the moment I first saw you.

S-so please...!

[ ... he looks like he's really settling into role, so thoughtful... tsukasa really is an actor, huh? she can kind tell as she waits there, tilting her head at his silence to her question.

it feels kind of like waiting for the curtains to raise, for the first voice of the play to greet you. ]

[ and greet it does: in one shift motion she's standing in front of someone she doesn't particularly recognize, a classmate far too shy to approach her normally, a boy she vaguely recalls from morning attendance.

it's

honestly a familiar scenario, and it takes everything of anna not to just flat out reject him out of character. what does he know about her? on looks alone? never having the courage to speak to her? to get to know her? anna shifts on her feet and draws her experience forward. ]

[ ...

at least, shy as this classmate is, one of them has some kind of courage. ]

Tenma-kun... is it? Confessing to someone isn't a privilege, it's an honor. You're putting your heart on the line -- it wouldn't matter if we were best of friends or strangers like we are now, it takes a lot of courage to say something.

[ courage she. doesn't have, and might never. love has never felt so out of reach and still at her fingertips. the pain and hesitation in her expression shouldn't be for this scene, but she can't help it. ]

I can't go out with you right now. But I'd like to get to know you, if that's okay.

[... Oh?

Anna rises to the challenge of acting on a large stage admirably, clicking into character like she was born for it, but...

... But...

That expression on her face is...

... He tucks it away, making a little note to himself, but right now? There's the scene, and he's not about to let her down by not giving it his all.]

Ah... I see... [Crestfallen, of course. Devastated, but trying not to show it. This is good practice, isn't it? He's only recently really been able to tap into more complex roles like this.

But the devastation of being turned down must be tempered by the praise that Anna heaps on this character. Imagine loving someone, and being told by them that you're courageous.

So he smiles a little, downcast but sincere.]

I'd... really like that. [There'd be the urge to protect that heart, right? But how could he do anything but jump at the chance to get to know the girl he's been admiring for so long?]

Thank you, Yanami-san. You're... as kind as you've always seemed to me.

[ ...

could she have smiled that way, if she had confessed in time? if it hadn't been at the last minute, if it hadn't been bitten off or yelled in frustration? anna's hands clench and she feels tears prick at her eyes, shaking her head as she tries to smile. ]

Thanks, but... you might find out I'm not so kind at all. Will you still love me anyway?

[After school special, he thinks. After school special. Something with a happy ending--which is his preference anyway. Even if it's bittersweet, even if it's just a hope for the future, there has to be something happy there.

Besides... Anna is smiling, but she also looks... like she might cry.

... He smiles, letting his hands loosen at his side.]

Then... if that happens... I'll have a new side of Yanami-san to fall in love with.

But I think... yes. I'll still fall in love with you... every time.

[Because that's what love is, isn't it? He thinks--at least, for a stage show, for something performed in front of others, it needs to be this sort of sweeping, hopeful dream of true love.]

[ god, she hopes that's true.

she opens her mouth to say something and half a croaked word comes out before they're called off the stage by one of the hands -- it serves as a good shock back to reality as anna shakes her head and turns to start back downstage, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. okay. okay. come on, happy journeys ahead. ]

You're the real deal, Tsukasa-kun! I totally fell into role thanks to you -- I'd love to see you act with the rest of your peers someday.

[ it's a little shaky but she's trooping on!!! yup!!! all good!!!! ]

[Tsukasa is profusely apologetic to the stage hand as they're escorted off the stage, and then he clears his throat once they've made it back to the proper area for them to be.

She's shaky but saying the magic words to, uh. Ruin this thread.]

Ha ha ha! Of course! I am a star, of course! You'd be blown away by WonderlandsxShowtime, I assure you! And I would be there as well, naturally.

[.......... Okay he can't read the room but he noted before that she was wearing... some interesting expressions during their acting exercise, and she's wiping her eyes now.

Besides which...

... Hm. He offers her his arm again.]

Still... are you okay, Anna-chan? You seem overwhelmed.

I'm fine!

[ sharp and high, and after a moment of hesitation she takes his arm again with a huff. ]

Is Wonderland whatever your troupe?

LANSDLKNAS HELP,,,

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2/3 i lied to you

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