puppycrush2 | week two

[ Yeah... he can see why this would be stressful. If feelings have already gotten involved, then it's likely paralyzing for her... he feels a twang of sympathy in his heart, but he keeps his expression cool, determined to offer helpful support. ]

It could still be both, though.

[ He points out gently, lifting a single finger. ]

If you tell him now that you have feelings for him, and he feels the same... then who cares if you're not a match? I think you'll feel a lot better knowing how he feels about you definitively before the show makes a "ruling" about you. Then, however the chips fall, you can go out knowing you laid your cards down without regrets.

[ They should define what their relationship is, not any of the other contestants or a plan or the producers. If she knows Will feels the same, a "no match" won't hurt so badly, and a "perfect match" will feel liberating. Josuke is laid-back and open about most things; to him, he thinks the path of least pain and resistance is to take preemptive action. But none of it is offered with judgment or urgency; he can't tell her what to do, he can only tell her what he thinks would be good to do. ]

It's possible he won't feel the same way... but, knowing Will, he'd be graceful about it. And I think he'd still want you by his side for the rest of the competition.

[ It's not like he'd abandon her. Their bond would still be there... it just might not be romantic. Isn't that worth trying for, then? ]

Besides, you don't need to be totally confident you're a perfect match to look good to the public. Relationships have ups and downs... it makes them relatable. [ So, in his heart of hearts, he really doesn't think it'll damage the publicity they've built thus far, anyway. If anything, it might make people more attached to them. Josuke glances up, trying to gauge her expression. ] The way I see it, you've got way, way more to gain by telling him than by saying nothing.

[ it could be, but it wouldn't

it's not fair if it is, if it isn't. it'd be easier if this was as one-sided as her other one. even if thinking about will with someone else, match or otherwise, chews at her heart. anna messes with her hair as she listens, expression somewhere between gloomy and resigned in the "i know you're right but" way. ]

... I wouldn't be able to stand the sight of him if he rejected me, though. I've already gone through that once, Josuke-kun -- I don't want to go through it again. No way in hell. But he knows all about that too, so I don't want him to like, you know. Humor me. Or whatever. Because he doesn't want to hurt my feelings. I think I'd punch him.

[ she'd almost done that to sosuke too. even though she doesn't think will would humor her like that, and anna lifts her head to say so-- ]

I mean, he probably wouldn't, but if he did, I'd punch him. So I'd rather just... I don't know, wait on it. It's not like he doesn't have someone he likes already anyway, whether he knows it or not.

[ Well, if that's what she's convinced of, he's not sure what else he can do to push her... he can see where she's coming from, and that's the important thing. Even if he wouldn't quite deal with it like this. ]

"Someone he likes already?"

[ That seems to be the next important thing to hone in on, because he can't help but try to sus out who she's talking about among the contestants. It doesn't even occur to him that she might be talking about things beyond the scope of this reality TV stint; Will had told Josuke himself it wasn't something he much thought about. ]

What do you mean by that?

He's got a guy back home he's definitely head over heels for but because they're childhood friends I'm pretty sure it doesn't clock. And also because Will-kun's a total idiot.

[ hello ]

He's the person that Will-kun's doing all this for too, and when he talks about the guy it's... really obvious, okay? As obvious as when I talk about Will-kun.

[ like

how is she supposed to beat a prince-- ]

[ He won't deny that's a possibility. Maybe Will just hasn't realized his feelings? But also... ]

Do you think he'd be willing to pretend to be in a relationship with someone else if his feelings about his friend were that serious, though? That seems like a stretch.

[ If he was close enough with one of his friends like that, even if he didn't realize it was romantic, he doesn't think cozying up to someone else would feel good. ]

I've known the guy, what. A week and then some?

[ ... ]

Yeah, there's no way he'd do something like that. [ no more murdering the cheese and grapes. ] But again it's for the sake of his friend, so... maybe he can put up with it.

[ ... not that... he seems like he puts up with it, or her, the way he lights up the moment he sees her and the sweetness of their nightly ritual...

anna's cheeks pinken and she huffs softly. ]

He's doing a bad job of playing pretend though. It almost feels like he really likes me. Like, more than a friend. He doesn't make goodnight kisses feel like a chore at all.

week two | dates

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