week three | mingle

[showhost]

So, uh.

Welcome to Week Three! We’ve officially passed the halfway point, and after a super, duper successful Match Ceremony, I’m sure the teens are feeling all hyped up and raring to go.

Right?

Regardless, there are a few changes this Monday morning to greet the teens:

• First off, there is a new bathroom! Oooh, aaaahhhh. Three whole bathrooms in the house for the teens now. Enjoy.
  
• There is also a set of video games in the living room to connect to the TV. They are pretty much all multiplayer party games like M*rio C*rt. Don’t kill each other.
  
• There are a few packs of dorayaki now scattered around the house.
  
• There is also a piano now in the living room!
  
• On the counter in the kitchen, there is also some paper and writing implements, like basic ballpoint pens. Wait, doesn’t that break the rules?

Tsukasa’s extremely loud and obnoxious voice is not here to greet you guys this morning, which means it seems there isn’t a Task for the week–

But something else seems to be going on.

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

Comments

[boneface]

[ An elda is Will is an elda. Sure, why not. Ryuji is tempted to poke further but kind of assumes he won't get anywhere though. For now, his tail will wag as he's offered a seat next to Will and he'll settle down next to him, sitting cross-legged and leaning back on his palms. ]

Oh, prolly not. That guy's great but he's figuring this all out too.

[ Oh, sweet Tsukasa. ]

Still, how're ya doing? Rough weekend, huh?

[willandaway]

[sweet. . . stupid Tsukasa. . .]

[at the question, Will just. . . sighs]

. . . I'm all right.

[fooooor a definition of "all right."]

What's in the past is in the past. I need to look forward.

[boneface]

[ Now, that's a guy who doesn't sound all right at all. ]

Did somethin' happen after the match ceremony? I know you said you were gonna talk to Anna and Akechi, but you seem kind of... down.

[ Oh, sweet Will. What happened to you? ]

[willandaway]

[stares down at his open journal, before slowly flipping it shut, cradling the book in his lap]

. . . I don't think either of them want anything to do with me anymore.

[for two entirely different reasons, but. . . you know]

[boneface]

[ ... Oh. That's a little worse than he expected. ]

W-what? Why?

[ But Will didn't do anything wrong?! ]

[willandaway]

[IT'S. . . complicated, he thinks. or maybe it is very simple. . .? he should start at the beginning]

I told you I was trying to become king back home, right? Through the popular vote?

. . . Anna thought it would boost my popularity if we pretended to be an item.

[boneface]

[ Just eager nodding here as he explains and then — then it stops and Ryuji makes a confused puppy head tilt. ]

So, wait, y'all were faking it?

[ It... didn't seem fake to him! ]

[willandaway]

[because at some point. . . it stopped being fake. at least, it did for Will]

It was supposed to be. [. . .] But at any rate, she is ended our arrangement.

[. . .]

[if he speaks any more, he'll say too much. . . and he doesn't want anyone else to hear what is on his mind before she does. that is important to him]

. . . so.

[boneface]

[ He can tell that Will is hesitant to speak anymore about Anna and considering what he's implying here, Ryuji can understand why. Which is fine, really, because there's the other topic.

Akechi.

Which he doesn't think is gonna be a much happier topic but now that he's running buddies with Akechi and things are better between the two of them, he needs to know what he's braced for. ]

How'd it go with Akechi then?

[willandaway]

[IT CERTAINLY IS NOT. . . but honestly? Ryuji is the person to talk to about this, isn't he? as the person here. . . who knows Akechi best]

[. . .]

I don't think. . . I can be the person Goro wants me to be.

[which. . . hits hard, he thinks. because all he had ever wanted to do was help him. be there for him. offer him a hand to prove he was not alone]

[. . . and he still isn't sure he likes the idea that he can't]

. . . he won't be picking me again come next match ceremony. I can't begrudge him that. But—

[. . .]

It worries me.

[boneface]

[ There's definite bewilderment there when Will drops that bombshell on him because he thought it was clear enough, that it was a definite with all the lights they got. ]

But... you two gotta be a match, right? Considerin' the odds. Why wouldn't he pick you?

[ And then, a bit frustrated with Akechi now, his brain jumping to conclusions that may or may not be right: ]

It ain't about feelings, it's about the game! He knows that!

[willandaway]

[. . . a small shake of his head]

To be fair. . . I don't think I can choose him, either.

[can't, not wouldn't. because Will would, for the sake of wishes, but. . .]

[. . .]

[it's a lot. between Anna's feelings, which need to be sorted out first before he picks anyone else over her. . . and Akechi's promise not to lock in with Will if they do go up together, it's. . . a lot]

[boneface]

[ Ryuji is getting bombshell after bombshell here because. What the hell does Will mean by that? ]

But — but the game. If you're a match with Akechi, why wouldn't you choose him? He needs his wish!

[ Because Ryuji's priority is still Akechi's wish. No matter what. Right now, he doesn't realize the implication of Will's words beyond that. ]

[willandaway]

I know.

[and boy, does he know. despite everything, he hasn't forgotten. and he knows how important that is to everyone. . . how unforgiving they would all be if even a single person messed it up]

[. . .]

[and Akechi. . . truly does need his wish, doesn't he. . . ?]

[with a breath, Will lifts his gaze, brows furrowed. determined]

He'll get his wish. [firm!!! on that!!]. Everyone will.

Despite how complicated things are— even if he wants nothing more to do with me— he will get it.

[boneface]

[ Okay... okay. That does soothe some of Ryuji's anxiety but god, this is so... how is he going to get his wish if Will and Akechi both refuse to be a perfect match? They've gotta be a perfect match though, right? Who ELSE could be Akechi's match? ]

So... you'll still match with him at the ceremony then?

[ Which is. Not what Will just said before but now, admittedly, Ryuji is confused. Maybe he's being too narrow focused on Akechi but, well, that's where his obligations lie. ]

[willandaway]

[IT'S FAIR. . . both his priorities and his confusion. Will is kind of playing a semantics game. . . because he can't make any promises until things are right with Anna]

If we wind up going up together, I will. Everything I said to him. . . I meant, even if he didn't believe me.

[the offer of friendship. the hand he had extended. he never retracted those, even if. . . he is not sure he can ever make things right with Akechi at all]

[. . .]

[and. . . what he says next. . . was admittedly not his idea. but Dorothea was smart, and he thinks it just may work]

The. . . ceremony is not the only way to find a perfect match, though.

[boneface]

[ Ryuji is given pause initially because he's not sure what to say up until Will's final sentence and then, it takes a beat but it clicks for him. Oh! Oh!!! ]

The truth booth! [ Ahhh, how could he forget? ] Are you gonna ask people to vote for you for the truth booth? If you get voted in, then Akechi can't refuse you.

Then — then he'd be outta the game, right? If you both matched, you wouldn't have to play anymore and he'd have his wish for sure. [ ... ] I think so, at least?

1/2

[willandaway]

[. . . a tiny, relieved smile twitches up the corners of Will's lips]

[a beat]

[willandaway]

Wait-- do perfect matches found in the truth booth automatically get their wishes?? Even if. . . we don't guess the other pairs?

[boneface]

[ Ryuji considers that because, well, he doesn't know. But he doesn't think Tsukasa knows either so, why bother asking him? ]

I dunno but I'm not really... playing the game anymore? I can't vote or anything so it'd be really unfair of them to take my wish if I didn't have anything to do with it.

[ Oh! And — ]

Tsukasa also told me only one person has ever lost their wish in five seasons of this show. And considerin' how close we came last week, I don't think we'll get a blackout. But I don't want to risk Akechi doing somethin' risky when we could just take him out of the game altogether through one truth booth.

[willandaway]

[that's a good point. it would be unfair to take away Ryuji and Wednesday's wishes if they aren't necessarily participating in the game anymore. technically, they've "won," right? so. . .]

[. . .]

[a small sigh. he looks down at his hands, fingers folded in his lap]

. . . I wish I knew how to make things right with him.

[he shakes his head]

But after this past week, I'm not sure. . . I am the person he needs.

laughs as i tag this back now

[boneface]

[ Ryuji is quiet for a moment, thinking about it. Before, carefully, he chooses his words. ]

You're not. Maybe if this played out another way, it could've been you but it's not. Plus, you've only known each other, what, two weeksish?

I've known him for over a year and my best friend, the one I mentioned to you before, he was kind of close to him. Tried his best to help him, but it didn't work either. That's over the course of months.

He needs, like. Help. [ Like professional help but he doesn't know if Will knows what therapy is. ] Like, from adults who can actually take care of him.

That's why this game is bad for him. It's just playin' on all his insecurities. That's why the truth booth will be good for him but he's not gonna wanna go in it. Still, this shit is only gonna get worse and if he feels slighted, he's gonna sabotage the whole thing. So, like. I dunno how to solve it but that's what I see happenin'.

He doesn't like me. He doesn't like you. He barely tolerates anyone in the house. I don't even know why he's here, honestly.

SAD LAUGH

[willandaway]

[Will does not know what therapy is but Akechi did yell at him about it—]

[quiet for a moment after all of that, before lifting his gaze to look Ryuji right in the eyes]

. . . he is here because he has something worth fighting for.

[he doesn't know that for sure, actually. but. . . it's the only answer he can give]

Will that not be enough. . .?

[boneface]

[ That just gets a sympathetic look to Will, almost pitying. Does he really think that? Of course he does. But it's still... ]

If this wasn't a reality TV show about findin' love, I could probably see that, sure. But the stakes are so different here. We're supposed to be making connections and friendships and more. For someone like him, that's gonna be hard as hell to do.

This is all supposed to be emotional and fun. Which probably just pisses him off and makes him want to get back at us for having fun. That's what I'm saying, it just makes no sense for him to be here. He doesn't fit.

I keep tryin' to figure out why'd they bring him and it was prolly to make him upset enough to try and ruin the game for the rest of us. Ain't no other reason for the producers to bring someone as messed up as him to something like this.

[willandaway]

[HE WANTS. . . TO GIVE AKECHI A CHANCE. . . TO BELIEVE IN HIM. . .]

It's cruel. . .

[not to them, but to Akechi himself. making him go through something. . . in which he wants no part whatsoever]

[. . .]

Did your friend back home. . . ever manage to get through to him?