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

[warhawks]

Oh. You liked her... [ she's assuming it's Ritsuka he was into because gay people aren't real ]

[newlugers]

[ why is Asa the one breaking this!! He sighs, shaking his head. ]

I was just being stupid. It doesn't matter.

[warhawks]

No, it—

[ WHY IS SHE THE ONE... she's thinking about how she felt seeing Sanji with Dorothea. ]

... I mean, yeah. They're pretty obviously into each other. [ so helpful ] But that doesn't mean you were stupid for having feelings.

[newlugers]

[ shaking his head again. ]

No, I was stupid 'cause I should know better. If you start depending on someone, it's your own damn fault when it backfires.

[warhawks]

[ The problem with this is that she feels the exact same way, but "fuck people" isn't exactly constructive. So instead of saying what she actually thinks, she says what she thinks someone else would. Someone who's less of a shitty person than her. ]

I get it. Being alone sucks, but being hurt sucks more. [ jesus christ this is already going badly ] Solitude is way less risky... until you screw it up, because there's still a part of you that wants to reach out. No matter how much you try and stop it, it's always there.

[ A pause, and she sighs. This is why she doesn't do motivational speeches. ]

... Sorry. I don't actually know what the solution is. I just know that it really freaking sucks.

[newlugers]

[ where's this coming from? he sort of brushed over her first actually-sympathetic comment in the midst of his grumblings, but he can't really ignore her when she keeps going with it. It's not exactly comforting to hear (frankly, he's just annoyed with himsel); it is surprising coming from her. Steve would have expected her to kick him while he's down. ]

... Yeah. Tell me something I don't know. [ there's no vitriol in his words this time. his shoulders sag slightly. ] Whatever. We just gotta get the wish.

[warhawks]

That's what I've been saying.

[ And telling herself more and more, along with reminders to not get her hopes up. Too bad she's been failing at that last part. ]

It kinda feels like half of us need the wish, and the other half just want it. Which would be fine if it was only theirs at stake.

[newlugers]

[ nodding, a bit glumly. He doesn't actually hold anything against the people who aren't here for the wish, despite everything; he was thrust into all of this without a clue, and he can't help thinking the others probably were, too, at least to some degree. ]

It's a game show. They want everyone getting riled up over the dumb romance stuff.

[ so ultimately, it's not either of their fault that they're miserable!! maybe. ]

I guess you need a miracle, too?

[warhawks]

Yeah... [ She hesitates a moment — she's only told Ritsuka and Sanji the full story — but she's trying really hard to make this attempt at consolation seem sincere. What Public Security might do to her when she gets home is future Asa's problem. ] Um. For... the same reason as you, pretty much.

[ Not to remind him about BEING DEAD, just to 🤝 about it. ]

[newlugers]

[ at that, he blinks. ]

For real?

[ part of him wants to ask "why didn't you say anything?", but he can't in good conscience - he certainly didn't say anything, either. It's a shitty thing to think about. Maybe it's why she's been in such an awful mood all the time; Steve would hardly blame her. He's having a rare moment of reflection right now. ]

Damn. [ he scratches the back of his head. ] ... Sorry. For being a dick to you before.

[warhawks]

... It's fine. I haven't exactly been open about it.

[ Only Ritsuka willingly, and Sanji because she had to, after what happened on their date. She's just glad Anna didn't figure it out, because that's a conversation she wants to avoid as long as she can. Hopefully forever. ]

Don't get the wrong idea. I still think this is all just a big scam. But if there's a chance...

[newlugers]

[ A big scam. It's an echo of his own original thoughts, and it's a nice little reality check. He can't get caught up in the (emotional) weeds of the situation. ]

Only an idiot would believe in a magic wish, but you'd be a bigger idiot not to take that chance. [ a small, understanding nod. ] We got nothing to lose.

[ other than feelings. but he's over having feelings now!! even if asa said it wasn't stupid!! it's still stupid in his mind. ]