Week 1, Friday

[foundationmods]

On Thursday night, well after nearly everyone else has gone to sleep, most of the cameras are left recording two-dozen people snoring away in their rooms. The night hours are usually filled with dead air, which makes for uninteresting footage and is usually cut from the episodes anyway. The house itself rests as well, waiting for signs of movement to indicate something interesting going on.

Not everyone is asleep, though, as the cameras are soon to pick up on.

There is some movement in the kitchen, where a certain hotheaded princess is busy collecting tools. Or, well, a single tool: the toaster. She reaches over to unplug it, where she hesitates for a moment, but ultimately takes the toaster and carries it with her as she quietly steps across the floor and to the backyard.

At that same moment, an external camera catches a dark-haired menace going up to the pool, having just missed the person in the kitchen. Thinking he is alone, he strips off his clothing and starts to stretch, getting ready to take a few laps in the pool to clear his mind and calm himself down enough to sleep. The house moves to censor it with a filter on the image, of course, but it's still very obvious that Vanitas is stark naked. After an incident on Monday and a failure to find anything better, he just opted for the most natural solution. He isn't worried about anyone seeing him, everyone else is supposed to be asleep.

Except not everyone is asleep. Azula is there, carrying her weapon of choice. But as soon as she reaches the back door and quietly slides the door open, she is greeted by an unexpected moon and visibly blanches. If her resolve had been stronger she might have gone through with it, but with her spirit already wavering she decides not tonight.

So she quickly slides the door shut, deposits the toaster on the counter, and hurries back to her room. She just climbs right into bed and tugs the blankets over her head as she tries to forget the sight she saw.

Vanitas completes his swim, none the wiser to what almost happened, and afterwards returns to his room to sleep.

The night passes with no deaths, and everyone is alive on Friday morning.

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((As a note, only characters outside of the round can see any of this. Characters within the round will not know what almost happened unless they find the video footage later or Azula admits to it.))

Comments

[eldritcheyes]

Dude, I'd say you need coffee but I think a long nap would be healthier. Were you up all night?

[arraignments]

Yeah... I considered taking a nap at the start, but by the time I was done-- [ FACE, NO, NOW ISN'T THE TIME TO TURN DARKER ] talking to Akira, it was time to start the patrol...

So, I... might be experiencing a caffeine crash on- [ yawn!!! ] top of... no sleep...

[dereban]

"Talking".

[ air quotes included ]

[arraignments]

[ INSTANTLY TURNING DARKER, OH NO ]

... Y-yes?

[dereban]

Hmmmmmm.


[ Doesn't say anything, but the sound she makes sounds doubtful. ]

[eldritcheyes]

....

[Great, now Leo is secondhand embarrassed. Quick, cover it up with sarcasm!]

Bet there wasn't any talking but mouths were still involved....

[overconfidant]

We had a lot to go over.

[Just. Totally deadpan straight face.

This might be more convincing without the extremely visible and recognizable marks on his neck.]

[arraignments]

[ FACE. IN. HANDS... ]

[eldritcheyes]

[Yup, guess who just noticed those marks and is cherry red in the face?]

... uh, I think you might be sleeping on the couch tonight, Akira.

[overconfidant]

We're on different teams anyway, we already sleep in different rooms.

[Disgruntled Akira is still disgruntled about that.]

[arraignments]

[ YEAH HIS INITIAL LOOK SAYS HE HATES THAT, TOO, LMAO...

There's a glint in his eyes, though lack of sleep doesn't give it as much life. ]

Hopefully you don't think the separation is the same as being safe from any retaliation. That would feel a little like you're underestimating my creativity for punishment... dear.

[ Smile. ]

[eldritcheyes]

... I think you're screwed, Akira. And not the way you like.

[overconfidant]

I'm not sure if you're over or under estimating me here, Leo, but you are definitely off the mark.

And I would never, honey~ Your refined talent for sadism is one of the things I love about you.

[arraignments]

[ He... can't help the laugh that slips out at the first thing out of Akira's mouth, there.

One hand tries to muffle it, but. What's done is done. Especially done once he hears the second thing out of Akira's mouth. He's blinking and turning a few shades darker as he looks to the side, clearing his throat. ]

Of course it is... [ huffing out a sigh ] It's true, though...

[ To Leo! ]

You're talking to someone who thrives on being challenged and pushed to the limit.

[ And hurt??? But he isn't saying that. ]

[eldritcheyes]

Huh. You guys would probably be really welcome in Libra. Keeping Hellsalem's Lot safe is plenty challenging. And they're a lot nicer to their employees than the Foundation.