Week 3 Mingle

[foundationmods]

The last week has brought the first spilled blood. Three of the contestants are gone, with the promise of more to fall soon. The atmosphere around the house will start to get heavy around Wednesday, which is when the first game of the week is. It's almost like the house knows something is up...

The conspiracy is beginning to unravel. Dazai isn't Dazai, and the cracks are forming in his act. But that act must be held up, or the Foundation will be brought in to take control of the game. Now everyone must play the part and act like everything is normal, at least on camera. That stress of always performing is bound to make someone crack eventually.

Once again, the cameras and microphones change. The contestants will have to search out new spots for their secret conversations. Even one wrong step, one wrong word, and it's all over for this group. Everyone is watching, and they need to play their roles.

They better keep an eye out too, because storm clouds are starting to loom over the area, both figuratively and literally.

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursdsay

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Comments

[darkova]

That's fine- we all have our secrets. Me more than most. But you don't have to pretend if you do not wish.

[prayerwheel]

I wouldn't say it's much of a secret.

[ The forum members watching them dance apparently already know, thanks internet, she loves being shipped.............. ]

[darkova]

[He suspects certain things- but they are things that don't need to be dragged out.]

Very well. Would you like to sit for a bit?

[prayerwheel]

[ She feels like refusing would be the better option for her sanity, but. Nnnn. ]

...I suppose so.

[darkova]

[Sitting on the porch~

If she was expecting him to press her for info it's not happening. He just closes his eyes and tries to relax, giving her something like privacy]

[prayerwheel]

[ She's quiet for a long, long while, resting her chin in her hands and staring out into the grass of the yard. ]

...apologies for bringing down the mood. I'm still in a rut of feeling sorry for myself, it seems.

[darkova]

I have no room to judge on it. The idea of anything beyond grief is still... something I'm getting used to again. And this is not exactly the best setting for healing. For any of us.

['For either of us' is unstated- he doesn't know much of her story, but he'd be blind to miss her sadness]

cw talk of suicide

[prayerwheel]

[ Ha. Well, that pretty much confirms she was right not to say anything. ]

I just...feel like such a fool. Expecting anything to get better.

[ Her lack of a love life. Her emotional state. Her lifespan. ]

I used to think....everything hurt so badly I wanted it to just stop. I wanted to be gone but I didn't want the pain of death. If I could just disappear into nothingness, it would have soothed me. And things...improved, for a while, for years, and now, it's like I'm a child again. I don't know if I'll ever see my family again, or if I'll die here, or if I'll find someone who returns my affection, or if I'll ever stop feeling like I'd be better off having not been born in the first place.

[darkova]

[His eyes widen in surprise at her words- less at the sudden emotion, since he suspected she was holding something back. But at how familiar it is.]

Azura-!

[ he moves to take her hands if allowed]

You saved my worthless life- if just for that alone your life is precious to me. But even beyond that... if you were not here, I don't know if I could bear it. When I was a child... I too wanted to be gone. But I was too much of a coward. I let the people that loved me suffer in my place... and I refuse to let that happen again. If I can ease your suffering even a little, please, depend on me.

1/2

[prayerwheel]

[ He can take her hands, but they're limp and she doesn't move aside from her mouth dropping open at this sudden declaration. ]

Ingway...

[prayerwheel]

[ Her expression drops, again.

She appreciates the thought, she really does. But sadly, if depression were cured that easily, she'd have been healed when Mikoto and Sakura and Hinoka and Ryouma loved her without hesitation all those years ago. ]

...I can't ask that of someone like you. I truly can't. It would be far too cruel.

[ You can't ask someone to get over their grief just because of how you feel. ]

I don't...want you to just swap your happiness for mine.

[darkova]

[He looks down at their hands, a pained look on his face]

It's strange... I've been happier these two weeks than I have been since I was a child. It's sick in a way, that I can dare be happy when everyone is suffering so much.

[prayerwheel]

If you can be happy, you should. It's hard to come by in a place like this, so grasp it if it's given to you.

[darkova]

Then, by logic, so should you.

[prayerwheel]

I...

[ risk vs reward

risk vs reward

risk vs reward ]

I--I don't...know if I can...

[ ............ ]

...can take being turned down twice in one week.

[ so she's not saying it outright

but he should get the implication, here ]

[darkova]

[He does, and looks up at the sky- "I care for you, Ingway. Truly... care."

Her last words to him. At the time he had howled in pain. "My fate is cursed, I can not accept your pure feelings-!"

That declaration sat in his heart for the past two years. Stonehard and festering. The pain hadn't really healed, but... he remembered what Dazai had told him, about his perception being the reality. About clinging to his curse as an excuse to not move forward.

Finally, he looked back down]

I am not a good man, Azura. But... if you are willing to be slow with me, then... I would like to stand at your side.

1/???

[prayerwheel]

[ azura blinks

what did he just say ]

2/???

[prayerwheel]

[ maybe he misheard her?

maybe he thought she meant turned down as like. a partnership?

yeah that's gotta be it ]

3/5

[prayerwheel]

[ ......no, he definitely heard her. she made her intent clear enough.

For a second, she looks terrified. It's exactly like she said. She doesn't want him to swap his happiness for hers! What if he's saying that out of....obligation? Because he's been so dedicated to her?

But...didn't he say that he wasn't offering to be her retainer out of the kindness of his heart? Because he didn't like owing anyone debts?

If that was the case, why would he suddenly say something like that? ]

Y-You...you don't...

4/5

[prayerwheel]

[ Oh jeez.

Oh jeez oh jeez oh jeez what does she say

She stutters uselessly for a few seconds because this is the last kind of response she expected. She thought he'd just say something ambiguous! Or gently turn her down too! ]

You're really...you really--mean that?

done

[prayerwheel]

[ For all her experience pokerfacing, she's doing a piss-poor job of not bawling like a baby in public, lately. She's got a reputation to uphold, as the master of resting bitch face??? This is terrible??? ]

You're--you're joking, right?

[ but he's not, and that just makes more tears stream down her face. What about Mercedes? It was a joke when she asked him if he fancied Dazai, but his answer was serious, so what changed since then?

Her hands are still in his, so she pulls them close to her, clutching them like he might get up and walk away. ]

[darkova]

I'm not joking... not about something like this. I... I love Mercedes, even now. I don't think I will ever stop loving her. My poisoned fate killed her, and... odds are it will cause you pain as well.

But I turned away from her when he called for me. I made my choice. I can not bear to make the same mistake twice.

[prayerwheel]

That's exactly what I meant, though. You don't--you don't need to push yourself to return my girlish hopes of gallantry.

[ it wasn't like she was in love with him, of course, just had a burgeoning crush that steadily kept getting stronger.

but that didn't make it any less okay for him to just...make himself get past Mercedes ]

[darkova]

[He actually blushes a little]

Well... I don't keep finding my way to where you are through the day just because of my duties. It's only been a few days but... shall we say I am interested in seeing what happens. Outside fate.

[He was already stolen from his fated death, so anything could happen now.]

[prayerwheel]

[ "I make my own fate."

She keeps hearing that word. Fate this, fate that. She wasn't sure what Corrin meant by that when she said it, but Azura thinks she finally understands. She'd assumed that her pendant was going to be her cause of death--and soon. Because it had killed so many others in her bloodline, or drastically shortened their lifespans. And here she was, using it--why would she be any different?

But because she'd asked, because she chose to speak up and ask if she could be helped, her future changed. Is that what Corrin did, by choosing to not turn against either of her families, when it seemed like her options were clear cut? To choose to go against what seems pre-ordained?

Azura lets go of his hands to wipe her eyes dry. ]

...gods, I'm a mess. Ah, I don't like when people see me like this, my apologies. Bless you for putting up with me, this weekend. [ a short, hoarse laugh

She shakes her head, and takes a breath. ]

To see where this goes...yes, I think I'd like that.