theafflicted | 02.50 - week two, saturday

02.50 - week two, saturday

W2 SATURDAY

Like last Saturday, everyone will get an announcement on their tablets; this time, the announcement is preceded with a bell of some sort before Lorelei appears on the screen again.

"Good morning, everyone. This is an announcement to let you know that today's lesson will take place starting at 8:15 tonight. Again, today's lesson will be starting at 8:15. Please meet at the lower campus exit near the lecture by 8:00pm; Florence will be waiting for you there.

If you have a bag for some snacks and, perhaps, an item you can use for self-defense in the case of an emergency, please arrive with those things on you. We will provide you with an overview of what to expect when you arrive at 8pm.

Thank you."

The alert ends.

You have the day to prepare, ask each other what the hell is happening -- Florence and Lorelei do not seem to be available, strangely enough. There's a lot to take in with the information you have now. But before you know it... night falls.

FULL NAV

(CODE)

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( she'd been searching him out ever since her encounter with hien- or, no. that's not quite right. she's been trying to find him since before that, when they somehow got split up in the chaos of the attacks to begin with and ever since. but somehow despite this, he's gotten the drop on her and her relief is palpable in how her shoulders fall and her eyes almost start to tear up with a smile- except. he's... angry.

... what is he- oh no.

okay. no. she can do this. she talked down idia, talked down hien- she can do this. just stay calm. )

I've been looking for you everywhere, Madara. I'm so glad you found me...

Probably whoever is responsible for those strange orbs that sucked us into this place to begin with.

[ but what is the point? is it linked to whatever is happening here?? ]

...not that I fully understand why they picked this moment. [ he'll look to another moment&mdasdh;the two of them by the claw machine. ] Or that one. It feels a bit voyeuristic, doesn't it? Even if it is just ourselves.

[Add that into the fact that... if you were never going to get to see someone again, did it matter if the two of you remembered each other? I mean, certain bright-eyed protagonists would say it absolutely mattered, but...]

... I feel like, [a little pause]

I feel like I would have said I'm not sure but right now...

It really feels like if it's not remembered then what's the point? S- So, it has to be remembered, so you think, l- like, in books and movies, what is it they do for amnesia plots?...

[ Gentaro's dealt with more than his share of possessions, so when he's suddenly grabbed and shaken, it doesn't improve his mood. But he knows people aren't themselves, so he doesn't react with anger.

That won't help anything, after all. After he says his piece, Gentaro pulls Madara's hand off his shoulder with a gentle but firm grip. ]

Not at all. We are all in this together.

[Oh, jeez, staring into a reflective surface and mumbling? That's a horror movie red flag. No, thanks!]

[... is what he wants to say but, well, he did promise Shizuku that he would try and help out. And, and certainly, this would be one of their mutual acquaintances that he couldn't just- leave- right? A- Alright! ganbaidia!]

M- ... [y- you can do it, idia]

M- M- [muster your courage, idia!]

... you, [NAME FAILURE] c- come on, even if you're an idol you shouldn't be out in the open right now...

[he tugs at Madara's sleeve, like that will be enough to get him away from the mirror]

[It isn't rational, but it cuts all the more deeply that it was Shizuku he sees as having left him. If she doesn't need him, no one needs him. No one wants him. And he's furious. Everyone back home deserted him, too. Kanata has Chiaki, his sister gave him up, his parents turned him out... And now her, his shining light, his hope.

When did she become this important?

His voice is low, dangerous, as he backs her against the wall with that guiding hand on her shoulder.]

Found you? I barely found you because you ran off and left me. But that's how people like you work, isn't it? You look at the people who try to help you and you eventually figure out they're beneath you, so you look down on them and crush them under your heel. And you do it with a sweet, innocent smile. Like an angel to everyone else. Like hell've you been looking for me. I was looking for you. You were trying to get away from me, weren't you? You were going to abandon me here and save yourself. I can't say I'm surprised. It's how it always goes. Just when I thought I could trust you. I thought you were different.

[Madara's grip is firmer, but he relents and even pulls his hand away.]

Are we? You don't know me from the next guy. You probably don't even know my name.

[Madara looks down at the hand touching his sleeve, brow furrowing. When he speaks, his tone is low, dull.]

Ah. Sorry about that. But you can just leave me here.

[... ... ...]

U-Um. [... ... ...]

N- No, I- ... don't think I can. Also sorry.

[Sorry, fate's dictating he be an annoying fan that can't read the room-!!]

Mikejima Madara, is it not?

[ It's true, Gentaro doesn't know him. But it doesn't change that he doesn't want to abandon him. They're in the same boat. ]

We are... "coursemates," so of course we're in this together. Even if we're not acquainted, that does not mean I would so willingly leave you behind.

I-

( it's not him. it's not really him, but it stings so much-- and how he's pushing her is frightening- even if she wanted to run, she couldn't. what does she do? will he listen to what she has to say? )

Don't say that, Madara... It could never be true. When those things made me feel nothing, it was thinking of you that brought me back.

( ~~hien's~~ threat lingers in her mind- "maybe i'll start with his legs first so he can't get away." she blinks back tears. --focus, shizuku. gently, she lays one hand over the one on her shoulder, soft and soothing, looking him in the eyes. )

Every moment my mind's been clear, you're all I wanted to find. I swear.

[The little jolt of panic is barely felt among everything else. It's not even clear whose emotions are whose at this point, despite the fact that Idia is still in better control of himself. So it's fine. They're... fine. Kind of.

The position isn't terribly comfortable, no, and his legs would hate him for it later, but for now? For now, it's fine. Idia's more comfortable than he believes of himself - in no small part because he's so skin and bones, because that's so distinctly Idia that it couldn't be anyone else... and he doesn't want anyone else, in this moment.

Try explaining that one, though. He sure won't be.

Slowly, steadily, the weight of the ghoul comes off his shoulders as it's replaced with the annoying, pounding headache that inevitably comes when you sob your eyes out, and Idia's hand brushing through his hair does little to help that. The soothing gesture does keep him grounded, though - enough to hear his returned apology.

It was definitely low-level. Awkward. Idia.

...Cute.

Cater's breath hitches a little, and while he hasn't stopped crying, he does laugh feebly at that being what Idia focused on.]

S'not cute anyway...

[He's still gonna stay hidden in clingy little brother mode for a while, though.]

[Thinking of him brought her back? Brought her back from what? What things? He's so single-mindedly obsessed with having been alone that he doesn't process that.

But her hand touching his melts his heart for a moment. Maybe he's not alo--no. He can't let himself be tricked. After all, a girl like her could never care about a guy like him.

His other hand slaps to the wall near her head.]

Why should I believe you? No one needs me. You're going to leave me, too. Everyone I try to help throws me in the trash sooner or later.

So you're more interested in helping me than saving your own neck?

[Doubt.]

Edited 2022-06-06 04:31 (UTC)

Sorry?

[Weird... They're both just apologizing. Madara thinks that's funny, and offers a hollow, quiet chuckle.]

Look, I know when I'm beat... You should go. Maybe if they all go for me, the rest of you can... make it a little further.

[Well, he can't be impolite... to an idol.]

... eh, what's that sort of mentor-character dialogue...

[Look, he's taking up no one's mantle, so no one's allowed to say that they'll hold them back so the rest of them can get a little further! S- So, what does he say, what does he say...]

... u- um... How- [in character, Idia, in character]

How can you say you're beat when you're s- still standing?!

[He manages it with surprising firmness. Come on, Tropes, he can do this!]

[Someone probably could have done a better job. Still, someone wasn't the person who was given the job. What they just experiences couldn't fit into some easy narrative in Idia's head but he's at least willing to accept that, some way or another, they cleared the event. They were achy, wounded, and tearstained but they did it.]

[Cater laughs a little. Idia mentally calculates it as a "+1"]

Oh. [He thought the outfit still looked pretty alright on Cater. When you have a good-looking face, though, any clothes look better.]

... then, sorry for everything else...

[the manic crying and marking part, even if they had both "wanted" it in the moment. Despite being an apology, it doesn't sound desperate. It's an awkward apology handed out by a person who means it but has never considered how to convey it before in his life. The way he gently brushes through Cater's hair with his fingers probably has more thought put into it than any apology.]

( he faltered- even for a moment, it's progress. she tries not to flinch at the sudden movement, boxed in as she is. )

I do need you, though. I- why do you think I tried so hard to get you to sleep in our room? I want you there- I need you there. Anyone else wouldn't do.

( maybe feeding the ghoul is a bad idea? but... even if it's that monster making him this aggressive. does he really feel like this? about others? about her? shizuku reaches up and cups his face, brushing a thumb against his cheek. as she speaks, her voice is soft and low like a whisper, for just the two of them. )

I'm sorry. I really am. I didn't mean to leave your side... I'm not going to leave you again, not of my own free will. I promise.

Edited 2022-06-06 05:20 (UTC)

[Right now, someone doing a better job just might have been brushed off as fake. Insincere. The awkward, not-quite fitting exchange between them wasn't a neat and tidy little narrative ending, setting up for a couple filler chapters and the next arc, but it was genuine. That was more important, right now, probably.]

It's...

[Well. It's not okay, everything hurts, he'll surely whine about it later, and they sure were an awful mess, even if they'd wanted it all in the moment, but...

He accepts it, anyway?]

Yeah... I know. I'm not... upset at you, or anything...

[His turn to be awkward, muttering into Idia's shirt.]

Mhm, mhm~!

[Hopefully the dim light doesn't make them easier targets! Surely their plan is totally foolproof!]

Right? And if I had my magic and a broom, we could totally get way further out of the way than the second floor...!

You like sweets and want to see Cay's worst selves. Bad taste.

[And that's not even counting Owen just being Owen...!]

[If it was someone who had every incentive to like Cater, he'd simply feel like his trick worked. Instead, it was someone who had gotten close to the nasty side of him, admitted he probably shouldn't, and admitted he didn't even know why. It was about the most nonsense ending to a route there could be.]

[Since he apologized so idly, he wasn't expecting actual forgiveness. Cater's half-hearted attempt to do so means he's peeking down to the huddled mess under his arm to check.]

... eh, well, I want to say "you totally can be!" but...

[he glances up, out into the museum that's gotten quite damaged by all of their outraged and rampaging ghouls]

... p- probably we should save that for when we're safely back on campus.

[It's the most nonsense ending to a route, because it's not the ending to a route, Idia. (It's only week 2. It's a chapter break! Checkpoint, get! Ganbatte!)

And Idia's peeking down at him. Suddenly, there's a pang of self-consciousness, like he doesn't want to be seen immediately after ugly-crying his little heart out, but. Well.

He'll peek back up at him, too. Not letting go, though.]

Eeh... only if you're upset at me.

[They'd both deserve it... but... It didn't feel right.]

They'll totally feel terrible about it if Shizu-chan scolds them! We'll always have a full deck after that~

[Trauma? Who's that. They haven't met her tonight, yet.]

[What that a pang? It's hard to tell. It's another form of emotional pang hiding amongst all the rest of the aches they felt. Again, he doesn't keep their eyes locked for long. He doesn't intend to, like, stare at him.]

... eh... [he tilts his head and the mess of flaming blue hair moves slightly,]

... Right now... way too tired to think about it...

[he tilts a bit further, resting his head against Cater's]

Consider it... one BOGO argument ticket when we get back...

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02.50 - week two, saturday

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