everybody's fine 'cause it's party time ( W5 AFTERPARTY )

[cheerfuldays]

After a positively thrilling game of the prisoner's dilemma, it's all over. Everyone needs to get patched up, recover and... hopefully not kill each other after everything. At some point in the cafeteria, Shizuku and Madara have taken over the kitchen- though help won't be denied completely- and leaving a large meal of noodles and whatever else they can still use from Fai and Shizuku's little shopping trip... not a lot of fresh food, but it works out. There's also plenty of coffee, a tea kettle and even hot chocolate ready. (Shizuku herself is using her ill-gotten tapioca balls for some homemade boba, hell yeah.) Team Idol may not stick around for long, but there's plenty to go around for now... and Shizuku will happily bring over some snacks from the convenience store too. And did you know that place has a milkshake machine? Because it does. Get you a milkshake, people.

But tensions are high after everything. Hopefully this doesn't become a murdergame. 

Comments

[ignihidden]

[wowwwwww, a homemade feast by madara and m'lady shizuku!]

[Idia would be super excited if not for that fact some people were going to take things personally (his thoughts). The slow, painful advance hadn't made him feel strong, proud, or anything like that. What lesson had there to be learned except "stop acting out, pesky students"? If they hadn't wanted anyone to betray anyone they shouldn't have put it in the game! With all these thoughts and circular logic Idia has freed himself from any guilt about what he did.]

[... he's not an idiot, though, he's gonna go into hiding.]

[Anyways, in the convenience store Idia's jamming plastic bags full of cup noodle, drinks, and garbage bags. Cater was too sociable but he knew exactly what sort of things you needed to be in your room and stay there for seven days or more.]

[Yeah, he's definitely gonna need more candy.]

[festiverogue]

[Idia, quit the pity party.

Also Madara is leaving some leftover noodles in little containers outside of the Idia-Cater door. Maybe he'll run into Idia coming back or leaving or something?]

[ignihidden]

[but madara people are mad at him? for the consequences of his behavior? it's horrible how do you people live like this]

Ah. Madara. [... despite the pity party, he has no reason to think Madara would be mad at him because he said he wouldn't betray him and... didn't!]

... I- If you need something in person, y- you should tell us today. We're going shut-in mode!

[festiverogue]

[It's called self-loathing, you should try it! Ask Madara for details. Limited time only!

Anyway, take the noodles.]

Nope. I don't need anything. I'm just here to offer some advice, if you've never been the bad guy like this before.

[ignihidden]

[... slow blink. Is the advice shut yourself in your room for seven or more days? That's the plan currently.]

Eh, well- ... okay?

[festiverogue]

[Madara smiles.]

It's going to suck. You're going to deserve everything you're about to get, provided people don't take the high road--and they've got no reason to take the high road.

[It doesn't sound encouraging.]

But they're not the ones who have to live with the decisions you made, really. You're the ones going back home knowing what you did, and whether you think that's right or wrong. Nooo business of mine which way you sway on that, obviously. I'm not here to judge you. You're gonna be judging yourselves. And maybe the people who got hurt won't forgive you, but if you really felt justified, let it roll off you.

[A pause.]

You get to go forward with the rest of your life knowing you hurt someone. If that makes you feel strong... [Shrug.] ...Sometimes that's how it goes.

[ignihidden]

[Man, this sounds a lot like consequences. Idia does listen but his expression is definitely leaning on "child told they need to be more considerate of the other kids in kindergarten." The rest of his life, huh...]

... you know, when I get home, I don't really think I'm going to think about this a lot.

[he leans against the door]

In twenty years, I wonder if I'll remember it clearly or start thinking it was just some crazy dream. It's not like we're ever going to speak to each other again when we go back to our respective worlds.

[He and Cater will be the only ones who knew what they experienced. So long as they graduate, the only person he needs to care about the opinion of was Cater. There were people he liked and people he would miss... but he was an expert in assuming finality. There was an end.]

I didn't betray the people I'm going to remember so, I'll deal with it...

convenience store

[escardos]

Woah! Are you planning to become a shut-in?

[ because clearly idia is trying to do the thing that flat had tried to do in the beginning of this whole thing. the only difference is that flat was simply stocking up for an emergency, while here...

well, there's not really anything to be worried about, right? ]

[ignihidden]

[Idia jumps a little with an "eep" but, well, it's not one of the people he thinks should be mad at him so he doesn't go full anxiety spiral.]

... I'm already a shut-in?

[He definitely was back home and, like, aside from a few exceptions he's usually a room hermit here... he gets the difference, though, and he is going full "I'm not leaving this room for any reason."]

[escardos]

You've been coming out a lot for one.

[ because he's forced, but still. in flat's eyes it still counts. ]

Are you going back to being a shut-in?

[ignihidden]

[... well, there's no good way to say that the people he's begun to get to know make it less excruciating to maybe see someone when he goes down to the store to get more cup noodle.]

For like a week, yeah.

[like it's a vacation or something]

[catarou]

[ Gentaro's sweet tooth isn't exactly the biggest, but sometimes you just need some sugar. Anyway, he's here, and as he watches Idia-- ]

A diet comprised largely of instant noodles deeply concerns me.