WEEK THREE MINGLE

[potatomance]

ᯓ⭐ WEEK THREE MINGLE

Happy third week, lovebirds! Here's to hoping you're riding high on the wave of success of one whole pair being correct! Surely you must have an idea by now how to win this thing!

Probably?

The good news is that you're not going to have to find yourselves in any weird clothes this time around, except maybe that just leads to a strange sense of foreboding for a future scenario...? Who knows. You can't quite brace yourself for it this time.

But don't worry, it's not like there's nothing happening. On the contrary!

For the entirety of this week, you'll find yourself feeling... clingy. It's going to start feeling very strange if you're not leaning on someone, holding their hand, cuddling with them, sitting in their lap, stealing a kiss, or engaging in some other form of affectionate physical contact. And if it's someone you're already feeling fond of OR someone you actually can't stand, guess what?

That feeling is doubled!

You may realize this is an unusual feeling, but so what? Trying to ignore it is only going to make it feel stronger and do you really want to make yourselves feel miserable?

Shut up, masochists.

FAQ ⭐ Truth Booth Voting ⭐ Mysterious Thing ⭐ Sex Dungeon ⭐ Perfect Match Voting

Comments

[mechanideptus]

[ That first time must have been what Maruki was referring to when she confronted him about the memory she saw. The one he has referred to as an accident.

It must have been devastating for him. And she didn't even really give him the chance to say anything about that. ]

One was not aware.

[ Her voice is softer, although her thought process is not entirely gentle. It's karmic, in a way; he's been suffering the punishment for his sins long before he actually committed any. His world functions as it should.

The only difference is that she doesn't really feel any satisfaction in that realization anymore. Just a sense that things will work out as they need to. ]

One does not know much of your history, one must admit. But one trusts that your sympathy is warranted.

[helmswoman]

[ It seems quite clear now that Manuela is going out of her way to not use her voice. Is she trying to save it for now, then? Or did that potato curse her in some way?

She doesn't seem too distressed, so Yukong will leave it for now.

Sleeping, and then a suggestive eyebrow waggle. Is she... trying to proposition her? Surely not, when Manuela has made it quite clear that her interest is in men. ]

...... You're not asking for a trip to the dungeon, are you? If so, I'll unfortunately have to decline.

[thefinalcontract]

Even the every day person like myself would wish to be such a creature, I suppose.

[hnl]

[HENRY IS SPECIAL BUT ALSO LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT WHY HE'S SPECIAL]

Sensory deprivation heightens their senses and abilities. It allows them to psychically project themselves to faraway locations or locate distant individuals with impressive accuracy.

[Honestly, her censure. It's disappointing.]

What do you want me to say? That I'll put in a notice to have their designations changed to "pet names"?

[alcoheal]

You could always weasel out of it if you're feeling feisty.

[Given how extremely uncomfortable Mithra - who is not uncomfortable with anything - has been acting - she's getting the sense there's something there. She certainly won't leave this competition an expert on men, but she might be a journeyman in wizards.

So she's being lighthearted about it, even her tone jovial - though she does think it's a little cowardly to not participate with the rest of them. (Smash cut to two hours later incoming.)]

[alcoheal]

[GIRL PLEASE YUKONG HELP WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS

That does, at least, get Manuela to sit bolt upright for a second with an animated "no" wave of her arms. Once she thinks she's made herself clear that it was, in fact, not a proposition, she stills. Points to herself and makes an X with her hands.

Finally, a single, emphatic point at Yukong herself. And just her, nodding decisively.

She's really failed at the art of mime today...and yet she's pretty sure she has the answer to the question she wanted to ask in the first place.]

[hearthwarming]

[ She's quick to shake her head. ]

Ahaha, no, no, not at all! I was just going along with some very strong-willed friends. And making sure nobody died in the process!

[hearthwarming]

No, I planned to be a mouse on purpose! We knew things might get a little hairy, since we showed up despite being exiled from his city. Haha...

[ haha......... ]

[mechanideptus]

[ SORRY FOR CARING ABOUT THE WELL BEING OF CHILDREN, BRENNER.

That he can say that so matter-of-fact is horrifying to her. Even if the sensory deprivation were absolutely necessary--which she's still not convinced it is--there should at least be some acknowledgement of how terrifying it must be for the girl.

His argument that classifying them as a project is solely to prevent their demise would hold more water if he wasn't so dispassionate about the horrors of that project and what it puts his young, vulnerable charges through. He's being frustratingly obtuse, completely missing the point of her criticism. Her issue isn't with the classification (well... it is, but that's not entirely on him). It's with how easily he uses it instead of a name, reducing these children to mere items.

Maruki's laughter before makes a lot more sense now. ]

One would recommend that you not refer to them by designations at all.

[ringsmaster]

[ He hugs his arms around himself a little, and relays to her what he'd told Maruki, about the exterminations in Hell. ]

Zhongli overheard and said he needed to leave. He looked pretty stunned.

[hearthwarming]

Manuela, did you know...

[ she is staring. drunkenly. but meaningfully! into her eyes. ]

That you are soooooo... beautiful! That's why!

[mechanideptus]

[ Oh goodness, Ori. She's just going to wrap an arm around you affectionately. ]

One says this gently, and with a great degree of care and respect:

You and yours were not the wisest of adventurers, were you?

[hearthwarming]

[ Though her secret's been given, and her hand falls away, she doesn't do anything to correct their closeness. Instead, she rests her chin on his shoulder. ]

No. I did what we had to... The others were afraid of making a deal, but... My blood is already cursed with this fiendish heritage, so... it made sense, for it to be me.

[hearthwarming]

[ Taking another stiff drink, before she leans against him, too, pressing her warm cheek to the top of his head. What he just confessed to will warrant some discussion (laugh track) from the others especially, she thinks, so for now she's happy to talk about her and the Alchemighty's early misadventures. ]

He sure did, haha... He sent guards and mercenaries after us! The latter being... the group I used to be in, with my sister. The Fangs of the Fox... with my sister leading it. It really was quite a situation, back then!

[ is it sounding more or less like a video game to you Mister Maruki ]

Huh... I guess that might count as another secret from me. I used to be a mercenary.

[hearthwarming]

What's already been found, huh... hehe.

[ she is giggling conspiratorially. ]

You mean... Your heart match with Lucifer!

[thefinalcontract]

[That drunken joy is contagious, he has to admit. And he finds himself chuckling along side her.]

Exactly that, yes.

[alcoheal]

You heard her, right? At the ceremony. Maybe she could help me be a little more stubborn. I assume that's because we learned a few things about each other the other week.

[Manuela had pointed out shortly after that Lin is the only person to have ever thought she had a stubbornness deficiency. Brenner, in his obstinate and ambitious tendencies, wouldn't shy away from seeing her personality either.]

I'm flattered that someone doesn't think it's a flaw. Even though having a few of those is more charming. [Heh.] But being told I should be more stubborn just makes me feel...well. Stubborn.

[alcoheal]

["Went behind her back" what? It's a good thing Lin doesn't express that opinion out loud because Manuela's temper would flare even more from the revelation.]

I'm glad it is. You should never blame another gal for something that's a man's fault. [Unless the other lady was in on it the entire time... she doesn't think Lin would have made those amends if that were the case, though. Manuela gives a nod of solidarity.]

[alcoheal]

[She hasn't given up. She's watching you, Aurelia. And Yukong, who she's pretty certain is going to slip up first.]

He's such a fuddy-duddy! Just an old geezer with a real stick up his... [Ahem.] Sure, the first couple of times it might have happened on accident, but once I realized how it got to him... [It was still mostly on accident. And a little out of spite.]

[hnl]

[This is the reality of the US government, especially one that desperately seeks advantages in the dredges of a Cold War. A willingness to do whatever it takes to make progress in ways that may further the country’s upper hand, and to thus a willingness to straddle moral lines.

Brenner is the sort of man who can thrive in an environment where no one questions his methods, no one cares to make him see empathy — either because they can’t be bothered to care, or because they care about keeping their jobs more. What’s wrong with what he does, if the children are ultimately cared for? The alternative is that they’re “disposed”, and what a terrible shame that would be.

Maybe he is being obtuse, then. But why would he change old habits in a world and environment that’s only catered to him for years? Encouraged him? How easy it is to be controlling, to be narcissistic, to be cruel, even, when it’s only ever progressed him.

Basically: what’s the big deal!!]

I’d say I’ll make it a new priority if I thought that’d make so much as a tiny difference in your perception of my work.

[And yet her mind’s made up, isn’t it.]

[ziplash]

"Out of context?"

[ damn BOTH of these bozos need JAIL!!!!!! ]

I'd like to see you try to explain the "full breadth."

at some point in the middle of all this,,

[hearthwarming]

[ Has anyone been keeping track of how much Ori has been drinking? No? Good. She hasn't been, either. It's likely not too inaccurate to think, however, that each proverbial shot fired between contestants equates to a shot fired down Ori's hatch, which, scientifically, ergo therefore indubitably, is something like a one-to-one ratio, for the mad scientists here.

Anyway, there's an awful lot of talking happening, maybe enough that no one will really notice that she haphazardly slams her bottle down... onto a blanket, with a muffled thud. ]

Look... look at this! [ she wildly swings an arm out to gesture at everyone. ] Isn't this all soooooo... wonderful? A week ago, you'd never be able to get everyone—hic! Everyone gathered together like this...

And two weeks ago— oh, wait, isn't it three weeks, now? Three weeks ago we didn't even know each other at all! Except for Mithra and Oz—hic! But still! If not for this place, we would've allllllll gone on for the rest of our lives... never having met each other from all of our different worlds! Tell me that doesn't... stir your heart even just a li—hic! A little bit! I just—

[ What comes next is not another hiccup, but a sob. Oh boy. Here come the waterworks. Congratulations if you've managed to understand any of that, because her words have been and will continue to be incredibly slurred. ]

I never thought... I'd ever... meet people again who could change—[ sniffle ] How I think— [ sob ] about the world and everything around me... Doesn't anyone— [ 😭 ] Anyone else feel the same way?

[ don't mind her as she grabs the nearest wall of the blanket fort to sob into!! ]

[alcoheal]

[Oh, dear.

She has, of course, been called beautiful hundreds of times. She is beautiful, and it isn't vain to know that her looks haven't called it quits on her yet. But the genuine compliment from Ori, who is so earnestly drunk, still makes her smile.]

And so are you. [She reaches out to cup both of Ori's very warm cheeks between her hands.] You are a spot of light in this castle. There's a reason people are so drawn to you.

[hnl]

[damn why’s everyone all up in his business in this shared sleepover space!!]

Yes. Out of context. One particularly bad day in a string of predominantly positive ones.

And I don’t see the point of explaining the “full breadth” of anything if you can’t set aside the censure you’re suddenly so eager to throw my way.

[voxnozzz]

[ she's a cat wrangler now. given how openly encouraging manuela's been during this whole thing, the way she handles it doesn't escape his notice. nor does the fact that mithra takes her as someone to confide in at the end of it all.

it is a credit to her nature. in some ways, oz can appreciate it, though he'll never voice it in such a way. ]

... It is in a wizard's nature to protect their heart, but I do not run.

[ the risks aren't quite the same, he'd say, but still. it's also unfair to mithra he's not going to lose to mithra. ]