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

[cosmoid]

[ easy, huh. he closes his eyes when she touches him again, taking a long breath. the scent of the grass they were laying on moments ago, the faint smell of flowers she was handling earlier—laying still like this is far from easy.

he opens his eyes again, solely focused on her, pupils contracted into slits but voice gentle. ]

Oriphi, I'm beginning to think you're teasing me. [ it doesn't sound like he minds at all. ]

Does that make you a bad girl and me a good scale?

[cosmoid]

Yes. It's a light for those of us who cannot be so loving.

[ she can lean all she wants while he carefully brushes away any stray tears. ]

[hearthwarming]

But... You didn't forget Tiletta after she died.

[ help her drunk ass understand... ]

[bewrightback]

[Some of them managed to stay on the tray at least! In the wake of his answer, Phoenix pauses and composes himself before continuing.]

I am father. That much is correct. It may be true that a parent's role can involve pushing them out of their comfort zones and making decisions they aren't happy with. But I think you might be a little generous in treating your situation as being justified by that kind of motivation. After all, what you did sounds a bit... extreme. I know that if I pushed Trucy at something to the point where it was starting to hurt her, I would immediately back off.

So if you're trying to downplay an incident like that and sweep it away as a 'bad day' and just a 'snippet of memory', then... well, I'm sorry to say, Dr. Brenner, that it does call the entirety of your relationship with those children into question in my eyes.

[bewrightback]

[(...I thought describing it as 'evidence' might have implied enough, but maybe I should have figured there was a chance someone like him would be listening...)]

I was young, foolish and blindly devoted to the girl I was dating at the time. The pendent was being used as evidence to incriminate her. For a crime that she did do and that I was being tried for! And yet, all I could think of in that moment was protecting her. ...Soooo... I ate the evidence so that it couldn't be examined for traces of poison...

[hearthwarming]

I appreciate the vote of confidence, Maruki. [ Genuinely. ] I'm... capable, but you're right. I could never... Put my heart into it? My sister and I were orphans, though, and mercenaries always have a use for my kind.

[ Which is to say, yes, that's why it's a "used to be." ]

Say, Maruki... After all is said and done here, what do you plan to do?

[ Especially given that he's airing a lot of his stuff out... will he be able to return home? ]

[mechanideptus]

One feels similarly.

[ Really, what more can be said? She’s been burned by playing the game as intended, and clearly something has him deeply troubled as well. Even before tonight, she’s noticed that he’s been more and more prone to isolating himself from the chaos that is the castle.

This kind of gentle affection between them is something they haven’t allowed themselves in literal ages, but it’s the balm they both need right now. The feeling is surprisingly familiar even after all of this time, a remnant of happier times when gods and adepti gathered often and warm feelings ran freely between them. It’s easy to imagine that Guizhong might show up any moment now, gently chiding them both for sulking and providing much needed advice. She was the wisest of them, and arguably the kindest. Surely, she would know how to handle their woes.

But there will be no such counsel. Guizhong is long gone, and the two who loved her most are left behind sitting together miserably on a roof in the cold night air. ]

One was not aware that this place had osmanthus wine.

[aureated]

It takes courage to take that step, even if you were the more sensible, concerned party involved.

[You were cool, Ori!!]

[aureated]

It sounds as though you two are quite close.

[Of course!! Healthy rivalries and friendships between professors is important!!]

It strikes me that I have never asked you about your role as a professor. Do you enjoy it? What is it you teach?

[hearthwarming]

They're good tears - I p-promise!

[ She's genuinely so moved by Zhongli and Lucifer's story... (moments before the drama unfolds) ]

I'd... Been so focused on raising Juniper and I don't regret any of that at all, not in the least, but maybe... Maybe this is what she wanted for me. Just... to look out at the world again, instead of just our little home...

[aureated]

Is that so?

[Her tone is mild because, well. Not her world. It's fine. But--]

And why did you go to such extremes?

[thefinalcontract]

It tastes just the same as I remember.

[But where are the friends…]

I am sorry for the doctor. I do not tend to misjudge so severely but he is a deceptive one. I would never have pushed had I known.

[Never in a thousand years. His fingers press into her, dealing with a surge of emotion. Grief and anger all mixed together.]

I am not one for leaving the lands of Liyue for extensive periods… The last time was… [Khaenri'ah. But he is contracted to never speak of it by the heavens themselves. So he simply sighs wearily.] I am ready to go home…

There doesn’t seem to be anything for us here.

catherding 2: electric boogaloo

[ziplash]

That's enough!

[ Are they still in the pillow fort. Did all the fighting take place outside of it. Let's just assume yes, because Lin is slamming a fist down on their shared dinner table and shouting with her most commanding voice. She's set what looks to be a ton of silverware on the table? Don't worry about it. With some practiced motions of her arms, she manipulates enough chairs around the table with her metalbending so that they'll all have a seat at the table. ]

We are going to sit here, and discuss what pair we're sending to the booth. Now I don't like what I'm hearing one bit. But I don't care what disagreements everyone has — we've got kids to rescue, lives on the line. Until that matter is solved, we can't afford to fall apart like this.

[ She is trying to encourage them while at the same time scold them? Like. Teamwork makes the dream work, guys. Her eyes are bright with passion. ]

The next person who derails the conversation will be removed and put under temporary arrest. No matter who it is.

[ Just then, all the silverware seems to float into the air and condense into a single ball, melting and becoming malleable. ]

Am I understood?

[hearthwarming]

[ Oh. Sudden movements are a lot for her drunk head, but it's fine. Everything's fine, though Ori does slump forward and rest her head on the table while she munches on a pizza bagel that she definitely picked up off the floor. ]

I think we should... send Phoenix in with someone... If we manage to find his Perfect Match, then at least he won't have to deal with the rest of this mess anymore...

[ Phoenix Wright you deserve better than this, ]

[hnl]

[EVERYTHING'S TURNED INTO A SHITSHOW but Brenner is here. Being about as insufferable as usual with his purposefully unruffled demeanor -- though, notably, the faint bruising around his neck, as well as his rankled jammies, mar his collected appearance.]

Good. It's about time we focused on matters that are relevant to winning this game, as we should have been doing for a while now.

[UNTIL EVERYONE GOT ALL UP IN HIS BUSINESS. He dares anyone to do that now because Lin looks like she's about to arrest everyone in this fort.]

Nominating a pair from the actual match ceremony makes the most sense if we want to heighten our chances of success.

[hearthwarming]

Am I?

[ She huffs, quiet and soft and tinged with amusement, as her hand stills on his face. ]

I do have fiendish blood in me, you know. And it does count for something. Maybe we're lucky you didn't see my worse memories.

[hnl]

[For Brenner, that's not enough detail to satisfy him, and he turns over what she's said in his mind for a moment more. His brows scrunch.]

Yes, but what I mean to say is... Where did this deficiency come from? Did she feel as though you were being neglected in this game?

[hnl]

[Good god, has this really turned into an interrogation.]

Am I downplaying? Or am I just giving you actual context that no one here seems to be willing to listen to?

[There's a reason the project is top secret. A reason why it doesn't reach public ears. This stifling show of morality without even knowing the full picture is exactly why.]

Let me put it bluntly, Mr. Wright: at this point, it's simply my word against an interpretation of memories that others have seen. You have no proof, you have no evidence, to the contrary. The fact that you're using the idea that I want to defend myself is laughable, too. Who wouldn't, when under attack in this way?

[cosmoid]

Mmn, not in that way. [ his use of the word "bad" was purely playful, but maybe this wasn't a terrible thing to voice. ]

I don't think it would change how I feel about you, but you're welcome to tell me more if you like. I told you that I like you for more than your beauty did I not?

One of those reasons is your heart, whether it has "bad" blood in it or not. "Bad" in that sense doesn't apply to me, for it is a human designation.

[bewrightback]

Now I'm willing to step up to bat, but I don't know how to feel about that reasoning... I don't think I need that kind of special treatment, and I can brace myself to deal with any further messiness.

[hearthwarming]

Ahaha... You're being too nice to me, Mister Scale of the Sea God.

[cosmoid]

Am I? [ huff. ] Maybe I am if you're calling me Mister...

[ he'll lead them over to a place where they can sit. ]

[bewrightback]

Y-yes Mommy! ...I mean ma'am! Ma'am!

[He clears his throat and tries to forget what he just said.

(Just slap a cuff over my mouth, why don't you...)]

If I am the one going in this week... Well, Dr. Maruki and I do still have a one in six chance of being a perfect match. Or we could still test my chances with Lucifer? ...Or I could keep on listing possibilities!

[hearthwarming]

[ Drunkenly, vaguely gesturing at him with her hand, pizza bagel and all. ]

See? That's... exactly why... we should find your match... You really are the best of us!

[hearthwarming]

[ Miss Aurelia... you were taken from us too soon 🥹

Having had a few drinks, she just chuckles at Aurelia's comment with a wistful tone. ]

All of that feels so long ago... We used to be a bunch of bumbling chucklefucks back then... [ LANGUAGE!? ] But now we're a bunch of chucklefucks with important roles or whatever...