i'll be dreaming of the day we meet again

[innocentloveholic]

[ After she gets Fern patched up, Aligula starts on what might be her Best Party Ever.

...until her next one, anyway. It's no surprise where she's hosting today: it's the dormitory area. Throughout the hours of setting it up, it gets more and more colorful—the doors of the dead (both newly deceased and old) get childish paper cut-out flowers (think the daisy looking ones), while the living get stars. They're all in different colors, with no real discernible pattern! Long strands of ribbon decorate the walls along with more colorful party hat-looking cut-outs, in and out of the little cul-de-sac areas. In the center of the area are blankets laid out with plates of pancakes and trays of tea, stacked on tables made out of books. (There are also parfaits in wine glasses, because of course there are.)

More importantly, there are pillows across the floor of the entire hallway and especially stacked around the center, and in every little room area there's a nice note posted to one of the walls, in Aligula's ever familiar curly handwriting:



Apparently, today's after-party is the slumber party type to even help people who might not want to wander the hallways tonight. ...and look, Luca, she even took your advice. ]

Comments

[oasisrose]

[Huh. Well. That's a complicated feeling.

On one hand, Jean isn't the jealous type, not by a long shot. Even when she was painfully envious of Lucia, who seemed unable to appreciate Hiro and everything he did for her, she still cheered them on and encouraged Hiro's feelings. Trying to keep the good people in this world all to yourself is immature and petty.

At the same time, she does feel a different kind of envy. The kind that Terumi might have gotten something she might have missed out on, if this all falls apart despite her efforts.

So, while she's working out that feeling, let's focus on someone else for a second.]

... wait, Isaac let you have dinner with another guy?

[hentopan]

[ For a second, he's actually genuinely surprised. It doesn't happen too often, so cherish this moment Jean. Then his face settles onto something that is somewhere between amused and testy.]

Just what are you implying, Buttercup?

[oasisrose]

Well... come on. Let's look at the facts, here.

You two were going at it week after week. Those bruises you two brought to the trial were way more than you'd pick up from a normal, healthy training session -- and yet every time, you were both grinning like idiots. Like you had both found something that made you happy in a way most people could only wish for.

[She shrugs. She's actually well-acquainted with the sort of feeling -- that rush of adrenaline and endorphins that actually makes fighting so satisfying, even despite the conflict with her ethics. And so, naturally, she has to draw a comparison to something else.

Fortunately, she's not lewd enough to refer to it like that out loud.] I'm not sure where the line between fighting and flirting is, but...

[hentopan]

[ "Normal" "Healthy" and Terumi do not go together. But if she was expecting him to be embarrassed or anything of the sort, he's not at all. He's lived a long time and although romance and relationships are decidedly not his thing, it's not like he's avoided other stuff if he's had the time for it. And if anyone was ever crazy enough to try .

He does however, laugh.]

If Isaac wanted to hit on me, he should have been more up front about it like Yuri was~. And what can I say? He liked being kicked, and who am I to deny him that?~ [ Though it's apparent by his grin that he very much enjoys such a thing too. Kicking people is one of his favorite hobbies.]

[oasisrose]

Oh, please. You were clearly getting a thrill out of it, too. Why do you think I had to ask if you were okay?

[... it is starting to bother her that he's bringing up Yuri again, though. She doesn't believe Yuri was just playing the field, since there was something far too genuine about what had happened between them. But then why is Terumi bragging about it so much? It's almost like he's trying to get a rise out of her, but she can't understand how he'd know--

... ... ...

Jean looks down at the letter in her hand. And then side glances at Terumi.]

... you didn't read this personal, private letter to me, did you?

[hentopan]

I never said I didn't~. [ Terumi is very good at reading people, but Jean didn't give any big tells. He is however, always looking to push peoples buttons which is exactly what he's doing here...to Yuri, who's dead. Because this is how they talked, and why he enjoyed fighting with Yuri so much, because few people would ever keep going with him like this. So it's actually not on purpose, just a lucky coincidence in a way.

And with her accusation, he does look somewhat offended.]

Why the hell would I do that? I've got enough shit to do without reading what those two idiots wrote to everyone. [ Cause they're both stupid for dying, obviously.]

[oasisrose]

My apologies, then. I'm not sure where I got the idea that you would disrespect something just because you could.

[Her tone's flat and sarcastic, as if she's not sure how much she believes him. But hey, as penance for accusing him, he'll be getting a big tell out of her in just a moment.

Because it's about time she ignored Terumi's antics and read the letter that Yuri wrote for her. At first, her face isn't unusual for someone who's lost a close friend here -- an expression of pain and concern, but one trying to hold firm in the face of loss. Not far in, though, her firmness breaks away for something far more honest. She's touched, but it's also a fresh reminder of what she lost. Of what Ferid took from her, simply because unlike Terumi he didn't have enough to keep him occupied. Her heart is aching, and she's not able to hide it at all.

She's gone quiet for a moment.]

[hentopan]

[ There's a retort on the tip of his tongue when he notices her reaction, which causes him to pause. He's seen that look before, and he's immediately amused again.]

Oh, don't tell me he promised you something and didn't follow through on it either? His cookings not bad too, it's a shame~.

[oasisrose]

Terumi, can you not...

[It's weak, tired. Like she's entreating whatever humanity is in him to just let this go for a change. It's not going to be fun for either party involved.

But she collects herself, and remembers who she's talking to. And summons up the spirit to fight from... somewhere. Even she's not sure where this comes from, sometimes.]

Right now, I'm the one who has to follow through.

[hentopan]

That's the weakest freakin protest I've ever heard, including from people I've strangeled. [ Unfortunately, Terumi and humanity aren't really a thing.]

Oh?