perfectmatch | week two

I am. Yes, that's a good way of putting it.

[In more ways than one, at that, the past is shadow ever-looming. He hates how it darkens every minute of these four weeks, but he's resigned to it, as well.]

Ha, well... For one, painting isn't where my true passion was. I gravitated toward music, but I come from a family of very prominent painters, and expectations are a hell of a thing.

After a while, there wasn't as much joy in the art. Not like before.

Understandable. One begins to suffocate when stifled so, though... I do hope you'll be able to reclaim that joy as well. On your own time, for your own reasons. [ If he wants, is the implication. ] Nicodème paints those he devotes himself to, charmingly, but I hardly think it need be so weighty.

[ Not. That she has taken up a brush prior to this week, but. It seems sensible enough. Spoken less with attachment to the craft and more as an outsider doing their best to see in.

Oh, the drinks have arrived. Wonderful. A necessary pause, a breather broken by a word of gratitude, and Odile swirls the dark liquid in her glass before speaking again. ]

... I lack such outlets though, so perhaps I shouldn't speak on them.

[Drinks! Verso has ordered wine, and it's an even deeper color here in this lighting. He takes the glass by its stem and gives it a gentle swirl, thoughtful.]

We'll see. I have a lot of decisions to make regarding what I want to do after this is done.

[And now, a pull from his glass. It's quite good; about on par with what he had Esquie hide away from the rest of his team.]

Wait, you don't mean to say you don't have any... hobbies at all? [surely not???]

[ Thanks I was short on drink ideas. Wine for both. She laughs shortly, shaking her head. ]

None so expressive, Verso. I read. I write analytical essays. I enjoy a good walk. But as far as-- the fine arts, as they are called... No. [ A beat. ] I do enjoy them from others, though.

[ Now she sips from her own, swirling it after. Fine indeed. ]

I imagine it makes me a rather boring individual, compared to many of us here. But I don't mind.

[ Not like she could change it anyway. Odile's probably got enough Personality to make up for her lack of interesting hobbies. ]

Come now, I never said that.

[That she was boring! Far from it. She's experienced plenty, met an array of personalities, and brings her own flair to this group — even if she isn't as, ah, spirited as the rest, she still brings a unique perspective.]

We'll find an art form to suit you, yet.

[That's half-joking. He relents in the next breath.]

But talents come in all shapes and sizes. The world would fall apart if it was made up of nothing but sad, sentimental, and starving artists.

[ Odile is aware of Poppy's frankly right opinion of her. It is very amusing, honestly, and she does enjoy leaning into it.

But, at the mention... Mmm. She stares at her wine, then takes a slightly deeper pull of it before she replies, raising her curious gaze to him. ]

... Have you considered, then, your match -- as far as this show goes -- might be someone that differs from you in that way? Less of a sentimental sort. The heart is a different matter.

[The jazz music drifts and fades, the live performance shifting into another lazy song.]

Of course I have.

[The options are endless, the variables are many. He gets along well with most here, too, which only makes everything more complicated.]

I picked Nico because of our shared interests, yes, and because we get along. Yet he's quite optimistic, too, while I'm... [Lol. Not. He lets that remain unspoken.] So, there are still differences to underpin the similarities.

But if you want to take that concept further, then yes. I can see the minds behind this show spinning the "opposites attract" story. Or even, "shared wants, dreams, and problems to help each other solve", too, for a more realistic approach. That would've been my secondary strategy, if I'm to be honest with you.

[ As she suspected, even as Edamura's words ring in her ears. Odile smiles wryly, light in tone. ]

It is my primary, truthfully. Regardless, your confidence is undoubtedly a reassurance to all who have a wish, for such a guarantee would mean they have no fear of the upcoming ceremony, I believe, should we rightly vote you and Nicodème into the booth.

[ ... ]

It is a shame, though, to have so little time left, split among others. I would have liked to know you better.

[ She's getting to learn more of Nico through his loves and their own conflicts, but. It feels as if she's still just scratching pleasantries with Verso, even with their ease of conversation and vague shares of grief. ]

[That, though nothing she said should be taken badly, loses his gaze. He glances down at his wine, and takes one more long, indulgent pull.]

It was a sound pick, wasn't it?

[That, he cannot deny. But picking safely and going into the booth to confirm a match—and therefore bearing the weight of expectations from the other party—is an idea that instills something... cold in him. Though he has strove to be a bit more truthful with everyone, pieces at a time (thanks Wei Wuxian), this also has the opposite effect, a truly adverse reaction to something as final as a potential confirmation when he has done nothing more than

lie lie lie

via omission.]

Madame, I think you might be making assumptions too quickly. Call me a coward, call me a fool, but I don't think I'm ready to step into the booth... just yet. We have other options anyway, don't we?

[ ... Is she? When everyone else would agree, even himself? Odile's quiet, gaze curious and keen -- perceptive, the way a cat's is when judging something new. ]

... Yes, we do. [ Slowly said, interested in his reaction. ] A fool you may invite me to call you, I suppose I can understand your hesitance besides -- you said yourself you have missed company.

[ So it would make sense, unspoken as the reasoning is, that he wouldn't want to depart from it so soon. A small assumption, a bone thrown, to see if he might take it. ]

[He sees the easy exit for what it is, and is it at all surprising that Verso takes it? Even if it is partly true.]

I have. It's been a long time since I've been around this many people, and for so long.

[But, surprisingly or otherwise, with another pull of his glass to brace him, he also offers her a bit more sincerity. She deserves to hear it; they all do, but he's just a coward.]

But I need more... time. To think. And to sort things out with anyone I might be going to the booth with.

[Nico, anyone. Hypothetically, he'd want to tell them more than he has.]

I just don't feel ready right now; no one knows the real me.

Hardly anyone knows another at all, Verso. A week and some days is little time at all for one's real self to be seen.

[ There are those more open, true. And those less. She drinks, releasing her glass completely this time as she folds her hands in front of her. ]

I have with Aventurine a particular deal. He and I are honest, but we only ask for what honesty we are prepared to give away ourselves -- we are honest, though, is the important part. In that way, we have a comfortable view of one another's real selves, even if it should only reveal itself bit by bit.

Transactional it may sound, it is what we are comfortable with. I was sincere in my desire to know you better, Verso, and... to be known in return, [ uncomfortable as that part is to admit, as a private person, she knows she must admit it regardless of her reluctance to do so, ] because I find kinship in shared grief, and...

[ ... ]

And to lands we may no longer call "home" as we did before. I do not care to find my own match, as it's easier to find others', I only... would like to have more of your time.

[No, a week and some change is not enough time for the masks to completely slip away, not for anyone. But there's a difference, he thinks, between getting to know someone slowly, and having one party rail against revealing certain aspects of oneself, and their recent past.

But overall, he does understand her point and her methods. He'd not disagree with it on principle alone.]

Odile, I never intended to deny anyone here my time. [It's hard when there are several contestants, but Verso enjoys spending time with each one for different reasons. Odile is no exception to that rule.] For what I feel like I can share, I don't mind sharing. Burdens like grief, and missing what you once had, are better split between friends.

[Support. It's what the other half of his "family" lacked; it's what Maelle needed the most. It sounds like Odile seeks a bit of that herself, and he is a stalwart believer in the fact that grief should not be borne alone. ]

There are parts of myself I'm just uncomfortable with. Parts that I have trouble accepting... much less feel like anyone else would. I only ask that I'm granted the time to know how to sort these feelings out in the next few weeks.

Nor did I mean to imply such. I only wished to... express my interest in you.

[ Awkwardly and clumsily. Feeling a right fool, she'll literally kill Edamura for this. Odile will swiftly move from that though, fingers tight against her arm. ]

I don't think the others will hold issue with you wanting time. If anything, they may see better strategically -- saving it for last, should nothing else change. So you can sort out those thoughts and feelings of yours, and share what you would like with whom, though one would be surprised what another will accept.

[ Yes, that's a better topic-- it isn't too much better, but it's moving away. ]

[Oh. Wait— what? Girl that's not just something you glide over. As much as Verso truly does appreciate her support regarding the last bit, he's not going to let her get away with that so easily. Especially since she seems a bit uncomfortable now.]

Oh.

[IS THAT HELPING-]

Sorry. I'm a bit of a thick-headed fool. I didn't think you were here for the, er, romance— Unless that's not what you meant. In which case, I will now proceed to put my foot in my mouth.

[He's totally helping.]

I--

[ She is going to end Edamura.

Staring hard into what's left of her wine. If they have the bottle with them she's refilling her glass, if not she's raising her hand for it. Odile is not drunk enough for her face to be as warm as it is. ]

No, I am not... explicitly here for romance, as I said. Nor am I here for the wish. [ Just so he knows. ] I only wish to find another with whom I-- favor, get along with, that... in the years to come, I might enjoy the company of.

[ A beat, and she clears her throat. ]

While I would not mind if it should turn that way, I... understand better that it is unlikely. In general, not only-- speaking of yourself, Verso. My mother found myself and my father wanting and I decided I wished to differ from her in the ways that matter most.

[ Edamura is so fucking dead she hates vulnerability. ]

[Sorry, Odile. He wasn’t trying to make this harder for you. Though it does appear that they’ve crossed the line into embarrassment and won’t be returning anytime soon.

Her admission, though, is the first real sign of vulnerability from her that he can truly remember, and he isn’t so cruel as to thoughtlessly disregard it. Verso takes a moment to reply, and not to make this any more difficult for her.]

I don’t think that’s an unreasonable want, though you should be clear about with anyone who’s piqued your interest. There are so many wants and goals between all of us, no one will mind if you speak up on it.

But… help me understand. What do you mean your mother found you and your father wanting…?

[ The worst part is knowing he isn't trying to make it hard for her, really. It's simply taking all of Odile's effort not to... lock up, to try and ease out of her discomfort instead, but it truly is uncomfortable to let oneself be open.

... But, perhaps... No, she knows that is how it works -- if she is able to share part of herself, then she will find the courtesy given in return. That is how it works with Aventurine, with Edamura, with Siffrin. At least... this part of it is easier, and she exhales out of her nose as she rests back in her seat again.

Swirling her wine, gaze trained on it. ]

... My mother left my father and I soon after I was born. She hadn't wanted a child, but Ka Bue is-- a stagnant, traditional place. [ To put it very simply. ] It didn't suit her, and so she returned to her homeland without another thought. Good riddance, really. [ ... ] All that I owe to her is in the features that set me apart from the other Ka Buans -- my hair, my eyes.

[ So different, as he might find in her father's ghost later in the week, than what is normally seen there. ]

A family is beyond me in my age. I hadn't wanted one either, for the record, [ unable to forgo the fact she might turn out the same way after all, too focused on her own work to bother with romance, ] but... I would like to prove, at the very least, that I am much more my father's daughter.

[ Devoted, companionable, and... not alone. ]

Edited 2025-06-13 03:50 (UTC)

[Funny, how family defines all of them so fiercely, even if they'd rather it not. For Odile, it works in the opposite of how it defines him, but... in some ways, it doesn't. To be unlike one's parent is not too far departed from Verso wanting to pursue music rather than painting.

So he can relate. He nods, his expression open and attentive.]

Do you not feel like you would've proven yourself different from your mother in your own way? [He isn't sure that's how he wants to word it, actually, so he attempts again:] Are you struggling with it, to now find yourself here with the rest of us

You needn't reword yourself on my behalf, Verso. I understand well enough what's asked.

[ A small sip from her wine, and she smiles slightly. ]

Certainly, there are many ways in which I differ from her. I have worked hard to be who I am, and to be someone my father would be proud to have raised. Yet I... [ ... ] I admit I linger still in her shadow, her unhappiness. I resent her for stealing away that which I had never the chance to look upon myself until recently.

This, then, is a direct attempt to free myself of that. It isn't good to force someone to change, no -- but I prefer to have no distractions in a sense, not unlike Maya's own intent for being here. She's rather dense, but by putting herself into a situation where she can no longer ignore it by accident... Well. She may stumble into romance herself.

[ Odile knows there's still plenty of things for Verso to pick at in her words, and... it gets easier, bit by bit, with his attention and their likeness on certain points. Still hard, but easier. ]

[Ha. Dense. Poor Maya... But he does understand where she's coming from.

Verso doesn't want this to sound like an interrogation, but Odile seems more and more comfortable speaking about this. It also gleans more insight into who could be her fitting match, or at least who she might find to suit her beyond even the dictations of a "perfect" match. And again, guilt gnaws at him a little — he should probably mention something of rather... stirring import, then.]

I truly hope you can find something like that here. Someone as a steadfast companion — you do deserve it, Odile. You would be like... a harbor for a ship in a storm, for someone else.

[ ... ]

I, uh, should be a bit more honest, then. I never came to this show with the intent of using the wish for myself. And after it's all over, I also don't intend to live a... full life. No goals, no ambitions, nothing like that.

[Not much of a life at all. It seems to run counter to what she desires.]

Not a bit?

[ ... That is something she's interested in -- it seems impossible to live not a life forever, being tired and resting a while is one thing but to abstain completely... But Odile finds her asking something different as a follow-up. ]

Is... my interest unwelcome, Verso?

[His brow knits immediately.]

I don't mean that. I only mean that it might not be fair to you. Someone who wants a life after this place, and another who might not have anything to...

[Suddenly, he feels heavy, saying this.]

...offer.

[ Ever thoughtful, isn't he -- or far too absorbed in his own shortcomings to see what he may give in return. Might have nothing to offer... It isn't as if Odile asks for much, from anyone, and though caution weighs her own tongue heavy-- ]

I do believe that is my decision to make, not yours.

[ She can say that much. No, she finds she can say more. ]

... There is no guarantee I may find what I seek here, no more than there is at home. You don't need to worry about me in either case -- I know where to find solace, so it's fine if I leave without a companion. [ That, she means. Maybe it isn't fine to others' eyes, but it is to her. ] But so long as I do have an interest in someone -- in you, Verso -- and it doesn't trouble them any, I'd like to explore that option thoroughly.

[ To learn about him more, to understand why -- how -- he'd come to want a life without living, and if he intends to stay the course in that way. ]

[And that is fair. A decision she needs to make, someday, with all the information in hand.]

Sure. If that's what you want, I don't see the harm in getting to know each other a bit more so you can make that decision.

[He knows, though, when he tells all, she will have made it — and quite quickly.

or he will get shuffled off in the truth booth w3 who knows-]

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researcherstory - 2025-06-15 15:57 (UTC) - Expand

week two | dates

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minor friendquest spoilers

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