week three | mingle

[marriagebroker]

No outright changes this week either. Week three rolls around, braced for impact as ever. The estate is still intact, the contestants are still motivated, things are looking good.

Well, aside from the fact you all had a blackout this weekend. That wasn't so good.

Either way, when Monday rolls around, Wei Wuxian seems to be in a cheery mood as he greets everyone Monday morning.

"Everyone, come here, come here. I have an announcement!"

Better go see what that's about, huh?

Boom Boom Room | Dates | Property Damage
Truth Booth Voting | Match Ceremony Voting

Comments

[embellwish]

[ Is he wearing literal clothes to the onsen... please. She's looking more like a nymph than ever, forgoing a swimsuit in favor of covering up with magical petals. ]

Hm? What's this? Read something scandalous?

[ She's going to attempt to pluck the card right from him from her perch in the water, unless he's quick about it! ]

Let me take a look...

[poans]

[Oh. Yi Sang is not quick in the slightest, blinking in confusion when the card disappears from his hand.]

Ah, n-no. Miss Yingying, that is . . .

[ . . . a card that reads: One of you freaked out when a calf licked your hair while being fed milk.]

[embellwish]

[ Impishly, she keeps the card out of his reach, retracting a little more into the water. ]

One of you freaked out when a calf licked your hair while being fed milk.... haha, that's cute.

[ What inspired that look that he had on...? ]

Not the one I'd expect to be yours... or is it?

[poans]

[The card is gone, lost to the whims of fate. Yi Sang promptly gives up and stares off to the side with an awkward hum.]

Hmm . . .

[embellwish]

[ Help. ]

— So it is yours.

[ She swims back to the lip of the pool, resting her arms on the stone there - not seeming to mind that he's avoiding her and being awkward. ]

I never would have guessed this. It's hard to imagine you "freaking out" about a calf...

[ or anything really. but the mental image is cute. She'll offer the envelope back to him between two fingers, laughing. ]

[poans]

[Unable to escape, he turns back to look in her direction.]

T-that . . .

[ . . . is not how he'd describe what transpired, and neither here nor there. He reaches up to take the envelope back, simultaneously relieved and mortified.]

. . . I believe, is a matter best put aside.

[embellwish]

Oh, don't look so embarrassed! Take it easy.

[ Perhaps there's more to the story that's not on this card? Either way, he seems genuinely affected by it, so she decides to be merciful. ]

Here, I can tell you which one of these is mine. Did you look at them all?

[ Not willing to get out of the water, she simply leans more forward on the lip of the pool, trying to deduce what envelopes he'd been flipping through prior to her intervening. ]

[poans]

[Oh, thank goodness.

Setting his damning card down, he regards a handful of envelopes to the side, which he scoops up and offers to Yingying.]

A few remain. Could yours be among them?

[Of these, Yingying will find the following cards, should she sift through them: One of you has a bedroom that is an utter pigsty; one of you turned down a girl because of your mom; one of you has had the cops called on you for lurking and looking suspicious at least three times; one of you schemed alongside a coworker you can't stand.]

[embellwish]

Hmmm...

[ She goes through them quickly, only pausing to think about the turning a girl down one. ]

Nope, none of these are mine. [ Does Yi Sang thing she might have a pigsty of a room or get the cops called on her?!?! Or scheme with someone she can't stand?!? ] Though I can't really think of anything like the stuff on here that would be a secret... I wonder what mine says?

[poans]

[He hasn't read them. Have mercy.

. . . which is to say that he knows what's written on the other cards. Digging through recent memory, he procures two envelopes from the read pile and presents them to Yingying.]

Perchance is one of these secrets yours?

[His selections: one of you requires taking energy from others through physical touch in order to stay awake and one of you responds to animals with their noises.]

[embellwish]

[ Her eyes light up quickly in recognition, turning the first envelope to him for him to take. ]

This one is mine.

[ She guesses this part of her condition never really came out in their discussions... now's a good a time as any for it to be brought to light. ]

Usually, I need to sleep for days in a row at a time, sometimes longer... [ It's been that way for a century, so she admits it casually. She's eepy!!! On account of the dying thing, but let's not get hung up on it. ] But if I take a bit of energy from others, that helps a ton.

[ Yingying stops there, wanting to give him a chance to read the card again for himself - and let him ask what he might be curious about. ]

[poans]

[He reads the card again—not as a refresher, but to sit with the knowledge that she's shared with him. It would explain Yingying's doting tactility, and why she so often appears enervated during prolonged discussions. It must be wearying, being tethered to the wisteria in their fragile states.]

. . . Are you alert now?

[embellwish]

I already know what you're trying to do — no thanks!

[ Sternly. It's cute that his first reaction is to ask about how she's doing now... Yi Sang really is selfless. If she were a more self-centered person, or willing to read into this, she might take him up on what she knows is an incoming offer. ]

I see how tired you are all the time, sweetheart. And you're there at the wisteria so early, too... you must think I'm some wicked spirit willing to feed on just anyone, is that it~?

[ She pouts, expertly evading the question while teasing him all at the same time. There's already a very overworked, sleep deprived person in her life being used as an energy source by her... she doesn't want that for him. ]

[poans]

[Did he misunderstand?

He doesn't have long to ponder the question, not when he's faced with a heinous accusation that reflects poorly on Yingying.]

N-no. Quite the opposite, in fact.

[Each time he looks her way, she's in the position of giving. There might even be something to be said about the state of her health for it. If she's been this active, though, she must have access to a steady source of energy across the players or elsewhere.]

[embellwish]

[ Her pout melts away quickly, replaced by her usual easy, charming smile. Clearly, she's only playing. She rests her chin on top of her folded arms on the lip of the pool, watching him keep his gaze pointedly away like usual. ]

...I'm happy you're thinking about me, [ She clarifies, words earnest and warm, still a touch playful. ] But you're right, I am careful about it. When I take like that, it can really wear a person out.

[ Headaches, fatigue, weakness... there are a whole host of negative side effects that come with helping her. For that reason, she tries to keep her energy sources limited to those who are well rested and in good health. ]

You still aren't getting enough sleep, right?

[poans]

[The abrupt rejection settles with her kind words, as well as the assurance of her current condition. When put that way, he understands why she'd refuse him before he could even make the offer.]

I have been getting the usual amount.

[He's aware that this probably isn't enough for Yingying. Yi Sang, on the other hand, has grown accustomed to a handful of hours of rest despite the perpetual bags under his eyes.]

[embellwish]

And yet, the circles under your eyes are dark as ever...

[ If he were close enough she would've reached out to brush a thumb under there, maybe. Well, he's also staying out of the pool, so maybe he doesn't want to get wet, either? ]

If you won't watch over your own rest, I'll just have to do it myself.

[ By not giving him the (energy) suck. Anyway, she sounds pretty firm on this, serious about not taking from those she deems in need of proper sleep and energy. In her home world, she'll disappear for days at a time rather than continue to drain someone who can't give any more. ]

Are you getting worried about me, or something?

[poans]

Mm . . .

[Thoroughly scolded in that gentle way of hers, he regrets that he isn't considered well-rested enough to be of assistance this evening. He's reminded of the last time she grew drowsy in his company, and how she must have struggled to keep her awareness when the solution had been there all along.]

I simply do not wish for you to tire ere the revelries have ended.

[Being here brings her joy. She should get to enjoy what time she can have with everyone present.]

[embellwish]

Oh, because you'd miss me so much?

[ She jokes without missing a beat, smile bright. For what it's worth, she doesn't look too worn out now — though perhaps that's subject to change, sitting all cozily in the warm water like this. ]

But if I do disappear, you'll just have to come look for me in the wisteria. I'd be among the blooms again eventually. [ Because if she conks out here, she will definitely go up into thin air like smoke, she thinks. They're far away from the tree... and it's hard maintaining her illusion to this extent, especially without constant sources of power to draw from. ] I don't want to miss out either, but it's not worth exhausting you all.

[poans]

Surely, the others would not see it in such a light . . .

[Yingying is, as far as he can tell, a well liked member of the cast. Anyone would miss her company if she were to disappear for the night. He, too, would regret if she were left alone while everyone else remains together; on the other hand, it's always a treat to see the wisteria in its most honest form.]

But if that is your decision, I shan't overturn it, and head to the wisteria instead.

[embellwish]

[ It's the perfect time to say something like because you want to be alone with me? or so you'd leave everyone just to be by my side?, but he rarely, if ever, takes the bait. Instead, she just laughs melodically, leaning a little more out of the pool on her elbows. ]

Then you should make the most of the time I'm here, right? Why are you staying so far away? The water's nice...~

[ If he's close enough, she's gonna go ahead and try to hold his hand so she can tug him closer to the water. If not, well... she'll have to settle for trying to look as alluring as possible. ]

[poans]

[In truth, she is always alluring.]

Ah, a moment, if you would.

[Because she presents a convincing argument, he allows himself to be tugged closer. But first, he sets the envelopes and cards down at the edge of the pool before sliding into the water beside Yingying, where he sighs softly.]

The water is even warmer than I remember.