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

[beatmatching]

[ chewing on a gummy cherry oh so slowly before he speaks up. ]

I told Yingying yesterday, but assuming I'm paired with another male my guess would be Makoto and Yi Sang, in that order.

[ no he does not explain, but he does put a gummy grape into his mouth. yummy. ]

[fireball]

... Really.

[ Just gives Luka a blank stare. Had not expected that from him. ]

Well, your odds are a little better for being with a guy. Just... really?

[ Trying to picture it. ]

[beatmatching]

[ he finishes the gummy and smiles. ]

What are you ideas about my match then?

[fireball]

[ Shrugs and reaches for yet another candy. ]

For all I know I'm cursed with you.

[beatmatching]

[ takes another gummy! but he doesn't put it into his mouth yet. ]

I doubt it, unless they really don't know anything about me.

[fireball]

[ Points at him. ]

Or if they want to fuck with us.

[ Pops her candy in her mouth. ]

[beatmatching]

Hmmm...

[ he finally puts the gummy in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. ]

There are worse people to put me with, in that case.

[fireball]

[ Swallows. ]

See? You get it.

[poans]

[Yi Sang has a muffin in hand from earlier when they were watching the booth. What has his attention right now isn't food, however.]

Might I hear the reason, Luka?

[beatmatching]

[ luka is... somewhat surprised that yi sang asked. ]

In private. [ put that muffin down.

luka offers his hand.

away from the group not actually private, yike will not sail today. ]

[poans]

[His muffin . . . He sets it down after one last look at it and takes Luka's hand.]

[beatmatching]

[ off they go! to the gardens somewhere, somewhere far away from yingying's tree. luka's mostly silent on the way there, though he does hum a tune, a beautiful, upbeat melody. small pleasures.

now that they're sufficiently away from the group, luka turns to yi sang with a smile, a grin. it's very reminiscent of the look he gave him that very first time they spoke. and then, without warning, he drops his hand, grabs him full force by his shirt (or cute little tie) and pushes him against the tree. he does this with no amount of softness, rough, like he actually is deep down. he also gives him no personal space, because why would he?

he'll hold him there even against any resistance, though he doesn't expect to get any. ]

Because I think we're similar. But I act on it in ways you don't, and you do the same where I don't. Seeing you is like looking at a reflection and it bothers me.

And the fact that I feel anything towards you at all is more than I can say for nearly everyone here.

[poans]

[Not one to interrupt, Yi Sang allows himself to be led to the tune of Luka's song. Then he's slammed against a tree, and all he can think in the moment is that, ah, this must be how Luka really feels.

They're close, their eyes meeting for a split second before Yi Sang's gaze averts itself. He doesn't resist, awkward and uncomfortable as his position is.]

A reflection, you say . . .

[He's harbored suspicions since the first week, of Luka's status as a vessel for the audience. Faced with this, he wonders how true they might be. How right Luka could be on this.]

. . . You may be correct.

[beatmatching]

We even see it together. [ he let's out a breath, somewhat amused. ]

Again, that's more than most of them could say about me. They're looking at me as just an idol, a pet-human when I'm also Luka.

I truly don't think many of them could handle me. As a whole, they're soft. They yearn for connections with one another, maybe with some hesitation, but not with any immeasurable difficulties.

But it's not as simple as that for you, is it? It's not as simple as one of them giving you a consoling shoulder or an easy "wow, that sucks". They don't understand what it's like.

[ for us, he doesn't say but it's what he means.

because he too yearns for it, he too is lonely beyond measure. but three weeks of friendly faces has made him feel more isolated than the past ten years have.

if it wasn't for Maya, the one spot of hope he's allowed himself—

he can be foolish too. ]

[poans]

[He wonders about that. If that look he was given is any indication, Luka has seen it since their first meeting. It took Yi Sang a few more days to notice that something was amiss; that means, for those few days, Luka was alone with his thought.

Though Yi Sang is loath to dismiss the others offhand, it's true that this could be something the two of them share. There are two voids between them—one that's incapable of holding onto anything for Yi Sang, and one that's been stuffed with the whims of others for Luka. All that love for oneself, reflected back through the rays Luka releases as a performer. Perhaps that's why Maya, who values and nurtures the individual, must be as a breath of fresh air.

It must have been lonely.

In the absence of a light for himself, the despair must have been overwhelming before he found it in Maya's loving eyes.

Slowly, Yi Sang reaches up to the wrist of the hand that holds him against the tree, resting his own hand there as his eyes flit up to Luka's.]

Luka . . . The image that was once blurred to me is now clearer. Permit me to apologize for not seeing it sooner.

[beatmatching]

[ his eyes track the movement, but if that's all yi sang is going to do, luka has no counter. for now. ]

I don't need an apology. If you want to give one to someone, there's someone better than me to receive it.

[ he'll offer that much, at least. ]

Are you still going to pick Odile?

[poans]

What do you . . .

[He trails off, pressed by the question as he recalls saying that the discussion was still young earlier. Has this revelation shifted that much . . . ?]

Such is the agreement between myself and Miss Odile.

[beatmatching]

So?

[ luka decides then--if yi sang will help him, he'll return the favor in regards to yingying. he thinks he could get through to him where she hasn't.

his hold tightens, not painfully but a reminder: he's here right now, odile and the others aren't. ]

Think about what I said and what you just admitted. And then realize that they're going to let me be assigned to someone random again, who shares nothing with me at all.

Our objective is to solve this and yet no one has had any ideas as to who I actually fit with. Shouldn't we be trying to get as much information as we can?

Odile has had other people who have mentioned her name in the past weeks. I've not had anyone.

[ it's a familiar truth and a familiar feeling and if he wasn't who he was he might not have tried to pull the pity card, but. ]

[poans]

[It's because of his admission that he can't in good conscience provide a simple answer, as that would be the same as dismissing Luka out of hand.

The matches are a mathematical venture with guesswork at this point. Only, the variables belong to people who breathe and feel. His hesitation goes two directions, because he doesn't think so lowly of his connection with Odile that he'd sweep something so precious aside in a blink. His choice was, and still is, earnest. But Luka . . .

His gaze tears away. There is no love here between them. What faces Luka is a hateful reflection, yet even a bothersome image is at least familiar and understandable. Yi Sang doesn't wish to abandon him, either.]

. . . I see your reason, and it is sound; however, I must broach the subject with Miss Odile first, as I have given her my word.

[beatmatching]

[ luka presses in closer. ]

So she can decide for you?

[poans]

[He frowns, a faint crease in his brow.]

Nay, the decision shall rest with me.

[beatmatching]

Oh? [ luka in contrast, smiles. ]

In that case, tell me your decision now.

[poans]

I cannot, for this is a decision that involves her as well.

[Nothing Luka says will make him budge on this. He refuses to put Odile out of his mind after everything she has done for him.]

You are welcome to accompany me.

[beatmatching]

[ accompany him? please.]

Absolutely not. [ ah, if he wasn't—

luka lets go with a slight sigh and words left unsaid. he'll make to leave actually, since there's nothing more he actually wants to say, in spite of himself. ]

[poans]

[Released thus, Yi Sang straightens upon regaining his footing and watches Luka's retreating form, making no move to stop him. He does, however, pipe up before the gap between them can increase:]

Thank you still, for answering as yourself.