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

[phenomerom]

[ Perhaps as expected, Rom doesn't even flinch when he feels the splash of water down on his hair. It's only when he feels hands scuffling aggressively into his hair that he gives a startled jump -- probably the first Edamura's seen from him. ]

Ah -- wah -- [ Maybe it's a little uncharacteristic, the unguarded and very human noises he makes in surprised response. ] Edamura-san?!

[ It's only when the hands finally retreat from the mess of his hair that Rom looks up -- one hand reflexively pressed against the right side of his face to press down his long bangs there, but his visible eye open wide in owlish surprise. Given how fluffy his hair is by default, probably unsurprising that it's almost doubled in volume from the scuffing, sticking out in all directions in unruly spikes.

Rom blinks, and it's almost completely natural when he ventures -- ]

... what was that for?

[ordimame]

[. . .]

[huh. . . that's. . . cute. . .]

I figured if your hair was damp, it'd cool in the night air. It might give you some relief from the heat. Right?

[is that how science works?? no?? whatever!! though. . . for the very first time, Edamura's gaze flickers towards the right side of Rom's face, tracing the way his companion reaches up to flatten bangs against his right eye. one brow raises in curiosity, but. . . maybe it's just how he likes his bangs to fall??]

[phenomerom]

[ One more owlish blink before he gives a low laugh. ]

... haha. I don't know if it works like that, Edamura-san. [ Vaguely, he wonders if it would be more normal to get mad at that? Annoyed, at least? He doesn't want to, though. Something about that gesture feels okay to let slide, and not in the way he usually lets people's treatment of him fall away like water off a duck's back. This feels ... permissible, in a strange way. ] But I'll accept the thought behind the gesture, at least.

[ Even before he's finished speaking, he's started combing through his hair with his fingers to try and tame it back into some semblance of order. But he does notice Edamura's curious stare after a moment and smiles. ]

-- did you want to do it again?

[ordimame]

Do you want me to do it again?

[another light tease, before he shakes his head]

That's not it, though. . . I think I just noticed that you style your hair in a very specific way.

[the moment the words leave his mouth, he semi-regrets them, if only because it makes it obvious just how much he was looking. a little more non-bath-related pink flushes his cheeks as he turns away, arms folded again]

. . . not that it's any of my business! I just-- . . . you know.

[he noticed!]

[phenomerom]

[ Of course, he makes the inference that this means Edamura must have been looking. But that's nothing he takes personally -- his style is deliberate, after all, and he usually gets the exact reaction he's fishing for. If Edamura is curious, that's nothing odd.

But while he'd normally brush the matter off with a laugh, saying he just has his preferences ... ]

... please let me warn you first. [ This is so ominous????? A dramatic pause in his usual style before he continues: ] You have no reason to feel bad about anything. Okay?

[ And only then, he says something that Miru pulls the first plausible answer out of her fucking ass because the canon has provided zero answers so far: ]

I was injured there when I was much younger. It's rather unsightly. That's all.

[ordimame]

[the warning helps, but only partially; Edamura's features grow slack anyway, mouth parting slightly. his next verbal response is a simple, breathy]

. . . oh.

[Rom said he had no reason to feel bad, but there's still a small, creeping sensation of guilt gnawing at his stomach. that had been rather blunt of him, hadn't it?]

[the implication that Rom had dealings with malevolent spirits even in his youth is. . . also not surprising, considering the things Edamura has learned thus far. but it is a stark reminder of how different their worlds are]

[. . .]

. . . this is going to sound weird, and you can just say no.

[. . .]

[fingers twitch with the urge to reach out, before Edamura curls them into a fist, holding them tightly at his side]

Can I see?

[he has a reason for asking. he swears]

[phenomerom]

[ How easy it'd be to say 'no.' To evade, to make some obnoxious comment that'd turn the conversation back on Edamura and drop the subject. It's what he'd do for most people. After all -- what reason would there be for anyone to want to look, other than morbid curiosity? For as much as Rom is comfortable crafting an image for himself, he'd draw the line at making himself some sort of circus freakshow.

... that's not what this is, though. Is it?

He's reminded of how Edamura had indulged him, listened to his description of what he sees, without ridicule or disbelief. The depths of his empathy, despite being thrown into this chaos, surrounded by unknowns.

He'd been leveling his usual owlish stare for a moment, quiet, and there's no warning before Rom abruptly reaches forward -- snags his hand around Edamura's wrist to tug him closer. Not roughly, he doesn't want any sudden movements or splashing to catch the camera staff's attention. But he pulls Edamura around and in, to form a little bubble of space for them, and to position Edamura so his back blocks the nearest camera.

Then he leans forward and cants his head. Other eye looking aside. ]

Don't take too long. The cameramen will notice.

[ Beneath the mess of his hair, Edamura will find a jagged scar -- not large, but deep, with rough edges. Like something long ago tried to gouge the eye out. ]

1/2

[ordimame]

[Rom moves so quickly that Edamura nearly trips as he is tugged forward, mostly out of surprise rather than by the force of the pull. it's gentle enough that he doesn't splash or pitch to the side with sudden imbalance. . . perfectly subtle that the nearby cameramen miss it. even so. . . he gets the hint, and with back arched, makes sure to crowd his fellow contestant as much as he can to prevent any curious cameras from getting a sneak peek]

[. . .]

[. . . except now, they're awfully. . .]

[. . . there's something about that hand around his wrist. . . it sends a few sparks of electricity coursing up his arm. or maybe it's the way Rom is leaning in now? so freakin' close that Edamura can see the small irises of his one good eye, and the way sweat-soaked bangs plaster against his forehead. little things that give him pause. tiny details that he finds his gaze lingering on for. . . reasons. . . ? what reasons??]

[his mouth suddenly feels a bit dry, but he swallows that sensation down quickly with a curt nod]

Y-- yeah. All right.

[. . .]

[with his free hand, Edamura lifts his fingers to carefully brush aside the fluffy bangs from Rom's right eye]

[ordimame]

[. . . . . . his features harden almost instantly]

[he hadn't asked to see out of a sense of morbid curiosity, nor out of a desire to stare and gawk. their worlds are different-- so diametrically opposed that he has never seen an injury this bad before. he is sure even normal people could get hurt this badly back in his world, but. . . not for the same reasons as Rom. not fighting for their lives against supernatural beings hell bent on releasing their long-standing grudges against those who perceive them]

[he asked to see because. . . he wants to understand]

Shit, Shindou.

[a quiet mutter]

. . . I get it now.

[it puts. . . everything that he was told the other night into perspective. it informs him of the exact nature of the dangers Rom deals with on a daily basis. the ones that he combats completely alone, with no one else to have his back]

[. . .]

[phenomerom]

[ Rom sits still, gaze cast aside, and waits for a few seconds. Long enough that Edamura can get a good look, he thinks, but not so long that there's significant risk of the camera crew cottoning on. And once the moment's passed, he calmly pulls back, releasing Edamura's wrist. ]

It doesn't hurt any more, you know~?

[ A little grin as he raises his hands to scuff his hair back into place, hiding that scar from view once more. ]

It's just a little embarrassing to have out in the open, is all. A small scar or two might help with a rugged image, but something like this is too flashy. People would take it too seriously, it'd scare away potential viewers.

[ There's the splash of water as he sits back, kicking his legs in the spring water a little. ]

... it's just part of my job. Just as I'm sure your freelance work puts you in some tough situations, sometimes.

[ordimame]

[if Rom's words were meant to be comforting, they don't serve their purpose]

That's not--

[. . . nnngh. Edamura's hand drops back to his side once his wrist is released, though he does lift it to stare at his palm, features twisted in dissatisfaction. dangerous work is dangerous work, and. . . it's true, that Edamura himself has had a few close calls during his time as a confidence man. but. . .]

[. . . whether Laurent and the others think of themselves as friends or family or not. . . they have always been there for him. even when he doubted them. even. . . when he sincerely thought about betraying them]

[. . .]

[. . . the fact that Rom has no one sits heavily on his shoulders, and his fingers curl tightly into a fist]

. . . that's why you're not getting into the water. Isn't it. . .?

[phenomerom]

[ Unsurprising that Edamura would connect the dots by this point. He's sharp, after all. Was that why he'd wanted to look at his eye?

Rom gives a soft exhale, not quite a laugh. ]

Yes. Correct.

[ Even he knows when to throw in the towel and concede a point. Other than his bangs, he's left his hair how Edamura's furious ruffling had styled it, stray strands sticking out in all directions, ruffled gently whenever a breeze blows by. Has the ruffling done much to cool him down? Not really. But it still feels fine to leave it that way for now. ]

But please don't let the production find out about it. I think they'd try even harder to get me to go in the water if they knew. Reality television does love a scandalous, shocking little reveal, you know?

[ordimame]

[it is not at all why he asked!! but. . . it did help him put the pieces together]

It's not-- [HRRRRGH HOW DOES HE SAY THIS] It's not scandalous or shocking. Not to me.

[though he does think that Rom has a point. reality television would revel in a reveal like this one, wouldn't it??? which is why he makes sure to keep his voice low, something that won't be picked up by the cameras around them]

. . . it just pisses me off, I guess!

[a sharp exhale, and Edamura settles himself back into the water, once again sinking so low that he can blow a few frustrated bubbles before he surfaces again to continue, still full of righteous indignation]

You're out there fighting for your life for good reason, yeah? To protect the people of your world? But at the end of the day, who the hell is out there fighting for you?

[his frustration softens a little]

. . . the thought just makes me mad.

[. . .]

[the reminder that he is helpless when it comes to Rom's situation just makes it worse]