week four | mingle

[marriagebroker]

Final week at the estate! Final week with your friends. Final week with your beaus. Time to make the most of it, everyone!

In fact, to celebrate this fact, today there is a cake. It's nothing special, just a nice little cake to enjoy with your morning coffee or throughout the day. Yay, cake!

And when Wei Wuxian arrives that morning, he is going to call out once again for everyone to join him, near the cake.

"Everyone, I have another announcement!"

Hell yeah, announcements.

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

Comments

[phenomerom]

[ 'Courting' ... He has to respect that ploy, because the word choice sure does earn a pause just long enough for Rom to give an owlish blink before he can decide how to address that. ]

Now, now. Do I really look like the dishonest type? I'm being honest, you know?

[researcherstory]

[ Her old words are useful at times. ]

You and him truly are perfect foils. Where he seems unassuming, you actually are. I think it's nice you complement one another so -- that being said, yes, you look dishonest as any dolphin in the sea, but I know you mean well. You're quite the adorable young man beneath that uncanny look you keep up.

1/3

[phenomerom]

[ ... ? ]

[phenomerom]

[ are these compliments

why

?????? ]

[phenomerom]

[ He sure was just Staring for a moment -- long enough for two blinks this time! -- but then averts his gaze. ]

Ah ... hm? Haha. I don't think I've been called that since I was a very young child. This tall, maybe? [ Indicating, like thigh height. ] You're supposed to go for something more believable when you're aiming for flattery, no?

[researcherstory]

I'm hurt, Rom. Do you think I'm being dishonest?

[ The shoe... is starting to look on the other foot? Don't mind if Odile leans to catch his gaze again. ]

[phenomerom]

... Miss Odile, you're being so mean~

[ He sees this? He sees what you're doing???? This feels so unfair. ]

I wouldn't say anything like that about you ...

[researcherstory]

[ Her? Mean? No, never. Everyone knows and agrees she would never tease someone. ]

Good boy. Now, are you an adorable young man who's sincerely honest despite his horrid looks?

[phenomerom]

[ It's really not often he gets caught on the back foot like this? He'd find it a lot more novel if it wasn't actually making him feel the tiniest bit squiggly in his chest.

Rom still doesn't blush, but his voice does actually falter just a little when he speaks. ]

Eh ... can we at least agree that I'm not that young any more?

[researcherstory]

I suppose I can give you that, since you're certainly higher than my knee... but I do find your attentive nature charming. I'm sure you would give any story the benefit of the doubt and look into it if it meant alleviating the worries of the afflicted.

[ She knows the type.




She's the type that's why. ]

[phenomerom]

[ Oh phew. That's an escape, actually. Because he gets to divert the subject to someone else.

Rom pounces on it before Odile can go back to that more difficult line of inquiry -- ]

Of course I would. -- it was the belief of my Master's mentor, the one I told you about? The one who did television programs. Towako-san. Her policy was that those who are capable should always lend a helping hand to those in need. So it's just what I was taught.

[researcherstory]

[ Not for long. Odile has things to test and she's going to test them: which throws him off more, compliments or his budding relationship with Edamura. ]

You really were raised well. Then I've got few worries for leaving Edamura in your hands, considering how squirrely he can get. I assume he's told you the types of jobs his freelancing career offers?

[phenomerom]

[ This is what he imagines it'd feel like when a teenager visits his highschool sweetheart's house for the first time and gets interrogated by their overprotective older sibling ...

He'd much rather talk about Towako-san more, but he'll let the change in topic slide. ]

I've heard. [ An idle glance aside towards wherever Edamura is. Probably getting bullied by Poppy. ] I suppose it helps our jobs aren't entirely dissimilar. Self-employed and all, you see?

[researcherstory]

[ They can talk about her another time... Odile really wants to meet her and his mentor both, actually, she thinks they could get along well. It'll be like meeting in-laws. ]

Indeed. I can't ask you keep him on the narrow anymore than I can ask him to keep you out of trouble, but do look after one another. It'd ruin my day if I got word that either of you went missing under mysterious circumstance.

[ Casually, like it would never happen and therefore she definitely wouldn't worry about it in either lines of their work. Definitely not. ]

[phenomerom]

[ His focus promptly slides back to her at that. And while Rom maintains his usual smile, as opaque as ever, there's a firmer edge to his voice when he speaks. ]

Of course. [ Said not like a promise, but like a fact. ] My work is my own, and I won't let it affect him. And I may be more familiar dealing with the dead than the living, but if he's ever in need of assistance ... he'll be able to reach me.