perfectmatch | week four

I think so. Caviar's like, rich people stuff, right? I don't know if it even tastes good or they're just trying to be fancy.

[ She does point at the wagyu with lobster option on the menu, though. No price beside it. Beaming. ]

This, though. This you know is going to be good. We've gotta get it.

[ Both of them... ]

An easy choice, then. Let's get it.

[ With the caviar, too, along with whatever wine the sommelier recommends to go with all that, which you know will also end up being expensive! It's fine because they're not the ones paying for it.

In any case, once their orders have been taken and their expensive wine poured, Shoko lifts her glass at Poppy. ]

So... to our last week here?

[ They're not the ones paying for it! And this is maybe the most grown up Poppy has ever felt in her life — dressed nicely but not over the top, in a fancy steakhouse, toasting with her girlfriend.

When she really thinks about it: wow. And so she lifts her wine glass at Shoko, clinking them together. ]

To our last week here.

[ Still absolutely wild to think about what's happened over the past three weeks.

A beat, and: ] We should also order more to take back with us.

[ Free leftovers hell yeah. ]

Heh. Whatever you want, Poppy.

[ She says with a smile as she tips her glass for a hearty sip of wine; it's an offer that feels like even if production wasn't footing this bill, Shoko might have made regardless, to spoil her. ]

Do you think you've found some inspiration for your next thing, while you were here?

[ Whatever she wants. It means more hearing that from Shoko, because she knows she probably didn't annoy her into acquiescing or something. She actually means it, and it's awesome.

Poppy then ruins the moment by almost choking on her wine at the question. Recovers well enough to not do a spit take, but also, damn. ]

Oh my god, I've... kind of completely forgotten about that? [ What happened to her. First week!Poppy would be mortified. Fourth week!Poppy kind of is now. ] Shit, um... okay...

[ ... ]

Well, magic's definitely gotta be involved. [ Waggles her eyebrows at Shoko. ] A magic user on a quest... for revenge? Or, no, wait... love? ... Both? Maybe both.

[ Please don't choke on your wine, Poppy. Still, Shoko can't hep but chuckle, shaking her head. It's not a bad thing, that she's stopped thinking about her Next Thing until now. Maybe it means she's had a real break... ]

It could be both. Why not?

[ She sets her glass back down on the table and rests her elbow on it, too, propping her chin up in her hand as she just. Smiles warmly at Poppy. ]

You probably needed to take your mind off of thinking about it, huh? Good. Maybe it means this was a real break from work.

[ Why not? Shoko sets her glass down, and after a second, Poppy follows. Meets her eyes. Smiles in turn, a little giddy to see her looking at her like that. It's never gonna get old, is it... ]

Maybe I did. I feel like... maybe the creative juices will really get flowing when I'm back home, huh? I've still got the MMORPG component— Oh, maybe people can find romance with others through the game...

[ Like. Like she did?? Different game, not code, very much in person, but still?? Poppy leans forward, resting both elbows on the table before resting her chin on interlocked fingers. ]

This has been... really amazing, you know?

[ Her. Shoko. The person who has all of her attention right now and will continue to captivate it so. ]

[ It really is refreshing, to have a conversation like this with someone. To talk about someone's work and not have it revolve around curses and other things that go bump in the night. At least, not real ones that aren't just programmed pixels on a screen... ]

That sounds like it could be fun. Plus, I'm sure you could draw plenty of inspiration from some of our friends here. You know, Verso-san always reminded me a little bit of that guy from Game of Thrones...

[ Jon Snow. She is talking about Jon Snow, ]

...But, yeah. It's definitely been a one-of-a-kind experience.

[ Her expression eases a bit, into something a little more serious. ]

I'll be going back home, too, Poppy. [ she only brings this up because other people have been talking about inviting their beaus back home with them. It's... not something she can offer Poppy, at this time. ] But... I hope we can keep in touch, somehow.

... You know, every time I've talked to Verso I've just thought, his life is such a video game. To the point that it would probably be mean to take... too much from it...?

[ would. would that be plagiarism.

Also, she's stalling on the serious talk. Takes another sip of wine, thinking.

And then smiles. ]

But you know... I still have no idea what to use my wish on. So maybe we can just... I don't know... dimension hop, for a bit?

[ Maybe she can use her wish... on ensuring yuri. ]

[ Right. The wish. ]

I offered mine to Yingying, but maybe she'll decide to user her own wish for herself by the end of the week. Hmm...

[ Glancing at Poppy, she stirs up a smile. ]

Unfortunately, I can't stay away from work for too long. But after some time... would you come visit me? I'll make sure it's safe for you to.

Wei Wuxian told me that a lot of us were offering our wishes to her, but also that she might want to help herself? So I think she'll be fine.

[ Everyone truly loves Yingying, which really does free up their ability to use their wishes. ]

I was... kind of thinking of maybe giving you my wish, though? Or maybe using it on us, because I really don't know what else to do with it.

[ A small laugh as she picks up her wine glass again. Swirls it. That's a thing people do, right? ]

But yeah, I can come visit you whenever you want, probably. I'm kind of my own boss, soooo... [ She is maybe bragging just a little, waggling her eyebrows once. ] And if you ever need a vacation, you can always come over and we'll go to like, Disneyland or something. Or just stay in and play video games. Just relax, you know?

[ ...Gods. How is it that she just feels so disarmed, like this? When all Poppy is doing is just speaking from her heart, so easy, so casually... but that's exactly why, isn't it? It's exactly why Shoko can't help but look at her like she's just said the nicest thing that Shoko has ever heard in her life. ]

You'd— You'd really want to do that for me, huh...?

[ She huffs, almost in disbelief, though she does believe, because it's Poppy. ]

That... sounds really nice. Really, really nice. I want to give it a try.

[ Give them a try, in a serious way, beyond the terms of this show. ]

[ That look... Poppy doesn't think she's doing anything exceptional, she's just. Kind of talking?

So she'll follow that up by just kind of doing whatever she wants, which involves putting her glass back down and reaching across the table to take Shoko's hands in hers. ]

I'd do a lot of things for you. [ Things she never says!! To anyone!! The gay crush really did so much work here. ] I think we can hold onto our wishes for a bit and decide how to really use them, but... yeah.

[ Smiles so much wider. ]

Let's give it a try.

Hah. Aren't I lucky?

[ Genuinely. To have come here expecting a wacky vacation, but here she is with an adorable, goofy, but kindhearted girl who doesn't mind her everything. ]

We should order everything else on the menu to celebrate.

[ She would make a crack about how Shoko is lucky — but so is Poppy! — but that last suggestion derails her. ]

Yes.

[ Immediately on board. And Poppy looks up as their original orders arrive, reluctantly letting go of Shoko's hands so there's a place for their. Actual food. ]

We are going to feast.

[ Thank you, production!! ]

week four | dates

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