WEEK ONE

[lesmodsalouette]

WEEK ONE

32 Guests

Maybe being swept away to a fancy castle isn't what you wanted (Hickey aside), but the fact of the matter is that you're stuck here, at least for now. Thankfully there's enough food even if hot chocolate for breakfast might be a bit rich for some palates. There's at least a stock of raw food in the kitchens, but your hapless kidnapper is a Witch, not a chef, so you'll have to perform your own, manual kitchen magic if the provided meals aren't to your liking.

Just try not to burn the place down before you get the chance to take your host at his word (that you'll be leaving in a week's time, certainly, trust).

If you do get the cabin fever immediately, the grounds are a beautiful reprieve from the great indoors -- and if nothing else, perhaps you can find time to get to know your fellow guests. The weather is gorgeous all week, cheerfully sunny, which lends something to the mood.

WEEKLY EFFECT

This week, characters will feel heightened emotions periodically. If they're very happy about something, it'll feel like the best thing in the world! If they'd usually brush off something mildly annoying, suddenly it'll grate on their nerves. This effect will last throughout the week until investigation and is completely optional.

[OOC: Welcome to Week 1! Despite the lack of any threatened murder (except in Witch's direction), there will be a case this week. We'll have a small optional event on Wednesday at 1PM EDT/10AM PDT, but it won't require real time threading and can be done over the course of the week. ]

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[diel]

[ ... ]

Ah... [ too much? maybe a little. but - he doesn't want to say no, if hwy needs it. ] You can, but I'm... really cold. It might not be comfortable.

[ when was the last time... her? of course it was her. ]

[coldseep]

( Yoru really is sweet. He says yes, even though Hwy can tell his instinct is no. And Hwy is terrible enough to take advantage of it anyway. )

I don't mind the cold.

( He swims from one end of the sea to the other, then from the surface to the sea floor below ... where light and warmth doesn't reach; where the pressure is foreboding and heavy; where everything is still. When if Yoru were just as lifeless as that, Hwylryn thinks he wouldn't mind.

With a fluid step, he closes the distance between them, his arms wrapping around Yoru for a big, tight hug. He doesn't sob; doesn't his face in his shoulder; he just presses his cheek lightly against the side of Yoru's head. The tears still fall.

Murmuring, just for Yoru to hear: )

... Thank you. Sorry.

[diel]

[ it’s been a while, but his body remember the motions. like this, arms here. squeeze carefully because what you’re holding is precious.

he can be a body for hwy to lean on; he can absorb his tears. he doesn’t know what to do with them, he’s barely past the age of needing comfort himself, but he can be here.

and that was all he wanted back then, too. for someone to stay when he needed them.

so he hugs hwy back, feeling a vague wrongness from it, as though he’s the leech bloating himself on kindness and sorrow. but he can stand this room for a little longer, even if he’s not enough. even if he’s taking as much as - more, actually - he’s taking more than he’s giving.

if that’s what hwy wants. ]

[coldseep]

( Hwylryn lingers. He lingers longer than he should. He can feel the tension of someone for whom this is not a simple, natural gesture; he can sense that Yoru has his apprehensions. He considers this a sacrifice, on Yoru's part.

And Hwylryn should be sensible, and return Yoru's kindness tenfold. He should see that Yoru gives and does not scold him, and recognize for himself when enough is enough. And what does he do instead?

He lingers longer. He doesn't let go. The tears slow once Yoru returns the gesture, and Hwylryn's breaths start to calm. Slowly, slowly.

He doesn't think of himself as a beast, but he is one, in a sense - and like an animal, he will glut himself sick, until he's scolded, and maybe not even then, before he thinks of stopping.

It's only when Hwylryn's tentative voice breaks the silence that he signals he might be okay enough to let go. Not that he's the one to break it off - at least, not yet. He'll spare Yoru if Yoru struggles with it. )

... If you keep spoiling me, I'll start getting used to it.

( u can spraybottle him if u need to at any point... is ok... prommy... But honestly, and perhaps strangely, he isn't used to this sort of thing people have been giving him at all. He's just always wanted it, so, so badly, in any form. )

[diel]

Hwylryn… [ ‘and yoru,’ they’d said earlier, so it gives him some small courage to say his name, to ask: ] Why… does that have to be a bad thing?

[ he concentrates on generating as much warmth as he can, which is - not much. he’ll never be a warm person again. that’s fine with him; the people most important to him accept him as he is. ]

You can have a hug when you need it.

[ but he’s sorry hwy has to hug him in front of all these people when he’s clearly so bad at it. he deserves a good hug for all his tears and his kindness. and this is not something yoru can practice to get better at. just the thought of hugging other people makes his skin crawl.

he kind of sighs, resigned in a way to be bad. but there’s a resoluteness when he pulls hwy a little closer. because… because… hwy needs to know - ]

You can have things.

[coldseep]

( He can hold a halfway corpse. He can hold just a head. It's what he did for hundreds of years. Just the promise of company is enough - and Yoru is giving him something tangible, in the way he holds him, in the honey of his words. So much more than just a promise that maybe one day he'll be there. How can he loathe that? )

... See? You're doing it again.

( Spoiling him, that's what this is. And he accepts it, the way Yoru comforts him; draws him in - that this seems to be difficult for him makes this all the more dear to Hwylryn. )

... Is this what you need? ( Does Yoru need hugs? Surely, his family has cured him some - but is that enough to tide him over now, in this place, unsteady as they are after all this confession? ) Is this what you wanted to have, a long time ago, too?

[diel]

Then… [ he decides carefully, but resolute: ] You should get used to it.

[ and immediately hwy startles him by asking about… him? he turns his head to try to look at hwy’s expression. awkwardly through the hug, the space between them too intimate and around them too public. ]

Me? [ yoru. yoru - he needs… ] I also didn’t want to be alone. I wanted someone around.

[ his voice gets quieter as he goes on. ]

To comfort me, and for me to comfort. To share things with.

To hear, “I’m back,” and get to say, “welcome home” back. That’s all.

[coldseep]

( Sorry Yoru... he's like this... Yoru may need to remind him over and over again that certain private things should be private, but, until then, Hwylryn will persist in the moment he's overcome with an emotion - because he feels so much, it's hard not to act on it all then.

He listens quietly, and with intent. It helps him balance his heart, to peer into Yoru's, and slowly his breaths calm.

He squeezes Yoru tight, once he's done, his voice low enough that these things are said for only them. )

... Let me.

( An ambitious offer? But he can't help it. He will give as much of himself to anyone who will accept it. Because that is how he feels in the now, and he isn't keen to temper his heart. )

It might be a little too late. And it might not be enough. But let me give you at least a little bit of what you missed. I'd at least like you to have a nice memory to recall, when you think of those things.

[diel]

[ that depends on yoru being normal about people and he really is not, ever, ]

Is that… really what you want? Really?

[ that’s hwy offering to give him everything. it feels like everything.

he can’t keep inside how happy that would make him and how heartbroken he would be… to… ]

You want to become a memory?

[coldseep]

( hwy, casually just Saying Things: :D )

A nice one, ideally.

( He tries to pull back a little, just the minimal amount needed to look at Yoru's face. Smiling, a little cheered, his eyes reddish, but it's easier to talk about someone else than himself. )

Don't count me as the past just yet, though. We can keep making memories, right? It can be an ongoing project.

[diel]

[ heartbreaking news at 11: 21-year-old child gets told that christmas isn’t canceled yet but that his present are just ‘nice memories’ ]

… If that’s what you want.

[ he doesn’t want to, but he’s let go before.

and if one day hwy becomes a memory he has to scratch out with ink and scissors… well, he’s learned that nice memories aren’t actually all that nice. they’re only painful.

and sometimes they’ll wilt into nightmares.

but this is something he’ll keep to himself since hwy seems certain.

he hesitates, then nods. ok. ]

[coldseep]

( Hwylryn can see the enthusiasm drain from Yoru's face... the * Yoru approves messages fading away... He's not sure what the nuance is here, but he's not going to know until he asks... he thinks.

this is way easier than dealing with his depression and feelings of [redacted] )

... What were you thinking of? ( Needling, a little. Don't try to brush this off!! ) I want to do what you want.

( no "if that's what you want"-ing me young man )

[diel]

[ unfortunately,

communication,

kinda hard for yoru. when he’s too sad he shuts down and defers to the other person. the depresso espresso is brewing gently.

another moment of struggling. he wants to be able to do what hwy wants, but he doesn’t want that. struggling…

then: ]

Let’s… [ a falters, takes a deep breath and tries again: ] Let’s do one thing you want. And one thing I want. Then.

[coldseep]

( Hmmm... )

Yoru.

( He releases the hug (a miracle), but he takes up both of Yoru's cheeks in his hands. He doesn't make Yoru look at him, but he figures the effect is the same, through gesture. )

I said it that way because it sounded like I was going to be left in the past.

( And he's clingy!!! )

I don't know how what I said sounded to you. But I just wanted to ask that you don't go anywhere. That's all.

( Evil of him to ask this given that when he gets back home he's going to be [redacted], but anyway, moving on, )

We can do what you suggested. But I just wanted you to know my heart. Okay?

[diel]

[ well, now yoru can’t be avoidant… hngh… he looks at hwy obediently. ]

… It sounded like you would go away and not tell me where.

[ so funny that hwy should say that!!! ]

[coldseep]

( oh nyo! just because that's true doesn't mean he meant to express it-- )

Then it sounds like we're scared of the same thing. ( Endeared... ) And it means the both of us don't want what the other was worried about, right?

( He'll gently release Yoru's face, smiling. )

Should we tie us together with a thread?

( half-joke, but only because of the impracticality of it. not that this would stop him if yoru somehow felt partial to the idea. )

[diel]

[ ! ]

Can we?

[ yoru is partial to the idea. but he’s thinking like, thread of fate stuff.

but if hwy gets out the rope, ]

[coldseep]

( :gaspflame:

He laughs happily. )

Sure. There's plenty of thread in the workshop.

( and rope but who's asking for that )

[diel]

I’ve never made rope bracelets before. You know how, Hwylryn?

[ yay wholesome bracelets, not at all unusual

but also if hwy doesn’t wear it 24/7 for the rest of his long-short life - i mean what no everything is normal ]

[coldseep]

( going to retcon my week 2 threads starting now because i think this bracelet is gonna disappear with the reset so-- )

I do! Not well, but well enough. It just means we'll be making it using a technique only the two of us will know, right?

[diel]

[ well there goes yoru’s week :unkie:

but that sounds excellent to him? a thing they can share until week 2 strikes. he nods, shyly happy. cautiously excited.

whatever happens after, he holds this fragile happiness, even knowing what hwy wants to be is a good memory for a broken boy. ]