Afterparty IV: The Isle of Repeaching Mistakes

[heroicact]

[Another week, and another series of disasters and deceptions leading to the verdict; this time the web is wider and deeper and darker, as they're all slowly ensnared, as the fine points each of them make up in this cloud of connections is pulled ever tighter. Is it a noose, tightening around their neck, or is it a string wrapped around their finger to pull them forward?

Here on Onigashima under cover of night, no one can perhaps tell, and ever fewer people are asking.

For the first time in a little while Jack's throwing himself wholeheartedly into gathering people -- he's not forcing anyone to be there, but he drops words and written directions and cajoles at the tree slide if he must, mostly to make sure the little get-together is actually staffed. The island itself is a chore to get to, but may be the lake around it can provide respite for those who enjoy the boats and can ignore the possible body (bodies?) floating down there.

Festival food and regular drink is a-plentiful, though so much of it is still so foreign to many of them (Jack is pretty sure most of it is good, but); it'll do, because they've also brought like half the bar with them? Or at least enough to supply the guests and their two bartenders. Marcus and Makoto are here to provide drink and drink with you, whichever comes first, and honestly who can blame them?

Otherwise, there are always the festival games and fashion, so perhaps that too is a good distraction. Just don't fall in the lake, y'all.]

Comments

fountain

[incompletely]

[ Well...he's going to go ahead and sit next to him at the fountain. He does not look great, but Suga's always looked out for him, so it's time to return the favor.

He sits next to him in silence for a moment, then: ]

...I'm sorry, Suga-san.

[gemuinemanagement]

[He shakes his head - and also goes to put the letter down behind his back.]

You didn't do anything to apologize for

[incompletely]

I do. I held up solving Moriarty-san's case, because I couldn't bring myself to tell everyone what he trusted me with. So... I'm sorry about that.

[ He hangs his head a little, before he glances towards the letter. ]

Are you writing something?

[gemuinemanagement]

No
Why would I be writing something

[It says 'For C-ta' on the outside.]

[incompletely]

[ ...Ah. He looks at this for a long moment, before he looks back at Suga. ]

You don't need to hide how you feel about him.

[ He shakes his head. ]

It's been difficult to get here. But... I don't hate him anymore.

[gemuinemanagement]

[Ah. That's a relief to hear.]

He's not a good person
I know that
And I didn't want to make you uncomfortable or upset

[incompletely]

...

[ The look in his eyes still holds bitterness and hurt over what happened, but he shakes his head yet again. ]

What he did -- well. You don't need to hear my thoughts on it.

[ Because he has words about that, but...he and Rika were in similar situations, weren't they? That's why they understood each other. ]

But I'm tired of hanging on to that anger. The hatred I felt towards him, Yor-san -- it's exhausting. Back home, it was much easier. Here...things are different.

I don't want to live like that anymore.

[gemuinemanagement]

Being angry is exhausting
I understand

[He presses his hand against his own chest.]

If we manage to save the dead
I was writing to tell him that he can come back to my home with me
He needs someone to keep an eye on him
And I don't want whatever is at his home to kill him either

So I'll make sure he never has reason to hurt anyone again
I promise

[incompletely]

Don't spend too much time trying to keep him in check, though. He's not your responsibility.

[ C-ta...Suga...your relationship......... ]

But...maybe C-ta going home with you will be better for him.

[gemuinemanagement]

He makes me happy
So it's not a burden

[He's taken on much more thankless responsibilities, this will be easy.]

[incompletely]

[ He has nothing to say to that that'll make Suga feel any better, unfortunately... So he just pauses for a long moment before he changes the subject again: ]

You aren't upset with me for what I did, are you?

[gemuinemanagement]

No
It's hard to tell something that's been told to you in confidence
I don't blame you at all

[incompletely]

...Thanks.

[ A beat, before he hangs his head. ]

Even then...even if no one blames me. I feel like what I did was a death sentence.

[gemuinemanagement]

If you kept quiet about it
And we voted for someone else who didn't do anything
You'd feel worse, right?

[incompletely]

...

[ He lets out a short, bitter laugh. ]

Damned if I do, damned if I don't.

[gemuinemanagement]

Sometimes there's no good answer
But I think you made the best choice that was available to you

[incompletely]

[ He still looks incredibly torn up over this, but after a few moments, he finally turns his gaze towards Suga. He gives him a nod -- it's slow, unsure, but he wants to believe in what Suga's saying. ]

Okay.

[ He exhales shakily. ]

...I don't always make the best choices. But...all I can do is keep trying.

[gemuinemanagement]

[He nods, and then slides over to give Tenn a hug.

They're all trying. That's the best they can do.]

[incompletely]

[ It really is, and Tenn will not turn down that offer. He wasn't a huge fan of hugs until he came here, and the more people give them to him, the more he realizes that giving and receiving affection, opening up to others and letting other people in isn't such a bad thing, after all.

He returns the hug. It's soft, because he's still getting used to giving them, but it's warm nevertheless. ]

Glad we're both still here.

[gemuinemanagement]

[Suga nods, and writes with his finger on the back of Tenn's hand.]

Me too
I'm glad you're here with me

[incompletely]

[ Oh my god, Suga?! Tenn gets a little flustered at the gesture and clears his throat. ]

Did you really have to tell me like that...

[ Tsundere mode activated. ]

[gemuinemanagement]

[Blinks and pulls back.]

I need to stop hugging you to write on paper like this

[incompletely]

I know but --

[ ?!?! ]

ugh, never mind. [ He clears his throat awkwardly. ] Anyway... We should probably check on Makoto, too. He...probably didn't take this really well.

[ Like. Sleepover gang was so sus at the trial, to say nothing of what happened with Moriarty... ]

[gemuinemanagement]

We should

[...hm.]

Why is every group we make cursed

[incompletely]

I would like to know the same thing.

[ y'all!! stop fucking dying! ]