[ welp. this has been a fun day. breaking into drawers, finding out some things about paintings. ash has got the little triangle on his necklace chain, and occasionally finds himself fiddling with the chain throughout the day.
he's just wandering the halls mostly, thinking over things that have happened. ]
[ but hey. There they are. And there is the pillow fort! Ash follows after Akira, dropping into a pile of blankets with an oof and the barest of hopes that maybe he’ll get to pass out here instead of staying wide awake. Again. ]
Ticked that we didn’t get it right? Annoyed someone picked someone like Snowbunny as a target? Dunno. There’s a lot of crap to sort through.
[ he takes the coffee, and frowns at it. the frown only gets deeper when he's told exactly where nia was killed. ]
...
Right. [ Only just a little further from where they'd all slept. ] And then he got a fit of guilt and tucked her body in bed like she was sleeping. Nice of her.
If we're filtering shit through a bunch of secrets and half-truths, something'll get missed and we'll fuck up again.
[ His voice is firm. He sounds annoyed, but it's... well. At everything. A lot of things. He's got this uncomfortable guilt in his chest over all of it, and it keeps putting him on edge. ]
We don't understand what happened the first time around, and we'll be fumbling around until we do.
[another exhale. Ash isn't the only one dealing with guilt. . . Akira has been mulling over his poor vote ever since he found out Meltryllis was the killer. Ash might be able to feel a flicker of it, a weak brush of guilt that mingles with his own]
[Akira has yet to notice]
But I can't break my promises. Just. . . trust me when I say they're trustworthy.
I don't think they understand anything better than the rest of us do, even after voting correctly in all three categories.
[ if there's a flicker of guilt coming through, then akira might just feel... well, fainter than expected. But it's just this mess of anger and guilt all spiralled together. some of it's fresh, some of it's old but it's a mess. Faint, but it snaps out like it's trying to lash out. ]
That's still one step ahead than what I managed. And I managed to sleep through my roommate getting murdered and then tucked back up in bed, in the damn room I was in.
... photography guy. Because I didn't know. [ ... ] How's that for a vote that counts? I couldn't even work out who killed Snowbunny, and if I'd switched at the last minute and gone with the flow, things could've been way different.
[ Look at this guilt spiral. ]
...
We've just gotta get it right next time. If there is one. And any time afterwards. Maybe get our shit together more.
[a deep breath in, a sharp breath out, and Akira lifts his gaze to meet Ash. his gaze is fiery]
Yeah.
[Ash is right. they just need to get it right next time-- if there is a next time. he hopes there isn't a next time. they need to fight to make sure there isn't]
Getting it wrong doesn't mean we need to give up now.
If I gave up every time shit went bad, I'd have given up years ago. [ He finally takes a sip of his drink, taking a moment to pause. The anger is still there, and the prickles of guilt, but...
Being the underdog isn't new to him. ]
It'd be good if we could catch her-- Knifelegs -- and whoever might come next in one go. Set it back to ground zero.
[the prickles of guilt are met with empathy. understanding. someone has been beating himself up about this all week. he reaches out to try and smooth them over]
You're still determined to catch them at the trial?
[ oh. yeah that’s a weird feeling. it’s not like ash isn’t used to feeling things intensely — usually anger — but something trying to soothe it? it’s weird. a little invasive and makes him feel vulnerable. but it does seem to work? somewhat! ]
Worth a try. It’s majority rules and split — if we can pull off around ten to twelve of us voting for Knifelegs, and ten to twelve voting for whoever got us in another trial in the first place, then we’ve got it.
[ ... there’s a pause, before he shrugs. ]
It’s not a guarantee. But if we know both killers, then we either catch one, or both. And the other knows we’re watching them. It’ll only work if we’re sure about both targets though — like we were with the first girl.
[ he’s not saying to risk if they don’t have two solid option to vote for. ]
[Akira considers Ash's suggestion quietly. it's not bad, all things considered, but. . . it isn't great either, is it? it still relies on them doing nothing until after Meltryllis kills again on Thursday night. it still involves them putting someone who wasn't in control of her actions to death for something she couldn't help. it still doesn't feel. . . right]
[Ash can feel that uncertainty, small as it is, and Akira opens his mouth to respond--]
[-- but the words don't come, because suddenly? there's feedback coming from somewhere else. from someone who isn't in this room. an overwhelming sense of shock is doused upon their link, something cold and sharp and breathtaking, and Akira gasps as he jerks back, eyes widening in confusion]
[ he does know it isn't ideal -- but for the moment, just the sheer lack of faith in this place to not have more than one killer running around out there. he's willing to say so, but then there's just that spike of shock that snaps through him and the way akira jerks back like he's just touched an electric wire.
it's enough that he almost splashes his coffee everywhere, before getting his surprise under control. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
WEEK 2; TUESDAY PM
he's just wandering the halls mostly, thinking over things that have happened. ]
Re: WEEK 2; TUESDAY PM
Hey.
Wanna head back to my place?
[iyaaaaa Akira so bold]
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[ but he’s falling into line with akira without a complaint. even if he can’t actually sleep, pillow forts are comforting, right? ]
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What, I didn't tell you? Thief of hearts.
[not like THAT but whatever he isn't clarifying]
But nevermind that. [let's get down to business] . . . are you okay?
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[ “thief of hearts”. sounds like a cocktail. or like akira just be out there leaving a trail of broken hearts wherever he goes. ]
... eh. I could do with actually sleeping for a change, honestly. [ DIVERT ATTENTION. ]
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You and met both. But that's not what I meant.
[and Ash knows it! Akira glances at his friend as he opens the door to Room 11, stepping inside and bee-lining for the pillow fort]
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I know.
[ but hey. There they are. And there is the pillow fort! Ash follows after Akira, dropping into a pile of blankets with an oof and the barest of hopes that maybe he’ll get to pass out here instead of staying wide awake. Again. ]
Ticked that we didn’t get it right? Annoyed someone picked someone like Snowbunny as a target? Dunno. There’s a lot of crap to sort through.
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We were one vote away. Meltryllis was the one who received ten votes. If any one person who had voted for Asch had changed, then--
[he snaps his mouth shut. . . and exhales]
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... it was her??
[ oh. Now he’s really pissed. ]
— wait. How do you know that?
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When you voted for Nikki-san, did you receive an item? For voting correctly in all three fields?
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You got an item, huh.
[ There's a pause, before: ]
Where did she die?
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[quiet for a moment as he pours some coffee and hands it to Ash]
. . . in the hallway.
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[ he takes the coffee, and frowns at it. the frown only gets deeper when he's told exactly where nia was killed. ]
...
Right. [ Only just a little further from where they'd all slept. ] And then he got a fit of guilt and tucked her body in bed like she was sleeping. Nice of her.
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[Akira seats himself halfway in and halfway out of the pillow fort, resting his chin in his palm as he talks]
Hell if I know why Meltryllis did that. I still don't fully understand what happened that night.
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[ His voice is firm. He sounds annoyed, but it's... well. At everything. A lot of things. He's got this uncomfortable guilt in his chest over all of it, and it keeps putting him on edge. ]
We don't understand what happened the first time around, and we'll be fumbling around until we do.
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[another exhale. Ash isn't the only one dealing with guilt. . . Akira has been mulling over his poor vote ever since he found out Meltryllis was the killer. Ash might be able to feel a flicker of it, a weak brush of guilt that mingles with his own]
[Akira has yet to notice]
But I can't break my promises. Just. . . trust me when I say they're trustworthy.
I don't think they understand anything better than the rest of us do, even after voting correctly in all three categories.
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That's still one step ahead than what I managed. And I managed to sleep through my roommate getting murdered and then tucked back up in bed, in the damn room I was in.
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[the guilt moves and changes and morphs with his physical actions, first reflecting bewilderment and then. . . empathy]
I voted for Asch.
[he admits, words quiet]
Knowing he was innocent. I voted for him because I wasn't convinced Meltryllis was the culprit. But if I had changed my vote, like I almost did then--
[they wouldn't have fucked up so spectacularly]
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[ Look at this guilt spiral. ]
...
We've just gotta get it right next time. If there is one. And any time afterwards. Maybe get our shit together more.
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Yeah.
[Ash is right. they just need to get it right next time-- if there is a next time. he hopes there isn't a next time. they need to fight to make sure there isn't]
Getting it wrong doesn't mean we need to give up now.
It's not what Asch would want from us.
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If I gave up every time shit went bad, I'd have given up years ago. [ He finally takes a sip of his drink, taking a moment to pause. The anger is still there, and the prickles of guilt, but...
Being the underdog isn't new to him. ]
It'd be good if we could catch her-- Knifelegs -- and whoever might come next in one go. Set it back to ground zero.
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You're still determined to catch them at the trial?
With-- what? A tied vote?
[FROWNS!! he isn't sure how he feels about this]
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Worth a try. It’s majority rules and split — if we can pull off around ten to twelve of us voting for Knifelegs, and ten to twelve voting for whoever got us in another trial in the first place, then we’ve got it.
[ ... there’s a pause, before he shrugs. ]
It’s not a guarantee. But if we know both killers, then we either catch one, or both. And the other knows we’re watching them. It’ll only work if we’re sure about both targets though — like we were with the first girl.
[ he’s not saying to risk if they don’t have two solid option to vote for. ]
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[Ash can feel that uncertainty, small as it is, and Akira opens his mouth to respond--]
[-- but the words don't come, because suddenly? there's feedback coming from somewhere else. from someone who isn't in this room. an overwhelming sense of shock is doused upon their link, something cold and sharp and breathtaking, and Akira gasps as he jerks back, eyes widening in confusion]
Wh. . . what?
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it's enough that he almost splashes his coffee everywhere, before getting his surprise under control. ]
-- Hey.
[ that's not reassuring. ]
What's happening?
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