auroraexpress | Upgrade Poll (2)

Entry tags:

Upgrade Poll (2)

Who: everyone
When: Day 38, morning
Where: ChainChat

[This morning when you check your Chain, you're greeted by a new message from The Construct:

Thank you for your responses to our upgrade ideas poll. Your suggestions have been taken into account and compiled into this convenient poll. Votes will be tallied within a few days, so please reply promptly. Thank you very much!

Poll #22462 upgrade poll 2

This poll is closed.
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 12

select your preferred upgrade (pick two)

a casino
3 (25.0%)

a training hall / a gym
10 (83.3%)

a bar
3 (25.0%)

a library
7 (58.3%)

OOCly, the poll will close next Saturday when the results are posted. ICly, feel free to use this post to argue in the chat room! Do your best to promote your favoured upgrade!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Take your time.

[Probably better not to.]

[So just heading out to the beeeeeach, ffff]

[ He'll find her standing out by the water's edge, looking out over the gentle waves. With her new outfit on, it's easy to see that her right arm and leg are both still metal prosthetics, sleek and glinting in the morning sun ... it's also easy to see the bandage on her left arm, right where he'd sank his teeth into her. ]

[ She turns to face him, and - ]

Are you okay?

[He is blank facing.]

[Really hard right now. Which is weird when he's still in the unicorn shirt and pink overalls.]

[Though that question startles a sardonic laugh out of him.]

Are you seriously asking that?

[ That face, that laugh … she doesn't like them. She doesn't like the question very much, either. ]

[ But, for now, she stays where she is. He can come to her if he wants to; she's (probably) not going to force the issue. ]

Yes, I'm seriously asking my friend, who I care for very much and who went through something fucking awful, if he's okay, because he's my friend and I want to know if there's anything that I can do to help. I've been worried about you.

....

[There's a few moments where he's just staring at her because god. GOD.]

You're....a painfully good person. You know that, right? [Because he knows she had been scared. Terrified at the time. He's not sure he could turn around and be worried about someone after something like that.]

[Still, he does approach. And he. Needs to do something. But he doesn't know what, not exactly and just.]

[He pulls out his Chain and holds it out to her.]

I'm giving you a thousand of my sparks. Get whatever you want.

I....overestimates what I could handle. And I hurt you. And I'm sorry so just.

It's something. [To try and make it up a little bit.]

I don't know whether or not I'm a good person. I'm just me. [ She'd been terrified in the moment, scared of the pain and what could happened, of not being able to defend herself. Of him. It had been horrifying ... And she'd realised that he must have been just as horrified, just as scared. ]

[ She looks between him, and the Chain he's offering. ]

It was the trial-runner's fault for putting us in that position in the first place. They're the one I'm mad at — not you. But … [ She shakes her head, her fingers curling briefly into her shirt near her chest. ] I accept your apology.

[ She reaches out slowly, but rather than take the Chain, she gently pushes his hand back towards him. ]

I'd rather you spend those sparks on something that everyone can enjoy, though.

That's why you're a good person. Worrying about someone who hurt you, even if I was compromised. Not even being mad...its not an easy thing for most people to do.

...forgiveness isn't always so easy for most. [There is relief. She doesn't hate him. He dreaded that thought, feared it. But he still hurt her and she still looks....]

I have five thousand sparks. [No chill.] Gonna buy movies, some people have never seen them. Its fine for you to get some nice things.

Or at the very least request movies you want.

Oh, believe me, I'm mad. [ Her hands find her hips. ] Just not at you. [ The trial had been ridiculous from the start, with odds of winning so low they were almost laughable. To think that people had been punished for failing at a guessing game … ]

[ She breathes out, packaging that righteous indignation and pushing it down. It can wait. She can wait, and then, maybe, she can see what they have to say for themselves. ]

[ Dusk is more important right now. ]

… It isn't a matter of how many sparks you have. [ Even if that is ridiculously impressive, Jesus Christ, Dusk!! She smiles, kinda lopsided. ] If you actually had made me mad, I'd probably be insulted right now. But, since you didn't and I'm not … How about some Disney movies? Everyone likes Disney.

And, one more thing ... if I offered you a hug, would it be too much?

...I'm not sure if I'm good at apologies. I was hoping to think of a more...sentimental gift, but kind of. Limited. On that front. For ideas. [It's hard trying to be open and earnest when you're lacking actual information to make it easier.]

Disney movies are pretty good.

[He hesitates at the question.] ....I don't know. Sometimes it can be. Sometimes not. Just. I guess if I push you away, it's because it is too much?

… Yeah. [ She knows he's trying. He's done nothing but try the moment he got here, and it's bittersweet to realise that it doesn't come naturally to him. ] It's okay — you're doing your best, and that's what matters most.

[ His reaction to her question, though, is definitely more bitter than sweet. She hesitates, concerned … but then steps in closer, opening her arms, offering. ]

[He tries. So hard. So much trying because its Important.]

I really hope so.

[He hesitates because touch still takes thought for the most part. Getting easier, but that's when he's relatively content. Its far harder when he's distressed and not even needing to hyper focus on others.]

[....but Faito has been an exception of sorts so far so he steps forward, slowly moving his arms around her.]

[And then it sort of. Hits. The guilt and he pulls her close, tight, but not crushing or painful and he bows his head over her shoulder.] I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I didn't....I don't ever want to hurt you. [He feels it should scare him how much he means that. Why her importance seems so soul deep.]

[~~Cause part of him knows, if not cognitively, she's familiar. Thanks Pumako.~~]

[ He pulls her in and she goes gladly, wrapping her arms tight around him, her fingers tangling into the back of his shirt. She buries her face against his chest. ]

I … I know. [ She knows. Somehow. It's weird how easy it is with him, weird how naturally things come, how they just seem to fit. But right now she couldn't care less about the mystery. ] It's gonna be okay. We can get through this.

I believe in you.

[It hurts. How much those words mean to him. People have faith and believe in him and its unnerving on a level he doesn't want to think about, but it HURTS with her.]

[But it doesn't make him want to let go. Much the opposite.]

I'll be better. I'll watch....watch that I'm not pushing. Make sure I really can handle things. Should have just gotten Rean for you.

[ She nods against his shirt, clinging tighter. ]

Promise me one thing. That you'll talk to people if things seem too much.

[ It's too bad she's not thinking about earning sparks right now, because damn. ]

[Sometimes emotions are too high!]

....I can try. Its. Harder to get the words out.

[Everything starts shutting down on him and its hard to deal with if there's no solution. ~~Also meant to affection-or-comfort bond that hug then distracted writing since he had to think.~~]

Edited 2019-08-05 18:16 (UTC)

That's good enough for me.

[ Her hands shift, moving further up to gently squeeze his shoulder. ]

It's — things like this … they don't come easily to everyone, right? So it's fine if it takes time. [ She sighs softly, closing her eyes. ] It means a lot that you'll try. I'll try, too.

....yeah, that's right.

[He sighs and gently strokes her hair, see if that's more soothing.]

Its hard being vulnerable, open. Especially when you can't put it into words to yourself.

But I don't want to do something like that again. So going to do what I can, so I don't.

[ He strokes her hair, and that's — oh … she might melt, just a little. ]

[ And she smiles, relieved and grateful. She hadn't been sure, when she'd first messaged him; she'd worried that it might be too soon, or that things might go wrong, or that it'd be weird, and maybe things would stop being so comfortable between them. Yet here they are. ]

Things are definitely gonna be okay. [ It's certain, decisive. ] You've got a lot of people who'll be there for you, whether or not you know how to tell them what you need right there and then.

[Its easy. Its so easy to just relax. Still kind of miserable, but less everything eating him up inside and more everything just kind of sucks, so of coursehe is. Exists, but not wrecking everything.]

[Who is she to him?]

That's true. Rean is a pretty unrelenting mother hen. And there's you. Others. [Squeezes her briefly, still petting her hair.] And there's always Disney.

Rean's the best, isn't he? I'm so glad to have him as a teammate! [ Hums, warm and fond. When she finally shifts, it isn't so much to pull away as to tug him to sit down with her. ]

What's your team like...?

[He'll sit obediently.] He is pretty awesome.

Twilight is a good kid if a bit defensive, Noon and genuine sincerity barely speak, Midnight and I are kind of fighting for reasons I'm not going to divulge, and Morning is honestly way too good for how much of a hot mess everyone is by being sensible and supportive.

[ Gets comfy next to him, leaning lightly into his side with an arm slung around his waist. Only cuddles and affection now. ]

... Sounds, uhm, colourful! [ She won't ask about Midnight ... ] I think Twilight's the only one I've met. We pinky swore to run a trial together.

[For the best to not ask about Midnight.]

....that's adorable. [Affection for days.]

You absolutely should, he's kind of funny.

Mmm! He's ... hm, it seems like he's the cool type? But he's really kind.

[ Leans her head against his shoulder. ]

Have you thought about trying to run a trial sometime?

Upgrade Poll (2)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Belated [Bond]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)