(after event chill out lil mingle) let's understand it

[nullificates]

(cw depression)

(he hasn't exactly been doing great - much to the opposite. he spent the week in bed, he hasn't taken care of himself whatsoever, and he's exhausted. either way, it hardly matters how he feels, does it ever?

so. let's go. a text message arrives to everyone's charms and tablets, and it reads:)

this is, you guessed it, osamu dazai. it's been a week since that stupid maze, so here is what we have:

1. i need copious amounts of alcohol and food. i'll bring some to the beach in 30, i suggest we all do the same.
2. i'd like to hear what your experiences were. it's important for data building - we have a few detectives in this place, some smartpants, and some go-getters. we need to take advantage of our only resource, which is ourselves. meet me at the beach, or send me anonymously. i don't care about your shit per se.

see you, or don't see you.

many words that mean absolutely nothing here,
dazai.

(to those that come to the beach, they'll see several cocktail possibilities laid in front of dazai, as well as a good number of the food they serve in lupin - mixed nuts, pistachio, cheese tables, chocolate, dried figs, potato chips, chicken snacks, boiled sausage, asparagus with sauces, and dried fruit. a bonfire warms his hands in the chilly breeze of the night - this feels awfully needed.)

Comments

[chemex]

[He squirms, scooting his butt away so he's leaned over to keep his arm over her shoulders. It does absolutely nothing to dissuade her not-tickling or pinching. Nothing. He is a fool.]

[Another huff, and he frowns at her.] Wh-- no, of course not. [He frowns harder, looking at the sand, and oozes bonelessly into the space he created between them.] ...you're right, again. I'm so bad at this.

[orphne]

Yeah, you kind of are! [she agrees cheerfully. It's not maliciousness, at least, but just an honest statement. He really, really sucks at taking care of himself. Maybe as bad as Dazai, but just for a different reason.

Her smile fades a little as she finally lets her arm return to his waist again, just to hold him.]

...It's easier to notice when someone else does it. It's harder to tell when you do it yourself.

[In short -- same hat, buddy.]

[chemex]

[He moves his arm, then, and wiggles his way into her lap like an overgrown cat, stretching in either direction to become surprisingly long. He's pretty tall, after all, even if he doesn't usually capitalize on it by virtue of horrendous posture. He doesn't say anything for a minute, digesting her words, and shifts again to loop his arms around her waist in turn.] ...in the words of you on so many occasions..., I'm tired.

[orphne]

[She lifts her arms to let him settle in however's comfortable. He really is just a big person-shaped cat, huh...? One hand falls to his side, the other to his hair to gently start combing through it again, de-tangling any knots she finds.]

Yeah, [she agrees again, more quietly this time. She closes her eyes for just a moment before she looks back out over the ocean.] We spent a lot of time helping other people. It's not like they didn't help us, too, but... it's different, huh?

[chemex]

[He folds his arms over her knee and pillows his cheek there, humming in agreement.] Don't get me wrong, I love helping people... but I'm maybe a little scared of letting people help me.

[orphne]

[She hums softly and nods once, rubbing her fingers gently into his scalp.]

Ken-kun said something important, [she says finally, a little slowly as she tries to put it into her own words.] He said... he wanted to be the one to protect me. That it was okay for me not to shoulder everything alone. When I was his leader, he was only ten years old. If he feels like that...

[She closes her eyes and exhales a soft, tired sigh through her nose.]

I know your friends will feel the same way. Yosuke, too, said that even a leader can't be expected to be okay all the time. So...

[Her next tug to his hair is accompanied by a wan little smile, but at least it's a smile.]

Maybe we should listen to our friends more, huh?