WEEK ONE: WEDNESDAY EVENING, on the way to room 112...

[parodeity]

[ so pretty near curfew it should be easy for kaito to run into his youngest roommate kind of. storming in a way he normally does not? he looks frustrated and upset instead of pokerfaced for like two seconds before he notices kaito, does a double-take, and locks his expression down.

he raises a hand in a wave. it's his left hand, and his left pointer finger is wrapped an splinted, as is the right pinky on his other hand. why this? ]

Sup.

Comments

[nowyouseeit]

[no. no it was not]

You know that's not what I meant.

[parodeity]

[ ...well. it will be. obvious. in the coming days so: ]

I decided we're pretty much done.

[ this can only end well. ]

[nowyouseeit]

[UNSURE]

Meaning. . .? Were you guys friends before you came here?

[he doesn't know the history here, dude]

[parodeity]

[ oh okay wow. ]

Uh. People just keep assumin' we're related, so. [ because THEY LOOK SO FUCKING SIMILAR and share a last name. ] He's...the alternate universe version of the dude who raised me. We never met 'till we got here, and I was...

[ ... ]

I tried to get to know him, a little, but it's too much.

[nowyouseeit]

[blinks a few times, before gently mouthing "oh"]

I-- [WHAT DOES HE SAY TO THAT] . . . that sounds awkward.

[yeah okay, that works]

[parodeity]

[ look at least he left out the part about "ALSO, THE GUY WHO RAISED ME ABUSED ME FOR THIRTEEN YEARS SO THAT'S DEFINITELY AN ISSUE even if dirk is pretty much completely fucking innocent of that" ]

Yeah. So I kinda just called it off. [ like. maybe ten minutes ago. ]

[nowyouseeit]

[HOMESTUCK KIDS, JESUS]

[rakes a hand through his hair and exhales]

. . . sorry. It's not like you need any weird alternate universe awkwardness in addition to everything else that's happening here.

[parodeity]

[ THEY'RE FINE, PROBABLY, dave just lucked out with the Best Homelife (he got the worst one) ]

You didn't know. [ and actually: ] It was kinda nice that you like, assumed friends first, it was a novel change of pace? So did you like. Spend your day less stupidly than I spent mine?

[nowyouseeit]

[he laughs a little breathlessly, and goes along with the subject change without further comment. he won't pry]

I dunno if I'd say "less stupidly," but I still didn't find much of note.

[a beat]

Well, except I did discover all the kitchen knives are gone.

[parodeity]

That ain't surprisin', I'm shocked they lasted this long, frankly. Were you tryin' to get one or something?

[nowyouseeit]

[shakes his head]

No. I was tryin' to take stock of 'em, just in case the knowledge would come in handy later.

[a snort]

So much for that idea.

[parodeity]

I mean, you can always try to poll people on what they took. Pretty sure scalpels are gonna be an extinct species sooner or later, too.

[ people like stealing sharp things, apparently. ]

So far this week hasn't much panned out in terms of investigations, has it?

[nowyouseeit]

[GEE I WONDER WHY]

I s'pose we shouldn't be surprised.

[wryly]

After all, it wouldn't do this murder mystery justice to give us all the answers right off the bat.

[parodeity]

Pretty much. I think people are already kinda splittin' off into groups, too. Of like...who they trust. To a degree, anyway, though I bet it'll be worse after someone dies.

[ he is too much a cynic to not think someone is gonna die, alas. ]

I don't think we're gonna be one big happy family all on the same side, unfortunately.

[nowyouseeit]

In a small population like this where everyone's a hair's trigger away from freaking out, that's not surprising.

[kicks at the ground and scowls]

It'd be a lot easier if there was a way for us to get everyone here on the same page.

[parodeity]

It would be, but I get the feelin' not everyone is on the same page.

[ like. JUST A HUNCH. ]

Have you got any allies yet, anyway?

[nowyouseeit]

You.

[said with conviction, and without hesitation]

You 'n Jason, I think. Out of everyone here, I think I share my page the most with you two.

[parodeity]

[ WELL. THAT'S...NICE TO HEAR...AFTER HE MAYBE BURNED AN ENTIRE BRIDGE ]

So you're thinkin' you wanna share shit later on with the both of us?

[ his eyebrows go up. ]

'Cause I don't mind, but I figured it was kinda a no go to some extent with how cagey y'all are.

[ dave. you're really fucking cagey, too. ]

[nowyouseeit]

[SNORTS]

Everyone here is cagey, to a certain degree.

[links his hands behind his head and grins as he rocks back on his heels]

But I'll throw caginess outta the window when it comes to saving lives, if that helps.

[parodeity]

...Yeah, same. If you want to call together a meetin' of the second-class superheroes, by all means. I'll back your play there.

[ since, well. ]

Three people gettin' out alive ain't an acceptable number, and I don't intend to abide by that bullshit.

[nowyouseeit]

[a flicker of relief appears in his expression, and he exhales]

Good.

'Cause I don't, either.

[lifts up a hand for a brofist]

Although I object to calling us second-class superheroes.

[parodeity]

[ well, okay. dave knocks his own fist into kaito's for a fistbump. ]

Maybe if y'all keep not wearin' domino masks I'll bump us up to first-class.

[ why were you guys doing that. christ. ]

For now, though...pretty damn sure some people might be better able to interfere with this whole "murder game" than others.

[nowyouseeit]

[blinks in surprise, his hand still hovering in the air even after the fist bump. he had a snarky reply prepared for that first comment, but THE SECOND IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT??]

Eh?

Really? How'd you figure that one out?

[parodeity]

Because I'm pretty sure everyone has extra extra rules, and some of 'em may be more useful than others. It's a guess, but it seems likely.

[nowyouseeit]

[and a look of understanding immediately washes over his features]

Ah.

I think I know what you're talking about. I hadn't considered the possibility that some might be able to use 'em to interfere.

[parodeity]

It depends what the fuck all people got. I think they're all different and I think some are more useful than others, but it's kind of a thing you can't know for sure without people straight up goin' "yeah, I can do whatever the fuck, heads up", which people ain't gonna do unless they actually do trust one another. Which makes it a little hard to try to interfere, although hopefully a lot of 'em can act alone.

[nowyouseeit]

I know what I got, and I hafta admit I've been tempted to ask other people ever since I learned what it is.

[a nod]

But you're right. I don't think anyone's gonna be willing to share with others so easily, and I don't wanna put anyone on the spot like that just yet. . . so if anyone was given the opportunity to interfere with murder Friday, then. . . [exhale]

Let's just hope they're trustworthy.

[parodeity]

I know what I got, too.

[ blandly said. ]

Are you plannin' on puttin' people on the spot post-murder, then?

[nowyouseeit]

[shakes his head]

Not exactly.

[there's. . . more hesitation, as he chooses his words carefully]

I plan on putting people on the spot when I'm capable of putting my money where my mouth is and returning the favor.

[parodeity]

As in you ain't willin' to step up and share yet, or as in whatever the fuck you do doesn't have an effect until later.

[ he doesn't really expect an answer either way, tbh. ]

[nowyouseeit]

[ducks his head, a bit guiltily]

. . . sorry. I know I said I'd avoid the caginess if it meant saving lives. [but--] What I got won't help me run interference against any murders, though. That's for sure.

[parodeity]

So it's somethin' that might make it easier to cause one.

[ he doesn't sound. like. worried. HE'S JUST LIKE "COOL, THATS INFORMATION, THANKS," ]

And it's chill. If you want to trade ever I'm down, if not, whatever y'know?

[nowyouseeit]

. . . [laughs. it's wry]

You're pretty sharp, Dave.

[lifts his head again and grins]

Gimme some time to figure things out a li'l more, yeah? And when that time comes, I'll share.

And you can decide at that moment if you wanna return the favor or not, too.

[parodeity]

It's genetic. [ though rose got most of it. ] But sure. When the time comes, I'll return the favor, don't worry. We'll probably have a better idea by the weekend if we wanna go there or not.

[nowyouseeit]

[the relief returns to his expression]

Right.

Though I've gotta admit, as naive as it is, I'm still holding out hope that no one decides to get stabby with each other before Thursday night is over.

[parodeity]

I mean, bein' naive ain't all bad. My best bro's like that. I just...do not think I ever have been, really?

[ YOU'RE FOURTEEN ]

[nowyouseeit]

Been what? Naive?

[YEAH YOU ARE YOUNGER THAN HIM?? he feels himself becoming a dad already]

[parodeity]

Yeah, that. I mean...maybe when I was real small? Kinda don't remember it bein' a thing, though.

[ thanks bro strider ]