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

[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 ]