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[Immediately:]
That was gross.
[Arm trauma and bat trauma... Their two foes.]
That was gross.
[Arm trauma and bat trauma... Their two foes.]
[By now, it's abundantly clear what's going on, but... Staying away from everyone else the entire week is nigh impossible, and she doesn't want to stay cooped up, besides. She's sitting at the edge of the pool with her bare feet dangling in the water and her jeans rolled up when she notices him come in. She looks towards the ground rather than at him, but:]
This week is so fucking weird already.
This week is so fucking weird already.
No kidding.
[Hewwo... He will casually plop down next to her, though he will sit cross legged instead of dipping his feet into the water.]
It sounds like most people are used to it, but what the hell?
[Hewwo... He will casually plop down next to her, though he will sit cross legged instead of dipping his feet into the water.]
It sounds like most people are used to it, but what the hell?
Right? Talk about invasive. I—
[Her words are cut short, though, when something passes between the two of them, ending at "he probably isn't interested anymore". She freezes as soon as she realizes what's happened, taking a breath, but she doesn't say anything just yet.]
[Her words are cut short, though, when something passes between the two of them, ending at "he probably isn't interested anymore". She freezes as soon as she realizes what's happened, taking a breath, but she doesn't say anything just yet.]
Hey, it could fit if it's in pieces. Bet we could make a whole scavenger hunt out of it, too. The look on his face will be priceless.
Aye aye, ma'am.
[He will grab... the pasta. A box of pasta. It will take him a second to dig through the pasta boxes to find the linguine, but he will get there.]
[He will grab... the pasta. A box of pasta. It will take him a second to dig through the pasta boxes to find the linguine, but he will get there.]
No kidding.
[Their two foes!! He settles next to her. What's Natalie up to?]
I knew they warned us, but that was fucking brutal. Goddamn.
[Their two foes!! He settles next to her. What's Natalie up to?]
I knew they warned us, but that was fucking brutal. Goddamn.
[Ah.
Fuck.
Jason freezes up, sucking in a breath as the memory ends, and. Doesn't say anything. For a handful of seconds. He opens his mouth. Closes it. Opens it again.
And then his expression shifts, somewhere between worried and... something else. It's hard to say. His voice is quiet when he finally speaks up.]
... I thought you would want— [...] space. After what happened.
[You know, after getting brutally murdered as part of a really horrifying series of events. It's... fine.]
Fuck.
Jason freezes up, sucking in a breath as the memory ends, and. Doesn't say anything. For a handful of seconds. He opens his mouth. Closes it. Opens it again.
And then his expression shifts, somewhere between worried and... something else. It's hard to say. His voice is quiet when he finally speaks up.]
... I thought you would want— [...] space. After what happened.
[You know, after getting brutally murdered as part of a really horrifying series of events. It's... fine.]
I...
[God, she hates this place. She hesitates for a few moments, trying to decide what exactly to say.]
I should have talked to you. I just thought... [...] I was angry enough at myself after everything that happened. So I thought - I mean, I would have understood if you were angry enough that things were different even after we moved past it. That... You know, how you felt was different.
[God, she hates this place. She hesitates for a few moments, trying to decide what exactly to say.]
I should have talked to you. I just thought... [...] I was angry enough at myself after everything that happened. So I thought - I mean, I would have understood if you were angry enough that things were different even after we moved past it. That... You know, how you felt was different.
[...]
I was angry, y'know. For a while. It wasn't fair. You made a promise you couldn't keep, and you lied to me about what happened that night. [He shifts just a little bit, mostly so he can take a better look at her face. He doesn't sound angry or upset as he speaks. If anything, he sounds a little tired. It's been weeks since everything that happened, and things aren't getting any better, but...
After a beat, he shakes his head.]
... When I saw you again on the train, I knew I wasn't angry at you. I was angry for you. My feelings for you didn't change. Not a single bit. [He. Gently bumps his shoulder against her.] Coulda, shoulda, woulda. If we're gonna play that game, I could've said anything at any time instead of assuming I knew what you wanted. C'mon.
[Sometimes............... you are both fools.]
I was angry, y'know. For a while. It wasn't fair. You made a promise you couldn't keep, and you lied to me about what happened that night. [He shifts just a little bit, mostly so he can take a better look at her face. He doesn't sound angry or upset as he speaks. If anything, he sounds a little tired. It's been weeks since everything that happened, and things aren't getting any better, but...
After a beat, he shakes his head.]
... When I saw you again on the train, I knew I wasn't angry at you. I was angry for you. My feelings for you didn't change. Not a single bit. [He. Gently bumps his shoulder against her.] Coulda, shoulda, woulda. If we're gonna play that game, I could've said anything at any time instead of assuming I knew what you wanted. C'mon.
[Sometimes............... you are both fools.]
I shouldn't have. [She admits, taking a breath.] I wasn't... really doing my best there. And I've never really... [...] I'm used to being alone. It's not that I thought I couldn't trust you, I just didn't want to get you hurt. I didn't realize until it was over how much you really cared.
[Which is... hard to admit, and she can't quite look at him as she does, looking out at the pool instead. When he bumps against her shoulder, though, she does look back at him, incredibly fond.]
We're really bad at this, huh?
[But, ah. She's leaning in to kiss him.]
[Which is... hard to admit, and she can't quite look at him as she does, looking out at the pool instead. When he bumps against her shoulder, though, she does look back at him, incredibly fond.]
We're really bad at this, huh?
[But, ah. She's leaning in to kiss him.]
[Ah.]
... We're really bad at this.
[A jerky nod, as he starts to lean in as well...]
... We're really bad at this.
[A jerky nod, as he starts to lean in as well...]
[She closes the distance between the two of them, pressing her lips to his for a long moment before pulling away. She placed her hands on his shoulders as she does.]
[...And then she uses that leverage to shove him into the pool.
Betrayal task: complete.]
Betrayal task: complete.]
[The expression on his face is incredibly soft when they both pull away, cheeks slightly flushed while he stares at her. He opens his mouth as if to say something, and...]
[... THEN HE IS GETTING SHOVED INTO THE POOL.
BETRAYAL!!!
He yelps, flailing around. Sitting cross legged was a mistake because that means Natalie will find it extremely easy to tip him over. But, you know, it's fine? It's fine. He will just reach to snag her arm in the last possible second, intent on taking her down with him if he manages to grab her.]
BETRAYAL!!!
He yelps, flailing around. Sitting cross legged was a mistake because that means Natalie will find it extremely easy to tip him over. But, you know, it's fine? It's fine. He will just reach to snag her arm in the last possible second, intent on taking her down with him if he manages to grab her.]
[She's laughing for a long moment before he successfully grabs her arm, pulling her in after him. She gives a little yelp of surprise before she goes under, surfacing a second after she does with a gasp.]
How dare you.
[She says, even though she did this!! She sounds teasing rather than actually angry, at least.]
How dare you.
[She says, even though she did this!! She sounds teasing rather than actually angry, at least.]
[She's looking at this postcard box, curious, though she glances away towards him when he approaches.]
We need to figure out a way to get better at this. We've got more to work with here, so this shouldn't still be happening.
We need to figure out a way to get better at this. We've got more to work with here, so this shouldn't still be happening.
[She busies herself with filling the pot with water, glancing his way.]
So... How have you been?
[Just normal date things!!]
So... How have you been?
[Just normal date things!!]
Not that I'm surprised with our track record in the town and all, but you'd think the people who actually caught their perps would have brought that with them. And not, y'know, all the other stuff we're dealing with.
[But that would be too convenient, wouldn't it? Maybe if there was a way to find more evidence, or... He peers at the postcard box, too, frowning.]
This is going to sound like a non sequitur, but stay with me. Your power and mine, they both affect other people, right? You can mess with their memories, and I can make three do one thing.
[But that would be too convenient, wouldn't it? Maybe if there was a way to find more evidence, or... He peers at the postcard box, too, frowning.]
This is going to sound like a non sequitur, but stay with me. Your power and mine, they both affect other people, right? You can mess with their memories, and I can make three do one thing.
[She's about to respond to his first statement, but his second catches her by surprise. She nods.]
Yeah. Why...?
Yeah. Why...?
You said we need to figure out a way to get better at this. Well, both our powers let us create evidence — without the killer noticing. [...] We know each other's powers. So... If anything ever happens, we can use our power on the scumbag who attacks us to leave a clue.
[He finishes off with a light shrug. Like, talking about this doesn't make him feel happy or smart. But watching Belph and Steph during the trial sure did remind him of how he and Percy acted when they woke up to find Natalie missing.
It's fine.]
[He finishes off with a light shrug. Like, talking about this doesn't make him feel happy or smart. But watching Belph and Steph during the trial sure did remind him of how he and Percy acted when they woke up to find Natalie missing.
It's fine.]
[The very thought of something happening to him is terrifying enough that she almost tells him not to say that on instinct, but... She takes a breath instead. There's no point in panicking. It still won't happen, she tells herself, but—]
Right. For yours... We would want to pick something noticeable, right? Something they'd be forced to do that I would notice. Do you know how long the order lasts?
Right. For yours... We would want to pick something noticeable, right? Something they'd be forced to do that I would notice. Do you know how long the order lasts?
[He's cackling, splashing water at her after they have both resurfaced.]
Et tu, Natalie? I knew I shouldn't have left Shinnosuke for you.
Et tu, Natalie? I knew I shouldn't have left Shinnosuke for you.
[She squeaks out a laugh and tries to duck away from the water, before splashing him right back.]
I won't forget this act of betrayal.
I won't forget this act of betrayal.
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