there's so much that we share

[amadeusrockette]

[If there's one thing Julia's good at, it's feeling guilty. Once they're let out of the awful stretching room, she sets up in the kitchen and makes another cake. It's the same sort of coffee cake she made for Lea's wake, but this time it's got apples over top. While it's going, Julia writes notes for everyone except Elsa.]

I made cake and coffee. It's in the lounge, if you'd like to come by and not be alone.

Comments

[aboyandhiscar]

[WELP, that happened. After the execution, Mike seems to slip out first, immediately wandering off outside. At first he just walks a while, letting the looping forest bring him back over and over again, or sometimes, he opts to get some excess energy out by hopping up the trees and using his staff to swing around the branches.

Once that bores him though, he can be found sitting atop a gravestone, just sort of absently staring up at the fake night sky again.

Eventually he'll head back inside though. He may not have the stomach for cake but he'll definitely grab some coffee and give a quick wave to anyone he passes in the lounge. He doesn't sit though, and keeps on moving.

When no one's seemingly looking, he'll make his way up to the music room. Not doing much, just generally looking around. He has to have some reason for doing so though, right? Well, later, back downstairs at the memorial, someone will have placed the smallest stringed instrument they could find among the other items. Fushigi Mystery.]

music room

[kindaruledatit]

[You're not so slick to everyone, Mike. Especially someone that's purposefully looking for you.

Wendy catches him as he's rummaging around the music room, letting her knuckles rap lightly against the door frame. She doesn't look or sound like she's here to pick a fight, quite the opposite in fact.]

Hey. Looking for something?

[aboyandhiscar]

[Even for someone like Mike, the sudden sound makes him jump lightly, sending him tripping and crashing into a deteriorating drum set. Graceful like a swan over here. He's able to right himself easily in the mess at least, aside from the one drum his hand has punched through. Welp, that just lives there now. He waves it, coughing up a bit of dust.]

. . .yo! Yeah, just. Brushing up on my music. Taking a hands on approach, even.

[kindaruledatit]

[She winces. So badly. Yup, this is already the start she didn't want to this conversation.]

Oof. Yeah, you're uh... really getting into the music? [She's not that into it, yeah. She's coming over to help you, Mike.]

Yeah, no. That was a pretty bad entrance. Sorry.

[aboyandhiscar]

Nah, you're good. I was just a little on edge, that's all. [He'll take that help though, thx. He shakes the drum off his hand.]

Thanks, though. So what's up? Figured everyone would still be lounging.

[kindaruledatit]

Yeah... [You and everyone else, Mike. Especially her, but ahahha saying that.

She'll just toss that drum over there. It's fine, the ghosts will handle it.]

Don't mention it. I was just, y'know, trying to find you. [she's good at this, usually.] I wanted to - you know - apologize, for the trial and all that. I mean, you probably already know we're sorry for it.

[aboyandhiscar]

[Can't wreck what's already wrecked!! He's dusting himself off when she apologizes, and then looks to her like she's got two heads. ???? apology ????]

What's there to apologize for? I said it was cool, remember?

[kindaruledatit]

I know, dude. Just... [She??? gestures???] I don't know why I said that again, I just felt like I needed to. Like I said, it's been a weird week.

[She groans.] Maybe I'm just worried, or something stupid like that.

[aboyandhiscar]

[He opens his mouth to insist it's fine, but dangit, he's not gonna let her call herself stupid. He gives a little huff, and rubs at his hair.]

It's not stupid, don't say that. Kinda hard not to feel like there's some ominous doom and gloom on the horizon, right? I get it.

I--appreciate it, for real. Just don't beat yourself up over it, yeah? I know how these things go.

lounge

[whistlenotchirp]

[A drunk cricket stumbles his way through the room, biting his thumb at Mike in lieu of a wave.]

[aboyandhiscar]

. . .

[Is. is that some kind of cricket gang sign, Mike wonders. He probably shouldn't gesture it back, right??? Hm.

............gives him a thumbs up??]

. . .hey little dude, taking it easy there?

[whistlenotchirp]

[Was somebody looking down at him bc that means marching towards Mike.]

Whaz that supposed to mean? Think I can't handle the hard way? Cause I can.

[aboyandhiscar]

[oh my god. mike puts up a hand in a placating gesture]

--woah there, didn't say you couldn't! Just--are you okay??

[whistlenotchirp]

Never better! Its this place that sucks

[kids teaching him the hip lingo.]

[aboyandhiscar]

I mean, you're not wrong. [He crouches down]

Sounds like you got some stuff you wanna get off your chest, big man.

[whistlenotchirp]

Whaz the point. Its all dumb stupid stuff here anyway.

[aboyandhiscar]

Well, the point is it feels good to just, let it all out! If there's no point, there's no reason to keep it all inside either, yeah?

[ilovepuppies]

[Star is in the foyer in time to see Mike zip on by. She almost waves him off but decides that no, she's gotta talk to him, so she runs to catch him.]

H-hey! Wait up!

[aboyandhiscar]

[He spares a glance over his shoulder hearing her call out, and then pauses when she starts running. ]

What's up? Something wrong?

[ilovepuppies]

[Hggggh okay she actually has to have this conversation now. She looks down at her feet.]

I was- uh- what you said during the trial. That you'd be okay if everybody voted for you.

That was, um... I dunno, brave? Impressive?

[aboyandhiscar]

--oh that? It's nothing. I just wanna be able to help someone, you know? Aaand it's less impressive since if I hadn't known the details I would've gotten you guys accidentally killed. [let's just accidentally bad end with good intentions oops!!]

Thanks, though. It was close, but glad we got out of it.

[ilovepuppies]

Well, yeah, obviously, but we didn't know about that part before!

What you said, about getting even one person out? It made me think...

[okay, she's gotta get this out of her system before she chickens out]

I feel like you're the only one who wouldn't jump down my throat about this, so I'm just gonna say it. I thought about doing it.

[aboyandhiscar]

--?

[At first, he doesn't really get what she's trying to say. Did she mean she was gonna take a hit too?? Wao. But then the wheels in his head slowly start turning more, finally starting to click. Oh. OH.

His eyes go wide. Super chill level headed Star considering murder?? Whodathunk. He leans in, voice sort of hushed.]

What the--seriously? You? Man, guess this place really is digging into people, hard. [He doesn't sound angry at least, just ridiculously surprised. He rubs at his head.]

Well, you. . .didn't, so hey. No harm no foul, yeah?

[ilovepuppies]

[Star feels an immense swell of relief as Mike confirms her suspicions. Mike, you're a bro.]

I just thought... maybe... if I got away with it, I could go back in time and stop ALL of this from happening somehow. Even the person I...you know... would be okay. But I didn't know if everybody would go for it. I couldn't do it.

So I guess I kinda lied to you before. My bad.

[aboyandhiscar]

[He thinks back to that day--and feels kinda silly. He shakes his head.]

Well dang, you're a good actor. [correction: Mike is too naive.]

Iiiit's probably for the best you backed down. Think about it--those guys are only willing to let the killer go, right? No way will they keep their end of the deal and undo all their hard work of putting us through pain here.

[A little sigh.]

But looks like your heart was in the right place. Just don't go throwing yourselves to the lions so quick, yeah? Uh. Like, metaphorical vicious lions, not cool ones like Kiara, heh.