WEEK 6

[grimgrinningghosts]

[Another week has come and gone, and three more people are dead. Nearly half of the guests are dead in a little over a month. The ghosts are still not reacting, and with Demyx's execution one has to wonder if the ghosts are even here anymore.

In the very least one more floor has been opened up: the trophy room, a shooting gallery, and a bathing room.

... Maybe keep Kiara out of the trophy room.

14 guests remain.]

[ SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY ]

{OOC: Don't forget to fill out your Week 5 Activity Check!}

Comments

[wannagetsmote]

Yeah, yeah. It's fine. [Maui mirrored the gesture, wrapping his arms tight around his companion's form. He rested his chin against the top of Lefou's head, briefly enveloping him in a warm shield. He'd do his best to protect the man from the memories had been dredged up this week.]

First though, uh. Did you want to come some place else? Not exactly commfortable here, is it?

[toogoodforhim]

[He relaxed in the warm, solid embrace of the other man's body, the chin bending down to rest on top of his head. After taking a couple deep breaths to ground himself in the safety and surety of Maui's embrace, he looked up at him and then turned to look back at the camera.]

Sure, yeah... Let's go back to our room.

[Our room. They'd been sharing for over a week, but it felt so good to say.]

[wannagetsmote]

Yeah, our room.

[If Lefou thought he was walking, though, he had another thing coming. Maui was quick to lift the smaller man, and even quicker to toss him over, allowing Lefou to face forward. The vantage point would provide him a view of Maui extending his hand toward the sky, fingers shaped in an 'L' as he adjusted him.]

Welcome aboard the great ship Maui. Next stop, room 103.

[toogoodforhim]

[Lefou yelped in surprise when he was slung weightlessly over Maui's shoulder, but by the time he was settled in place he was trying hard not to laugh. He smiled and held out his own hand where Maui could see him imitating the way he was holding his hand.]

What are you doing?

[If they're going to talk about feelings later might as well make light conversation now]

[wannagetsmote]

[Maui's great and powerful heart gave a heavy flutter as he watched Lefou attempt to mirror his efforts. Wordlessly, he pulled his hand back and carefully adjusted Lefou's, then offered the man a thumbs up. It was a solid effort, better than Moana's first, even.]

Wayfinding. The great ship Maui has to find his way somehow, right? [He started down the stairs, rolling his shoulders with the descent to emulate the rocking of waves.]

[toogoodforhim]

[Lefou raised up a little straighter so he could lean over and press a kiss to Maui's cheek, in response to the hand gently guiding his into the right position. The position he was in felt precarious, with nothing to grab onto and no way to steady himself other than bracing his hands and knees (he kept his knees bent to keep the metal buckles of his shoes away from Maui's back) against Maui's rolling muscles, but every time he felt like he might've started to fall, he felt that solid arm around him, holding him steady.

He knew that Maui would never let him fall.]

I think I've already found mine.

[wannagetsmote]

That right there? That's some pretty sappy stuff, short stack. [The hand keeping hold of Lefou shifted upward, ruffling at his hair as he rumbled out a laugh. Sappy or no, it was clearly an appreciated gesture, especially since his heart let out another fluttering beat in response.]

Maybe say that again once we're out of here? Since this is hardly my ideal destination and all.

[toogoodforhim]

[Lefou's hair pulled free of the green ribbon, which he reached up to secure before it fell out completely, hair falling in a silky, dark halo nearly as beautiful as Maui's curls.]

Deal. Once we're out of here.

[He traced some of the dark ink on Maui's chest with his fingertip, then lightly laid his hand over Maui's heart with his fingers pressed together and thumb out at an angle, like Maui had just done "wayfinding."]

[wannagetsmote]

[As Maui turned the corner to the bedroom hallway, he paused. His hand lifted, resting over Lefou's before letting out a deep sigh. Where his partner's hand rested felt pleasantly warm, though he did absentmindedly wonder if the man could feel the way his heart began to speed up beneath his touch.]

Almost there. Any last words for your faithful vessel? [He approached their door, but didn't open it immediately.]

[toogoodforhim]

[His chest warmed from the inside out when Maui laid his big hand over Lefou's own. How much things had changed in just three short weeks, that this great, wonderful man who had opened up to Lefou about the secret of his past, who had flinched when Lefou first ever touched him, now not only soaked up Lefou's affection like a sponge, but carried him, supported him, held his hand, shared his bed.

He looked away from their joined hands, letting his knees relax and unbend just a little as he turned to lean in and try to steal a soft, sweet kiss.]

Thank you.

[wannagetsmote]

[One of the secrets of his past, at least. The more recent one stuck out in his mind still, and while he had adressed it with some, there were those, like Lefou, who didn't know the true depth of his selfishness. It troubled him, though he had to wonder just what it would change with Lefou and himself. Maui had, after all, proved himself to be better than he was, right? And Lefou supported him unconditionally.

Such thoughts were chased away as their lips met, and Maui couldn't help but close his eyes and simply indulge in the touch. It was only his concern for the younger members of their temporary home that he parted from the man, turning instead to their door and opening it up.]

Home sweet home, little guy.

[toogoodforhim]

Now I'm "little guy," huh? I think I liked "short stack" a little better.

[But of course he was just teasing. When Maui helped him down off of his shoulder, LeFou sat on the edge of the bed and unbuckled his shoes, unbuttoning the buttons on the sides of his breeches so he could get more relaxed range of motion in his knees.

When he was no longer holding on for dear life, no longer distracted by the big arm around his waist, the moving portraits from the casino crashed back into him.]

...The man in the red coat's name was Gaston. He was- I thought he was my friend.

[wannagetsmote]

Sure you do.

[Maui was content to leave it at that, no sense in arguing over nicknames when there would be more important things to talk about. He plopped down onto the bed, laying on his back while he waited for Lefou to get comfortable.

The second he spoke, the second things took a turn for the serious, though, Maui was up and focusing hard on the smaller man beside him.]

He... looked like he did some pretty bad stuff, that Gaston.

[He definitely wasn't the kind of person he'd associate Lefou with, that much was for certain.]

[toogoodforhim]

[Lefou bounced a little in the process of taking his shoes off when Maui plopped down onto the bed, but he was too deep in his own thoughts to crack a smile.

He didn't look up from his hands, even when he felt Maui sit up and at his side.]

He didn't- He couldn't have... It doesn't make any sense, he... should be dead. He died on the night the curse was broken.

[He shook his head, ran his hand through his hair to pull it back off and away from his face.]

He didn't used to be like that. He was... perfect. I thought he was, anyway. I... [He fiddled with his hands.] Thought I loved him. As we got older, when we came back from the war, I started to see the darkness that I was losing him to, but I could never pull him all the way back from it. Not enough to save him.

The night he died, he tried to have an old man and his daughter put in an asylum. He riled the whole village into an angry mob and led them to the castle to hunt a beast- the Prince, who was under a curse. I... realized that night that my friend was gone.

[He reached out and put his hand on Maui's, looking up at his partner for the first time since he'd started speaking. His eyes were wet but not welling with tears, and his voice was small and tight, barely bigger than a whisper.]

I don't know what I would do if he came back... If the Prince and his household were hurt because nobody...

[Because nobody died.]

[wannagetsmote]

[That Lefou loved another came as no surprise to the demi-god. He wasn't like Maui, hard and as unfeeling as a rock. No, the man beside him wore his heart on his sleeve proudly, had shown passion and kindness since the day he had arrived in this wretched place.

In that same vein, Maui wasn't offended, either, or at least not by Lefou. A deep rage had been awoken in the demi-god, but it was not toward the soft, gentle creature beside him. This was directed toward the monster that had harmed him, had denied his love and drew tears to his eyes. It was the same sort of rage he felt when facing creatures like Tamatoa or Te Ka. This man cared no more about humans than the monsters seemed to care about mortals.

The only thing that kept his rage down, in the end, was the fact that -- at least for the time being -- he was dead.]

It's... a real enticing motive, isn't it? [Right now, it was all he could think to say. His arms, in the meanwhile, blindly sought out Lefou and pulled him closer.] I'll give the monster credit, he knows how to make us consider.

[toogoodforhim]

[Lefou sought comfort in those arms that searched him out, letting himself be drawn in and resting his head against Maui's broad chest. The sound of the demigod's heartbeat, solid and sure beneath his ear, reassured him. He was safe here. He was cared for. He was important to someone.

But all the same, he had been up there in the casino long enough, it wasn't just his own clip he'd seen play. And his had been one of the mildest of them all, just the damage one man could wreak hell bent on revenge, not... damning an entire town, or whatever damage a giant lava monster could unleash.]

We'll find a way without it. [He sounded tired, not certain.] If we do it, we're just as bad as the monsters he's threatening to unleash.