synflux | ( open; ) summer episode part 2?

( open; ) summer episode part 2?

WHO: Any Outsider is more than welcome!
WHAT: Dating shows... I was bullied.
WHERE: Between Okinawa & Neo Tokyo.
WHEN: Throughout the remainder of July (listen, it's a production)!
WARNINGS: Partial nudity, alcohol, potential suggestive topics, and will update 'em as I see 'em!

Throughout the city of Neo Tokyo and even Okinawa, there will be advertisements posted by the hundreds (and spam mail to your oculars by an equal number), desiring candidates for a show. While the aftermath of vegas and other bleak instances might have led way for people practicing some semblance of moderation— opposite to that, the people also need their entertainment, don't they?

Fortunately, there will be an influx of dating shows looking for people to appear. They are offering a fairly decent amount of money and are even offering luxury experiences for free for participants. In this economy and food shortage??? Okay, the food may be lacking, but they do make up for it in various activities they have planned, where people can kick back, relax, and romance?

While there will be any number of shows looking for interested parties, these are the main shows/premises:

SPEED DATING

As the label suggests. People will be expected to sit down and switch through several partners. In their hands will be a card labeling who they encounter and a place to leave a check mark. They will also be given a list of questions that can be answered.

PARTNER SWAP

People can be on a show and swap partners. This doesn't necessarily need to be romantic, either. Have a friend you want to show up with, cool. The only rules are that the pairs who enter together cannot stay together during the duration of the show.

SINGLES INFERNO

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be trapped on a deserted island with other hot singles? Well, now you no longer have to wonder. They will need to cook and fend for themselves here with minimal activities or distraction— but, isn't that the point? All you need to focus on is each other! (* They will be ferried to an outer island by Okinawa). While on the island, which they label as inferno, it's also a rule that one cannot speak about their age, occupation, or any such personal details. All of this will be reserved for "paradise." To go to paradise, two individuals will need to pick one another, and if they do — they are able to go on to completed various luxury experiences together.

For those who would rather find paradise in inferno together, you can presume there are tents that act as shared dormitory quarters where contestants will stay together.

DATE ME

People are free to use this for just general dates. Maybe, you just want to finesse the system and enjoy a fun all-expense-paid for date in which you get to eat like relative kings and enjoy various experiences. Feel free to use anything in the setting to your desire.

SKINSHIP STARTER

... a show where you get paid the more skinship you do. Don't do anything you wouldn't do in a Wendy's though. (That's not how the saying actually goes).

COMMENTARY PANEL

Every good dating show needs those who simply sit and commentate, right?

* It can be assumed any of this is just open to general CR you want to spend time with, too. This is just supposed to be a silly log for chances for characters to get to know one another! Characters are more than welcome to assume they stumble upon this by accident, think it's just a basic job and can't leave, film or unfilmed (minus the commentary prompt), and whatever else! Feel free to tag freely, threadjack, etc!

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[ Maybe it would have been better if Gebura had let Yesod drown in the ocean, but he's standing on his side of the doorway now, taking in the perplexing scene outside the apartment. At least his lines to deliver so far appear to be something that won't sound completely unnatural... ]

...And let you track water inside all over the floor?

[ Never. Seizing a towel placed nearby, he holds it out, away from the "rain" continuing to douse Elysium. The script's cues evidently call for him to throw it at the other man's face for now, but that would lead to the towel becoming wet as well. ]

[ Meanwhile, Elysium's takeaway: ]

… So, what you're saying is, if I don't track water in, you'll let me in?

[ sniffle… but he's pushing the bouquet forward for Yesod to take regardless, thereby doing just that, oops. please forgive. he's just so overcome at the moment. (???) ]

[ The unimpressed look that Elysium and his dripping bouquet receive is ice that will never thaw again... or something. Not only have droplets of water crossed the threshold of this home, several even flicked in Yesod's direction from the wet flower petals, trickling down one cheek in place of the tears that he won't shed (???), but his character has to make Elysium's work much harder than this to earn his forgiveness. It might be too late for any amends.

Even if the flowers and the water are presumably clean, it isn't about these things, of course. ]

Give me one reason why I shouldn't close this door.

[ Already, he's withdrawing the towel. ]

[ Yesod can be certain that the camera's panning in directly for that shot of water falling down from his face… there are probably subtitles or something exacting those precise thoughts on the screen: for a man who's unable to express himself and refuses to give in too easily, what will it take to knock down those walls?

——And then it goes back to Elysium, now clutching a hand over his heart from the blatant rejection, fingers tightly curled into the fabric. ]

I'm just trying to prove to you and the world how much you mean to me. It's a little clumsy… but didn't you say you used to like that about me? [ the past tense… his eyes like 🥺… ] Give me another chance. I'll do better.

[ The resulting wrinkles in the sodden fabric of Elysium's shirt seize Yesod's attention, drawing his gaze downward. For the viewers, it looks as though he may be relenting after all, perhaps reminiscing or contemplating Elysium's words. It doesn't disrupt the flow of the script too much, especially since it directs him to stay silent awhile longer before he's supposed to make use of the prop towel.

Wordlessly, he raises it to press it against Elysium's fingers. The pleading is admittedly somewhat unsettling, if not for reasons that have anything to do with the here and now.

A few more moments of silence, and then: ]

...I should know better by now.

[ But he moves the towel again, this time to drape it across Elysium's head. What is this script... ]

[ something, something, love overcomes all odds… Elysium's perspective of it is that if people were capable of thinking about it for longer than a second, they should probably be disillusioned by how they're apparently willing to air their laundry out on national television of all things. Is it really convincing enough that with a genre switch from soap opera to reality TV and some lighter editing work, that it's more "real"?

But anyway, that's neither here nor there when they're currently gunning for their bag… of cash. What's here is that Elysium intends to play the scenario out in its entirety, ridiculousness of it and all. ]

… Perhaps so. [ His head tips forward, as if coveting Yesod's touch with how it leans in up to his hand, bangs covering his eyes. ] No, you definitely deserve better. But, despite knowing that, I really can't let you go. I'm sorry.

[ Truly: what is this script. Are blorbos still in vogue in the year 2277? The script seems to think so, playing up Elysium's character's pitifulness in his vulnerability. Disgusting. ]

[ It's about to get worse... That said, the more Yesod participates in these activities, the more out of place he feels, but he agreed to it primarily because he wanted to observe his colleagues, in the wake of recent events. The money is irrelevant. Malkuth seems to be having fun, at least, as are other participants here and there. He wonders whether that is the case for Elysium, too.

Lapsing into silence once more, Yesod proceeds to begin patting Elysium's hair dry with the towel in an apparent truce, only to pause and reach for the other man's tie (?!), fingers closing around it. It's too wet to fasten correctly, but squeezing it wrings some water from it. Similarly, Elysium's shirt is too wet to adjust, and the towel is too small to make much of a difference.

It's unclear whether the display is perceived as restrained affection, some sort of yearning behind it prompted by Elysium's gesture, or disapproval...

If nothing else, the impression created suggests that the walls conjured into existence by the subtitles may not be an impenetrable shield. There must have been better days, they add now, times when these touches were second nature. Only someone truly heartless would withstand the remorse shown here. ]

Are you? I suppose it would be cruel to leave you to stand there and catch a cold.

[ In this sunny weather... ]

[ In this sunny weather… with nary a cloud in sight… The water is chilled as it's supposed to be, so it does feel increasingly awful the longer he stays under it, especially drenched clothing. He has no reservations against following his instinctive desire for warmth, being a character that takes miles out of inches. One step forward, two. As if slowly trying to encroach 'Yesod' on the chessboard, until he's capable of uttering the words 'checkmate.' ]

… Haha. You're right. You always have had a way of wringing the truth out of me.

[ Tangentially, it's eerie that Elysium could say the same about Yesod; perhaps not in wringing out truths, but in seeing through him. His smile remains visible, his half-hearted laugh quiet and distinctly amused for the cinematographer to catch. As much as it's an aspect of Yesod's to be cautious of, it's exciting in the very same vein—it's just as easy to imagine Elysium himself sharing a similar reaction were reality to imitate fiction: isn't half the fun from skirting danger seeing how much one could get away with?

Like how he's made it through the door and has tracked water all over, forehead practically nearly touching Yesod's shoulder. It's a tense moment, punctuated by deliberate pauses and drawn out breaths; he cants his head just an inch, whispers words that are unintelligible for both the camera and Yesod's ear, but are simple enough to read by mouth—another simple two-worded phrase instead, 'thank you.'

Cue a cut——

——and then Elysium's forehead actually does touch Yesod's shoulder, as he trembles and exclaims: ]

C-c-coooooooold!!!!!!!

[ Seconds before the scene ends, as Elysium steps through the doorway and bows his head, Yesod's hand tightens on the wet tie, as if in preparation to tug him closer, somewhere between surrendering and an attempt to reclaim control. The audience can draw their own conclusions from there. Maybe another chance is inconclusive, still uncertain, but hopeful enough.

And then, unprepared for Elysium to use him as a headrest and a heater combined, Yesod stands a little more rigidly, too still, though he soon turns his head slightly to peer at the towel now brushing against his face. None of it consists of sensations beyond the weight of Elysium's head leaning on his shoulder or the temperature of the water dripping onto him, soaking into his clothing, colder compared to their surroundings.

(But he remembers each so-called dream, not long ago, and what it was like to experience them in a flesh-and-blood body.)

Is it really that cold...? It isn't unpleasant for him — he has felt rather like a piece of machinery left out in the sun lately. Perhaps he's radiating that heat... ]

Were you instructed to remain in your current state the entire time?

[ For however many scenarios. ]

[ The heat radiating off of Yesod is pleasant… so pleasant, that Elysium's subconsciously wrapping his arms around his frame now that he's all but powered himself down. Put what's practically a walking heat box in front of a freezing man and what do you expect him to do?!

Dry clothes, a nice bowl of soup despite the hot weather—this is where Elysium is at mentally, and it's easy to imagine that because he does regard Yesod as a friend, he's willing to get so close. Oops. Sorry if these photos end up being used for the show's social media reels, but a guy's struggling out here. ]

Can't help what sells, right? Whew…

[ he moves to bury his face in towel, wherever that so happens to be on yesod's person. is this what it might be like having to take care of an oversized dog? maybe. ]

[ The way I'm wondering now whether March's friendship contact efforts have progressed to box hugs by this point or this is Yesod's first hug ever... and it's not even a real hug...

To his credit, he doesn't immediately pull free or push Elysium away, despite being taken aback. This is no longer part of any script, after all, even if it will become social media material. It's possible that he is viewed as furniture, more or less.

It isn't something that he wants to examine at length. Reflexively, he moves his hands, palms against the front of Elysium's shirt like an ineffectual barrier maintaining some semblance of distance or to awkwardly prop him up for the moment.

Maybe, although Elysium usually has feathers, this really is like dealing with an oversized dog... ]

So you're willing to suffer for the money offered. I certainly hope that you won't regret it.

[ Then again, it's only water, and wet garments will dry. It isn't a sacrifice that will leave behind lasting marks. ]

[ Rather than break up the moment, it seems Yesod has been officially relegated to being Elysium's keeper… A larger towel is thrown his way, and so is a set of dry clothes as anything swapped into via the style upgrade would face the same fate as what he's wearing now.

But, he is pliant under Yesod's guidance. If his hands direct him to straighten himself out, he will, the only restriction being that he remains within an arm's reach for the space heater efficacy. ]

… Not quite. I had my own reasons, this time around. [ He puffs up a little, as if taking offense to being seen as materialistic.

Was the entire experience worth scrounging up enough for his final payment of his debt arc? Questionable. Still, it is what it is, and the job was simple enough aside from having to be drenched through to the bone for however long he has been. ]

Let's just say I've learned my lesson. [ He groans. ] So that aside, what are you doing here? This isn't your wheelhouse either, is it?

[ Being used as a space heater remains disconcerting, and Yesod's movements are stiff as he takes hold of the larger towel alongside the smaller one, bundling Elysium up in them to the best of his ability. ~~Hopefully the new dry towel is fluffy and big enough to create a comical cocoon??~~ The change of clothing is useless until Elysium has dried himself off and found a dressing room, he imagines.

(For a moment, his thoughts stray towards a memory of dark crystals protruding from a patch of skin.)

If the motivation behind taking part in these scenes wasn't any promised payment, was it the experience of meeting different people, the potential entertainment, nothing more? ]

Is that so...

[ The mysterious reasons, the lesson learned.

Before explaining his own presence here, Yesod hesitates. ]

Elijah... suggested these recent activities to the rest of us. Kali, Giovanni, and me. Moreover, a few months ago, she mentioned wanting to celebrate my birthday together when the time came.

[ This obviously isn't that, but it is a change from the early weeks here, when Malkuth was convinced that avoiding him and Netzach in public was necessary for their protection. ]

[ Elysium is, indeed, a veritable cocoon like this… 6'1" of cocoon, at which point he might be starting to feel an ache in his neck after bending over for so long, so at some point he'll stand at his full height just to try and stretch out tense muscles, pliant until he isn't. ]

… What do you mean by, 'Is that so?'

[ The huff is muffled under the towel, but there's nothing truly accusatory in his tone. ]

Alright, alright. It's nothing that deep, no need to try and dissect it. [ If he had free access to his arms and vision, one could imagine he'd be sorely tempted to flick the other's forehead about now… ] I just didn't want to say it because it's not that serious. I'm on my last payment for the party I threw back in May, and the lesson's mostly that I underestimated how much work they were going to make me do. The more I think about it? The more I think I'm being underpaid. Ugh.

[ He clicks his tongue. Tch!! ]

More importantly, you mentioned your birthday. When's that?

[ Thank you for making the cocoon canon, even if Elysium must suffer for warmth... Once Elysium has straightened up, Yesod regards him solemnly, as if to appraise his handiwork. The towels shouldn't impede Elysium's breathing, although they obstruct his vision and his freedom of movement while retaining whatever heat he managed to absorb.

Truthfully, he simply hadn't expected Elysium to elaborate on his remarks. The explanation is quite the story of an unfortunate outcome, albeit something that Elysium should have predicted. ]

Sensible budgeting is another lesson learned, I presume.

[ Was the thinking behind that party similar to Elysium's network listing, on a larger scale...? ]

As for my birthday... this month, to my knowledge.

[ Perhaps the date has already passed. ]

[ The feeling hadn't been unlike being preened… the thought of it is as disconcerting as the experience had been pleasant, and Elysium can't help but be thankful that he's fully covered, head bowing slightly despite himself. Somewhat self-consciously, his hands come up to preside over the towel, and with a half step back, he tousles at his hair a little more aggressively. ]

That would depend on your definition of it, but sure.

[ Which is to say, Elysium's well aware that his idea of 'sensible budgeting' isn't quite inline with the conventional standard of it… Said distantly, before he reins himself back in with a sigh and dissatisfied click of his tongue. ]

You're saying it's possible that it's passed, then. [ He peels the towel away to reveal an unimpressed glower, its efficacy debatable when his hair is … fluffed up much like a bird's feathers would, in cold. It's not directed at Yesod in particular, but the circumstance. ] … I never did get to grant one of your wishes. [ back during memshares… ] Should we trade it in and upgrade it to a birthday one?

[ more mildly: ]

It's been a while since I've thrown a party.

[ evidently… not celebrating it isn't an option. responsible pecuniary decisions. yeah!! ]

[ If only Yesod were the type to immortalize everything witnessed in these moments by taking a picture of the Elysium cocoon and feather-like fluff... Maybe the production crew has captured all of it. In any case, a little space placed between them is for the best, and Yesod meets Elysium's glower with a questioning stare and an arched eyebrow — in part because it does occur to him to point out that the vigorous towel use has left Elysium's hair in noticeable disarray.

First things first: apparently Elysium has very little interest in sensible budgeting. It's surprising, not unpleasantly so, that he brings up wishes to grant, though that conversation took place in a dream of sorts, in circumstances that applied only within that context. ]

Is it wise to contemplate another party?

[ And is it necessary? Yesod refrains from asking this second question, however — the answer, he surmises, might consider every occasion to celebrate important to acknowledge while one has the chance. ]

I'd like to know what you would request on your birthday.

Not everything has to be of the same scale, my friend!

[ There's a distant, morbid thought somewhere that it's probably unlikely that there ever will be something of similar scale to the bachelor party… unless there's another party capital out there for them to flagrantly spend their time and money.

Yesod's Dubai birthday party arc for the next year, coming soon to a Synflux near you?? ]

… You'd benefit from not overthinking these things so much. Is there nothing that comes to mind first? [ He breathes out an amused sound. But, without skipping a beat: ] Mine would be merchandise of my favourite band.

[ really, it's time with the people around him, but this is close enough. ]

[ Yesod fully agrees that nothing excessive is required (goodbye imaginary Dubai party arc...), but overthinking Elysium's response is inevitable. Band merchandise... His brow furrows. Perhaps Elysium merely enjoys listening to music, as Chesed does, as Daniel did, or he associates the band's songs with certain memories. ]

You asked me to name a wish for you to grant, and I did. You've granted it, then, although I would also be interested in hearing this band's music.

[ Like the hiking, he wonders what it might reveal. It's sure to be better than the phenomena caused by the Singing Machine or the Silent Orchestra... ]

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( open; ) summer episode part 2?

ii... praying for the endless hose and izou

praying for us

as i descend into ridiculousness

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