acatalepsy_logs | Don't Skip Your Flu Shot

Who: Everyone! It's a mingle post for the first week of Struxta sickness!!
Where: All around the temple
When: During the first week of the sickness
Rating PG?? At most??
What: Curry, blankets and pillow forts, and other assorted sick things

[With the Struxta illness sweeping through the temple like a wildfire, and with so many new arrivals trying to get adjusted to temple living, it's probably no surprise that things around the Astoria's little pocket of space have gotten a little hectic. Feeling under the weather? Looking for something warm to soothe that scratchy throat? Just want to curl up underneath a pile of blankets and not move for like, seven hours or so? Never fear! A Mysterious Helper (TM) has you covered]

A. Curry in the Kitchen

[The kitchen smells extremely nice during lunchtime this week, the only meal of the day that isn't pre-prepared by the misty servants. Like the scent of coffee intermingled with complementary spices. Those who take the initiative to investigate will find something pleasant waiting for them. A few pots of fresh made curry and steamed rice; a few pots of miso soup (a. . . little on the salty side, sorry); and some freshly brewed coffee already poured into individual mugs, along with cream and sugar and whatever additives your heart desires. It's all strewn out across the counter tops with a handwritten note pinned against the wall above the stove:]

Help yourself, and get well soon.

[There isn't any sign of the mysterious chef when you enter the kitchen, and if you arrive near the end of lunch hour, some of the food and coffee miiiiight be a bit cold. But hey! This might be a good chance to mingle with some of your new coworkers who are also seeking out a warm meal to help quell some of their cold symptoms. Just please don't sneeze into the curry pot, thanks. . .]

[Lunch will be laid out in the kitchen every day at lunchtime for the entire first week of the sickness. Help yourselves!]

B. The Temple Hallways

[THERE ARE BLANKETS AND PILLOWS EVERYWHERE]

[. . . no, seriously. For some reason, it's like you can't even walk down a hallway without tripping over a bundled up blanket or a pillow. What's up with that! For the most part, they're normal bedtime accessories, although you may find a bundle of pillows and blankets stacked up into an ENTIRE PILLOW FORT if you're lucky.]

[Pinned to the walls of the hallways (not every hallway, but enough of them that it should be easy to find one of the signs without wandering for too long) are more handwritten signs:]

Whoever can build the tallest pillow fort will receive one (1) high five as a grand prize. Good luck. Blanket provider is not responsible for anyone accidentally falling asleep in the hallways and blocking your route back to your bedroom.

[Hm. Well, that's weird. Anyway! You can build a pillow fort if you want, grab some blankets to take back to your room, or. . . nap in the hallways. Or do whatever! They're all free for the taking. Maybe you could even team up with another Circle member to try and win that extremely coveted high five??]

C. Wildcard

[Don't feel like interacting with any of the above? That's okay! Make your own prompt based on the event stuff over here, or just use this post for. . . whatever you want! It's totally and completely open for mingling for new and old characters alike, so. HAVE FUN ♥]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[it's amazing he hasn't devolved into a series of coughs himself, tbh]

Yeah, you'd better. You're number one on my list; I expect that to be reciprocated.

[he's teasing]

Obviously.

[Whether she realizes it or not, she's already told him plenty about her own personal life, but for now:]

As soon as there's something to tell, you're my number one, too. Could be a long wait, though.

[She just doesn't really consider dating to be anywhere near the top of her list of priorities.]

[a long wait, huh. . . Akira isn't sure if that's for the best or not. if Ann ever realized her feelings for Ryuji, and if Ryuji ever reciprocated those, he doesn't know if it'd be better for them to get together while he's still working through his own feelings. . . or well after he's left them behind. if he can truly leave them behind]

[so there's a pause, a moment where Akira's gaze flickers away, affixed on a lopsided stone built into the wall opposite]

It's not like there's a rush.

[he eventually says]

You can take as long as you want, until you're comfortable.

[Something about that strikes her as a little weird, and she tilts her head to look directly at him, her expression almost owlish.]

I just figure... whenever I'm ready for something to happen, it'll happen.

[Which implies that maybe, just maybe, she's done some thinking and isn't quite as oblivious as she seemed the last time they talked about relationships.]

It's just... not a priority for me right now, you know? I want to be the best Ann I can be before I bring someone else into the picture.

Mmm.

[he thinks on that for a bit. chooses his words carefully, and tries to give the best advice he's got. Akira has always been pretty good at maintaining relationships-- platonic or otherwise-- and for someone like Ann? he wants to do his best]

You're right. When you're ready for something to happen, it'll happen. But it doesn't have to be a priority for it to happen.

[ah. . . he should explain what he means by that]

Sometimes it's nice to have someone there helping you be the best person you can be, you know?

[Being the best person she can be? Gee, that sounds a lot like what she and Ryuji touched on during their big talk in Struxta— but Ann is quick to put that out of her mind.]

Okay, maybe it doesn't have to be a priority, but...

[She has plenty of reasons for not being all that interested in dating, and it's not just not knowing how to deal with the feelings she might already have. Being used the way she was, treated the way so many people have treated her over the years—

It changes you. It makes it hard to trust.]

You and Ryuji already do that. Since meeting you, I've only ever wanted to become the best possible version of myself.

[makes it hard to trust. wasn't that one of the things that initially brought them all together? the events that changed them, and shoved them onto the outskirts of society so they were always looking in, unable to really trust anyone else inside of it? that's something Akira understands, and understands well]

. . . oh yeah?

[Akira tilts his head in Ann's direction, searching her expression keenly]

I think you're doing a pretty damn good job of that, for what it's worth.

[She smiles, softer than the ones that had come before it, and she hugs her knees to her chest.]

I don't know if I'm there yet, but I'm glad you think so.

[After all, he's the one who's been helping her to strengthen her heart.]

I can't even imagine where I'd be without you. So— I definitely get what you're saying about having someone who inspires you, but... my friends already give me the push I need.

[She leans to rest her head on his shoulder a little— she likes things the way they are. It's fine for Akira to move forward, and she's genuinely happy for him and Rion, but— well. Maybe she's just a little bit of a late bloomer.]

[Ann rests her head against his shoulder, and Akira leans into that happily, tilting his until his cheek is pressed against her crown]

That's what being a part of a team is about. Taking inspiration from others, and inspiring them in return.

[a brief pause, to find his words]

You're amazing, Ann. If we give you the push you need, then I know for a fact you give us exactly as good as you get.

[She smiles, and her hand appears in front of him palm-up, prepared for a low-five even as she feels some of the weariness of this bug settling into her bones. She might very well just drift of here and now, if she's not careful.]

Just doing my part. Team work makes the dream work, right?

[Okay, lame, but— they are a great team.]

I'm just... gonna stay here for a little while, I think. All of that fort-building really took it out of me.

[Not to mention the bitter sting of disappointment as her pillow fort had come tumbling down.]

Lame.

[but he likes it, judging by the way he totally taps her palm with his own. BATON PASS, GET!!]

But in a cute way. [oh] You can stay here as long as you'd like, Ann.

[he isn't going anywhere, and his shoulder makes a great pillow]

[Aw yes, the baton pass of approval. Her smile hitches a little wider, though sleepily so.]

It was pretty lame, wasn't it?

[But even if he hadn't added that clarification of his— she doesn't sound terrible offended. She stifles an oncoming yawn, giving a slow nod as she feels her eyelids start to get heavy.]

You should rest, too...

[watching Ann droop off into sleep is making Akira tired too, actually. . . weird how that works. he slumps a bit against her, stifling a yawn of his own with his palm pressed against his mouth]

What if I don't want to. . .

[except he does]

Then do it because I said so.

[She smiles a little even as her eyelids fall completely shut. That's good enough reason, isn't it?]

[seems like it is! because the only response she gets is some incoherent, unintelligible mumbling as Akira leans his head back against the wall]

[. . . this is a terrible place to take a nap, and yet! they're doing it]

Don't Skip Your Flu Shot

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