TDM 04

[goldmods]

【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-star resort and casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.

Due to a high volume of check-ins, temporary accommodations have been made on our brand new beachfront for new guests. We will endeavor to have all guests moved into their reserved rooms as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience. Affected guests may convene with the nearest lifeguard or reception for a complimentary swimsuit, at their earliest convenience.

Please remember that beach-appropriate attire is mandatory. Guests found breaking dress code may be escorted off the beach until they return in proper swimwear. We hope you enjoy your stay, and have a beachy keen experience. 】

BEACHFRONT PROPERTY

A BRAND NEW DEVELOPMENT

As the resort moves into what it claims is summer, the days grow longer. The sun is projected well into the evening, the heat of its warmth dialed up to a level some guests complain is unreasonable. Then there’s the most excessive transformation of all – half the Cloud Dwelling Gardens have been transformed into a sparkling beach of white sands and blue waves, seemingly overnight. Statues nearby have been dressed up with wide hats and stylish sarongs. Upbeat music fills the air without any discernible source.

A section of the beach has been reserved for a collection of bungalows. These cute pastel homes open straight onto the sand, and are comparable in size and amenity to a rank 7 or 8 suite. All screens within these bungalows are fixed to a channel that airs reruns of Boobwatch around the clock, a classic TV series about blue-footed boobys running in slow-motion across the beach. Staff and long-standing guests all agree — there’s no better summer programming than this!

IT’S FREE REAL ESTATE

▷ Thanks to a classic move called “overbooking,” new arrivals are being checked in to all this wondrous new property that’s just opened up. The catch? Why, characters are stuffed up to 4 in a room, of course. Don’t worry, that’s what the bunk beds are for!

▷ Characters still wake up naked save for a robe, as is standard for the Golden Peacock. This round’s robes are a light and breezy linen, patterned with tropical flowers and colorful designs. Some of these robes are more sheer than others. Watch out that the gentle breeze on the beach doesn’t reveal more than you wanted.

▷ Existing characters are welcome to temporarily take up residence in any empty slots in these homes. The staff understand that sometimes you want to pretend to be a brand new guest again, all bright-eyed and ready for adventure. They can even lock you out of your real room for an extra bit of authenticity. No need to ask! It’s all taken care of already.

THOSE WHO POUND SAND

▷ Several lifeguards have been newly hired to protect the beach and its visitors. These burly fellows and lasses all have three things in common: skimpy swimwear, rippling muscles, and seagull heads. They spend most of their time hanging out in groups, flexing and gossiping loudly. If characters approach them for their complimentary swimwear, they will provide whatever they’re currently wearing for them to use... by force, if necessary.

▷ Characters who seem particularly vulnerable or are holding something particularly tasty may find themselves surrounded by these lifeguards out of nowhere. The seagulls are relentless, pushing and shoving and pulling hair until they get what they want. Hope you didn’t like your sand castle very much. Those on the lower end of the rank scale will suffer the worst harassment, and they may even go out of their way to harass wildcards, 2s, and 3s just for the heck of it.

▷ Being new hires and fairly low on the resort staff hierarchy, these troublemakers can be easily chased off by someone of a high enough rank, or an assertive enough presence to pass as one. T-they’re not scared! They just remembered they have a mandatory group cawing session to get to! Buzz off!

FUN IN THE SUN

DON'T FORGET TO OIL UP

What’s a beach without fun and games? Dreadfully boring! That’s why all of the beach classics have been expertly set up by staff, including strip volleyball nets, giant boob-shaped beach balls, and plenty of floaties for use in the shallower areas of the temporary ocean. A row of parasols with paired lounge chairs underneath them are placed in some prime viewing areas for festivities. Any time you get thirsty, there’s always a cooler full of canned drinks conveniently nearby, courtesy of Cock-a-Doodle-Doo’s. Sometimes you can hear the staff whispering to each other, “What if it’s too perfect? We won’t be able to deal with the ratings dip once the beach ends!”

Seashells have been arbitrarily scattered along the shoreline, coming in both natural shapes and ones a little more... erotic. The sexiest ones of all are conch shells that let you hear the moans of another guest when held up to your ear; supposedly, if you hook up with the person on the other end of the shell, you’ll be extra lucky in the casino for the rest of the summer. All in all, it’s a carefully tailored creation that can be called nothing short of paradise.

THE BEACH BUNNY BARBECUE BONANZA

▷ This booth constantly has smoke billowing out the top and is manned during the entire day by one man – Steve, formerly from reception. It seems this is his punishment duty for be-bathrooming all of the arrivals, last time. Those willing to lend Steve a sympathetic ear will be entreated to bring him water, since the sweltering heat of the booth dries him out like nobody’s business. No matter how characters try to help him, though, a tragedy always occurs and the water always ends up spilled across the sand. That curse really is something, huh?

▷ The signature item at this cookout are the Flamin’ Hop Skewers. Made due to the current overpopulation in the Conservatory, these spicy-sweet — emphasis on the spicy — glazed skewers temporarily grant those who consume them the soul of a rabbit, including their insatiable desire to mate. Any rabbits that resort-goers have formed an attachment with have not been culled, so don’t worry about your precious buns!

▷ The booth also boasts several other exotic meats and vegetables that are considerably safer to eat, for guests who find themselves unable to overcome their attachment. Some of these skewers also feature fruits, including the hybrid ones from the previous gardening collab with the Dizzy Pigeon. Characters are free to revisit any of the Orchard prompts under the Smoky Nectar section of our PREVIOUS TDM.

A SHOW OF STRENGTH

▷ When the projected sun is at its highest, staff members will start bringing out tarps and watermelons, fresh from the gardens. What’s that, you ask? Oh, of course these were donated willingly! What a strange question!

▷ The goal is to smash the watermelon the staff give you until the succulent red fruit inside is splattered all across the tarp, perfect for falling comically into or... eating, if you’re into that. The rules are that you must use your buttocks to do so, and you only get two tries. Successfully cracking open the watermelon on the first try will earn characters a large payout, and if it’s on the second try, a medium payout.

▷ Failing to bust a watermelon at all won’t have any penalties associated with it, and you can always try again tomorrow! In order to keep their watermelon supplies steady for the duration of the beach festivities, the staff do ask that guests attempt this no more than once per day.

DAYDREAM PARASOLS

▷ Every umbrella set up on the sands has two lounge chairs set up underneath it, with a shared table between them. The chairs are padded and oh-so-comfy — sitting in them for too long while another person is present will result in both characters falling into a deep sleep.

▷ While asleep, characters will discover they’re sharing a dream with their umbrella-mate. The dream is always set on the same beach as the waking world, but there are floating clouds and sparkles in a range of pastel colors. Other beachgoers are faceless, if not entirely absent. It’s just the two of you.

▷ Anything the characters think of can drift in and out of the dreamscape, including but not limited to items from home, scary monsters to dramatically rescue your partner from, and strange abilities to fly or float through the air. However, characters will also be at full suit activation in the dream. Once both characters orgasm or they naturally wake up from their naps, they’ll find things are entirely back to normal, as much as they ever are in the resort.

NOTES

▶ All new arrivals have been issued four food and four clothing vouchers. These vouchers are as good as money around the resort. The staff will strongly insist on characters picking out "summery" attire with it, though.

▶ Existing characters may be booted into the bungalows or locked out of their room against their will. We leave it up to player discretion if this happens and the degree to which they're removed from their normal suite.

▶ For the Daydream Parasols, wildcards may be afflicted by whichever suit their player prefers for the duration of the dream. This will have no bearing on their suit selection when applying, and suit effects should not manifest once back in the waking world. It's just a dream, after all!

▶ The dreamscape has no explicit time limit, so feel free to make them as long or as short as desired. Dreams should also be sexy first and foremost. While you can include your mom dying in the background if you'd like, you have to be horny about it too.

TWINKLING CURRENTS

THE PARTY NEVER STOPS

As the sun sets in a cascade of colors over the water, lamps are lit and floating lights surface from the depths. Stars twinkle in the sky, and Steve is finally released from his smoky shackles. Though the daytime amenities have gone to sleep, the night promises its own set of beachy wonders sure to please even the most distinguished of vacationers.

Flyers posted in the lobby and in the hallways promise of a bar ran by the most enchanting mermaids you could ever want to fuck, as well as a fireworks show in every color, including ones you’ve never heard of. With the seagulls gone to bed, peace settles across the sands, tinted blue, yellow, and pink from the myriad of lights. For those seeking a more subdued, romantic air — this is the beach for you.

SWIM UP TO THE BAR

▷ While the advertisements promised mermaids, they were careful not to include any photos or illustrations. Wading out into the sea to the floating bar quickly illustrates why: these merfolk are fish on top, not the bottom! If asked about this configuration or accused of being unsexy, they’ll lift their elegant legs out of the water and exclaim, “How else would you be able to fuck us if not for these!” Though a few guests seem unsatisfied by this clarification, there are no complaints about the drinks themselves.

▷ HOLDING ON TO SUMMER. This cocktail brings seaberry-gin, limoncello, white crème de cacao, and freshly squeezed lemon juice over pebbled ice, wrapping you in decadent flavors accenting the season. Drinking this cocktail can cause you to be overcome with the desire to lean back and sink into the ocean itself, but fret not! It also grants you the wonderful ability to breathe underwater, no gills required! And it’s topped with a yummy little ball of white chocolate.

▷ MANGO STAR. A delightfully bright drink in a highball glass, the combination of elderflower rose syrup and seaberry-gin floats a summery pink over the orange mixture of mango juice, lime juice and honey syrup on the bottom. On top are two cute little stars cut out of mango, accented with mint leaves. Guests who drink this cocktail report some confusion in the identity of other guests, as just one drink is enough to shift perception of others. Other characters may appear to be different guests of the resort, or familiar faces from home.

▷ SEABERRY FLORADORA. This is a vibrant cocktail made of seaberry-gin, ginger beer, lime juice and raspberry syrup, highlighted by floral ice cubes and edible flowers. Despite its bright pink color indicating a level of cheerfulness for the summer, this flavorful cocktail causes guests to be quickly overwhelmed with a sense of loneliness. The longer this sensation goes on, the more guests will try to seek out company to aid in the ache, even if it means appearing quite desperate in the process. Each successive drink will increase the severity of the effect.

▷ BLACKBERRY ROSEMARY GIMLET. Blackberries, rosemary sprigs, simple syrup, and a combination of seaberry-gin and lime juice make this aromatic cocktail. It’s double strained over ice and garnished with a blackberry on a pick, giving it a regal appearance. Drinking this cocktail causes obsessive and possessive behavior, however — sometimes to extreme levels. Should your partner choose this cocktail to drink, you may not want to mention anything that could make them jealous. Each successive drink will increase the severity of the effect.

▷ JUST SOME SEAWATER? Questioning the mermaids and mermen on how they came to be the way that they are will result in them offering you an item off the sea-cret menu. Taking a glass from the bar, they dip it into the ocean and offer it right over to you. Drinking the seawater does, in fact, turn you into a very sexy reverse merman or mermaid. This occurs whether or not you drink it from the glass or take in a gulp while swimming, so watch out!

ACROSS THE NIGHT SKY

▷ Where else could you get a perfect view of the stars? Despite the sea of lights below, the artificial nature of the skies in the resort means that all guests get an unrivaled view of the galaxy. Which galaxy? Why, any of them — characters will see a shifting range of constellations from night to night, including ones they don’t recognize, ones shaped a bit like something you might find in Love Dove, and ones that are identical to those from their home. Happy gazing!

▷ A fireworks show is held every night, from 10PM until 1AM. The noises are just loud enough to block out a whispered confession timed correctly, but aren’t quite enough to inhibit conversation. Most of the fireworks are from a design series known as Matteo’s Masterpieces, and range from the standard burst to abstract shapes to... well, you know. Unlike the sloppy doodles found in the margins of books while Swan Lake was decaying, all of the boobs and dicks blasted across the sky are very well rendered. For fireworks.

SANDY SCAVENGING

A GAME OF BEACHES

It wouldn't be the Golden Peacock without a game for guests to play! All guests that wander into the beach area may find themselves receiving one of two Watch messages. Some very special guests may even receive both challenges — or continuously receive a new challenge when the last 24 hours is up. The resort just wants you to have the most fun possible!

SCAVENGER HUNT: EASY MODE (SFW)

Hello, dear guest. You have been randomly selected to play our EASY MODE: SCAVENGER HUNT! You have 24 hours to complete this hunt. Once completed, please submit your collected items to the nearest SEAGULL LIFEGUARD to claim your reward of Great Tit! Dessert Vouchers and a large payout.

Guests who do not complete the hunt in 24 hours will be hunted down and then publicly spanked by a SEAGULL LIFEGUARD.

Please note that items scavenged may not be personal items. They must be collected from other sources. Good luck!

1. Collect one unfinished drink.

2. Collect two kisses.

3. Collect three pairs of sunglasses.

4. Collect four sets of sandals.

5. Collect five feathers from a lifeguard.

SCAVENGER HUNT: HARD MODE (NSFW)

Hello, dear guest. You have been randomly selected to play our HARD MODE: SCAVENGER HUNT! You have 24 hours to complete this hunt. Once completed, please submit your collected items to the nearest SEAGULL LIFEGUARD to claim your reward of Naked Yolk Kink Vouchers and an extra-large payout. Winners will also be given a limited edition WINNER pin. Any guests wearing a WINNER pin will be treated as kings and queens of the beach, and be permitted to command any other guests as they see fit.

Guests who do not complete the hunt in 24 hours will be hunted down, stripped, and then strapped into the fuck pillory by our SEAGULL LIFEGUARDS. Losers will be free game for other guests to use for their pleasure.

Please note that items scavenged may not be personal items. They must be collected from other sources. Good luck!

1. Collect one cup of cum.

2. Collect two bite marks.

3. Collect three pubic hairs.

4. Collect four nudes (nude images).

5. Collect five bathing suit bottoms.

NOTES

▶ All effects from the swim-up bar last around 2-3 hours, but may be extended by having another drink.

INTO THE DEPTHS

IT'S HIGH TIDE WE GET OUT OF HERE

Though the beach experience is perfect on the surface, things are less elegant behind the scenes. Wave-making machines pulse and rattle down below, shaking the ceiling of the basement suites. Water leaks from pipes, streaking across walls and pooling on the uneven floors. The maintenance levels are abuzz with staff setting out buckets and pans, shooing lost guests away with a heightened level of urgency. Someone got a little too enthusiastic with mopping, they claim. Nothing to worry about at all!

Even the ocean itself isn’t without its issues. Despite appearing as a boundless expanse from the shore, the walls of the Golden Peacock are a very real factor. To avoid any undue damage to the screens that comprise the sky, the sea stops abruptly before it reaches them, cascading into a waterfall all the way down to the depths of the resort. Gentle currents become swirling vortexes and choppy waves, sure to pull down any guests that aren’t careful about where they swim. A few gull-guards patrol the line of buoys that mark the end of the safe swimming area, but the primary line of defense the resort relies on is the utter disinterest most of its guests have.

TUMBLING DOWN

▷ Characters who stray past the line of buoys out in the far sea will find themselves caught in a riptide that sucks them straight over the edge of the water. This applies both to characters swimming, or characters in some sort of vessel, such as a small rowboat borrowed from the staff.

▷ Feel free to make up any sort of vehicle rentals in general, as long as they’re reasonable in size — they should be able to accommodate 1-2 characters at most. A waverider would be okay, but a yacht would not.

▷ While falling down the waterfall, characters will temporarily black out before hitting anything solid. They will resurface anywhere there is standing water, whether that be a flooded hallway, in the Crane’s Respite, or even in someone’s open toilet bowl. There are no limitations on where in the resort the resurfacing can happen; even the bathrooms at Roost aren’t safe from this teleportation.

A RISING FLOOD

▷ Drainage is a difficult aspect to manage. Though the majority of the seawater is recycled to maintain the ocean above, enough of it is siphoned off for deeper filtration that the resort’s plumbing systems simply can’t handle the volume. Leaks are happening on all floors below ground, increasing in depth the further down into the basement characters go.

▷ Characters living in the rank 2, 3, and 4 suites may notice that in addition to having leaks in the hallway, their own rooms are also flooding. This can range anywhere from a constant, unpleasantly damp floor, to having an entire cascade of water blow them and any other unsuspecting guests down several hallways the moment their door is opened. Life vests are recommended.

▷ The flooding will intensify as the event goes on, culminating in some of the maintenance levels being entirely underwater towards the end of the event. Once the event is over, the flooding will recede within about a day, leaving only a few water stains here and there as evidence of their presence.

NOTES

▶ Any amount of standing water is a valid target for a character’s resurfacing, even something as minor as a glass of water. For situations where a character would not actively fit into the source of their arrival, they will be violently flung out of it, knocking over or spilling it in the process if that’s possible.

▶ As always, players are free to control the level to which their individual characters are affected, and being flooded out of their space is not mandatory.

---

OOC NOTES

INVITES | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

▶ BLANKET CW: alcohol; altered states; aphrodisiacs; breeding urge; delusions; forced clotheswearing; hallucinations; harassment and bullying; jealousy; thalassophobia; transformation; unreality

▶ All characters on the TDM are WILDCARDS, which means they have not yet been assigned a card value. The house is still observing and deciding. As rank and suits are assigned upon acceptance your character's suit will not manifest until they are accepted into the game.

▶ All TDMs are game canon. This TDM acts as the game's June event. The beach will ICly be present from June 15th - June 30th.

▶ Current characters may top level on the TDM. Any current characters posting to the TDM should note they are current in their subject header.

▶ The top level directory is for new characters only. We want to make sure new characters are prioritized and receive attention!

▶ If you aren't satisfied with these prompts, please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort! There are recent additions to the locations page as well, for those who have yet to see them!

▶ Smut threads that take place on this TDM can be used for rewards. If both parties in the smut thread join the game, you may retroactively apply the character's initial card values to your 52 bank. If one character does not join the game the thread will not be applicable toward rewards (as that character would not have a card value). The character that does join would still receive a small payout for the encounter. Hopefully it was a fun thread regardless!

▶ We ask you to kindly add content warnings to your threads as appropriate.

▶ If you do not currently have permissions and kinks listed in your character’s journal we suggest leaving a note in your top level of any limits or boundaries for other players to reference.

▶ Don't forget your sunscreen! We'd hate for any chicken wings to come out burnt.

NAVIGATION • LOG • NETWORK • OOC • MEME

Comments

[pyrolyzed]

[ That ... gives him pause.

Not enough to snap him out of the odd delusion the drink's cast over him -- especially since the drink was tasty enough he'd had two -- but enough that Fuuta just stares at Aak for a moment, brow furrowed and lips parted in obvious confusion. When he does speak, he sounds a little cautious, a little concerned, and also a little annoyed. ]

Since when did you start talking like that? [ A little click of the tongue as he glances aside. ] Did Muu get into your head about it? Never did like the way she treats you ... you shouldn't've been hanging around her so much, you know.

[ Still, for all his griping, Fuuta does seem somewhat relieved to see whoever it is he's mistaken Aak for. His grip remains firm around Aak's wrist, like he's concerned about letting go. Further bolstered by what he says next, as he tugs Aak to stand a bit closer to him. ]

You didn't go wandering anywhere weird, did you. This place is ... probably better than back there, but there's still plenty of weird shit around here. You shouldn't go messin' with stuff casually, alright.

[malpwactice]

[When Fuuta looks at him, Aak wonders if he messed the game up immediately. It's not like he has any idea who Fuuta would hang out with normally. He constantly fell into the web of troublemakers so acting like normal felt natural. When he starts speaking again, Aak tries to pick up any little detail he can. Not like that, someone named Muu, the way she treats you...]

[He follows when Fuuta urges him closer. A part of him wants to take Fuuta's hand for the reaction but that's sacrificing the long game. Instead, he stands only a few inches away, shoulder-to-shoulder.]

N- [Not "nah."] No. I was just walking along the beach. We're not... going to get hurt here, are we?

[He tries a more shy approach. If it was someone who hung around a rougher type, if it was someone Fuuta felt protective over... Aak's mental picture is some shivering schoolgirl maiden. He's not a good enough actor to play that but he can at least sound unsure.]

[pyrolyzed]

[ Good call. While Aak's guessed the gender wrong, the rest of it isn't entirely incorrect -- that nervous little stutter, especially, hits the mark enough that Fuuta reflexively gives Aak's wrist a little squeeze in an clumsy attempt to be reassuring. ]

No, s'not that. It's not dangerous or anything. It's ...

[ And here's where he hesitates, voice petering off into an uneasy grunt.

... how old was Haruka again? Like, seventeen? Eighteen? He probably knows about sex and all that then, right? Even if he's kind of stupid and stunted and naive about things, he must have still gone through puberty and figured out what it's like to ... feel good. Still, the prospect of straight up having to tell him, 'yeah, you're just going to have sex with strangers here' is making his stomach tie itself into a knot, and Fuuta's face is a touch red when he meets Aak's gaze again. ]

-- it's fine. Just stick by me, alright? [ Said as he tugs Aak to start following after him. ] Let's head somewhere quieter. And if you ... see people doing dirty stuff on the way, just ignore it. You know what I mean, right?

[malpwactice]

[There's the squeeze on his wrist and Aak glances to the side to try and hide his instinctive grin. He was sincerely trying to help and that means Aak had to try really hard not to laugh. When he glances back, he's evened out his expression. At least there was the delay of Fuuta's embarrassment that gave him extra time.]

[Too shy to say it right away, huh? Aak's making judgments but keeping any commentary to himself. As he trails a bit behind, he makes sure to react when Fuuta says "dirty stuff."]

Ah... [He can't blush on command, but he can bring his forearm up to his face and hide behind it. His eyes dart over to Fuuta, checking if it's landing, before back to his arm. He could trail behind without really looking. After all, Fuuta was being such a good chaperone for him! (Hehe)]

I did... I saw it... [Internally, he's wondering how the hell someone could not see it. It's fine. He channels one of the girls on the landship, the one with the bitter herbal medicine. One time Aak had chatted with her and she barely got a word out in response.]

[pyrolyzed]

[ Ugh. Of fucking course. He'd promptly looked back at that hesitant little noise, and Fuuta's footsteps slow when he hear those choked words and the way Aak seems to hide behind his arm.

Aak would earn a 8/10 on acting, for the record. Though it's not entirely in character, it's close enough to the real thing to pass without question, especially since Fuuta's still very much under the influence of that drink. ]

Yeah, well. [ In response, Fuuta mostly looks awkward and a little troubled, expression scrunched up and grip tightening around Aak's wrist for a moment before he resumes his forward march towards one of the quieter-looking food stalls. It's practically visible, the way the tiny gears in his head are all whirring away, trying to conjure up the right thing to say. ] ... don't worry about it. It's just, like, something people here gotta do. But it's not a big deal or anything. You can deal with it later.

[ Oh, he's cringing a little just saying that. 'Later' is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here; he doesn't want to think about this whole deal just yet. So. Time to try and change the subject: ]

You want something to eat? [ His wallet can take a little hit for the sake of providing a distraction for now. ]

[malpwactice]

[The hardest part of acting was, as always, biting down on his quips and thoughts. At least he has the advantage of the drink and whatever effect Fuuta is under. And all that happens if he messes up is-]

[-well, Aak isn't really thinking about it. In his mind, Fuuta initiated this whole thing. Here he was playing along just to see what happened. When the older boy's back is turned, a smile slips back onto his lips. It's not a big deal. He bites back a comment about rabbits or mating. Still, if this was someone Fuuta knew, if he cared enough to try and shepherd him around, that care should be mutual, right?]

Does... does that mean, you, too...? [He tries to envision it, someone you know, someone you trust, how would it feel to know they were getting dicked down on the regular? Ah, it's no good, most of the people he can vaguely imagine bring him a grimace rather than nerves or intensity.]

Um. [a pointed pause] Right, um... food. That would be good. Thanks.

[He smiles and tries to also furrow his eyebrows. He's a little worse at conveying worry or concern.]

[pyrolyzed]

[ At least Aak isn't alone in that sentiment.

Even seen in profile, Fuuta's face scrunches up into an obvious grimace of discomfort at that question because -- yeah, he hadn't wanted to imagine any of his fellow Milgram prisoners stuck in this place, either? Even if it's not like he's close to them or anything, it still feels weird to think too hard about any of them having sex. Or having them know what he's been up to in this dumb sex resort. ]

S'none of your business.

[ Those snippy words leave him before he can stop them, and Fuuta immediately regrets it. He's quick to squeeze tighter at Aak's wrist afterwards, as if to prevent him from pulling away and fleeing, and he huffs a short sigh before looking back and adding a little more evenly -- ]

I mean, it's just what you gotta do to survive here, alright. And I can fend for myself. You should worry about yourself, instead. ... I'll do what I can to help you, but you're still a man, so you gotta watch your own back, alright?

[malpwactice]

[He's so used to seeing Fuuta reduced to embarrassment that the bite in that retort surprises him a little. Aak can imagine Fuuta saying something like that to his real face. He'd probably laugh at it. So, even this person he recognizes, he'd keep secrets from, huh? The inquiries were just annoying probing from someone who didn't have the right to know?]

[But it's not annoying enough to let go of his wrist, or run away in a huff. There's a little moment, the tiniest moment, that he actually feels a bit of respect for Fuuta's maturity in the matter.]

[It definitely derails his train of thought, where he's envisioning this shrinking violet, for Fuuta to then assert that he's a man and has to watch his own back. There's a moment he's looking at Fuuta and just looks befuddled.]

[He could keep up the act, get some free food, and possibly learn something more about where the older boy came from. But there's something so funny about the situation they're in, and the advice he's being given, that it becomes irresistible to act up.]

Worry about myself...

[he takes a step forward and brings his other hand up, tucking it under Fuuta's chin and keeping the other's face pointed at him]

So, if I did taste something here... it's my job to take care of it, right? And you'll do what you can to "help"?

[pyrolyzed]

[ It's jarring enough just having 'Haruka' suddenly step ahead of him. Like, yeah, the guy's changed a bit after their first round of verdicts, but was he this decisive? What really stymies him, though, is the touch of fingers under his chin, nudging his gaze over.

It's so startling that Fuuta can only gape wide-eyed for a moment, lips parted in clear shock, before he finally jerks his head back away from Aak's hand. ]

What th -- I dunno where the hell you learned that, but don't go doing that to just anyone, alright. People're gonna think you're, like ... picking a fight with'em.

[ There's a touch of flustered heat to his cheeks, but frankly, he's more weirded out than he is at all aroused. Something definitely feels off by this point, and Fuuta squints at 'Haruka' for a moment before raising his free hand to rub at his eye, the pad of his thumb pressed into his temple. Why does it feel like he's missing something ... ]

And, look. [ He heaves a sigh before looking at Aak once more. (Huh. Weird. Haruka was a fair bit taller than him. Why is it he doesn't need to look up to meet his gaze?) Even as confusion continues to mar his expression, Fuuta speaks as firmly as he can. ] I'll ... help, if you need it. But you know that's not something you should just be talking about so casually, right. Even if this place is like this. Think it over carefully before you just say that kind of thing.

[ God, he can already imagine someone like Rin laughing at him for saying something like that here, in this ludicrous place. But, like. He knows he's not wrong. And could he be blamed for wanting to maintain some level of integrity? Especially when he's talking to people he feels like he needs to protect, still. ]

[malpwactice]

[The corners of Aak's lips quirk up again. Picking a fight? He thinks it was pretty obvious what he was proposing. But it's true, as himself, he's here picking a fight. He's here to push Fuuta's buttons and rather that lay low long enough to find the funniest ones he's just started mashing a few at a time to see what he can see.]

[That set of presses hadn't broken the spell yet. He's still being spoken to with a kind of self-held authority. Rather than a helpless Fuuta yelling at the crazy system it was a guy trying to assert what was normal in a fundamentally abnormal place.]

[(Which Aak might think more kindly of, if not for the fact he was an abnormal thing.)]

... so, should I date someone first? Should I get 'em, [ahem] should I get them flowers?

[While Fuuta may have pulled away from his hand, Aak's now maintaining his own level of personal space. He's barely an inch away from Fuuta, trying to make it that much harder for the other man to keep averting his gaze.]

Oh, how about... if I just get into enough stuff that I never have to say I like it? Then it's not my fault.

[While Aak has gotten his lips pursed together and avoided the smile there he can't get rid of the smile in his eyes. It's his call on Fuuta and how he struggled against what this place wanted him to be. Aak has never had to struggle with it because he threw his standards under the bus a long time ago.]

[pyrolyzed]

[ It's hard for him to pinpoint exactly what feels so wrong about this whole conversation. Haruka's always been a bit ... off, after all. And plenty of this weird behavior falls in line with the shit he'd pull. The inability to maintain proper personal space -- yeah, seems about right. The off-kilter questions -- sure. Even the weird, unsettling glint to the eye peering at him isn't the deciding factor -- Haruka's been a bit weird since the first trial ended after all.

But somehow, all of those puzzle pieces in conjunction just feel wrong in a way that makes his skin crawl. And when 'Haruka' leans in close enough that he feels the brush of what feels like fur against his wrist -- ]

Oi.

[ The only warning Aak gets is a hard tense and a brief baring of jagged teeth before Fuuta abruptly grabs at his shirtfront. And while the display of force stops there, because for all his bristling and growling Fuuta will always balk at the prospect of using force, Fuuta does nail him with a hard glare, clearly pissed-off and on-edge by this point. ]

... are you really Haruka?

[ His fingers twist harder into the fabric of Aak's shirt, probably enough that the neckline starts digging in painfully, but Fuuta's in no mood to ease off. Especially because he's partially distracted trying to blink the weird fuzziness out of his field of vision. -- why does 'Haruka's' outline keep fritzing and blurring? His free hand rises to hastily scuff across his eye, trying to clear his vision. ]

If this is some -- some bullshit game or something, I'm not interested. You better not just be messing with me. Or him.

[malpwactice]

[Aak's grabbed by the material of his wetsuit and quickly lets out a nerve-tinged laugh. It's not the hardest anyone's ever been with him, not by a mile. It's that line he's walking, the fun of playing around in a situation he shouldn't. The idea that he could keep playing- even with Fuuta twisting his grip tighter, he still might think he's "Haruka."]

[even if he lied, though, he's flipped the switch of suspicion, and laying low to try and ease things back for some snippet of information sounded boring]

Don't wooo~rry, Haruka's fine. Probably. [since, like, never met him]

You only got one eye and your vision's going that bad, huh? I'm not taking credit for that one, that's gotta be someone else's drug.

[pyrolyzed]

[ It's not until that blasé mention of drugs that things finally click. ]

-- you're Aak, aren't you.

[ Fuuta squints hard even as he grips harder into that handful of wetsuit. But even before his vision's properly cleared up, the shape of 'Haruka' before him still fritzing through with weird streaks of orange and black like he's trying to squint at two images laid over each other, his anger's already starting to make itself clear. Teeth grit audibly as his next exhale comes in a hard huff, then Fuuta abruptly fists his other hand into Aak's clothes as well, jerking him close so he can snarl right into the guy's face: ]

The hell's your fucking problem, seriously?!

[ It's not the first time he's yelled this at Aak, and it almost certainly won't be the last. But there's a genuine anger and venom to the words this time, something stronger than his usual bristly irritation, and Fuuta shakes Aak with both hands as he continues to bear in, practically barking each word at him. ]

-- you know how fucked up that is?! Pretending to be someone else like that! Do you have any idea what a messed up thing that could've been, aah?! [ Yes, they're drawing stares from the passersby, but he can't bring himself to care at the moment. A combination of sickly relief that someone like Haruka isn't actually here, disappointment that he continues to be stuck here without any familiar faces, and genuine anger at how bullshit this is has the words spilling forth before he can even think to catch them. ] You don't know shit about me, or where I've been! Who I thought you were! Or, what -- you think it would've been funny if I thought you were someone important to me? What if I thought they were in serious trouble? What if I thought they were dead! Are you fucking insane?!

[malpwactice]

[The blurred overlay of Haruka and Aak grins widely for that first moment of realization. The grin stays locked in place as Fuuta pulls him closer. He's been shaken by worse. He's been yelled at worse. He's had big guys up in his face getting spittle on his fur, so this should be nothing.]

[As each line is barked at him, though, the high of the initial anger leaves him. It spirals to him being chewed out for obvious things. It wasn't the kind of thing he could feel elated about. The grin slides away, the corners of his mouth fall down. It doesn't ever seem to hit remorse. It was fucked up, it was messed up- and, yea, he thought it'd be funny.]

[The questions hit in such rapid succession. He couldn't answer them, of course. In his experience, people never actually wanted the answer to stuff like that. They just want him to think about it and feel bad. So, the last question hangs in the air as the rest of the world starts to fill back in. The sound of the water lapping against their ankles and the sound of bystanders trying to assess if this drama was juicy enough.]

... yeesh, [a thoughtful and heartfelt response,] be mad at whatever fucked up your vision, not me.

[And so, he's tossed ownership of the blame immediately out the metaphorical window. Something in his insides feels twisted up, a part of him does feel bad, but he refuses to yield to it.]

[pyrolyzed]

[ It's not even that he really wants Haruka to be here. -- actually, he knows for a fact that Haruka doesn't belong in a place like this, it just wouldn't be right. Setting aside his age, his mentality and his attitude would have meant him ending up here would be like throwing him to the wolves. But even so ... he hadn't been able to help feeling a tiny, tiny spark of relief at seeing a familiar face here, at having someone here who'd be able to confirm that he hadn't cooked up the entire miserable experience of Milgram in his head as some sort of sick fever dream.

And Aak had fed that spark, deliberately, even knowing he'd be the one to squelch it afterwards.

Unable to even find the proper words to give his anger shape, Fuuta just seethes at Aak for a moment, gaze wild and breaths coming in furious huffs. Then -- ]

Of course I'm mad at them, too. But you still fucked up.

[ There's no further warning before Fuuta tightens his grip on Aak's shirtfront and starts dragging him across the sand; Fuuta is barely any better than Aak when it comes to being twiggy and relatively weak, but fueled by indignation and anger, he can muster just enough strength to accomplish the task. Not to mention, he doesn't need to drag Aak far -- just to the water, so he can chuck him bodily into the next wave that comes crashing in. ]

[malpwactice]

[There were some people he had met here that were like him. With those people, he knew that no matter how irritating they were to each other they could bounce back. They were the miserable kind of people who loved to poke at people's insecurities. Fuuta was his own brand of miserable but,]

[There's a part of Aak that wonders if this will just be it. It will be the time he overstepped a line and turns friendly banter into cold silence. He's used to that. It happened more often than not and there was no Hung here to try and smooth things over or force him to apologize. Maybe that's why Aak doesn't struggle too much as he's yanked around. There's an inevitability in it.]

[Where's he even taking me, anyways- suddenly his weight is flung so that his body curves and flops into the water like the world's furriest catfish. It's not that deep. The most that happens is his shoulder hitting against the sand and the artificial flooring and his head get unpleasantly under the water for a moment.]

Pff! [the second his head's above water again he's just spraying out the water that ended up there. With his fluffy hair all wet he certainly looks pathetic, albeit maybe not pathetic enough to cover what he did.]