AFTER-ICE-CREAM-PARTY

[pecker]

[Boy everyone is so bloodthirsty tonight. And now a kid is dead and another is gonna execute. Do y'all need some baskin robbins, because it seems like you do!!! So before everyone can leave, Niwatori raises her voice louder than it's gone before now to draw a little attention, and then deflates immediately when she actually gets it.]

Excuse me, please! U-um... this case was really hard, and I think we could all use some time to cool our heads before we finally go back. So... ice cream? Who's with me?

[she'll lead the pack there and anyone else can go home or to visit Clarisse on the set of Orange is the new Black.

Niwa's not that good of a host though, she just gets her own ice cream and lets everyone serve themselves. Who is she to limit your freedom. (Someone who doesn't want to be partly responsible for a Millium Monstrosity, that's who.)]

Comments

[unfashionably]

[ ... Another rough one. He isn't much in the partying mood, but last time sitting around by himself in an empty room didn't help his mood much. So... here he is, at the party and, yeah, he's chewing on white spoons. If you pay attention, you might even see him swallow the pieces. This is a pretty weird choice of comfort food.

At least he has some vanilla ice cream in front of him too.

Later, if you aren't in the partying mood and wanna wave him down, he'll be wandering around the town. It's aimless strolling, but fresh air always helps him clear his head. ]

wandering

[robitussin]

[She avoids the party and wants to avoid most people, but when she leaves to clear her head, she happens across him. He's... one of the few people right now who could make her stop in her tracks, even if she hesitates before she says anything to him.]

...Hey. I wanted to, um...

[She trails off before revealing what it was she wanted to do, though.]

[unfashionably]

[ He has to admit, he didn't expect to run into anyone else wandering around the streets. They're a more popular place than he expected, but... maybe that's not a bad thing. He's always been better at talking to people than dealing with his problems by himself.

Slowly, he reaches up to rub his neck. ]

Talk? [ He helpfully suggests it for her. It might be more than that, it might not be, but regardless he continues. ] If it's about the trial... Don't worry about it. We all do and say some crazy stuff during those things.

[robitussin]

...Apologize, actually.

[As prideful as she can be, it sounds like it's hard for her to say those words - even as he says not to worry about it, she gives a small shrug.]

I'm sure you're, like, fine at what you do. I could have said you were acting weird without saying that you weren't acting like a good leader. That's it.

[unfashionably]

Oh.

[ There's a short pause as he tries to gather his thoughts and figure out what he wants to say. But he's never been good at that—it's always been easier for him to blurt out what comes to mind first. So, that's what he does. ]

No, when it comes down to it? I really am inexperienced as a guild master. That's just how it is, and it might hurt to hear but... can't argue with the truth. [ Quickly, he glances away before he steps just a tiny bit closer. ] ... how are you holding up after the trial anyway? You were talking to Clarisse just as much as I was. That must've been hard on you.

[ The whole thing was probably hard on her, come to think of it. ]

[robitussin]

Sure, but - in the end, you were right.

[She's not good at distributing praise, but that's a fact. His instinct was the right one to follow, regardless of whether he was under suspicion too.

Either way, she pauses as he steps closer, and blinks in surprise as he asks that. She's never too comfortable with people showing that kind of concern; it's too foreign for her to know how to respond.]

I'm... fine. I mean, it's not like we decided on the wrong person or anything. You don't need to, um... I'm fine.

[unfashionably]

[ Just like before—she's right. He can't deny that. While he could say more, that doesn't seem like the best option for either of them right now. So, hesitantly, he nods in acceptance.

Then, he focuses on what she says next. ]

Are you sure?

wandering

[amburere]

[ Parties are for losers. Dabi's actually got a destination in mind, but he stops when he sees Sting and walks over. ]

Guess you get to eat more spoons.

[unfashionably]

[ Dabi's voice, here of all places? That's another surprise. He responds to the comment with a grin that's almost as cheerful as he feels. ]

Guess so.

[ But, then it falls from his face and his expression softens. As long as he's here, then... might as well say this. ]

Hey, Dabi?

[amburere]

[ Hey, walking around in the dark of night suits him much better than hanging out an ice cream parlor. ]

What?

[unfashionably]

[ The continuation is exactly what you might expect. ]

Thanks, really... thanks. For everything. [ He didn't get a chance to say it earlier, but you believing in him? It meant a lot. ]

[amburere]

Don't. [ He shoves his hands into his pockets and opts not to explain. ]

I don't like stupidity, and the trial was full of it. They'd do anything to justify their feelings.

ice cream

[quickpersuader]

[Kino is pretty confident about being able to eat a lot, but this is something else. The traveler spends some time staring at Sting as he eats those spoons, only eventually walking over to him properly.]

How are you...?

[Doing that, is probably where that sentence was going.]

[unfashionably]

[ If it is, he's completely off-topic with his reply. Eating stuff like this comes naturally to a dragon slayer, so much so he doesn't even consider that's what Kino is trying to say. ]

... I don't know. [ This is the most honest answer he can give right now. His eyes flick to the remains of his latest plastic victim before they lock onto Kino. ] How about you?

[quickpersuader]

[...Wait what. It takes Kino a bit to put it together.]

I meant - how are you... eating those?

[unfashionably]

What? [ That's what she meant? Embarrassed by his mistake, he tries to ignore the heat rising in his cheeks. ] Uh... The same way you eat anything else, I guess? It's just something we dragon slayers do.

[quickpersuader]

...

Are your teeth extra hard?

[Staring at his mouth like this will give answers.]

wandering

[burgerprince]

[Jughead's been avoiding the party for both the primary reason of social interaction, and the secondary reason of being completely freaked by how many people had volunteered for execution. Walking always helped him deal with his feelings, though it was usually in the form of running away, and when he sees Sting that's one of the first things he wants to do.

But he had to be different than that now, and so he awkwardly approaches, speaking up.]

Hey.

[unfashionably]

[ That's another voice he didn't expect to hear. At first, all he can do is stiffly return the greeting. ] Hey.

[ It's only after he speaks that he freezes. It doesn't have to be like this, does it? Not for him and not for anyone else either. With one exhale his shoulders lower and some of the tension starts leaving his body. Right, he can do this. ] Before you say anything else... I'm sorry about today. All of it. The things Clarisse and I were saying to each other around you? You didn't deserve to be in the middle of that.

[burgerprince]

[Jughead, in all honesty, wasn't expecting an apology from Sting at all. He's taken aback for a moment; he was just accusing him of trying to set up a frame job, after all.

Instinctively, he shrugs.]

Whatever. [The tone is less dismissive, and more another way to say 'it's fine'.] What's a murder trial without a little yelling, right?

Ice cream

[streetwolf]

[Hope you don't mind hovering. Cause Wayne stands nearby for a good minute before deciding to speak.]

...I guess I owe you an apology.

[He's scowling, hands in his pockets. Like he'd rather be somewhere else. He doesn't do this often.]

[unfashionably]

[ Hover away, Wayne! He doesn't mind, and if Wayne hadn't spoken up when he did? Sting would've. It's better he waited though because what he hears surprises him.

Quickly, he glances away. ]

No worries, man. There was a lot going on. [ And, frankly, someone died. Someone a lot of people liked. Tensions were obviously high. ]

[streetwolf]

Maybe so...[There's little in it.]

Feels wrong saying it. But I figured with the whole assassin thing there wouldn't have been so much damage.

[unfashionably]

My bet's she was counting on that to get away with it. Bakguou... he really made a mess. [ He sounds more sad about that than anything else. They never spoke, but he was young. Losing anyone would have been tough, but losing a kid? Even worse. ]

Well, despite that... we did get her in the end. That has to count for something. [ He's saying this but, frankly, he doesn't sound convinced of it. ]

[streetwolf]

He did. He was a good kid though... Could you imagine what would of happened if he weren't and got close to someone though?

I guess. I don't feel like we did something good by it though. Maybe I just seen it too often...