+ FOURTH WALL EVENT: GENERAL NON-PARTY MINGLE POST +

[vitaelamorte]

Who: E V E R Y O N E
Where: Everywhere that isn't one of the parties! Both Sides!
When: Sept 1st to Sept 10th
Rating: G to PG-13 (please label higher ratings, thank you!)
Summary: Wonderful parties are springing up all across Wonderland, but there are still plenty of other places to explore. This is a log for any new arrivals who want to experience different parts of Wonderland life, and any current guests not in the mood for a log or transmission of their own.

Please also see THE FOURTH WALL MASTER POST for rules, information, and all the fun parties you can visit!
The Story:

On the morning of September 1st, everyone in Wonderland, on both Real and Mirror Side, will awake to find one of four possible invitations has been shoved under their doors. The glass has been carefully removed from all mirrors, and everyone will be able to cross to and from Mirror Side with ease, without forcing any sort of swap. The Queen of Hearts' chambers, discovered in the previous event, will be mysteriously inaccessible, leading only to a tearoom.

Additionally, there will be many more Wonderland guests than usual, each of them with their own random invitation and network device (wired to make replies only). As the week goes on, as per the invitations, more and more parties will appear (and everyone is invited to all of them, whether they received an invitation or not). But who brought them here? Why are there so many parties? Who is responsible for all of this exactly?

It's anyone's guess, though if parties or riddles are not your style, then there is always plenty more to see...

Comments

[jivitadana]

Souji.

[Minato had turned toward Souji now, his hand holding onto one of Souji's hands. If Souji was worried about being who he was, then Minato thought he could worry, but he could reassure himself that at home, he would be back to normal.]

You remembered me. That should tell you how you'll be at home.

[eatsyourscience]

[That was true. It was hard not to be bothered by these things now, in the moment, but Minato had put it all into perspective.]

Thank you.

[Souji turned his hand to hold onto Minato's.]

Everything will be okay.

[jivitadana]

[Minato nodded. It would be fine. He knew it would be. Plus they both did have the benefit of being Fools: They always did have some hope in their hearts, something optimistic that drove them to keep going.

He leaned a little closer and kissed Souji's forehead.]

It'll be okay. I believe in you.

[He always would.]

Help me finish this too?

[Since Minato wouldn't be able to finish all the food that Souji had made by himself.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji nodded and turned his attention back to the food. He ate a few bites before speaking again.]

I'm really glad you came.

[He was grateful not just for the time they could spend together, but for the things Minato was able to tell him.]

[jivitadana]

[Minato didn't know if he had a choice to come here or not, but he was glad that he came here too. He was happy to see Souji again.]

Souji...

[He smiled and set his spoon down since he was full.]

... Can we go see your room after this?

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji looked over at him. He glanced at the curry, then at Minato. It was a little surprising, the amount he'd eaten, but things were different for Minato now. Souji wasn't sure how different, but different enough.

He nodded to that request.]

It hasn't changed.

[Though he knew that wasn't why Minato wanted to go there.]

[jivitadana]

[Minato had changed though. Everyone did. He wanted to see though where Souji had stayed again in this place since it had to have changed, even if just a little bit.]

Thank you.

[For agreeing to let him see it. Among other things.]

Before we go, can I ask if you're afraid?

[It seemed like Souji was. Minato could tell, even if Souji was just a little bit, as it was hinted before. But he asked straight out this time if to give Souji a chance to let anything out that he had to let out.]

[eatsyourscience]

Not afraid.

[To him, fear was an alien emotion. He'd felt it a handful of times, like when Nanako was kidnapped and when she almost died, but even then, it was eclipsed by other emotions. Frustration, anger, helplessness. Fear was buried under all of them. Maybe that was a defense mechanism, but he'd never given the reason much thought. He'd never given any of it much thought.

Right now, it was more like trepidation. Something about this moment felt fragile. It wasn't Minato himself, but the place he'd come from. Even now, it felt wrong to hope that he'd manage to remember, when so many others hadn't.]

But...it's something like fear.

[jivitadana]

[Minato nodded. He could understand how Souji felt about it too, but he had wanted to, if selfishly, hear it from Souji. He didn't have to hold it all inside of him all the time. Minato knew about holding in all of those feelings, like he had to because he had so many people relying on him to be strong. Nothing could or was allowed to faze him.]

I feel that way too.

[About a lot of things. But he could share that with Souji too. He could finally, finally be vulnerable in front of someone and he could learn to be strong too and strong in the right way.]

But I promised. I'll be with you forever.

[Forever was a long time. Yet Minato knew about forever. He knew that he would always be with Souji, even after his last breath.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji smiled, a slight pull at the corners of his mouth.]

I'll promise that, too, then. Forever.

[If anyone understood him, it was Minato, who'd walked ahead of him. He knew Minato's experience had been very similar to his own.]

[jivitadana]

[Minato smiled too in return. He was glad that for their journey, and he could say it now that it was "their" journey together, they could go it together. They may diverge and be apart for a while, but they would always know that they would be together. It was only a temporary separation.]

Thank you.

[Minato wanted that comfort as well. They could both have it now from each other. He touched his hand to Souji's.]

You are so good to me. You always have been.

[eatsyourscience]

It's because I love you.

[Souji's voice was matter of fact, though there was a gentle rounding at its edges. Minato already knew that. But it bore saying again.]

[jivitadana]

[Minato could feel himself blush when he heard that. He always did whenever Souji told him that, and he couldn't resist.]

I love you too.

[So much. He loved Souji more than anything. His hand squeezed Souji's hand for a second before he let go. He didn't want to stop Souji from eating if he still wasn't full. Minato would wait with him.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Rather than sit down to keep eating, Souji gathered up their dishes to clean things up.]

We can go to my room when I'm done here.

[He purposely said "I" rather than "we." This was his responsibility, since it was his diner, technically.]

[jivitadana]

[Minato took that as his cue to stay seated. He was going to offer to help, but Souji had beaten him to it.

To occupy his time, he sat then and watched Souji work, thinking about home and Souji being with him there too. He smiled, humming softly to himself as he waited.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji smiled to himself, facing away from Minato as he worked. His face was neutral again, though soft, when he turned back. The dishes were clean and dry and where they belonged.]

Are you ready to go?

[jivitadana]

[Minato hopped off the stool and was at Souji's side now.]

I am if you are.

[He knew where Souji's room was, or so he had assumed he did. But that didn't mean he wanted to go there alone, of course.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji gestured, then got the door for them both. He hung up his "help yourself" sign and closed the door to the diner.]

It's in the same place. Sixth floor, room 100.

[He was sure he didn't have to remind Minato, but he did anyway. It was nice to know, sometimes, that there were things that hadn't changed.]

[jivitadana]

[Minato walked alongside Souji, but it didn't take him long to reach and hold onto Souji's hand.

He knew the way to Souji's room. Yet he didn't rush the walk. It wasn't just for his own sake, but for Souji's too. He would be by his side, even if he wasn't here at this place. Souji would remember.

When they reached their destination, he looked up at Souji.]

... You make me really happy.

[eatsyourscience]

[There was a strange balance in this moment. He knew how to act with Minato, how happy he was to see Minato, but Minato was different than he'd known him. He knew so much and had seen the future Souji wanted. That seemed like something he shouldn't be able to touch.]

I'm happy, too.

[He was.]

[jivitadana]

[Minato touched his hand to Souji's. He really was happy and he was so glad that Souji was too.

He got up on his tiptoes and kissed Souji's cheek.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji smiles to himself and gets the door when they reach his bedroom. It's the same as always, except for the fat, small dragon and the bunny that seem to be existing without much trouble. In fact, the bunny is sleeping on top of the dragon.]

Don't worry about them.

[jivitadana]

[The bunny was new. How cute. Minato didn't worry then about them as Souji asked him not to.

He did wander around the room just to see if anything else had changed. It hadn't, really. He just wanted to be surrounded by all the things that belonged to Souji.

Maybe then he could be counted as one of the things that belonged to Souji too.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji followed Minato in and went to get a couple of drinks from the closet before going to sit on the couch. He set the drinks on the table and, when Minato finished surveying the room, gestured him over to sit beside him - rather than on the other side of the table.]

What do you think?

[He liked Minato being there. It felt...normal. And right.]

[jivitadana]

[Minato did sit next to Souji, a little bit too close maybe and ended up leaning against him instead. It was warm and comfy right here.]

It's you.

[Everything about it was so very Souji. He liked the way the books were lined up. He liked the way the animals were cared for and just so peaceful where they were. He liked that the little models and figurines were still standing guard over the shelf.]