open, catch-all for december (spring)

[irresponsibly]

🎮WHO: Lucia and you
🎮WHAT: Bonus effects, other things
🎮WHEN: Through Spring
🎮WHERE: Throughout the island
🎮WARNINGS: n/a, will add as needed. Plotting is here

a rainy day - 10th

[ Today is supposed to be nice and sunny, and it is on most places throughout the island. Everywhere except the area immediately above Lucia, apparently. Wherever she walks, rain clouds follow up above, and there's a light drizzle that sprinkles down towards her. She doesn't have an umbrella. She just seems to be zoned out, walking to her destination: The library.

She's also trying to look at who's in the area, so as to not get them caught up in the drizzling. She'll make an attempt to swerve out of the way of anyone who's passing by, which looks rather odd. Hm. ]

a teenager - 11th

[ There's a girl, somewhere between 15 and 16 years old, with long red hair roaming around. There are two people who currently fit this description, but the glasses give her away – this is not Diluc, this is Lucia. She's currently sitting under a tree in the shade, somewhere near town, pressing buttons on her phone. There's a disgruntled look on her face. Seems like she can't get something to work.

She ends up looking pretty huffy before she shoves her phone back into her pocket. Then, she rises to her feet and starts speed walking towards the shops. Where is she going...? ]

farming - throughout the month

[ Anyone who's passing by the Lucia-Gentaro forest farm may catch her outside at any given point during the day. She's getting to work on her farm, and there appears to be a small assortment of mushrooms growing! How nice. There's also a small patch of flowers that are also in the process of growing. Seems like things are going decently.

There's also a little calico cat that's roaming around outside, circling around Lucia at times. The cat will let out a little "meow" if she spots a visitor, and trot up to the newcomer. This will alert Lucia, and she'll turn to whoever's at her farm and stand up rather quickly. ]

Hello... Do you need something?

Comments

[associative]

[ Sure enough, Lucia will be greeted by a very small plastic baby. Gaku sighs. ]

I thought I cleaned all of them up...

[irresponsibly]

Why do you even have these?

[ Sir? ]

[associative]

[ He's so embarrassed... just kill him. ]

They just suddenly... exploded inside the house. I don't even know where they came from. It was like they appeared from thin air.

[irresponsibly]

Um...from the Goddess, maybe? I can't think of how else they'd show up?

[ Girl what is wrong with her. ]

A-anyway... [ She's going to pretend like it's not there and start eating. She blows on her chowder a bit and takes a bite, looking at Gaku a little nervously. ] Let me know how you like it?

[associative]

[ Gaku takes a seat, thankfully avoiding a plastic baby as he does. He gets a spoonful of the chowder, blowing on it before taking a bite.

He takes his time, trying to get a full profile of the flavors. ]

It's good.

[irresponsibly]

Oh, good! I'm so relieved...

[ She lets out a quiet exhale before she eats another spoonful of chowder. ]

There's something I thought about clearing here, actually, if you're up for it. I need to get 20 Questions out of the way, and it could be fun...

[associative]

Sure. Go ahead and ask a question.

[ It's like an interview, but more fun!! He's actually kind of excited for this... ]

[irresponsibly]

Hm...

[ Thinking, thinking. ]

If you could change something about your experience here, what would it be?

[associative]

Are extremely selfish answers allowed?

[ The way he looks at her is very, very serious... ]

[irresponsibly]

[ Oh, hm. She looks a little curious. ]

Yes. Go ahead.

[associative]

[ He's always been incredibly obvious about how he feels, so he knows it would be unfair to suddenly say something else, so he pushes forward. ]

I would like for the person I like to be here.

[irresponsibly]

[ ... ]

So...are you trying to go on dates to get married so you can go home, or to get over them?

[ She doesn't seem very upset by this. ]

[associative]

Neither.

[ He relaxes, sitting back in his chair. ]

I already said I take marriage seriously, and that's not gonna change. But I'm not going to force myself to get over her anyway. It needs to happen on its own.

[ Gaku pauses, a thoughtful look passing over his face. ]

She's the manager of one of our rival groups. As much as I wanted it to happen, I don't think it could have. But it would've been nice to have her here without the pressure of the industry on us.

[irresponsibly]

I see...so you'd have a chance with her, is what you're saying.

[ She's not entirely sure how she feels about this, and her expression is pretty neutral. ]

I think that's fair. You didn't ask to be brought here. But I have to ask...what made you decide to go on dates with me, then? ... Do these even count towards the twenty questions?

[ Priorities! ]

[associative]

It's still questions...

[ So he would assume they do. Hopefully. ]

I went on dates with you because I wanted to get to know you better, and I like spending time with you.

[irresponsibly]

Thank you, for saying that.

[ ... ]

...I'm sorry she couldn't be here. Or that you didn't get a proper chance to do any of this with her back at home.

[associative]

...

[ He doesn't know what to say to that. Of course he's sorry about it too, but would things have even worked between them if the things they bonded over were suddenly gone? It's impossible to say.

Wordlessly, Gaku gets up from his seat and bows. ]

I apologize for not telling you about this sooner, Lucia. I should have.

[irresponsibly]

[ He's apologizing? Well. She doesn't know how to react. She's been the one apologizing to others all her life. So she's stunned for a bit, until - ]

It's not your fault.

[ I wasted your time. I shouldn't be in this seat right now. I shouldn't have pushed you. I shouldn't have been brought here.

Her face gives way to her thoughts. She looks confused. ]

Don't apologize. Please. It's not - it's not needed. I understand.

[associative]

Lucia.

[ Gaku straightens back up, fixing her with a firm look. ]

It is my fault, and I never give out apologies that are not necessary.

[irresponsibly]

...

[ She gets onto her feet, too, to get on his level. She's not leaving, but she wants him to know she's also very serious about this. ]

I'm sorry, too, then.

[ "A cursed child. Be prepared for all the hardships she'll bring upon your family and others around her." ]

I was inconsiderate and started being affectionate without thinking.

[ "She's not good news! None of them are! They're like, bad omens or something!" ]

I don't want to make things harder for you.

[ "Lucia...you're worth more than you realize. Please don't give up on yourself."

Her responses seem regretful, apologetic, but also very practiced. ]

Please tell me if I should...if I should stop.

[associative]

[ Ah... yeah, he doesn't like how practiced those apologies are, and it makes him angry on her behalf. Frowning, Gaku shakes his head. ]

Get ahold of yourself, Lucia. I'm not accepting your apology, because you have nothing to apologize for in the first place.

[ The responsibility lies solely with him. ]

I would have rejected you if I wanted you to stop.

[irresponsibly]

[ She's quiet, again. Processing everything he's saying but not bothering to consider why she's apologizing.

... ]

Are you set on her, then? Are there truly no other options for you out there?

[associative]

I'm not set on her.

[ It's... a strange admittance, one that even he's surprised to hear come out of his mouth. ]

Before I left, we couldn't be seen together anyway. I don't want to ruin her career.

[irresponsibly]

Right.

[ Slowly, she sits back down, considering something. ]

That's okay. It's not a big deal.

[ ... ]

What do you want from me, though?

[associative]

[ Ah.

That's the question, isn't it? ]

...I'm still figuring that out. [ Gaku pauses, the first sign of hesitation Lucia has seen from him. ] I'm interested in you and someone else. I don't want to lead anyone on, so I'm trying to make up my mind.