[ch. 1] tuesday evening, w/ evan

[asswipe]

[Being outside during the evening when it's starting to snow isn't the best of ideas, but that sure doesn't stop her from wandering out to the gardens. The weather could be worse. Probably??

Either way, she stops when she sees Evan. Lifting an arm to wave him down, she saunters over to him after a moment.]

Hey, Evan. [What's up.] How's it going?

Comments

[selfinserting]

I-It's going as well as it can, probably.

[Given how two people are dead and more are sure to follow, that is.]

I-I actually, um, like this kind of weather. It reminds me of home. What about you...?

[asswipe]

... Yeah. The snow reminds me of home, too. [OHIO.......

At least it's not cold enough for her to be worried about freezing to death. Which, now that she thinks about it? Could be a big possibility given that they're in a Murder Castle^TM.]

I wonder if it's the right season for it here. I mean, it was October for me.

[Though not necessarily for everyone else? There's some timey wimey bullshit happening all over the place.]

[selfinserting]

It seems pretty cold, but maybe... I don't know. Maybe it's a different season and they have a way of changing the w-weather.

[He shrugs.]

I-It's nice that we can go outside now, at least. Right?

[asswipe]

Maybe. With all this magic everywhere, I guess we won't know unless one of our "hosts" feels like sharing.

[It's magic mumbo jumbo. Her suspension of disbelief has been wrecked in one (1) week.]

It is nice, though. I was starting to go stir crazy. If we're lucky, the weather will improve [if only] and we'll get to feel the sun again.

[selfinserting]

I mean, t-they might answer. It doesn't seem like knowing how the weather works would help us stop people from dying, so...

[Cheery, Evan.]

Yeah, t-that'd be nice. [He moves closer to her to inspect a flower or something, not noticing the way his arm brushes against hers.] I just hope it doesn't get cold enough for anything to happen to the p-plants.

[asswipe]

Well, not unless they count letting someone die from hypothermia as murder.

[It's okay. This is the cheery teens club. Veronica doesn't really notice, either. She shifts a little to see what he's looking at, causing the back of her hand to brush against him. While she is wearing long sleeves, her current outfit doesn't include gloves, and... well. This is fine. Probably.]

For all we know, they could be enchanted to survive this. It'd be weird if our "hosts" let this part of the castle get permanently trashed, anyway, after everything they've said and done.

[Including making fun of her for saying the Narrators could wreck the place. :/// God.]

[selfinserting]

That's, um, a good point.

[He steps away from the flowers - or tries to. When he tries to pull away, his hand stays where hers is, and he blinks.]

S-Sorry, I... [He tries to pull away again, to no avail.] Are you, um, holding on?

[asswipe]

[UM.... CONCERN??]

Uh, no. I am definitely not holding on. [That would be awkward, for starters. But also—] What the hell...?

[She's going to try jerking her hand up with way too much gusto. It's not enough to rip them apart, but it's definitely enough that it's going to sting for both of them. Veronica hisses through her teeth, but at least they can see what's going on now. Their hands sure are stuck together. This seems mildly inconvenient?]

[selfinserting]

T-That doesn't make any—

[But he's interrupted when she tries to pull away, making a noise that's half surprised and half pained.]

I-I'm so sorry, I don't know why...

[And then he, a genius, reaches out to take hold of her wrist to try and pull their hands apart. That goes about as well as expected.]

I'm not doing this, I promise!

[asswipe]

Ow— Jesus, fuck!

[This is fine. Everything is fine. She clamps her other hand over his, more out of reflex than anything logical.]

No more pulling! Let's calm down, and take it slow like... like a Chinese finger trap. [And, you know, totally fail. She tries to gently pry their hands apart here, only to notice that all four of their hands seem to be stuck together now. Please picture them as an arm pretzel at this moment because that is 100% what is happening, rip. Either way, after a beat:]

... Oh, shit.

[selfinserting]

T-This doesn't make any sense, I didn't even touch anything sticky! [He gives a few more tugs in vain, taking a breath.] Veronica, I'm really sorry, I have no idea what...

[And then he pauses again, as The Truth finally dawns on him.]

...Oh, no. Oh my god.

[asswipe]

[ ]

Oh my god what?

[Don't just say ominous shit and leave her hanging. She's given up on tugging and has settled for maybe trying to stretch her fingers out, but his reaction is enough to bring her to a complete halt.]

What is it, Evan?

[selfinserting]

[The temptation to say it's nothing is real, but Veronica is smarter than that, and she deserves to know what's going on.]

When I... When I went to the well, I wished, um... [He falters, shaking his head.] I think this is probably b-because of what I wished for, but it shouldn't have been, um, l-like this.

[asswipe]

[Well.

This sure is happening.

She stares at him for a moment. Opens her mouth. Closes it. Opens it again.

Breathes.]

Wow. Okay. That's. That's fine. That's great. [SOFTLY YELLS ON THE INSIDE.] So we're— Are we going to be stuck like this forever, or...? What did you even wish for?

[selfinserting]

I don't know! I-I didn't think it would happen... like this. But it c-can't be forever, right?! E-Even they wouldn't do something like that. Besides, my hands are always really sweaty, they'll probably just slip right out if we wait long enough, so...

[He sighs, shaking his head.]

It's, it's kind of embarrassing, so...

[asswipe]

[MY HANDS ARE ALWAYS REALLY SWEATY he says, as Veronica unsubtly looks at their hands. There are certain things you do not say in polite conversation, Evan...]

It's okay. [is it] You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But holy shit, this is going to be seriously awkward to explain if anyone else sees us like this.

[selfinserting]

We could just - stay here? B-But that might get more awkward, if people find us here in the garden l-like this.

[Hm.]

What, um, what do you think we should do...?

[asswipe]

We can, uh— We can hide? Somewhere? At least, until it wears off. Because this has to wear off. We can't afford to stay stuck together like this.

[Because, bruh, two for the price of one murder special.]

[selfinserting]

[A beat, and then a nod.]

Yes. You are, um, absolutely right, and we should hide right now. But, um, where...?

[asswipe]

[She looks around, considering. Outside isn't an option because it's still freezing tits, but.]

Okay, we can... We can go inside. Somewhere we won't freeze to death, but we won't be found either. Maybe— the armory? Who the hell goes to the armory on a Tuesday night, right?

[Murderers and Reyna, Veronica. That's who.]

[selfinserting]

[At least they don't have to worry about accidentally witnessing someone choosing a murder weapon due to the Magic Of Backtagging. It's fine.]

Y-Yeah. That's a good idea. Um, are you ready?

[Since heading there might take some coordination in this state.]

[asswipe]

[Backtagging was the real magic of friendship.]

Yeah... As ready as I'll ever be.

[... they're not going to crab walk very far before tripping, are they.]

[selfinserting]

[Approximately five, give or take a few.

Before they inevitably go tumbling down, Evan moves their still bound up hands to try and catch Veronica. Despite his intentions, it puts them off balance enough that he does, in fact, fall. At least the fact that he goes down first means he'll cushion her fall!

But he's also wearing short sleeves, so if her head lands anywhere near his arms or neck... Well, rip.]

[asswipe]

[Well.

Better start planning that funeral, because her head is landing near his neck, her forehead sticking to whatever flesh is exposed there. This is fine. This is the most fine. Except when it's not.

In the words of the famous sinner, Britt McMurder: closes eyes.]

Please tell me our legs are still separated.