›› 2nd round

[regressive]

Who ■ Joonghyuk & others
What ■ Catch-all
When ■ Second month
Where ■ All over
Content Warnings ■ YJH as usual

Feel free to hit me up on plurk @ biyoo / discord @ biyoos if you'd like a thread with Mr. Punisher!!

Comments

[dapples]

... They can be, yes. One single flower might be a simple but effective way to brighten someone's day.

[ Just like how his own day gets brightened whenever Joonghyuk logs on. Hmmmm. ]

Careless? [ He giggles. ] How's that?

[regressive]

[ HMMMMMMM. ]

Let's assume we find jacket potatoes with baked beans on the ground... what will you do?

[ This action will have consequences. ]

[dapples]

Well in a game I'd pop it in my inventory, of course!

[ And eat it later! ]

But in real life? I wouldn't go anywhere near it. That's careful!

[regressive]

It might be a cursed jacket potato with cursed baked beans, though.

[ If he pictures he's seen are anything to go by, no one needs to curse that meal, it does great on its own. ]

You need to be more careful in the game, too. With all these bugs popping up...

[dapples]

That's true. At least the flowers aren't buggy ... I think.

[ Behold, he has found the daisies! He crouches down to take a look. ]

Hmm. It might be hard to make something with these ... their stems aren't very long. Tall daisies like gerberas work better in arrangements.

[ Disappointing, but ... ] Let's try over there.

[regressive]

Sure.

[ Brambles knows more about botany, so he believes in his judgment. Besides, if he learned something about arrangements is that the longer the stem, the easier it is to knot it, especially if you make mistakes. ]

If you don't have anything to do back in the city... we could stay here until you have to log out.

[ Maybe this time he won't run away when he gets flustered!! ]

[dapples]

I'd like that, yeah.

[ Their last time was cut short by Joonghyuk's family emergency, after all. ]

Oh look ... [ He points to a flower bed of some daisy-looking things along with some other miscellaneous plants and flowers. ] Caulescent flowers. Exactly what we're after.

[regressive]

[ He picks a few up and puts them into his inventory immediately. ]

For some reason... it feels like this was added just for you.

[ While Joonghyuk was close to say for us, he didn't in the end. ]</small

[dapples]

No, for us.

[ Bramb has no idea that he read his mind. With a sunflower in his hand, he picks a white daisy-looking flower and lays it over the top. He holds both flowers in his hand and smiles. ]

Look, our favourites. They look so good together.

[regressive]

[ It feels weird because he mentioned this once to the Admin. Should he be grateful? Well, this is a very basic feature in games, so... maybe someday he's going to say thanks. ]

They do.

[ His eyes linger on the flowers while a bright blush spreads across his cheeks. ]

I'll try to recreate the arrangement we make today offline. And I will send you a picture.

[ Brambles wanted to see his previous attempts, so that's the least he can do. ]

[dapples]

[ He's blushing too. His heart is pounding madly in his chest. Is this just the thrill of gaming? Is this what being a pro gamer is? Picking flowers with another guy online and being immobilised with warm feelings?

(No, Brambles, it's not.) ]

Really? [ Brambles giggles. ] I'd love that! I'll have to make sure I'm a good teacher for you today, then.

[ He picks more daisies and some other miscellaneous pretty pink flowers. As he does, he blabbers about petals and the shapes and other exciting flower things. At least, they're exciting to him. ]

[regressive]

You're always a good teacher. I'm looking forward to what we make today.

[ Joonghyuk just listens in silence because it's nice when Brambles talks excitedly about things that aren't potatoes or food items found on the ground. ]

[dapples]

And you're a good student!

[ He offers the demonstration, which results in them producing something like this. ]

Haha, whenever I hold one of these, I always feel like I'm about to get married. Even though I know I can't get married, it's a nice thought. [ oh fuck why did he say that-- he's been so good at keeping his sexuality a secret-- ]

[regressive]

[ He didn't expect marriage to come up with one of their conversations, so Joonghyuk just looks away and hides his flushed cheeks behind his hand. ]

You can't get married? [ There's only one possible explanation... ] Does that mean you're married already?

[dapples]

[ what is this reaction, joonghyuk-- ]

N-No, God no-- I ... [ THIS IS MEANT TO BE A FLOWER SESSION ] It's not important! We can forget I said anything. We need to work on the flowers. [ PANIK ]

[regressive]

Why it's not important?

[ Guess who's going to be very adamant to pursue this topic and find out why Brambles can't marry!!! ⬆️ THIS GUY ]

[dapples]

[ Sigh. ]

Because you might stop playing with me.

[regressive]

I might stop playing with you because you're married? Ridiculous.

[ Well, Brambles denied that, but... he can't think of any other reason. ]

You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I doubt there's anything that would make me stop playing this game with you.

[dapples]

[ He pauses. ]

Do you promise?

[regressive]

I promise.

[ He's not sure what kind of information Brambles is about to share with him, but as long as he didn't murder someone it should be fine. ]

[dapples]

[ He can only hope that Joonghyuk stays true to his word. Brambles is a cheerful man, but he does have his vulnerabilities. His sexual orientation always attracted bullies despite the fact that he never told anyone. How will things go when he does? ]

I can't get married because ... [ He looks away. ] I am gay.

So, yeah. Now you know.

[regressive]

Doesn't that mean you can't marry in your country? Well, Korea isn't better in that regard, but... it doesn't mean you can't marry.

[ Joonghyuk frowns, but hopes that Brambles will consider a different angle. ]

[dapples]

[ He nods. ]

It's illegal here.

[regressive]

There are other places.

[ Joonghyuk pauses—why is he even trying to convince Brambles that there are other options? It's not his business, really. ]

Being gay won't make me stop playing with you, though.

[dapples]

[ His red eyes become glassy and swell, with a tear breaking free and rolling down his cheek. ]

Ngh-- [ Sniff ] S-Sorry.

[ He wipes his cheek with his hand, not anticipating how this would feel. Was he so prepared for rejection that immediate acceptance has taken his breath away? Definitely. He's not a stranger to the internet and he knows that it can be a very unkind and hostile place.

God, he's lucky. ]