Audience: Mineo Enomoto

[probe]

Comments

[probe]

Well... Since you asked so nicely! Wow... I haven't had anyone ask for one yet!

[they roll off the bench into the air, and turn to face mineo in a float. they extend a white hand to him.]

Ready!

[sengokus]

[ . . . . he looks kinda nervous]

I just take your hand...? Do you guys get to pick what we get?

[probe]

Yeah!

[yeah for which one?

yeah!]

[sengokus]

[well.

well!!]

.... okay!

[TAKES SLOTH'S HAND BECAUSE AT THIS POINT HE'S TOO CURIOUS TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS]

[probe]

That's the spirit!

[sloth takes mineo's hand! it's supposed to be super cool, and mineo is supposed to get something, but...!

there's a flash behind mineo's eyes. suddenly, he's in the marble and stone hallway of an elaborate building. it's incredibly busy, but not with people: with shades. spirits. they are gathered around in groups here and there, but also lined up coming in from a pool of red liquid far to the right.

two people are standing with him by the orange chaise he's sitting on: a handsome young man with black hair and flaming feet, and a grey-skinned woman with a high ponytail and one wing--and a whip!

they have a conversation (until 16:14). and then the woman leaves, and the young man speeds off toward the desk on the left. goodbye!

the sharing bounces sloth back a few inches in surprise, and they let go of mineo's hand.]

Wow! You really do share memories with other people! Weird!

[sengokus]

[g

goodbye?!

mineo blinks in surprise at that and tilts his head in confusion - ]

Was that... yours, Sloth-san? Those are the people you greet in the - uh, House?

[probe]

Haha. Yeah!

[PLEASE SOUND MORE CONCERNED ABOUT EITHER OF THESE THINGS. (no)]

Yep! House of Hades, come right on in! [that's his customer service voice.] I check off every Shade my brother brings down to my other brother who ferries them across the Styx!

[sengokus]

O-Oh....

[ . . . ]

So - wait, Hades? Do you know Megara-san then? The one here? Or is this some weird... alternate world thing? That's possible, right?

[glances at his current relationship with takeru]

[probe]

I don't know! I thought it was Megaera, but they don't look anything alike, right? I guess it's a different one.

Wow. Two whole Megaeras...

[mineo your different timeline kiss]

[sengokus]

[he'd rather not talk about it. i will say that he buttoned his shirt up all the way today. also not talking about that.]

Were you dating? The one in your memory....

[he just zeroed in on the word 'break up']

[probe]

[mineo your hickeys?]

I... Well, um, maybe! Not exactly? We were close! [no, they weren't. meg is just tsundere and humoring him being silly and stupid.] It just wasn't going to work out between us.

Two people, different worlds... She's a Fury, after all!

[sengokus]

[it's singular hickey excuse you]

Oh.... Yeah, I get that. I feel the same way about Endorsi.

[why is he just telling sloth this]

But you can't tell anybody! That's our secret between you and me.

[probe]

[OHHHHHHHHHHHH GOSSIPPPPP no one ever talks to him too much, please. his gossip!!!

he bobs down at mineo.]

You like Endorsi?!

[shoot your shot, my guy. hypnos did, and meg made fun of him, so he backtracked immediately.]

[sengokus]

[there's just a little laugh at that - though it's not without a slight heartbroken quality]

Erm.... I'm getting over it. It's hard, but at least I'm used to it! [MINEO'S LONG LIST OF REJECTIONS IS SO FUNNY AND SAD]

I just don't think it's fair or smart to look for something like that here. So.... yeah. I gotta be good! Even Takeru warned me, after all...

[probe]

[oh no my html]

Wow! Rejecting the women we are super into... We have something in common!

[begging you to please be less tone-deaf.]

Sometimes it just won't work out! But that's okay. You have your job, they have their job. It happens!

[sengokus]

[stupidly enough

he just nods! yeah, that's more or less what he was getting at?! so he will just let sloth go]

Yeah.... This doesn't really seem like the place to look for love or anything anyway. I'd rather just keep napping all the time for my indulgences.

[i really think mineo is going to manage to still exit this game a virgin]

[probe]

Maybe you can just sleep through the entire thing! Haha!

[like they do. all the time.

they extend their hand out again, but this time they lift it to poke a chilly finger against mineo's forehead.]

[sengokus]

.... would that count....?

[stop - but oh!! he's getting poked and sitting up a little straighter?!]

What was that? Do I have super strength now?! Invisibility?! Shadow clone jutsu....?! Spirit gun?!

[why does he just say things]

[probe]

[he laughs.

mineo's head goes slightly swimmy. not in a dizzying way necessarily, but a dreamy one. he's drowsy. his eyes are heavy, and then close. maybe he does dream it?

he can see words in his vision. Wet Dream. oh no. a warm, luxurious feeling pools in mineo's chest. the giddiness of romance and love. like having a crush, feeling your cheeks get red.

when he opens his eyes, sloth has pulled away, and is floating in the air patiently. if mineo checks his phone, there will be a message there:

Give one person a romantic dream about another participant or yourself; when the target wakes up, they will be smitten with them or you for two days.]

Tada! Now you can give Endorsi a nice dream about you! Or maybe White! You're friends, right? Or, um, maybe you can just give someone a dream about someone else, if you want.

[sengokus]

[a beat]

.... Sloth-san, I don't think we should just be allowed to give people wet dreams about each other.

[THIS SEEMS MORALLY UNSOUND. ALSO - ]

And why would I want to give either of them one about me?!

[probe]

Sure you can! There's nothing wrong with having dreams!

[stop]

Why not? Maybe people would like to dream about you, Mineo! I believe in you!

[sengokus]

[ ?

he tilts his head and just laughs]

That's really nice of you! What, are you saying you wanna dream of me? I'll consider myself flattered then.

But I don't think anyone here's rushing to fall in love with me... but I guess if I see any romance budding, I can give it a little nudge!

[probe]

Sure, why not? I'll dream of you, if you want!

[please........stop this.]

You could always throw everything to the wind, you know! Sometimes, not even death can separate people! Um, usually. So maybe you'll find just the right person for you here, and then you can spend an eternity getting back to them! Romantic.

[sengokus]

Oh, that does sound romantic....

[but he'll continue to sit on the bench, letting his gaze move upward as he looks thoughtful about it]

But... I dunno... I feel like I might get kinda greedy, when I'm finally in love, you know? Like I won't want to let go for even a second.

I just wanna be with the people I like for as long as I can... I don't really want much more than that.

[this giant nerd]

[probe]

Greedy? Wow! And here you are aligned with sloth!

[haha.]

Isn't there a saying mortals use? Uh... "The heart makes you grow fonder"! Wait, no, not that. Um. "The fatter heart makes you distant"! Wait, not that either.

Oh!

"Distance makes the heart grow fonder"?