Week Four

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, Gershwin High School Academy University saw its very first intentional murder! What a milestone! And right after Spongebob's No Murder party, too - that doesn't seem like it bodes very well for anybody's future.

You all wake up this morning with yet another new memory returned to you. You'll also find that the school's external doors have now unlocked. Congratulations! You're free! Unfortunately, you also seem to be entirely in the middle of nowhere. So maybe it's more of a symbolic victory.

Still, you should look around and do some investigation! Maybe you'll find a fun surprise.]

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( Be sure to submit your memory regains and your AC for this week! Hester's office hours and the merch booth also remain available! ))

Comments

[mayavericks]

[Maya smiles faintly, cracking open her own bottle as she does. She takes a slow sip.]

I am almost certain that somewhere in the last few weeks I swore to take care of you both. This is part of that.

[comeandfindme]

[ If not for the qualifier of both Peregrine would've believed Maya was only addressing Janis. But no, it's her too. Somehow, it's her too.

This isn't the time to dissect that. But Peregrine thinks, probably, that time will be soon. ]

Yeah... [ Focus on Janis right now. Peregrine gently rubs her shoulder. ] Goes for me too. Whatever you need, we're here for you.

[fourbutts]

[ Janis nods, putting the cap back on her water and then, after a moment, taking it off again to take another drink. ]

Just... you guys sticking around for right now is a lot. Don't, uh... wander off too far?

[ She's not! Sure what she would do if she lost either of them this week! ]

[mayavericks]

Never.

[She tucks up as close as she can to Janis's side. She tucks her face into her hair, fingers carefully carding through it. They've done this several times before, after all. The repetition should feel reassuring. Or so she hopes.]

We will take good care of you
We will take good care of you
Everything will be withstood
If you just stay with us

[comeandfindme]

[ Oh... Oh, this feels weirdly... Peregrine wraps an arm around Janis' shoulder, a little hesitant, but... ]

We will stay here in the night,
And hold you close with care.
You can lay your feelings bare,
And still we will be here.

[fourbutts]

[ Oh, that's... Janis leans into the touch slightly, pulling a little just to make sure that her hair is all out and not under the blanket or anything. ]

So stay with me
Hold my hand
I don't want
To be brave

[mayavericks]

[Whatever hair is freed is also combed through. Once Maya is satisfied, she leans over to kiss the top of Janis's head.]

And all the quiet nights that scare
Will be ours to share
For we will always be right there
To keep them from hurting you

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine leans her face into Janis' neck. Her free hand, it rests over her own heart, where the deer embroidery sits. (Of course she wears it to sleep in, of course she rarely takes it off—)

Like this, for a moment...she can pretend. ]

'Cause all I ever wanted is here.
All I ever wanted,
All I want is,
Always you...

[ ...The hand around Janis' shoulder brushes against Maya's hair. ]

It's always you.

[ This time, Peregrine thinks. This time.

She won't let herself regret it. ]

[fourbutts]

And we're not out of the tunnel
With you I can think there's an end

[ Forward, right? That's the only direction to go, when you're in something like this. Has she ever gone forward, in a show like she has been? Is that what the feeling on the stage was - the same show, the same performance, over and over again.

And if you're a narrator, is that just what life is? ... Is that what the Wizard is?

Janis coughs a little, choking back tears. She puts a hand... she doesn't have the energy to take both of them by the hand, so one hand sort of ends up on each lap to either side of her. ]

Stay with me
Hold my hand
Together we
Can be brave

[mayavericks]

[Maya's hand falls over Janis's. Her head, meanwhile, leans a little closer to Peregrine's. She glances up, just for a moment. It's a promise that, even if they started by singing to Janis, this is just as much for her as well.]

And while we sleep
I'll be scared
so by the time you wake
I'll be brave

[comeandfindme]

[ She catches Maya's eye and a shiver runs down her spine—but for once it's not a bad one.

She's scared. Peregrine's scared. She's so very scared. But this, maybe, is something she can find some comfort in. She gives the deer embroidery one more squeeze before her hand likewise falls over Janis's. ]

I'll be brave.

[fourbutts]

[ Janis doesn't really... have the emotional wherewithal to look directly at either of them right now. But, for the first time since last night... she looks up, taking hold of and squeezing both of their hands. ]

I'll be brave.