7rings | WEEK 2 MINGLE

POPULATION: 32

Good morning, starshines. It is another beautiful day here on the base, and it’s the start of a new week!

Good thing, too. After the deaths of Grell Sutcliff, Kaz Kaan, and HK-47, the tension around the base may be a bit higher than it was before. Should anyone try to contact the deceased or review their profiles, they will find that they have been deleted from everyone's phones.

Then again...last weekend was a bit of a mess, wasn't it? Perhaps you would prefer to leave it all behind you. Lucky for you, the elevator reveals that it may now visit the third floor. It may be worth checking out these new areas, free for exploration. If you're feeling incredibly ambitious, you can also take a more in-depth look.

While you can't contact the deceased, the Avatars are once again available via their eight symbols. Shoot them a message, have a chat with them, and see what you can learn. Perhaps you'll find it easier this week.

On the bright side, all of your skills are in working order once again. Cherish your gifts, little sinners. You would hate to lose them again wouldn't you? But even if you did, you would still have your memories of them. Memories are important, aren't they? Things meant to remind you, and things to motivate you. Your most tragic, painful and even downright embarrassing memories shape who you are as a person, and this week you'll find that others will be witness to these as well. This may occur when you're in close proximity to someone, or it may be when you brush past them. Even the slightest eye contact may set off this sharing of memories, and your deepest secrets will be harder to keep.

Hide all you'd like. You can't outrun your past.

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Believe me, I am. I've been doing this kind of thing for so long.

Are you a family man? Cooking and having a family aren't always one to one, but I find that they often overlap.

I have little brothers, and I'm living with a lot of people. You could say something like that.

I see. No wonder you're so talented at this stuff.

[ Steven continues to carve away at more apples! He looks fairly at peace about it. ]

It's less talent and more years of practice.

What about you?

[ He laughs a little, casually and lightly. ]

Well, I'm not much of a cook myself -- I actually have a housekeeper who does a wonderful job. Her roast beef is, really, the best.

[ As he talks, though, Omi's vision distorts, and he sees flashes of... something. There's a knife in his hand and something in the grasp of his other, but it shakes and trembles in his grasp. It is not food. Steven, unaware, keeps talking. ]

I would say I've had some practice with a knife, but I really just don't have the time to practice any kind of cooking... but I know the basics.

[It's hard to focus on both the talk and the knife memory. An oddity.]

Too busy with your job?

[He can understand that. Plenty of his friends have never figured out how to cook.]

Yeah, you could say something like that. The amount of time I actually spend in my own place, it's not much. And when I'm at work, since there's so many people, it's usually just easier to order catering. Everyone has such vastly different tastes, after all...

[ The memory keeps playing, coming into greater clarity. I'm so sorry Omi, but you're looking at a person, bloodied and terrified, gloved hands holding them still, the knife a threat, a promise of more slow pain until finally, the person hacks out information, the words spilling out. There's a cold pause only long enough for that, until with a swift motion, the knife cuts mercilessly into the throat --

Oh, you're back. Nothing is in your hands, there's no blood, just warm lights and plates. ]

...them are so damn stupid anyway, you'd think adults are capable of going out to get lunch by themselves, and yet.

[Omi goes Absolutely still as the memory plays out. This is torture? Torture and a cold murder. But he thinks Steven has a reason for doing the things he does. Some reason for that- but he doesn't seem aware of it, and Omi is not about to bring it up right here.

For later.

He didn't hear half of the words Steven just said.]

Mm. There's still something nice about being able to eat together, isn't there?

[ Steven laughs, blissfully unaware. ]

Haha, maybe. I'm pretty used to being alone...

[ So he glances back, over at the spread they've made so far. ]

It's a nice change. Peaceful.

It's nice having people there, right?

[Look at all these foods, ready for anybody to try.]

I usually make huge spreads like this for somebody's birthday or the last day of a play. All their favorite things laid out. They're always so happy.

A play... are you a theatre man?

[ Steven finally puts the knife down, turning around and leaning against the kitchen counter. ]

I'm typically not one for celebrations, but I will make the occasional exception.

Yeah, I'm an actor. So are all the people I live with.

[It's a ~~little~~ fairly large company.]

What are your usual exceptions?

Hm... well, celebrations after a particularly difficult case has been put away with. End of year parties with the office. Some birthdays... though, mostly because my boss loves to properly celebrate each and every person's holiday very much.

That's very kind of your boss. Have you known him for a long time?

Years and years. [ He smiles, a little quieter. Here Omi, a better vision -- a face clearly comes up in your mind's eye as he talks, a frighteningly large and imposing man with an underbite and intense emerald eyes... but framed in glasses and a neat suit, the air of a wholesome gentleman despite the, quite frankly, terrifying face. ]

He's, I guess, my friend, my boss, and my partner.

... It's always good to have somebody like that in your life.

[What a nice memory.

There's a picture Steven will get at the word "partner". Another man, with blonde hair, and dark brown eyes. He's wearing a gold chain around his neck, entire outfit disheveled.]