ArtisticTiger - Please keep in mind how the thread functions! Your character must respond to the character above's own secret, and then tell the next character your secret.
RULE UPDATE [8/3/2022]
Once again, pretty self-explanatory thread. Your character tells the next character a secret about themselves, they respond, and so the cycle continues with them.
RULES AND GUIDELINES:
- Keep NSFW to a minimum -- suggestions, implications, and innuendos are generally fine, but keep in mind that minors have access to this thread.
- Romantic interactions are allowed, but only between adult characters.
- Sensitive or gory interactions are also allowed, but must be put under a spoiler or blacked out.
- Remember to post IC! The IC button is on top of the field where you write your post, just switch it on and select the character you wish to use.
- There is a five sentence minimum in your response to the character above!
- As a general suggestion, not quite a rule, however, please try to match half the post of the person you are responding to.
- You may only post every three posts or three days after the last post, not three days after your own.
- Example: [You] [x] [x] [x] [You] or You [x] [x] [three days pass] [You]
- You may post a "claim" to avoid getting sniped, but please do not take too long on it!
- You will be pinged here with a reminder after twelve hours of an unfinished claim. After twenty-four hours of an unfinished claim, you can be skipped by the next person.
- You must prove that you have read the post that you have responded to. Your post must contain elements of the post above and/or the above character's information.
- Be kind to your fellow players, but know that in-character views are not their own out-of-character. Just because their character's rude to yours doesn't mean they themselves feel that way!
- Do not skip over users who have you blocked or who you have blocked. Wait for someone else to respond to them before posting.
- I supervise this thread as much as I can, but if you spot problems, please either DM or ping me.
Reina listened quietly as Sis Croc told the story, nodding along as she spoke.
“I haven’t had a croissant in so long or eaten a meal like that before.” She said, thoughtfully, before focusing back to the conversation. “Ah, I’m sorry. This is your secret, I shouldn’t be making this about me. I do hope the food tasted nice! I’m sorry you had to be in a situation where you were really hungry but it’s good you got food.”
__________
“As for my secret, it’s kinda personal…” She leaned in towards the listener and brought her voice to a whisper. “I don’t want to be a model.” She brought herself back immediately “Eek, I hope no one else heard. My boss would be very unhappy if he heard me saying that.”
“Please don’t get me wrong, I’m immensely grateful for what I currently have and what I have accomplished. I’ve become a successful runway model with a name for myself. But I just wish I had a normal childhood sometimes. I used to do a lot of beauty pageants and they’re so stressful. And being a teen model was extra stressful, you have no idea. It’s just a nightmare to deal with all the time and there’s so much pressure. Being in the spotlight isn’t as nice as some make it out to be. But I’m talking about myself too much now, please let me know when I do so I can stop and give you the chance to speak.”
Maribelle's face was hard, sullen, as it always was. Though there was not a trace of empathy upon such a flat visage, she was listening. She listened well, and she hated what she was hearing, her dark, dull eyes fixated on Reina. A pit dug into her stomach, a bird's claws rendering her scarred. She understood well enough. There was a lot of joy there when one got caught up in the moment of fame. It became difficult to remember that they were a person -- were people -- with their own desires and aspirations when they had to do as others pleased. It was the fear of being known only as...
"Leave."
Her words were cold, but to the point. She tried to keep herself from becoming too emotional about the ordeal, but couldn't help herself. When she continued to speak, her voice started to tremble, though if only for the smallest second. "Be as grateful as you want, but if you stay, you're only going to be... you just need to go. What do you actually want to do? ..What will your manager do if you leave?"
The last question hung in the air for a moment, but it was most on her mind. She remained silent for some time.
Then, she sighed. "You can deal with that later. Don't throw your life away for some bullshit fucking modeling, and get out of there. I'll take you with me to-- to my lectures. I don't have a lot of money, but I can give you a bit to get you away. Your manager sounds like an asshole, and anyways, who cares if you make a bunch of shitheads sad? Do whatever else you want, but don't sit pretty."
big fat cw for references towards abuse, just trauma in general. maribelle's depressed ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The window to the cabin was wide open, blowing in cold air against the heat of the fireplace. The young woman's face was illuminated, lined by the glow. In her hands, she carefully -- maybe a bit anxiously -- stitched orchids into an embroidery hoop. The other party might as well have not been there, as she hardly acknowledged them. She didn't even give them dinner. How sad.
When she did pause her needlework, even then she didn't look up at the person. "It's nice to have a foreigner around, because rarely do any of you... care for... our politics." she said, softly, "I am a noblewoman. Was. I was taken in by a magistrate." She stopped again, once again growing nervous. Something told her to vilify the man, but she couldn't bring herself to breathe a word of him, and just barely of it.
"..He was a troubled man. He was." Maribelle placed the hoop aside. She looked into the fire. "I cared so much for him, and that's-- that's probably so disgusting to admit, but he was all I've ever known for so long."
"But, Otto... I'm very sorry, I know people don't like hearing me talk about it, but -- Otto Alkaev hurt me, though he was conflicted, and though noble girls shouldn't talk about it. I'd like to... talk about it more some day to the people who loved him, but I don't think I'm ready. Maybe I never will be." Maribelle stopped again. Though her expression didn't change from its somber stare, she leaned into her hand, lost in thought for a several moments.
"I know there's hope for the future now," she added, "But I can't accept or really understand what happened or why. And I don't think I ever will."
Solita shifted slightly and she gave Mateus a small, empathetic look. Tugging down the hem of her dress a little, she thought for a moment. She's never had anyone share their "deepest and darkest" secrets to her before, and she wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. It didn't upset her, by any means. It was just the simple fact that it's never happened to her before. Either way, she was determined to be as honest as she could.
"I don't believe you're incompatible with the rest of the world," She said, choosing her words carefully. "But I don't believe that everything is incompatible with you either." She gave him a small closed-mouth smile. "You simply have to find who or what is compatible with you. And I believe that some way you will. You just have to wait a little while."
She tucked some of her hair behind her ear, looking down a little bit. "And trust me when I say that I know perfectly well how you feel. I just... don't believe I fit in this world, I believe I'm 'incompatible' as you say it. But I know that someday I will find someone or something that is compatible with me, and I know for certain the same goes for you as well."
Solita sat carefully, making sure that her dress didn't ride up too far. Although she was wearing white shorts underneath, that didn't mean she by any means wanted to give anyone an upskirt view of her dress. She stared down at nothing, for a rather long moment, her blue eyes looking rather far away. She was extremely quiet for a very long time, her thoughts racing each other through her head. Eventually, she began to quietly and suddenly speak.
"I don't know what it feels like to be really loved." She fell silent again, her words hanging in the air. She scratched absently at her arm for a moment, but then she just folded her hands neatly onto her lap and continued on. "My mother didn't love me because I was the product of rape. I look most like my father and that's all she could see in me. So I ran away. And now I... have no idea what love feels like. From a friend, a mother, or a lover. I just want someone to love me."
She let out a dark laugh, shaking her head a little bit. She looked wistful, and perhaps a little embarrassed, but that look fell off her face rather quickly.
"I sound desperate. I guess in a way I am. I'm just desperate to find out what love feels like. I've never known love." Pausing, she considered her next words carefully. Did she really want to continue to be so vulnerable? She almost felt as if she were being a bother. But she continued on anyways. "I... want a lover most of all, I guess. Someone to hold me, to tell me I'm okay. To gaze at the stars, and kiss me, and let me treat them like... they deserve to be treated. And all I ask for in return is for them to love me. But I sound like a fool. A desperate fool. I guess... that's what to expect from someone who's never before experienced any sort of real love."
She let out a deep sigh, her whole body slouching over. She stared at her hands, her heart beginning to pump uncontrollably in her chest.
"I'm sorry for talking about it. I don't wish to be a burden to you. I probably should have asked before randomly spouting off such... unnecessary nonsense. It doesn't matter. I like to tell myself that someday someone will love me. I like to think that someday... I don't know." She shook her head, closing her eyes and smiling a rather sad smile. "I... I don't know. I'm sorry."
As he listens, his usually placid expression slips into deep concern. Its in times like these where he wishes he had better charisma, or half a braincell more. If he did, then maybe he'd know what to say. All he knows is that hearing what Barbara has been through... it makes him angry. That people can be so awful, and the people they hurt are the ones who end up regretting it.
Clenching his fist, Michael takes a deep breath. What matters now is trying to help.
"I- hey. I'm so sorry that's happening to you." His voice is deep and a little rough, but the sympathy is unmistakable.
"Listen, I know we don't know each other all that well, but I swear it's not your fault. That's not cheating, you're not... If you didn't say it was okay, and you're hating it, and he's..." Michael pauses, trying to keep his words civil.
"He's literally blackmailing you. What this guy is doing to you is fucking awful, is what it is. And look- that's his damn fault. Even if your husband leaves you because this guy is a total goddamn scumbag- that's not your fault either. If he's any good, then he'll know that you're not a bad person because someone can't treat you with basic fucking decency. Besides- isn't God's whole thing about forgiving people? You're not a whore. You're a person who deserves better."
Clearly he failed at trying, but damn him.
"Fuck, this again? Uh..." Michael folds his arms over his chest. "Okay, this is kinda dumb, but uh..."
Secrets. He was never keen on sharing them.
"I wish I hated the taste of blood." Looking down at the ground, he shrugs lamely. "I dunno, it just... it feels weird liking it. That the people around me and the people I care about... I know I need it and all, but it'd just be easier if I at least hated it."
In truth, these feelings run more deep and complicated than he lets on. Hell if Michael is about to dig into it, though.
Resting her head on her hands, the young woman swirled her drink unceremoniously as she tilted her head. She grinned, all tooth and playful commentary behind it, as she sipped her drink. "I am absolutely satisfied," she muses with a Cheshire grin, however her tone didn't hold any sort of taunting, a mere enjoyment that came.
"It suits you, somehow? Like you're a prickly rose kind of guy, and bees looovveee flowers," she elongates the word love, raising her hands in some fashion to show off what she thought, a gesture befitting her playful nature, "So it totally makes sense. I didn't expect it though, I thought you'd say something like 'I sold my kidneys to make all my money' or 'I committed massive tax fraud and now I'm on the run'! It's oddly cute, especially for someone so prickly."
With a hard pat on the back, the young woman seems satisfied to some extent, giggling and playful despite the obvious distaste Alexander has for her. Whether she's ignoring it or merely amused, it's hard to tell, but she doesn't seem to bring the secret back up, instead letting it fade away with the night, held tight between her lips.
Mild TW for child endangerment / abuse!
Resting back into her chair, Michiru lets a quiet hum as she seems to think. "Hmm," she crosses her arms and sighs out loudly. "Ahh, this secret thing is hard," she huffs, childish and impudent before she perks up. "Wait, wait, no, I have one!" she moves then, leaning in far too close and excitably as she claps her hands together. Personal space was hardly something she seemed to understand as she grinned, hands resting on her knees.
"I got my tattoo when I was 12! My brothers all got it at the same time and Papa said I should too, so even then I was suuuuper scared of the needles, I got it!" she moves then, pulling her shirt off her shoulder and arm to show it off. A large snake wrapped around flowers and a Japanese name seemed to be taking up the entire portion of her shoulder and arm, only slightly slinking onto her clavicle. "It's totally cool, right? Right? Everyone in the family has it, it's like a family heirloom but better!" she laughs, clapping her hands excitedly as she pulls her shirt back on. For a moment, she looks almost remorseful as her hand ghosts over it before he look drops.
"But you can't tell anyone ookkkaaayy? I'll get seriously pissed! I mean it," Michiru lets out a laugh, loud and boisterous, but for a split second, one would think she looks close to crying.
Jasper listens in on the taller figure's 'classified'. information. Once they were done with their ranting Jasper, imaginary, zips his mouth closed using hand gestures.
"Your secret is safe with me! Cross my heart" Jasper spoke.
"But if you do happen to see him again... ya mind inviting me? I'd love to help ya out by beating this guy to a bloody pulp!" Jasper lightly claps getting excited at his own words.
"You know you can do much much more than just punch him, after all what you went through because of him might cost a little more than just one punchhhhh" He spoke, carrying out the h.
"Also did you always have well...." Jasper gestures to his own face, trying to point out how they were quite different, but I think you can tell what he was trying to mean. "If you didn't we could always do the same to your... quote on quote buddy.... I have a blow torch, that might work. We can char him like a marshmallow!"
--
"I usually don't like talking about this stuff, but I think you'll actually listen unlike others." Jasper fiddles with his fingers trying to gain enough confidence to speak. "You ever get that feeling that the past is just right in front of you and you have to walk through it again?"
"I know it sounds weird but I'm starting to remember stuff that I shouldn't." He looks around, trying to avoid eye contact. "Something happened to me before I became how I am today."
"Something bad, I can just tell its no good. I can just tell that I probably shouldn't try and remember. But I do." He shivers.
"All I remember is a sharp pain in my neck and then lights out, but It didn't feel like something hitting me. It felt like something stabbing me." He looks frightened.
"KIDDING! IT WAS A JOKE! of course....." He pauses for a moment. "Just don't tell anybody... please."
Hush Hush blinks, he was not the guy to understand things that easily. Hush Hush looked at the small man before nodding happily.
"Well! I do feel like that the past is sometimes creeping up? Well I sometimes see it and it can be very scary! I need to tell my brother about it often...Since it hurts once in a while!". The A4 GTR spoke as they were becoming nervous, they never had this questioned in their mind but knew this feeling.
Hush Hush was worried about how the small man spoke, he was scared about what they had to think about again. Hush Hush was confused with sharp pain in the neck? He never had any pain in general as humans got rid of him quickly and safely but who knew he came back? The life of a locomotive is just as crazy.
"Oh...Oh?!". Hush Hush was whimpering like a dog, he was sitting there now, he was worried. "I...Well...I will keep it for myself! No worries! I won't tell anyone! It is safe in me like a cupcake!". Hush Hush replied, he was keeping the secret for himself.
Hush Hush never had anyone tell him something this heavy? He was even unsure if it was heavy?!? How should the spirit react to this now? Well, he never will know so he keeps up a neutral expression as he does.
God, I hope I did good- Please boink me on the head if not-
The Big engine was sitting there with a cupcake on his head, he was derping, he was unsure really of what to say but soon one thought came to his mind, he wags his tail but soon it changes over as he realized it was the wrong type of memory? He was narrowing his eyes.
"Oh!... Guess what...I just have this thought again? I think it is about the time I had my designer...Sir Nigel Gresley? Tell me that I was going to be rebuilt and that life was going to be different from now on? He told me that my boiler was too heavy to rebuilt most of the time...So...Promise me to keep this for you alright?". Hush Hush explained, he was scared that this secret was going to leak out onto the railway, it might cause trouble out there, no LNER engine should ever know of this!
"When I was rebuilt for the first time! I never had a name...Nigel gave me the name Hush Hush...Because he didn't want the other A4's well most of them to go angry at me, Nigel said I was an experiment meant to see how the already established class was going to react to a spirit without a name! It never came out and Nigel took it to his grave...Well...Nobody knows really...Haha...". Hush Hush said he was aware that this secret was something that could make the others feel betrayed by the designer so he hopes that this was going to stay underground.
She looked confused. Inter couldn’t follow a word Hush Hush had said. ‘Your past seems... confusing.’ She went quiet for a while untill she looked at Hush Hush and smiled. ‘Your secret is safe with me! I won’t tell a soul!’ She looked to the side. ‘It must be frusterating not being able to tell anyone. I myself don’t like keeping secrets. But some things simply... can not be said.’ She smiled once again at Hush Hush. ‘You seem like an interesting person. I hope we meet again!’ Even though Inter did not really understand what Hush Hush’s secret really ment, she appreciated the trust Hush Hush had given her by telling her his secret. Her tail wagged slightly for a while. She seemed happy. But it also reminded her of her own secrets... she didn’t have many, but one thing kept bothering her.
(I hope I did this right >~<)
She looked at you. ‘Do you... ever have these feelings...? Ones you keep to yourself... even if you actually want others to know?’ She looked down at the ground and sighed before looking back at you. ‘Can I trust you? I...’ She took a deep breath. ‘I think I’m... falling in love with someone.’ She started to blush lightly. ‘There is this... gorgeous woman, a godess I’d say. She... saved my life, when nobody else could. We’ve been friends ever since. But I’m afraid to tell her how I feel. I just... feel like I want more than just friendship, but she’s so much better than me. I’m afraid my feelings will offend her... How could someone like me ever think to be with someone like her?’
She looked down at the ground and chuckled nervously. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you with this. But... it felt nice to finally tell someone. Thank you for listening. B-But pls don’t tell anyone! Y-You have to promise you won’t!’ She was clearly afraid you’d tell someone, but you could still see she was greatful for your time and allowing her to tell you her secret.