[video]

[blastiafreak]

[Why a stack of books doesn't make a good stepladder is demonstrated pretty well when the stack wobbles, Rita slips, and everything crashes to the floor. Several books go with her, and she mutters some choice words. Particularly when one falls right on her head.

Eventually, she sits up in the middle of yet another disaster in the study, clutching her head with a dazed expression that actually has nothing to do with this accident and quite a lot to do with a recent mistletoe curse. Her face goes a few shades of red, even as she berates herself; this is stupid, pointless, and she shouldn't care...right?]

Argh, what am I doing...? There's no way that's normal at all.

Comments

[stargathering]

You don't know that for sure. [ Tyr might not be the best person to ask, but whatever. He's being sincere. ] Just tell me.

[blastiafreak]

[Maybe she'll give it a shot...if she doesn't die of embarrassment or awkwardness first.] Th-that curse, with those--plants, whatever they were called--and, you know...

[stargathering]

[ Tyr thinks, then... Oh. He shifts uncomfortably. ] I remember it. What... happened? [ He feels like he doesn't have to ask, but it's not right to make assumptions. ]

[blastiafreak]

W-what do you think happened? [Knee-jerk reaction. Rita can't help it, not with this kind of subject.]

[stargathering]

[ Well, he had that coming to him. He quickly clarifies, though it's not a much better and he knows it. ] --What about it is really bothering you?

[blastiafreak]

[Ugh, she doesn't know if she wants to--Okay, she really does want to ask someone, so red-faced and fidgety, she goes for it.]

S-someone that I k--ran into, and...Sh-she wasn't bothered by it or anything! But it's not...normal, right? [It's part of what's on her mind, though not everything. Definitely not everything.]

[stargathering]

[ He pauses, then shakes his head. It's sort of strange talking to her calmly when she's very not calm, but he can keep cool. ]

Some people are used to these curses or... just don't mind them. It's not any stranger than tolerating anything else that happens... [ That's logical, isn't it? ]

[blastiafreak]

[It's logical, in a way. She gets that, but isn't really able to calm down yet thanks to what's really on her mind--that maybe during the curse, she wouldn't have minded depending on who...]

Uh...Y-yeah, maybe...But--S-so it's not like it'd be any different if it was- [what is she even saying here sob.]

[stargathering]

[ He's... sort of getting it. Or trying to guess what the end of that sentence would have been. And he really is the last one to be talking about this... ]

If it was...?

[blastiafreak]

I-if it was...[Her voice rises to an almost squeaky pitch. What is she doing, what is she thinking, what does she even want-]

I-i-if it was...s-someone--I-I don't know, someone else!

[stargathering]

[ He has no idea how to make this better for her. ]

It's... hard to say. Wouldn't it matter to you sometimes, too?

[blastiafreak]

[This conversation. So, so awkward.]

I-I don't know! Th-that's why I'm asking, okay?

[stargathering]

--It probably would matter. [ This makes it a bit better by deciding for her. ] It's different if it's a close friend or someone you didn't like.

[blastiafreak]

D-different...how? [Feels like such an idiot for this whole thing.]

[stargathering]

If you... had to choose, it would be better to have someone you know won't hold anything against you, don't you think?

[blastiafreak]

...S-sure, I...guess. [Her voice makes it obvious that she's totally unconvinced, though. It's not so much about having to choose, after all...]

[stargathering]

[ He can tell. ]

...Did I misunderstand?

[blastiafreak]

Uh...N-nevermind. I-I told you it was just stupid, right?

[stargathering]

It doesn't seem stupid to you. [ Even if he just thinks, "It's just a stupid kiss." ]

[blastiafreak]

What makes you think that? I said it was stupid. [That's what she wants to think!]

[stargathering]

Because your actions really don't match your words. Just tell me what's going on.

[blastiafreak]

[And now she wonders if she's really being that obvious. Why does she fail so hard at this...]

...I-it's not about...having to choose.

[stargathering]

What is it about, wanting to choose? [ Because, really, it's a curse... What's so bothersome about the mistletoe one? ]

[blastiafreak]

...No--I-I don't know...[She totally does know. Sort of. Uuugh she doesn't know anymore!]

[stargathering]

... [ He sighs. ] What makes this so different from other curses, then?