(ROLE) DOCTOR WHO

[dormheads]

doctor who.

On Monday at 9 PM, Nier receives an encrypted e-mail.

middleman@Wiwaldi.edu

Meet me at the Student Health Office alone. Don't tell anyone.

Luke

No one is in the halls as Nier creeps to the Student Health Service Office. The door opens, and Luke waves him inside.

There is a trendy plastic letter board standing up on the counter which reads:

DOCTOR WHO
● DOCTOR or WHO?
● DOCTOR will spare someone from execution on Sunday, but under certain conditions. WHO? will allow the removal of a single piece of evidence. If no evidence is known, use "wildcard" to make it random.
● This choice is only active during the current week.
● You have to pick one or the other (doctor or who), not both.
● Deadline is Tuesday, 6 PM.

Comments

[amain]

[ He gently squeezes the sides of Riku's hand, around the knuckle area, to see if he winces or not. ]

[darksubverted]

[Gmail didn't give me this notif and now I know why.

He absolutely jerks in place and winces. It steals the breath from him.]

H-Hey!

[amain]

[ Nier is just squeezing Riku’s paw to check if he’s hurt, basically. It doesn’t seem too bad, so he spares him fussing. ]

I’m sure you have plenty of people taking care of you.

[ slut. ]

If we did a sacrifice ballot box… Lottery, raffle thing, would it negate this power entirely? Even if we bring the box to trial and someone else pulls a name out of it—for show.

[darksubverted]

A... A-ah! I can... take care of... myself!

[HIS LIL PAW! He grabs Nier's wrist with his other hand, and tries to steal his lil paw back without hurting it.]

Mn... No, I... guess not. If only you and just the ones you've told see the names. You can't show anyone else. Don't forget, they have to know they aren't going to be saved.

[amain]

[ HE WAS GOING TO LET IT GO YOU WEIRDO ]

So in the end results can’t be shown is what you’re saying, even if it’s under the guise of being random.

[darksubverted]

[Don't lie. He was going to hold his little brother's hand.]

You can show the one you pick out of the box.

But... you should just be careful how you go through with your plan. Not because of a punishment. Because if they found out you lied, they'd know something was up.

[amain]

[ HE WASN’T… Also, wow, to be honest, he feels very bad about lying. This is the most outright lying he has done ever in his life since repression doesn’t count. ]

To the people that know already, right? [ mm. ] I wonder if it’d be better to do the ballot at trial, if it ever comes down to it, but we enchant the box to only give our target name. I feel like it wouldn’t raise much suspicion if people see it happen in front of them.

This is only if we don’t find the killer, or someone who seems very guilty—for the most part, people have been properly voting. We’ve been doing well, too.

[ is that a good thing we are not feeling good in this office today ]

[darksubverted]

Don't forget about the receipt.

[Yeah, we are not feeling good in this office today.]

Don't overthink it. Do what you can. You're doing better than you realize, too. You all have been good about finding at least one person who has been killing. You might not even need your box trick.

It's better they don't need someone like you than the fact they do, right? Needing to fall back on your job means things are grim.

[amain]

They tend to get the receipt when it's available... And it shouldn't show the enchantment until it's used, right? Most likely, we would do the ballot in the last hour.

[ NIER HAS NEVER THOUGHT SO MUCH ABOUT STUFF IN HIS LIFE TILL THIS. he loves you so much riku thank you for just telling him not to think about it anymore ]

I want all of this to end soon.

[darksubverted]

[NO, STOP. AT LEAST USE THE LAST HALF OF A BRAINCELL YOU HAVE LEFT, FOOL!!!

His expression softens, and he frowns.]

Sometimes, you have to walk a long time through the darkness before you ever end up where you're meant to be. But the light will always be there to guide you as long as you follow it.

[Well, that's his Disney quota for today.]

[amain]

[ HIS HALF BRAINCELL TO JUST PICK A PERSON?? ]

... I remember at first I thought you were talking about something other than school, then was misled to believe you were into deep? Poetry.

[darksubverted]

[NO, USE IT ALL THE TIME? HELLO?]

...

[He turns sort of red in the face.]

See if I ever give you any advice again.

[amain]

In this situation, you're my light, right?

[ nier sure has trouble seeing why he needs to stop saying the things he does ]

[darksubverted]

[HE JUST TURNS SO DAMN RED HE IS A TOMATO]

What's that supposed to even mean, you blockhead?!

[amain]

[ HE IS YOUR OLDER BROTHER WHY ARE YOU BLUSHING oh he sees that riku is bothered... well. ]

That you're guiding me? Like a lighthouse on a dark foggy night.

[darksubverted]

[DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT]

Wh--just stop talking. [He reaches out with his good hand to shove Nier's face.] Nevermind what I said.

[amain]

[ WHY ARE YOU BLUSHING nier laughs a bit despite a hand in his face. ]

Am I wrong?

[darksubverted]

You don't have to describe it that way. So quit being a sap.

[This is funny after what he said, but he was being serious.]

[amain]

You were the one that started it with your light and dark talk. It's only fitting.

[ Pokes his forehead. ]

[darksubverted]

I didn't--cut it out.

[He shoos the hand and rubs his forehead where it was poked. With his good hand.]

I'm being serious here. When you feel like things are the worse they can be, it won't last forever. It might be a long time, but it won't be forever. If you keep going, you'll come out where you need to be.

[amain]

Yeah. I got that the first time with the dark and light advice, Riku.

How have you been doing? Aside from… [ Gestures at his hurt paw. ]

[darksubverted]

[He just makes a face. It looks like he almost wants to huff, but he doesn't.

And then he glances away.]

I could be better.

[amain]

[ Rip, Riku. ]

Do you want to check out any of the new locations this week? To take your mind off of things for a bit.

[darksubverted]

[He shakes his head.]

No thanks... I'm not feeling up to it right now.

[amain]

All right. Try not to hole yourself up until Saturday.

[ No hermit for you. He pats his shoulder. ]

This also might be asking too much, but look after Mabel for me.