[Open/Mingle] Friends, beauties, castle denizens, lend me your ears

[mediadarling]

Today in the castle, a number of long sheets of paper have gone up in various well-trafficked locations. They all read the same:

ATTENTION BEAUTIES OF THE CASTLE!!
SIGNUPS ARE HERE FOR THE GREATEST SPECTACLE THE CASTLE HAS EVER KNOWN:
THE TALE OF SIR METTATON THE MAGNIFICENT AND HIS DARING QUEST FOR ADVENTURE AND ROMANCE!!
WRITTEN BY METTATON AND RYOJI MOCHIZUKI!
WITH ACTING, SCENERY, COSTUMES, AND MORE BY YOU!!!!
SIGN UP BELOW:

A pen and inkwell have been left on a table beneath each sheet. Anyone able to read the message will note that while Ryoji's name is written in blue and in the extremely tidy script of someone who doesn't write by hand often, Mettaton's name is massive, magenta, and surrounded by hearts.

Nearby, there just might be an enthusiastic robot and/or teenager lingering to see just how this latest project of theirs is going over.

Comments

[mediadarling]

Mettaton tries to smile again at Ryoji, though he hasn't quite got over what Sans had called him. "Robro"? Honestly, must he?

"You'll love it, I promise," he assures Ryoji, ignoring Sans. "The same way you'll love our play when it's finished. I can't wait to write you your role!"

[trombones]

"Nah, I mean. I've seen them before. Just not, uh..." Voluntarily. Because he liked them. "On my own."

Sans is repeating himself but whatever. He grins lopsidedly at Ryoji and nods. This guy seemed pretty mellow, and Sans liked that. Then he glances at Mettaton. Robro. Robuddy. Robuster. The other was obviously ignoring him, but when did that ever stop this motherfucker?

"What's he gonna be? Some star-crossed wicked stepmother redshirt with a heart of gold? A bush? The plumber? I remember a plumber on one of your cooking shows."

Whether or not that's true doesn't matter, Sans is obviously busting MTT's roballs.

[notsogrimreaper]

"Oh, I understand. Someone else really liked them, huh? I had a friend who would force me to watch all sorts of weird things." Ah, Junpei. What a bro. Ryoji can't help but miss his odd sense of humour.

At all of Sans' suggestions, Ryoji chuckles and turns his attention back to Mettaton, rocking back on his heels cheerfully.

"I'm actually not sure what part I'll play, though with you writing it, I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun, whatever it is!"

[mediadarling]

Mettaton is about to give that empty-skulled clown a piece of his mind...but then Ryoji is his usual sweet self, and it takes (most of) the wind out of his sails.

"It certainly will, darling, and I can promise you it will be much better than any of the ridiculous ideas a certain someone has suggested." Honestly, Sans, the plumber was on his home improvement corner. Doesn't he know anything?

He pulls his thoughts away from Sans to a much better subject, gives Ryoji a brilliant smile, and leans forward. "You're going to be the love interest, of course!"

[trombones]

"My brother, in my case."

Look, Sans barely paid attention to Mettaton's show as is!! Given he was the kind of guy who turned interviews into henshin costume changes and cooking shows into bad guy fights though, the skeleton wouldn't put it past his own memory.

Anyway. Sans was going to tease a little more, but Ryoji looked pretty pleased. So did Mettaton, who was actually offering something pretty genuine. He tilts his head for a moment, then decides - nah.

"Heh."

[notsogrimreaper]

Ryoji would love to comment on the fact that Sans has a brother. He should have assumed, what with Sans-Serif looking similar to him and having a brother, but it's still interesting. He wonders what his brother is like, since Ryoji was an only child... and honestly didn't have a 'family' at all.

But Mettaton just let slip what part he's writing for him, and all chances of casual conversation just went out the window.

"L-l-love interest?" he wheezes, his face already going so red it may as well be glowing. He thought the kiss at Mettaton's dance was embarrassing, but this...

He's going to die. Right here. Just lay down and die. He can't seem to remember how to breathe anyways, so that would probably save energy. He chances a glance at Sans, praying that some miracle has occurred and he hasn't noticed how distraught he is.

"I-I-I mean, shouldn't you hold auditions for such an important part?"

[mediadarling]

Mettaton frowns. Now that wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting at all.

"Well, I could," he says. "But you're my costar--it's only natural for you to take the second-best part. Unless it isn't to your liking?"

He hadn't thought of that. Hmm.... Is it too late to change genres?

[trombones]

Sans shrugs into the conversation, then decides to walk back to the table with the long sheets of paper. He pauses for a moment, wondering how he should sign it. He's not the only Sans, so... man. They needed to color coordinate or something one of these days.

He finally writes something with deliberation. "other sans". That works.

"How about third best?"

He's just obnoxiously chiming in with nothing in particular at this point.

[notsogrimreaper]

"It's not that I don't like it! It's just a... um... a lot to take in, really. I haven't performed onstage, and suddenly I'm such an important part? It sounds pretty crazy."

Thank god Sans isn't making a big fuss over this. Ryoji needs someone to take this calmly when he obviously can't. He watches Sans sign his name to distract himself from imagining how in the world he's going to be the damsel in distress for Mettaton.

[mediadarling]

His expression lightens and he waves a hand. "Oh, is that all you're worried about? Don't you bother that beautiful head of yours, gorgeous. I'm sure with a little practice, you'll be a stunning love interest."

He leans in a bit. "After all, you've already got the devastatingly handsome part down cold."

[trombones]

"Chilled, even."

SANS, SHUT UP.

[notsogrimreaper]

SANS, YOU ARE NOT HELPING.

Ryoji prays once again for the world to swallow him whole, or for his face at least to stop glowing like a traffic light.

"I, uh, if you say so. Looks are kind of subjective, so... I mean, you're just saying that."

He can't even think of a good argument to convince himself Mettaton isn't flirting. What does he do now?

[mediadarling]

Mettaton blinks. Then his smile drops into an expression that's serious, and completely earnest.

He sets his hands on Ryoji's shoulders and looks him directly in the eye. "I am most certainly not just saying that, darling, so you can stop thinking that way right now. You're beautiful inside and out, and I won't have you saying a word against yourself--or my excellent taste. All right?"

jsyk you guys can keep going with this thread if you want! sans is just third wheeling it rn anyway

[trombones]

GOD DAMMIT SANS.

Though honestly, he can kind of tell where this is going already. He's already signed up and he's already bugged Mettaton so, well. He might as well check out now.

"Can't say much to robro's taste, but he's right. Don't be so hard on yourself, yeah?"

Finally, he sets the pen back on the table and pockets his hands.

"Welp. I'm off. You two have fun planning or whatever."

SORRY SANS ;;

[notsogrimreaper]

"No, wait, Sans-!"

Oh god, his last hope is slouching away. Ryoji is absolutely doomed now. He tries to get the skeleton's attention again, but it seems Mettaton isn't really concerned about him, and far more concerned with this oddly affectionate lecture. Ryoji ducks down under his piercing gaze, nerves making his smile falter.

"I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

I'M SORRY MY DWEEB IS SO RUDE orz

[mediadarling]

If Ryoji glances up, he'll see a small look of sadness cross Mettaton's features--but only for a moment. Mettaton sweeps it away with a smile that's every bit as fond as his words when he says, "Oh, darling.... It's not me you should be apologising to. It's yourself.

"You are beautiful. I only wish you could see it."

Maybe actions will speak louder than words. He certainly hopes so.

And so he slides one hand around from Ryoji's shoulder to the back of his neck and slips the other into his hair, and draws him down for a soft, tender kiss.

[notsogrimreaper]

"I... I appreciate that you think that, but I think..."

He could explain that he's known himself longer, that he thinks he knows how much beauty he actually has. Maybe he could finally confess to his friend, scary as the possibility is, that the monster Mettaton encountered all those months ago was him. Maybe if he had the chance to speak, he could make Mettaton see his true colours...

But he can't speak. Instead, Mettaton suddenly brings him closer and presses his lips to his. Ryoji's face immediately goes red, and it feels like his heart stopped beating. He lets out a quiet noise, though it's hard to tell if it's one of protest, confusion, or affection. His thoughts tangle in his head and then abruptly halt. All he can focus on is the feeling of the kiss. His eyes slide closed.

[mediadarling]

When Ryoji doesn't pull away--well, Mettaton can feel his soul warming his entire body. Kissing Ryoji is so nice; if Ryoji is enjoying it as well, then why in the world would he stop?

His hand slides up Ryoji's neck to cup his cheek, and he steps forward to lean into him a little more.

[notsogrimreaper]

As nice as it feels, it can't last forever, and eventually, the confusion is so great that Ryoji has to pull away. His face is still almost glowing, and he puts a hand in front of his mouth.

"Um... that was... intense."

He doesn't know what to think. He's pretty sure someone would only kiss someone that passionately if they were in love...

[mediadarling]

As Ryoji's lips leave his, Mettaton is smiling. Warmth fills his body; surely no day at the spa could leave him as relaxed as this.

"Did you like it, darling?" he murmurs, only just resisting the urge to smooch him again right then and there.

[notsogrimreaper]

"I... I don't know."

When Ryoji takes his hand away, it's to reveal a slight frown. He feels guilty already, bringing this up, but after all of this, even he feels a bit toyed with. It hurts, and it's confusing, especially when Ryoji has never flirted with another male before.

"I mean, it's not like it actually means anything, right? So I shouldn't be making such a fuss about it." He shrugs.

[mediadarling]

Immediately, he says, "Of course it means something!"

How could he think such a thing after all this time?

...Has he ever seen Ryoji frown before?

"You're my--"

He stops.

Since coming to the surface and beginning to pick up parts in human movies in addition to his own, he's had plenty of costars. They've been people to work with--occasionally friends to keep in touch with after the wrap party--but that's it. He's never kissed any of them. He hasn't wanted to.

Ryoji is his costar, and he's his friend--but the only friends he has who are anything like Ryoji are Blooky and Alphys. And aside from teasing Alphys that one time, he certainly hasn't had any desire to kiss them--far from it.

And yet here he is, not only wanting to kiss Ryoji, but to hold him close, to snuggle with him and drop little smooches all over his handsome face to watch him blush.

Ryoji is his costar, and he's his friend, and he's his....

"Well. You are very, very dear to me, Ryoji Mochizuki, and, if you're willing, I'd like to make the biggest fuss about you that you can possibly imagine."

[notsogrimreaper]

Ryoji doesn't frown much around Mettaton, but... that's what he's doing now. Frowning in a way that suggests he's trying to hide his pain, but in doing so, he only looks more hurt in the process. He doesn't want to be selfish. He doesn't want to expect more from Mettaton, a friend who has already done a lot for him. He has no right to ask for anything else.

But... even so, for Mettaton to be so affectionate and then be so dismissive of that affection hurts. Ryoji sometimes wonders if that kind of attention is better than nothing.

"...costar, right? I'm just your costar."

He sounds more bitter than he intended to. That's not like him. None of this is really like him. But since being with Mettaton, Ryoji has changed. He's started developing feelings he's never really understood, feelings he has only experienced once before, with Minato. He has to get used to what those feelings actually are, and it's making a confusing mess of his thoughts. But if he spends all this time trying to untangle it only for Mettaton to ignore him...

Mettaton does not in fact ignore him. After a few moments of silence, Mettaton speaks up again to shock Ryoji out of his melancholy, and the words he says are genuine, kind, and... and Ryoji must surely be imagining this. His face goes slightly pink.

"...You don't mean what I think you mean, right? You... like to fuss over me because we're friends, and that's what friends do, right?"

[mediadarling]

"I do," Mettaton says, "but...."

He lifts his hands from where they've been resting on Ryoji's shoulders to cup his cheeks.

"I'd also like to ask you to be my prince, so I can fuss over you even more."

He presses a small kiss to his lips.

"What do you think, my darling?"

Everything is moving quickly, very quickly--but that's exactly the way he likes it. Why hesitate when the alternative is so much more exciting?

[notsogrimreaper]

It's moving very fast, and Ryoji at first doesn't really mind. He can be spontaneous once in a while, and really, if doing this will make Mettaton happy, will make someone he cares about so much overjoyed...

But it won't, will it? It won't make Mettaton truly happy in the end. Ryoji doesn't deserve to be his prince. A prince doesn't keep secrets and lie about the fact that they're just a murderer underneath the crown.

Ryoji breaks away from the kiss, eyes wide.

"Mettaton... I... I wish I could..."

He swallows hard. He wants to just leave it at that, but it's not right to keep playing along with this charade.

"I... I need to go. I'm so sorry, I..."

He has no way to properly apologize for this. Nothing he says would be good enough. He just shakes his head, ducks out of Mettaton's grip, and bolts off down the hall.