[ let zenitsu find love ]

[coastal]

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week 0, sunday

[coastal]

[lili is washed, cleaned up, and once again dressed in her flowing robes. her hairpin is neatly fastened in her hair, and she's just exploring around the grounds in their entirety.

so wherever zenitsu:]

Oh, it's you.

You're in the Dragon Cabin, aren't you? [wow i wonder who called it that]

[swordflash]

[he's in the casual clothes he wore for training and final selection, and his sword is once again on his person. a necklace that stands out from the rest of his attire adorns his wrist.

turning toward the familiar voice, he wheezes inwardly at lili's appearance.]

I am!

[coastal]

[she glances at his sword and seems a bit surprised - ]

So you really do have one - I didn't expect you to be the type to draw a weapon.

Well, anyway, you lucked out with getting to stay with Dimitri. But as a word of advice, don't yell too much around Ookurikara or he won't want to deal with you.

[that's it, that's all she was looking for him over]

week 0, dieday

[coastal]

[she's back at the mess hall - and she seems frantic, not composed. there's still grace and purpose to every single one of her steps, of course. but her eyes aren't focused, her throat is tight, and she almost seems like she's close to shaking so hard that she won't be able to keep it together.

but even so she's mumbling - ]

There - has to be something else.

[are you really approaching her right now, zenitsu]

[swordflash]

[it takes some time before he musters up enough courage to leave the cabin in search of the individuals who were locked out last night. zenitsu finds lili at the mess hall, where he approaches hesitantly from a distance.]

Lili?

[coastal]

[the sound of someone speaking her name gets her to stop - to pause, and turn away from them instead of toward them]

What.

[she makes her voice flat]

week 1, friday

[coastal]

[well, she's going to be going to dragon cabin - and knocking on the door a few times.]

It's me, Lili.

[whenever zenitsu opens the door though

there are going to be bees hovering around, so that's cool.]

[swordflash]

[if he had his hearing, he could've heard the bees before ever seeing them. but he doesn't, so he trudges over to the door, opens it for lili with a squint, and goes wide-eyed as he recoils at the unexpected sight.]

B-bees!

[coastal]

[she just looks tired, nodding as she sighs]

Unfortunately, yes.

They shouldn't harm you though.

week 2, saturday

[swordflash]

[he's at the garden, feeling the flowers along the path when he stumbles upon a familiar face—one he was meant to talk to at some point following the trial, he recalls.]

Lili.

[coastal]

[ . . . . right. she's sitting in the garden with a bunny in her lap, and her expression is almost serene.

but probably only because she's hit the point where she's so angry, she's gotten past hitting things.]

... You. Sit.

[swordflash]

[she's normally so spirited. seeing her like this, he can only do as she commands and take a seat nearby.]

week 3, monday

[coastal]

[wherever zenitsu is this week, lili is going to go find him, complete with a new outfit for the week. apparently having kaoru for a partner in her last game has upped her fashion game.

however she's just going to sigh as she sets a cup of tea in front of him]

If you wake me up like that again, I will break the schedule of murder and suffocate you with your own pillow.

[swordflash]

[wherever they are, he blinks before reaching for the cup, only to stop when she threatens him.

she's so cute, but she's as terrifying as ever.]

I, I won't.

[coastal]

Good.

[easily! but she did want to follow up on this so - ]

How're you feeling today? No curses?

week 3, friday

[coastal]

[it's so fucking cold. lili's coming back into dragon cabin now with yet another cup of tea, because this cabin runs on so much tea, and she'll go to set it on the kotatsu. i did not mention this earlier because i did not know, but lili is definitely wearing one sweater that is far too big for her and another jacket that is far too big for her on top. maybe they were just underneath the blanket she was wearing at curfew idk.

sorry zenitsu, they both smell like boy.]

Here - have you sat underneath the kotatsu yet?

[do they exist in zenitsu's time, she doesn't know. but she'll go to turn it on so they can both get warm]

[swordflash]

[the essence of girl is still there. she smells great and nobody had better ever tell her otherwise.

he watches her from his usual bunk, then draws close when she starts to set the tea on the kotatsu.]

Not yet.

[that's an invitation, right? she's getting it ready, so he slides under the cover and waits.]

[coastal]

[she'll mimic what kara's done to set it up before and!! it should start to get warmer!]

It'll warm up, so you can use the blanket if you're cold.

[and then she'll go to sit down and pour the tea.]

Did you find anything today?

week 3, post-trial

[coastal]

[hey zenitsu, lili probably doesn't run into you until you're both back in dragon cabin

but once she does

she's immediately bending at the waist, bowing her head]

.... I'm sorry.

[swordflash]

L-Lili . . .

[for a strong girl like her, bowing her head must be a big deal. he panics.]

You don't have to apologize.

[coastal]

[she doesn't lift her head yet, instead shaking it. her hair falls around her.]

I do.

I don't understand people enough, so I wrongly put you through more hardship in order to test a theory.

And instead of thinking that I should look for a kinder way to see if you were cursed, I allowed harm to come to you.

week 4, tuesday

[coastal]

[DRAGON CABIN - honestly the funny thing is that zenitsu is going to have to let lili in? there's a knock on the door as she calls out:]

Zenitsu, are you in? Get the door.

[though when he opens it, he'll notice that she seems to be carrying a tray of food. there's a small bowl of unadon arranged next to a larger bowl of what looks like seafood udon. unfortunately, it smells great and probably tastes great since lili's learned how to cook over the past few months.

she moves to head inside, looking a little bashful]

It's not... much... but I thought I could at least give you something good to eat, to start.

[swordflash]

[a wonderful smell wafts into the cabin before he's even at the door. even still, he doesn't expect the feast for the eyes when he opens the door. staring at the tray of food, he can feel his mouth watering already as he steps aside to let lili inside.]

Lili, you cooked! For me? Thank you!

week 6, post-trial

[coastal]

[WHEREVER ZENITSU IS, AFTER ALL THAT - ]

And how are you feeling? No more glitching? Your bird friend's alright?

[TAKES INVENTORY OF ZENITSU]

[swordflash]

[he's back at dragon cabin, seated on the edge of the bed he claimed for himself all those weeks ago with his head bowed in rumination. chuntaro chirps in greeting from the desk, prompting zenitsu to lift his head and stand.

he tests his hands first by clenching them into fists and then relaxing.]

My body doesn't feel like it's breaking apart anymore. Chuntaro's fine, too.

What about you, Lili?