15strangers | Time for some cat therapy.

[About an hour or so after the execution, the Coffee sends out a mass text. It's short and simple, telling them to come to the cat cafe if they need to take their minds off what just happened. Those who comply will find that two pots of delicious smelling curry - one extremely mild, the other blisteringly spicy - have been set out on either side of a dish of steaming rice, along with a platter of cookies and a large bowl of hot chocolate. Each of the dishes is covered by some sort of lid, to keep it free of cat hair...and of curious cats. The ice bucket from Tuesday's meeting has also made a return, again filled with strangely branded drinks.

There's several blankets of varying colors set on the floor and draped over chairs, in case people just want to huddle under one...though many of them have already been claimed by the cats in the cafe. It's...not much, really, but comfort food and cats should help a little, right? If nothing else, the felines seem to have a sixth sense for when people are upset and need to be comforted.]

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[Yuuri reads the text after waiting a few minutes, then deletes it. He doesn't move from his bed. Why would he go when he's not going to be very good company? He's tired but he can't sleep, haunted by memories of Wake's reassuring voice and the sounds of Dio being stomped to death. He's cried into his pillow already and now he just wants to be left alone. Once everyone else goes to bed, he'll go out for a run.

He wishes he was back home with Victor. Stressing out over Onsen on Ice is nothing compared to the hell of a murder trial with their lives on the line.]

[ It's a while after he doesn't see Katsuki-san that he sends him a text. He's... prepared to be blunt, possibly even a little annoying.

Time to live up to his oh-so-creative Title, he guesses.

Whatever it takes to get him to come down... ]

You should come down.

[What? Oh, it's Kurusu-san. The young man is nice, but Yuuri's really not feeling social at the moment.]

No, thank you. I'm tired.

[ A sigh. ]

Being alone right now won't help anything.
We want to be here for you.
Guess I should warn you...
I'm known for being incredibly stubborn.

So am I, sometimes.
And I'm used to being alone. It doesn't bother me.
I prefer quiet.

[So, what's the organizer of this 'event' doing? Akechi has wrapped himself in a blanket on the floor, nursing his third cup of coffee today, and looking almost distant. Every now and then, he looks around to take note of everyone else's condition, but otherwise he seems content to sit by himself. But that was a rough trial, right? Even a professional must be tired after that...]

[ Content to sit alone, huh?

Well....

Too bad? Because Akira is coming over to sit next to him, quietly welcoming one of the cats into his lap before leaning so that his shoulder is resting against Goro's. ]

Ah, but... there is a reason they gave me the Title "The Nagging."
Just because you're used to being alone, doesn't mean it's the best thing for you, right now.
Fifteen minutes.
If you don't come down in fifteen minutes, I'll start spamming emojis.

You wouldn't.

[He starts at the contact to his shoulder and quickly glances around. Nobody's paying them too close attention...right?]

Ah...how are you feeling, Akira-kun?

Hmmmmmmm...
^._.^= ∫
...You sure about that?
(=^-ω-^=)

[ He's a little... beyond caring about that right now.

The question is met with silence for several seconds and he's lightly scratching the cat under the chin. ]

Tired.

[ He turns his head, studying Goro's face for a moment. ]

You?

Please stop.

In 13 minutes you can avoid the pain, Katsuki-san.
Otherwise, you'll be seeing a lot of variations of...
...this. (=^ ◡ ^=)
I can get very creative.

By the way, it's 12 minutes, now.

[ It's the fiiinal countdoooown... ]

Why are you doing this?
What's the REAL reason?
There are plenty of others you could be worrying about. Like Feiiji-san.

[Akira probably cared less to begin with. Though, Akechi's own attention is quickly occupied by a cat butting up against him. He manages a faint smile as he reaches down to pet it.]

Likewise. That trial was...far more emotional than any cases I've been involved in before. It was draining.

[He's apparently beyond caring about the formality in public, though.]

Do I really need a reason?
Regardless of other people needing help, it doesn't take away from me wanting to help you as well.

You're important too.

10 minutes.

[ Ursula is... forcing herself to be a busybody, mostly because she needed something to do. So for dessert, there's cookies and some rather fancy cake she only just finished making and is bringing in now. She'd been making it elsewhere.

She accepts a mug of hot cocoa and some of her own cookies because what she really needs right now is comfort food, and settles in with the kitten she'd gotten earlier in her lap, Antares. It's black. How fitting for a witch. She's hoping to socialize it with the nice friendly cats here.

In general, she'll be fussy over pretty much everyone. ]

[ Yeah she's not accepting this, Ursula is going to come and sit nearby him. ]

Goro... are you all right? I'm worried about you, after all of that.

[ He sees that smile... and it earns one from him, in turn.

It fades as he closes his eyes for a moment. Until the cat nips his finger for having stopped petting it for too long. ]

...

[ He resumes petting it, shifting so just a tiny bit more weight is against Goro. Really, he's half-tempted to say "screw it," and rest his head on his shoulder.

Buuuut he won't push it...

Expression calm, he resumes scratching under the cat's chin, which earns the slow start of purring. Another small smile tugs at the corners of his lips. ]

I've only ever been involved in... one... and it was absolutely nothing like that. I can't say what I expected to happen at the end, but considering how things are here?

[ Heh... ]

Guess I can't be too surprised. Even if--

[ His jawline tenses. He isn't giving up. He refuses to. But-- ]

... Do you think we stand a chance at getting everyone out of here?

[He gives a weak smile as he waves one hand.]

I'm simply worn out, that's all. I don't often lose my temper like that, so it's a little tiring when I do.

... I quite understand. I don't get angry very easily, either.

[ She sighs. ]

There have to be... certain things that make me upset like that. Usually I have a better control of my temper, but...

[ Mmmmm she can't believe he insinuated all this was her fault, she's still so surface mad. ]

...

[He's quiet for a moment, scratching his feline visitor behind the ear. When he does speak, his voice is measured...the tone of someone who doesn't like what he's saying, but refuses to sugarcoat the facts.]

I'm not sure it's possible to get everyone out, no. That would rely on nobody else being tempted to murder before we find an opportunity to escape.

[Then his tone shifts to something firmer, a voice of steely resolve, and he looks directly at Akira. There's a definite fire in his eyes.]

But, I do firmly believe that there is a way out without playing their twisted game. It might not be obvious, and it might require subtlety to manage without being punished before we can accomplish anything, but I'm sure there's some possibility of success.

I suppose everyone has their points that make it difficult to control their emotions. I do apologize for the fact that you had to see me like that, though.

It's all right. I can't blame you. I just want to make sure you're all right. I mean, as all right as any of us can be after all of... that.

[ Witching school did nooooot prepare her for that execution. ]

... I want to get out of here before anyone else feels they have to kill someone. Surely... there's a way out that involves not having to hurt anyone, right...?

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Time for some cat therapy.

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