a. early in the night Just... get me something, Goat-kun. I need to start loosening up at some point.
[Sayo, sighing, flicks the golden butterfly perched on their index finger into the crowd, presses their back further into the wall of the great hall as soon as the familiar flutters out of sight... then pulls out their printed copy of Fell and Foul Play (they'd never gotten to read the radio plays, and there was apparently a previously-unpublished short story in the collection that they were excited about) and starts reading.
When Sayo arrived at the Bone House, they realized in short order that they had a critical lack of information. That is, Sayo Yasuda has never been to or even had a birthday party in their entire life. Sure, Jessica had organized some corny celebrations for Shannon that mostly consisted of cupcakes, a trinket or two as a present, and her and Mannen's company, but it wasn't really a party. And so Sayo had drastically underestimated what, exactly, they were showing up to in a white button-down shirt and faded jeans.
What made it worse is that while Sayo sorta knew Paul and Kaworu, and was friends-ish with The Necromancer and Paul... they realized the moment they stepped in the door that they had absolutely no idea what their wider social circle was like.
So they'd panicked, skulked over to the nearest socially acceptable corner, and started fretting about when the appropriate hour to get absolutely smashed so that they could be properly social would arrive.
And then a very proud goat demon dragging another party guest (or proper resident of the venue) by the wrist marches up to Sayo, whuffling happily. It's rather difficult to resist when half a ton of very polite goat muscle appears out of nowhere, clamps onto your wrist, and marches to elsewhere at the party.
Sayo stares at the situation before them for a few moments, whatever gears behind their eyes that were in the process of breaking down the components of a murder mystery grinding to a halt and collapsing at the sight.]
Goat-kun, I-
What did you-
How-
[They scream into their hands, face flushed.]
I- I- I must apologize, I, um, I should've known better than to give a goat such vague instructions...
[Goat-kun's ears droop and his back hunches further, apparently unhappy at being scolded.]
b. later in the night [Apparently, the appropriate hour to get absolutely smashed so that Sayo could be properly social has arrived—either that, or Goat-kun finally brought them some actual liquor after a series of predictable-in-hindsight foibles. And Sayo has taken to it with gusto.
All of those nights having quiet—and occasionally rowdy—drinks with Kainé and Neo have paid off in full, as once the gnawing anxiety fades under the gentle hum of the best kind of shitty liquor available Sayo remembers their few brushes with fun in Trench. Sayo almost ruins their own enjoyment of the atmosphere by scoffing at how cliché it is to find confidence in the memories of their friends, but despite the cheesiness, it works well enough to at least get them out of their corner and into the party.
They started by walking up to the dance floor and bobbing their head to the beat. When Sayo realized that they were the picture of an awkward nerd and had a vision of George attending one of Jessica's concerts (for once, remembering their names doesn't bring a fresh spike of pain), they took another shot of tequila and loosened up; looking away as if they could avoid acknowledging themself and their amateur dancing, but at least their limbs were actually moving. Once they stumbled past the initial self-consciousness, it felt freeing to shuffle along to the music, to get their blood circulating, to feel like- and with a start, Sayo realizes that this is the first time they've felt like a normal teenager ever. Without the layers of artificiality, without the overwhelming horror of Trench or the reminders of their father's alcoholism over their head... it brings a mixed, melancholy joy to finally trip and fall into an experience that was normal for people like Jessica. If Jessica didn't have a mother that was so intensely controlling, at any rate.
Sayo just needed to do one more thing to complete the night.
Face flushed, Sayo slaps their own cheeks a few times to get their head in the game. A deep breath, in and out. It doesn't matter who, they just need to get out there and-]
Will you... [Sayo looks down at their shoes, blushing even as they extend a hand.] Will you dance with me? I mean, can I have this dance?
[If the strangely genuine atmosphere of the party had been slightly different, there was a chance that Sayo could've been a smooth operator. Putting on Beatrice's grin, raise their eyebrows at a calculated angle... but as it stands, you get a weapons-grade dork.]
c. latest in the night ...spice doesn't mean, um. A spice like cinnamon, does it? I'm just realizing that now. [Sayo says, looking queasy as they stare down at the hors d'oeurve that they've just sprinkled with a liberal helping of spice and taken a bite out of.
Sayo Yasuda | Umineko | OTA
a. early in the night
Just... get me something, Goat-kun. I need to start loosening up at some point.
[Sayo, sighing, flicks the golden butterfly perched on their index finger into the crowd, presses their back further into the wall of the great hall as soon as the familiar flutters out of sight... then pulls out their printed copy of Fell and Foul Play (they'd never gotten to read the radio plays, and there was apparently a previously-unpublished short story in the collection that they were excited about) and starts reading.
When Sayo arrived at the Bone House, they realized in short order that they had a critical lack of information. That is, Sayo Yasuda has never been to or even had a birthday party in their entire life. Sure, Jessica had organized some corny celebrations for Shannon that mostly consisted of cupcakes, a trinket or two as a present, and her and Mannen's company, but it wasn't really a party. And so Sayo had drastically underestimated what, exactly, they were showing up to in a white button-down shirt and faded jeans.
What made it worse is that while Sayo sorta knew Paul and Kaworu, and was friends-ish with The Necromancer and Paul... they realized the moment they stepped in the door that they had absolutely no idea what their wider social circle was like.
So they'd panicked, skulked over to the nearest socially acceptable corner, and started fretting about when the appropriate hour to get absolutely smashed so that they could be properly social would arrive.
And then a very proud goat demon dragging another party guest (or proper resident of the venue) by the wrist marches up to Sayo, whuffling happily. It's rather difficult to resist when half a ton of very polite goat muscle appears out of nowhere, clamps onto your wrist, and marches to elsewhere at the party.
Sayo stares at the situation before them for a few moments, whatever gears behind their eyes that were in the process of breaking down the components of a murder mystery grinding to a halt and collapsing at the sight.]
Goat-kun, I-
What did you-
How-
[They scream into their hands, face flushed.]
I- I- I must apologize, I, um, I should've known better than to give a goat such vague instructions...
[Goat-kun's ears droop and his back hunches further, apparently unhappy at being scolded.]
b. later in the night
[Apparently, the appropriate hour to get absolutely smashed so that Sayo could be properly social has arrived—either that, or Goat-kun finally brought them some actual liquor after a series of predictable-in-hindsight foibles. And Sayo has taken to it with gusto.
All of those nights having quiet—and occasionally rowdy—drinks with Kainé and Neo have paid off in full, as once the gnawing anxiety fades under the gentle hum of the best kind of shitty liquor available Sayo remembers their few brushes with fun in Trench. Sayo almost ruins their own enjoyment of the atmosphere by scoffing at how cliché it is to find confidence in the memories of their friends, but despite the cheesiness, it works well enough to at least get them out of their corner and into the party.
They started by walking up to the dance floor and bobbing their head to the beat. When Sayo realized that they were the picture of an awkward nerd and had a vision of George attending one of Jessica's concerts (for once, remembering their names doesn't bring a fresh spike of pain), they took another shot of tequila and loosened up; looking away as if they could avoid acknowledging themself and their amateur dancing, but at least their limbs were actually moving. Once they stumbled past the initial self-consciousness, it felt freeing to shuffle along to the music, to get their blood circulating, to feel like- and with a start, Sayo realizes that this is the first time they've felt like a normal teenager ever. Without the layers of artificiality, without the overwhelming horror of Trench or the reminders of their father's alcoholism over their head... it brings a mixed, melancholy joy to finally trip and fall into an experience that was normal for people like Jessica. If Jessica didn't have a mother that was so intensely controlling, at any rate.
Sayo just needed to do one more thing to complete the night.
Face flushed, Sayo slaps their own cheeks a few times to get their head in the game. A deep breath, in and out. It doesn't matter who, they just need to get out there and-]
Will you... [Sayo looks down at their shoes, blushing even as they extend a hand.] Will you dance with me? I mean, can I have this dance?
[If the strangely genuine atmosphere of the party had been slightly different, there was a chance that Sayo could've been a smooth operator. Putting on Beatrice's grin, raise their eyebrows at a calculated angle... but as it stands, you get a weapons-grade dork.]
c. latest in the night
...spice doesn't mean, um. A spice like cinnamon, does it? I'm just realizing that now. [Sayo says, looking queasy as they stare down at the hors d'oeurve that they've just sprinkled with a liberal helping of spice and taken a bite out of.
Oh no.]