cocktailparty | hey! i think you're really cool, i like you a lot! we should hang out or something

HOW IT WORKS:

► STEP 1 | Post a comment with a character that's not in HH as if they're already in the setting; alternative version, post character who is in HH. Scenarios if you need 'em!
► STEP 2 | Tag around and get a feel for your characters, whether you're just voice testing or planning to actually app them in!
► STEP 3 | Post this all over your plurk and get people to join in on this jolly good fun. Don't forget: it's mandatory.

copypasta as per usual

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There are multiple ways to use this post:
PLAYERS IN GAME: post who you'd like to play next round or who you're unsure of playing, and then let other people ~~auction your soul off at an affordable price~~ gently push you into the direction of actually apping them come the new app cycle (concrete details later on that).
OR YOU COULD: Ask for castmates, be you in a cast or a lone canon warrior. Think of it like a kind of in game ATP ad.
IF YOU DON'T EVEN GO HERE: You might want to? If you do, feel free to post with your account, a picture, whatever you want and let us take you under our wing so you can be a part of our large, rowdy family.

So let the fun begin!

RESERVES OPEN TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ getting into the routine of extra practice every day has been really, really nice. at first, nitori started it because he wanted to get better, and it was as simple as that. he wanted to be like rin, wanted to be a great swimmer and wanted to help carry samezuka the same way he did. he wanted to be inspiring, wanted to be better, and for such a small, shy person, nitori has a lot of drive.

now, though, it's almost relaxing. for a couple hours every night, nitori works himself until his muscles burn, makes himself ache and sweat until his mind goes blank. he did it at samezuka every night, and here in holly heights, it would be no different.

so focused in his swimming, he doesn't notice someone's come in until his hand slaps the wall of the pool and he pushes back up to his feet, breathing hard and heavy, and pops his goggles off his face, pushing them up to his forehead. that wasn't--it wasn't enough. but nitori knows it has to be baby steps. he knows that he can't just be as amazing as rin and the others (as amazing as momo, for as goofy as he is) just in one day. all of this hard work is going to pay off, and it's that that he's thinking about as he looks down at his wet hands.

and that's when rin sits next to him. nitori jumps, making a tiny "ah!" noise and squeaking out-- ] Rin-senpai! [ but once he's settled, he drops his hands back down again, looking into his lap. ]

...thank you. [ he says, softly, and smiles right back, but where rin's is softer, nitori's is blinding, like it's escaped all on its own. he feels warm and happy and like he's doing well, like the praise is really doing something for him, because it is. nothing feels more important, or more treasured, than a compliment from rin.

(plus he called him by his first name.) ] It's... [ quietly. ] It's not enough, but--but I'm going to keep working until it gets better.

[Rin makes a sound of acknowledgement, turning that response over in his mind; it sounds eerily familiar. something he and Nitori have in common, certainly, is a warring and constant sense of not being good enough at the thing they love most to do. it's not good to be complacent, no, but it's worse to always feel unsatisfied with your progress. he hopes that, as a captain, he's given Nitori some breathing room, in that kind of pressure hard workers can only exert on themselves]

[speaking of captains]

...Captain Mikoshiba told me, once, not to underestimate my own achievements, because you're then underestimating everyone who fell short of them, trying their hardest.

[he has a feeling now, that Mikoshiba was talking about Nitori. Rin acted so disrespectfully of his team in his 2nd year, he wouldn't be surprised if he did hurt his now-friend's feelings]

I'm happy to see your progress, but don't take it for granted, just because you want more.

[he feels connected with Nitori very closely on that; wanting to be something. he's not shown his hand so much, though, feeling he has to serve mostly as a kind of strength for his teammate. the cracks in that cool captainship thinking might be becoming more visible, now that they're getting closer, but only time will tell how honest they'll be with eachother]

[he breaks that air of heaviness deliberately;]

So, how about this -- if you beat your long distance time, me and Sousuke'll treat you guys to a big dinner.

[there's nothing like food to motivate athletes, and to reward them (nothing like sitting around a table with your friends, knowing you've all done your best)]

[ it's kind of amazing to see how much becoming captain helped rin out. nitori noticed; he'd been friends with rin since the very beginning. (or, well, "friends".) now, when he quotes captain mikoshiba to him, nitori doesn't hear it in their boisterous former captain's voice, but in rin's, instead. he's got this air of maturity around him now that nitori admires even more than he did before, and though he still would have listened to such advice from captain mikoshiba, of course, it's nice to hear it from rin, as well. looking down at his toes on the water instead of making eye contact, he nods.

it still doesn't feel like enough, but it just has to be a little further, each and every day. and a little further, like rin said, is something to be proud of. ears flushed a little, all he can do is duck his head and lift his shoulders after that, a bit sheepish as he contemplates his time as a swimmer so far.

except then he says something about his time and nitori looks back up at him, quick, breath catching. ] You would?!

[ beating his long distance time... he can do that. he can definitely do that! the warmth returns where the feeling of inadequacy had been before, flooding his cheeks with a bit of color as he nods his head, offering a determined smile. ] Okay--I will, Rin-senpai! I'll do it soon!

hey! i think you're really cool, i like you a lot! we should hang out or something

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