Day 2, Week 1: Christian Parker Part 1

Alan woke up to the smell of breakfast, this time consisting of pancakes and sausage. Laurel looked concerned as her eyes flicked between Alan and Sky's tray.

"Is something wrong?" Alan asked.

"Um, you know how mammals are a food supply for their babies?" Laurel gestured to her chest.

"Um..." Alan had no idea where Laurel was going with this.

"Ugh, okay. Sky grows like, meat fruit of herself and feeds them to people. It's not even a show compulsion, she just thinks it's funny." Laurel said in a rush.

Alan blinked and looked at the tray. "Why?"

"The weirdest part is that Sora did it before her elimination. I have no fucking clue why she used her regeneration to make bacon. She had something like Natalia's TF, but automatic. Eternal schoolgirl was the goal. I think she was trying to gross out the Audience. Sky is um, more subtle about it."

"We ate hot dogs together..." Alan remembered Sky's teleporting cart full of them,

"I um, didn't want to ruin the moment." Laurel blushed.

Alan got up and started eating. "It's too late to back out now, right?"

"Um, wow." Laurel flushed. "Nathan freaked the fuck out."

"I know we look the same, but I'm not my father." Alan decided to enjoy the meal. Sky's mental health was not his concern, and if the meat was tainted, she could taint anything else he was eating just as easily.

Christian opened the door, exhausted and wearing the same clothes as she had two days ago. "Hi, guys." She waved uncertainly. "How was your day?"

"Don't worry, Alan's a great fuck." Laurel laughed. "I've got plans for the day, so you two fix that while I find Natalia." Laurel left Alan and Christian with the two blushing.

"We didn't, obviously..." Alan was no longer hungry.

"Huh, mind if I check something?" Christian went over to the desktop and pecked at the keyboard.

Scoreboard:

Ariadne: 10 VP

Chloe: 0 VP

Christian: 1 VP

Joan: 8 VP

Laurel: 13 VP

Natalia: 1 VP

"Um..." Alan looked over the list. "All the high scores were naked in front of me, but I think Samuel should be in the lead? I assume that's 'Joan' unless something worse happened?"

"Yeah, she is." Christian frowned. "I guess both of them kissed you, but Ariadne didn't. Maybe kissing Joan in front of you gave her a point or two, but it's weird. We couldn't find anything about what counted for the score."

"We could experiment." Alan looked away. "I mean, it's gross, but we both read the rules. I don't think we can safely avoid thinking about point totals."

"Well, not how I wanted this to go, but yeah." Christian looked down. "We have more to do, but I think I'm the best contestant for the experiment."

"Wouldn't that be Chloe?" Alan frowned. "She's been the one who sees me day to day."

Christian laughed. "Alan, you're a boy, and she's a girl. As Avril Lavigne said, 'Can I make it any more obvious?' I don't know who secretly loves who, and if they know it yet, but that's an electric outlet you don't want to poke."

"Hm, yeah." Alan agreed after thinking through the list. "Ariadne might technically be my ****, if we did anything. Just, power dynamics are fucked. Sam, um, Joan, has got to be a ball of anxiety and weirdness right now, and who the fuck knows with Natalia."

"Last but not least, long-lost mother." Christian pointed her thumb at the door.

Alan nodded. "Um, ready when you are."

Christian swallowed, closed her eyes, and quickly pecked Alan. The two turned to the desktop, which showed Christian had an extra VP for the event.

"Okay, that's helpful." Alan nodded. "Let's try a few things that might be um, less gross."

"I'm game." Christian nodded.

"Alright. Christian Parker, will you marry me?" Alan asked.

Christian sputtered for a moment. The two looked at the desktop, and nothing changed.

"What the hell?" Christian asked.

"It said milestones, not necessarily sex acts." Alan looked embarrassed.

"I guess I didn't say 'yes'..." Christian paused. "If I imply I'm saying 'yes' because we want to test the total, it might not count." Christian bit her lip.

"Good point." Alan shook his head. "I wonder if I have a key to my door. Giving you a key is a major milestone, right? Maybe a drawer of your things in my room, or sleeping in my bed, would count?"

"Somehow, I am less okay with this discussion than I was with the idea of sexual experimentation." Christian griped.

"Oh, sorry." Alan smiled. "I'm just trying to make a template, I guess. If we can boost everyone a bit, we'll know more about what is necessary for the challenges and getting people to the 100 VP milestone. Ideally, we'd finish running up the VP thresholds before the fifth challenge. Every transformation vote is a big risk, even if they can be beneficial."

Christian held her tongue. She knew Alan was trying to help, but the mechanical suggestions were brutal. It's not like the game wasn't already brutal, though. She could imagine a **** 'master' would be as terrifying as an enthusiastic one.

"Oh, Ariadne gave me a treasure map!" Christian pulled it out of her coat and placed it on the desk. "Let's work on that, please."

"Oh." Alan paused. "If you're sure."

"I am absolutely sure this seems less awkward." Christian decided.