#{jacinta}

Shar Patil

With a devious look in her eye, Jacinta turns and says, "So I heard you were up late with [MC] the other night. Is there something going on there?"

Shar stops dead in their tracks and stares back at Jacinta. After a moment they respond flatly, "No. Why?"

Jacinta shrugs, "I dunno. I just think you'd be good together."

"You think that?"

"Yeah. I mean, the closest I ever see you get to smiling is when MC is around. Being with them makes you happy. Go ahead, try to tell me I'm wrong."

Shar looks away and bites their lip. "It doesn't matter." Their words come out slow and monotone, almost robotic. "You know what we're doing here. MC is my competition and only one of us can come out of this. So even if I did feel something... it wouldn't matter. Now, please, don't ask me about this again."

K Ishida

Between bites of her omelet, Jacinta looks up and asks, "So, K, are you and MC dating?"

K snorts and pomegranate juice almost flies out of their nose. They cough out the word, "What?" before pausing to catch their breath. "Why? Did MC say something about me?"

"No, not that I've heard," Jacinta watches K's chest deflate a bit. "But I think you two would make a good couple. That's why I asked."

"Really?" She nods and they grin. "Cool. Yeah. Cool, cool, cool," with a lazy hand they push their hair back out of their face, "Umm, thanks for saying that."

T Sarpong

"So, T," Jacinta leans in and lowers her voice. "Is there something going on between you and MC?"

T smiles, playing with one of their braids. Ethereal light shimmers in their dark eyes as they reply, "Not yet. Why do you ask?"

Jacinta cocks her head and shrugs. "I just think you two would be cute together."

"Of course you do," T laughs, brushing their hair back over their shoulder. " I'm cute with everyone."

Cecil Gray

Jacinta grins mischievously as she sings, "I'm sorry, but I just have to ask you something." Cecil turns, already eyeing her suspiciously. "So, you and [MC]. Are you two like-"

Before she can even finish her thought, Cecil recoils violently, nostrils flaring, lips twitching with disgust. "Ew, what? Fuck no! What in the world made you think that?"

Jacinta raises her hands in mock surrender, "Just the way you two interact... I dunno. It seems like you've got some underlying thing going on and I think it'd be hot if you went ahead and explored that."

"Let's get one thing very clear. There's nothing "hot" about me and MC. I can't think of any quality of theirs that's even remotely attractive to me. Like just thinking about them in a friendly, or romantic, or sexual context-" Cecil trails off and they blush. They notice Jacinta staring at them, a big smile on her face. Cecil scowls. "Fuck you. No. There will never be anything between me and MC. Wipe that grin off your face."

Adonis

"Adonis? Is it okay if I ask you something?" Jacinta says, sheepishly approaching the prince.

Adonis's laughter eases some of her anxiety. "Of course, Jacinta," he replies in his warm, soothing voice. "Ask me anything."

"I was wondering if you and MC were seeing each other."

A mix of confusion and embarrassment wrinkle his brow. "Do you mean seeing each other as in literally seeing each other or seeing each other as in seeing each other?"

Jacinta has to think about that for a second before she slowly responds, "I think the second one."

Adonis's eyes go wide. "Oh, no. Not in any way. Don't worry."

"Oh, no, I'm not worried about it. I think you two would be really good together."

His lips part and quiver, trembling as they try to gain enough courage to voice the thoughts passing through his mind. His courage falters. "Thank you for the compliment. I'd be lucky if MC thought of me that way, and if our circumstances were different... maybe something like that would be possible." He looks away wistfully, "Maybe."

Hero of Thebes

Out of the blue, Jacinta asks, "Are you dating MC?"

Hero's clipboard clatters to the ground. Their empty hands still hover in the air as they say, "Pardon?"

"Oh, I just thought- like the way you and MC act around each other, it seemed like maybe you were dating." Jacinta pauses for Hero to respond but they remain silent. "But, hey," Jacinta continues, "if I just read the situation wrong and you two aren't dating, I want you to know that I think you would be really cute together."