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[ points gun
aquarium date!!! lu bixing shows up right on time for their meeting, and he is really looking his best in this terrible hell that we're in. button up shirt, nice trousers, coat slung over his shoulder - he's gotten a stylish patch for his eye, and has his hair done, sunglasses perched on his nose and then pushed up into his hair like a model.
he gives lin his most award winning smile and then bounds over to him immediately, like a puppy. ]
Wow, the catch of the day's right here. [ CHEESY ] Hi! Ready to go?
aquarium date!!! lu bixing shows up right on time for their meeting, and he is really looking his best in this terrible hell that we're in. button up shirt, nice trousers, coat slung over his shoulder - he's gotten a stylish patch for his eye, and has his hair done, sunglasses perched on his nose and then pushed up into his hair like a model.
he gives lin his most award winning smile and then bounds over to him immediately, like a puppy. ]
Wow, the catch of the day's right here. [ CHEESY ] Hi! Ready to go?
[ ah... lu bixing looks like a runway model and if lin jingheng cared much, he would feel under-dressed. thankfully, he's used to this. seeing lu bixing with his new eye patch earns a little bit of a chuckle. stupid stupid stupid.
lin jingheng blossoms with the stupidity of the joke. ]
I am.
[ he will accept this bounding puppy of a boyfriend, stepping forward to close the gap between them, plucking the cigarette from his mouth to put it out, making sure to tuck it away because like now he has to ration. incredible.
he holds out his hand. give him ur paw. ]
Been a while, Mr. Prime Minister.
lin jingheng blossoms with the stupidity of the joke. ]
I am.
[ he will accept this bounding puppy of a boyfriend, stepping forward to close the gap between them, plucking the cigarette from his mouth to put it out, making sure to tuck it away because like now he has to ration. incredible.
he holds out his hand. give him ur paw. ]
Been a while, Mr. Prime Minister.
[ let him laugh. it's a beautiful sound, and lin jingheng lingers in it, content that lu bixing is in his arms, nearly whole and breathing. he ducks his head and lin jingheng follows after, leaning down so he can thumb away at the tears welling up.
even if they're from laughter, he wants to touch them. ]
What will the public think?
[ he simply Does Not Care what they think. ]
even if they're from laughter, he wants to touch them. ]
What will the public think?
[ he simply Does Not Care what they think. ]
Edited 2023-02-22 02:38 (UTC)
[ someone seems to be in a better mood. lu bixing too, maybe? it's hard not to be. it's hard not to be happy when lin jingheng immediately holds out his hand, and he takes it, pulling their combined hands up and pressing a kiss to his knuckles.
he could float like a cartoon character right now, but instead he just smiles up against his knuckles, peering at him from underneath his brow. ] Too long, Commander.
[ this is much better than his last trip to the aquarium!!! immediately after, he laces their fingers together, gives them a swing, and flirts; ] This is a very serious meeting of official business. I hope you're ready for a nice, long session?
he could float like a cartoon character right now, but instead he just smiles up against his knuckles, peering at him from underneath his brow. ] Too long, Commander.
[ this is much better than his last trip to the aquarium!!! immediately after, he laces their fingers together, gives them a swing, and flirts; ] This is a very serious meeting of official business. I hope you're ready for a nice, long session?
Just don't strain your shoulder.
[ his face maybe warms a little with the kiss to his knuckles. it's dumb. he readjusts the hand in lu bixing's and tugs gently on his good arm. ]
Have to keep you in one piece.
[ the aquarium definitely has its... quirks, but lin jingheng is fairly prepared to look fastly away if anything starts twisting in a way he doesn't like. as one does. it won't really be that hard considering lu bixing looking the way he does. it's almost unfair how he manages to still look as good as he does in hell of all places. maybe that makes lin jingheng a lucky man. ]
[ his face maybe warms a little with the kiss to his knuckles. it's dumb. he readjusts the hand in lu bixing's and tugs gently on his good arm. ]
Have to keep you in one piece.
[ the aquarium definitely has its... quirks, but lin jingheng is fairly prepared to look fastly away if anything starts twisting in a way he doesn't like. as one does. it won't really be that hard considering lu bixing looking the way he does. it's almost unfair how he manages to still look as good as he does in hell of all places. maybe that makes lin jingheng a lucky man. ]
Edited 2023-02-22 03:14 (UTC)
[ he. laughs, actually, just laughs at that too, weary and a little hysterical and lifts his good arm to rest it on lin jingheng's shoulder, and then the other, a bit slowly just because he can. ]
So many of them were pirates before, I don't think they'll mind. [ ah, the public. ] Besides, I want to step down, someday, when I can, so maybe they'll think I've gone mad with power.
[ as if lu bixing would ever do that, either. no - he is the eighth's beloved prime minister. even when he had to rule with an iron fist, even when he had to enact martial law to get the piracy and the gangs under control, he's still loved and respected enough.
it's a shame he doesn't want the position. a life like this would be simpler. ]
So many of them were pirates before, I don't think they'll mind. [ ah, the public. ] Besides, I want to step down, someday, when I can, so maybe they'll think I've gone mad with power.
[ as if lu bixing would ever do that, either. no - he is the eighth's beloved prime minister. even when he had to rule with an iron fist, even when he had to enact martial law to get the piracy and the gangs under control, he's still loved and respected enough.
it's a shame he doesn't want the position. a life like this would be simpler. ]
Well... as long as no weird dolls with tentacles pop out, I think we'll be fine...
[ don't
say that. anyway. please don't worry about it. he will gladly go with the tug, cheerfully squeezing his hand and pulling him along into the exhibits. he won't let him ask too many questions about that weird statement and instead just carries on. ] Did they have aquariums on Wolto, Lin?
[ don't
say that. anyway. please don't worry about it. he will gladly go with the tug, cheerfully squeezing his hand and pulling him along into the exhibits. he won't let him ask too many questions about that weird statement and instead just carries on. ] Did they have aquariums on Wolto, Lin?
[ haha oh no im in danger.png
sweaty but lin isn't banning him so he just looks away, holding his hand. ]
Weeelllll, I went exploring, earlier...? We ran into something strange - but, oh, that was the correlation, with the new locations opening up! We ran straight into the new island trying to get away from the doll. It worked out! All it did was cut my pant legs and Kon hit it with a shovel.
sweaty but lin isn't banning him so he just looks away, holding his hand. ]
Weeelllll, I went exploring, earlier...? We ran into something strange - but, oh, that was the correlation, with the new locations opening up! We ran straight into the new island trying to get away from the doll. It worked out! All it did was cut my pant legs and Kon hit it with a shovel.
[ good boy.
he allows the swinging, occasionally nudging his shoulder now and again while letting his gaze fall upon some of the tanks, still cautious about lingering too long in once place. ]
The aquarium here... it's weird.
[ the one i went to as a child didn't give me nightmares just by staring too long at it. ]
Don't look too long.
he allows the swinging, occasionally nudging his shoulder now and again while letting his gaze fall upon some of the tanks, still cautious about lingering too long in once place. ]
The aquarium here... it's weird.
[ the one i went to as a child didn't give me nightmares just by staring too long at it. ]
Don't look too long.
Well, that's easy.
[ he glances over from where he was examining the same tank as lin... and turns his head to look at him, of course, and gives him a smile, a little bashful and warm, shoulders hunching up as he grins at him boyish and happy. ]
Why's it weird? What'd you see?
[ he glances over from where he was examining the same tank as lin... and turns his head to look at him, of course, and gives him a smile, a little bashful and warm, shoulders hunching up as he grins at him boyish and happy. ]
Why's it weird? What'd you see?
[ so cute... he's overwhelmed a little inside. quickly, he shoves a hand into his pocket and pulls out
a pair of wired headphones. ]
Doesn't matter.
[ he offers him one half, looking him in the eyes. lu bixing is effortlessly flirtatious, absolutely over the top at some points, but still the that's easy makes his stomach toss not-so-unpleasantly. ]
Here.
a pair of wired headphones. ]
Doesn't matter.
[ he offers him one half, looking him in the eyes. lu bixing is effortlessly flirtatious, absolutely over the top at some points, but still the that's easy makes his stomach toss not-so-unpleasantly. ]
Here.
[ NO CUTE he is looking at these like they're an alien for a second, a little confused? but he looks at lin, and watches him put only one in his ears, and just looks like
so stupidly in love it's kind of ridiculous. the smile on his face goes all gooey and fond and he huffs, ducking his head as he takes the other earbud and puts it in his ear, smiling and squeezing lin jingheng's hand. ]
Did you get the guided tour? [ joking, but he's just. so happy. that puppy tail is wagging so hard. ]
so stupidly in love it's kind of ridiculous. the smile on his face goes all gooey and fond and he huffs, ducking his head as he takes the other earbud and puts it in his ear, smiling and squeezing lin jingheng's hand. ]
Did you get the guided tour? [ joking, but he's just. so happy. that puppy tail is wagging so hard. ]
[ i meant to backtag this forever ago because it was important so im coming back to it today
that is to say. when lin's hand touches his arm, for the first time lu bixing obviously flinches like he's going to move away. guilt rises up in his stomach, a gnarled pit of shame. he would hate you if he knew all the things you'd done. something says, in the back of his mind. he'd hate you.
lu bixing swallows. not set himself on fire, huh? ]
...yeah. [ he says, quietly, and doesn't specify. ] I know.
that is to say. when lin's hand touches his arm, for the first time lu bixing obviously flinches like he's going to move away. guilt rises up in his stomach, a gnarled pit of shame. he would hate you if he knew all the things you'd done. something says, in the back of his mind. he'd hate you.
lu bixing swallows. not set himself on fire, huh? ]
...yeah. [ he says, quietly, and doesn't specify. ] I know.
[ ding ding ding here comes the deda announcement as they are waking up in the tentacle bar. there's a lighter flicking on, and then a cigarette being lit almost immediately within a few seconds of the announcement's aftermath. ]
I'm done playing games.
[ he's really going to have to do this on a fucking saturday. this bullshit. that's his sonion. ]
I'm done playing games.
[ he's really going to have to do this on a fucking saturday. this bullshit. that's his sonion. ]
Edited 2023-02-24 23:12 (UTC)
[ every name hurts. last week, it was lu bixing who was especially affected - this week, he liked cosmos, and there's always something brutal and heartbreaking about the loss of a life like that. for lu bixing, it feels too famiiar.
his heart breaks the most right now for lin, though, because as soon as he reads the message, his head whips up to lin, eyes wide, mouth a little open, before it all collapses down into something softer, the pull of his mouth dropping into the curve of misery, though he tamps it down. ]
... Lin. [ he says, voice quiet, and very gently puts a hand on the back of his shoulder, then stays.
... ]
...mm. Aquarium, it looks like. [ from the second picture. a little more businesslike, the prime minister's voice. ] We can find out where everyone was sleeping tonight, too.
his heart breaks the most right now for lin, though, because as soon as he reads the message, his head whips up to lin, eyes wide, mouth a little open, before it all collapses down into something softer, the pull of his mouth dropping into the curve of misery, though he tamps it down. ]
... Lin. [ he says, voice quiet, and very gently puts a hand on the back of his shoulder, then stays.
... ]
...mm. Aquarium, it looks like. [ from the second picture. a little more businesslike, the prime minister's voice. ] We can find out where everyone was sleeping tonight, too.
[ he doesn't move when the hand lands on his back at first, but eventually he hunches just a bit, sinking into the touch just a bit. ]
... Bixing.
[ softly, just for him. ]
Start with the location in the photograph. Like we always do. The theatre too... Cosmos was there with Lavi and Tuuri. [ and honestly part of him realizes that he should check in on the both of them just to make sure that they're alright after waking up to someone so close gone.
he starts to smoke and then just
leans onto lu bixing with a big tired flop. ]
... Bixing.
[ softly, just for him. ]
Start with the location in the photograph. Like we always do. The theatre too... Cosmos was there with Lavi and Tuuri. [ and honestly part of him realizes that he should check in on the both of them just to make sure that they're alright after waking up to someone so close gone.
he starts to smoke and then just
leans onto lu bixing with a big tired flop. ]
[ nnnooo his lin....
it's only when the others have gotten up to leave - when it's just the two of them, sitting in this bizarre little bar with the tentacle, lu bixing shifts a little where he's sitting, and lifts his good arm to wrap it around lin jingheng when he drops into his shoulder like that, hooking it tight. he can be the sunshine. he can be the warmth, the steadiness. the fire burning to keep the others warm.
...besides. he can't say he's all that surprised. (after all, lu bixing remembers being like cosmos, once. he remembers learning the world, and how - if anyone had ever tried to kill him, if he hadn't been under monoeye's watchful gaze, it would have been easy.)
he'd never say that, though. especially not because he loves - loves that lin cares so much, and knows intimately how bad he's hurting, and, the empathy of the hurt makes his heart ache. he squeezes his arm around his shoulder and focuses on the smell of cigarette smoke to anchor himself, and then when everyone's gone, kisses the top of his head and lingers there. ]
I think that's a good plan. [ gentle. ] ...I'm sorry, Lin.
it's only when the others have gotten up to leave - when it's just the two of them, sitting in this bizarre little bar with the tentacle, lu bixing shifts a little where he's sitting, and lifts his good arm to wrap it around lin jingheng when he drops into his shoulder like that, hooking it tight. he can be the sunshine. he can be the warmth, the steadiness. the fire burning to keep the others warm.
...besides. he can't say he's all that surprised. (after all, lu bixing remembers being like cosmos, once. he remembers learning the world, and how - if anyone had ever tried to kill him, if he hadn't been under monoeye's watchful gaze, it would have been easy.)
he'd never say that, though. especially not because he loves - loves that lin cares so much, and knows intimately how bad he's hurting, and, the empathy of the hurt makes his heart ache. he squeezes his arm around his shoulder and focuses on the smell of cigarette smoke to anchor himself, and then when everyone's gone, kisses the top of his head and lingers there. ]
I think that's a good plan. [ gentle. ] ...I'm sorry, Lin.
[ oh he goes still as lu bixing kisses the top of his head. "sorry" is not a word he attributes with loss, if only because he has never heard it used in such context ever. everything he has ever lost, everything that has ever been robbed from him, and never once was anyone sorry for a death. all it's done is harden him really.
the first time he'd heard it was maybe a week ago in that particular way. it felt funny. it feels funny now, but all he does is remain silent for a stretch longer. the feeling of being left alone in the bar is enough. he stretches out his legs and lets his arm loop around lu bixing's waist, linking them together. ]
He was keeping a journal to remember Eto.
Wanted to write a book about it. [ it's so funny i hate this i hate this so much. ]
the first time he'd heard it was maybe a week ago in that particular way. it felt funny. it feels funny now, but all he does is remain silent for a stretch longer. the feeling of being left alone in the bar is enough. he stretches out his legs and lets his arm loop around lu bixing's waist, linking them together. ]
He was keeping a journal to remember Eto.
Wanted to write a book about it. [ it's so funny i hate this i hate this so much. ]
Of course he was.
[ that doesn't surprise him, somehow. cosmos was a good kid, and - the familiarity in the way he soaks up the world makes lu bixing's heart ache. he would've done the same thing, back when he only had the senses of a computer. he did - he took journals on everything he saw on cayley and then some.
he lets lin move however he wants, and keeps his arm tight around his shoulders, squeezing a little more as he speaks. his own voice is soft, just a little urging, as he finally reaches over and very gently hooks his free hand underneath lin jingheng's chin to get him to look him in the eye. ]
...You helped him, you know, right? Last week, and every week up until now. You must have helped him, Lin.
[ that doesn't surprise him, somehow. cosmos was a good kid, and - the familiarity in the way he soaks up the world makes lu bixing's heart ache. he would've done the same thing, back when he only had the senses of a computer. he did - he took journals on everything he saw on cayley and then some.
he lets lin move however he wants, and keeps his arm tight around his shoulders, squeezing a little more as he speaks. his own voice is soft, just a little urging, as he finally reaches over and very gently hooks his free hand underneath lin jingheng's chin to get him to look him in the eye. ]
...You helped him, you know, right? Last week, and every week up until now. You must have helped him, Lin.
Stop.
[ a frown. ]
You don't know that.
[ his chin rests a little heavy on the hand that lifts it. his head is heavy, he's tired. a forced sleep doesn't feel restful, tossing and turning with thoughts that make his stomach churn. it's a low blow, too easy a hit. he looks lu bixing in the eye and his brow seems to unknit just a bit more, though his eyes eventually wander somewhere over his shoulder, and slowly he shifts to try and straighten up again—
but he just sinks back again. summoning the will doesn't come to him in the moment. ]
[ a frown. ]
You don't know that.
[ his chin rests a little heavy on the hand that lifts it. his head is heavy, he's tired. a forced sleep doesn't feel restful, tossing and turning with thoughts that make his stomach churn. it's a low blow, too easy a hit. he looks lu bixing in the eye and his brow seems to unknit just a bit more, though his eyes eventually wander somewhere over his shoulder, and slowly he shifts to try and straighten up again—
but he just sinks back again. summoning the will doesn't come to him in the moment. ]
[ no. absolutely not. no. in fact, his grip doesn't quite tighten, but he doesn't let go, and the second lin jingheng looks away from him, lu bixing ducks into his line of vision again. ]
Yes, I do.
[ it's insistently said, and leaves no room for argument. ] You would have helped me, if I were in his shoes. You have helped me. Even - even since we've gotten here, Lin, you've helped me.
[ when he was in his grief, in his misery - when they were both missteppig left and right trying to remember a dance that they used to know by heart. lin jingheng has been the one to help rebuild lu bixing, bit by bit, to help say all the right things, to bring his broken pieces back together, bit by bit. that means something, and he won't let lin think for a second that he hasn't done that for the people around him besides lu bixing, too. ]
I won't stop until you believe me, and I'll know if you're lying. Maybe you don't recognize how much you do for other people, but I do.
Yes, I do.
[ it's insistently said, and leaves no room for argument. ] You would have helped me, if I were in his shoes. You have helped me. Even - even since we've gotten here, Lin, you've helped me.
[ when he was in his grief, in his misery - when they were both missteppig left and right trying to remember a dance that they used to know by heart. lin jingheng has been the one to help rebuild lu bixing, bit by bit, to help say all the right things, to bring his broken pieces back together, bit by bit. that means something, and he won't let lin think for a second that he hasn't done that for the people around him besides lu bixing, too. ]
I won't stop until you believe me, and I'll know if you're lying. Maybe you don't recognize how much you do for other people, but I do.
[ ugh.
well that fucking sucked. that sucked just as bad as last week. lu bixing is exhausted, but he finds lin jingheng and takes his hand, and takes him far, far away from gehenna and the dorms, and away somewhere where they can just, sit and be left alone.
he settles them on the dock, and then just sits down, sighs, and reaches into his pocket for a tiny satchel. inside of it is... a lighter and some good kush, because frankly, he's so tired and so sad and this is just. how he dealt with it, for thirteen years. right now, he just wants to press his face into lin and never move away, so he's going to settle in and just press his face to his shoulder and hold still there before he does literally anything. ]
well that fucking sucked. that sucked just as bad as last week. lu bixing is exhausted, but he finds lin jingheng and takes his hand, and takes him far, far away from gehenna and the dorms, and away somewhere where they can just, sit and be left alone.
he settles them on the dock, and then just sits down, sighs, and reaches into his pocket for a tiny satchel. inside of it is... a lighter and some good kush, because frankly, he's so tired and so sad and this is just. how he dealt with it, for thirteen years. right now, he just wants to press his face into lin and never move away, so he's going to settle in and just press his face to his shoulder and hold still there before he does literally anything. ]
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