towards the end of it, the door to the planetarium opens, and there's lu bixing! he's without his coat, today, with popcorn the snake slung over his shoulders - he's hiding his face in the collar of lu bixing's shirt - and he looks a little surprised to see someone else in the planetarium.
but, when he sees its persephone, he's got a smile for her, soft if rightfully tired. ]
[ she looks up at him from where she's seated with a glass in her hand. unlike her previous drinks of choice, this one seems to be just a plain ol' mug of shitty beer. her hair is closer to a bob than a pixie cut now as she pats the seat next to her. ]
[ god, a ye olde truck. but he will take the offer genially, coming to plop down into the spot beside her cross legged. he's got no drink, though he is sans his coat, and settles in fairly easily and gives persephone that little tired smile. ]
Believe it or not, this place reminds me of home. I thought I might come here to think for a little while. What about you?
Haha - fair enough! Okay, let’s see. [ thoughtful, for a moment, as he considers… ] I’m from a planet called Cayley in the Eighth Galaxy. I’ve always studied the stars, and even though it’s only been twenty years or so since I started traveling through them, it feels like it’s been longer. That’s why I like it in here so much.
I have some! To be honest, I'm not that well traveled. I've only really stayed in one galaxy my entire life.
[ which is still
really impressive to normies but that's besides the point. ] I had big plans to go on a tour of the entire Interplanetary Union, but... well, those plans got interrupted. I've been some pretty weird places, though!
[ around bixing, persephone's body language relaxes, like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders. it's a strange feeling, given their situation, but... it's nice. ]
[ soft... he puts a hand to his chin, thinking. weird places? his expression softens, as he lands on one. ]
Well, the planet I grew up on was pretty strange to most people. The majority of the planet was people that most people considered to be sort of ... undesirable, I guess. Most of my neighbors were smugglers or prostitutes or gang members, or all three.
[ he laughs, though. ] But they're good people. All the people in the Eighth are.
[ it starts quiet, nothing more than white noise generated by the fire and brimstone natural to hell. but as a rose-colored figure in the distance comes nearer to wherever lu bixing is, it becomes clear that someone is yelling at the top of their lungs. ]
if it helps, lu bixing is. here? he's okay. he's just like sitting in the common room area, sprawled out and with a bandage on his arm but otherwise seeming okay, at least - though, at the voice yelling at him, he does jump and look around?! ]
[ as she draws closer, he can see that she's teary-eyed and holding her growing expanse of hair in her arms like a blanket. she's also wearing a pretty swanky coat, sorry lbx but your suffering comes after #fashion
anyway ]
Why are all of my sorta-kinda-maybe-friends getting themselves maimed?!
anyway the way she says this makes him laugh, a little, though he's immediately worried by the tears, weh, and he holds up his hands before it gets too far?? baby girl!!! ]
Two things - one, we're friends. [ so there ] And two - I'm okay. I promise, I'm not even hurt. Even after we landed, I barely got burned. I promise.
[ persephone is already pretty open with her emotions to begin with, but that doesn't stop the week's effects from having an effect on her anyway... she tears up again in response to both bixing's affirmation and answer. ]
[ nOOO DON'T CRY AAAAAH he's like immediately starting to pat down his pockets and procures some tissues?!?! here you go let him fuss ]
Ahh, I know, I know - I promise, I'm not that stubborn, I'm taking care of it! It's going to be perfectly fine... I think things could've gotten a lot worse. Here, please don't cry.
[ where the fuck are you, lu bixing, persephone is coming for u. contrary to how she's been all week otherwise, she is not crying. she's not... feeling much of anything, really, at least not right now. if anything, she's just tired, and it shows in her voice as she drags herself over to lbx, croaking out: ]
[ thankfully??? lu bixing is well behaved?? he's not lin jingheng. he is resting, again! back on the common room couch, remaining eye closed, bandaged nicely and changed. someone even helped clean his face off so he's not bloody and he's got a cute little friend wearing a cute little outfit sitting next to him and a book on his chest.
when he realizes someone else is there, and he hears that sad, croaky little voice, he turns his face immediately to look, and his brows knit together - apologetic, worried, rueful, he murmurs, ] ...I know. I'm sorry.
[ this week has been such trash why is it only week one ]
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