[ persephone likewise greets bixing with a bright, wide smile as she scales the mushroom to plop down next to him. unlike how neat she's been keeping it for most of their time in hell, her hair now is wild and free, cascading down her back in a shock of pink. ]
You'll have to give me some tips sometime. I could probably use them.
[ he grins back, returning the nudge. ]
Lin grew me a mushroom garden a long time ago. It was one of the nicest things anyone's ever done for me, so - I love things like this. I love this specifically. [ he bounces his hands down against the top of the mushroom. this is paradise. ]
well bixing is. here? he's here, probably like. copying down lavi's message or whatever but when he hears stomping he sticks his head out of his room and sees pink. ]
[ hey remember how this week's effect is insecurities? as she gets closer to him, she lurches forward and slouches against him, looking up at him with big, pleading eyes. ]
Bixing how are you number two. What is your secret.
[ she accepts the hug easily enough, but she is still very much in full spitfire mode... this close, bixing can probably smell a hint of lemon mixed in with the unmistakable aroma of alcohol. ]
Like I even care about his stupid party! [ in a mocking voice: ] "Ohhh, look at the little pink goddess, it's so cute how she thinks she can outdrink the ruler of Hell!" Asshole!
[ sometimes, persephone truly seems like a member of the greek pantheon, in all her grace and glory. sometimes, she is every single bit the newly turned 20-year-old she also happens to be. right now, in this moment, after his incredulous laughter fades into remorse, she seems to sit right in the middle as she scoots closer to bixing and leans against him. ]
...hey, you can call me Kore, by the way. That's the name my mother gave me when I was born.
[ soft... he doesn't push her away at all - when persephone comes to lean up against him, lu bixing lets out a soft noise and lets her, eventually tilting his head to gently bonk it over top of hers. ]
Kore. [ bixing repeats, just to get it right, suddenly just feeling - very, very affectionate, for his friend. his friend. ] I don't have any special names to share besides the one I have, but if I did, I would.
[ a very sleepy persephone opens the door. it looks like he's just woken her up from a nap! she's in pjs and has an extreme case of bedhead, but lu bixing is someone she doesn't care about seeing her in this kind of state. ]
something that smells super good in a container in his hands. and because he is a truly good friend he does not comment on her (admittedly hilarious) bedhead. its very cute. ]
[ ohhhh good food smell instantly gets her to perk up! but then, like, it hits her that she's never seen anything like this at any of the eateries... ]
Well, you're a vegetarian, right? There's not that many options, and Kon mentioned he was cooking for you, and...
[ well. ]
...And it's been a really long week. So... a good meal sometimes helps with that, you know?[ this comes with a little smile, tired at the edges. and then - he seems to realize something, looking at the pan. ]
Oh - shoot, I didn't ask if you were vegan, I hope not, I'll make you something else if that's the case. [ whoops ]
lu bixing is in.. of all places, the home biome today! it's in the shape of an adorable little house with a white picket fence and a neatly maintained lawn and garden, with blooming lucida flowers among others underneath the windowsill. when persephone comes by, she might see there's a pair of little robots on either side of the cracked open door. one of them twirls around and hands the other one a flower petal in a little animation; over their heads is a sign that's lined with flowers that says The Home of Engineer 001 and Commander Lin. embarrassing! also the door's cracked open.
laying on the couch is a familiar figure, naturally: it's lu bixing, underneath a couple of blankets with a whole lot of pillows supporting him and a book open on his face. he's still breathing kind of wheezily but he is, in fact, breathing! ]
in the interest of Inflicting Pain before trial, i will make this short and simple: when persephone walks into the house and spots lu bixing on the couch... she doesn't question it or even say anything. she simply walks over and burrows under the blankets herself to nestle against him. hewwo. ]
anyway this is so soft? weh. weh. bixing only vaguely hears someone come in, and at some point, an ai voice that sounds suspiciously like lin jingheng's glove thing says Visitor Access Granted. Good evening, Kore.
and then just like that, there's a person there. lu bixing makes a little noise of surprise, glances down... and reaches to carefully adjust the blankets so there's plenty of space, as he says, quietly, taking a breath that sounds a little wheezy: ] ...Hi, Kore.
[ is all she says, but the fact that she's still under the blankets means it comes out kind of muffled. it's fine. he probably knows she's not mad at him or anything by the way she slides one pink arm around him to hug him—not hard, because she knows she shouldn't aggravate either of their injuries, but the sentiment is there.
with her this close now, he can probably notice a couple of lucida flowers tucked behind her ear, freshly plucked from the garden outside. ]
[ slkdjhs cute. his ribs are very crackly when he breathes, but he doesn't make any pained noises or anything, so there's that!! he doesn't laugh but she can probably tell - he's smiling, and he does tilt his head a little and bonk it gently against hers in recognition, letting her hug.
it's there, of course, that bixing sees the flowers, and he makes a quiet noise like he's going to say something, and then. stops. look. see he's behaving.
you're asking lu bixing not to talk this is like telling a dog to wait before it's allowed to eat a treat!!! ]
[ oh, she can tell, all right. it's the quiet breath he takes before he falls silent again that gets her to pull back enough to look up at him, her expression equal parts fond and exasperated. ]
Oh my gods, I wasn't being literal, dummy. [ please!! ] What were you going to say?
Page 3 of 3