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Mmm... the particular events going on during the week haven't exactly helped either case.
[ lavi forgetting everything, uriel seeing a memory overlaid before her. this is truly shit. sinking into the cushions, please take him awaaaay. he turns to look at him. ]
We're starting to get very unlucky.
[ this is par for the course. ]</smalL.
[ lavi forgetting everything, uriel seeing a memory overlaid before her. this is truly shit. sinking into the cushions, please take him awaaaay. he turns to look at him. ]
We're starting to get very unlucky.
[ this is par for the course. ]</smalL.
[He draws his knees up to his chest and closes his eyes, if only so he isn't glaring at the blank screen anymore.]
He is— was the Emperor of the Boiling Isles. [A beat. And then, he adds far more quietly:] ... He raised me. Said we were all that's left of our family.
[He sounds a bit angry and bitter about it.]
He is— was the Emperor of the Boiling Isles. [A beat. And then, he adds far more quietly:] ... He raised me. Said we were all that's left of our family.
[He sounds a bit angry and bitter about it.]
[ ohhhhh there is a quiet anger that builds a little in his chest, a fist full of heat. it feels too familiar and he hates that. it puts the remark earlier into context, considering how he curls up now. ]
Was that really the case?
[ he considers the scene from earlier, the head that had whipped itself around towards hunter on the screen. his brow furrows as he listens. ]
Was that really the case?
[ he considers the scene from earlier, the head that had whipped itself around towards hunter on the screen. his brow furrows as he listens. ]
Starting?
[A bit incredulous because, well. They're in hell. They've been unlucky all along.]
... I don't know what's going to happen next week. But if the pattern holds, it's only gonna get worse.
[A bit incredulous because, well. They're in hell. They've been unlucky all along.]
... I don't know what's going to happen next week. But if the pattern holds, it's only gonna get worse.
[ he offers him a sort of weak smile. ]
I've been unluckier...
[ he taps his fingers against his knee slowly. ]
For one, I don't get to hear the voices of the dead saying that they're "doing okay." So I'll take that as a win... that we can get them back somehow.
I've been unluckier...
[ he taps his fingers against his knee slowly. ]
For one, I don't get to hear the voices of the dead saying that they're "doing okay." So I'll take that as a win... that we can get them back somehow.
[A quick shake of his head.]
'Course not. Belos is a liar. All he does is trick and manipulate people. [Oh, he sounds much angrier now.] He was never my uncle.
... Though, I guess he didn't lie about one thing: I don't have any family. Not by blood, anyway.
[He would like to commit some regicide, actually. A second slime tutorial, if you would.]
'Course not. Belos is a liar. All he does is trick and manipulate people. [Oh, he sounds much angrier now.] He was never my uncle.
... Though, I guess he didn't lie about one thing: I don't have any family. Not by blood, anyway.
[He would like to commit some regicide, actually. A second slime tutorial, if you would.]
[ the anger sounds good. it sounds like it's what he needs. just to get it out there after having to see all of That again. lin jingheng nods quietly at this. ]
Does it matter? That you don't have any family by blood?
[ he tilts his head. ]
Hard to imagine you haven't found a family of your own in a way.
[ he glances at the screen, as if he could replay watching how hunter had been both watched out for while protecting others as well. and then he looks back. ]
... He deserves the dirt. You deserve much better.
Does it matter? That you don't have any family by blood?
[ he tilts his head. ]
Hard to imagine you haven't found a family of your own in a way.
[ he glances at the screen, as if he could replay watching how hunter had been both watched out for while protecting others as well. and then he looks back. ]
... He deserves the dirt. You deserve much better.
[ it's borrower time! aka we're in one of the huge houses sneakin around running amok. or rather, looking for supplies that people could make use of. in general, just getting to know the place before someone decides to shed blood on someone's carpet on thursday night.
anyways. lin jingheng is looking upwards at a counter with a hum, kicking at a couple of the loosed threads and pushpins that probably belong to someone's conspiracy board or whatever.
ours now. anyways. ]
Want to get a better look?
anyways. lin jingheng is looking upwards at a counter with a hum, kicking at a couple of the loosed threads and pushpins that probably belong to someone's conspiracy board or whatever.
ours now. anyways. ]
Want to get a better look?
[Cannot wait for someone to go splat on the nice carpets because they got pushed from the top of the furniture. Hunter is examining the counter as well, eyes flicking to certain spots here and there like he's already calculating the best route.]
'Course. We should take a look at everything before someone comes along and ruins it.
[The chances of murder not happening this week are zero.]
'Course. We should take a look at everything before someone comes along and ruins it.
[The chances of murder not happening this week are zero.]
Do you have thoughts on our approach?
[ he sees the way his eyes are darting. he is curious :o and yeah the chances of murder not happening this week are absolutely 0. someone will ruin this for us. he'll gather some threads anyways over an arm as he listens. ]
[ he sees the way his eyes are darting. he is curious :o and yeah the chances of murder not happening this week are absolutely 0. someone will ruin this for us. he'll gather some threads anyways over an arm as he listens. ]
... Right. At least there's that.
[He sighs, running a hand through his hair.]
Worst case scenario, we all get stuck in hell and buy ourselves nice houses under eight thousand square feet.
[What? He's rolling his eyes as he says this.]
[He sighs, running a hand through his hair.]
Worst case scenario, we all get stuck in hell and buy ourselves nice houses under eight thousand square feet.
[What? He's rolling his eyes as he says this.]
[He looks at the screen again, thoughtfully, though it's gone dark.]
The dirt's too good for him. [Even a dirt nap's too nice. But he starts to smile a little now.] ... You're right, though. I made my own family. With my friends. And Flapjack, too, of course.
[Very, very fondly. He loves his friends a lot. (No comment on whether he deserves better or not.)]
The dirt's too good for him. [Even a dirt nap's too nice. But he starts to smile a little now.] ... You're right, though. I made my own family. With my friends. And Flapjack, too, of course.
[Very, very fondly. He loves his friends a lot. (No comment on whether he deserves better or not.)]
[ the smile is good. it's infectious, and lin jingheng does smile back. ]
Sometimes, our family is scattered to the stars. And sometimes, they're just there waiting for you to meet that.
Life is strange like that.
[ it's the most he's spoken at once. conversationally, lin jingheng doesn't waste his energy with words, saves them for these moments only. he glances downwards at zhanlu briefly and smiles. ]
Zhanlu is as much apart of my family as well. He's all I have left of my father.
Sometimes, our family is scattered to the stars. And sometimes, they're just there waiting for you to meet that.
Life is strange like that.
[ it's the most he's spoken at once. conversationally, lin jingheng doesn't waste his energy with words, saves them for these moments only. he glances downwards at zhanlu briefly and smiles. ]
Zhanlu is as much apart of my family as well. He's all I have left of my father.
Blue's standard of what makes a house a mansion. Which, apparently, doesn't include their place with its seven bedrooms.
[Sometimes... you just gotta stare at rich people standards despite growing up in a castle... He sighs.]
Could definitely be worse, I guess. I wonder what the other sides of hell are like...
[Sometimes... you just gotta stare at rich people standards despite growing up in a castle... He sighs.]
Could definitely be worse, I guess. I wonder what the other sides of hell are like...
[Oh. It is unfortunately insecurities week and he is brightening up a disproportionate amount when he asks for his opinion. Could it be... adult validation? He nods!!]
Yes, actually. Here's my plan—
[Insert plan that involves... parkour, stray nails and picture hangers on the wall, and thread. We are not coming up with a room layout today. How are Jingheng's 25+ adult bones feeling?]
Yes, actually. Here's my plan—
[Insert plan that involves... parkour, stray nails and picture hangers on the wall, and thread. We are not coming up with a room layout today. How are Jingheng's 25+ adult bones feeling?]
[ his bones feel like bones which means he's up for the task. he looks over the route and suggests maybe a tweak or two, but— ]
Looks good. Let's do it.
[ it's probably A Little Extra Adventurous, but he's up for it and will hand over some braided thread-rope. he'll nod towards a good starting point for them. ]
Need a boost?
[ just to get started. ]
Looks good. Let's do it.
[ it's probably A Little Extra Adventurous, but he's up for it and will hand over some braided thread-rope. he'll nod towards a good starting point for them. ]
Need a boost?
[ just to get started. ]
Yeah... You just have to let yourself meet them.
[Said almost like he's quoting someone, maybe something he heard sometime ago. He follows his gaze down to Zhanlu.]
... You said he left him to take care of you, right? [A little bittersweet, having seen his memories now.] We gotta get you two outta here so he can fill your house with more fish.
[Said almost like he's quoting someone, maybe something he heard sometime ago. He follows his gaze down to Zhanlu.]
... You said he left him to take care of you, right? [A little bittersweet, having seen his memories now.] We gotta get you two outta here so he can fill your house with more fish.
You'll turn our house on Qiming into a zoo with suggestions like that.
[ but. he doesn't seem upset about that, instead just chuckling a little and just— ]
Maybe that way you can finally speak with Zhanlu. I think he'd like to meet you properly.
[ —ruffles his hair very gently, hesitant almost ]
We'll have to get you and Flapjack home too. We will.
[ but. he doesn't seem upset about that, instead just chuckling a little and just— ]
Maybe that way you can finally speak with Zhanlu. I think he'd like to meet you properly.
[ —ruffles his hair very gently, hesitant almost ]
We'll have to get you and Flapjack home too. We will.
Edited 2023-03-08 15:49 (UTC)
[He looks at the starting point, frowning... and shakes his head a little too quickly.]
No, that's alright. You don't need to bother yourself with me. I can do it!
[He is very capable! He can do it himself! No boost necessary! (This is not why Jingheng offered.)]
No, that's alright. You don't need to bother yourself with me. I can do it!
[He is very capable! He can do it himself! No boost necessary! (This is not why Jingheng offered.)]
[He huffs out a laugh.]
And Zhanlu needs to introduce me to all his pets, too.
[The hair ruffle is fine. He even leans into it, just a little. But— his smile drops a bit when Flapjack's name comes up, before he quickly shoves it back into place.]
... Right. Of course. Ideally, no one gets left behind.
And Zhanlu needs to introduce me to all his pets, too.
[The hair ruffle is fine. He even leans into it, just a little. But— his smile drops a bit when Flapjack's name comes up, before he quickly shoves it back into place.]
... Right. Of course. Ideally, no one gets left behind.
[ okay tired child, you can do this yourself. he pats him on the shoulder and will proceed with the plan, using the rope to probably get ahold of a nail. he'll climb up with ease like a gecko of a human being and probably find a perch, looking expectantly at hunter. ]
Come on, then.
Come on, then.
[He's changed into a dry set of clothes, though his hair still looks a little wet. Flapjack tucked in the crook between his neck and shoulder.]
I'm fine. Just tired. [He glances at him, where he got hit by the fork.] What about you?
I'm fine. Just tired. [He glances at him, where he got hit by the fork.] What about you?
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