Audience: Gu Yun

[probe]

Comments

w4, sunday

[probe]

[haha well, you see, immediately wherever he is lup just rams directly into him and clings. very, very tightly.]

[liuli]

[ yeah that's fine. gu yun's in his room, freshly showered and no longer in smokey burnt clothes, traded for clean silks instead, so. he turns around when he feels her whoosh into the room, and then -- ]

Oof. [ luckily lup weighs like five pounds soaking wet, so. he stumbles a bit, and then wraps his arms around her tight, to let her cling all she wants. ] There you are.

[probe]

[she's in her pajamas hoodie and shorts, hood up, and she's quiet, fingers digging into his silks, tangling. he won't hear it because she's intentionally muffling herself, but it's probably not hard to catch her trembling shoulders.]

[liuli]

[ ah, yeah. she's trembling like a leaf, isn't she? whether he can hear anything or not, it's a sign enough. gu yun briefly holds still and panics, internally - oh no oh god she's crying oh fuck - before he just kind of. drapes over her to hug her a little tighter and finds the back of her head, cradling it gently with his hand. his volume's a little off - almost too quiet, with the effort he's expending to correct himself. ]

It's alright. It's alright, Lup, I'm okay. Not an injury on me, there's nothing to cry about, it's okay.

[ aaaaAAA SEE HE'S FINE NO INJURIES DON'T CRY ]

[probe]

[nothing to cry about, he says, like he didn't almost just die, like he wasn't on fire! like he isn't about to lose his sight and hearing. like the other avatars didn't tumble out of some hellscape, like it hasn't been a stupid week entirely. he drapes a little further, holding, and she is doing her very best to stand up but the fact that he's here and whole makes her knees unsteady.

so she just leans against him instead, and tries to make herself stop.]

[liuli]

[ aaaah she's still crying she is definitely still crying. what an absolutely horrible, garbage week this has been, hasn't it? give him a second - as lup slumps against him, gu yun takes a couple wobbling steps backwards, aiming to move them back towards whatever horizontal surface is the closest. there's a couch, at least.

he really. he really can't deal with this, lup crying, because it makes his heart ache and he has absolutely no idea how to help short of trying to soothe with his words, which he can't even do!!! so. he fumbles uselessly for a second, dropping onto the couch with his arms full of lup, and holds her tight. ]

Lift your face for me, I'll wipe your tears. It's okay. [ (internally panics) ]

[probe]

[she sniffs, and it's gross and messy and it actually makes her laugh with how pathetic it sounds. she warbles out a no and then, after a moment, does what he asks anyway.

her hood is pushed back enough to see her face, which is mostly normal except for the lava tears streaking down her face. she reaches up to rub them away herself.]

Don't. I don't want to burn you on accident. [she says, voice cracking.] Sorry. My bad, I'll - I can't stop, but I don't want you to have to deal with this. You're fine.

[she knows he panics!]

[liuli]

[ the warbling just sounds like high pitched noise, but her voice is less muffled once the hood comes down, and it helps. gu yun shifts a bit, hands hovering - eventually, he settles to press a kiss to her forehead, instead, hands on either side of her head to linger there for a second. feeling for the soft rumbles of her voice, focusing on the little sound he can hear. ]

Don't apologize, I'm the one who made you cry. [ ... ] Dork.

[ quiet amusement creeps into his voice, and he lingers there, presses another kiss to her forehead. ] I keep worrying you.

[probe]

It wasn't just you.

[she says, stubbornly. he was just the catalyst. but she takes the kisses, eyes closing. another ridiculous sniff. she brings her hands up to rest against his - she's wearing gloves again.]

[liuli]

No, I just started it.

[ she can be stubborn, it's okay. he kisses her forehead again, one more time, and thumbs gently at her cheeks, glancing to the side of her opera gloves. ]

I think... for the both of us, that this has been an absolutely horrible week. Agreed?

[probe]

[she eases a little further every time he kisses her, though.]

Yeah. Agreed. [sniff.] ... Am I talking okay? Do I need to talk louder?

[liuli]

With the hood off, it's easier. The - whatever odd illusion you all have over your voices is harder to parse.

[ that's gonna be fun next week! it's fine. he sniffs, and then pulls a face, a bit dramatic. ] Just to add insult to injury, whatever bizarre effect is making this place smell like that is making things particularly difficult, at the moment.

[ HIS DOG NOSE ]

[probe]

[at least it's not in the rooms, it's just in the hallways]

Yeah, I'm uh. I'm not a fan of the smell either. [she shifts, and then just. steals a kiss, very gently, before resting her head on his shoulder.] ... I'm sorry I couldn't find anything.

[liuli]

[ smooch! it's gentle, but feels warmer than usual - the benefits of his overactive remaining senses. ]

It's alright. I've got it under control. [ ... probably. ] I at least have a plan.

[probe]

I know you do. I shook Pride down for the deets.

[that's how you know she was concerned - she willingly spoke to pride.] Use what I gave you, okay? Do you have other boons? Ask Pride for something.

[fuss, fuss. she hates this. wow, she hates this.]

[liuli]

[ wow she spoke to pride. there's some clear surprise on his face to that, a little "huh". ]

Mm, I only have the pin. [ he doesn't even have a weapon it's. fine. it's fine. ] I'll figure something out. [ bad ]

[probe]

[wheeeeeeeze her stress levels, she's very warm.]

You better. Because I still have things I want to do with you.

[liuli]

If there's one thing I'm good at, it's figuring things out on the fly.

[ it will be. fine. probably.

he leans over and kisses the top of her head. ] And I would like to be able to see those things, I think, so we're in agreement.

[probe]

[she reaches up to run her fingers through his hair. she has gloves, but. it's still nice.]

You should be! Because I want to try something. And I also have someone else I want with us, too. If you're, uh. Down, anyway.

[liuli]

[ processing processing...

he like. lifts his head so fast. ]


--Is it Despair?

[probe]

[that makes her gigglesnort.]

Yeah, it is. You sound so eager, wow.

[liuli]

I'm sort of in shock that he agreed! You already asked?

[ he has not forgotten about the whole "kissing you is a punishment". he will never forget. it is all over his face right now. ]

[probe]

[she shifts to sit a little more fully in his lap.]

I did ask, but more like, uh. Like... well, he likes listening to me, so. What did he say, uh -- there are things he can't do on his own. [the claws present a problem, sometimes.] So there's uh, that.

[liuli]

[ ahhh. he makes a noise of understanding and lifts his hands, wiggling them in front of her. ]

I see, I see.

Well. To be an accessory in spoiling you rotten sounds nice, I think. [ fufufu ] I can certainly get behind that.

[probe]

[... giggle.]

Yeah, I bet. [she bites at his fingers? gently.] The other thing is I'd like to try getting behind you, but I want you to be able to see and hear for that.