WEEK FIVE - MINGLE

[hellscapes]

Rise and shine, little deadlings. Were you able to rest easy knowing you let one mystery go unsolved? Hmm...never fear. Satan's grace has shined upon you and you have more opportunities to show just why you deserve an invite to the house party.

For those of you who slept in the dorm last night, when you make your way downstairs to head off for the day you'll be greeted with a new message on the white board in the common room.

Two Weeks and Four Days Until Satan's House Party!!

The countdown continues...

But out the door you go for another busy week. At the dock, there's a ferry happily floating on the lava and waiting for you to climb aboard. While there are still several islands in your line of vision you can't quite see, it seems as though the ferry can now shuttle you between all of the previous islands and a new location called Animal Kingdom. A wild time awaits you. Though should you find yourselves returning to more familiar bars, you may find a new menu item awaits them!

With the new week comes new change, of course. You've probably grown accustom to this by now (or maybe you haven't even noticed the correlation of the weekly changes.) But at least you no longer have to struggle with your insecurities and flounder uselessly to prove you're #1. After all who cares, right? You obviously know you're #1. Nobody can argue with you on that one. Look at you. You're here! You're strong! You're powerful! Nothing can stand in your way this week, and you find yourself filled to the brim with all the confidence in the world. Some may even call it being over-assertive, seeing how you'll find yourself acting on inhibitions you may not before and being more assured in everything that you do. In the animal world? Some may even call you the alpha.

It almost seems as though it's simply meant to be an annoyance...to everyone else.

And speaking of annoyances? Don't forget to check out what's new on Bicker. You can always contact each other via public Beeks or by sliding into their DMs.

Likewise, you'll find that your personal demons' accounts are live and active and despite what some of them may say, their DMs are also open.

Enjoy yourselves!

Good morning everybody, and welcome to your week five mingle! A few notes for clarity.

-This week's effect is heightened confidence, or what we lovingly call "alpha week." While it does not have to be a consistent thing, this week your character will swing back from all of their insecurities by being filled with overconfidence (and sometimes arrogance.) Now's the time to see how bold you can be and push the envelope a little. Your hubris doesn't matter here.

-Audiences for the personal demons are now open! Please submit all requests under the correct weekly header.

-Please submit all PC submissions under the correct weekly header.

-The Bicker poll is public! All replies will be public, and players may also post their own Beeks in their toplevels that will be considered public. You are free to reply directly to the appropriate toplevels, or you may create Beeks in your own toplevels with other prompts. Be free.

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Comments

[awol]

[ lin jingheng has been mysteriously absent for most of the first part of this, slinking in quickly and quietly and then just! fucking off!

but here he is now, wearing a cozy-looking white coat draped over his shoulder, part-military and part-princely. the white fur over his shoulder drapes over his arm and his hands are dressed in sleek-looking white gloves. underneath, he's wearing a cinched black and silver corset and matching silver tie.

perched on his nose is a silver mask with a blue flower tucked close into his hair. of course, zhanlu is here for the party even if he can't actually witness it, peeking out from underneath the white fur and shiny like he's been polished a little (uwu)

for now, he's just vibing up against a wall, one ankle crossed over the other while sipping a drink. ]

[engineers]

[ ok first of all lin jingheng should not be allowed to wear a corset. this is illegal. when did he do this. how did he do this.

these are questions to be considered later, because after a little while of being a flitting social butterfly, there's the sound of someone clearing their throat. ahem. ]

Excuse me.

[ and there, of course, is lu bixing, trying very hard not to smile too much like a doofus, but still smiling enough that it warms up his whole face. ] Does the Commander of the Silver Ten have a moment of time to spare?

[awol]

[ it was a secret. while you were busy socializing, he was studying the blade tightening his own corset with a door knob probably. he's resourceful. in any case, there's maybe a little curl of certainty on his lips as he takes another sip of his drink.

he has to compose himself, lu bixing is radiant and it's not unlike turning his face towards the sun. ]

For you? [ he holds his gaze: ] Always.

[ offering out a hand to him. ]

[engineers]

[ gross. he takes the hand when it's offered immediately, pulling lin jingheng's up to lay a kiss on his knuckles, peering up at him through his eyelashes with a glitter in his remaining eye. just - completely starstruck. ]

Then, I'm the luckiest man in all eight galaxies and then some. [ bixing is clearly delighted that lin's actually willing to dance with him, too, the way that yes lights up his whole face, as he finally straightens back up and laces their fingers together properly to pull him over onto the dance floor with graceful backwards steps, unwilling to look away.

the music is slow and easy, here, a swelling orchestral piece, and when bixing stops, he puts his other hand on lin jingheng's (tiny) waist and pulls him in close, murmuring just loud enough to be heard: ] You look gorgeous, Lin.

[awol]

[ it's been a long time since lin jingheng has found himself in a genuinely good mood. all of the little moments he steals away with lu bixing seem to burn away in a flash. but this feels never-ending, a möbius strip of contented feedback.

lu bixing's grace is... something else. lin jingheng knows he can keep up, does so with his shoulders back and his expression at ease. he lets his hand stabilize just over his coat, around him, tucking them both in tightly against each other. ]

I had to be sure I kept up with you.

[ ALL THE TALK ABOUT BACKLESS WHAT!?!?? ]

Still don't think I managed it.

[engineers]

[ perfect. pressed nice and close together like this, it's easy to pick up on the rhythm of the music, to take slow, easy dance steps. his hand curls in jingheng's gloved one, and bixing's cheeks turn a little pink at the compliment, though it's more pleased than it is embarrassed. this is the kind of thing that there's just not been time for - even before the seventeen year separation, there was just never time. snatched away trips to the outskirts of a city. stolen meals (because bixing memorized lin's schedule.) tiny little moments that so rarely got to add up into something so sweet and romantic.

lu bixing laughs a little at that remark, though, clearly very happy. if he had a tail, it'd be wagging. ]

That's how I felt. [ like have you seen lin. he ducks in to say something, a soft murmur in his ear not for anyone else, and then pulls back just a little, the smile on his face going pleased and a little mischievous as he takes them for another turn. ] Wearing a mask like that, though, you could be Sige, all over again. You know?

[awol]

[ immediately lin jingheng huffs when lu bixing pulls back from the whisper, turning his head away fastly for the few seconds that he can bear to stop looking at him. another turn earns lu bixing a slow raise of the brow, not that it can be seen behind the mask right now. he then just... pivots them a bit, takes them for a turn this time. ]

Is that what you want, Headmaster?

Think you can handle a little downgrade?

[engineers]

[ ehehehe he looks very satisfied with himself when lin turns his head away, bright and pleased, and when lin jingheng pivots them around - he laughs, light on his feet and easy and letting lin jingheng take the lead.

headmaster. it's nostalgic. a big downgrade from the grand marshal and the prime minister, but... it feels so sweet to think about. he'd love to go back to that life, to just be headmaster lu, and the pilot light of his starry sea academy that had once gone out is being stoked, again. by his students, back home, sure, but by lin's gentle encouragement, and by the faces of the people here - gideon, kon, hana, harrowhark, the faces of people he wants to help, in exchange.

he laughs, softly, warm.]

Things were simpler, then. [ two decades ago, now. he steps with lin, easily, just smiling at him and tilting his head in a little, intimate and happy with the proximity, keeping his voice low. ] Before I knew you were the Lin Jingheng. [ playfully, lightly; ] Would you give me your autograph, again?

[awol]

That depends...

[ he leads for the moment, their hands clasped. his heart is high in his throat as he carries them both to the music elegantly. he looks down at him through the mask now, the posture familiar. it's not aloof because lin jingheng doesn't know how to do that when he's in lu bixing's hands. not anymore. instead, he draws his hand in close between them. ]

You have a pen, Headmaster?

[engineers]

[ he looks so excited at first, like, delighted by this incredibly stupid little joke, and then

realizes: ]

-- Nooo, I don't have my bag......

[ GENUINELY SO SAD this is very stupid ] How embarrassing.

[awol]

Come unprepared?

[ it's... confidence week and he... doesn't care... about doing gay things in public at the moment when normally he definitely would. sry. ]

Besides... why ask for my autograph when you already have everything of mine?

[psynchronise]

[ from somewhere on the second floor someone wolf whistles. but when they look, the mystery wolf whistler will be gone. ]

[engineers]

[ a ghost.... ]

[awol]

[ ill kill u date kaname. ]

[psynchronise]

[ uwu he's supportive ]

[selfdestructs]

[ she strides over and just. copies his posture. it's very silly and she can't keep a straight face for long. ]

[awol]

[ oh he just glances over at her and continues to hold his face until she gives! up!

a little playfully: ]

What do you want, hm?

[selfdestructs]

[ just beams up at him! ]

Well I would like to dance with you, if you're not too busy.

[ let this be before the dads get all lovey dovey, bc dva would not break that up. ]

[awol]

[ yes this is fine. he looks at her for a moment and rolls his eyes a little before pushing off of the wall with his shoulders. ]

I can make some room in my schedule.

[ he holds out a hand. ]

Sure your date won't mind?

[selfdestructs]

What an honor this is~

[ steps away from the wall and puts her hand in his ]

Well considering you're like my dad or something, I don't think Kon will mind.

[awol]

[ he just has to.

look away for a second and then— ]

[selfdestructs]

[ the lack of objection is very telling. dva 1 ljh 0 ]

[awol]

Just don't step on my feet.

[ as he will take her hand and lead her out onto the floor. the music is pretty smooth, so following it is easy. ]

[selfdestructs]

It's been a while since I've been to one of these, so I can't make any promises.

[ but she will do her best!! the music is very easy to follow at the moment, which is good. father daughter dance.... ]

You strike me as the classically trained type, but that could be an illusion. We will see.

[awol]

[ a father daughter dance with less psychotic ddr and death. incredible. ljh's luck. he will maybe give her a little twirl as she mentions being classically trained.

because like it's not too hard to spin someone. ]

Military functions. Yeah. Nothing like a masquerade, though. They wear different masks.