( ...is someone tick-tocking at him a microaggression? food for thought.
regardless, dante doesn't really mind; they have to adjust their line of sight upwards slightly to maintain what passes for "eye contact" for them. )
< Oh. >
( they can't help but be surprised as they inspect the map that hong lu produces. how prepared? how forward-thinking? it's not something they would typically expect of him, but they end up chiding themself for such an assumption. it's not as though they've known any of the sinners for very long — they're certain they will continue to surprise them. )
< Good thinking! I'm sure this will be very helpful. > ( dante accents their compliment with a pleasant ding! sound. ) < Hm... We could certainly try. I'm not sure the same pizza place his mother might have liked to order from would serve this kingly pizza you're after, but he might have an idea of where it might be found instead. >
[ never... he tick-tocks because you're the cutest ever dante, favorite doomsday clock!
as much as they can run around as headless chickens (hah!), the map only makes sure they aren't entirely lost, and also makes this like a treasure hunt which is just as fun. he may not know that dante probably thinks little of him, or has low expectations, but hong lu does everything with a purpose — sort of how like he sets heathcliff up for his back jokes just to have the other attack him, it's pretty funny to see him irritated.
oh, oh, the ding. that must mean he's done good, and to praise dante for giving him a ding, he's outstretches his arms to wrap around the other's neck, pressing the side of that clock-cheek against his own cheek with a grin. ]
Thank you for the praise ~
[ he's not against it, but he doesn't overstay his contact, and pulls away. ]
If that's the case, then we could make it ourselves. I could find out the recipe, I'm sure you're good at cooking.
[ or good at stopping hong lu from burning down the kitchen... which is probably more useful than cooking, but whatever. he's already starting to choose a path to walk down as he keeps a steady pace so that dante can catch up. ]
( it's probably something that would crystallize in dante's mind over time — they have the other eleven sinners to contend with, after all, and they're usually so busy herding cats with the more energetic and troublesome among them that those like hong lu, who typically stand to the side and interject when they feel the need to, just end up occupying less of their mental bandwidth. but despite the more confounding statements of the sinner's, dante can't recall any time they've been anything less than perfectly competent and able to get the job done. well... except for when they all tried their hand at cooking, at least, but it seems the vast majority of the sinners are absolutely hopeless at that.
dante is certainly not expecting the arms that loop around their neck, so their immediate response is to go stock-still and rigid, though... is it truth or is it merely hong lu's imagination, that the metal of the clock-like prosthetic heats up slightly more at that brief, affectionate contact? who can say.
for their part, dante is stunned into silence, except perhaps for a rapid, quiet, tic-tic-tic-tic-tic that doesn't translate into any words in hong lu's mind. the flames crowning their head seem to burn bigger and more wildly for a moment. )
< Um... You're welcome! >
( they've learned that hong lu is maybe a little overzealous in physical affection in response to positive encouragement, though maybe they should have gleaned that already.
the clock-hands on their face stop with a pronounced clonk, and they tilt their head as they follow along at hong lu's side. )
< Why do you say that? >
( during the whole debacle with the chickens, it had never come up to see whether or not dante could cook. they... have no idea if they can or not?? )
[ that's what makes dante so interesting as their reactions are entirely different from a humans. is it fair to separate them from a human when their body shape for the most part mirrors one? the only different, hong lu thinks, is the clock adorned on their shoulders like a decoration. the flames that brighten up after the gesture makes hong lu happy, really. the more flames the better? if he likens the warmth to a roaring fire at a campsite, then it's good for to see it so lively.
really, he couldn't imagine what dante would be without their flames, or that tick-tocking they're so used to clicking. ]
Mm, because you watched everyone, so you must have an idea by now?
[ heathcliff's magnificent potato cutting skills, the dos and donts of yi sang, and even meursault's recommendations on what makes a perfect meal. there's outis too who stood out exceptionally in bringing the individual out from their distortion with the perfect meal. ]
You can't really taste anything, so you'll need someone to try what you make. [ anyone would do, and if he had to give a suggestion. ] Hm... out of all the Sinners, I'm sure someone with a refined palate would work in your favor. If we're lucky, maybe someone at the shop ~
( hong lu, please... they're still human...! or, at least, they think they are. they have every reason to believe that they are? though, they would have to admit... ever since the situation with the chicken restaurants and seeing that "Distortion" the one shop's owner had been transformed into, they'd started to have doubts. are they certain they are what they think they are, and it's just that their head has been exchanged for a prosthetic, as they were led to believe? or is the reality something far more strange?
no... no, they have no reason to believe they aren't human, with or without their memories. they're going to continue to go with that from here on.
dante tic-tic-tic's rapidly in response to hong lu's reply, though it's unclear what they mean by that. are they disbelieving, or is it some sort of laugh? )
< Watching and doing are two completely different things!! >
( just because they watched the sinners fight so much doesn't mean they can suddenly do it themself!
well... maybe there is a part of them that's curious to learn if they are a decent cook. if the person they were before was, and they've inherited that trait? it would be good to know, though there's just as much potential for disaster in them trying to cook this pizza as there would be if hong lu (or god forbid one of the other, more hopeless sinners) tried their hand at it... )
< I would think you would be the one to have a refined palate, Hong Lu. You most likely would have had an opportunity to try more types of food than many of the others, right? >
I dunno, do you think I have the most refined palate? Meursault knew a great deal, he even said things I didn't know.
[ by those standards, is his palate still the most refined? if they speak good about meursault, then outis could be a contender as well considering she won the challenge in the end, pushing the owner to revealing his memories. no matter their backgrounds, perhaps there's more than meets the eye, or hour, minute and second hand! if it wasn't for their taste in food, the groups wouldn't have gotten as far as they had. ]
Sinclair is pretty well-off too.
[ what is "refined" to dante? there's so many options of people here who have a palate meant for tasting, but it's just like him to think of the others. with a smile, he looks over to dante to watch the little hands on their face before looking forward once more. it seems brief, but the sinner appears to be happy with doing so. there's something about dante that keeps him in high spirits, and even though hong lu doesn't know, he's able to maintain a certain attitude around them. perhaps this is what it's like to walk with someone so pleasant it's easy as breathing. ]
I doubt I'm all that different, I'm pretty normal in comparison.
[ just like everything else he's been through is considered normal, maybe... hong lu praises their skills and abilities along with their knowledge. really, hong lu isn't anything special... nothing to point out when there's other sinners that can easily fill that role. ]
I am honored you think so highly of me, Dante. I won't deny your praise either way ~
( truth be told, dante just doesn't know nearly as much about meursault's and outis' backgrounds to understand why they had been as accomplished cooks as they had ended up being. they are both highly reticent in that way, though hong lu had already made it known that he came from an affluent background. that, and he's standing right next to them, which is more than they can say for either of their cook-off's "victors." they just believe he would have had more opportunity than many of the sinners from more humble (or dire) backgrounds to try different types of food.
as for sinclair... well, they don't say it, but they think to themself that they don't think his family was eating all that extravagantly towards the end, there (because of the prosthetics!! not because of their gruesome murders!!).
dante's shoulders slump a little bit, feeling defeated by hong lu's reasoning. they wonder why he always seems so determined to... well, they aren't sure he's putting himself down or anything, but it certainly seems like he might be downplaying his own characteristics in favor of the others'! )
< You're the one that wanted to track down this special pizza... Isn't that indicative of having a refined palate? Wouldn't most people just want to find a decent place to have something they know they already like? >
( they turn their clock-face towards hong lu, and though its devoid of eyes, there's the sensation of them looking very closely at him. that is the reason why they're on this wild goose chase, isn't it? or do you have ulterior motives, hong lu... )
[ that question causes him to quiet down, thinking over their inquiry while making sure that he understands what they're asking. he thinks it's kind of like how people want a fire in the cold, to keep themselves warm so that they're no longer freezing. isn't that the same as searching for food that they already like, heading there, and indulging? he doesn't know if this is about refined taste, but it does seem like something someone would do because they wanted something to eat, or because they were cold and wanted to be warm.
hong lu wants to play in the snow, let his fingers freeze at the tips, and experience the burn that comes from the cold. it's more fun that way, hence why they're hunting for this mythical pizza named after a king. ]
Haha. Are you searching for a way to make my palate special?
[ he thought that maybe he won that round of idle chit-chat, but dante seems sure of this that hong lu wins in this department because of his budding curiosity, and adventurous personality. really, he doesn't think this is too odd of him. ]
Isn't everyone curious about something new? [ he isn't looking for an answer there. ] It could be an Urban Myth pizza, or a real thing, but doesn't that make you want to go out and try it ~
[ the way his manager looks at him, hong lu could never think poorly of them. instead, he offers a small smile, and is trying his best to refrain from playing with the little hands on their face. ]
I'm hooking up with you, so I should find something nice for the occassion, right?
[ his eyes widen a bit, searching for the answer on dante's face, and waiting for the shift of their little hands to proceed clicking so he can know their thoughts on the matter. is hong lu being a good host? ]
( hong lu ripostes the question with a question, and it gives dante some pause. )
< Well... >
( questions like these are often difficult for them to answer. dante has a hard time really comprehending what it is they want most of the time. they want to succeed at the job given to them and the tasks set in front of them. they want the sinners to remain healthy and alive (though much of this is their aversion to the pain it deals them to bring them back). they don't want to fail or disappoint vergilius, charon, or any other members of the Company. and on a level they can neither explain nor comprehend, they wish to engrave the Aspect... whatever that means.
but perhaps... )
< Maybe so. A manager should look for ways to encourage the self-improvement of their employees, shouldn't they? >
( alright, well... if that's how hong lu wants to put it, sure. they can look at this as a mission of curiosity, all so he can try something new and broaden his horizons a little bit.
and whenever the sinner brings that up — dante always reacts the same, twinging and turning to him sharply. exactly what hong lu is looking for: the clock-hands on dante's face tic-tic-tic for a few moments (almost as an audible "...") before they continue: )
< You've got to stop saying it like that... >
( there's no way he doesn't know what he's doing... why is he being so mean... )
[ reprimanded by the sudden clicking, his eyes widen for a brief moment at the reaction that excites him even more. he believes today is a good omen all because he's managed to catch dante off guard once more, and their plea doesn't fall on deaf ears with a hand lifted, waving their worries away dismissively. with a laugh, he smiles softly while turning his head away from the other so that he doesn't have to see eye to eye. ]
On the topic of my self-improvement: what should I call this if not "hooking up"?
[ he could label it as anything else, and he knows that dante will probably respond in kind with a shake of their head, or with erratic ticking. they're both welcomed, adored even, but he has a feeling that he's been too much for the other to handle for the past few minutes that they've been together — he's not counting their text messages, that was an entirely different vibe. moreso like a teacher giving their student advice to not bother the other students. ]
I want to be better for you, and the group, but it seems that one thing has been an issue.
[ learning from his mistakes? taking the time out to be a respectable young man. he's been taught to listen, it's engraved into him due to his upbringing as he was never meant to cause real trouble with those who wishes to correct him. dante's trying hard, and that means he should offer a reward of sorts. don't let his manager find out hong lu's working on a reward system or he'll probably get in trouble with them and everyone else...
the area they walk too is particularly crowded, or maybe it's lunch hour as everyone's trying to make their way to their favorite location so they can settle in before they go back onto the clock. even with the voices around them, hong lu makes sure to focus on the ticking mostly as he walks with dante. ]
( they had already established that this isn't a date, because dante certainly doesn't want to end up in a place where they're being "courted" by one of the sinners. so... it's an outing! they're just two individuals who know one another out in the City, likely to end up learning more about one another as they embark on this ridiculous and silly quest for pizza. really, it's so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but as far as dante's memories are concerned, they haven't really had a lot of time for inconsequential things? it's basically been one mission for a Golden Bough after another, with the brief exception of what happened with the chicken restaurants...
so something like this might seem rote and boring to most others, but to dante it's novel enough that they are a little excited and nervous to be doing it at all. )
< It's not an issue... I just don't want the others to get the wrong idea. I mean — I - I intended for it to mean that no one should be kissing or sleeping together on the bus, so...! >
( isn't that what it means?? their amnesia affects their memories, not their general knowledge or comprehension of language — they are pretty sure that's what it means. but what if they're wrong? has language shifted in the brief period of time between whenever they had been certain of what it'd meant before their head being removed and after? what can they even believe at this point?!
congratulations, hong lu. you've successfully begun gaslighting the manager. )
But isn't that what you do when you "hook up", spend time together?
[ gaslighting his manager? he would never do that, probably, sometimes it just ends up that way when you're searching for a specific king pizza within the city. his eyes take a brief look around the location as he takes in the appearance of the buildings, and even how the people dress when they walk by. there's numbers that dangle over shops that read if the location is overcapacity of guests, or if they're taking only so many more until they lock their doors. ]
We sleep together all the time, Dante. Me, you, and everyone else. [ that's the only thing to do on the bus at night, but he understands exactly what they mean by that since the kissing is paired with the other. ]
I understand you wouldn't kiss or sleep with me, but that's having sex, so wouldn't it be best to say that than "hooking up?"
[ hooking up is just having a good time! the fact that hong lu can accept that dante has no interest in him is fine, but the bit of stuttering — hesitant ticking? sticking? he wouldn't know what to call it only makes him laugh as he stops in place, eyes glancing at a shop not too far away with a pizza symbol built on top. does he make a comment about dante's response, or should he focus on the mission at hand?
well. ]
So wouldn't that make "hooking up" as you said "spending time together?"
[ he's cooking, he's gaslighting, he doesn't know shit in this new-age world and was sheltered most of his life, it's how dante is letting the idiot drive the car. ]
( okay, at this point, dante is certain that hong lu is fucking with them.
they reach up to their head in desperation, the cogs and gears inside catching in a low, grinding sound. in hong lu's mind, it translates to a slightly exasperated sigh. )
< You know what I mean! >
( at this point they don't know what to do! should they accept hong lu's word about this, or should they go with their gut that they know damn well what hooking up means, even though they can't for the life of them even recall their own history on the subject prior to their head being exchanged for this prosthetic. at the end of the day, it's relatively inconsequential — the only reason they'd sent that message to the sinners was because they and vergilius had noticed several of them getting a little too close of late. but that having been said... )
< I just, I didn't want to have to say - everyone should know that's what I meant when I said "hooking up," right? That's usually what it means...! I feel like you're getting it mixed up with "hanging out"! >
( they're way too wrapped up in semantics and anxious about this whole thing to notice the nearby pizza joint. )
< Ugh... I really don't want to have to clarify this with everyone... >
[ the horror of it all as he begins to offer his fantastic plan which won't be that fantastic because of who it is. really, dante should prepare themselves to cut hong lu off before he even tries. ]
You could make a information pamphlet, those are normally used in common society?
[ it would have the how tos and the do nots of what could come of certain situations, and it worked until it didn't. ]
We can use ourselves as examples. [ he lifts one hand to grab dante's gloved one, his fingers slipping between the cracks of theirs, and proceeds to walk then to the pizza joint as he doesn't think the other has noticed. ] If we take pictures, we can demonstrate what is "hooking up" and what is "hanging out".
[ he doesn't know if that'll work well with the sinners, but it means that dante won't have to talk to them face to face, and that sounds like what they're getting at as they dread the idea of it. ]
( they're so flabbergasted by the suggestion, by how ridiculous it would be both logistically and in practice, that they don't even have the mental bandwidth to process hong lu taking their hand. his fingers slip easily between theirs, skin separated only by the thin layer of cloth that was their gloves. even through them they can feel the warmth of another person, that casual and carefree intimacy as they proceed down the street towards the pizza place that hong lu had identified. )
< But we would only need to give it to the other sinners... Isn't a pamphlet more something you would print to distribute to a lot more people than that? >
( they do see the pizza joint now, which is at least one point of satisfaction in this little side-quest. at least hong lu would have the option of pizza, even if it's not the fancy kind he wants...
though... dante continues to consider what he proposed. they look to him suspiciously. )
< And that wouldn't just be an excuse to get into - compromising positions, would it? >
[ as if the sinners as a group doesn't make an army of fifty with what they're able to do, but it sounds like a good idea to hong lu as he suggested it himself. the reason he even proposed a pamphlet were for those who'd forget as soon as they heard it: individuals like don and heathcliff, and then there's others like faust and ishmael that would keep it in mind. it's not that they are the types to go out and find people to flirt and hook up with, but you never know considering this shouldn't have been a problem in the first place. ]
What counts as compromising positions? [ he asks, eyes wide with curiosity as he looks down to dante, and his words are just as innocent as his intentions.
as they finally stand in front of the double doors of the pizzeria that he turns to dante, hand still in his own, and his other lifts up to settle under the crook of his manager's "chin", tilting the prosthetic up so that dante can get a good look at hong lu. there's a smile, sincere as always, leaning in close so that his nose can nuzzle against the center where the hour and minute hand meets.
embarrassing, sure, but hong lu's having the time of their life especially when a customer comes out of the food place, walking around them with a meek "e-excuse me," due to the pda. ]
( yes, hong lu, dante is aware that you had a rather insulated upbringing due to your family, but you at least still remember all of the formative years of your life... dante doesn't remember anything past the last few weeks! they might not have even really known for-sure what all it was they were forbidding from the Sinners from doing on the bus if vergilius hadn't broached the topic with them — and then, upon their confusion, charon had chimed in with some alarmingly specific examples in that matter-of-fact tone of hers...
it had been mortifying...
dante is too busy remembering that moment when hong lu arrests their forward movement in the door to the pizzeria; they stop in place, making a singular tock sound that seems to ring in hong lu's mind as a nonverbal "?" before the Sinner's other hand finds the lowest point of the circumference of their face. they go still, surprised at how they feel his finger there (except not? it's like how they can "see" but without seeing?), but that surprise is nothing compared to the alarm that shoots through them as hong lu leans in to nuzzle his nose against the central point of dante's face, where the two clock-hands conjoin.
this, too, they can "feel;" this, and the bloom of warm breath, like bizarre sensory static tangling up their perception of their surroundings.
dante trembles slightly, and they tick, tick, tick, tick pensively to themself, but there's no verbal meaning to it; it's like they're thinking, slowly, trying to process. )
Fufu, you're stuttering, are you nervous around me?
[ hong lu surmises just from the other's reactions, it's amazing how normal ticks can equate to the other's embarrassment that the sinner notices in their voice. as adorable as it is, he can't help but find himself endeared by it, his nose still brushing against the conjoined clock-hands, and then pulls away right after to give the other some space. distance might be enough to ease their concerns and worries, but that doesn't stop hong lu lowers one hand against the other's waist, resting his palm there, and pulling them closer so that his hand can now stop at the small of dante's back. ]
This one isn't too bad, is it...
[ chest to chest, knowing full well that this may get him in trouble in the long run. ]
If it is, then we have two out of ten positions to show them which are bad. Can you guess what the other eight are like?
[ it's probably best for dante to not answer that, because whatever the answer happens to be, it's nothing good with how affectionate hong lu is with them. though, the innocent expression on his face says that he isn't up to anything that bad, and only seems to have dante's best interests in mind along with the pamphlet they have to make later.
there is some guy standing behind them wondering if they'll hurry up. ]
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regardless, dante doesn't really mind; they have to adjust their line of sight upwards slightly to maintain what passes for "eye contact" for them. )
< Oh. >
( they can't help but be surprised as they inspect the map that hong lu produces. how prepared? how forward-thinking? it's not something they would typically expect of him, but they end up chiding themself for such an assumption. it's not as though they've known any of the sinners for very long — they're certain they will continue to surprise them. )
< Good thinking! I'm sure this will be very helpful. > ( dante accents their compliment with a pleasant ding! sound. ) < Hm... We could certainly try. I'm not sure the same pizza place his mother might have liked to order from would serve this kingly pizza you're after, but he might have an idea of where it might be found instead. >
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as much as they can run around as headless chickens (hah!), the map only makes sure they aren't entirely lost, and also makes this like a treasure hunt which is just as fun. he may not know that dante probably thinks little of him, or has low expectations, but hong lu does everything with a purpose — sort of how like he sets heathcliff up for his back jokes just to have the other attack him, it's pretty funny to see him irritated.
oh, oh, the ding. that must mean he's done good, and to praise dante for giving him a ding, he's outstretches his arms to wrap around the other's neck, pressing the side of that clock-cheek against his own cheek with a grin. ]
Thank you for the praise ~
[ he's not against it, but he doesn't overstay his contact, and pulls away. ]
If that's the case, then we could make it ourselves. I could find out the recipe, I'm sure you're good at cooking.
[ or good at stopping hong lu from burning down the kitchen... which is probably more useful than cooking, but whatever. he's already starting to choose a path to walk down as he keeps a steady pace so that dante can catch up. ]
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dante is certainly not expecting the arms that loop around their neck, so their immediate response is to go stock-still and rigid, though... is it truth or is it merely hong lu's imagination, that the metal of the clock-like prosthetic heats up slightly more at that brief, affectionate contact? who can say.
for their part, dante is stunned into silence, except perhaps for a rapid, quiet, tic-tic-tic-tic-tic that doesn't translate into any words in hong lu's mind. the flames crowning their head seem to burn bigger and more wildly for a moment. )
< Um... You're welcome! >
( they've learned that hong lu is maybe a little overzealous in physical affection in response to positive encouragement, though maybe they should have gleaned that already.
the clock-hands on their face stop with a pronounced clonk, and they tilt their head as they follow along at hong lu's side. )
< Why do you say that? >
( during the whole debacle with the chickens, it had never come up to see whether or not dante could cook. they... have no idea if they can or not?? )
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really, he couldn't imagine what dante would be without their flames, or that tick-tocking they're so used to clicking. ]
Mm, because you watched everyone, so you must have an idea by now?
[ heathcliff's magnificent potato cutting skills, the dos and donts of yi sang, and even meursault's recommendations on what makes a perfect meal. there's outis too who stood out exceptionally in bringing the individual out from their distortion with the perfect meal. ]
You can't really taste anything, so you'll need someone to try what you make. [ anyone would do, and if he had to give a suggestion. ] Hm... out of all the Sinners, I'm sure someone with a refined palate would work in your favor. If we're lucky, maybe someone at the shop ~
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no... no, they have no reason to believe they aren't human, with or without their memories. they're going to continue to go with that from here on.
dante tic-tic-tic's rapidly in response to hong lu's reply, though it's unclear what they mean by that. are they disbelieving, or is it some sort of laugh? )
< Watching and doing are two completely different things!! >
( just because they watched the sinners fight so much doesn't mean they can suddenly do it themself!
well... maybe there is a part of them that's curious to learn if they are a decent cook. if the person they were before was, and they've inherited that trait? it would be good to know, though there's just as much potential for disaster in them trying to cook this pizza as there would be if hong lu (or god forbid one of the other, more hopeless sinners) tried their hand at it... )
< I would think you would be the one to have a refined palate, Hong Lu. You most likely would have had an opportunity to try more types of food than many of the others, right? >
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[ by those standards, is his palate still the most refined? if they speak good about meursault, then outis could be a contender as well considering she won the challenge in the end, pushing the owner to revealing his memories. no matter their backgrounds, perhaps there's more than meets the eye, or hour, minute and second hand! if it wasn't for their taste in food, the groups wouldn't have gotten as far as they had. ]
Sinclair is pretty well-off too.
[ what is "refined" to dante? there's so many options of people here who have a palate meant for tasting, but it's just like him to think of the others. with a smile, he looks over to dante to watch the little hands on their face before looking forward once more. it seems brief, but the sinner appears to be happy with doing so. there's something about dante that keeps him in high spirits, and even though hong lu doesn't know, he's able to maintain a certain attitude around them. perhaps this is what it's like to walk with someone so pleasant it's easy as breathing. ]
I doubt I'm all that different, I'm pretty normal in comparison.
[ just like everything else he's been through is considered normal, maybe... hong lu praises their skills and abilities along with their knowledge. really, hong lu isn't anything special... nothing to point out when there's other sinners that can easily fill that role. ]
I am honored you think so highly of me, Dante. I won't deny your praise either way ~
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( truth be told, dante just doesn't know nearly as much about meursault's and outis' backgrounds to understand why they had been as accomplished cooks as they had ended up being. they are both highly reticent in that way, though hong lu had already made it known that he came from an affluent background. that, and he's standing right next to them, which is more than they can say for either of their cook-off's "victors." they just believe he would have had more opportunity than many of the sinners from more humble (or dire) backgrounds to try different types of food.
as for sinclair... well, they don't say it, but they think to themself that they don't think his family was eating all that extravagantly towards the end, there (because of the prosthetics!! not because of their gruesome murders!!).
dante's shoulders slump a little bit, feeling defeated by hong lu's reasoning. they wonder why he always seems so determined to... well, they aren't sure he's putting himself down or anything, but it certainly seems like he might be downplaying his own characteristics in favor of the others'! )
< You're the one that wanted to track down this special pizza... Isn't that indicative of having a refined palate? Wouldn't most people just want to find a decent place to have something they know they already like? >
( they turn their clock-face towards hong lu, and though its devoid of eyes, there's the sensation of them looking very closely at him. that is the reason why they're on this wild goose chase, isn't it? or do you have ulterior motives, hong lu... )
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hong lu wants to play in the snow, let his fingers freeze at the tips, and experience the burn that comes from the cold. it's more fun that way, hence why they're hunting for this mythical pizza named after a king. ]
Haha. Are you searching for a way to make my palate special?
[ he thought that maybe he won that round of idle chit-chat, but dante seems sure of this that hong lu wins in this department because of his budding curiosity, and adventurous personality. really, he doesn't think this is too odd of him. ]
Isn't everyone curious about something new? [ he isn't looking for an answer there. ] It could be an Urban Myth pizza, or a real thing, but doesn't that make you want to go out and try it ~
[ the way his manager looks at him, hong lu could never think poorly of them. instead, he offers a small smile, and is trying his best to refrain from playing with the little hands on their face. ]
I'm hooking up with you, so I should find something nice for the occassion, right?
[ his eyes widen a bit, searching for the answer on dante's face, and waiting for the shift of their little hands to proceed clicking so he can know their thoughts on the matter. is hong lu being a good host? ]
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< Well... >
( questions like these are often difficult for them to answer. dante has a hard time really comprehending what it is they want most of the time. they want to succeed at the job given to them and the tasks set in front of them. they want the sinners to remain healthy and alive (though much of this is their aversion to the pain it deals them to bring them back). they don't want to fail or disappoint vergilius, charon, or any other members of the Company. and on a level they can neither explain nor comprehend, they wish to engrave the Aspect... whatever that means.
but perhaps... )
< Maybe so. A manager should look for ways to encourage the self-improvement of their employees, shouldn't they? >
( alright, well... if that's how hong lu wants to put it, sure. they can look at this as a mission of curiosity, all so he can try something new and broaden his horizons a little bit.
and whenever the sinner brings that up — dante always reacts the same, twinging and turning to him sharply. exactly what hong lu is looking for: the clock-hands on dante's face tic-tic-tic for a few moments (almost as an audible "...") before they continue: )
< You've got to stop saying it like that... >
( there's no way he doesn't know what he's doing... why is he being so mean... )
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On the topic of my self-improvement: what should I call this if not "hooking up"?
[ he could label it as anything else, and he knows that dante will probably respond in kind with a shake of their head, or with erratic ticking. they're both welcomed, adored even, but he has a feeling that he's been too much for the other to handle for the past few minutes that they've been together — he's not counting their text messages, that was an entirely different vibe. moreso like a teacher giving their student advice to not bother the other students. ]
I want to be better for you, and the group, but it seems that one thing has been an issue.
[ learning from his mistakes? taking the time out to be a respectable young man. he's been taught to listen, it's engraved into him due to his upbringing as he was never meant to cause real trouble with those who wishes to correct him. dante's trying hard, and that means he should offer a reward of sorts. don't let his manager find out hong lu's working on a reward system or he'll probably get in trouble with them and everyone else...
the area they walk too is particularly crowded, or maybe it's lunch hour as everyone's trying to make their way to their favorite location so they can settle in before they go back onto the clock. even with the voices around them, hong lu makes sure to focus on the ticking mostly as he walks with dante. ]
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( they had already established that this isn't a date, because dante certainly doesn't want to end up in a place where they're being "courted" by one of the sinners. so... it's an outing! they're just two individuals who know one another out in the City, likely to end up learning more about one another as they embark on this ridiculous and silly quest for pizza. really, it's so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but as far as dante's memories are concerned, they haven't really had a lot of time for inconsequential things? it's basically been one mission for a Golden Bough after another, with the brief exception of what happened with the chicken restaurants...
so something like this might seem rote and boring to most others, but to dante it's novel enough that they are a little excited and nervous to be doing it at all. )
< It's not an issue... I just don't want the others to get the wrong idea. I mean — I - I intended for it to mean that no one should be kissing or sleeping together on the bus, so...! >
( isn't that what it means?? their amnesia affects their memories, not their general knowledge or comprehension of language — they are pretty sure that's what it means. but what if they're wrong? has language shifted in the brief period of time between whenever they had been certain of what it'd meant before their head being removed and after? what can they even believe at this point?!
congratulations, hong lu. you've successfully begun gaslighting the manager. )
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[ gaslighting his manager? he would never do that, probably, sometimes it just ends up that way when you're searching for a specific king pizza within the city. his eyes take a brief look around the location as he takes in the appearance of the buildings, and even how the people dress when they walk by. there's numbers that dangle over shops that read if the location is overcapacity of guests, or if they're taking only so many more until they lock their doors. ]
We sleep together all the time, Dante. Me, you, and everyone else. [ that's the only thing to do on the bus at night, but he understands exactly what they mean by that since the kissing is paired with the other. ]
I understand you wouldn't kiss or sleep with me, but that's having sex, so wouldn't it be best to say that than "hooking up?"
[ hooking up is just having a good time! the fact that hong lu can accept that dante has no interest in him is fine, but the bit of stuttering — hesitant ticking? sticking? he wouldn't know what to call it only makes him laugh as he stops in place, eyes glancing at a shop not too far away with a pizza symbol built on top. does he make a comment about dante's response, or should he focus on the mission at hand?
well. ]
So wouldn't that make "hooking up" as you said "spending time together?"
[ he's cooking, he's gaslighting, he doesn't know shit in this new-age world and was sheltered most of his life, it's how dante is letting the idiot drive the car. ]
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they reach up to their head in desperation, the cogs and gears inside catching in a low, grinding sound. in hong lu's mind, it translates to a slightly exasperated sigh. )
< You know what I mean! >
( at this point they don't know what to do! should they accept hong lu's word about this, or should they go with their gut that they know damn well what hooking up means, even though they can't for the life of them even recall their own history on the subject prior to their head being exchanged for this prosthetic. at the end of the day, it's relatively inconsequential — the only reason they'd sent that message to the sinners was because they and vergilius had noticed several of them getting a little too close of late. but that having been said... )
< I just, I didn't want to have to say - everyone should know that's what I meant when I said "hooking up," right? That's usually what it means...! I feel like you're getting it mixed up with "hanging out"! >
( they're way too wrapped up in semantics and anxious about this whole thing to notice the nearby pizza joint. )
< Ugh... I really don't want to have to clarify this with everyone... >
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[ the horror of it all as he begins to offer his fantastic plan which won't be that fantastic because of who it is. really, dante should prepare themselves to cut hong lu off before he even tries. ]
You could make a information pamphlet, those are normally used in common society?
[ it would have the how tos and the do nots of what could come of certain situations, and it worked until it didn't. ]
We can use ourselves as examples. [ he lifts one hand to grab dante's gloved one, his fingers slipping between the cracks of theirs, and proceeds to walk then to the pizza joint as he doesn't think the other has noticed. ] If we take pictures, we can demonstrate what is "hooking up" and what is "hanging out".
[ he doesn't know if that'll work well with the sinners, but it means that dante won't have to talk to them face to face, and that sounds like what they're getting at as they dread the idea of it. ]
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( they're so flabbergasted by the suggestion, by how ridiculous it would be both logistically and in practice, that they don't even have the mental bandwidth to process hong lu taking their hand. his fingers slip easily between theirs, skin separated only by the thin layer of cloth that was their gloves. even through them they can feel the warmth of another person, that casual and carefree intimacy as they proceed down the street towards the pizza place that hong lu had identified. )
< But we would only need to give it to the other sinners... Isn't a pamphlet more something you would print to distribute to a lot more people than that? >
( they do see the pizza joint now, which is at least one point of satisfaction in this little side-quest. at least hong lu would have the option of pizza, even if it's not the fancy kind he wants...
though... dante continues to consider what he proposed. they look to him suspiciously. )
< And that wouldn't just be an excuse to get into - compromising positions, would it? >
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What counts as compromising positions? [ he asks, eyes wide with curiosity as he looks down to dante, and his words are just as innocent as his intentions.
as they finally stand in front of the double doors of the pizzeria that he turns to dante, hand still in his own, and his other lifts up to settle under the crook of his manager's "chin", tilting the prosthetic up so that dante can get a good look at hong lu. there's a smile, sincere as always, leaning in close so that his nose can nuzzle against the center where the hour and minute hand meets.
embarrassing, sure, but hong lu's having the time of their life especially when a customer comes out of the food place, walking around them with a meek "e-excuse me," due to the pda. ]
Is this one?
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( yes, hong lu, dante is aware that you had a rather insulated upbringing due to your family, but you at least still remember all of the formative years of your life... dante doesn't remember anything past the last few weeks! they might not have even really known for-sure what all it was they were forbidding from the Sinners from doing on the bus if vergilius hadn't broached the topic with them — and then, upon their confusion, charon had chimed in with some alarmingly specific examples in that matter-of-fact tone of hers...
it had been mortifying...
dante is too busy remembering that moment when hong lu arrests their forward movement in the door to the pizzeria; they stop in place, making a singular tock sound that seems to ring in hong lu's mind as a nonverbal "?" before the Sinner's other hand finds the lowest point of the circumference of their face. they go still, surprised at how they feel his finger there (except not? it's like how they can "see" but without seeing?), but that surprise is nothing compared to the alarm that shoots through them as hong lu leans in to nuzzle his nose against the central point of dante's face, where the two clock-hands conjoin.
this, too, they can "feel;" this, and the bloom of warm breath, like bizarre sensory static tangling up their perception of their surroundings.
dante trembles slightly, and they tick, tick, tick, tick pensively to themself, but there's no verbal meaning to it; it's like they're thinking, slowly, trying to process. )
< Y... Yes! That's one!! >
( said as a thin, shrill whistle. )
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[ hong lu surmises just from the other's reactions, it's amazing how normal ticks can equate to the other's embarrassment that the sinner notices in their voice. as adorable as it is, he can't help but find himself endeared by it, his nose still brushing against the conjoined clock-hands, and then pulls away right after to give the other some space. distance might be enough to ease their concerns and worries, but that doesn't stop hong lu lowers one hand against the other's waist, resting his palm there, and pulling them closer so that his hand can now stop at the small of dante's back. ]
This one isn't too bad, is it...
[ chest to chest, knowing full well that this may get him in trouble in the long run. ]
If it is, then we have two out of ten positions to show them which are bad. Can you guess what the other eight are like?
[ it's probably best for dante to not answer that, because whatever the answer happens to be, it's nothing good with how affectionate hong lu is with them. though, the innocent expression on his face says that he isn't up to anything that bad, and only seems to have dante's best interests in mind along with the pamphlet they have to make later.
there is some guy standing behind them wondering if they'll hurry up. ]