chroma | catchall for ruby rose

[countermeasures]

i'll find cute visuals for this later

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[countermeasures]

...

[she lets ruby take her hand, and gives it a very gentle squeeze.]

Ruby, you...

[you're too kind.

logically, jiuqing knows she would say these exact same things to anyone else, if their situations were reversed. it's just - a little harder to accept when it's herself. she's made it her goal here to try and keep as many people alive and healthy and well as possible, and hurting someone like this...

it goes against that directly.

she looks to ruby with concern when she coughs up those pink and red petals.]

...if there's - something else on your mind, you can say it, you know...

[petalbursts]

[ she covers her mouth to cough again, no more petals, thankfully. and she nods, a slight frown on her face. ]

We've seen it a lot, the ones who wake up after curfew...they try to wait it out or fend each other off as long as they can.

[ closes her eyes and takes a breath, sighing. ]

Marie and Buzen did...Percy and Chang Geng...and I'm sure the others as well. It's a scary thing to have to face, for both parties involved. [ looks at jiuqing, expression soft again. ]

I know you'd do the same, even if the other person insisted on just getting it over with, you'd do your best to fight the compulsion.



[ me like, i want to add more to this but my brain is soup ]

[countermeasures]

[...no more petals. whew, okay. jiuqing has figured out that the petals only happen when you're not acknowledging or trying to suppress things, so - better to get it out.]

...I would try to, that's true.

[her voice is small.]

I don't want to hurt anyone. And if I do end up succumbing, I would want someone to stop me, or to catch me.