[ Nigel Thornberry voice ] Smashing!

smash or pass (anon) meme

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY A GAME except don't worry, calm down, this isn't a Saw-type game. No. It's scary in a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WAY.

how to play
• comment with your character, preferences, and a pic or two if you're feeling generous.
• everyone else has been asked if they'd smash or pass. they'll let you know.
• after you tallied up the numbers, it's your turn. you can do the same to any and all top levels.

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[ "Smash" and "swallow" weren't dirty enough? For shame, Cheng Xiaoshi! ]

Lingerie.

[ Those were kind of dirty, but it’s only going to be dirty enough when Lu Guang is completely red!!!

His answer takes Cheng Xiaoshi by surprise, admittedly. ]

Uh. Sexy.

[ "Uh"?

That gets Lu Guang to turn his head, raising one quizzical eyebrow in Cheng Xiaoshi's direction. If not for the two—or was it three—passes he's gotten, he'd call it Cheng Xiaoshi's loss right here. ]

You— [ No—

His brows abruptly raise in alarm, utterly stunned at himself. He turned to look at Cheng Xiaoshi and said the first thing he saw again—

Briskly, Lu Guang whips his head back to the side, coughs forcefully to cover, and "continues." ] —biquitous. Ubiquitous.

[ Flawless. Don't look at him. ]

[ Cheng Xiaoshi watched Lu Guang fumble, and it’s fascinating. He likes seeing sides of him that aren’t usually apparent, but also. That was extremely suspicious. Like, astoundingly.

And how is he supposed to follow up ‘ubiquitous’? There’s no way that was the first word to pop into Lu Guang’s head, but Cheng Xiaoshi doesn’t want to call him out in case he tries to weasel his way into a victory again. ]

Liar.

[ There. Calling him out and playing at the same time. ]

[ At this point, he's more likely to weasel his way into a loss. That's starting to feel like the only way this game is going to end.

As for the call-out… Yeah, that was—bad. Lips pursed in discontent, he crosses his legs and moves one hand onto his knee. ]

Proof?

[ No one said they couldn't phrase these as a question. ]

[ Proof. Always an important part of accusing someone, obviously, but Cheng Xiaoshi hadn’t expected Lu Guang to ask for some. In the context of their game, no less. He thinks for a moment. They’re definitely not playing by the rules of ‘first word you think of’ anymore. ]

Hesitation.

[ Ubiquitous… really? ]

[ This definitely can't be considered playing anymore. By this point, Cheng Xiaoshi's given him so many liberties it's hard not to wonder if he's angling for something specific here.

A specific word—no, answer? Lu Guang's brows furrow in thought as his hand curls above his knee. ]

… Complicated.

[ Think back. It can't be hard to figure out what Cheng Xiaoshi's really angling for—and, if he's being honest, he suspects he already knows—but. He has to look at the clues again, not rely on a hunch.

Sexy… Intimate… Spit—

Okay, that one's probably unrelated. ]

[ As someone who operates 85% on emotion, Cheng Xiaoshi would be hard-pressed to come up with an answer if he was flat-out asked if he's angling for something specific. He is, definitely, but again, he's simply going ahead full-speed without stopping to consider what that is.

And maybe he's telling himself that all these word association things are completely coincidental. Even though that would be a pretty far reach, even for him.

His brow furrows; he folds his arms over his chest, like they're having an actual discussion instead of throwing single word answers back and forth at each other. ]

Overthinking.

[ Sweat… Sex… Bed… Some of those are more coincidence than not, but one of three does stands out. "Bed." That one came up before—granted, it was in response to "sleepy."

So, what came before "bed"? That was the second game. Or third, it's getting hard to keep track. This might be dangerous territory, territory he isn't sure he wants to explore, but maybe…

…maybe he is overthinking. He closes his eyes, pensive. ]

Shaft.

[ That's the one Lu Guang totally derailed him with. Mine... honestly, it was an impressive answer, because for a good moment, it totally stumped Cheng Xiaoshi, who's mind was on more... unsavory things.

But Lu Guang is reusing it, which has to be on purpose. Now Cheng Xiaoshi is the one overthinking, huh? ]

Hand.

[ It's pretty obvious what he's focused on. ]

[ Hand. A different word comes to mind, but he's trying to decipher something here. ]

Lick.

[ Lick hand? Cheng Xiaoshi's eyebrow lifts. ]

Tongue.

[ This feels kinda weird now. Even though he'd definitely been doing the exact same thing earlier. ]

[ He tilts his head by the smallest fraction, enough to point toward Cheng Xiaoshi and subtly direct his gaze in his friend's direction. ]

Cherry.

[ ...what the fuck! He's definitely doing this on purpose now! These are all things Cheng Xiaoshi said before; isn't that cheating? His eyes narrow, staring at Lu Guang like it'll help him figure out what's going on here. ]

Lips.

[ It would be cheating if they were playing how they were before. This round has been different though—different rules, too many passes, and complete divergences from the words they're meant to make associations with.

Slowly, Lu Guang turns to face Cheng Xiaoshi until his side hits the back of the couch. ]

Kiss.

[ ...hm. What was it that Lu Guang had said before? That's gotta be the right answer, if he's leading things down the same path they'd gone previous. There is no way it's a coincidence, and even someone like Cheng Xiaoshi - who is way less analytical than Lu Guang - can recognize that. ]

You.

[ He pauses there, doubt filling his gaze. He's the one who decided to probe like this, but—

Should he really keep going? ]

Me.

[ They've gotten pretty good at figuring each other out, after the years they've known each other and all the dives they've done. Still, even though Cheng Xiaoshi thinks he's starting to understand, he figures he's gotta be wrong about this. Lu Guang is the kind of person to keep secrets from him for sure - which pisses Cheng Xiaoshi off every single time - but this is different. Every time he's kept something from Cheng Xiaoshi has been for his own good (supposedly), but this?

This is where the game ended, too, so he's got nothing to go on for how he's supposed to answer.

...would he kiss Lu Guang? ]

Sure.

[ …dammit. ]

Cheng Xiaoshi. [ His voice is strained, throat closing so tight it threatens to strangle every word spilling from his mouth. This game was a mistake. Using Cheng Xiaoshi's words to try and prove something—maybe to himself, not his partner like he thought—was a bigger mistake.

"Sure." Another second passes, then he sighs and rises. ]

I lose. And no arguing this time, you beat me fair and square. [ A while ago, at that. ]

[ Okay, yeah. He won this time, but it doesn’t feel as gratifying as it should. Especially not when Lu Guang stands from the couch, like he’s going to leave. What was the point of all that?

Cheng Xiaoshi stands, too, even though he’s suddenly feeling at a loss for words. ]

I’m not going to argue, but your answers were just things I already said.

[ Why? ]

[ It felt like you were searching for something. I was trying to figure out what.

He can't just say that, can he? Whatever it was seemed important. It still might be, given where they eventually landed. But… This isn't territory he's confident they can navigate, not without one of them getting seriously hurt. ]

Just working something out. Don't think about it too hard. [ Tiredly, he rolls his shoulder and starts rubbing it. ]

[ This was important. This is important. Cheng Xiaoshi bites his lip; he feels like he needs to push this, but. Yeah, there’s a very real chance of everything turning into a mess.

…he’s gonna push it. ]

Don’t keep secrets.

[ Aren’t they close? Come on, Lu Guang. ]

[ It isn't that easy.

His secrets protect Cheng Xiaoshi—protect both of them. If sometimes there's distance between them, unanswered questions, or silence it's because that's what he deemed best for them. Like now, what's best for them is to back away and forget this entire conversation.

Exploring more is simply too risky, whether it's meant as something shallow or…

He remains quiet for some time, posture rigid from the tension in his body. ]

What we have is what works. We don't need to change anything. [ Even if it's callous, better to say it now when this seed has yet to sprout in Cheng Xiaoshi's subconscious. ]

[ Oh, but that seed has already sprouted; it’s just not something Cheng Xiaoshi has paid much mind to up to now. But that’s where the issue comes in. He might not be as perceptive as Lu Guang, or as good at planning, but Cheng Xiaoshi isn’t stupid. He knows the discussion (???) they’d just had means something. He knows Lu Guang is keeping something from him, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out the issue in question.

What Lu Guang says basically confirms it. What they have works, he says, which means there’s something in his mind that is different from what they have. ]

So, because something works, you shouldn’t mess with it at all?

[ That seems silly. Cheng Xiaoshi had been content with Qiao Ling before they’d met Lu Guang, but he doesn’t regret at all adding a third to their group. ]

[ Shame Lu Guang doesn't realize that. He thinks he's protecting Cheng Xiaoshi, that it isn't too late to backpedal because he isn't conscious of where he's trying to lead them. It's wishful thinking—naive, even. He knows Cheng Xiaoshi is smarter than this, but for his own reasons he doesn't want to believe it.

Not right now. ]

Not when messing with it could ruin everything.

[ Cheng Xiaoshi… how can he risk losing you over some—some physiological impulse? This will pass. He knows that because it's never been a problem before. ] Just listen to what I'm saying and forget whatever it is you're thinking.

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