open post: pollen science

[peaklordshen]

After his conversation with Sagramore, Shen Qingqiu had taken a long, hot shower, mainly for the novelty of it, and then gotten dressed again in his robes—although he wore fewer layers than were truly proper for a peak lord, and he'd forgone his guan in favor of just braiding his hair in a thick coil against his neck. He leaves the two looser loops at the front—he still can't find his fan, and it felt wrong to not have any frame to his face at all. He's not thinking about why he feels loath to fully don his Shen Qingqiu persona. He's not thinking about much, about the last few days. Instead, he's thinking about pollen.

He's in the greenhouse, carefully laying out a sample cut from every plant in the place, as well as every plant he can imagine producing pollen of any kind from the grounds. Grasses, flowers, buds, leaves, even a few species of harmless-looking mushroom. He's using a pair of tweezers he found to gentle separate them so he can examine the internal structures. Some he recognizes as entirely harmless - Earth flora; others are stranger, more alien. Some even look similar to plants from Proud Immortal Demon Way, though thankfully none are obviously aphrodisiac in nature. Shen Qingqiu is wearing his gloves and mask again anyway—he doesn't want to breathe in the wrong pollen; normal sex pollen would just increase his normal desires and make him hyper-straight, totally defeating the purpose.

He has his notebook open to a fresh page, and is making meticulous lists.

Comments

[peaklordshen]

Shen Qingqiu doesn't know who Grantaire is, but he's willing to bet he's a) pretty and b) in bed with an equally pretty man right now. "You gave it out as a vape pen?" he asks, weakly. The debauchery around here is even more out of hand than he'd expected--Janet for sure owes him an apology.

[aflashbastard]

"I mean, vaping is more effective than smoking," Crowley says, unsure why Shen Qingqiu is acting so shocked. He thought he was cool. Isn't he friends with Luo Binghe? And isn't Luo Binghe demonic in nature? Maybe he's straight edge. Or maybe he's struggling with temptation. "Do you... need something?"

[peaklordshen]

If they'd had this conversation a few days ago, this would be the point at which Shen Qingqiu whipped out his accusations. I know what you're up to, foul beast!! only, like, probably phrased different than that, because that sounds cringe even in his head. But it's not a few days ago, and his priorities have... changed. He draws himself up, primly. "Yes," he says. "I—I would like some. Please."

[aflashbastard]

"Here," Crowley says, handing over a very innocuous looking vape, "just make sure to pace yourself¹ and that you have enough snacks²."

¹He means the vape.
²For the inevitable cravings.

[peaklordshen]

Shen Qingqiu has never needed his fan more. He is going to die of embarrassment. He is going to disintegrate into dust before he can even put his lips to—to—¹

He takes the vape. "Thank you," he manages, somehow, strangled, and then flees.

¹ Even he doesn't know if this sentence ends with "the vape" or "Binghe's mouth" or... something else.