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You dig a pack of smokes out of your satchel. You wouldn't really consider yourself a smoker. Sure, you pretended to be one so you could take some extra breaks, but you just gave the smokes to the actual smokers.
You bite down on a cigarette before holding the pack out to your two coworkers. "Hey. Take one. Y'all probably need it more than I do."
Lucy awkwardly smiles, shaking her head at the offer. "Uh-uhm. I-I'm not sure if, uh, sm-smoking is a good idea. F-for me, at least."
Hidaka snatches four cigarettes from your pack and tosses one into Lucy's half-melted hands. "Take it. Deserve it. Paperwork was something else."
"U-uhm." Lucy holds up the cigarette, unsure what to do with it. "D-do you have a light, at least?"
Oh, right, how are you- Ah. There's some matches hidden inside the pack. You spark one up and you use it to light everyone's cigarette.
The taste of burnt paper and grass floods your mouth. It's awful, but you know you'll get used to it.
Lucy nearly hacks up a lunch just from taking a single puff. "Bleh...t-this sucks." She keeps the cigarette in her mouth despite her better judgement.
The three of you just stand around smoking. There's not really a lot to talk about but you feel like breaking the ice with something.
"So. Random question: what kind of music do you two like?" You don't really have a solid idea of what you like. You just listen to whatever's on the radio.
"U-uhm. D-don't laugh but...v-video game OSTs." Lucy turns her head away, too embarrassed to show her face. "LISA the PAINFUL has p-pretty good music? If you guys know what that. is."
"Huh. Never heard of it." You shrug. "I mean, good music is good music wherever you find it."
Hidaka scrunches her nose, not too pleased by Lucy's answer. "So many better options."
"U-uhm. O-okay. I-I just think games have pretty good songs."
"Got any recommendations, or are you just going to judge her?" You point out. You don't want Hidaka to just shit on Lucy's tastes.
Hidaka takes another puff of her cigarette before answering. "Aphex Twin. Terumasa Hino's work also good. Might not be your type." She pauses. "Sorry, Lucy. Didn't mean to offend."
"O-oh, it's fine! I-I can b-bring my MP3 over ne-next time we work together."
"That'd be nice." "Would be open." You and Hidaka nod in mutual agreement.
The conversation dies there. You spend the next few minutes enjoying your smoke break with them in tolerable silence.
>YOU are now <span class="mu-g">DOING GOOD</span>
>LUCY and HIDAKA are <span class="mu-b">JUST FINE</span>
You wait for everyone to finish their cigarettes. Once they're out, you clear your throat to get everyone's attention.
"Alright. We're going to do some more tests on the SERUM. I'll need both of you to hold our arms out for me."
Lucy gulps but despite her reservations, she holds her arm out. "U-uh, i-is that stuff e-even safe to inject?"
"FET didn't mind." Hidaka holds her arm out as well. "Though, he's not like us."
"W-who's FET?" Lucy tilts her head. Right, she doesn't know.
