Luca's face turned red the moment he saw Zhijiru's tongue stick out. Where the tongue went wasn't as worrying as the fact that he had suddenly thought of it in the first place, but that didn't help.

"T-thanks." Luca forced out his appreciation, even as the environment between the two just became a lot more nerve-wracking. His father told him once that "Make people laugh if you can't do anything to help."

"A... curse is almost as good as a talent," muttered Luca, staring at the bandaged finger. The linens Zhijiru spent on this bandage were generous, more so than Luca would have bothered putting on himself.

"And you're alive. That's what you can offer them." He scratched his hair a little nervously. "If that helps at all. LOOK AT THE LOVELY WEATHER TODAY!" Luca shouted out to the sky in a ridiculous attempt to change the subject, and even the passers-by noticed Luca's yelling.

With a quiet, mild-mannered squeak, Luca retreated to the hens, and glared at the feisty chicken who bit him. "I'm buying you for supper."

"Cluck!" the chicken replied. It sounded like it said: "Bring it, bitch!"