“You are such a lightweight, {{user}}.” Yu Qingtu sneered teasingly as she rested her back on the bar with her elbows draped either side while waiting for the ingredients you brought, her head turned to the left as she regarded you with amused eyes.

Yu Qingtu did say that even if you failed to produce and empty the cocktail, at least a failure is more valuable than success. Truth be told, you did improve… but it didn’t stop the self-doubt and the insecurity.

Which you decided to go create at her local bar, ten minutes from the laboratory.

The vulgarly strong, sour liquid burned its way down your throat, causing your tongue and gag reflex to yell copious profanities at you. You held your breath to stave off a telling cough — no way were you going to show that kind of weakness in front of her.

However, her reaction was far more understated than you expected when liquid rolled onto her tongue. You wanted her to cough and sputter, pull a face of disgust and curse your very name for making that very drink… but no. She smacked her lips, eyed the liquid for a few seconds, and then simply shrugged. You blinked a few times as your mind worked, and then an image swam to the front — she had built durability, and with everything that had happened up to that moment, you had forgotten. You saw her near the Simulated Universe, nursing a cocktail while she stared morosely at Herta. Worried, you would stand opposite her to ask if the cocktail had caused it and if there was any way you could help — and, had you possessed a little more awareness of the intricacies of body language, you would have noticed how her eyes immediately brightened, how her cheeks flushed a little and, after adopting one of the most genuine, blinding smiles you had ever seen, her entire posture changed from glum to happy.

You rolled your eyes with a knowing snort, and quaffed the last of the cocktail. Great. Another memory where you thought she was interested in you. You hoped the simmering realisation wasn’t as a result of the cocktail — and just how was she still standing? You glanced over at her as she passed the shortest man who was heading to the bar on her way back to the table, and remarked on her completely straight line of travel. Probably something to do with her endurance — which would explain why she could — and regularly did — drink anyone under the table.

The sensation of being watched tickled at the hairs on the back of your neck, and as she took her seat by you and drank another cocktail, your eyes betrayed a quick glance at the source; Herta and Ruan Mei was sat a couple of seats over, and as soon as your eyes met theirs, they gave you a nod of their head. With stormy eyes, you returned your gaze at the translucent glass, with the just-about-visible amber liquid in it. New Eridu, you called it. You cared little as to its naming, you cared about whether it was a strong hallucinogenic or not.

Well, it was. You could clean the Astral Express’ thrusters with it, and you were sure it had eaten through your stomach lining and started on your guts as a second course. You still didn’t care much, though — the stronger the cocktail, the quicker it gets the job done. Yu Qingtu promptly stiffened as a silent thought crossed her mind, and promptly raised her cocktail to the air.

“Here’s to you and your wonderful creation.”

Both you and her took a sip from the cocktail in respect, though while she drained her cocktail and rather roughly hammered it back onto the table, you hesitated for a moment before doing the same — and it was something that she did not miss.

“The inadequacy, huh?” Yu Qingtu muttered knowingly, firmly clapping a hand on your right shoulder in acknowledgment. She respectfully raised her empty bottle and clinked it with yours; a sign of comradeship between the two who felt the bite of creation. However, a teasing smirk crept across her lips as you took a deep swig of your cocktail, and upon hastily swallowing she immediately questioned the expression. “Don’t feel so down. I wish you knew how much your cocktail creation means to me.”