Video | un: a jug of wine amidst the flowers

[wenderer]

[ A man with long dark hair, dressed in green silk robes, is lazily fanning himself and smiling, as he lounges by a campfire. He’s singing along with a group of children seated next to him:

Stitch by stitch,
The love of a witch
Will unravel

Dusk to dawn
Each morning to mourn
With blood and gravel

He lifts his hand, stopping them. ]

I think I’ve learned it now, I’ll teach you all a verse also, come listen.

[ He clears his throat, and in a formal style, speaks as if he were reciting before a large audience. As he does so, the man’s eyes drift away to something just out of view. ]

When mountain peaks wear away, when all the rivers run dry
When thunderstorms rumble in winter, and snow falls from the summer sky
When heaven and earth seal back together, only then will I dare to—

[ A hand abruptly darts out from off camera, obscuring the scene for a moment. When it draws away, the stone has been forcibly moved, revealing the face of another man. ]

That’s not why we’re here. We’ve found out a few things about Lord Arha. If the song these children have been singing is true, this ghost army isn’t trying to rescue anyone, it’s out for revenge.

[ The first man scoots back into the scene, sitting right next to and parking his chin on the second man’s shoulder. ]

Ah-Xu, the man was betrayed!

[ He clicks his tongue, shaking his head sadly.]

He went to rescue his lady, but she joined hands with her enemies instead. The whole army was slaughtered!

[ "Ah-Xu," with a slightly frozen smile, says through his teeth: ]

Keep it down.

[ The undead army is clearly changing its guard in the background. More softly, the first man says, leaning towards the stone: ]

I’ve met some people who say they know how to deal with ghosts. Kindly share your knowledge, I have a feeling we’re all going to need it.

[ Meanwhile, the children have started softly singing again:

Love, her love
Hatisse’s sweet dove
Arha fell last

Vowed to return
His lady to scorn
And spit on their past

With strike of sword
The love of a lord
Will unravel

Dawn to dusk
His memory a husk
Each year he will travel.


ooc: replies from Wen Kexing wenderer and/or Zhou Zishu fated_dance ]

Comments

[softheartedshizun]

And you look like a bee ready to buzz in every flower he sees.

[wenderer]

No, no!

[ He raises a hand. ]

I've already found the best flower, with the most elegant petals and the sweetest nectar. There's no need to visit any others.

[ He's looking dead on at Zhou Zishu as he says this. ]

[fated_dance]

[ Zishu stares right back, seemingly impassive - but his Lao Wen knows him better than that, doesn't he? ]

[wenderer]

Ah-Xuuuu~!

[ He says this in a lilting, nasal, coaxing tone. ]

There's no need to look at me like that, I have been saying this about you since the moment I saw you. Such an elegant stem, naturally the flower must be exquisite.

[fated_dance]

Lao Wennnn. [ He parrots back, not able to completely resist that flash of fond mirth and playfulness Kexing manages to encourage from him. ]

I still have thorns that bite deep.

[wenderer]

[ Flirting with Zhou Zizhu was easier when the man just rolled eyes at him. This kind of flirting back, while it makes his heart flutter, it also makes him feel like the fraud he is. Not only that, but the fact that this person he considers a soulmate, will be dead in the ground in a couple of years...

Flustered, he glances away. ]

Ah... haha! Ah-Xu, Ah-Xu, how can you be so cruel to this little one? Sheathe your thorns, don't pierce this tender skin of mine, ah!

[fated_dance]

[ Getting to see Kexing flustered is its own reward, and he allows himself a smirk when his soulmate looks away. ]

Convince me then, with that silver tongue.

[wenderer]

...

[ There's angst, there's bitterness, and there's pain. There's the aching sensation that he'll never be able to achieve what he wants, and that whatever precious thing he grasps in his hands will always be snatched away...

And then, despite everything, there's lust. He smiles. ]

Come closer and I will.

[fated_dance]

[ There's lust...and then there's something softer, something stronger. Zishu lets his expression soften again, a small smile curls at his lips as he looks at his soulmate.

That's an easy request to answer, and he shifts close enough for their limbs to be easily entangled if they so chose. A calculated risk, but one he feels is worth it. He leans in until their noses almost touch. ]

Is this close enough, Lao Wen? [ Just for Kexing's ears. ]

[wenderer]

[ His pale cheeks flush. He lifts his fan and spreads it, hiding their faces. For a wild moment, he considers just going for it. If they're going to be fighting against a ghost army soon, shouldn't they take this opportunity to...

He stops.

This wouldn't end with a kiss. If this were just sex between strangers, that would be one thing; but over and over again, Zhou Zishu has treated him with kindness and sincerity. How can he deceive the man to that extent?

He drops the fan, reaches down, and hugs the man's waist instead, pressing his head against Zishu's waist, more like a child than a lover. ]

All I wanted to do is praise you, don't tease me for that!

[fated_dance]

[ For a moment, Zishu thought Kexing actually would. And he wouldn't stop him. Not this time. He searches those familiar eyes, waiting.

And recognizes what stops his silly soulmate this time when Kexing pulls back only to shift down, those arms slipping around his waist. He lets his arms drape around Kexing's shoulders, cradling him close in that same manner of a parent to a child. ]

My thorns will not harm my Lao Wen.

[wenderer]

[ He'd clutched his Ah-Xu like this as a diversion; but once his arms are around the man's waist, he doesn't want to let go. With Zhou Zishu's arm settled around his shoulders, he feels strangely warm and protected, as if he could completely relax in this embrace.

He can't relax.

"My thorns will not harm my Lao Wen."

Would you say that, Ah-Xu, if you ever found out who I really am?

He chuckles, turning his head in Zhou Zishu's lap to show his grin. ]

Hahaha, I convinced you!

[fated_dance]

[ Zishu won't shake him off unless necessary. One hand runs over Kexing's hair, though the other remains curled around his soulmate's shoulders. It's a slice of peace, rare and precious.

The grin and comment has him roll his eyes, but the corners of his lips curl a little upward. Should he tell this wounded soulmate of his that he already knows? Probably. But not yet. ]

Ah. Yes. Very good. [ As if it was just that simple. ]

[softheartedshizun]

Who are you showing off for? Who is suppose to care? Best flower after how many? Congratulations, good for you, do you need a prize? Clearly you have one already, so be quiet and sit down and let the adults talk.

[wenderer]

I am simply correcting you to eliminate misunderstandings. Only an insect who has never tasted a flower yet longs desperately for one would ask such a question as "how many"?

[softheartedshizun]

[ He felt like he was stuck through the heart, not hard enough to spit up blood, but a critical hit nonetheless. Don't bring up such things! So what if he has never had a girlfriend, so what if the only people touching him all over and being too needy for his attention are men... HE ISN'T DESPERATE! ]

Only one who is trying to hide a depraved past would dwell on such throwaway comments. This Immortal Master does not need to concern himself with such mundane things of the material world.

[ Brat! Brat! Brat! ]

[wenderer]

Since you're so curious, I'll tell you.

[ He drops his voice to a loud whisper, lifting his fan to separate his face from Zhou Zishu's. ]

My past is more depraved than you could ever imagine!

[ He says this as if it were a joke. It is, of course, not a joke; but also not in the way he's implying. ]

[softheartedshizun]

[ He could imagine a lot, he wasn't impressed. ]

Let me guess.

[ He paused trying to think of the most popular, most derived, and most common story tropes found. ]

You are a villain with a body count of thousands if not more, or was raised by the worst villain/villains of the realm, you destroy your enemies without a second thought, but deep down you are not so bad, and simply need the partnership of another who is righteous, to bring forth the realization that though you are a villain you are justified in some way.

Or, the two-faced travel companion that will sell out the leads halfway through and ends up being the true villain in the end as a twist.

[ He pauses clearly looking towards where Zhou Zishu is. ]

The first one seems more likely, no doubt indulgence in beauty... otherwise you two would definitely be siblings or martial brothers.

1/2

[wenderer]

[ ............ ]

[wenderer]

Ha! Ha! Ha!

[ He waves his fan slowly and expansively. ]

My, what an imagination you have, truly I commend you. But I'm insulted also. I am a philanthropist, who spends my time wandering the world and doing good deeds. Until hell is empty, I can never be a Buddha.

[softheartedshizun]

[ Got it in one. He could feel it. Was there no originality even in other worlds? Though, that was fine, classics were classics for a reason. ]

Oh, then this master gives apologies for needing to prevent this philanthropist from causing harm. Though, perhaps in the end this is a boon since such a mortal manifestation of Guanyin would be horrified by such a potential accident.

[ Though he still needed to procure a fan still, his expression somehow conveyed the essence of one who would have it raised and smiling from behind. ]

Since you are such a philanthropist, perhaps you could solve an issue of this immortal masters.

[wenderer]

If you want to know how to attract a lover, please understand that there are some things in this world that, for you, are completely impossible.

[ He says this with an air of refined politeness and a bow. ]

To avoid despair, it's best that you accept your fate.

[softheartedshizun]

As if this old man has such need of suitors, the one left behind was enough, this one is done and says no thank you to more.

But of course it's understandable that such a concept is foreign to you when you seem to require such a needed relationship to function.

[ Go die!! ]

But, since you seem incapable this master will see who else is out there that may have answers for this request. You probably wouldn't succeed anyway, perhaps... not quite refined enough

[ Was he trying to stab him with words? Yes. ]

1/2

[wenderer]

[ ...

Spoken like that, it sounds like the man's lover died. He thinks, for a moment, what his life will be like, once Zhou Zishu is gone. "This one is done and says no thank you to more."

That is something similar to what he would say, if asked.

His eyes go unfocussed for a moment... ]

[wenderer]

[ ...before he forcibly puts on a smile and snaps his fan shut. ]

Refined? Ha ha ha! What, are you looking for someone to rate pottery for you? Discuss classic literature? Advise you on the particulars of playing the xiao? Recite poems or teach you to paint?