un: absterge | video, might as well get a show with your wake-up

[downswing]

( The stage, set: pale dawns drowning fair maiden Emilia's boudoir, mid-invasion. The lady, aghast, but bravely holding back (onto?) Wrath — one of three gentlemen drenched in chimney soot for their orgy visit.

RIP: four porcelain bowls shattered on the floor, a wall stabbed with dining cutlery, a decapitated statue, inked parchment (protective, silent) littered on the balcony and ceiling spreads. A table broke its back to sweeten Jiang Cheng's fall. The man himself lies sprawled or scratching (unclear). Chimney bricks are still coughing down into the fireplace.

In the midst of the chaos, a dishevelled Lan Wangji — perched precipitously on the back of a chair — calls for silence. A heartbeat later, he sets the communicator closer to the balcony, so that everyone who neglected to turn off their device overnight can bask in the shouting and screaming of anti-Macaluso protesters outside.

Enjoy a minute of that. Violence is good for the ears. )

The lady's quarters — ( ...quite. ) ...lack vantage. What stokes their anger?

( And then, an awkward pause later: )

Morning's greetings.

( ooc: backdated to the first day of protests. Enjoy your 5:10am wake-up call, in between the ruckus of Jiang Cheng, Lan Wangji and Wrath slipping down the wrong chimney into Emilia's quarters, and Macaludo's protesters raising a storm. Just. Enjoy that. )

Comments

Video | a jug of wine amidst the flowers

[wenderer]

[ Is he a little cranky this early in the morning? ]

Strange, I didn’t have you pegged as a flower thief.

[ Yes. ]

audio

[weifinder]

If only, Wen-xiong, if only. Lan Zhan's self remains so pristine that snow is shamed before him.

[wenderer]

[ …

“If only”? ]

Did you want him to pluck your flowers?

[weifinder]

( ... he laughs, a peal of it that helps in waking him up. )

Want, not want, such things are both crass and irrelevant. Lan Zhan is a man of impeccable honour, he would never touch a soul to which he wasn't bound. He's no flower thief, or much of an appreciator as a whole.

[wenderer]

[ He notes, astutely, that this isn’t a “no.” ]

Then you’ll just have to make the first move.

[ Says this fucking coward. ]

Want some pointers?

[weifinder]

In what, proposing marriage?

( ah, that was a good laugh, and he still sounds a touch amused. )

1/2

[wenderer]

[ goddammit ]

[wenderer]

Of course! In fact, doing it in this place makes things much easier, right? You won’t even have to speak to his parents first.

[ He says this with a big smile, while quietly tearing himself apart on the inside. If only he weren’t so consumed with secrets, couldn’t he do the same? ]

[weifinder]

I see, I see, very logical. ( Also not a concern, but hey, they're not being serious, and he's derailed from the sex talk, so everything's great! Lan Zhan's honour remains. ) Let me take a moment.

( breathing in, then calling out more loudly: )

Lan Zhan! Would you marry me?

( Hahahahaha n o p e. )

[downswing]

Unnecessary.

[weifinder]

See?

( he says, on audio; )

Not an issue!

( Because there's no need to marry him! Leave the flowers to grow wild in their meadows. )

[wenderer]

I think he means he’ll sleep with you regardless.

[downswing]

( With two other men beside him? )

You stain a lady's honour.

[wenderer]

[ Yep, he has Seen Some Shit. ]

Me? I’m not the one invading a lady’s bedroom in the wee hours and making sure everyone knows about it.

[downswing]

( The groan, internal. )

I wish blessings upon your wife.

[wenderer]

[ The wife… who he still hasn’t slept with, the infernal song he was exposed to last week making this fact even more painful.

He nods, saying with false politeness: ]

Thank you, thank you. How kind, how kind. But I don’t see what my beloved has to do with your early morning activities, pray enlighten me.

[downswing]

All blessings required to tolerate your temperament.

[wenderer]

Ha ha ha!

Well, well — blessings to your wife also!

[downswing]

A crowd screams. You dally.

[wenderer]

I'm not dallying, I am—or rather, I was—contemplating the backs of my eyelids.

[ There's some rustling and some noise from his end as the window swings open. ]

Looks like most of them are on the other side.

[ That is to say, Macaluso's. ]

[downswing]

The side of skin bared, backs bent and no weapons.

[Video] in a manor of speaking

[fated_dance]

[ When will Wen Kexing get the hint? ]

Thank you for the much needed blessings.

[wenderer]

[ aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ]

Ah Xu, I can explain!

[fated_dance]

[ He turns his attention to his soulmate with a raised brow. ]

Aah? Should I be denying something, Lao Wen?

[wenderer]

No! I mean, yes! I mean —

[ Excuse him it's 5:30 am and his brain is currently short-circuiting. ]

I, I... what?