un: heart-fluttering hummingbird | audio (forward-dated: 24 May)

[downswing]

( A silence to his mouth, begrudging. The words, when he does speak them, gravel between teeth: )

...apologies. The blood in the northern halls will want more hands for the washing.

We made insufficient attempt.


( ooc: posted today for ooc ease, but assume this comes up after Sizhui/Eleven/Mingyu speak with the miners, around 24 May. Alina and Lan Wangji have given the miners their mercy kill, before they could fully transition, and removed the bodies from where they were kept... but clean-up. )

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[darkeststars]

[ the fact that Lan Wangji, of all people, didn't make any further protest to having to do actual work is weird enough to make him frown a little on the other side of the line. Not that he could feel worried about a guy like this or anything, of course. Preposterous. ]

[downswing]

( He's sickened of explaining himself. At least one person should understand. )

There was no time to conceive slights.

[darkeststars]

[ there's another second of silence ]

--Look, I'm not trying to pass judgement, all right? The deed is already done. But if something like this happens again, call me. [ another pause before he sighs ] ...I'm good at this sort of thing.

Actually I thought two of us had planned to take care of the entire matter -- myself and... I think you know him?... Wei Wuxian. [ he's still not been brought up to speed on that whole relationship, okay. He and Wuxian mostly talk shop, and speaking to Lan Wangji doesn't exactly tend to go well. ]

[downswing]

( Hissed, between everything: )

Do not stain his hands.

[darkeststars]

Ah. Is that the reason, then?

[ he wasn't sure up until this exact moment how close the pair might or might not be, but there's no mistaking the tone of that voice. ]

Look, first of all, getting involved was his idea and I'm under the impression he's a professional like myself.

Second. I wasn't going to.

I already told you, I'm good at this sort of thing.

[ he's pretty sure Wuxian was under a different impression, but frankly, the executions should be left to the Sith with the lightsaber. ]

[downswing]

You are not alone.


( In being... good in these matters. )

[darkeststars]

I see.

[ on another day he'd surely make a snide remark about the quality of the execution in that case, but oddly enough, it's absent on this one. Not that he would show concern for Lan Wangji or something, obviously. ]

The warlord has certainly selected for those with a particular set of skills. Interesting that he could be so precise in his kidnapping.

[downswing]

Killers and weapons. ( A kindness unto Sizhui, the mistress Qing, others of the more innocent present, to only consider them as instruments. ) Suitable for war.

[darkeststars]

Yes. Sensible enough.

[ ...ugh, he really should go help clean up the damned blood. His somewhat battered sense of compassion wars with the petty, spiteful desire to make the Lan do his own damned work around here, but -- well, another thing Sith learn to be great at is cleaning up bloodstains. If someone like Arche doesn't take care of it, others will inevitably end up doing so. ]

...Eleven or someone adorable like that hasn't hopped right up all helpful-like to volunteer to clean your blood mess for you, have they?

[ hopefully Wangji would turn them down, but Archeval didn't survive this long by assuming the best of people. ]

[downswing]

He will not see the quarters.

( Will, superior to need. There are thresholds children cannot cross and maintain the better part of their innocence. )

Divert him.

[darkeststars]

Being like that about it, is he? [ he drawls the words out with familiar dry, black humor ] This would be my infinite lack of surprise you're hearing.

Yes, I can see about a distraction.

[ he doesn't think you're too much of a kid for it, Eleven, or anything like that. He knows you well enough by now. He just thinks you shouldn't have to be there. ]

[downswing]

( And do you know, bitter man, the words he is destined to speak? )

You are not without kindness.

[darkeststars]

[ once again, there's a second of silence from the other end of the line ]

.....The only law of my order is that a Sith may do anything, if they have the power to back it up.

These days, I am strong enough to do what I please. I don't intend to let this place take that away from me.

[ there you go, Wangji, you can be on the receiving end of a cryptic statement for once. ]

That one takes too much on himself anyhow. Better he delegate to those of us with the relevant experience in this.

[downswing]

Better. ( He will agree in this — a strange, tenuous balance, with a man sworn to meet him only with objections. ) No need for you to intercede here. Or Wei Ying.

( ...feel free, in fact, to divert him also. )

[darkeststars]

Wei Ying?... [ there's a half second's confusion, but -- ah. Must be some kind of nickname. Lan Wangji, secretly the type to hand out pet names to people? A mildly hilarious thought. ]

I suppose that's between you and him. We haven't spoken that much, outside the night of the ship raid. [ giving a thoughtful hum ] He wields a formidable power.

[downswing]

...not yours to investigate.

[darkeststars]

I didn't investigate it. He didn't tell you we worked together? I watched him direct those mermaids while standing a meter away. And then watched him nearly fall on his face afterward, so I dragged him back to the House for a lie-down to get some healing in him. [ dryly ] You're welcome. [ Overprotective much? ]

[downswing]

( Sirens, directed. Wei Ying, dragged along, while Wangji handled the less fortunate matter of Jiang Wanyin. No words shared. Of course.

May the heavens bless kindly strangers, the lone cure to Wei Ying's foolishness. )

I thank your care.

[darkeststars]

[ oh boy, did he just get Wuxian in trouble? Well, if Archeval wasn't supposed to tell any concerned friends about it, the man probably should've warned him in advance. ]

It's fine. The lot of a medic is to drag along every idiot who manages to overexert themselves. [ at least with someone of Wuxian's particular skill set, Arche had no concern that the man would wake up afterward nauseous with the feel of the Dark Side used to sustain his lifeforce. ]

[downswing]

He keeps light for purpose.

( Dragging. Fainting. )

[darkeststars]

[ bone-dry again: ] You know, sometimes I really can't tell if this translator is on the fritz or you just enjoy being that cryptic.

Regardless, I didn't mind the effort. I don't intend on leaving any of us behind. I wouldn't give our kidnapper the satisfaction.

[downswing]

Spite need not be all that fuels you.

[darkeststars]

Oh? Winding up for a lecture now, are you? [ just this once, he chooses to find amusement in it rather than annoyance. So many allowances he's made Lan Wangji today, gosh. ]

Spite has kept me alive this long. No need to abandon what works.

[downswing]

Spite dedicates your life to thwarting others. ( No: clearer — ) To them.

[darkeststars]

Thwarting others happens to be one of my very favorite hobbies, thank you. [ there's that humorous drawl to his voice for just a moment, surprisingly light even, before he sobers again ]

We must all have a reason to get up in the morning. Right now the rest of mine are half a galaxy away. Revenge, at least, is close. ...and frame it how you like, but my revenge includes getting us all out of here.