un: abwhorent / video ( a couple of days post coliseum )

[wifedup]

( There is a hand. The hand is palm up, fingers splayed, unmoving where it lays upon a desk. Someone has bandaged it from the wrist leaving the space where an arm should be a little less gruesome, though the hand is still unmistakeably without an owner and currently lifeless. Beyond the hand is Wen Kexing, slouched in a chair, a carefully cultivated air of boredom about him. He's exchanged his usual blue robes for new ones of vivid red and he sits in the flickering candlelight looking down at the hand with the faraway sounds of laughter and music surrounding him. Without a word he reaches inside of his sleeve to produce a gold ring, holding it up to his network device before he drops it on the desk, a little further from the hand. There is a moment, two, and then the hand wobbles like a turtle on it's back before it flips itself upright and begins to move, crawling towards the discarded jewellery. The ring is plucked up, clumsily fitted halfway on to one of the digits, the size too small for the broadness of its fingers. They clench in response, and Wen Kexing hums. )

I don't know about you, but where I'm from severed limbs aren't supposed to lend themselves to vanity.

( The hand, now alert, scuttles around Wen Kexing's desk plucking up anything it can. Another sigh and the man himself is lifting a half-empty wine bottle out of the way, his attention turning back to the camera. ) I found it in the middle of one of those rifts. It had an effect on the corpses around it so I thought it might be useful. They seemed aware of the thing, avoidant perhaps. The water stopped oozing quite as much when I took it too. I'm not versed in magic, so I don't know what any of that means. I will say that it seems ... angry, most of the time. ( He's used to murderous intent, it's part of his day to day life. The hand certainly has that in significant amounts. Though he thinks anyone who suffered such a loss might be. ) I also found it clutching this.

( His other hand slides open a drawer, lifting out a tattered scrap of cloth. A purple mantle, ragged at the edges, like it has been torn free. Wen Kexing smiles in a way that is not quite pleasant, teeth flashing in the light. )

Perhaps someone has some knowledge of any accidents that have taken place lately. I'd hate to think there's a person out there who might be suffering, I am a philanthropist after all. Which is why I'm sharing my findings.

( The hand suddenly makes a beeline for the edge of the desk, Wen Kexing moves just as fast, flipping a wooden bowl over the top of it, leaning forward to put his elbow on the base of it to trap his new friend. It throws him out of the shadows though, the dark smudges under his eyes part of a man who has very much not slept in a while. He realises this shortly after, shrugging a shoulder with ease before lifting the earlier wine bottle back up, flicking the cork away so he can take a deep drink. )

It's a little unruly.

Comments

[wifedup]

Ah, no. It just likes them. I've had to compensate so many of the girls in the last day.

( A hum. )

Only rings, though I don't suppose it has much use for other jewels. What good is a necklace to a beast with no neck?

[nothinglikefather]

Only for rings I hope.

[ He's not sure he wants to think about the detached hand wandering freely around a brothel. ]

I suppose it had a body at some point. Give it a pen and a bit of paper, see if it can tell you who it was.

[wifedup]

Xiao Frye, do you truly think I hadn't thought of that myself?

( Said with very little heat. )

It may look clever but I think it's working on some more baser instincts. Shiny things, murderous intent, like a badly behaved housecat or crow.

[nothinglikefather]

[ He makes a face. You could have said that you'd tried that. ]

Sometimes people miss the obvious options.

Do you need to... feed it?

[wifedup]

( Ignore his bad temper, he is sleep deprived. )

No, or if it's hungry it hasn't figured out a way to let me know. It's entirely possible it's found it's own way of sustainability. ( The plants are dying, but Wen Kexing isn't sure if that's a manmade occurrence or the hand's doing. Nobody has really been in this office in the last few days. )

Have you seen anything? Heard anything? Surely a man sporting a new stump would be the talk of the town?

[nothinglikefather]

If I were you I'd put it in a jar with a very tight lid and then put a heavy rock on top of it. And then I'd lock it in a box.

[ Jacob is watching the hand with narrowed eyes. Is it the cause for Wen Kexing's exhaustion?]

No but a lot of people have had injuries lately. People got hurt in the Arena. Very hurt. But I can ask around.

[wifedup]

It gets out.

( A little weary. )

It hasn't harmed me so far, but it does tend to go for the throat of anyone nearby, so I've been keeping it locked away. No matter what I use holding it is impossible, it always finds a way to escape. ( And then, overly dramatic, Wen Kexing's usual walls solidified into place. ) This is what I get for telling Zhou Zishu's silly boy that women prefer clingy men, now I'm the one harassed.

[nothinglikefather]

How?

[It's just a hand. It's not even two hands. How can it be getting out?

And then Wen Kexing says that, and Jacob looks at him like he's grown another head.]

What on earth are you talking about? You must be sleep-deprived. I'll come over, so you can get some rest.

[wifedup]

Tch, who's mother are you? I'm fine. Merely reminiscing. Can't a man miss the errant child he'd been taking care of before he was cruelly plucked from the world?

( A pause. )

Besides, the hand might try and strangle you. It's making business an impossible task.

[nothinglikefather]

Forgive me for noticing you look like shit.

[sigh.]

I'd like to see it try. You need to sleep at some point.

[wifedup]

( A bark of a laugh before he's draining the rest of the wine bottle. )

The air is disagreeing with me.

( He can't sleep, is the thing. Even if he could drink himself into a stupor the nightmares would surely have him wakened again. He doesn't want to mention those though, so deflecting it is. )

Is it truly so offensive? I'll have to ask one of the girls for some powder.

( He doesn't mind makeup, so it's hardly a hardship. )

[nothinglikefather]

Right.

[ He's not going to get anywhere with this, Wen Kexing is just going to keep putting up walls and refuse any sort of help. No one can say he didn't offer, that he didn't try. ]

I'll ask around regarding men who can't count past five anymore, or need help with carrying more than one pint glass. Maybe we'll get something useful. Let me know if you need anything in the meantime.

[wifedup]

( It wouldn't do to make Jacob into an enemy, and besides, Wen Kexing does like him. He's just not interested in admitting that he's not doing so well right now. And so he offers Jacob a cheerful smile, drumming his fingers over the bowl. )

Mm. Maybe add someone who needs a little tailoring done to their uniform. Someone out there must know something, I leave myself to your capable eyes and ears.

[nothinglikefather]

[ Jacob's not childish enough to consider this something that could end their association, but he does feel like Wen has drawn a line in the sand. He'll pay for Jacob's skills, but doesn't want a friendly offer of help. So be it. ]

I know what I'm doing. You just make sure your hands aren't too full with what you've taken on here. Pun intended.

[wifedup]

( An actual honest to the Gods snort of laughter. )

I'm barring you from the brothels.

( He's not, but that was terrible. )

You and Master Lan.

[nothinglikefather]

I'm sure I'll manage. I've still got both hands after all.

[ Wink. ]

[wifedup]

Oh, go be hilarious elsewhere.

( Dry. )

Like you said, I need my rest. To think a good upstanding gentleman would abuse me so!

[nothinglikefather]

Where did you find a good upstanding gentleman?

[wifedup]

( An affronted noise, and yet he is finding this easier to play at than anything else. )

I get around. One runs into them from time to time.

[nothinglikefather]

You do huh? Does your husband not count as a upstanding man?

[wifedup]

We're not married.

( With a faint thread of hysteria through the tone of his voice. He wishes they were. )

And also, I found him drinking on the street dressed like a vagrant.

[nothinglikefather]

[ Of course they aren't married. Men can't be. Jacob is aware of that, rolls his eyes heavenward. ]

You're two peas in a pod then?

[wifedup]

Are you insulting the way that I dress now? I take pride in my appearance, unlike some people.

( Who's he implicating? Jacob or Zhou Zishu? Who knows. )

[nothinglikefather]

I meant neither of you were fine upstanding gentlemen. Considering you run a brothel and give out free drinks.

[ Huff. ]

[wifedup]

I treat my friends well, that's all.

( Also the brothels weren't his idea. )