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[sqx needs a drink
gu yun is already at the bar! she hesitates when she spots him there, but then heads over.]
Hi, Gu-xiong.
gu yun is already at the bar! she hesitates when she spots him there, but then heads over.]
Hi, Gu-xiong.
[she smiles back and sits down]
Yes, please. Always.
Yes, please. Always.
[ alright then!! he reaches across the bar to fetch a glass and pours her a cup! he's drinking a red wine today, nothing super fancy, and once it's full, he passes it across - very carefully. he's managed to avoid getting stuck to anyone all day today, so. ]
If we've one more of these meetings, I'm going to begin just bringing a bottle. [ he's kidding. mostly. ]
If we've one more of these meetings, I'm going to begin just bringing a bottle. [ he's kidding. mostly. ]
[she chuckles a little weakly at that]
Ahaha... [sips at the wine, then! she's equally careful to avoid touching his hand when he passes it over.] They're a little... difficult, but they're important, I think.
[mainly she's frustrated at feeling so out of her depth whenever they try to come up with solutions. but that's a problem she has with the trials, too.]
Ahaha... [sips at the wine, then! she's equally careful to avoid touching his hand when he passes it over.] They're a little... difficult, but they're important, I think.
[mainly she's frustrated at feeling so out of her depth whenever they try to come up with solutions. but that's a problem she has with the trials, too.]
There are a lot of generals at the table, all shouting over each other. [ though, apparently, they don't have it as bad as the dead when it comes to that... he huffs a little laugh, though, sipping from his wine. ]
Reminds me of the imperial court, I think. It's rather nice to do all my strategizing out at the borders, no one bothers me much about it. [ blessed. absently, he checks his phone, tapping his fingers against it, and then looks at qingxuan. ]
...You seem like something's on your mind, meimei.
Reminds me of the imperial court, I think. It's rather nice to do all my strategizing out at the borders, no one bothers me much about it. [ blessed. absently, he checks his phone, tapping his fingers against it, and then looks at qingxuan. ]
...You seem like something's on your mind, meimei.
[she sighs and takes another long sip of her alcohol]
I'm just - nervous, I suppose. It feels like we're running out of time. [...] We're making progress, I'm sure of that much, at the very least, we've started to figure things out.
[she shakes her head]
I keep thinking in circles, and I'm pretty sure I'm not even thinking right. [she nods down at the wine] So, I'm hoping if I have a bit to drink, I'll be able to stop overthinking it all.
I'm just - nervous, I suppose. It feels like we're running out of time. [...] We're making progress, I'm sure of that much, at the very least, we've started to figure things out.
[she shakes her head]
I keep thinking in circles, and I'm pretty sure I'm not even thinking right. [she nods down at the wine] So, I'm hoping if I have a bit to drink, I'll be able to stop overthinking it all.
I find drinking helps clear my head. Or fill it, though it tends to be with cotton, instead of with thoughts.
[ there's a little huff of a laugh, to that. words spoken by an alcoholic, probably! he props his chin in his hand, though. ]
I think you're right, though. We are running out of time - the angrier that thing gets, the faster we will have to make decisive action. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be our last day to prepare, and I think something big is coming, too.
[ his gaze flicks to the screen of his phone again, and then back. ] The map's been unrolled, the dagger revealed. All we have to do now is contend with it.
[ there's a little huff of a laugh, to that. words spoken by an alcoholic, probably! he props his chin in his hand, though. ]
I think you're right, though. We are running out of time - the angrier that thing gets, the faster we will have to make decisive action. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be our last day to prepare, and I think something big is coming, too.
[ his gaze flicks to the screen of his phone again, and then back. ] The map's been unrolled, the dagger revealed. All we have to do now is contend with it.
[her gaze follows his to his phone when he looks down at it. that's deeply concerning, gu yun.]
...we'll definitely manage it.
[she sounds like she's trying to convince herself of that. speak something aloud often enough and you'll will it into existence, right?]
We will. We've - learned a lot, so far. We'll learn more, as we need to, and we'll use it the way we need to.
...we'll definitely manage it.
[she sounds like she's trying to convince herself of that. speak something aloud often enough and you'll will it into existence, right?]
We will. We've - learned a lot, so far. We'll learn more, as we need to, and we'll use it the way we need to.
[this is the same starter as last time bc it's late and ive been up since 3 am but
when sqx, who has a towel wrapped in ice pressed over her face, enters the common room to grab something from the bar, she hesitates when she spots gu yun there.]
when sqx, who has a towel wrapped in ice pressed over her face, enters the common room to grab something from the bar, she hesitates when she spots gu yun there.]
[ I WOULD'VE STARTED IT YOU FOOL
anyhow! gu yun's settled with a glass in his hand as per usual, seemingly just... thinking? so, he's aware when someone else comes into the room, and it's qingxuan. there's a moment where he just regards her, and then; ]
Having a bit of blood on my hands didn't change your opinion of me, I'm not sure why you'd think I would feel any differently about you. No need to be shy, meimei.
anyhow! gu yun's settled with a glass in his hand as per usual, seemingly just... thinking? so, he's aware when someone else comes into the room, and it's qingxuan. there's a moment where he just regards her, and then; ]
Having a bit of blood on my hands didn't change your opinion of me, I'm not sure why you'd think I would feel any differently about you. No need to be shy, meimei.
[no i wanted to yeet starters out before bed so i didn't forget
but. well! in that case, she'll head on over to fix herself a drink.]
...I mean, there's a bit of a difference between killing Mahito and killing Eleanor...
but. well! in that case, she'll head on over to fix herself a drink.]
...I mean, there's a bit of a difference between killing Mahito and killing Eleanor...
Killing someone is killing someone. It doesn't really matter who they are.
[ there's no real anger to that statement - just the truth, delivered placidly. he's a soldier, after all. gu yun takes a sip of his wine. ]
You said she was going to disappear? I missed the whole story.
[ there's no real anger to that statement - just the truth, delivered placidly. he's a soldier, after all. gu yun takes a sip of his wine. ]
You said she was going to disappear? I missed the whole story.
[she nods]
That's what Envy told me - that the same thing that had happened to Nathan was going to happen to her, and that it was too late to prevent it just by helping her indulge, because she'd fallen too far behind too quickly.
And not only that, but it would be bad for the group as a whole if what happened with Nathan happened again. They said that Nathan was... purged, and that indulgence was... burned, because of that.
[which, if the indulgences are fuel, makes a disturbing amount of sense in hindsight.]
But whatever the reason, I still took her life, and I couldn't explain why. People are allowed to be upset about that.
That's what Envy told me - that the same thing that had happened to Nathan was going to happen to her, and that it was too late to prevent it just by helping her indulge, because she'd fallen too far behind too quickly.
And not only that, but it would be bad for the group as a whole if what happened with Nathan happened again. They said that Nathan was... purged, and that indulgence was... burned, because of that.
[which, if the indulgences are fuel, makes a disturbing amount of sense in hindsight.]
But whatever the reason, I still took her life, and I couldn't explain why. People are allowed to be upset about that.
...I'm not sure. I - doubted it, after we heard that the Avatars wanted us dead. [...] But...
I struggle to think that Envy would lie to me about that.
[she looks down at her drink]
I struggle to think that Envy would lie to me about that.
[she looks down at her drink]
You ought to talk to him about it.
I'll be honest with you, I didn't trust any of them from the start, particularly as more information came to light. [ ... ] Even still, finding out was...
Well. I'm glad that it's gone the way it has. [ to say the least.
after a moment, he reaches over and puts his hand on her head. ] So you did what you thought you were supposed to, and did so for a far less selfish reason than I. The kill itself was a bit surprising, but - the motives, perhaps, not so much.
Did you tell anyone about it after?
I'll be honest with you, I didn't trust any of them from the start, particularly as more information came to light. [ ... ] Even still, finding out was...
Well. I'm glad that it's gone the way it has. [ to say the least.
after a moment, he reaches over and puts his hand on her head. ] So you did what you thought you were supposed to, and did so for a far less selfish reason than I. The kill itself was a bit surprising, but - the motives, perhaps, not so much.
Did you tell anyone about it after?
I tried to make it quick and clean, but that... didn't work out. She got away from me in the house and everything just...
[spiraled so far out of control. she's disgustingly bad at murder.
she sighs, and then shakes her head.]
I wanted to, but - every time I tried to say something, the words just wouldn't come out. [a beat] Not in the "I can't bring myself to say it" way. In the literal way. I would make up my mind to say it, and I just couldn't speak unless I said something else.
[gu yun may remember here were a lot of pauses on her part when they were talking after that week's trial.]
[spiraled so far out of control. she's disgustingly bad at murder.
she sighs, and then shakes her head.]
I wanted to, but - every time I tried to say something, the words just wouldn't come out. [a beat] Not in the "I can't bring myself to say it" way. In the literal way. I would make up my mind to say it, and I just couldn't speak unless I said something else.
[gu yun may remember here were a lot of pauses on her part when they were talking after that week's trial.]
[she smiles back easily as she slides into the seat next to him]
It does! [she is. so relieved.] ...we really pulled it off.
It does! [she is. so relieved.] ...we really pulled it off.
...I swear, if I get home and anyone, anyone talks to me in that kind of voice, I will immediately beat them down. I will!
[she thinks about it and
just immediately cracks up. once she stops laughing enough to speak, she manages -]
I want to hear the Heavenly Emperor talk like that, at least once, before... [...giggling!] It would be so funny!
just immediately cracks up. once she stops laughing enough to speak, she manages -]
I want to hear the Heavenly Emperor talk like that, at least once, before... [...giggling!] It would be so funny!
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