[he might not say it, but - although her tone of voice sounds completely polite, and she doesn't mean it as anything but - she can still unintentionally be rude, so:]
Certainly, this sort of reaction out of Asch was... unexpected.
[ mm. as the last bit of laughter fades, yin yu quiets for a moment.
it's only fair, and... he should return the gesture of trust, too. there's a moment where he tucks his hair behind his ear for something to do, looking away in to his lap, as the moment sobers. ] ...My own power involves others, as well, and I believe it is far more dangerous.
I have the ability to tie the fates of two people together, as if with a red string. I have yet to use it, but I can imagine it is not positive--if I were to use it on someone, and they were to die, then the other party would as well. I think perhaps it would count for injuries, too.
Edited (i am struggling today gomen ) 2020-06-27 13:39 (UTC)
[my own power, he says, and flayn's eyes widen - she's about to tell him he doesn't have to explain it if he doesn't want to, that she hadn't told him her power to make him share his—
but he's already talking, and... if he's choosing to do this, she doesn't want to force him to stop. it's a step he's chosen to take.
she'll carry his secret to the grave, anyway.]
But there are ways you could use it for good, as well. If it seemed as though someone was angry enough with someone to kill during the week... and you strung them to whoever they were angry with, perhaps they would rethink attempting to harm them.
[ a pause. he hadn't thought of it like that--his immediate first instinct was to be a nihilist.
...that's something he admires about flayn, a lot. his mouth quirks at the corner, just a tiny half smile in her direction, grateful. ] ...That's a good point, my lady. I thought perhaps it would be even more important to double down on our mistake from last week, as the weekend goes on.
[ because perhaps they can catch the person who really killed yu. it's a grim point to make, but if they could be successful today, and not let the thread drop from the week before, then perhaps they could bring that person to justice, too. ]
[that's an option, too. flayn goes quiet as she considers it, and though the thought of more people dying is awful - well. doesn't yu deserve to have his killer brought to justice? ...don't they all deserve not to live with the fear that another killer might still be among them?]
If we do discover who was responsible last week... [she hesitates] It might be safer for everyone... if you linked them to whomever we choose to vote for.
[ it's a heavy decision to make. the power of having someone else's life, directly in his hands...
...it is something he is, unfortunately, very familiar with. the very thought makes his stomach churn, brings back old, lingering memories, the brocade immortal and its curse.
yin yu is silent, for a moment, his thoughts clouding over with the idea. but in this case, if he did... and only if they were sure... this would be different. this had to be different. yin yu looks troubled, though it could just be from the heaviness of the decision itself, and he closes his eyes, taking a slow moment to push that tide of familiar anchor-heavy guilt backwards. ]
...Only with complete certainty would I do so. [ he ducks his head, speaking quietly, a little hesitant, too. ] Otherwise, it will be best that I don't use it at all. Putting someone else's life in someone else's hands is-- it shouldn't be done, by anyone, with anything.
[ and he knows that from experience, doesn't he? ]
[especially since they no longer have any of the evidence, and they'll have a whole new case to look over in the morning. still - it isn't impossible that someone might figure it out, is it?
she reaches for his hand.]
But if anyone had to have a power like that... is it wrong to say that I feel safer, knowing it is you? It could very easily be misused, but...
[ ah. lost in his thoughts for the moment, it surprises him a bit when flayn takes his hand.
by now, this has become rather comfortable. it's not quite automatic, but his fingers fold slowly over hers, and he gives her hand a small squeeze. flayn's confidence in him is...
(i hate you, i hate you!)
...kind, but not deserved. yin yu's quiet, for a moment, before he finally responds, ducking his head. as ever, he's humble. ] ...that's very kind of you to say, Lady Flayn. I can only do the best that I can with such a responsibility.
[ lately, yin yu has come to wonder if he could ever be the person that flayn thinks that he might be. ] Thank you for sharing with me.
"The best that we can" is all that can be expected of any of us.
[in a place like this, the only shameful thing would be to not try at all - to disengage from what's happening, to force themselves not to be affected by it. however, each of them has - in their own way - been trying to make some sense of all of this.
that's what will carry them through to the end, she hopes.]
...thank you for sharing with me. It means a lot to me that you chose to— I did not share my power with you in order to force your hand into sharing yours...
that comment is enough to pull him out of whatever self-induced spiral he was about to go on. flayn's good at that: whenever it feels like he's going to disappear into his own head, she's just...there. it's something that he needs more than he knew, more than he's able to really admit to.
and, it's easier to reassure her than it is to think about the things that he's done that have led him down the path that he's walked. yin yu shakes his head; absently, his thumb traces the side of her hand. ] ...I wanted to.
It's as I said: I trust you, my lady. I don't think I would have thought of what you said on my own, either, so you've helped me. [ mm... a little more embarrassed, he ducks his head. ] I am not... used to relying on others, for much of anything, but...I'm glad that I was able to share with you.
...I want to be someone you can rely on, so I am glad you were, too.
[she gives his hand a very soft squeeze, and doesn't let go of it. if the contact brings them both comfort - and it seems to - then they can hold hands for as long as they need it.]
Of course. If I can be reliable to you, then I'm glad. [ a pause, and yin yu returns the little squeeze, turning to give her a small, genuine smile. ] ...and thank you, for being here for me, too.
[she smiles back at him. this is easier than their earlier discussion - but also, somehow, more difficult. she's choosing not to think about why her heartbeat quickens, just the slightest bit, when he smiles at her.
(this isn't the time for those sorts of thoughts.)]
Even if there was not anything you could do for me, I would still very much enjoy your company.
[...but, of course, she goes ahead and says a thing like that as if it's the simplest thing in the world.]
[ this time, the laugh that comes out of him is less surprised, a bit of genuine (if just slightly self-deprecating) warmth to it. they've been here before, with this conversation. ] I would, too.
That's... more or less why I thought I would come by. [ eventually, yin yu admits, a little sheepish. ] I did want to ask about your team, but it wasn't really why. [ he was just too much of a weenie to say so and switched to business mode. ] ...Tell me, how was the rest of your week? It seems you spent a lot of time in the portal, too.
[ a conversation change, but, his hand lingers in hers, for now. if it makes her happy, then, he won't let go. (it makes him happy, too, but yin yu is hard pressed to admit that to himself, let alone to anyone else.) ]
[this is why you wait until someone asks you a question before answering it, flayn! ...but it works out. somehow, she actually feels closer to him, thanks to how all of this turned out.
she smiles, looking down at their joined hands.]
I did a lot of reading in the library in the village, and... Lili took me to try on outfits at the boutique there. It was really nice. [way nicer than the island had been.] ...and you? How did you spend your week?
You weren't wrong. [ with a little smile of his own, he ducks his head. ] I'm not sure we would've made it to this point, otherwise.
[ he... probably would have chickened out, like a coward, is basically what that means. yin yu is very aware of his own limitations and one of them is that he's very rusty on this interacting with people thing and... was never that great at it in the first place.
flayn makes it so easy, though. being around her is relaxing. there's little tension in his shoulders, calm and comfortable as he takes in the comment about the library--and can picture her and lili in that boutique--and hums. ] Much of the same. I visited the shop with Sect Leader Nie, as well, and spent a bit of time in the training hall, as you saw.
[ he also liked the village. it reminded him a lot of home. mm, though! ] I didn't get much of a chance to see the library, though. How was it?
Oh, it was wonderful! So many books, on such a wide variety of topics - I wish I could have taken them all back through the portal with me!
[so much reading material... she spent a lot of the time that she wasn't running around bullying people into dates reading, and it was time well spent, as far as she's concerned. even if she doesn't have a whole lot to show for it now.]
The selection of books in the monastery library is rather lacking - apparently, my brother reviews everything that goes into it himself to prevent anything "inappropriate" from falling into my hands, the overprotective meddler.
[ too cute... it's so bright... like looking into the sun.... except instead of squinting and trying to run from it, it's the kind of warmth you want to bask in....
he can't help but smile back at her enthusiasm, head tilting to the side, amusement registering on his face. ] "Inappropriate"...? [ flayn's brother seems to be quite overprotective indeed. ] I can only assume what that would mean...
At home, I think there would be many literature gods who would be quite offended by that. [ it's a bit of a joke, said lightly, although it's true. there are massively popular literature gods like ling wen who deal in records and godly texts, sure, but the heavens are also full of writers and playwrights, too. ]
Fine literature is part of the six arts of cultivation. It's important, to balance your scholarly learning with a fine appreciation for the arts, as well. [ so... you know, it's fine to censor things that are a bit bawdy, but, flayn should be allowed to read a novel or two.
somewhere seteth shudders in the void. ] Do you have a genre you're the most interested in, Lady Flayn?
Genres of all kinds - but particularly ones that go into how normal people live their lives. The way they interact with each other, the sorts of activities they enjoy...
[she sighs a little wistfully]
And tales of romance, I suppose. Before my brother arranged for me to come to the monastery, I lived in seclusion for quite some time, so... there are many customs that I am not familiar with, and he was always too protective of me to allow me to go into town to familiarize myself with them.
[ seclusion... for such a bubbly person, that must have been quite difficult. he won't pry too much beyond that, though. it's her business. and besides, flayn's taste in books sounds perfectly fine, too... he makes a mental note of that for later, when the trial weekend ends, and sets it aside quietly for now. ]
How long have you been in the monastery? If I recall correctly, you said you were taking classes, is that right? It must be exciting.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fishingforcompliments) wrote2020-06-06 12:53 pm
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[he might not say it, but - although her tone of voice sounds completely polite, and she doesn't mean it as anything but - she can still unintentionally be rude, so:]
Certainly, this sort of reaction out of Asch was... unexpected.
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[ ...
another quiet laugh bubbles out of him, and he tries to hide it with a cough. rude. ] At any rate, that secret will be safe with me, as well.
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[honestly - she knows that it will be. yin yu is someone she trusts with her life, after all; she can certainly trust him with this secret.]
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it's only fair, and... he should return the gesture of trust, too. there's a moment where he tucks his hair behind his ear for something to do, looking away in to his lap, as the moment sobers. ] ...My own power involves others, as well, and I believe it is far more dangerous.
I have the ability to tie the fates of two people together, as if with a red string. I have yet to use it, but I can imagine it is not positive--if I were to use it on someone, and they were to die, then the other party would as well. I think perhaps it would count for injuries, too.
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but he's already talking, and... if he's choosing to do this, she doesn't want to force him to stop. it's a step he's chosen to take.
she'll carry his secret to the grave, anyway.]
But there are ways you could use it for good, as well. If it seemed as though someone was angry enough with someone to kill during the week... and you strung them to whoever they were angry with, perhaps they would rethink attempting to harm them.
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...that's something he admires about flayn, a lot. his mouth quirks at the corner, just a tiny half smile in her direction, grateful. ] ...That's a good point, my lady. I thought perhaps it would be even more important to double down on our mistake from last week, as the weekend goes on.
[ because perhaps they can catch the person who really killed yu. it's a grim point to make, but if they could be successful today, and not let the thread drop from the week before, then perhaps they could bring that person to justice, too. ]
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[that's an option, too. flayn goes quiet as she considers it, and though the thought of more people dying is awful - well. doesn't yu deserve to have his killer brought to justice? ...don't they all deserve not to live with the fear that another killer might still be among them?]
If we do discover who was responsible last week... [she hesitates] It might be safer for everyone... if you linked them to whomever we choose to vote for.
no subject
...it is something he is, unfortunately, very familiar with. the very thought makes his stomach churn, brings back old, lingering memories, the brocade immortal and its curse.
yin yu is silent, for a moment, his thoughts clouding over with the idea. but in this case, if he did... and only if they were sure... this would be different. this had to be different. yin yu looks troubled, though it could just be from the heaviness of the decision itself, and he closes his eyes, taking a slow moment to push that tide of familiar anchor-heavy guilt backwards. ]
...Only with complete certainty would I do so. [ he ducks his head, speaking quietly, a little hesitant, too. ] Otherwise, it will be best that I don't use it at all. Putting someone else's life in someone else's hands is-- it shouldn't be done, by anyone, with anything.
[ and he knows that from experience, doesn't he? ]
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[especially since they no longer have any of the evidence, and they'll have a whole new case to look over in the morning. still - it isn't impossible that someone might figure it out, is it?
she reaches for his hand.]
But if anyone had to have a power like that... is it wrong to say that I feel safer, knowing it is you? It could very easily be misused, but...
[yin yu would never do that.
at least, not intentionally.]
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by now, this has become rather comfortable. it's not quite automatic, but his fingers fold slowly over hers, and he gives her hand a small squeeze. flayn's confidence in him is...
(i hate you, i hate you!)
...kind, but not deserved. yin yu's quiet, for a moment, before he finally responds, ducking his head. as ever, he's humble. ] ...that's very kind of you to say, Lady Flayn. I can only do the best that I can with such a responsibility.
[ lately, yin yu has come to wonder if he could ever be the person that flayn thinks that he might be. ] Thank you for sharing with me.
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[in a place like this, the only shameful thing would be to not try at all - to disengage from what's happening, to force themselves not to be affected by it. however, each of them has - in their own way - been trying to make some sense of all of this.
that's what will carry them through to the end, she hopes.]
...thank you for sharing with me. It means a lot to me that you chose to— I did not share my power with you in order to force your hand into sharing yours...
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that comment is enough to pull him out of whatever self-induced spiral he was about to go on. flayn's good at that: whenever it feels like he's going to disappear into his own head, she's just...there. it's something that he needs more than he knew, more than he's able to really admit to.
and, it's easier to reassure her than it is to think about the things that he's done that have led him down the path that he's walked. yin yu shakes his head; absently, his thumb traces the side of her hand. ] ...I wanted to.
It's as I said: I trust you, my lady. I don't think I would have thought of what you said on my own, either, so you've helped me. [ mm... a little more embarrassed, he ducks his head. ] I am not... used to relying on others, for much of anything, but...I'm glad that I was able to share with you.
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[she gives his hand a very soft squeeze, and doesn't let go of it. if the contact brings them both comfort - and it seems to - then they can hold hands for as long as they need it.]
Thank you, Yin Yu. For always being here.
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Of course. If I can be reliable to you, then I'm glad. [ a pause, and yin yu returns the little squeeze, turning to give her a small, genuine smile. ] ...and thank you, for being here for me, too.
[ no pretenses necessary. ]
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(this isn't the time for those sorts of thoughts.)]
Even if there was not anything you could do for me, I would still very much enjoy your company.
[...but, of course, she goes ahead and says a thing like that as if it's the simplest thing in the world.]
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That's... more or less why I thought I would come by. [ eventually, yin yu admits, a little sheepish. ] I did want to ask about your team, but it wasn't really why. [ he was just too much of a weenie to say so and switched to business mode. ] ...Tell me, how was the rest of your week? It seems you spent a lot of time in the portal, too.
[ a conversation change, but, his hand lingers in hers, for now. if it makes her happy, then, he won't let go. (it makes him happy, too, but yin yu is hard pressed to admit that to himself, let alone to anyone else.) ]
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[this is why you wait until someone asks you a question before answering it, flayn! ...but it works out. somehow, she actually feels closer to him, thanks to how all of this turned out.
she smiles, looking down at their joined hands.]
I did a lot of reading in the library in the village, and... Lili took me to try on outfits at the boutique there. It was really nice. [way nicer than the island had been.] ...and you? How did you spend your week?
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[ he... probably would have chickened out, like a coward, is basically what that means. yin yu is very aware of his own limitations and one of them is that he's very rusty on this interacting with people thing and... was never that great at it in the first place.
flayn makes it so easy, though. being around her is relaxing. there's little tension in his shoulders, calm and comfortable as he takes in the comment about the library--and can picture her and lili in that boutique--and hums. ] Much of the same. I visited the shop with Sect Leader Nie, as well, and spent a bit of time in the training hall, as you saw.
[ he also liked the village. it reminded him a lot of home. mm, though! ] I didn't get much of a chance to see the library, though. How was it?
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Oh, it was wonderful! So many books, on such a wide variety of topics - I wish I could have taken them all back through the portal with me!
[so much reading material... she spent a lot of the time that she wasn't running around bullying people into dates reading, and it was time well spent, as far as she's concerned. even if she doesn't have a whole lot to show for it now.]
The selection of books in the monastery library is rather lacking - apparently, my brother reviews everything that goes into it himself to prevent anything "inappropriate" from falling into my hands, the overprotective meddler.
[huffs.]
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he can't help but smile back at her enthusiasm, head tilting to the side, amusement registering on his face. ] "Inappropriate"...? [ flayn's brother seems to be quite overprotective indeed. ] I can only assume what that would mean...
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[let her read novels... please.......]
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At home, I think there would be many literature gods who would be quite offended by that. [ it's a bit of a joke, said lightly, although it's true. there are massively popular literature gods like ling wen who deal in records and godly texts, sure, but the heavens are also full of writers and playwrights, too. ]
Fine literature is part of the six arts of cultivation. It's important, to balance your scholarly learning with a fine appreciation for the arts, as well. [ so... you know, it's fine to censor things that are a bit bawdy, but, flayn should be allowed to read a novel or two.
somewhere seteth shudders in the void. ] Do you have a genre you're the most interested in, Lady Flayn?
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[she sighs a little wistfully]
And tales of romance, I suppose. Before my brother arranged for me to come to the monastery, I lived in seclusion for quite some time, so... there are many customs that I am not familiar with, and he was always too protective of me to allow me to go into town to familiarize myself with them.
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How long have you been in the monastery? If I recall correctly, you said you were taking classes, is that right? It must be exciting.
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finally emerges from memshare starter writing hell
grips your shoulder BE STRONG SISI
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desperation 2 electric boogaloo
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