[ does there have to be a point to everything, pride!!!!! yes, okay, there was actually a point.
this comes while he's mopping up his tea mess. why does this feel like deja vu?? as someone who generally says something sensible once a year, he sighs. ] I've been thinking about our conversation yesterday.
...You said apologies don't count when charm's involved, right? Well, I've officially made a fool of myself - [ lifting the hand holding the cup. there's tea dripping down his sleeve. terrible. ] - and I've long figured out not to say things like that to you, but I said it anyway. I'm sorry that I crossed a line.
[ relevant to his title, at least. he regards them with a look, for a moment, though, keen as the night before. ] Like I said, I meant what I said about trust, and I won't back off from it - but I haven't give you much reason to trust me, either.
People don't help others, don't ally with each other, unless there is something in it for them. The second I'm not of any use to any of you, you will try to put a knife in my back.
[they tap their claws against their arm.]
I'm not interested in letting that happen. I am here, and I will tolerate the rest of you until I don't have to be. So don't anticipate trust. I know better than to fall for honeyed words from anybody.
[ the way he wants to say something SO bad. pride you must really popular in social circles,
but. he doesn't. for once in his life, gu yun just regards them for a long moment, settling back down at the tea table and picking his teacup up again. ]
Duly noted. [ having it out on the table is never really a bad thing; in a way, that helps to clear some of the mystery of the avatars, or at least their intentions. pride does remind gu yun of li feng, in a lot of ways, for better or for worse. ] I've been accused of that more than once, but I'll be just as up front with you - I am far more likely to stab you in the front, than in the back, if that was what it came to. I don't think it will.
[ that's part of why he gets along with childe so well (?) - they both came to that same conclusion. i don't like deception. there's only one thing that gu yun lies about on the daily - anything else is by omission. ] I'm not particularly the betraying type.
[ filial piety be like
anyway. he sips his tea, and then, eventually, a more familiar little smile crosses his face. ]
Though, what I said about getting to know you does ring, too. There's nothing honeyed about that.
Don't understand why you'd want to, unless you were after something. [they're a broken record, it's just. they really cannot fathom people trying to talk to them for anything other than for necessity's sake.]
[ it's true! li feng seems to think he'll be a traitor, too... everyone thinks he's so slimy...
anyway. pride. honey.
there's a beat, and then gu yun props his chin in his hand. ]
Do you know something, Pride? Believe it or not, I don't have many friends. [ how's that for real honesty. before they have the chance to say "it's because you have a garbage personality" which is probably true, he carries on - ] There are my men, of course - to them, though, I will always be the Marquis of Order. I have my second in command, who is one of the only people in the world I find completely trustworthy. But beyond that, I don't get to talk to many people for reasons that aren't related to wanting something, just like you said. Maybe in passing, every now and then.
...That is, until I came here. There are many people here who don't give a damn about who I am, Marquis or otherwise, and suddenly, I've an exorbitant amount of free time - something I've never had the luxury of before. Here, if I'd like to talk to someone just for the sake of learning about the places that they're from, then I can do so.
That doesn't mean I've lost sight of what's in front of me, nor of the dangers of this place. It doesn't mean that I've let my guard down, either. I'll do what I have to do for my desire, no matter what that might be.
But, I don't have to trust someone to want to learn from them - if there must be something I'm after, I suppose it's being after nothing at all. [ a huff of a laugh. ] How very indulgent.
[ (smashcut to a double fuck alarm several hours later)
anyway. he smiles, a little further, and chirps - ] I've been told that many times.
[ that you talk too much??? yeah. it's fine. ] Well, then, Pride, my certainly not friend. Acquaintance? [ snrk ] I'm sure you have things to be doing, unless you fancy a cup of tea.
... they're just going to like, leave? they just sink down and trade places with their shadow, and then they're gone. thanks for the double fuck alarm.]
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no subject
Why bother texting me.
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this comes while he's mopping up his tea mess. why does this feel like deja vu?? as someone who generally says something sensible once a year, he sighs. ] I've been thinking about our conversation yesterday.
...You said apologies don't count when charm's involved, right? Well, I've officially made a fool of myself - [ lifting the hand holding the cup. there's tea dripping down his sleeve. terrible. ] - and I've long figured out not to say things like that to you, but I said it anyway. I'm sorry that I crossed a line.
[ relevant to his title, at least. he regards them with a look, for a moment, though, keen as the night before. ] Like I said, I meant what I said about trust, and I won't back off from it - but I haven't give you much reason to trust me, either.
no subject
People don't help others, don't ally with each other, unless there is something in it for them. The second I'm not of any use to any of you, you will try to put a knife in my back.
[they tap their claws against their arm.]
I'm not interested in letting that happen. I am here, and I will tolerate the rest of you until I don't have to be. So don't anticipate trust. I know better than to fall for honeyed words from anybody.
no subject
but. he doesn't. for once in his life, gu yun just regards them for a long moment, settling back down at the tea table and picking his teacup up again. ]
Duly noted. [ having it out on the table is never really a bad thing; in a way, that helps to clear some of the mystery of the avatars, or at least their intentions. pride does remind gu yun of li feng, in a lot of ways, for better or for worse. ] I've been accused of that more than once, but I'll be just as up front with you - I am far more likely to stab you in the front, than in the back, if that was what it came to. I don't think it will.
[ that's part of why he gets along with childe so well (?) - they both came to that same conclusion. i don't like deception. there's only one thing that gu yun lies about on the daily - anything else is by omission. ] I'm not particularly the betraying type.
[ filial piety be like
anyway. he sips his tea, and then, eventually, a more familiar little smile crosses his face. ]
Though, what I said about getting to know you does ring, too. There's nothing honeyed about that.
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they're quiet for a moment.]
Don't understand why you'd want to, unless you were after something. [they're a broken record, it's just. they really cannot fathom people trying to talk to them for anything other than for necessity's sake.]
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anyway. pride. honey.
there's a beat, and then gu yun props his chin in his hand. ]
Do you know something, Pride? Believe it or not, I don't have many friends. [ how's that for real honesty. before they have the chance to say "it's because you have a garbage personality" which is probably true, he carries on - ] There are my men, of course - to them, though, I will always be the Marquis of Order. I have my second in command, who is one of the only people in the world I find completely trustworthy. But beyond that, I don't get to talk to many people for reasons that aren't related to wanting something, just like you said. Maybe in passing, every now and then.
...That is, until I came here. There are many people here who don't give a damn about who I am, Marquis or otherwise, and suddenly, I've an exorbitant amount of free time - something I've never had the luxury of before. Here, if I'd like to talk to someone just for the sake of learning about the places that they're from, then I can do so.
That doesn't mean I've lost sight of what's in front of me, nor of the dangers of this place. It doesn't mean that I've let my guard down, either. I'll do what I have to do for my desire, no matter what that might be.
But, I don't have to trust someone to want to learn from them - if there must be something I'm after, I suppose it's being after nothing at all. [ a huff of a laugh. ] How very indulgent.
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You talk too much. [they say, dryly, but. it's not hostile, at least.] Like I said. I'm not here for friends. But fine.
[you're forgiven, probably. for now.]
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anyway. he smiles, a little further, and chirps - ] I've been told that many times.
[ that you talk too much??? yeah. it's fine. ] Well, then, Pride, my certainly not friend. Acquaintance? [ snrk ] I'm sure you have things to be doing, unless you fancy a cup of tea.
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[be nice.
... they're just going to like, leave? they just sink down and trade places with their shadow, and then they're gone. thanks for the double fuck alarm.]