[ his hand comes up to rest at the back of her neck, for a moment, and gu yun looks past her, to the barely there parts of his vision that let him do so.
the answer doesn't surprise him, really, so. ]
...it's alright. [ his voice is quiet, a rumble in his chest where she's tucked up. ] I'll handle it. I've already started to.
[she says, stubbornly. she hates - losing, she hates being beaten, she hates this, she hates this. her breathing hiccups, and she just slumps entirely.]
You shouldn't have to. This whole thing is beans. I don't want you to.
[ he snorts at that, ducking his head to press his nose in the general area of her temple. ]
I've been in worse situations. [ if you put him in this exact scenario at home, would he kill someone to get his medicine? yeah probably ] Think of it this way - if anyone finds out, the likelihood of me being targeted is high. If I strike, it'll be while the iron's hot.
There are two others who are aware of the situation. [ so. he's not alone. ] Unfortunate that one of them is currently cursed into swooning and will be until it's too late, but it is what it is.
You've already done something for me. [ gu yun frees a hand to reach up behind his head, giving the peach blossom pin a nudge. ]
And besides. [ there's that steely determination of his, even just in his words. ] I'm going to target someone first. I don't have any intentions of losing.
[she's quiet, for a long moment, and then she nods a little. very carefully, she brings her hand up to push her hood back. he can't see very well anyway, it's not like it matters, right! but he can see that her hair is still that liquid lava, and the top half of her face is - dark? burnt, maybe, a little like soot, or the way lava looks when it's cooled.
she closes her eyes.]
... Spend curfew with me, then. Me and Molly. [she says, stubbornly.] Before you do.
[ it's true! sure can't. the warmth of her lava hair does brighten, though, and it makes things a little easier, casting some light on his poor vision. gu yun lifts his head out of the way to let her move, and then settles again, looking down. ] ...I can't guarantee I'll be the most fun company - I'm not the most enlightening conversationalist without my usual silver tongue.
But, alright. [ leaning over, a bit, he presses a kiss to her forehead, cooled lava and all, lingering. ] I will.
[ ... ]
I did inform him, and Harrow, of what was coming. Neither was particularly receptive to the idea. Molly said... this place just wants us to be pushed that far. Indulgence and temptation gone hand in hand, in all of that.
Sometimes you have to do something terrible in order to do the right thing. Or - you think it's the right thing. You're on the way to the right thing.
[she hesitates with that. tilts up just a little, into the kiss to her forehead.]
Harrow doesn't want people to kill each other. Molly doesn't either. I don't blame them. But it's going to happen anyway, and if it's kill or be killed, Zixi, I want you to not be killed. For as long as possible, I want you to stay alive.
Selfish of me, I know, but I'm already corrupted, so I might as well lean into it.
Mn. [ it's.. the first part especially rings true. he thinks of the supply line of ziliujin he's smuggled into the black iron camp. of anyone he's taken out on the battlefield. for a brief, terrible moment, the face of the emperor, head broken in, from his adventure.
he stays quiet for a moment, letting the weight of that statement settle. ]
I have someone to target who I think may have already killed someone. I don't have a lot to go on - a couple of pieces of evidence, if that - but I won't act on someone easy. No personal vendettas.
[ there are definitely targets here he could wipe out without blinking, but that's not his style, anyway. gu yun lingers, mouth pressed to her forehead, and closes his mostly useless eyes. ]
I refuse to die here. [ he refuses. ] There are people who need me.
[there are people who need me, he says, and she lets out a slow, unsteady breath.
she doesn't say anything, because she doesn't trust her voice. she doesn't trust what she wants to say, either. instead, she wraps her arms around him and does her best to try and get herself to heat up, to give him something.]
as lup gets a little warmer, gu yun glances down, and then shifts to kiss the top of her head. ]
You don't have to burn yourself out for me. [ in so many ways. ] You've done nothing but spoil me rotten. Will you let this humble Zixi return the favor?
[ he's quiet, thoughtful, tilting his head, and then presses another kiss to her forehead. ] I could sing you a song. Admittedly, I'm tone deaf, so I don't think that would be helpful.
[ another kiss, at the tip of her nose. ] Or, perhaps, I could recite you poetry like I promised, or shower you with compliments. Maybe lay you out in this bed and help you feel good, until you're the one who barely can speak their own name straight when it's done. Which is fine - I'll say it a million times for you, Lup. [ this is followed with another kiss, one to either cheek. ] Gently, though.
Could cook you a meal, but I'm not nearly as good at it as you are. [ another smooch, on the lips this time, gentle and lingering. ] Truth be told, to spoil you, I'd just be taking a leaf out of your book. Terribly uncreative of me - but you're rather the master.
[as always, she shivers at the sound of her name. she noses closer.]
... I wouldn't mind the poetry. [she says, with a huffy little laugh. the lingering kiss has her sighing out slow, eyes closed.] But I won't say no to being laid out, either.
[she can't promise she won't starfish because she's exhausted, but listen.]
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the answer doesn't surprise him, really, so. ]
...it's alright. [ his voice is quiet, a rumble in his chest where she's tucked up. ] I'll handle it. I've already started to.
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[she says, stubbornly. she hates - losing, she hates being beaten, she hates this, she hates this. her breathing hiccups, and she just slumps entirely.]
You shouldn't have to. This whole thing is beans. I don't want you to.
[she's aware she sounds like a five year old.]
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I've been in worse situations. [ if you put him in this exact scenario at home, would he kill someone to get his medicine? yeah probably ] Think of it this way - if anyone finds out, the likelihood of me being targeted is high. If I strike, it'll be while the iron's hot.
There are two others who are aware of the situation. [ so. he's not alone. ] Unfortunate that one of them is currently cursed into swooning and will be until it's too late, but it is what it is.
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I can't do anything if someone targets you. [she says, quietly, muffled into his shirt. miserably.]
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And besides. [ there's that steely determination of his, even just in his words. ] I'm going to target someone first. I don't have any intentions of losing.
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she closes her eyes.]
... Spend curfew with me, then. Me and Molly. [she says, stubbornly.] Before you do.
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But, alright. [ leaning over, a bit, he presses a kiss to her forehead, cooled lava and all, lingering. ] I will.
[ ... ]
I did inform him, and Harrow, of what was coming. Neither was particularly receptive to the idea. Molly said... this place just wants us to be pushed that far. Indulgence and temptation gone hand in hand, in all of that.
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[she hesitates with that. tilts up just a little, into the kiss to her forehead.]
Harrow doesn't want people to kill each other. Molly doesn't either. I don't blame them. But it's going to happen anyway, and if it's kill or be killed, Zixi, I want you to not be killed. For as long as possible, I want you to stay alive.
Selfish of me, I know, but I'm already corrupted, so I might as well lean into it.
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he stays quiet for a moment, letting the weight of that statement settle. ]
I have someone to target who I think may have already killed someone. I don't have a lot to go on - a couple of pieces of evidence, if that - but I won't act on someone easy. No personal vendettas.
[ there are definitely targets here he could wipe out without blinking, but that's not his style, anyway. gu yun lingers, mouth pressed to her forehead, and closes his mostly useless eyes. ]
I refuse to die here. [ he refuses. ] There are people who need me.
[ great liang needs its marquis of order. ]
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she doesn't say anything, because she doesn't trust her voice. she doesn't trust what she wants to say, either. instead, she wraps her arms around him and does her best to try and get herself to heat up, to give him something.]
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as lup gets a little warmer, gu yun glances down, and then shifts to kiss the top of her head. ]
You don't have to burn yourself out for me. [ in so many ways. ] You've done nothing but spoil me rotten. Will you let this humble Zixi return the favor?
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I'm not going to burn out. [she swallows hard.] Return the favor how, huh?
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[ he's quiet, thoughtful, tilting his head, and then presses another kiss to her forehead. ] I could sing you a song. Admittedly, I'm tone deaf, so I don't think that would be helpful.
[ another kiss, at the tip of her nose. ] Or, perhaps, I could recite you poetry like I promised, or shower you with compliments. Maybe lay you out in this bed and help you feel good, until you're the one who barely can speak their own name straight when it's done. Which is fine - I'll say it a million times for you, Lup. [ this is followed with another kiss, one to either cheek. ] Gently, though.
Could cook you a meal, but I'm not nearly as good at it as you are. [ another smooch, on the lips this time, gentle and lingering. ] Truth be told, to spoil you, I'd just be taking a leaf out of your book. Terribly uncreative of me - but you're rather the master.
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... I wouldn't mind the poetry. [she says, with a huffy little laugh. the lingering kiss has her sighing out slow, eyes closed.] But I won't say no to being laid out, either.
[she can't promise she won't starfish because she's exhausted, but listen.]