prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .012

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You awaken amidst the darkness with only a faint light to greet you. Your body is hemmed in by shards of crystals, gently sparkling and possibly pricking your skin. The surrounding landscape is dyed in the pinks and purples of the dusk filled with crystals protruding from the ground, some as large as a skyscraper. After an hour or two of wandering through the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. Because of the strange phenomena during the past months when scientists observed the sudden appearance of rainbow crystals in the sky, the government has been feverishly combing through the moon for more Moonblessed to be rescued. You’ll eventually be brought into Iris’s moon government center.

You all may have your usual inquiries — Where are we? Who are you? What's going on? — and the Prismals are almost too eager to answer. They tell you about their world and about the first appearance of the Moonblessed as the medical staff give you an examination to make sure you’re not carrying any viruses or biological hazards. If you react violently, you may be restrained and nerfed with a specialized neurotransmitting gun that releases a numbing agent through the top of your spine. Once the examinations are over, you’re informed that you will be provided accommodations on their planet during your stay. You will then be escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the Iris moon and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals.

The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ I am the Terror That Flaps in the Night
Iris Moon, Government Center (Arrival) and Planet Prismatica, City of Lunatia | top

Welcome to Prismatica’s hub, Lunatia, the city of your dreams! A bustling metropolis lush with bright lights, vibrant colors, luxuriant plant life, and all the conveniences of technology absent from your own world… It seems like paradise to all the uninitiated. After a quick tour of the city, new arrivals can find themselves getting cozy in their new homes.

A Settle in your new home at Level 2 to find new roommates and say hello to your neighbors! City officials will give you directions to the designated districts across Level 2 and instruct you to pick out a unit. Each apartment complex has a different aesthetic, some may look cozy, some stylish, and some bizarre. The free accommodations have a basic living space that can only fit two or three people at most in one unit.

Starter Chromaspace furnishings are provided which can be controlled with the touch of a built-in panel. Examples are color-changing curtains, transforming sofa beds, cabinets turning into tables, etc. Customizing your apartment or moving out will have to wait until you earn more chroma. Until then, why don’t you check out your new neighborhood or explore the city levels? Maybe your new roommates or neighbors can give you a “hand” with allowance for dinner.

B Your new flat is covered in a sprinkling of feathers here, there, and everywhere! They appear to be coming through the air vents. This seems to be a city-wide problem in all buildings, as many news outlets are informing people to stay alert. They believe the feathers are from the masked seraphim, King Majestas, who attacked the Elaran Amphitheater a few weeks back.

You are advised to destroy the feathers on sight. Prolonged contact with these feathers cause hallucinations and paranoia. You will feel as if winged creatures are always after you, be it one-winged angels or dark-winged ducks. Other side effects include hearing the chanting of voices in an indecipherable language out of this galaxy. These hallucinations may cause headaches, dizziness, or nausea. Thankfully, a bit of moonlacing will heal these symptoms away.

▶ Got Milk?
Level 2, Crystal Beach | top

With the Coiled Hearts Festival fast approaching, local fishermen have already begun procuring food across Crystal Beach’s clear waters to meet next month’s demands. Around this time of year, the popularity of octopus dishes dramatically rises. The Lunatians have an annual tradition to prepare flavorful octopus dishes for the romantic season, such as the much-lauded dark chocolate-coated octopus or the mouth-watering octopus braised with red wine.

Everyone is welcome to join this heart-throbbing affair. During the Second and Third months, everyone is encouraged to give your loved ones something special for a long, successful relationship. Friends, family, and new acquaintances are traditionally given a small amount of Demichroma in tiny cute cases, while lovers are given something that reminds the gifter of their homeland.

A Interested in catching your own octopus? Horned taurus octopi very frequently migrate to the shorelines to perform their elaborate mating rituals. It’s easy to find clumps of taurus octopi participating in a vigorous dance, filled with undulations and strange moaning noises that octopi should not be making. You can lure the octopi by either using a special flute which mimics their moans to gather them in heavy droves. It’s ideal to have a partner with you to scoop the octopi quickly into water containers once they’ve become entranced enough.

Play the flute carefully! If the taurus octopi grow too excited by your music, they will squirt white ink. If you are spritzed with the thick substance, you will start either randomly puking or uncontrollably secreting a milky sweet substance from any body part that secretes liquids. Luckily, the high-end boutique Prissy Polyp is nearby in case you need a change of clothes due to any sizable stains. Effects will naturally wear off after an hour.

B Come with a friend and enjoy learning some octopus recipes together. The Crystal Beach Resort has opened a seminar where several professional chefs will be demonstrating and teaching how to cook various dishes of different flavors and ingredients guaranteed to impress your date, and taste-testing is free!

One dish makes use of horned taurus octopi skin as the star ingredient, renowned for its irresistibly delectable scent. The chefs explain the palatable skin is a potent ingredient in various love potions and aphrodisiacs, so add or mix them to your dishes in moderation! The effects have a significant delay, so you may feel fine for a while, but when it hits, it hits hard. You will become enamored with every little thing — hey, you just met them and this is crazy — but that person’s smile, the sound of their voice, or the way they say your name will make you unable to resist the urge to shower them with your affection.

▶ Going Viral
Level 2, Moonlight Medical Center | top

“Help Wanted” posters can be found on virtual forums and announcement boards across Level 1 to 3. The Moonlight Medical Center has put out a call for volunteers due to a recent shortage of medical staff. The work involves filling in for overworked nurses, performing tasks such as feeding patients their meals, wiping away their sweat, changing their clothes, encouraging their spirits, and so on. Any volunteers may directly walk-in at the hospital. You will be provided a nurse uniform and any necessary equipment while on the job.

The shortage has resulted from the hospital recently taking in a severe number of patients from a nearby small village to the west of Lunatia, Port Sylvel, a known shipping and freight destination. The number of patients worryingly keeps on rising by the day and will soon fill all available rooms.

A Some of the patients are experiencing varying degrees of paralysis. The worst cases have crystallizing parts of their body. The hospital staff will stress that you should be careful around patients with crystallized limbs. Patients like these have a history of aggressively biting anyone who comes close hard enough to draw blood. Those bitten will exhibit similar symptoms as the victims, including crystallization on their bodies, and experience a steady drop in Chroma. An uncomfortable heaviness will cause you unable to move without the aid of others as well as an uncontrollable urge to aggressively bite someone.

While affected Moonblessed can cure it by moonlacing, the Prismals can only be cured by a gluteal inoculation the Lunar Scientia has recently managed to develop. The sick and beleaguered will probably hate you less if you aren’t the one trying to stabbing them with injections in the hindquarters.

B Aside from nursing duties, other available tasks to be completed include making coffee for fellow nurses and doctors, delivering flowers to patients, and general housekeeping. Specifically, disinfecting medical equipment, tidying up rooms, and cleaning the spaces around the hospital. As a result of the current situation, many crystal shards can be found decorating multiple surfaces, such as floors, walls, toilet seats, and so on. These will have to be swept away!

However, as your work day progresses, some of the shards can be seen suddenly moving on their own. These crawling shards will start clustering together to turn into elaborate, floating monolithic formations that will then begin attacking anyone nearby. Their main ability includes shooting diamond spears to impale any unfortunate victims in their line of sight. In the midst of the chaos, nurses and doctors will beg the Moonblessed to please protect the sick and wounded. The crystal formations can be destroyed by any method, though because of their incredibly sturdy composition, they require multiple hits before they shatter into dust.

▶ Questions
If you have any questions regarding this test drive meme, please ask them in the Questions thread below.

▶ As a reminder, test drive memes are for new characters only. However, current players are more than welcome to use these prompts for their own posts in the IC communities, personal inboxes, catch-all posts, etc.!
▶ As our test drive memes are game canon, feel free to keep any threads that happen here as canon for your character should they be accepted.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

HuaiSang's wandering has not yet ceased. Though he is comforted by having found some of his friends here, and he spends as much time as possible in the homes of others so that he won't have to go back to his own empty apartment, he remains restless. Sorrow that he cannot name goads at him, making him unable to endure even the company of his best-loved friends for more than an hour at a time before he's roaming again.

It's just as well that there are so many things to see here. HuaiSang remains shy around strangers and won't enter most of the stores, but he wants very much to learn more about the other Moonblessed and to make friends.

When he sees the beautiful, elegant man in such breathtaking robes, HuaiSang cannot help but stare. He's the personification of everything that HuaiSang admires and wants to be. Tall, fashionable, composed.

Fluttering his fan shyly as he tries to untie his tongue or unfreeze his limbs, HuaiSang just stares at him, stunned, until the beautiful man starts walking over to him.

HuaiSang's eyes go wide and he ducks behind his fan, as if that will hide him in the slightest. Immediately repenting of his rudeness, he shuts the fan and makes himself put it behind his back, but the man is still coming over and HuaiSang is panicking.

The stranger bows politely to him, so HuaiSang quickly brings his hands up to do the same. In the process, he loses his grip on his fan. Carried forward by the momentum, it strikes Runyu lightly in the center of his chest.

"Careful⁠—" Barely able to get the warning out before the young man he addressed fumbles, Runyu quickly catches Huaisang by the arm to keep him from falling, grasping the fan lightly in his opposite hand. Once it's clear Huaisang is not about to take a dive into the sand, Runyu releases him with a reassuring smile and starts to give back his fan, then unfolds it out of curiosity so long as he has it. He turns it back to front and back again, admiring its brushwork.

"A fine fan," he compliments, folding it carefully once more to offer back to its owner. "My apologies, I did not mean to startle you so. Are you alright...?"

HuaiSang watches with embarrassed pleasure as the elegant stranger admires and compliments his fan. He's as gracious and kind as he is elegant. HuaiSang is about to die on the spot from awe.

"Thank you." HuaiSang can't help his blush at the praise from some prince as beautiful as this. Up close, his presence is even more impressive, and HuaiSang feels dizzy. He's beautiful enough to be a god.

Oh no. Is this an immortal? He's embarrassing himself in front of an immortal. Oh no. "Please, it wasn't your fault. I startled myself. I was overcome. I've never seen anyone so elegant."

The compliment startles Runyu enough that he gives a quiet laugh, gently touching his hand to Huaisang's arm in case the mortal is feeling as faint as he certainly looks. Don't worry, Nie Huaisang. Runyu will gladly catch you should you fall.

"No, thank you for such a warm reception. You flatter me." He pauses, glancing back out at the sea. "Have you been here long...? I only just arrived myself to this realm."

HuaiSang gladly leans into that touch, especially as the moonlacing kicks in and adds a warm glow of pleasure to the infatuated awe he's already feeling. He steps a little closer. Oh, why yes, he is starting to feel a little unsteady on his feet. Thank goodness for that arm steadying him. He leans a little more weight into it so that there's plenty of excuse for it to stay right where it is with the crucial task of keeping him from falling over.

"I've only arrived a couple of days ago. Everything here is so strange and unfamiliar."

They both got distracted from introductions, but HuaiSang is polite enough to realize he should do that now. Beside, he wants an excuse to learn more about his handsome rescuer. (Rescued from what? His own awkwardness, mostly.) Since they're now too close and he can't bow while he's leaning on that arm, he lightly lays the back of his free hand against Runyu's chest, still holding his fan, and bows his head briefly in greeting. "Nie HuaiSang, Sect Leader of the Nie Clan of Qinghe, greets you."

Here he's going to pull out the Sect Leader title. He's mostly left it off of other introductions in this place, preferring to claim as little responsibility or attention as possible, but oh does he ever want to impress this beautiful and kind maybe-immortal.

"Well met, Sect Leader Nie," Runyu greets in return, Qinghe unfamiliar to him. He has to wonder what manner of sect, seeing no telling signs on Huaisang's person to identify what his sect actually does. Religion, perhaps? But that doesn't seem right either. All he sees before him is a young lord with expensive tastes in clothing and fans. Hm.

"Please call me Shuangyu," he offers out of an abundance of caution, not wishing for his exploits here in this realm to get back to the Heavens somehow. "I fear I am no one special. Just someone passing through."

He pauses then, easily holding up Huaisang's weight as he's leaned into but concerned over how faint the young lord appears to be.

"Perhaps we should find somewhere to sit with light refreshments so that you may regain your bearings...?"

"Shuangyu," HuaiSang repeats. It's a very informal address to be offered, just a single name with no titles, which immediately increases his suspicions that this is an immortal trying to move anonymously. Or some kind of cultivator prince, at the very least. "Then you must call me HuaiSang," he offers, since if he's going to call Shuangyu informally then it's only right for him to insist upon informal address in return.

Nodding at the suggestion of refreshments, Huaisang carefully straightens and tucks away his fan, and then curls both his hands lightly around Shuangyu's arm as though he's a young mistress who needs to be escorted. He's still feeling so faint, after all. Might swoon.

There's a pretty little restaurant not far from them with a patio hung with lanterns. "Perhaps there?" HuaiSang suggests, looking shyly up at Shuangyu for approval.

"...Huaisang, then. An honor and a pleasure," Runyu murmurs, obligingly holding his arm up so that his new acquaintance might cling to it to his heart's desire. He suspects the young lord of exaggerating his delicate nature to an extent, but Huaisang manages the duplicity somehow endearing and so Runyu is happy to play along, allowing himself to bask in the feeling of being needed.

At Huaisang's selection of restaurant, he nods, smiling gently.

"It looks near as lovely as my company," he answers as he glances Huaisang's way, resting his hand over Huaisang's own briefly where they're clasped against his arm. Then he moves them along, getting them a table for two in a nice private corner of the patio with a view.

"Have whatever you like," he goes on to offer as they take their seats, nudging Huaisang's menu his way. He does briefly check his available funds but he's been getting well-acquainted with the locals to pad his power supply, so he does have a decent amount of money to throw around.

HuaiSang's eyes widen slightly at that sweet flattery and he hugs Shuangyu's arm tighter for a moment, blushing and ducking his head shyly. He doesn't know how he's supposed to cope with gorgeous, fashionable maybe-immortals flirting with him. He's not letting go of this arm, though, that's for sure.

Except that when they reach their table, HuaiSang no longer has an excuse to go on clinging. He takes a seat, fan reappearing from his sleeve so that he can toy with it now that he no longer has the clinging to occupy his hands. "Will you drink with me, Shuangyu-xiong?" HuaiSang chooses a wine from the menu and a dessert, though neither of those items are particularly steadying. "There are so many wondrous new things here," he comments once the waiter has taken their order. "I am lucky to have these experiences."

"Yu-xiong is fine," Runyu offers after a moment's consideration, deciding he likes the sound of the familiar address and shortening it to Yu-xiong will make things easier if he ever decides to offer the endearing mortal his true name. Then, to the matter of that question⁠—

"...I am happy to drink with you, but I warn you I do not have a particularly strong constitution for alcohol," he confesses with a quiet, slightly embarrassed laugh. And then proceeds to order a second bottle of wine and a dessert as well. He's still feeling the effects of the octopus he consumed earlier, entirely unbeknownst to him, so he's been unable to take his eyes off Huaisang this entire time. Something about the mortal is... transcendent. He could gaze upon those soft features, those full lips and round cheeks, for a century or so with ease.

"What has been your favorite part of this world so far, Huaisang?" he goes on to say, enjoying the syllables of the mortal's name being formed upon his tongue.

"Yu-xiong," HuaiSang repeats, caressing the name across his tongue. Every time he looks up to find Yu-xiong watching him he blushes and smiles and drops his eyes, which ends up happening every few seconds, because Yu-xiong seems to be watching him every time he looks up.

He doesn't yet know that his brother's alive, because that's very soon going to be his favorite part of this world. For now, his emotions remain a bit mixed, and he has to think about his answer. "You're going to make me want to say you," HuaiSang murmurs, unfurling his fan and hiding his blush behind it. A server comes to bring their wine, and HuaiSang reaches for it gratefully, letting down the fan so that he can reach for the wine instead. While he could potentially have a fan in one hand and a cup in the other, he wants always to be graceful and lovely, and it is more elegant to set down the fan while he drinks.

"I'm told that some of my lost friends are alive again in this place. We can all have a second chance."

"There is no need for such flattery," Runyu replies, looking nearly abashed that Huaisang would even consider him in the running. He continues to study Huaisang's every move, nothing short of mesmerized by the efforts the fair mortal is making... by nature? For his benefit? He doesn't dare to presume.

"Truly, this place is a marvel if it can even reunite us with those we have lost," he agrees after that, giving a single nod of his head. Sliding his hands almost pointedly over Huaisang's own, he takes the wine from him to pour for them both, not at all reluctant to serve others in spite of his high status.

"I am sorry to hear tragedy ever found you," he goes on, setting the bottle down now to raise his glass in toast, smiling warmly at his new companion. "May the Heavens look kindly upon you and yours this time around."

HuaiSang is glad (and also not glad) that he's sitting, because he's pretty sure that his knees would actually give out on him after that gentle caress. It seemed so intentional, almost blatant, and he's almost certain now that Yu-xiong is flirting with him.

Caught on a hook of affection, HuaiSang fails to drop his gaze this time, just staring at Yu-xiong with lips slightly parted while his companion pours for them both.

This is far too good to be real. This is some kind of beautiful dream he's having, and he's going to wake up any moment now, heartsick and sexually frustrated.

Remembering himself with a heated blush once Yu-xiong toasts, he lifts his own cup. "And yours," he echoes, tongue catching between his teeth. He swallows, pushing himself to talk. All that damn poetry he reads, surely he can come up with something pretty to say over a toast. "There are few joys in this life sweeter than drinking with good company."

Well, he doesn't think he's exactly going to win any hearts with that, but at least they were words that came out of his mouth and not just besotted mewling.

The color looks good on Huaisang's cheeks, and whatever fault to be found in his words are lost in their earnest delivery. There's no need to win Runyu's heart, as the events of the day have long since ensured that Huaisang has it in ways the dragon god is only just awakening to, the longing he feels for those he left behind in the Heavens easily transposed upon the eager mortal.

It feels good, too, to spend time with company without expectations, without propriety and duty and righteousness keeping their backs straight and their heads high and their words clipped and rote. He drains near half his glass in one sip, eyes never once leaving his companion.

He pauses, carefully considering his next words. But why not play? It's just a game, in another world, with a mortal boy, sect leader of Qinghe Nie or not. All realms outside the Heavens pass in Runyu's mind like a dream, and perhaps existence itself is too a dream. Better to indulge, then wake than wake having done nothing at all.

Leveling Huaisang with a shift in his unyielding gaze, his smile widens with a brief flash of teeth.

"I can think of at least one sweeter thing."

HuaiSang chokes on his wine.

He'd had the same thought, of course. Some poets might have said that there is nothing sweeter than drinking wine in good company. HuaiSang is thirstier than that.

Coughing and laughing as he turns bright red, HuaiSang puts down his cup so he won't spill it and presses his knuckles against his mouth, lost hopelessly in a fit of giggling.

Finally he manages to get the coughing and giggling under control enough to speak between bursts. "Yu-xiong... I was going to say... I cannot allow you to treat me to dinner if you're not going to let me reimburse you in some way..."

The effect he has on Huaisang makes Runyu laugh softly in return, charmed by the continued earnestness and eagerness from the young man in addition to the clear overtures being made. Pausing to give Huaisang a moment to breathe, he nods but once in acknowledgement of the mortal's clever machinations to get what he wants out of this encounter. A little tasteful boldness has not offended Runyu yet, and he does not mean to start today.

"A dessert and a little wine is hardly dinner, Huaisang," he ventures playfully in return, reaching out to tuck part of Huaisang's bangs back behind his ear, using it as an excuse to trail his fingers over one smooth cheek. "Perhaps if you had more of an appetite, then we could discuss recompense. But as it is..."

He cups Huaisang's cheek in hand.

"This is repayment enough."

"Dessert. Refreshments," Huaisang says, leaning into the touch with a needy little whimper. He blushes when he hears himself make that noise, but he doesn't shy away this time. He doesn't know why he called this 'dinner', but at this point he considers himself lucky to be getting words out at all. "Surely a kiss isn't too much to offer."

His eyes flick up for a moment, coy, before he drops his gaze back to Runyu's throat. His own boldness is already shocking him, but he feels dizzy with yearning. HuaiSang doesn't have the excuse of the octopus to nudge him along. He doesn't need it.

Their waiter appears with dessert, and it's that which makes HuaiSang blush and sit back quickly, too shy to steal another glance at Runyu just yet.

His cake is a beautiful, delicate thing dusted with chocolate, and HuaiSang admires it in pure delight. Almost too good to eat, but HuaiSang would eat exclusively pretty things if he could, so it only slows him for a moment. Picking up his fork, he takes a bite of the cake and gives an immediate little moan of pleasure. "Oh, it's good. I've never had anything like it."

He lifts the next bite, holding out the fork to his companion with a sweet smile. HuaiSang has always believed that pleasures are best shared.

Edited 2020-02-25 22:08 (UTC)

The offer of cake startles him but does not put him off, such a thing unfamiliar but not unwelcome. This world is full of these small indulgences, feeling more and more like a dream with each passing minute. After a brief consideration, he lowers his gaze to take the cake into his mouth, eyes briefly obscured by thick lashes. He moves slow, letting the sweet morsel melt in his mouth as he releases the fork clean, licking his lips for remnants of frosting as he pulls back. He makes a similar quiet noise of approval, then goes to his own dainty vanilla confection, carefully forking up a small fondant rose with the bite to offer Huaisang's way. It doesn't seem to matter to him that Huaisang gets the first bite.

"If you wish to be kissed, there is no need for pretense."

Runyu's smile widens a fraction, gaze narrowing with playfulness that was not there before.

"Did I not invite you to have whatever you like?"

HuaiSang leans forward to take that bite, cheeks flushed at this sweetly romantic exchange. "But you're not on the menu, Yu-xiong," he replies, playfulness glittering in his eyes as they flirt.

Happily indulgent, he sips at his wine between bites, offering Yu-xiong every couple of bites because he likes seeing his new friend's eyes close with pleasure, likes to watch his lips close around it. When he can, he takes a quick, small bite of his own cake immediately afterward so that he can feel a little of the lingering warmth of Yu-xiong's mouth on the metal. He realizes that perhaps that's excessively sentimental, even for him. Yearning over a shared fork as though he's a virgin teenager who has never been properly kissed. But he likes the courtship of this, the flirtation and sensuality of sharing desserts.

"May I ask you about your homeland, or would you prefer that I tell you about mine?"

"You may ask, but I would be pleased to start with yours," Runyu ventures, keeping Huaisang's wine glass well and full as they enjoy their desserts together. Though he speaks as though he is prepared to speak of his origins and circumstances, he takes Huaisang's opening move to make several of his own, surveying the board as he decides where to play his pieces. What he offers will depend greatly on what Huaisang sets down.

"What manner of sect is Qinghe Nie...? You seem quite young to have such a great burden upon your shoulders."

It doesn't surprise HuaiSang that the maybe-immortal doesn't wish to speak of his origins. HuaiSang would have launched directly into speaking of himself, but he didn't want to come across as thoughtless in doing so.

"We are Daoist cultivators," HuaiSang explains, lingering over his cake as he speaks and taking small bites so that he doesn't have to pause for long. "QingheNie is a martial cultivation sect, like the other great sects. We are the fourth greatest sect, with a tradition of practicing blades, while the other sects favor swords. Qinghe is a mountainous region and the Unclean Realm, which is my ancestral estate, is a great mountain fortress. However," he points with the fork as he explains all this. "I am terrible at all of that."

Wrinkling his nose, HuaiSang takes another bite and pouts a bit as he eats. "I am slightly less terrible at bureaucracy, but even so mostly my seneschal does it all for me."

"You speak too lowly of yourself," Runyu comments, pausing for a bite of his own dessert, washing it down with a sip of wine before speaking again. He's well used to people of rank speaking humbly of themselves in one breath and puffing out their chests in the next, but Huaisang's earnest dismissal of himself speaks to something deeper. Either Huaisang's rule is a tenuous one, to be tragic and short-lived, or he maintains power through leveraging the expectations of others. Either way, a fascinating creature to behold.

Leaning a little closer, he allows their forearms to press together as he peers at Huaisang over the rim of his wine glass, idly swirling the contents as he speaks his next question.

"How long has Qinghe Nie been under your rule?"

HuaiSang drops his eyes, attention lingering on Runyu's forearm where it touches his own. He spreads his palm almost idly, letting the backs of his fingers brush against Runyu's arm.

"Two years," he says, eyes on the tablecloth.

Fourteen years.

He reaches for his cup of wine and drains it.

He wants desperately to not be the sect leader anymore. He wants his brother to be the sect leader and to live a long, long life, preferably attaining immortality.

Two years. Barely the blink of an eye to Runyu, neither long nor short by the standards of mortals. Not long enough to rule out either possibility, so Runyu only nods, filling Huaisang's cup once more.

"It is not the life you wanted," he observes, stating the fact of it rather than asking the question. "I sympathize."

"My brother was suited to it," HuaiSang says. His grief is always right at the surface, but even before his brother died there was a deep well of loneliness in HuaiSang, a melancholy that set in the moment that any smile faded. The existential sorrow which overwhelmed him whenever he was alone.

"He was a strong man, a strong leader." HuaiSang curls his hands around his refilled cup, though he does not yet drink. "I see now I was foolish to speak of myself," he says, giving Yu-xiong a wobbly smile. "Forgive me. Let me try again. I collect art and I keep birds."

got milk - b

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