Agreed. My second in command always says I'm a crow in human form. [ because he tends to just say things and then they happen!! gu yun your crow mouth!!!!
eventually, he runs his fingers back into molly's hair. this position is becoming familiar, it seems; gu yun's quiet for a little longer, glancing out at the room at large. ]
...He'd be rolling over in his grave if he could see me right now, the old bastard. [ this is?? surprisingly lighthearted? after that??? his coping mechanisms, ] I learned to stand up perfectly fine, and now I'm here, lying back and thinking of Great Liang. How's that for service to your country?
[it's becoming familiar partially because mollymauk voice: jokes on you im into that shit. having his hair and horns toyed with while he gets to lounge in his seat.]
Lying back? Is that what you do? [is this an appropriate joke for the moment? well, it's fine.] Let him roll, the bastard. Let all bastards from our shite memories roll in their graves, while we're here, perfectly upright and alive.
[ if this is a death flag i'm going to destroy you
it's completely inappropriate, but that's why he made it in the first place. ] Wouldn't you know? [ gu yun's shitty grin turns to a laugh, softer and less gremlin, as he continues playing with those curls, fingers occasionally finding chains or baubles off of his horns, just for the sensation of the touch. all rather nice. ]
Cheers to that, though. [ time to box that old memory back up into the trauma shelf where it belongs! ] I've done rather enough reminiscing, but I've decided I'd also like to have the fish and the bear's paw all at once, so think I'll take my chances and stick around.
[ he ruffles up those purple curls a bit, just because he can. ruffle ruffle. ]
[imagine how funny it would be if he were like, okay gu yun, ill tell you my backstory but i need time, and then one of them just fucking dies instead]
Suppose I would. Though I thought you suggested you'd like to ride something . . . what was it again?
[Humming, content, letting some of the trauma and anxiety of the past few hours fade off, leaning into this feeling rather than submitting to the ordeal of being known. maybe a little reward of being loved, as a treat.]
Fish and-- Bear's paw? Sorry, I can normally follow your funny little twists of phrase, but you'll have to lay that one out for me.
Hmmm. Bear's paw is a delicacy, usually reserved for the wealthy. Fish is eaten for good fortune at the New Year. They're both expensive to the average family. [ gu yun explains, tilting his head to try to try and make the forced switch of language - ] Yú yǔ xióng zhǎng bù kě jiān dé. Can't have the fish and the bear's paw at the same time.
[ can't have your cake and eat it too! amazing.
there's a pause, still running his fingers through molly's hair, and in that same, i'm-teaching-something tone ] Riding your ass all the way to the grave, I believe? Can't remember every clever thing I always say. [ ufufufu. ]
Seems like you can have both if you've both coin and total disrespect for tradition. So, between us, think we can work something out.
[Looking up at him, putting on a very i am being taught face, though there's something a little mocking in it, suggesting perhaps he is a difficult student.]
Oh, yes, that's the one. [meanly, because now he knows this secret, shoving a hand to one of those ticklish spots recently discovered.] You want to? Most everyone here wants me to be on top, which is fine, but gets a bit . . . [clicks tongue.] Same-y?
[ gu yun doesn't even get a chance to respond before he yelps, a burst of laughter immediate as he tries to squirm away from the tickling, hands tightening in molly's hair and pulling like he can get him to not be a menace - ] Pfft - stop, paws off of me!
[ how dare you reduce him to giggles! he like can't even talk well when this happens!!!!!! talking well is his thing!!!! ] Fine, fine, yes, that's fine - hahaha --!!
[he will not be stopped by something as weak as a little hair pulling, snorting a laugh of mean, mean, asshole amusement and continuing. mr. marquis of order can't make one purple tiefling do as he says so easily. tilting his head . . . ?]
[ gu yun is like, wheezing with laughter at this point, trying not to double over or like, slam himself into the table with his attempts at getting away, nearly squealing when he hits a particularly ticklish spot at his ribs. this is gu yun, terrifying and scary marquis of order, commander of a thousand men, getting his ass kicked by a tiefling with ticklish fingers.
he pulls harder like a five year old, trying to break free of his grip. there are tears in his eyes at this point, shoulders shaking with laughter. this is the worst. ] Mollymauk! [ FREE HIM!!! ]
[instantly pulling his hands away and standing up, putting a leg up on the chair and his hands on his hips to pose.]
Dragon Emperor Mollymauk, first of his name, let it be known that while I am great and terrible and can slay my enemies with but a single glance, I also know the meaning of mercy.
[He was in the middle of laughing so it comes out like hahah- urk! but he doesn't really stop laughing either, just slightly doubling over and losing his balance on the chair - not quite falling over but he does have to catch himself on the counter.]
[ as he finally starts to catch his breath, gu yun can feel something nagging at the edge of his consciousness. the sensation is familiar - a low thrum of what's going to be a headache, and, a debilitating one. the pain comes in a wave, as the clarity of his vision immediately wavers, and he closes his eyes, briefly, trying to pass it off as just recovering from being tickled. an hour passes so quickly, in good company. ]
...I think I may have to rain check on that plan of ours. [ gotta schedule your top session around your medicine side effect. ] Believe me when I say, I don't want to put out a terrible showing. All of these memories are starting to make my head spin.
[ the first wave of pain comes about a second later, the brutal ice pick of a migraine. his fingers flex briefly where he's settled his hands, and gu yun forces himself to sit up, giving molly his most charming, reassuring smile. hopefully. ]
No, no. [ that gets waved off immediately. the world seems to tilt and spin as the medicine starts to properly take hold. even standing up again makes his stomach lurch, and the world around him tips and spins, as dizziness threatens to knock gu yun off of his feet. he grasps the front of molly's shirt, steadying, and a wrinkle forms at his brow. ]
If you hurt me with that, I wouldn't be worthy of a single title I have. [ very casually. gu yun inhales, through his nose, out his mouth. ] - Just - it's just a headache. I get migraines. [ that's - it's not a lie, but it's not a full truth, either. it's the consequence of a medicine like his, one with great power at a great cost. his voice stays casual. nothing's wrong. everything's fine. ] I was expecting it.
[ also not a lie. he just lost track of time. it's an hour, an hour and a half at best, usually.
he needs to get out of the light and into somewhere dark and comfortable, and as soon as possible - especially with the nausea, which is an unholy new symptom that gu yun thinks is likely only a complication of this strange place they've found themselves in. so that's cool. ]
[He could be really weak to tickle damage! ONE NEVER KNOWS. Molly just reaches to support his arms, and then without really hesitating just moves to start frog-marching him to the bedroom - fortunately still the downstairs one a few steps away. There's a cat in here. There's a cat now? It's just curled up, sleeping on one of the pillows amongst some of mollys things.]
Move your ass, Frumpkin. Always in the fucking way.
[ the new friend seems offended, but hops off the bed before molly just dumps gu yun right onto his spot.]
[ there is a cat! gu yun is generally hated by most animals, tragically (not, he usually deserves it), and he's not paying much attention to it, instead pushing himself so he doesn't actually need to be frog marched - he can walk perfectly fine on his own - before he drops onto the bed.
it's honestly kind of a relief, to not be vertical. the world stops spinning quite as hard, as the pounding gets worse. molly's bed is becoming familiar, even if it's got things (and a cat) on it, and he huffs, somewhat surprisingly an obedient patient that does as he's told and lays down, lifting his arm to put it up and over his eyes.
gu yun is a little quieter than usual now because of it, pushing through any of the pain for his usual mannerisms of tone and lightness. ] We both got cats. [ he says, after a moment. and then, by way of explanation, reaches down with his other hand for his pocket, finding the black iron hufu tally in the shape of a palm sized tiger for inspection. ] Yours seems a bit more lively.
[Once he's down, molly just leans in to smooch him on the forehead and pat him on the cheek.]
Good boy.
[Then he moves to at least sit next to him, without turning the lights on, trying to stay relatively quiet. the things scattered seem to be mostly art supplies - a coloring book, carefully closed, some little delicate brushes and pots of ink and paint, tightly sealed so they don't spill on the blankets at least. molly just shoves it all aside to not be in the way.
inspecting the little offered tiger.]
Technically, it's not mine. Yours seems more obedient. What is it?
[ gu yun always runs cold, but when molly kisses his forehead, he will find it to be even colder than usual - another side effect of that medicine, it seems. there's something about the ingredients that make the body pretty unhappy, but, gu yun's beyond used to it. (really, it's the sweet if playful gesture that's more jarring.)
keeping his eyes closed, gu yun's thumb finds the seam on the center of the black tiger, splitting it into its two, flat halves for molly's inspection, like a puzzle piece. he speaks quietly, but no less steadily than usual. ] It's called a tally - the Black Tiger Emblem. It's a representation of my authority as the Marquis of Order, proving that I am acting on His Highnesses decrees and orders. It establishes my identity, too, so if someone tried to impersonate me, they wouldn't be able to properly.
[ it's a real fancy badge, more or less. ancient chinese security clearance. ] Here, it's just a trinket, though.
[molly just gets comfortable, laying on his side and reaching over to push hair behind gu yun's ears, at least unless he's pushed off or told to stop.]
Well, that's Frumpkin. Some sort of-- magic summon creature thing. Not exactly a cat. Caleb could do all kinds of little tricks with it. See through its eyes, use it to scout or spy, turn it into something useful like a bird or whatnot. Very attached to it. But now here it's just a cat that sheds hair on my things. So, just a trinket too.
[ no complaint here! in fact, getting nice touches while in a state like this isn't so new. maybe it's indulging, allowing someone to help you when you're miserable. (it certainly isn't very prideful. it certainly isn't that much like him.)
he hums, quietly, eyes staying closed, and head tipping just a tiny bit into those clever fingertips. ] Mn. Keeping the order of the whole country is my job. [ just like his dad! haha!
yea. anyway. the idea of a transforming cat thing seems completely ridiculous, but, then again, so does literally everything else magic and at this point, he's used to it. he just saw a talking one an hour ago. there's a brief moment where he opens an eye to try and locate the cat, but, even the faintest hint of low light makes his head feel like it's going to break in half, so, he closes them again. ] Interesting, to get something of a friend's. Caleb?
[Gluttony? No. Sloth, maybe. molly just keeps doing it since gu yun seems to be enjoying it, nails light against his scalp.]
Such a big and important man who deigns to roll about with me. I'd almost be intimidated if I weren't the Dragon Emperor.
[said in exactly the tone of voice of someone who is not at all intimidated by any of that. when he asks about his friend though, he hums, settling in a bit. gu yun probably can't see, but Frumpkin has found a new spot on the bed: on molly's folded coat at the foot of it, and molly is making a bit of a scowl about it.]
Caleb. Redhead? [He'd have been recognizable as one of the faces in his memory at that speakeasy, heavy coat and anxious expression.] Uh-- Wizard. You know the ty-- or. I suppose you don't. Better with books than people. Goes funny colors when someone bright and shiny gets too close. Turns the occasional ne'er-do-well to ash. [sniff.] Very, very attached to that cat. So that's two of the Nein I have to get out of this fucking place. Great!
[ that feels. really nice actually. he turns his face into the pillows - by now, the smell of them's familiar and it's something to focus on instead of how hard his head's pounding. he's quiet again, and then, muffled from the material of the pillowcase, as dry as the fucking desert: ] This humble servant is ever pleased to serve and protect his highness how he sees fit.
[ even down and out with a migraine, gu yun can still make terrible commentary like that. he's probably not going to be able to look emperor li feng in the face when this is over, but it's fine. i know i clowned myself about writing a filial piety kink thread week 0 and it is continuing to taunt me.
anyway!!! we're not focusing on that right now. instead, gu yun tries to remember, pulling the scattered pieces of his thoughts back towards molly's memory. redhead... he thinks he remembers? it's fuzzy. he makes a noise of affirmation, though, nodding along. ] Are there nine of you, then...? And a cat.
[molly is definitely the queer tarot friend who is also very into incense. the room smells of like. nag champa. whatever the bath bombs smell like. someone using too much lavender soap because they don't understand fancy shower gels and are just having a great time wasting it.]
I'll have to find a good enough outfit for a royal . . .
[He chuckles to himself at that. yeah. really clowned yourself right into the clown grave on that one (clrave?). molly has taken Notes. he settles down himself because it's dark and quiet in here and he slept really well on sunday night, but it's been spotty since then. might as well. mostly muttering answers back now.]
[ that is so many smells for his dog nose it's a good thing you're cute
anyway. molly's tone settling into something quieter helps, too - the dreamy mix of scent in the room smells a little bit like the tranquilizer pouch that chang geng carries around to deal with his nightmares. the pain comes in pulses - in, out, in, and out - and he breathes along with it, lifting his hand once to slide the black tiger emblem back into his pocket and then letting it fall into place on the pillow. ]
That's not how you count. [ seven =/= nine, mister nine sided!!! this is just as muffled as before, and gu yun lets himself drift, listening to the soft timber of molly's voice. ] Tell me about the others. Jester... Beau, Caleb. You. Cat. Who else?
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eventually, he runs his fingers back into molly's hair. this position is becoming familiar, it seems; gu yun's quiet for a little longer, glancing out at the room at large. ]
...He'd be rolling over in his grave if he could see me right now, the old bastard. [ this is?? surprisingly lighthearted? after that??? his coping mechanisms, ] I learned to stand up perfectly fine, and now I'm here, lying back and thinking of Great Liang. How's that for service to your country?
[ terrible. ]
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Lying back? Is that what you do? [is this an appropriate joke for the moment? well, it's fine.] Let him roll, the bastard. Let all bastards from our shite memories roll in their graves, while we're here, perfectly upright and alive.
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it's completely inappropriate, but that's why he made it in the first place. ] Wouldn't you know? [ gu yun's shitty grin turns to a laugh, softer and less gremlin, as he continues playing with those curls, fingers occasionally finding chains or baubles off of his horns, just for the sensation of the touch. all rather nice. ]
Cheers to that, though. [ time to box that old memory back up into the trauma shelf where it belongs! ] I've done rather enough reminiscing, but I've decided I'd also like to have the fish and the bear's paw all at once, so think I'll take my chances and stick around.
[ he ruffles up those purple curls a bit, just because he can. ruffle ruffle. ]
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Suppose I would. Though I thought you suggested you'd like to ride something . . . what was it again?
[Humming, content, letting some of the trauma and anxiety of the past few hours fade off, leaning into this feeling rather than submitting to the ordeal of being known. maybe a little reward of being loved, as a treat.]
Fish and-- Bear's paw? Sorry, I can normally follow your funny little twists of phrase, but you'll have to lay that one out for me.
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Hmmm. Bear's paw is a delicacy, usually reserved for the wealthy. Fish is eaten for good fortune at the New Year. They're both expensive to the average family. [ gu yun explains, tilting his head to try to try and make the forced switch of language - ] Yú yǔ xióng zhǎng bù kě jiān dé. Can't have the fish and the bear's paw at the same time.
[ can't have your cake and eat it too! amazing.
there's a pause, still running his fingers through molly's hair, and in that same, i'm-teaching-something tone ] Riding your ass all the way to the grave, I believe? Can't remember every clever thing I always say. [ ufufufu. ]
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[Looking up at him, putting on a very i am being taught face, though there's something a little mocking in it, suggesting perhaps he is a difficult student.]
Oh, yes, that's the one. [meanly, because now he knows this secret, shoving a hand to one of those ticklish spots recently discovered.] You want to? Most everyone here wants me to be on top, which is fine, but gets a bit . . . [clicks tongue.] Same-y?
[thot,]
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[ how dare you reduce him to giggles! he like can't even talk well when this happens!!!!!! talking well is his thing!!!! ] Fine, fine, yes, that's fine - hahaha --!!
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[he will not be stopped by something as weak as a little hair pulling, snorting a laugh of mean, mean, asshole amusement and continuing. mr. marquis of order can't make one purple tiefling do as he says so easily. tilting his head . . . ?]
Mm?
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he pulls harder like a five year old, trying to break free of his grip. there are tears in his eyes at this point, shoulders shaking with laughter. this is the worst. ] Mollymauk! [ FREE HIM!!! ]
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[instantly pulling his hands away and standing up, putting a leg up on the chair and his hands on his hips to pose.]
Dragon Emperor Mollymauk, first of his name, let it be known that while I am great and terrible and can slay my enemies with but a single glance, I also know the meaning of mercy.
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gu yun immediately elbows him in the gut ]
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Fuck you! Sore loser.
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[ as he finally starts to catch his breath, gu yun can feel something nagging at the edge of his consciousness. the sensation is familiar - a low thrum of what's going to be a headache, and, a debilitating one. the pain comes in a wave, as the clarity of his vision immediately wavers, and he closes his eyes, briefly, trying to pass it off as just recovering from being tickled. an hour passes so quickly, in good company. ]
...I think I may have to rain check on that plan of ours. [ gotta schedule your top session around your medicine side effect. ] Believe me when I say, I don't want to put out a terrible showing. All of these memories are starting to make my head spin.
[ the first wave of pain comes about a second later, the brutal ice pick of a migraine. his fingers flex briefly where he's settled his hands, and gu yun forces himself to sit up, giving molly his most charming, reassuring smile. hopefully. ]
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Of course, yeah-- I didn't hurt you, right? Fuck, sorry--
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If you hurt me with that, I wouldn't be worthy of a single title I have. [ very casually. gu yun inhales, through his nose, out his mouth. ] - Just - it's just a headache. I get migraines. [ that's - it's not a lie, but it's not a full truth, either. it's the consequence of a medicine like his, one with great power at a great cost. his voice stays casual. nothing's wrong. everything's fine. ] I was expecting it.
[ also not a lie. he just lost track of time. it's an hour, an hour and a half at best, usually.
he needs to get out of the light and into somewhere dark and comfortable, and as soon as possible - especially with the nausea, which is an unholy new symptom that gu yun thinks is likely only a complication of this strange place they've found themselves in. so that's cool. ]
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[He could be really weak to tickle damage! ONE NEVER KNOWS. Molly just reaches to support his arms, and then without really hesitating just moves to start frog-marching him to the bedroom - fortunately still the downstairs one a few steps away. There's a cat in here. There's a cat now? It's just curled up, sleeping on one of the pillows amongst some of mollys things.]
Move your ass, Frumpkin. Always in the fucking way.
[ the new friend seems offended, but hops off the bed before molly just dumps gu yun right onto his spot.]
There.
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it's honestly kind of a relief, to not be vertical. the world stops spinning quite as hard, as the pounding gets worse. molly's bed is becoming familiar, even if it's got things (and a cat) on it, and he huffs, somewhat surprisingly an obedient patient that does as he's told and lays down, lifting his arm to put it up and over his eyes.
gu yun is a little quieter than usual now because of it, pushing through any of the pain for his usual mannerisms of tone and lightness. ] We both got cats. [ he says, after a moment. and then, by way of explanation, reaches down with his other hand for his pocket, finding the black iron hufu tally in the shape of a palm sized tiger for inspection. ] Yours seems a bit more lively.
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Good boy.
[Then he moves to at least sit next to him, without turning the lights on, trying to stay relatively quiet. the things scattered seem to be mostly art supplies - a coloring book, carefully closed, some little delicate brushes and pots of ink and paint, tightly sealed so they don't spill on the blankets at least. molly just shoves it all aside to not be in the way.
inspecting the little offered tiger.]
Technically, it's not mine. Yours seems more obedient. What is it?
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keeping his eyes closed, gu yun's thumb finds the seam on the center of the black tiger, splitting it into its two, flat halves for molly's inspection, like a puzzle piece. he speaks quietly, but no less steadily than usual. ] It's called a tally - the Black Tiger Emblem. It's a representation of my authority as the Marquis of Order, proving that I am acting on His Highnesses decrees and orders. It establishes my identity, too, so if someone tried to impersonate me, they wouldn't be able to properly.
[ it's a real fancy badge, more or less. ancient chinese security clearance. ] Here, it's just a trinket, though.
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[molly just gets comfortable, laying on his side and reaching over to push hair behind gu yun's ears, at least unless he's pushed off or told to stop.]
Well, that's Frumpkin. Some sort of-- magic summon creature thing. Not exactly a cat. Caleb could do all kinds of little tricks with it. See through its eyes, use it to scout or spy, turn it into something useful like a bird or whatnot. Very attached to it. But now here it's just a cat that sheds hair on my things. So, just a trinket too.
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he hums, quietly, eyes staying closed, and head tipping just a tiny bit into those clever fingertips. ] Mn. Keeping the order of the whole country is my job. [ just like his dad! haha!
yea. anyway. the idea of a transforming cat thing seems completely ridiculous, but, then again, so does literally everything else magic and at this point, he's used to it. he just saw a talking one an hour ago. there's a brief moment where he opens an eye to try and locate the cat, but, even the faintest hint of low light makes his head feel like it's going to break in half, so, he closes them again. ] Interesting, to get something of a friend's. Caleb?
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Such a big and important man who deigns to roll about with me. I'd almost be intimidated if I weren't the Dragon Emperor.
[said in exactly the tone of voice of someone who is not at all intimidated by any of that. when he asks about his friend though, he hums, settling in a bit. gu yun probably can't see, but Frumpkin has found a new spot on the bed: on molly's folded coat at the foot of it, and molly is making a bit of a scowl about it.]
Caleb. Redhead? [He'd have been recognizable as one of the faces in his memory at that speakeasy, heavy coat and anxious expression.] Uh-- Wizard. You know the ty-- or. I suppose you don't. Better with books than people. Goes funny colors when someone bright and shiny gets too close. Turns the occasional ne'er-do-well to ash. [sniff.] Very, very attached to that cat. So that's two of the Nein I have to get out of this fucking place. Great!
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[ even down and out with a migraine, gu yun can still make terrible commentary like that. he's probably not going to be able to look emperor li feng in the face when this is over, but it's fine. i know i clowned myself about writing a filial piety kink thread week 0 and it is continuing to taunt me.
anyway!!! we're not focusing on that right now. instead, gu yun tries to remember, pulling the scattered pieces of his thoughts back towards molly's memory. redhead... he thinks he remembers? it's fuzzy. he makes a noise of affirmation, though, nodding along. ] Are there nine of you, then...? And a cat.
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I'll have to find a good enough outfit for a royal . . .
[He chuckles to himself at that. yeah. really clowned yourself right into the clown grave on that one (clrave?). molly has taken Notes. he settles down himself because it's dark and quiet in here and he slept really well on sunday night, but it's been spotty since then. might as well. mostly muttering answers back now.]
Seven. [what.] And a cat.
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anyway. molly's tone settling into something quieter helps, too - the dreamy mix of scent in the room smells a little bit like the tranquilizer pouch that chang geng carries around to deal with his nightmares. the pain comes in pulses - in, out, in, and out - and he breathes along with it, lifting his hand once to slide the black tiger emblem back into his pocket and then letting it fall into place on the pillow. ]
That's not how you count. [ seven =/= nine, mister nine sided!!! this is just as muffled as before, and gu yun lets himself drift, listening to the soft timber of molly's voice. ] Tell me about the others. Jester... Beau, Caleb. You. Cat. Who else?
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