[ 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?
[He just huffs. It's not n-i-n-e it's n-e-i-n and he's sure there was a joke somewhere since he's the one that helped come up with the name but he is too tired to remember it. it seemed really funny at the time.]
Let's see. Oh-- I haven't go on about my beloved Yasha? The charm of the whole group. My true love. Apparently, she's an angel. I mean, I knew that, of course she is an angel, but like an actual angel.
Hmmm. [ even quieter, now, cheek turning further into the pillow itself. the way i had to wonder if he actually would know what a typical angel is? hate it. (the answer is yes.) there's a soft noise, a huff of a laugh. ] Are there any sorts of creatures of myth that aren't in your realm, Molly...?
What's an angel like? [ just keep talking, honestly, the hair petting and the smooth timber of his voice alike are both kind of great. keeping up conversation like this isn't easy - but he can listen, and right now, he's going to take advantage of that while he can. ]
You're asking someone demon-blooded, friend. I don't know how to answer that.
[The answer is. no. probably most myths are hanging around somewhere. He hums, thinking about the second part.]
Got no idea what other angels are like. Only ever met Yasha, and Beau's the one that told me that news. We didn't know she was anything at all. She had those-- skeleton wings, but I never pried. That's her business. But I can tell you what she's like. She's lovely, I mean it! Buckets and buckets of charm. Great big fuck off sword. Wonderful friend to bring to a party, because you never lose her. Bit shy. She joined the carnival a bit after I did, she, ah-- had a bit of a go of it too. So we helped each other. I'm weird, she was weird, we could be weird together. I could practice all the talking I wanted and in return I'd find her flowers.
Got one to bring back to her and everything. Figured I needed gifts. Smooth things over. Sorry for dying and all that.
[ it becomes blatantly obvious that gu yun is starting to doze off in the middle of this story. not because he's not listening - he's listening! - but molly's voice is quietly soothing and helps the pain, makes it feel like the chills crawling over the top of his scalp have started to lessen. he keeps his eyes closed, cheek pressed gently to the pillow, expression softening with each sentence.
eventually, a little blearily: ]
Mnm...girls like flowers. Makes sense. [ sneepy... ]
[That's fine, it's the point of the gentle rambling anyway. molly laughs a bit at that though, a gentle reminder of someone else saying exactly the same thing. just a nice little memory. He'll just keep on talking then, all the better that no one is really listening.]
Beau told me that they're going on a date or something apparently. Good for them. It's part of the reason I have to bring Beau back, you know-- Yasha's lost enough in her life. I won't be responsible for her losing one more person. Beau is different now. [he's speaking as if she's not. well.] She's mature and helpful and cares about things. So I think they've earned that together. She says that Yasha is doing so well. I'm a little jealous. I didn't get to see any of it, I've missed-- I don't know. Fucking everything. But I'm really happy to hear it. She deserves the whole world.
[ he's in and out through this little story - something about beau, something about his group, that last little bit about missing everything. the combination of the smell and the timber of his voice, the comfortable, familiar bed; all little indulgent luxuries, little things he normally would never get to have.
it makes it easy, to feel well rested enough to let it be.
whatever reply he has is almost nonsensical - there's a mumble, maybe something that sounds close to 'beau', but, the rest of the sentence is gone. with a last nuzzle of his cheek into the pillow, gu yun's fast asleep. zzzzz ]
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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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Let's see. Oh-- I haven't go on about my beloved Yasha? The charm of the whole group. My true love. Apparently, she's an angel. I mean, I knew that, of course she is an angel, but like an actual angel.
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What's an angel like? [ just keep talking, honestly, the hair petting and the smooth timber of his voice alike are both kind of great. keeping up conversation like this isn't easy - but he can listen, and right now, he's going to take advantage of that while he can. ]
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[The answer is. no. probably most myths are hanging around somewhere. He hums, thinking about the second part.]
Got no idea what other angels are like. Only ever met Yasha, and Beau's the one that told me that news. We didn't know she was anything at all. She had those-- skeleton wings, but I never pried. That's her business. But I can tell you what she's like. She's lovely, I mean it! Buckets and buckets of charm. Great big fuck off sword. Wonderful friend to bring to a party, because you never lose her. Bit shy. She joined the carnival a bit after I did, she, ah-- had a bit of a go of it too. So we helped each other. I'm weird, she was weird, we could be weird together. I could practice all the talking I wanted and in return I'd find her flowers.
Got one to bring back to her and everything. Figured I needed gifts. Smooth things over. Sorry for dying and all that.
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eventually, a little blearily: ]
Mnm...girls like flowers. Makes sense. [ sneepy... ]
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[That's fine, it's the point of the gentle rambling anyway. molly laughs a bit at that though, a gentle reminder of someone else saying exactly the same thing. just a nice little memory. He'll just keep on talking then, all the better that no one is really listening.]
Beau told me that they're going on a date or something apparently. Good for them. It's part of the reason I have to bring Beau back, you know-- Yasha's lost enough in her life. I won't be responsible for her losing one more person. Beau is different now. [he's speaking as if she's not. well.] She's mature and helpful and cares about things. So I think they've earned that together. She says that Yasha is doing so well. I'm a little jealous. I didn't get to see any of it, I've missed-- I don't know. Fucking everything. But I'm really happy to hear it. She deserves the whole world.
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it makes it easy, to feel well rested enough to let it be.
whatever reply he has is almost nonsensical - there's a mumble, maybe something that sounds close to 'beau', but, the rest of the sentence is gone. with a last nuzzle of his cheek into the pillow, gu yun's fast asleep. zzzzz ]