I cannot believe you think I'd rely on pity for such a thing! Yes, yes, until after the flowers and jewelry, you'll ride me to the grave about it, I know, I know. [ with a laugh, gu yun shifts, leaning back against the wall again. his useless hand stays in molly's for now, as he tilts his head back and grins up at the ceiling for a moment.
there's a pause, and then, thoughtfully: ]
...Have I ever told you, I've got more names than just that? I'm not talking about titles.
The first is my milk name - Shiliu. Typically, in Great Liang, you wait to name a child for a little while, until a name is settled upon by the family, based on personality and the like. You can't just leave a child running around nameless, so, a name is picked to keep the child from being eaten by ghosts or something along those lines. I was born on the sixteenth day of the first month, so my milk name simply means "sixteen". I still use it as an alias, occasionally. [ they have number names in common! sixteen is kind of a stupid name but that is in fact the point of a milk name, so. sixteen. ]
Secondly, my father named me Gu Yun - my given name. The "Yun" carries the character for "sunlight" within it - the idea was that I was going to carry the legacy of the Gu family forward, casting it eternally in light, as my father had done before me.
[ the irony of him being blinded? not lost on him here! as molly's seen, gu yun's father wasn't exactly the kindest man in the world, though it's hard to read any of gu yun's particular feelings on that situation as he tells the story. ]
Thirdly, it is tradition that when a young person reaches adulthood, they receive a third name from their parents, called a courtesy name. It's the name you're supposed to be called by your peers and coworkers, signifying respect and adulthood - something of a coming of age ceremony. It also denotes distance, because its the more formal name.
[ .... ]
My parents died when I was nine, and I didn't have anyone left, short of an older cousin, after that. When I hit twenty, I was out on the battlefield, anyway, so I named myself for it. I chose Zixi - closer to "daybreak", or "dawn".
[ it sounds sort of arrogant, if you don't know gu yun, and certainly fits his reputation--the great commander, marquis of order, bucking tradition like it means nothing. however, it's more that he didn't want to throw away the name, and the legacy he was given - and that there was just no sense in sticking to the tradition when he had no family left to go with it. ]
I rather like it, Zixi. Only a few people call me by it - [ his second in command. a couple people here. ] - so I suppose I've bucked tradition in that regard.
[molly will just seat himself next to gu yun, listening, a little fascinating by all of these names and their stories. he loves this? gu yun is so intriguing all the time, his myriad names, his myriad faces.]
Shiliu. Gu Yun. Zixi. [He's very careful to pronounce them all correctly! they don't seem to trip him up though. He pauses on the last one. Dawn.] I-- I like names chosen for yourself. Something special about that, yes?
What would you prefer to be called, then. That's important too.
That's up to you. [ public or private, that is. it doesn't really matter to gu yun either way. there's a pause, and he quips, playfully - ] You're welcome to call me Marquis in bed, if you're feeling particularly wanting for something more scandalous.
[ then grins, playful and pleased with himself as the extremely platonic kiss to his temple comes. his forehead's a bit cold as ever, and easily and very platonically, he scoots a bit closer to fit into the space created, having to compensate for the lack of feeling in his arm in the process. ]
It's your name, though, isn't it? Molly. Mollymauk. [ it's an interesting name, unlike one he's ever heard before. unique, fascinating, like molly himself. gu yun likes the sound of it, the feel of it. (it reminds him of the memories shared just earlier in the week - of nonagon, of lucien -- but it will come in time. gu yun promised to be patient.) ] Besides, if you're only two, surely you'll get a courtesy name in time.
[uh huh so that's the shit you're into zixi, molly has perceived.
he just gets comfortable, legs swinging a bit, tail idly swaying.]
And that's an exciting prospect! I'll have to think of something really good, but I suppose I've got a while to think on it. Don't exactly have parents to give one to me either. But for now, yes, just Mollymauk. Molly to my friends. [literally everyone.] I-- Gustav, the carnival master, came up with it for me. Back when I didn't have one.
I am feeling rather less under the weather. If my arm's back to normal tomorrow, we ought to have evening plans.
[ this comes with an eyebrow wiggle and a wink. i dont actually know if that's what he's into and neither does he so there's that.
anyway. gu yun watches molly's movements, eyes tracking down towards his tail. he's starting to get used to him having a tail, kind of, but it draws his attention anyway, and he hums, listening. ]
It's a name that suits you. And, if it's a name you like hearing others call [ gu yun, zixi - both names gu yun likes to hear. ] - then, that's what matters. Do you know why he chose it?
[get it. a thing that requires both reading and writing. ... the tail starts going a little faster at the question, but. he doesn't pause all that much. just starting to Get Into Things as it were.]
Because he's not very good at listening. [laughing like that's actually funny? At this point, he does pause, leaning back on his arms and doing his best to appear as casual as possible, though he's looking more straight ahead than at gu yun at this point.]
He heard M.T. when all I could say was empty. Suppose he thought it might be important to me, initials or some such, when he had to falsify the papers. Or just some private joke of his.
gu yun glances at him for a second longer, as he realizes where this is going, then turns his head back away, looking down at their hands. molly's very casual, yes, and gu yun's doing nothing to point it out, expression instead moving into something thoughtful. ]
And so, Mollymauk Tealeaf came from that. [ ... ] Doesn't feel a very empty name to me.
You've made it your own, haven't you? Like everything else. [ and there's nothing particularly empty about that, either. nothing particularly empty about molly at all, with his wit, his charm, his endless stories, his thousand color coat and his company. he wants to ask - why empty, wants to know the details, to dig in and understand, but he holds off, for now, patient, and listening for what molly's ready to give. ]
[ snerk. poor pride. he can almost hear them saying it, all grumpy. mollymauk! etc, etc. ]
So there you have it. In Great Liangese, you may have ended up A-xu, for a name like that. [ "阿虛", empty, anyway. ] Mollymauk is much preferred, though it sounds like nothing I'd ever heard before I came here.
[ with a laugh - ] Then again, that's rather the norm when it comes to you.
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[molly just twists into a sharper grin at that as well, an edge of those pointed teeth showing at the edges.]
Fishing for compliments is what I'd say.
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Is it working?
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[no.]
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I cannot believe you think I'd rely on pity for such a thing! Yes, yes, until after the flowers and jewelry, you'll ride me to the grave about it, I know, I know. [ with a laugh, gu yun shifts, leaning back against the wall again. his useless hand stays in molly's for now, as he tilts his head back and grins up at the ceiling for a moment.
there's a pause, and then, thoughtfully: ]
...Have I ever told you, I've got more names than just that? I'm not talking about titles.
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The first is my milk name - Shiliu. Typically, in Great Liang, you wait to name a child for a little while, until a name is settled upon by the family, based on personality and the like. You can't just leave a child running around nameless, so, a name is picked to keep the child from being eaten by ghosts or something along those lines. I was born on the sixteenth day of the first month, so my milk name simply means "sixteen". I still use it as an alias, occasionally. [ they have number names in common! sixteen is kind of a stupid name but that is in fact the point of a milk name, so. sixteen. ]
Secondly, my father named me Gu Yun - my given name. The "Yun" carries the character for "sunlight" within it - the idea was that I was going to carry the legacy of the Gu family forward, casting it eternally in light, as my father had done before me.
[ the irony of him being blinded? not lost on him here! as molly's seen, gu yun's father wasn't exactly the kindest man in the world, though it's hard to read any of gu yun's particular feelings on that situation as he tells the story. ]
Thirdly, it is tradition that when a young person reaches adulthood, they receive a third name from their parents, called a courtesy name. It's the name you're supposed to be called by your peers and coworkers, signifying respect and adulthood - something of a coming of age ceremony. It also denotes distance, because its the more formal name.
[ .... ]
My parents died when I was nine, and I didn't have anyone left, short of an older cousin, after that. When I hit twenty, I was out on the battlefield, anyway, so I named myself for it. I chose Zixi - closer to "daybreak", or "dawn".
[ it sounds sort of arrogant, if you don't know gu yun, and certainly fits his reputation--the great commander, marquis of order, bucking tradition like it means nothing. however, it's more that he didn't want to throw away the name, and the legacy he was given - and that there was just no sense in sticking to the tradition when he had no family left to go with it. ]
I rather like it, Zixi. Only a few people call me by it - [ his second in command. a couple people here. ] - so I suppose I've bucked tradition in that regard.
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Shiliu. Gu Yun. Zixi. [He's very careful to pronounce them all correctly! they don't seem to trip him up though. He pauses on the last one. Dawn.] I-- I like names chosen for yourself. Something special about that, yes?
What would you prefer to be called, then. That's important too.
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and, honestly, it's not really a hard one to make. ]
Zixi.
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[Or is it private only. Leaning over to kiss him on the temple, just briefly and socially. Nothing not friendly about it!]
Does make me seem a bit sorry in comparison, though. I've only the one name, and you already know it.
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[ then grins, playful and pleased with himself as the extremely platonic kiss to his temple comes. his forehead's a bit cold as ever, and easily and very platonically, he scoots a bit closer to fit into the space created, having to compensate for the lack of feeling in his arm in the process. ]
It's your name, though, isn't it? Molly. Mollymauk. [ it's an interesting name, unlike one he's ever heard before. unique, fascinating, like molly himself. gu yun likes the sound of it, the feel of it. (it reminds him of the memories shared just earlier in the week - of nonagon, of lucien -- but it will come in time. gu yun promised to be patient.) ] Besides, if you're only two, surely you'll get a courtesy name in time.
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[uh huh so that's the shit you're into zixi, molly has perceived.
he just gets comfortable, legs swinging a bit, tail idly swaying.]
And that's an exciting prospect! I'll have to think of something really good, but I suppose I've got a while to think on it. Don't exactly have parents to give one to me either. But for now, yes, just Mollymauk. Molly to my friends. [literally everyone.] I-- Gustav, the carnival master, came up with it for me. Back when I didn't have one.
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[ this comes with an eyebrow wiggle and a wink. i dont actually know if that's what he's into and neither does he so there's that.
anyway. gu yun watches molly's movements, eyes tracking down towards his tail. he's starting to get used to him having a tail, kind of, but it draws his attention anyway, and he hums, listening. ]
It's a name that suits you. And, if it's a name you like hearing others call [ gu yun, zixi - both names gu yun likes to hear. ] - then, that's what matters. Do you know why he chose it?
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[get it. a thing that requires both reading and writing. ... the tail starts going a little faster at the question, but. he doesn't pause all that much. just starting to Get Into Things as it were.]
Because he's not very good at listening. [laughing like that's actually funny? At this point, he does pause, leaning back on his arms and doing his best to appear as casual as possible, though he's looking more straight ahead than at gu yun at this point.]
He heard M.T. when all I could say was empty. Suppose he thought it might be important to me, initials or some such, when he had to falsify the papers. Or just some private joke of his.
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gu yun glances at him for a second longer, as he realizes where this is going, then turns his head back away, looking down at their hands. molly's very casual, yes, and gu yun's doing nothing to point it out, expression instead moving into something thoughtful. ]
And so, Mollymauk Tealeaf came from that. [ ... ] Doesn't feel a very empty name to me.
You've made it your own, haven't you? Like everything else. [ and there's nothing particularly empty about that, either. nothing particularly empty about molly at all, with his wit, his charm, his endless stories, his thousand color coat and his company. he wants to ask - why empty, wants to know the details, to dig in and understand, but he holds off, for now, patient, and listening for what molly's ready to give. ]
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That I certainly have! I think it fits, at any rate. Bright, colorful, makes Pride look very silly when they say it aloud, the perfect name, really.
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So there you have it. In Great Liangese, you may have ended up A-xu, for a name like that. [ "阿虛", empty, anyway. ] Mollymauk is much preferred, though it sounds like nothing I'd ever heard before I came here.
[ with a laugh - ] Then again, that's rather the norm when it comes to you.