Video; UN: moxuanyu

[noenvy]

[The user can't be seen just yet but he can be heard. The camera is pointed at a large soaking tub in a modern bathroom and the speaker seems overly excited about it all.]

Look at this! It's quite amazing, isn't it? The water is right there, just with a twist.

[A hand reaches out to turn a nob and water rushes out.]

Both hot and cold! It's genius!

Do you think this is easy to break? It looks quite sturdy.

Oh! This is exciting! What great things this place has! I want to try it out!

Comments

[noenvy]

So mean!

How can I not play? You ask too much of me.

But! Since you ask, I'll do my best to behave, alright? I'm going to try, and do my best, so don't get mad if I lapse, because I can only do so much, alright?

[downswing]

Do not exert yourself.

[noenvy]

Then I guess I will just have to play!

[firebranding]

[And Guangyao pauses, for just a moment, because he remembers his promise to the younger Wangji all too clearly, the oath he’d given on the shedding (metaphorically, perhaps) of his own blood.

Wei Wuxian was not much more than a piece in the chess game in Huaisang’s grasp, no more so than anyone else has been. Or even he had been.

He glances down and closes his eyes briefly, taking a breath and exhaling slowly with a tired, resigned sigh.]

If Hanguang-jun is happy, Zewu-Jun is content, and his mood matters very much to me.

I have no wish to quarrel with you.

[downswing]

Be welcome.

[noenvy]

I didn't think this was quarreling.

[Was there a reason for them to quarrel? Well, beyond being rather terrible, but, Wei Wuxian can't fault a person and their bad decisions. The entire thing could have been handled differently, but ultimately the end result had been out of his hands.

Out of everyone's hands, other than the orchestrator.]

Zewu-Jun looked much better than he did. The fact you care about that I'm almost surprised.

Perhaps things can change.

[Though was he really that surprised? Had he not spared him last minute?]

[noenvy]

Thank you for allowing me to play Hanguang-Jun~

Do you have any more questions, are did you get bored?

[downswing]

I know you now, 'Mo Xuanyu', 'Yiling patriarch'.

No questions.

[noenvy]

You don't have to call me that....

[Time and place was important, and it felt bad in this context.]

[firebranding]

[he does seem a bit pleased to hear that Xichen looks better—he’s thought so too, after all, but it’s better to hear it from an outside source.

And then he looks amused, voicing that very thought.] Is it that surprising?

What do you last recall, Wei Wuxian?

[noenvy]

The last thing?

Nothing you would be able to reference. It's been some time since your debt was forced from you. But, I know the temple and beyond.

[resurging]

we are good friends, and we have bonded through our trials and... well, injuries. so you keep your shameless mouth from insulting lan zhan's honor! i will fight you if i have to!

[noenvy]

I would never insult Lan Zhan's honor!

[Most the time.]

But you must tell me of your trials, else how will I know the great closeness of your friendship?

[firebranding]

Forced from me. [He echoes in a murmur, but he doesn’t refute it. He supposes that’s really not the wrong way to go about looking at it at all, after all.

Then he knows everything then. Which doesn’t bode well for this meeting with Jin Ling. Fuck. At least he’s reasonably sure Jin Ling won’t be looking back at this any time soon, so.]

And do you consider the debt repaid?

[noenvy]

It's not my debt to judge.

You did a lot of good, but you paved for it in blood. Your name will forever be dragged in the mud regardless of those things.

I'll hold my opinions and only think of what I have personally experienced and learned.

I do think you deserve a little better than you got in the public eye, however.

[firebranding]

[He figured as much.] And no one will care or remember the good things I did, or that they should be attributed to me.

[What was even the point of it all then? Would it have been better to be as blatantly blasphemous as Wei Wuxian had ended up being? Or his own father? Hell, they barely spoke of Wen Ruohan anymore either.

Wei Wuxian’s last statement is a surprise, though a mildly pleasant one, and he regards the other man with a quiet thoughtfulness. After a moment he lowers his gaze and bows his head, this time more seriously and with none of the traces of mockery from before.] ...Thank you.

I am... [He trails off, not entirely sure how to explain what it is he’s doing here. Reforming?] Attempting something new, here in this world.

[inheritedpain]

[ Jin Ling is already there - he was out running with Fairy - and he instructs her to go sit in a bush and wait patiently so that she doesn't scare off his target.

He's all riled up, every feeling he's kept tightly bottled since Jiang Cheng made him swear not to harm or reveal the future to Wei Wuxian all starting to rip out of him at once. He's been struggling with his feelings about Wei Wuxian since he arrived here, without any real outlet to let them out, and yet here he's presented with one:

Told by Wei Wuxian to beat up his double. An act of devotion and an act of hate at the same time.

It would satisfy so many of his twisted feelings.

So he paces restlessly while he waits for the man to arrive, back and force like a cornered tiger, churning over everything in his mind. ]

[noenvy]

[He was all too familiar how the public opinion could greatly differ from the person themselves. He remembers all the rumors of his own deeds and still has to listen to them from time to time. It was only a small blessing that the cultivation world decided to latch onto a new public enemy to vilify and decided he was worth being in their good graces again.]

A second life can open the eyes. Don't waste this chance to do better.

If just because Zewu-Jun deserves that much.

[resurging]

hah, you're funny, like i'd tell about such things to a complete stranger! mo xuanyu, you better treat lan zhan with the respect he deserves or else!

[noenvy]

[He really is bewildered by it. Perhaps Jin Ling was from an awkward time? That would make the most sense.

He showed up without too much delay, he had ChenQing tucked into his belt but his sword was left at home. It was mostly useless to him anyway. In his hands, he had some sort of snack on a stick he was chewing at.

When he got close enough he waved and then pointed it towards Jin Ling.]

Want some?

[noenvy]

Waah!

This is already annoying.

Go ask about me, go do it. Let's see what he says.

[Actually, wait. He wasn't sure what he would say. That was probably a bad idea.]

Or...

Fine, I take it back, it was a joke. I'm just playing around. This mouth can't help but run and run and I accept the consequences of my actions.

[firebranding]

He does. [That he can agree readily to.] He deserves— much more than that too. And I... will lapse. [Somehow it’s a bit easier to admit as much to Wei Wuxian, who had also climbed and fallen only to be climbing again, in a better way.

He doesn’t want to think he’d actually to look at Wei Wuxian as anything like a role model, and there are too many differences between their circumstances to really truly compare, but... Well, maybe he can get it a little more than others, in one way or another.]

I will lapse and there will be setbacks, I am not so arrogant to believe there will be no hardships. But I have sworn I would never intentionally hurt him. And I will abide by that as best I can.

[And perhaps he says as much because it’d be nice for someone who knows to believe as much. He doesn’t think, for all Xichen might say, that even he fully believes Guangyao.]

You made a second life look so easy, surely I can follow suit. [He lightens his tone, just a little.]

[noenvy]

I was lucky.

[Because someone was there waiting for him... even if it took all of that to realize he had never been alone.]

But, perhaps with the removal of the politics of the cultivation world, you will find your efforts easier?

[If there was no social ladder to climb, would you bother with half the things you did? With lies laid bear can't one start over again?]

I think if you are simply honest it will be a big step forward.

Retroactively I’m going to pretend he’s put a lock in place to keep this away from Jin Ling only

[firebranding]

[He certainly thinks that’s true. There’s nothing he can truly hope to do here—he is nothing and no one and not a soul except for the few from their world and their time really care.]

It’s a bit... Freeing. It’s less like having a noose around my neck that’s waiting to tighten if I wobble too far from anyone’s favor. [Well okay there is still one noose and its name is Lan Wangji. But that’s a bit easier to navigate around than the entire cultivation world.

But honesty... he hesitates a moment; it’s a seldom seen look on him to be sure.]

Jin Ling... Does not know anything. He’s from before the temple. I believe he knows that I’m hiding something from him now, that I have...died, but I don’t believe he knows the whole truth of it.

[A pause, he doesn’t want to plead, he’s still got some pride, but—] I will tell him everything in due time. I have promised as much, to both him and to Xichen, and intend to do so. I... [Here he sort of smiles, as if exasperated]

I am still a selfish man, Wei Wuxian. I do not want to give up my nephew’s affection so easily, and I’m not ready yet to tell him. I will. [Another pause.] I know he is going to meet with you, so I humbly ask, though I know I am in no position to ask such things of you, that you don’t mention what I’ve done. Not yet.

Whole thread locked then!

[noenvy]

If he asks me something I will answer it honestly. But, I will at least give you that I won't offer information needlessly.

[But there was something to consider.]

And I am aware there are two... but I'm not sure which one I'm meeting. For that matter, I'm not sure where you belong in these messy state of people as well.