baxiasprice | Erku

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Erku — Inbox

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» Age: 22
» Species: Human Cultivator
» A5 Card: Open
» Seeking: Allies and those with interesting martial powers to spar with.
» Preferences: N/A
» Interests: Saber cultivation. Military strategy.
» Bio: Sect leader of the Qinghe Nie and one of the primary generals of the Sunshot campaign. Thrust into leadership young, he has had very little life outside of that for the past three years. His seize-the-day approach applies to everything and everyone, particularly when there are mutual sparks. He especially loves to get worked up and worked out.

base code by photosynthesis

NIE MINGJUE

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[Something in what Mingjue says makes more of an impact than he anticipates. That shift, from kid-brother to Sect Leader is visible and—Mingjue is not afraid to admit—startling, considering the Huaisang he left behind. His eyes widen and he rocks back on his heels when it happens. What Huaisang says to follow up that shift, however, is alarming, to say the least, and it draws him forward again. Sharply:]

This stronghold? Your enemy is here? And you're relinquishing territory against your better judgement?

[It's not an accusation, but an...honestly rather belligerent request for clarification. A prodigious frown overtakes his face as he hunts for visible wounds in the way Huaisang is holding himself. Though, no, no, already Mingjue had been grasping for something to put his brother's behavior into context, so this is an extension of that. And a summary of a decision that Huaisang obviously had not made lightly, considering his shaky approach. It is Huaisang's prerogative not to pursue further retribution, especially when the matter had already been settled in Nie victory.

But Huaisang meets his eyes and something in Mingjue settles with a quiet thank fuck somewhere deep inside of him, because in meeting his eyes at all now there's Nie steel there beneath the grime of having wading through a brutal task. There was nothing wrong with coming out the other end of conflict blood-spattered and in need of healing. And if he's going to act like a Nie, then Mingjue's going to treat him like Nie and not storm off with Baxia towards the threat.]

Nevermind. [He says that as roughly as he'd snarled the questions he'd wanted answered, but he is subsiding.] As the victor, it's your judgement, whatever judgement that is. We'll deal with the consequences.

[The problem is: Huaisang being cagey as hell. While it isn't out of the question that ten years was after Mingjue's own death by qi deviation, this island is out of the flow of time so that...didn't matter. He lets out his breath.]

Your comrade who fell. They're from a time before they fell?

They are. His death was... unexpected. Natural causes with unnatural timing.

[Another riddle but Nie Mingjue is a smart man, more than capable to puzzling out his meaning. Huaisang wouldn't give him information in this manner if he was not confident in his brother's ability to reason things out. He might not be quick about as Huaisang is after years and years of practice, honing his mind to the point he could compete with Jin Guangyao.]

Not all poisons go in wells or rivers. Some travel on the wind with a plucking of strings. Sometimes the most beautiful music can stir the deepest discord in one's heart. One might be wise to beware the song and those who love it the most.

[He's speaking borderline nonsense but it's difficult to be properly poetic and subtle on a subject so close to his heart, on a matter so painfully raw. For a long moment, Huaisang's eyes are filled with raw grief before he looks down again, voice dropping with a sad murmur.]

The melody brings much sorrow. Once heard, it won't soon be forgotten.

Edited 2021-06-04 11:03 (UTC)

Riddles.

[It's a rough-voiced complaint, and he's still frowning, but he is listening. And he's agitated. Can't help but be agitated. Mostly it's worry directed at Huaisang. Because he can see the shape of what he's telling him, and he doesn't like it one bit.

That and the grief is what finally gets to him.]

Songs and melodies. Fine.

[The 'fine' is not dismissive but rather a firm acceptance, accompanied by a decisive nod. He'd not been training more than a moment, hasn't even broken a sweat, so with a quick seal he sends Baxia to rest against one of the racks at the edge of the courtyard.]

Warning received.

[Then, however, he hesitates, very much uncharacteristically. As much as they both have and have not been around each other since Mingjue first arrived, Mingjue knows he's partially to blame for that distance. This Huaisang is older, vastly more scarred, and different, and Mingjue cannot bring himself to treat him the same he would the barely sixteen-year-old brother he'd left behind. He's caught in a limbo between his instincts and the evidence of his eyes.

But what he wants is to hug is brother until that horrible look of grief goes away now that he know that this isn't an immediate thing, thathe has to puzzle over it later. His brother takes priority, and so after that little pause, he reaches roughly out to offer a hug.]

[Huaisang exhales a sigh of relief. He dares not say more than this. Not at this time, at least. If not for his promise, he'd reveal everything so that Nie Mingjue would be fully prepared when dealing with the viper he's in bed with. He can tell his brother understands enough by his agitation and hopefully, that'll be enough to keep him alive in the days ahead. In the end, not even Jin Guangyao's nephew he'd helped raise had been safe from him. What faith could Huaisang have that whatever impulsive fancy the man has for his older brother would be strong enough to protect him if things don't go well for him now?

He swallows hard before closing the distance between them, flinging his arms around Nie Mingjue just as he'd done that first day he'd seen him at the diner. He's trembling a bit; speaking of what had happened, even in cryptic metaphor still hadn't been easy on him. But if it helps his brother be any safer, bringing those painful memories back to the surface after finally starting to put them to rest will make this one last sacrifice on his behalf worth it.

He buries his face in Nie Mingjue's shoulder and lets himself cry. Maybe if he sheds enough tears, the horrible fear and anxiety he's lived with for so long will finally leave him. It was finished. He doesn't want to keep living in constant fear, turmoil, and misery here, too. After a bit, he pulls his head back, wiping at his eyes with a sleeve.]

Be careful, da ge. I don't think I could take losing you a third time. Not until it's time for either of us to go home again.

[The sea could call them home at any time, he's discovered, and he's already preparing himself for that eventuality.]

[Mingjue squeezes him into the hug, all of his other concerns irrelevant in the face of a trembling Huaisang. He remains steady against the storm of tears like a mountain weathering a tempest, able and willing to be the stability Huaisang needs in the moment.]

I will. I promise.

[Huaisang will know he's good for a promise.]

Take care of yourself.

I will. I promise.

[He echoes, lingering a long moment. They're both different from the brothers they'd last seen but after living alone with only memories, both happy and horrible, to sustain him for so long, it's just nice to held by a version of his brother that isn't so consumed with rage that there's nothing left.

Once he feels steady enough to let go, he wipes his face with his sleeve. He gives one last worried look before turning to head back to his rooms.]

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Erku — Inbox

\o/ Beautimus (Also MAN this took me a bit to brain a proper response.)

this also took more brain than I've had all week orz

I feel it! :highfive:

and he's crying again hahasob

Ahha, whoops. /slides you a very short tag here, too. Tho now one might be done/almost done?

done now, I think!