[ he smiles a little when he says that, turning his head to the side to glance at her. ] And she received a message that was awfully embarrassing, and one that we were sure was from you that was less so.
She and I worked together to find your killer. I stayed with her all weekend, and I did my best to have a good week with her, too.
[ ... his expression droops, a little. just barely. ] ... I didn't want to leave her behind. All I seem to do is fail promises.
[well, she'll get to the text message thing in a second but.]
... She was very brave. She did not let Ylfa and Gerard get away with not taking their clothes off. They surrounded her and told her that she was being mean, to make her feel guilty, and she did not let that deter her. I am proud of her.
[a pause.] I tried to send you both messages, but I identified myself, and the message autocorrected to... whatever it was that you both got.
[she holds his hand a little more tightly.] You have failed nothing with me.
[ fei du voice: if i just talk about nahri she will not ask me questions about my murder
that, and... he wants to hear about nahri, too. he gives her hand a little squeeze in response - his expression shifts, straight brows pinching together a little and mouth pulling into a bit of a frown, but... he's proud, too, and it reflects in the way the expression eases. ]
Good. [ for nahri, at least. they can get to the rest later. ] She knew. I told her as soon as I found out on Monday. We were gunning for Froggystyle anyway - that they killed me was almost comedic in its irony.
I like to think Wenzhou was likely looking after her, too. He probably still is.
[yeah like he's ever been able to escape talking about anything from shenhe]
Vash and Wolfwood will, too. [she says quietly. that - aches, though. it aches a little. she misses all three of them so badly, and that itchy, burny feeling behind her eyes happens again, and - she ignores it. she can't cry. she doesn't know how.]
weh. he squeezes her hand, gently, as a reminder. ]
I asked them to in my note. I'll haunt them cruelly if they don't. Turn into a ghost and steal all of their left shoes.
[ ok
anyway. as for the second part - fei du sighs, a little, giving their hands a light squeeze, and looks up at the flowers. ]
...Because Gerard and I are friends. And because they knew I would be reasonable. [ a pause. ] And because there are two of us. Wenzhou's status ensures our world is safe, for now.
Honestly, it was a win scenario for me. I knew I could get them caught, and I knew I could also get Gerard to agree to a few terms, one of which being mine and Wenzhou's revival if they win. That, and I'd rather them kill me a thousand times over than him.
He chose me to kill because he didn't want Ylfa to have to do it. [and because she's dangerous. shenhe is dangerous. she's still struggling with this, but she doesn't say anything about it, not just yet.]
It was good that it was me. [just agreeing with his sentiment.]
[ he can read that thought before it even comes across her face, just because he knows shenhe well enough (and how nice it is, to be able to spend time with her again, to feel those familiar mannerisms, but he won't say that.) and with that, he slows to a stop to face her. ]
Having something taken away from you like that, no matter how good the reason - it leaves behind trauma. I'm not angry about mine, in particular, but I think if it had been Wenzhou, I might have done something horrifying in retaliation.
[ he'll just. say that. ] And I think you can be angry about the cavalier way it was treated, the day of, too. The damage and collateral it left behind, in terms of the pain people feel in the wake of your loss. That's something you can always be angry about, too.
[this is what matsui said, this is what buzen said, and now he's saying it - and it does help. it does. she is trying so hard to have some semblance of space for herself, here, to feel when she hasn't before. the ropes came off when she arrived, and she hasn't put them back on. she wants to feel it.
she swallows a little hard.]
I wanted to live. With them. With Nahri, with Vash and Wolfwood, with you. [she says, finally.] That's all.
[upset translates to anger, for her. it's only later that she feels like this, wrung out. trying to be fair, trying to listen to the swords tell her that it was okay to be angry but carefully never saying anything bad about the team that killed her, either. the team that took her from people she cares about, whether she agreed to fight or not.]
he squeezes her hand, again, gently. the last conversation fei du had with nahri was like this - where she made him promise he'd do everything he could to move forward the same way that she would. they agreed. they wanted to live. fei du wanted to live so badly. he wanted a life he used to never think he deserved. so, to hear shenhe say the same, to crystallize that feeling in so few words, as she always does, makes his quietly tender heart hurt, too. ]
...I know. [ ... ] Normally, I'd say something like "everything will be alright" or "time will pass", but maybe I won't today. I want you to live, too.
That was stolen from you, and it shouldn't have been. It felt like you were stolen away from me, too.
[ it's genuine. honest. he takes her hand because he has it, and cheekily brings it up to press his cheek into her palm. ] Even though I had a piece of you with me the whole time.
[ he makes the :nyeh: face. the affronted fei du cat face.
but, with that aside, he's probably free of murder details, and besides, he needs shenya to meet her namesake! shenya the duck goes very easily, because it seems she's already very used to being held. you can decide what she does i trust you to rp the duck more than me
he's smiling, though, lightly fond. ] Come on. Is there somewhere to sit, here? I'll comb your hair and you can get acquainted.
[he's free for now until she hits him with a how did you die in like 5 threads from now
anyway, she loves this duck. shenya doesn't bite shenhe, she just cuddles, and there's this very small and pleased expression of delight on shenhe's face.]
There are benches. [she nods in the direction of said benches.] Go on. I'm following.
[ cute... he nods, and will head that way! it's familiar, at this point - he comes over and sits on the edge, and then pats the spot beside him, gesturing for her to turn so he can reach.
her hair is a mess. it's very, very tangled, because she hasn't been taking care of it since she got here - she's been distracted with... the burden of existence, honestly. she got here and it was immediately memshare week and there were four bodies, lord jesus.
anyway she settles, and pets a duck gently. she trusts him to touch her hair. it's nice.]
... How are you doing, after everything? [a beat.] Don't lie to me.
just like the last time, fei du is very gentle. he sections out the pieces of his hair and sets tthe ombre black parts in his lap to start there, very gently stroking the comb through her hair. the mantra comes up, before he even really lets himself process. one brushstroke to uproot anxiety.
he opens his mouth to say something, automatic. fine. i'm fine.
... ]
Determined. [ fei du murmurs, eventually - a more honest answer. ] To find a way back. [ another stroke of the comb. ] To be honest, I think I was about to die before I came here. I'm not particularly bothered.
[he's so gentle with it, and it's relaxing. she's never had therapy before, obviously, but this is zen - this is meditation. this is her breathing in and breathing out, her body loosening and letting go of all that tension. getting comfortable. not having to be made of ice.
maybe it's a little what family feels like? she's not sure. she's never really had one before, but it's something new and warm to trust someone like this, without any fear of being stabbed in the back, metaphorically or literally.
and while she does appreciate the honesty she asked for --]
... You were about to die? [she has to not get all of that tension back when she hears this]
[ maybe this is what family feels like. for fei du, as he strokes the comb very lightly through shenhe's hair, the recognition comes that he thinks about shenhe the way he thinks about tao ran.
it comes to mind, as he strokes through another tangled knot, gentle, and thinks about the last moments he spent at home. about tao ran, confined to a wheelchair and keeping watch over fei du. how he was one of the last friendly faces he saw, right before fei du drugged him with a soporific and ran off. a brushstroke to forsake sorrow. ]
...There was a very small chance I'd survive it. [ A brushstroke to walk a path into old age without regret. ] But it was very small. The last thing I remember is I was in a warehouse surrounded by a large amount of people with guns.
[the brushstrokes are what is keeping her calm, but that's a little bit of struggle. she really hates how many people just... have horrific stuff to go back to, even when they're not actually dead.]
If I am able, I will go back with you. [she says, firmly.] I'm not frightened by guns.
[she's assuming a lot of things, like - she could get there in the first place, like she'd have her Vision, like she'd be able to do anything about it at all, like she'd be able to go back home if she needed to. it's off the cuff, though. because she wants to protect him. because she promised she would, all the way back in week one.]
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pause.]
... Yes. Is - can you tell me about Nahri? [she just. looks very sad.] She got the flowers I sent. I saw that.
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[ he smiles a little when he says that, turning his head to the side to glance at her. ] And she received a message that was awfully embarrassing, and one that we were sure was from you that was less so.
She and I worked together to find your killer. I stayed with her all weekend, and I did my best to have a good week with her, too.
[ ... his expression droops, a little. just barely. ] ... I didn't want to leave her behind. All I seem to do is fail promises.
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[well, she'll get to the text message thing in a second but.]
... She was very brave. She did not let Ylfa and Gerard get away with not taking their clothes off. They surrounded her and told her that she was being mean, to make her feel guilty, and she did not let that deter her. I am proud of her.
[a pause.] I tried to send you both messages, but I identified myself, and the message autocorrected to... whatever it was that you both got.
[she holds his hand a little more tightly.] You have failed nothing with me.
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that, and... he wants to hear about nahri, too. he gives her hand a little squeeze in response - his expression shifts, straight brows pinching together a little and mouth pulling into a bit of a frown, but... he's proud, too, and it reflects in the way the expression eases. ]
Good. [ for nahri, at least. they can get to the rest later. ] She knew. I told her as soon as I found out on Monday. We were gunning for Froggystyle anyway - that they killed me was almost comedic in its irony.
I like to think Wenzhou was likely looking after her, too. He probably still is.
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Vash and Wolfwood will, too. [she says quietly. that - aches, though. it aches a little. she misses all three of them so badly, and that itchy, burny feeling behind her eyes happens again, and - she ignores it. she can't cry. she doesn't know how.]
Why did they choose you?
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weh. he squeezes her hand, gently, as a reminder. ]
I asked them to in my note. I'll haunt them cruelly if they don't. Turn into a ghost and steal all of their left shoes.
[ ok
anyway. as for the second part - fei du sighs, a little, giving their hands a light squeeze, and looks up at the flowers. ]
...Because Gerard and I are friends. And because they knew I would be reasonable. [ a pause. ] And because there are two of us. Wenzhou's status ensures our world is safe, for now.
Honestly, it was a win scenario for me. I knew I could get them caught, and I knew I could also get Gerard to agree to a few terms, one of which being mine and Wenzhou's revival if they win. That, and I'd rather them kill me a thousand times over than him.
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He chose me to kill because he didn't want Ylfa to have to do it. [and because she's dangerous. shenhe is dangerous. she's still struggling with this, but she doesn't say anything about it, not just yet.]
It was good that it was me. [just agreeing with his sentiment.]
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he gets that.
he squeezes her hand again, very gently. ]
... Did you get some catharsis, today? [ since you like
stabbed him ]
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[... she drags in a breath. her eyes burn. it's always like this.]
Hurting him felt good in the moment. But now that I know why they killed... [she can't be angry. right?]
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[ he can read that thought before it even comes across her face, just because he knows shenhe well enough (and how nice it is, to be able to spend time with her again, to feel those familiar mannerisms, but he won't say that.) and with that, he slows to a stop to face her. ]
Having something taken away from you like that, no matter how good the reason - it leaves behind trauma. I'm not angry about mine, in particular, but I think if it had been Wenzhou, I might have done something horrifying in retaliation.
[ he'll just. say that. ] And I think you can be angry about the cavalier way it was treated, the day of, too. The damage and collateral it left behind, in terms of the pain people feel in the wake of your loss. That's something you can always be angry about, too.
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she swallows a little hard.]
I wanted to live. With them. With Nahri, with Vash and Wolfwood, with you. [she says, finally.] That's all.
[upset translates to anger, for her. it's only later that she feels like this, wrung out. trying to be fair, trying to listen to the swords tell her that it was okay to be angry but carefully never saying anything bad about the team that killed her, either. the team that took her from people she cares about, whether she agreed to fight or not.]
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he squeezes her hand, again, gently. the last conversation fei du had with nahri was like this - where she made him promise he'd do everything he could to move forward the same way that she would. they agreed. they wanted to live. fei du wanted to live so badly. he wanted a life he used to never think he deserved. so, to hear shenhe say the same, to crystallize that feeling in so few words, as she always does, makes his quietly tender heart hurt, too. ]
...I know. [ ... ] Normally, I'd say something like "everything will be alright" or "time will pass", but maybe I won't today. I want you to live, too.
That was stolen from you, and it shouldn't have been. It felt like you were stolen away from me, too.
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this can be enough for now. to hear that she didn't deserve to have it stolen from her, and that someone felt robbed.]
I am, selfishly, glad to see you here. [she says, finally.] I missed you.
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[ it's genuine. honest. he takes her hand because he has it, and cheekily brings it up to press his cheek into her palm. ] Even though I had a piece of you with me the whole time.
[ duck!!! ]
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I should be annoyed that you named her after me because she bit you. [she's like, not. she thinks it's funny.]
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[ the way he says this is in the innocent teaching tone of someone being a smartass.
the duck herself hears her name and pokes her head out of her fanny pack baby bjorn. ] She reminded me of you too easily - and she adores Nahri.
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anyway shenhe the human reaches to flick him against the ear, and then reaches into the fanny pack to hold shenya the duck.]
Well. That's accurate. [she murmurs, bringing the duck up to meet her gaze.]
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but, with that aside, he's probably free of murder details, and besides, he needs shenya to meet her namesake! shenya the duck goes very easily, because it seems she's already very used to being held. you can decide what she does i trust you to rp the duck more than me
he's smiling, though, lightly fond. ] Come on. Is there somewhere to sit, here? I'll comb your hair and you can get acquainted.
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anyway, she loves this duck. shenya doesn't bite shenhe, she just cuddles, and there's this very small and pleased expression of delight on shenhe's face.]
There are benches. [she nods in the direction of said benches.] Go on. I'm following.
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and holding his hand out for the comb! gimme. ]
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her hair is a mess. it's very, very tangled, because she hasn't been taking care of it since she got here - she's been distracted with... the burden of existence, honestly. she got here and it was immediately memshare week and there were four bodies, lord jesus.
anyway she settles, and pets a duck gently. she trusts him to touch her hair. it's nice.]
... How are you doing, after everything? [a beat.] Don't lie to me.
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just like the last time, fei du is very gentle. he sections out the pieces of his hair and sets tthe ombre black parts in his lap to start there, very gently stroking the comb through her hair. the mantra comes up, before he even really lets himself process. one brushstroke to uproot anxiety.
he opens his mouth to say something, automatic. fine. i'm fine.
... ]
Determined. [ fei du murmurs, eventually - a more honest answer. ] To find a way back. [ another stroke of the comb. ] To be honest, I think I was about to die before I came here. I'm not particularly bothered.
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maybe it's a little what family feels like? she's not sure. she's never really had one before, but it's something new and warm to trust someone like this, without any fear of being stabbed in the back, metaphorically or literally.
and while she does appreciate the honesty she asked for --]
... You were about to die? [she has to not get all of that tension back when she hears this]
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it comes to mind, as he strokes through another tangled knot, gentle, and thinks about the last moments he spent at home. about tao ran, confined to a wheelchair and keeping watch over fei du. how he was one of the last friendly faces he saw, right before fei du drugged him with a soporific and ran off. a brushstroke to forsake sorrow. ]
...There was a very small chance I'd survive it. [ A brushstroke to walk a path into old age without regret. ] But it was very small. The last thing I remember is I was in a warehouse surrounded by a large amount of people with guns.
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If I am able, I will go back with you. [she says, firmly.] I'm not frightened by guns.
[she's assuming a lot of things, like - she could get there in the first place, like she'd have her Vision, like she'd be able to do anything about it at all, like she'd be able to go back home if she needed to. it's off the cuff, though. because she wants to protect him. because she promised she would, all the way back in week one.]
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