[ now properly dressed - you know canon i'm not linking anything - zhongli finds himself following his nose when he comes closer to the mansion kitchen's entrance. when he steps in, he... can't say he's surprised to see now-familiar pink bustling, not after his disappointment with the spiciness of the noodles at the cafe. ]
I see that our chef is already familiarizing himself with the kitchen. Are the ingredients more to your liking, now?
[ yeah same you've seen my blorbo's outfit, that's what he's wearing.
his ears swivel a bit when he hears the voice, and he laughs, a huffy noise. ]
They are most excellent. It's been a long time since I've been this spoiled for ingredients. [ he's so pleased. eats a carolina reaper whole. ] How are you doing today, my friend?
[ i love your blorbo but i need him to brush his fucking tail ]
That's good to hear. Interesting as the automated food was, I'm not sure I could have made do with it for longer than a day - I can't imagine the prospect for someone that does more than dabble in cooking. [ can't wait for him to stuff carolina reapers into the maws of everyone making a mess. he'll come closer, looking around at the new, stainless steel technology. wao. ] Better, now, although still getting used to some of the more unfamiliar things thus far.
that is to say, he's out on the beach, sitting under a big umbrella dressed like this. he looks pretty cozy, ears flopped back lazily on his head as he stares out at the waves. he's got a spicy drink in hand and he's sipping it every so often, tail wagging gently behind him on the towel. his hair looks really nice today, it's all brushed and sleek looking.
[ by contrast... zhongli has cleaned his suit from home, wearing it again today instead of changing. but he's out and about on the beach, regardless, roaming with his quiet interest obvious in the way he's looking around.
or, maybe not? when he spots jiaoqiu, he does pick up his quiet steps a little more obviously so that his footfalls can be heard as he approaches. best to not startle anyone, if he can help it, and he's sure that jiaoqiu's keen ears would appreciate it. ]
[ well. despite his best efforts, zhongli hasn't been able to make contact with a single angel - whether by phone or seeking their bartender out at the confessional - so he's truly just. pacing. through the locations that they do have, as if to find something.
coming into the kitchen, he doesn't seem to be surprised to see jiaoqiu in here. just pauses, only for a moment, before he comes closer, gloved hand raised to rub his thumb along one of his own, creased brows. ]
Have you heard anything else since the initial announcement?
[ jiaoqiu is just hanging out, staring at something warming on the stove. he doesn't seem entirely... all present. which may be why when zhongli comes in, he doesn't react - and does, when zhongli speaks. he startles so badly he nearly knocks the stove off the pot, tail fur poofing out ridiculously. a beat. ]
-- Zhongli. [ jesus christ. ] Apologies, I... no. I haven't.
zhongli isn't too surprised to see him out here, and ruefully thinks of monday's interaction - just shy of a week ago, and yet a century, it seems - as he makes his way along the sand. a rustle of movement announces his presence, before he carefully drapes the jacket he was wearing at trial over his shoulders. ]
[ if you're not in your fucking room i'm going to nuke you from orbit. ]
Mister Jiaoqiu? [ regardless of where he is, zhongli's low voice is quieter, now, hoping not to spook him while he's been so badly hurt - both literally, and figuratively. he's got some soothing tea with him, in case he can stomach anything at all after all of that. ]
anyway, he's in bed with a blanket, bandaged and bruised and just generally destroyed. sleepy. he glances at zhongli with a sort of dazed look when he comes by. whew. ]
... Mister Zhongli. [ he says, exhausted. a beat. ] I think we can dispense with the formalities. The less syllables I have to say the better.
rng is the morning/noon/evening/night, and you get... afternoon! happy valentines day!
when the snow begins to melt so quickly, zhongli is briefly concerned about there being some weird, terrible thing about to happen again. at least there's no barriers to run into or anything, but. when weather is so abrupt like this you kind of have to worry. seeing that everything changes is a small comfort, at least, even if it's only a small one. so he just dusts any melting snow off his hair and his shoulders, only pausing slightly when he notices jiaoqiu in the middle of all the heart-shaped balloons and streamers and flowers. he can't help the slight smile of amusement beneath the concern of their foxian doctor roaming around. ]
Well. That was unusual. A new holiday... I believe this is one whose traditions have only recently reached Liyue. [ curiously making his way over towards the chocolates stall with the open recipe book with a flick of his tail. ] Wine and chocolates... and quite delicious looking, at that. You might enjoy a look at the recipe book, here, Jiaoqiu.
jiaoqiu is a curious creature, and so it means that he's out exploring when he probably really should not be. of course, he gets absolutely jumpscared by the sudden change of weather, and nearly falls over his own feet, but. a beat. well, okay. he looks wildly confused and disoriented by the change but it's fine.
his ear flicks when he hears zhongli, and he glances in his direction, pulling what is essentially an oversized red zip up jacket closer to him. he's... transparent, today. like see-through, like a ghost. i'll spare you the ears. ]
Oh? Let me see.
[ wanders off after him to look at the book. a beat. ]
... I don't mean to alarm you, but you seem to have a tail.
[ zhongli is scalier, even moreso than from when the return happened yesterday. brown, gemstone-like scales are along his jawline, cheekbones, and browline now as he makes his way through the holiday market of whoville.
it feels... futile. to be trying to find evidence of what happened, after last week. but he still can't help himself as he walks around with his spear in one hand. the other is over his stomach, ginger, like there's soreness there. ]
Jiaoqiu. [ when he spots him, making his way over with a frown. ] I don't suppose you've had more luck? The two of them were here, last night, and to think that they were found but nothing has been left behind... even after what happened last week...
[ this is a nonstarter but tell me if you want baby jiaoqiu (of various ages), random backstory changes jiaoqiu, or unaffected jiaoqiu for your straight man needs and i will give you this thing ]
[ we're just jumping into it, here - somehow, you're in the memory fuckhouse, and there's a memory playing over the glass, vibrant and loud. if you can, watch the videoclips to go with it because the voice acting does really make it so much better.
The ship is deathly quiet.
You have good hearing - so much that sometimes it hurts to stand in the middle of a crowd of people. You have never heard this ship, or any of the Xianzhou ships, fall this silent. A bad omen.
You have a good sense of smell, too. You could smell the borisin that crept their way onto the ship like vermin, digging their claws into the metal and peeling it away to release their leader. There was not much you could do. You told Feixiao. You led the young ones, too young, the children with swords and no dreams of anything but serving in battle - you led them to the right conclusion, and you hate yourself for it, but what don't you hate yourself for? That doesn't matter. What does matter is you've laid the groundwork. They will do the rest. Your General, and the future you both want.
Ah, right. Your good sense of smell. You can't smell anything other than blood. It's a good thing you lost most of your taste a long time ago. You imagine the taste of iron would be unbearable, here on the ground in this back alley.
You can't breathe right. It hurts so badly - you've never been very good at suppressing pain, and it blares like the loudest of alarms in your heart. You're a healer, you know what the body's limits are, and you know you're stretching them. You know you don't have long.
You look up at the hulking beast in front of you. He looks a little like you - not you, but your species. He's not. Hoolay is a borisin, but somehow, they've managed to all hide their true visages. He grins down at you, teeth and claws stained red with blood. The blood on his claws is yours, but you don't want to think about why his teeth are stained.
"Secrets are a weapon that a hunter cannot live without," Hoolay is saying. "Those who have no secrets are no more than prey, cut open and waiting for death."
You drag in a breath. Choke on it a little.
"What you’re saying is, in your eyes, I am not more than prey that has exhausted all of its secrets, and is simply awaiting its death?" You ask, staring down at the floor rather than Hoolay. Already, there's darkness curling at the edges of your sight, and you know that isn't because you're dying. A side effect.
"Do you think you have some other escape route? Jiaoqiu, I have already peeled back your disguises and defenses layer by layer. I know all the secrets that you and your general have buried so deep," Hoolay growls, voice amused. He thinks he knows. You told him nothing that would hurt your people. You told him things that could sound like secrets, but weren't. That is what you're good for - a clever tongue, quick to lie and persuade. It's all you're good for.
Well. There's one other thing.
"But you have told me all of your secrets too, Warhead," You murmur, eyes still on the floor. Not out of any sense of submissiveness. You simply don't want the borisin to be the last thing you see.
Hoolay laughs. "But you will never have a chance to use them. You will be buried with them right here. Although, you are a fortunate one... After all, you will avoid having to see the tragic future that awaits your general. I'm sure she understands her fate far better than you ever will. One day on the battlefield, she will be overpowered by her ever-intensifying Moon Rage, and finally be torn apart by her own fury and transformation."
He talks too much, you think. But that's alright. That's what you want. You want time. The longer he is here, gloating over you, the longer your General has time to come up with a plan.
"Not even your God can save her from this fate. Although... THEY can lead her to liberation. And the only way to save her is here, in my hands."
Another bloody grin. You huff, and cough, just a little.
"Are you the healer or am I? Are you really that certain of your own judgement?" You ask, idly. Your voice is starting to fail you. It feels like gravel, like trying to enunciate around marbles in your mouth. Gingerly, you rest a hand on your torso, where the worst of the claw wounds are, and turn your head a little, looking out over the wall. Past Hoolay. To the sky, to the world outside this alley, to the sister-ship of your people. You look at the sky.
"I must leave, foxian," Hoolay says, shifting his weight. "But before I go, you know what I must do, don't you?"
And weakly, you reply: "Drink bloodwine... I hear it is a borisin custom to kill prisoners and drink their blood before battle to stir up their madness."
"You really did put hard work into researching us. It is a shame that this is where your journey ends."
And he moves forward. You flinch, knowing what's coming, but it's okay, it's alright, this is your plan. He's right, you did do your research. You knew, since telling Moze to run in the prison, that this might be the outcome, and you are at peace. It's going to hurt, though.
And it does. Hoolay rips into you. Tears flesh from your neck, your torso, like a wild animal. Frenzied, with razor sharp teeth and claws that dig into your arms to keep you still, to stop you from reflexively trying to get away. You can't help yourself - it hurts, you're being mauled, and you cry out, voice ragged and raw, breaking on your screams. Nobody can hear you. Nobody comes to help you.
Hoolay eats and drinks his fill, and tosses you to the ground, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. He must figure there's no point to killing you outright, or perhaps he doesn't even realize you're still alive. He's driven mad by the smell of blood, the taste of blood, and he lets out a roar of laughter before bounding off towards battle - towards Feixiao, your General.
You are left alone, in an alleyway full of bodies.
Clinically, you know you're seconds from death. You can almost see the autopsy report. Bite wounds that extend over a large area, from the patient's neck to his chest. Fractured clavicle. Toxins in the wounds caused flesh to decay and atrophy. Disturbed blood circulation, massive internal bleeding, neurological atrophy, optic neuropathy. Damage to the liver and kidney, impaired lymphatic and immune system. The only part of that report that was Hoolay's fault are the bites, though. The rest was your own doing.
You smile, weakly, opening your eyes to look at the sky one more time.
Enjoy the taste of my fresh blood... Hoolay. Unfortunately, I am not a man without secrets. I still have one little secret hidden up my sleeve.
Your vision is nearly gone. The sky is a smear of pristine blue.
Tumbledust... I drank it a while ago, and the poison is already flowing through my veins. Sooner or later, you will begin to feel the effects. If the most lethal poison known to this world is able to save innocent lives... then it can also be called a great medicine.
You close your eyes for the last time.
I will do my best to cure you... Feixiao, I kept my promise. At the cost of this insignificant life. Bring victory to the Yaoqing.
[ heaven truly does have a way of putting them into its fun little fuckhouses of torture.
maybe, he shouldn't be surprised. after all, he saw the movement across the tea during jing yuan's expulsion, only to be proven correct in the end. a doctor knows what can heal just as much as what can harm, and will use everything in their arsenal to protect, to take care of those around them.
even their own body.
i died for the future of the xianzhou alliance. i would choose that every time, and here is no different. an insignificant life is nothing in the face of thousands.
is it so insignificant, though? ]
Hubris is the downfall of many a tyrant. They think that those they crush underfoot will never find a way to fight back - all it takes is one, single opening for it all to come crashing down. You gave your General a fighting chance, and surely one that sealed the fate of this Hoolay rather than the Xianzhou Alliance.
But I still think you should value your life more than you have. It is not so insignificant as you've made it out to be, to use it as you have.
[ somehow i feel like jiaoqiu is the only one out of these fucking numpties that isn't trying to leave the hospital.
whenever he next comes to, from a doze or dissociating, there is a low, soft voice humming a quiet melody to itself. zhongli has gotten a seat and set it up next to the bed, and is working on steeping some familiar-smelling tea in the pot that he's brought - and is mostly using the tune to let jiaoqiu know who it is that's there, and that he isn't there alone, once he's cognizant of his surroundings. ]
[ yea he's fucking out of it man he can't stand up
jiaoqiu wakes to the sound of music, and he - can't see at all, really, which is clear when he opens his eyes. he digs his nails into the bed for a moment. and then: ]
Where -- Marcoh? [ he sounds wrecked, but worried. ] Siffrin? Yves?
[ after getting a good look at all the fucked up locations, both new and old, zhongli is palpably relieved to see that olive garden is safe from all of this. he lets kedou down and disperses his polearm, watching the chao run off to go play with the other chao that fill the garden path before making his way along to the flower garden and greenhouse.
seeing a familiar blush of pink doesn't surprise him. but a fondness seeps into his emotions, and that relief at seeing so many friends again settles with it. ]
I'm glad to see that this place has been resilient in the face of the Entity's fit. [ finally, a win for the gardener that has tended to the greenhouse for all of these weeks. ] A shelter, as a greenhouse is meant to be.
[ he would've been so pissed if the garden got fucked up.
anyway, jiaoqiu's chao never got a name and i have forgotten it exists so it's probably not here, but i'm glad for zhongli's getting to play with the others. jiaoqiu's ear flicks when he hears footsteps. ]
If it had ruined this place, I think I would have marched it down to hell myself. [ primly. a beat, and then: ] Hello, Zhongli. Have you finished your rounds?
[ he's curled up in the tavern tonight with booze and a blanket, staring out... a window, i suppose. idk if there are windows. there are now for the sake of this thread. his ear flicks at the sound of someone approaching, and he glances over, with a smile. ]
[ there are windows now because this is your boyfriend and in law's tavern BUT ALSO THAT JUST MAKES ME SAD!!! god!!!
he gives him a wan smile in return, going to settle down with him and just. letting the weight of everything settle, as he reaches into his jacket pocket. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wknd 0; saturday
I see that our chef is already familiarizing himself with the kitchen. Are the ingredients more to your liking, now?
no subject
his ears swivel a bit when he hears the voice, and he laughs, a huffy noise. ]
They are most excellent. It's been a long time since I've been this spoiled for ingredients. [ he's so pleased. eats a carolina reaper whole. ] How are you doing today, my friend?
no subject
That's good to hear. Interesting as the automated food was, I'm not sure I could have made do with it for longer than a day - I can't imagine the prospect for someone that does more than dabble in cooking. [ can't wait for him to stuff carolina reapers into the maws of everyone making a mess. he'll come closer, looking around at the new, stainless steel technology. wao. ] Better, now, although still getting used to some of the more unfamiliar things thus far.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
w0, MONDAY
that is to say, he's out on the beach, sitting under a big umbrella dressed like this. he looks pretty cozy, ears flopped back lazily on his head as he stares out at the waves. he's got a spicy drink in hand and he's sipping it every so often, tail wagging gently behind him on the towel. his hair looks really nice today, it's all brushed and sleek looking.
tell me, how loud are you when you approach... ]
no subject
or, maybe not? when he spots jiaoqiu, he does pick up his quiet steps a little more obviously so that his footfalls can be heard as he approaches. best to not startle anyone, if he can help it, and he's sure that jiaoqiu's keen ears would appreciate it. ]
It's quite nice out here, isn't it?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
wk 0; friday
coming into the kitchen, he doesn't seem to be surprised to see jiaoqiu in here. just pauses, only for a moment, before he comes closer, gloved hand raised to rub his thumb along one of his own, creased brows. ]
Have you heard anything else since the initial announcement?
no subject
-- Zhongli. [ jesus christ. ] Apologies, I... no. I haven't.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
w0, SATURDAY 2
no subject
zhongli isn't too surprised to see him out here, and ruefully thinks of monday's interaction - just shy of a week ago, and yet a century, it seems - as he makes his way along the sand. a rustle of movement announces his presence, before he carefully drapes the jacket he was wearing at trial over his shoulders. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
wk 0; sunday
Mister Jiaoqiu? [ regardless of where he is, zhongli's low voice is quieter, now, hoping not to spook him while he's been so badly hurt - both literally, and figuratively. he's got some soothing tea with him, in case he can stomach anything at all after all of that. ]
no subject
anyway, he's in bed with a blanket, bandaged and bruised and just generally destroyed. sleepy. he glances at zhongli with a sort of dazed look when he comes by. whew. ]
... Mister Zhongli. [ he says, exhausted. a beat. ] I think we can dispense with the formalities. The less syllables I have to say the better.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
rng is the morning/noon/evening/night, and you get... afternoon! happy valentines day!
when the snow begins to melt so quickly, zhongli is briefly concerned about there being some weird, terrible thing about to happen again. at least there's no barriers to run into or anything, but. when weather is so abrupt like this you kind of have to worry. seeing that everything changes is a small comfort, at least, even if it's only a small one. so he just dusts any melting snow off his hair and his shoulders, only pausing slightly when he notices jiaoqiu in the middle of all the heart-shaped balloons and streamers and flowers. he can't help the slight smile of amusement beneath the concern of their foxian doctor roaming around. ]
Well. That was unusual. A new holiday... I believe this is one whose traditions have only recently reached Liyue. [ curiously making his way over towards the chocolates stall with the open recipe book with a flick of his tail. ] Wine and chocolates... and quite delicious looking, at that. You might enjoy a look at the recipe book, here, Jiaoqiu.
[ life sucks but at least there's food. ]
no subject
jiaoqiu is a curious creature, and so it means that he's out exploring when he probably really should not be. of course, he gets absolutely jumpscared by the sudden change of weather, and nearly falls over his own feet, but. a beat. well, okay. he looks wildly confused and disoriented by the change but it's fine.
his ear flicks when he hears zhongli, and he glances in his direction, pulling what is essentially an oversized red zip up jacket closer to him. he's... transparent, today. like see-through, like a ghost. i'll spare you the ears. ]
Oh? Let me see.
[ wanders off after him to look at the book. a beat. ]
... I don't mean to alarm you, but you seem to have a tail.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
wk 1; friday
it feels... futile. to be trying to find evidence of what happened, after last week. but he still can't help himself as he walks around with his spear in one hand. the other is over his stomach, ginger, like there's soreness there. ]
Jiaoqiu. [ when he spots him, making his way over with a frown. ] I don't suppose you've had more luck? The two of them were here, last night, and to think that they were found but nothing has been left behind... even after what happened last week...
no subject
he's not bothering to look. he's just standing and staring at a christmas tree, at the presents. ]
No luck. [ ear flick. ] We won't see anything until tomorrow, I imagine. This is a repeat, yes?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
w2, MONDAY
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
w3, MONDAY
and then the room is silent. ]
no subject
maybe, he shouldn't be surprised. after all, he saw the movement across the tea during jing yuan's expulsion, only to be proven correct in the end. a doctor knows what can heal just as much as what can harm, and will use everything in their arsenal to protect, to take care of those around them.
even their own body.
i died for the future of the xianzhou alliance. i would choose that every time, and here is no different. an insignificant life is nothing in the face of thousands.
is it so insignificant, though? ]
Hubris is the downfall of many a tyrant. They think that those they crush underfoot will never find a way to fight back - all it takes is one, single opening for it all to come crashing down. You gave your General a fighting chance, and surely one that sealed the fate of this Hoolay rather than the Xianzhou Alliance.
But I still think you should value your life more than you have. It is not so insignificant as you've made it out to be, to use it as you have.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
wk 3; thursday
whenever he next comes to, from a doze or dissociating, there is a low, soft voice humming a quiet melody to itself. zhongli has gotten a seat and set it up next to the bed, and is working on steeping some familiar-smelling tea in the pot that he's brought - and is mostly using the tune to let jiaoqiu know who it is that's there, and that he isn't there alone, once he's cognizant of his surroundings. ]
no subject
jiaoqiu wakes to the sound of music, and he - can't see at all, really, which is clear when he opens his eyes. he digs his nails into the bed for a moment. and then: ]
Where -- Marcoh? [ he sounds wrecked, but worried. ] Siffrin? Yves?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
wk 7; monday
seeing a familiar blush of pink doesn't surprise him. but a fondness seeps into his emotions, and that relief at seeing so many friends again settles with it. ]
I'm glad to see that this place has been resilient in the face of the Entity's fit. [ finally, a win for the gardener that has tended to the greenhouse for all of these weeks. ] A shelter, as a greenhouse is meant to be.
no subject
anyway, jiaoqiu's chao never got a name and i have forgotten it exists so it's probably not here, but i'm glad for zhongli's getting to play with the others. jiaoqiu's ear flicks when he hears footsteps. ]
If it had ruined this place, I think I would have marched it down to hell myself. [ primly. a beat, and then: ] Hello, Zhongli. Have you finished your rounds?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
w7, SATURDAY
no subject
he gives him a wan smile in return, going to settle down with him and just. letting the weight of everything settle, as he reaches into his jacket pocket. ]
Your hand, if you would, Jiaoqiu.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)