Chasma: Xie Lian

[aono]

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[aono]

I dunno. It's kinda hard to tell. My head's foggy right now.

[A pause, as he watches Rinkou swim around on her back.]

Maybe I need to go back to bed. I kinda just want to lay on people I like and fall asleep.

Week 4, Friday

[aono]

[Shivering, cold, and probably coming down with a bug, Rin pushes on nonetheless. The rain is coming down pretty steadily but he darts from overhand to overhang, looking for any sign of the missing people. So many of them are friends of his, and even if he knows some of them are probably dead he still wants to find the others.

Instead, it's Xie Lian he finds, when they happen to cross paths at the narrow front porch of one of the shops. It's not evening yet so the area isn't crowded, but there is still quite a bustle around them. Rin sneezes, and then he pulls his hoodie around him more tightly.]

It's cold...any luck?

[Since he can guess why Xie Lian is outside too.]

[yueshen]

[ at least he's found xie lian today! he seems to be watching the area of stalls, today, waiting - his satchel is hanging over his shoulder, and he has no warmer clothes than usual, though his hair is pulled up in a bun instead of hanging down his back. he, too, is soaking wet.

glancing to his companion, though, he offers rin a small smile. san lang doesn't seem to be nearby? though, if rin is observant, he may notice a shadow on the overhang above them, just a few feet ahead. playing lookout. ]

No... nothing yet. [ he bows his head, a little. ] Come, dry yourself for a little while.

[aono]

[Oh? Rin will actually glance up to see what form San Lang has taken today. Presumably something small?

Rinkou is still a wolverine but Rin is letting her hide in his hoodie while he carries her. The daemon seems reluctant to leave it too, but Xie Lian might notice a snout poke out near Rin's neck.]

Yeah, I should. I don't think I've been this cold in ages.

[He still sounds a little reluctant though, like he wants to keep working.]

[yueshen]

[ nope he is a giant fucking qilin, just balancing delicately on this overhang. actually incredible.

rinkou's positioning gets a little smile, warmer than his mood really has been so far - xie lian rubs his own arm, smiling a little sheepishly. ]

I haven't, either. [ ... ] Many of us have spread out around the city in hopes of receiving the group who will return to us today as quickly as possible.

[ so. he gets that reluctance. mostly because he feels the same. ]

[aono]

[What a majestic beast.]

You'll get sick if you stay out in the rain too long.

[Said as if Rin himself won't get sick doing the same thing.]

[yueshen]

[

xie lian wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. ]

And you, Rin...?

[aono]

I've never been sick before in my life, I'll be fine.

[He says, and then he immediately sniffs in from a runny nose.]

[yueshen]

[ and, ]

...Neither have I.

[ he reaches in his pocket after a moment and pulls out a small length of white cloth - it looks to be a handkerchief - and then offers it to rin. ] Here.

[aono]

Oh, right. Gods probably don't get sick, huh?

[He takes the handkerchief, and he blows loudly into it. Then he pulls it back, and he grimaces as he looks at it.]

You, uh. You might not want this back.

[yueshen]

[ i'm crying. xie lian is not sure whether to laugh or to cry. ]

You... you can keep it, Rin. [ congrats on your handkerchief. ] That's fine. Please take care of yourself, alright?

[aono]

[I'm sorry for this overgrown baby.]

Right, er...thanks.

[He really wishes this were a disposable tissue he could just throw away, but he feels obligated to hang onto it now and wash it. So into his pocket it goes!]

Only if you take care of yourself too. If I can get a stuffy nose here, then so can you. We've got too much work ahead of us to be getting sick.

[yueshen]

[ no apologies needed rin is perfect

he nods to that, though - he will try - and then looks a little more grim, the good humor on his face fading just a little. ]

...Agreed. Beyond even our returning members; there is the matter of tomorrow, as well. Aside from feeling ill today, are you doing better from earlier in the week, Rin?

[aono]

A little better. I still haven't figured out what to do about Baraqiel though.

[A sigh, a bit of guilt. That's a whole 'nother mess that got lost in the shuffle of Rin murdering someone and then watching his brother die.]

[yueshen]

...ah, yes.

[ there's a moment where his expression shifts. just a twitch of an eyebrow, that reflects how deeply xie lian cares about that particular issue. ]

It is as I told Miss Alisaie. I have faith that things will be alright - and if they are not, I will find a way to make them so.

[ period. no room for arguments. ]

[aono]

Right. And I wanna help.

[Rin is in agreement, and there's also no room for arguing his involvement here.]

Not only is it partially my fault that we failed the first time, but he's my friend too. I'm not giving up on him.

[yueshen]

[ somewhere baraqiel just shuddered at the idea of having A Friend

anyway xie lian meets his eyes, for a moment.... and then nods. serious, determined protagonist power. ]

Indeed. Baraqiel is very dear to me; if there is something to be done to help him, then we shall simply do it. I'll be counting on you, Rin.

[aono]

[He sure did.

But yeah, protagonist powers activate!]

And I'm counting on you too, yeah? This isn't a fight someone can do alone, and I still need to learn to control my demon too.

[He's been practicing at meditation but he still has a long way to go.]

[yueshen]

Of course. We'll continue with your meditation practices each day, Rin - it has been an honor to be able to work with you.

[ his expression softens a little, now, into more of a smile. ] And training and fighting is a part of that process as much as anything else. When the time comes, I will ask you and likely Miss Alisaie to help, especially.

Week 4, post-trial

[aono]

[Hey Xie Lian, how are you? Because Rin is feeling absolutely shitty and would love some company!

He's going to walk over to where Xie Lian is and sit down next to him in a meditative position. Then he claps his hands together, and:]

Oh, mysterious god of the central plains! The darkness in my heart keeps laughing at me and calling me a loser for thinking I could save anyone. What should I do to keep my mind busy and ignore his stupid laughter?

[yueshen]

[ xie lian is also feeling shitty!! actually, he's breathing kind of hard? they're in the arena. it's fine.

xie lian looks at them as rin starts his 'prayer', and then back to rin for a long moment. ]

... If it helps - there is darkness in my heart that laughs the same. Little demonic energy is required.

[ instead, that laugh sounds like the white no face. ]

But... I have found physical activity tends to clear the mind. [ and... his gaze shifts to their left, where there is just

a fucking line of destroyed sparring dummies.

oops. ]

[aono]

[Rin just. Looks over.

And sees all those dummies.]

Wow, leave some for the rest of us.

[He's teasing, honest.]

[yueshen]

[ ha ha .... he winces ]

...I got a little carried away....

[aono]

Well...it helped with the whispers in your heart, yeah? I guess that's what matters the most.

[yueshen]

Mm.

[ he's still not sure whether to laugh or cry about it...

but. xie lian adjusts how he's sitting, folding his arms over his knees as he gazes out at the training field. ]

You know, Rin - I am not that much older than you.

...Up until the past few years, I lived something of a charmed life. It all came down crashing, to say the very least, but... there are many lessons that I still feel like I have to learn. My practices, my mediation - most of the time, it is successful, but some days, I am still left ashore by my emotions. No one is perfect; even the gods in heaven are fallible.

You should not feel disheartened, if that creature speaks ill words to you. We are all still learning to contain what needs to be contained - and even those of us who are supposed to be extraordinary at it are perhaps still just as human.