Event Twenty-One

[awashmods]

Sometimes I feel happy, Sometimes I feel sad. Sometimes I feel curious, Sometimes I feel mad. Sometimes I feel silly, Sometimes I feel surprised. How many feelings, Do I have inside?

t's another regular, normal day in the Town. There's absolutely nothing to show that anything could possibly be wrong; the birds are chirping, the sky is bright, and everything is absolutely, entirely wrong. This time, though? The problem is internal. Slowly, bit by bit, people are going to stop feeling entirely like themselves -- or maybe even stop feeling at all. And suddenly that nice, bright day doesn't seem quite so nice and not quite so bright any longer after all. Welcome to Awash's Twenty-First event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post. You are welcome to make your own logs and posts for this event! If there are any questions, please ask them here. Thank you!

Comments

[alittlespicy]

[ The upward curve of WangJi's lips doesn't last long, but it's definitely there - and then it lingers in the corners of the softened pale eyes. He nods, then. ]

Mn.

Will work on talismans for you to review, too. And songs.

[ First, Wei Ying must know what more he has at his disposal, so he can make decisions accordingly. ]

1/3

[espritdecorpse]

[ He straightens up, having picked up all of his brushes and papers—and almost drops them again. ]

Lan Zhaaaan! Was that... was that a smile?

[espritdecorpse]

[ He was shocked at first, but now he's bursting with glee. ]

It was, it definitely was! Aiyaah! It's like plum blossoms blooming on a snow-covered branch, inexpressibly lovely and elegant. All those years I teased you, and I never got to see your smile even once, ah! Why would you hide something like that away?

[espritdecorpse]

[ Suddenly his expression changes; he tosses his long ponytail and affects a pout. ]

Do you really like talismans so much? I never knew. You should have said so before!

[ The Lan clan is all about music and spells, he'd always thought. Who knew that they shared an interest? ]

1/2

[alittlespicy]

[ For a moment, only a moment, the smile makes another appearance with Wei Ying's reaction. It is so rare and beautiful and he? caused it? ]

[alittlespicy]

[ Then he follows it with that, and WangJi's amusement weathers in a moment, only his embarrassment remaining. ]

... ridiculous.

[ Not! The! Talismans! At all! ]

[espritdecorpse]

[ He grins, his tongue on the tip of his teeth. ]

Oh~? Talismans aren't what you were smiling about? Then what was it?

[ He makes a show of thinking. ]

Did you... like me praising you? Pfff! Hahahaha! High-minded, lofty Hanguang-Jun is vain. Who knew? Okay, if you smile like that, I'll praise you all you want!

[alittlespicy]

[ ... Wei Ying is teasing him again, properly teasing him, and whatever residual chill was still in WangJi's heart not only melts but actually evaporates.

He points out, ] you have praised me before, [ because it is true, and that is not the reason for the smile either, though I'll praise you all you want is staggeringly more appealing than it used to be.

But even the denial is nearly soft, roundabout, rather than the firm, straight-up 'no' of their adolescent years. ]

[espritdecorpse]

[ "You have praised me before" just sounds like an embarrassed denial. He puts his arms behind his back, gripping his elbows, and leans in too close to the man. ]

You've got very nice eyelashes, did you know? They're so long and so thick. I'm quite fond of your eyes, they look like jewels or pieces of glass, lit by the sun.

[alittlespicy]

[ The first sentences get a soft 'hmph' sound because ... ?

... and then said eyes go a little wide, and a little soft, and definitely lit up, if only for a moment before he lids them to extinguish the hope there.

His lips only purse together, though, no hint of a smile. (Because Wei Ying means it but doesn't mean it, and can they go back to talking about working together? That is something that he at least has a moderate reason to accept as being wanted for.) ]

Mn.

1/2

[espritdecorpse]

[ The man's exquisite eyes lighting up, that's precisely the reaction he'd been seeking... ]

[espritdecorpse]

[ But when they dim, and Lan Zhan's mouth purses, he's confused and disappointed. He tugs on the man's sleeve. ]

A-aaaa? What's the matter? You're not going shy, are you? Hey, hey, hey, I know you said it's okay, but if I'm teasing you too much, just say so!

[alittlespicy]

[ And back to softer, much calmer as he shakes his head. He can't ask him to not say what he doesn't mean. That's not his to ask. ]

Not too much.

Not what made me smile.

1/3

[espritdecorpse]

[ Part of him wants to ask outright; part of him wants to work out the puzzle on his own. The cascade of emotions across the man's face, subtle yet enchanting, fascinates him. He thinks, once again, about leaping into Lan Zhan's arms, and is about to do so impulsively, when... ]

[espritdecorpse]

[ Neither of them are acting like themselves, he tells himself. The way Lan Zhan has been looking at him, the strange fluttering in his heart, they're both under the influence of...... something. If they were merely drunk, for instance, that would be different; but the idea of his emotions being manipulated by an outside force tempers his excitement with foreboding. ]

[espritdecorpse]

[ He clutches his papers and brushes to himself, like some sort of protective armor. ]

Oh. Ok. Well...

[ His tongue, always so glib and loose suddenly feels tied up in knots. ]

I'll... I'll see you around. Let me know when you want to work on those talismans.

[ He turns to go. ]

[alittlespicy]

I will.

[ He. Probably sounds absolutely normal. He's good at sounding the same, always. And if his eyes are lowered to where they were sitting just earlier, what of it? ]

I will... look forward to it.