awashlogs | March catch-all

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March catch-all

WHO: Wei Wuxian, Xie Lian, Pyra
WHERE: Various places in Chroma
WHEN: Sometime during the ~~dragon~~ scales event
WHAT: Bodyswapping and misunderstandings
WARNINGS: None!

[ Initially he dismissed the forty-ninth quest out of hand. He wouldn't readily exchange his body with somebody who didn't understand cultivational powers, especially demonic ones.

But the more he gets to thinking, the more it occurs to him that there is someone in particular whose body he'd like to inhabit. Thus he pulls on his hot pink winter jacket and heads out towards Bluo... ]

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[ His motives in exchanging bodies with Xie Lian were absolutely pure. He wanted to learn more about the curse mark encircling the man's neck, and try to determine a method to remove it for good. He hadn't had much luck analyzing the curse after transferring it to his own body, though he blames that on the numerous intrusions into his heart that had been happening around the same time.

Analyzing the curse and how it affects the cursed person's body: that's the best course of action.

And that's exactly what he's planning to do............after he has a little fun. He's basically impersonating Xie Lian right now, so clearly the best thing to do is go to the man's house, nonchalantly open up his bedroom door and— ]

GAH!

[ —get buried in a gigantic pile of junk. What the hell? ]

[ On her periodic delivery of incense to Xie Lian, she had been meaning to speak with the godling again sometime about very important things, like weddings, but--

A loud crash completely topples that reason.

Pyra, now completely worried, bursts down the door and runs up to the souce of the crash. ] Xie Lian--? [ What.... is all this junk? Oh, no, no, no junk, but stuff? Because it must not just be stuff, it must be important stuff if Xie Lian of all people is keeping it within his bedroom!

In any case, Pyra will be attempting to reach and pull him out of the pile. Son, please. ]

[ Even with his mind-bogglingly extreme strength, he wasn't able to stay upright when a pile of junk that size fell on him. He's completely covered in it: old shoes, empty tin cans, single socks with holes in them, crumpled up bits of paper, ugly Christmas sweaters, metal springs, broken plates, a mug handle, a chair cushion with most of the stuffing gone, a teapot missing its lid with a broken-off spout, and so on and so forth. He's grateful for the the help and clutches the hand reaching for him.

...and then when he's finally pulled out and he sees who is helping him, his eyes light up. ]

Why, Pyra! How lovely to see you!

[ He stands up, brushing the last of the junk off of himself. Various items clang and ping and a headless toy squeaks as it bounces and rolls away. ]

I'm—

[ He's about to confess who he is, when it occurs to him that this might be an opportunity... ]

—grateful. For your help.

[ ...to find out certain things. ]

[ She will gladly help him up, none the wiser. Oh, silly Xie Lian, always... ditzy--... Here, here, she'll brush of some debris and other junk from his shoulder and hair (aka, fussing over him). ]

You know, you keep on saying things like that...

But I'm starting to get the feeling that you're a beacon for trouble. [ She cautions in a playful tone, pulling the final sock from his shoulder. ] Aren't gods supposed to be good luck?

Edited 2019-03-09 06:25 (UTC)

[ He loves being fussed over, and so he submits to the debris-brushing with a bright smile on his face. ]

What are you saying? My luck is excellent! You're here, aren't you?

[ And then he remembers, belatedly, that he shouldn't be so openly flirting with Pyra for......any number of reasons. He rearranges his features into something more Xie Lian-like (a soft, sheepish smile), and asks: ]

Ah, speaking of which: to what do I owe the pleasure?

[ One last bit of junk to comb out of his hair and.. voila, normal, clean, and clutter-free Xie Lian!

...And look at that initial smile of his, it's brighter than usual, and she absolutely loves seeing Xie Lian seemingly be in such a good mood. ]

Oh, well.... First, let me apologize for intruding!

And second...

[ Her eyes seem to light up. ] Second, I have good news about your wedding! Or-- well, a good offer about it, if you haven't heard.

Remember Saber-- the woman who built that statue I commissioned for your shrine? Well, she's offered her Noble Phantasm for you and Wei Wuxian to use for your wedding ceremony and reception!

And third: have the two of you thought of a date yet? We should be giving out invitations soon.... [ Or more like, make it a network-wide public invitation for everyone in Chroma! ]

[ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ]

[ He'd straightened things out with Xie Lian, and had just assumed Xie Lian had straightened things out with Pyra. But no, things have gotten even worse. Not only has his roommate been roped in, but she's talking about sending out invitations? ]

[ And yet—she looks so happy about all this. She's worked so hard. The idea of disappointing her is almost unbearable, and yet he has to do it. He has to. Why is he in this position, aaaaaah! Why didn't Xie Lian say anything to her— ]

[ Unless... he hasn't actually straightened anything out with Xie Lian. The man's feelings remain conflicted. That kiss... he hadn't been casual about it, the way Shen Qingqiu always was, about kissing him. He'd hidden his face and run from the room. That isn't how a man kisses another man, if he doesn't mean anything by it! ]

[ Meanwhile he's just standing here tongue-tied, staring at Pyra. He has to say something.

Weakly: ]

Ah.... what's a "Noble Phantasm"?

Something of an... incredible power, I think? [ A pause.

Also. What is all this clutter in his room doing here? She never thought him to be a messy person! Gonna just start-- like, picking up stuff and organizing everything. Lalala don't mind her. ] I'm not exactly sure what it is, but hers is called the "Golden Theater".

It's beautiful and spacious and-- [ She pauses while picking up a lamp, dusting it off with a hand. ] Shen Qingqiu and I were attempting to make tables from the forest trees and paper-flowers for you... But Saber's Theater will outshine anything we craft.

[ Poor Pyra... as if this mountain of junk can possibly be organized... except, perhaps, "organized" into a garbage dump. The lamp she's dusting is cracked and missing half its shade, for instance. He rubs his forehead. ]

That is... that's very kind of you and Maiden Saber, but I don't think I... we... require anything so elaborate.

[ His heart is twisting, both from making this admittedly very weak refusal, because Pyra seems so happy about it... and also, because Pyra seems so happy about it, that seems to suggest that her feelings for him are...

...

Well, he knew all along, right? It's not like this is new information. ]

[ You know, she was actually thinking that— that the Golden Theater would actually be a bit too much for the humble Xie Lian. ]

[ Planning this wedding is exciting and fun, she believes that their union should be celebrated! And she enjoys watching others be happy and in love, she... With someone like Xie Lian, she could never compete. ]

Then something more.... natural? Nature-themed? [ She still busies herself with trying to sort on all of this rubbish. He shouldn’t be living like this! ]

In the castle, you mentioned you’d want white flowers. Again, Shen Qingqiu and I had actually started to make— [ A short laugh. ] paper-flowers for you. We made a whole lot! But since spring is just around the corner... [ She pauses, turning to face him happily. ] You might just get real flowers.

[ She’ll gather them herself if she has to! ]

[ Shen Qingqiu! Even he is in on this thing! He said he'd save me, what is this betrayal!!! ]

Paper flowers. Ah. That was... a very kind thought. But... but you're right, it will be spring soon.

[ What is he doing, aaaaaah! Making pleasantries? Even if Pyra doesn't.... no, no matter what, he's got to derail this thing. But how.....? ]

[ Oh. Oh wait. Wait. He has a terrible idea. It's absolutely diabolical.

And... and given the fact that they've apparently been dual cultivating, it might be actually true. ]

[ He drops his eyes and turns away, a hand pressed to his heart. ]

Shen Qingqiu... is such a sweet man. I've always thought so.

[ She's looking away when he first speaks, placing a broken drawer onto of a broken chair, but her response is immediate. ] ....He... he really is. [ She humors him with a soft smile, straightening up to look at him. ]

[ ...But that's when she actually sees Xie Lian's reaction that go with his words. The dropped gaze, the hand to his chest...

Uh oh. ]

Xie Lian... [ Time to abandon rummaging through all this junk. Looks like there might be a bigger problem on their hands! ]

...Is everything all right?

[ HOOK! LINE! SINKER! ]

[ Xie Lian looks up, slowly, as if miles away, thinking about something fondly.... ]

[ .....and then he suddenly seems to realize what he just said!!! ]

Everything's fine. It's fine! I... do any of these match?

[ He starts gathering up various random shoes, socks, a flowerpot. ]

I... I should go outside and look for more. Where's my hat?

[ Her eyes just widen more and more as she continues to watch his reaction. ]

for Pyra

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