january catch-all for some guys!

[listenyouidiot]

Who: Fitz and Nighteyes, Jin Guangyao + various closed starters
What: Nie Lianfang makes his debut! Fitz and Nighteyes events TBD.
When: The tail end of December and throughout the rest of January.
Where: Various places throughout Trench.
Notes: Original flavour Jin Guangyao has disappeared for the month and has been replaced by an alternate universe version of himself, who will introduce himself as Nie Lianfang, his courtesy name in this AU. To his close CR, he will respond to Meng Yao, his birth name. I'll be using both names in his tags this month depending on the circumstances.

hmu @ ragweed if you'd like a starter!

Content Warnings: Nothing yet, will update as needed.

Comments

[poorlittlesange]

That warmth is not going anywhere, but Shen Yuan of course has no way of knowing that. Jin Guangyao is--not unaware of his own feelings, let's say, but to examine them too closely now strikes him as introducing an unnecessary complication into a dynamic that has, at last, finally resolved itself into a shape that he has spent years longing for. So he does what he always does with inconvenient thoughts and emotions in situations like these, neatly masks them from view, and tucks them away to be dealt with later. Or never.

He allows his smile to grow wry and laughs quietly at Shen Yuan's commentary, then adopts a reproachful look because what sort of elder martial brother would he be if he did not scold Shen Yuan, just a little bit? "Shen-di should speak respectfully of his shigu," he informs him with a lift of his eyebrows. "She is his respected elder." Still, that doesn't stop his smile from dimpling his cheeks a bit--nor does it stop him from accepting the menu as it's handed to him.

When the server returns, Jin Guangyao greets them graciously as ever and opts for his usual tea, a light and aromatic jasmine that never fails to put him in mind of the heady summers in Jinlintai's Blooming Gardens. He waits patiently for Shen Yuan to make his request and for the server to depart to see to other customers; only then does he ask, "Are you enjoying your new furnishings?" It will serve as a gradual segue into discussing, in a circumspect manner, whether Shen Yuan was well taken care of while he was in his counterpart's world.

[xiaoxiuya]

"Don't you start," Shen Yuan says wryly, his mood lifting in response to the joke even as he makes a pretense at annoyance. "I get quite enough of that from her ladyship, thank you."

As usual, Shen Yuan spends several minutes pouring over the menu, making a show of possibly trying something new before falling back on one of his usual, tried and true orders: a very dark, smoky black tea, paired with a sponge cake. (Shen Yuan is a creature of habit, and one of his habits is trying to appear more flexible than he really is.)

"I am!" he says eagerly when Jin Guangyao asks after his new furniture, and it's not even entirely feigned -- at least not for now. Later, after he's taken his leave of his dear friend and spent some time reflecting (brooding) on the opportunities he's missed; that's when the bitterness will begin to cut the sweet. But for now the furniture is an exciting novelty, and he's only pretending to complain when he says, "Consort Shen has excellent taste -- although I think he took a little too much pleasure in emptying my wallet." He gives the sword a knowing look, adding, "Xiu Ya wasn't as much of a limiting influence as I'd hoped."

[poorlittlesange]

At Shen Yuan's wry retort, Jin Guangyao allows his eyes to widen a fraction in a practiced expression of 'who, me??' innocence--though he keeps it short-lived, and follows it up with a small, self-satisfied smirk at having improved Shen Yuan's mood. He contents himself with folding his hands neatly in his lap and listening as his friend continues on, first by complimenting Consort Shen's taste and then by lamenting the state of his wallet.

That brings a bit of a flush of colour to Jin Guangyao's cheeks, and, "ah," he begins, looking aside. Oops. He dips his head apologetically. "Shidi may lay the blame at this one's feet, if he must. I accompanied Consort Shen on his shopping expedition and," a little smile flickers at the corners of his lips, "provided my opinion about what I thought Shen-di might enjoy." Another short pause, before he ventures carefully: "What does Shen-di think of his new guqin?"

[xiaoxiuya]

"Oh?" If Shen Yuan was smiling before, now he positively beams, his entire face lighting up with unlooked-for glee. "So, my very own Jin-ge was the culprit," he says, shaking his head and enjoying both Jin Guangyao's mild embarrassment and this evidence of his friend's particular attention and care a perfectly normal, platonic amount.

"I really should have known," he continues, "considering how well everything fits together. I've always admired how harmonious and peaceful Jin-ge's home can be." His own cheeks turn slightly pink; has he perhaps said too much? But he can't just leave it there without mentioning the most important part: "And the guqin is lovely," he says truthfully. "I need a little more practice still, but perhaps sometime we could play together?" This said with all hint of teasing carefully left out, lest his offer be misunderstood.

The fact that he cannot help but sound sad as he says it, just by comparison, is lost on Shen Yuan. All too often the person who understands him least is himself.

[poorlittlesange]

"Of course we can," Jin Guangyao replies; his own smile has become a warmer, more artless version of itself in response to Shen Yuan's clear delight at his gift, because nothing brings Jin Guangyao more pleasure than being the source of his friends' happiness.

That makes the way his smile fades all the more noticeable, however, when Shen Yuan poses that question with such wistful sadness in his voice. Jin Guangyao isn't an idiot, he knows the source of that melancholy; he's aware, too, that what he's about to do may only make it worse. Still, he finds it difficult to stop himself.

He reaches across the table and rests his fingers very lightly against Shen Yuan's wrist. "You are dear to me, shidi, and I will always make time for you. This," a pause, because he doesn't quite want to say anything about his marriage out loud, lest he rub salt in the wound, "won't change that."

(It will, of course, but Jin Guangyao has often sought refuge in the warmth and comfort of white lies. And anyway, there's truth in his eyes about some of what he says, anyway: Shen Yuan is dear to him.)

[xiaoxiuya]

Shen Yuan's face twitches as oddly he looks down at Jin Guangyao's fingers on his wrist, as though he's trying to hide or suppress his first, most instinctive reaction. Finally he shakes himself quietly, and musters a smile; his hand turns to gently clasp Jin Guangyao's just for a moment, before he lets go.

"I'm glad," he says simply. "But shige deserves to be happy too; he should never be afraid to put himself first, if he has to." Translation: I don't want to be a problem, but if I ever become one, put yourself first. Be happy, even if it means living me behind. That's what I want.

"So," he says cheerfully, if more subdued than the bright, trying-too-hard face he'd worn on the sidewalk outside. "Which songs does Jin-ge think I should focus on, in my practice? He must have an opinion, skilled as he is."