Winter Be Gentle And Kind [Open]

[xiaoxiuya]

Who: Shen Yuan's CR group, as well as anyone else who'd like to join in <3
What: Open CR, meeting with people to discuss the Trench almanac, FURNITURE SHOPPING 8D The regularly-scheduled Shen Yuan had just moved into a new apartment in Gaze when Decembered ended, and just because the alternate version will only be living in Trench for the month doesn't mean he's going to sleep on the floor. What is he, a college student? Get out of here.
When: Throughout January and into February
Where: Shen Yuan's new apartment and the Archives in Gaze, furniture and antique stores in the Wilful Machine, more locations TBD

Content Warnings: Oblique references to kidnapping, harem politics, casual violence and romance between a kidnapping victim and their captor. This Shen Yuan comes from an fanfic-inspired AU where he was kidnapped and wooed by a Luo Binghe who had already become emperor, and while he considers himself a fully-consenting partner in their relationship others' mileage may vary. Please contact me privately if you'd like more details or have requests about topics you'd like to avoid while we thread together.

Comments

[xiaoxiuya]

[Shen Yuan is in the middle of exclaiming over the antique dresser, carved from dark hardwood with a botanical motif, that his other self purchased to store his clothes, when he receives this message. In true Shen Yuan fashion he immediately begins feeling up his own neck, trying to figure out whatever the problem is, and exposes more of the sizeable love bite Emperor Luo "Fuckboy" Binghe left in the process.]

Hm? Why, do I have something on my -- neck...

[You can see the exact moment his fingers put pressure on the hickie; Shen Yuan's eyes widen, and he immediately drops his phone on the dresser and leaves the frame, presumably to get visual confirmation in his bathroom mirror.]

SON OF A --

[Xiu Ya, out of respect for Jin Guangyao's tender sensibilities, ends the video there.]

refined_elegance: Please excuse this one's cultivator, he is gaining an object lession in the benefits of modesty. uwu.

text | (still private!)

[poorlittlesange]

[it is extremely endearing how delicate everyone perceives his sensibilities to be. Jin Guangyao is pleased to allow this façade to continue for as long as necessary. he's less pleased (with himself) over having inadvertently caused Shen Yuan embarrassment, especially considering he was trying to accomplish the exact opposite thing--

--did Xiu Ya just use an emoji? Jin Guangyao sighs.]

Greetings, shigu.

Please allow this humble one to apologize. This one had hoped to be discreet with informing Shen-gongzi of his--

[his what, exactly?]

--blemish.

[close enough.]

[xiaoxiuya]

Think nothing of it, dear shizhi. It is good for him to pay for his own mistakes; how else is he to learn? This venerable one believes he will recover from the embarrassment quickly enough.

[Ah, it's good to have her cultivator back where he belongs. The other Shen Yuan was significantly less entertaining amiable to correction.]

Tell us, how do Jin-shizhi and Lan-gongzi fare? It has been too long since we last conversed.

[poorlittlesange]

Shigu is very kind to ask after this shizhi and Zewu-jun. We have been well. It appears that we both returned to versions of our own world for a time. This one is still reviewing the notes left by Nie Lianfang.

[strange to see a portion of his title in his alternate self's courtesy name, but perhaps some things do remain constant across universes. which reminds him--]

Zewu-jun and I do have some news to share, but we will do so in a separate, group message.

[xiaoxiuya]

Very good. It pleases this venerable one to hear that you both have been well, though I will pray we are not soon separated again. It pains this one greatly not to know what has become of those under her care.

This venerable one will look forward to hearing Jin-shizhi's news. In the meantime, this one has news of her own to share: the other Shen Yuan arranged for this one to receive a scabbard, at long last. Jin-shizhi once expressed the regret that he had not beheld this one in person; would he perhaps like to correct that later? Shen Yuan has given us to understand he would enjoy sharing tea with shizhi once again as well.

[poorlittlesange]

This is indeed wonderful news, and it would be an honour for this one to admire Shigu in person. Please do let Shen-gongzi know that this one would be delighted to take tea with him again.

[perhaps if Jin Guangyao can successfully keep their discussion focused on Xiu Ya's scabbard, he can avoid acknowledging any of what Shen Yuan witnessed in his memories.]