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]

Distracting?? Like what????

"Okay...?" Shen Yuan says, caught off guard by He Xuan's sudden change in mood (tsundere??? Nah, he's probably just annoyed about the lost fish), but he does his best to take it in stride, pushing himself to his feet and --

"Oh, hello!" he says as the bone fish suddenly thrashes, disentangling itself from the skirt of his robe with a tiny rip of fabric. "I'm sorry, did I wake you? I'd have been more careful if I'd known you were there," he cooes, and this time dares to gently pet the flat section on the top of its skull. "I had a nice time today," he tells He Xuan, smiling shyly. Even if it's ending a little suddenly, he enjoyed himself...could he dare to hope that maybe they'll do this again sometime?

[ex_sink985]

The bone fish cats into his hand happily and darts around his ankles, growing back to its ordinary size, which is bigger than most arowana, about as long as a person though slighter due to its skeletal nature.

"Seems like you caught something after all," says He Xuan with a straight face, ordering with a quick series of gestures that his Omen should come closer and behave. He fixes the newly freed hook into a notch in its bones so he doesn't lose it and starts to thread the next one. The Omen bumps his hands impatiently, trying to get him to stand and show courtesy, and with a beleaguered sigh he does so.

He stands all the way upright, circles his arms, and gives a deep bow. He's still annoyed by how pretty and interesting this guy is, but it was a nice time. "Tell me where you live," he says directly. "Or send directions. I will clean your fish and bring it to you." Since he did actually make a catch of his own earlier, and He Xuan will honour that. A pause and he glances down at his bucket. "Or you can take it now?" And just travel through the city with a single fish in hand. Yes.

[xiaoxiuya]

Ah! It's like He Xuan read his mind! Shen Yuan is smiling brightly with open delight as he returns the bow, and as he straightens up he announces, "I'll send the directions to your omni," he replies, and he doesn't mean at some hypothetical point in the future: he takes his omni out right then and there proceeds to do exactly what he said, sending He Xuan location markers for his apartment and the nearest public lamppost in Gaze. "Let me know when you're about to stop by," he says cheerfully. "I'll put the kettle on." Which...

Well, does it really need to spelled out? Shen Yuan has every intention of inviting this hungry ghost he just met into his own personal house for tea and snacks, if He Xuan will let him. And the damage to the notorious Black Water Sinks Ships' reputation won't stop with Shen Yuan, oh no: once he's finished his farewells and left He Xuan's sight, he'll take his omni out again, this time to send a message to Jin Guangyao which reads:

Just took my leave of He-xiansheng! He was lovely, shigi, I don't think we need to worry about him at all. He comported himself like a perfect gentleman! ^_^

And that, as they say, is that.