ic inbox, ryslig.

[daozhangs]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, XIAO.XINGCHEN. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 018.07.154.55 *** XIAO.XINGCHEN has joined 018.07.154.55 <XIAO.XINGCHEN> You have reached Xiao Xingchen. <XIAO.XINGCHEN> I am often away from my laptop, but I will do my best to answer as soon as I'm able.

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[daozhangs]

( his face? one hand lifts to rest fingertips on his own cheek (too low, it misses the blood), then lifts to the bandages. those, at least, do perhaps feel different than they should. )

Ah, forgive me, ( he says, mildly perplexed. ) I changed them just yesterday, I'm not sure how-... ( but that's when his fingertips skim across a slightly rougher bit at the crest of his cheek. rough with salt from when he wept, or so he had thought before, but why would it still feel like this?

though he stopped mid-word, his mouth closes, pressing to a line for a long moment. then, ) Thank you. I hadn't realized. You've likely just saved me quite a bit of embarrassment in the future. ( all while he's standing again now, making his smooth and steady way back toward the bathroom. it may occur to jiang wanyin, if he thinks about it, that this isn't a facet of the change. that xingchen's face and bandaging were similarly bloodied when he first encountered him in that museum.

xingchen doesn't bother to close the bathroom door this time, it should be quite quick. the bandage is removed and set aside (he'll deal with that later), and after the brief run of the faucet, his face is scrubbed somewhat thoroughly with a damp rag. when he re-emerges, both hands hover up behind his head, attempting to tie a simple knot with these clumsy clawed hands. it doesn't occur to him to ask for help, instead saying, ) There's that taken care of.

[legbreakings]

[ Jiang Cheng cringes a little as he watches Xiao Xingchen make the discovery for himself, as he watches the realization on his face... If he could, he would have spared him the embarrassment.

Yet all he can do is murmur his assent and patiently wait for him to return, trying to make as little fuss about it as possible. Even if his thoughts do wander, and wonder. As far as he knows, what lies beneath the bandage is the same as has been before, he had even been wearing bloodied bandages like this when they first met at the museum. This issue must be older than the monstrous transformation.

When he returns, all Jiang Cheng has for his acknowledgment of the situation is a bland, polite smile. ] Of course. [ And that's it, he is willing to leave it at that, no further questions even though he is burning with curiosity. ]

How have you been settling in? Before... this happened, anyway. I'm impressed you're still living in the city. I didn't last a week.

[daozhangs]

( were jiang wanyin to ask instead of sit there and burn, xingchen would answer. such a thing should be known between them by now. he answered for all that he had done, his deepest and darkest secrets laid bare, what could he possibly stand to hide after that?

but the curiosity burns silently within jiang wanyin and xingchen is none the wiser. instead, they've turned the conversation to his choice of residences. he hums thoughtfully, and - ) Quite honestly, I didn't plan to. I - ( ope, he sure did just clip his thigh on the table - both hands fumbling with the bandaging means he doesn't have one to guide himself and he definitely misjudged the turn back into his seat. his lips press together with an huffed exhale that from anyone else would likely have been some sort of curse if he were the cursing sort. but then he's stepping around the corner properly to sink into his seat, continuing as if nothing happened. ) - I suppose I assumed that I'd know the right place to settle once I found myself able to travel peninsula.

[legbreakings]

Of course. I hope you can travel soon. [ It would do him well, Jiang Cheng thinks, to return to his ways of being a traveling cultivator. Maybe it would remind him of the better days in his life. Of course now with the change... His eyes lingered on his friend's new body and he stifled a sigh. He himself moved easily among humans since the only thing that made him stand out was his foreign dress. Xiao Xingchen would have a far harder time now with his fearsome appearance. ]

Not everyone out there hates and fears monsters. There are even a few communities where they live and work together peacefully. I had thought of settling in one of them and protecting the people but it's so terribly far away from the water. But I think that would be good work. We are still cultivators at heart, we are obligated to do our best to help people with whatever cursed powers we have now.

[ The truth is: he hasn't been able to make himself think much of the future anymore after killing, that had stolen his optimism, but it still feels right to say it. Maybe it will become true again. ]