originalshen

[ In the Shen Qingqiu apartment, there's a pile of presents on the table! They're all neatly wrapped, and one gift labled to both Qingqiu and Qingqiu while the four others are labelled for New Qingqiu or for ~~jiong~~ Bright Qingqiu. And New Qingqiu has: an embroidered fan and a tin of biscuits!!

Clearly both Shens like sweets and fans, right? Definitely right. ]

[KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

She’s rather incessantly knocking on the door here hello hi]

Shen Qingqiu! Qingqiu! Is Oona, open, open!

[She certainly sounds eager and excited about something at least. It might have something to do with the delicate string of beads and shells and coral held in her free hand though. Maybe.]

[Shen Qingqiu was certainly not expecting guests today (is he ever?), and the incessant knocking is irritating to hear...especially when the noise causes one dog (and one copycat kitten) to start barking equally incessantly right back at it.

He storms over to the door, a murderous look on his face at this intrusion to his peaceful daily life—only to hear Oona's voice on the other side.

Excuse him as he takes a moment to shoo the animals away before answering.]

...Oona? Is something the matter?

[What's got her so excited, is it good is it bad, somehow asking about the string doesn't come to mind just yet.]

[When did the get a dog?? She’s sure there wasn’t a dog last time she was over... oh well, it doesn’t matter! The second the door is open, Oona throws her arms around him in greeting, grinning.]

Yes! Something very serious! [ she even manages to look serious for all of three seconds before she grins again and continues with just what this “very serious” urgent matter was:]

Missed you. Wanted to see your face!

[It's Yuan's dog okay, he's got nothing to do with it!! Anyway the dog goes quiet once he lets her in, as Jiu himself accepts her hug with an eventual tiny half-smile.]

That sounds serious indeed. [No it doesn't, it sounds embarrassing! But it's the kind of embarrassing that makes it really hard to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching upwards, which is why despite returning the embrace he actually turns his face away after a moment.]

It hasn't been all that long, has it? Though I...can't say I hadn't thought of seeing you again as well.

[He likes when she visits? Maybe he should visit her for once, that's always an idea—]

[She smiles up at him, briefly pressing her face against his chest and giving him a light squeeze before she reluctantly pulls away to go further inside.]

Every moment am apart from you is too long. [Somehow she manages to say that seriously and with a straight face. Amazing.

If he visited her for once there’d at least be no animals and no yuan around to interrupt them? She glances around the space, curious to see what might’ve changed, before turning to face him.]

Brought gift. It is, eh... it is special gift. Made myself.

[how can she say that so easily dear heavens above she's going to kill him with these flirtations—

None of the furniture has changed, at least. Just the dog and the growing cats and the one man trying really hard to look calm and collected as he follows her in, hiding his rising blush behind his fan.]

You made it? [His gaze drifts down to the string of shells and things in her hand.] You didn't need to go to the trouble...I haven't given you anything myself. [Nothing handmade, at least? That seems important somehow.]

[She shakes her head and smiles softly.] Have given me much. Friendship and acceptance and you like me, yes? I like you too.

This is, eh... Is important next step. If accept, then it means... You accept me too. That it is okay to go after, and to kiss, and to like you.

[It’s a COURTSHIP HAIR THING but she’s not doing the best job of explaining that part.] Of course, it is okay if you want to kiss others and things. But this shows that we are special. Ehh, that you are special, to me. Mm. Understand?

[Well she's definitely not wrong there...he does like her.

Listening to her little explanation though, with her still-imperfect speech, he's not entirely sure what to make of it. She's already kissed him, she's already established they like each other, and accepting this thing doesn't have any effect on him kissing others? (As if he's ever actually tried to kiss anyone.) It does sound a little like courtship, but at the same time, maybe it's just--he doesn't know what to call this relationship they have actually. Is it courtship? Friendship? Some nameless bond between the two of them? It's not like he's ever had any friends for comparison.

So he stares at her offering, gaze flickering between it and Oona's face, still holding his fan up like a shield against his own uncertainty.

There's a long moment before he.......nods.] ...You are special to me as well. So I...accept your gift. And you.

[Now that he's actually said that out loud it feels a lot more serious than it'd been in his head? How is talking to a mermaid more embarrassing than anything else he's done in his life, he's practically in his 40's, what is this...!!]

[She lets out a breath she’d been holding during his intense scrutiny, beaming at him in response.] Good! Am glad! Ahaha... [She trails off with a little laugh, scratching at her cheek before she reaches out to take his arm, tugging him in the direction of the couch.]

Come! Want to put it in your hair! Want to see! Took long time to find all pieces, wanted to make sure was perfect.

[The intense scrutiny was necessary, okay! Also he's still fighting a blush as he lets her tug him away, enjoying the attention at the same time that he really hopes nobody else sees this.]

It sounds like you went to a lot of trouble for this. [For him? She went through all that trouble for him--okay no it's just seashells stop being flustered!

Ahem.] ...I've recently recovered my old qin. If you'd like, I can play a few tunes for you once you've finished with my hair. [As he sits down for her.]

It is not trouble if it is for something like this. [From anyone else maybe it would’ve sounded like a line, but she says it as if it’s the most obvious truth in the world.

She has him sit on the couch, then settles herself down on the back of it, letting her legs rest on either side of him as she begins to undo his hair]

Can play? Shizun—ah, Chuchu— [She says, as if he has any idea who that could be] has been teaching me, a little! Can not play well, but I can sing! Want to hear you play for me. And one day, we can, hmm, what is the word? Duet!

[She says so many things so easily.....Jiu can't help respecting that, as much as he's embarrassed by it.

Changing the subject to music makes things a little easier though; he relaxes somewhat as his hair comes undone, sitting nice and proper so it's easier for her to do her thing.]

Is this "Chuchu" a good teacher? If not, you're free to come to me for help. [He sure is glad he didn't get a nickname like that--] And I'd be happy to play a duet with you whenever you like, regardless.

He is very good! Has taken as, hmm, the word...Disciple? Yes. Gave me pretty robes. Next time, will wear them for you and show you! [They weren't the ones she was wearing at the party.] Are all white, but do not ever get dirty! So, do not have to clean them as much.

Ah, but it is still so much... But you humans are so... [She trails off not sure what the right word is to use. 'Prudish' but that's not in her vocab at the moment.] Care so much. Would rather not wear anything. [Huff!!]

But, can teach me too! Want to learn. Want to sing for you.

[Well if she's calling this Chuchu guy Shizun then it makes sense she's his disciple, as much as the thought irritates him. Robes that never get dirty though....sound useful, and more importantly, it sounds like proper clothing that she's happy to wear.

He can't move his head right now, and she can't really see his face in this position, but he puts on a (playfully) judging expression anyway.]

Weren't you the one complaining of cold during the snows? [He remembers!!] Not wearing anything certainly wouldn't help on that front....but if you'd like to show me your clothes, or sing with me, you know my doors are always open. [Figuratively, if not literally.]

Edited 2020-03-02 17:27 (UTC)

Ah...

[HEY don’t call her out like this. She gives his hair a light tug] Is different! Was cold! Besides, would it be so bad? [Her tone turns sly and she leans down to whisper against his ear] For you?

[Hey, don't tug!! He opens his mouth to comment on how the weather isn't exactly warm yet-

Aaaaaand closes it again.]

I.

...You should at least keep covered in public.

[Determinedly! Not looking at the mermaid by his ear!! (Avoiding eye contact sadly does not prevent blushing.]

[She’ll yank his hair all she wants!! But she soon gives it up and pulls back to continue weaving the pieces of the hair ornament through it instead.]

Ah, only in public? Will keep in mind.

[She laughs low and it tapers off into a pleased little hum. She continues to work in silence for a little bit before she sort of continues that last train of thought.]

Qingqiu, I will not do things yu do not like or do not want to do. I will promise that.

[It's pretty hard to keep calm when there's a humming laughing woman with her hands in your hair suggesting she'd be happy to go naked regardless of the location—or more like outright saying it? Oona just doesn't seem to like clothes at all. Which makes sense for a mermaid, but is hard to reconcile with the fact he's only ever seen her on land...despite how cool and aloof he generally tries to appear, deep down Shen Qingqiu still craves affection as much as any other human being, if not more.

So he falls silent as well, organizing his thoughts and pushing himself to try to relax as she works. And it is soothing, really; gentle touches in a quiet room, with no threats or irritations to be wary of...he's contemplating how to show her the song he'd put together when she speaks up again, the words surprising enough that it takes a moment for him to answer.

"I trust you" gets swallowed before the words can reach his lips, a level he's still afraid to acknowledge aloud when his ability to hold faith is as fragile as it's become. But even if he doesn't acknowledge it aloud...he can't help the tiny smile that creeps onto his face.]

...I'll hold you to that promise, then. And I--will try to do the same.

[As she finishes weaving the pieces through his hair, smoothing her hands over it, she gives a pleased and content hum. Trying is all they can really do—it’s inevitable things might happen that will accidentally hurt, but she doesn’t doubt that they wouldn’t do so to each other purposefully. That’s all she can ask for.]

Done. You do not have to wear these all the time, but...For now, I like to see them in your hair.

Qiuqiu, can stay, for little while? Do not have to talk or play, just... Wish to be with you. [And finally he gets a cutesy nickname too!!]

[Once upon a time, Shen Qingqiu had put very little thought into his hair. He'd tie it up nice and neat to keep it out of the way, or when he became peak lord he'd put it up with a nice little hair crown for the same purpose but a little more flair. But these days it seems if Oona isn't doing something his own twin is, giving his hair all sorts of braids and hair ornaments and what-have-you, and while he can't help worrying that maybe they make him look more feminine than he'd like he also can't bring himself to stop it.

He'll stand proud regardless. If anyone disses his hair he'll just murder them or something, it's fine.

Hair aside, there's a very short pause - the slightest stiffening of shoulders - at that nickname....which he immediately covers up by raising a hand to carefully feel his new hairstyle for the day.]

I did say I wanted to play for you, didn't I? Though you can certainly stay longer than that. [And having overcome whatever short-lived mental block he just had--his expression softens again.] ...Your company is appreciated, regardless of what you do.

Congratulations! You have won your Charity Date Auction Bid!

Your hosts will be waiting for you at Fuchun Tea house two days from now at 11am, for leisurely conversation, a meal, and anything else your heart might desire!

[ There are some conversations you don't have over text, and having a talk about your boyfriend (?) leaving that has the chance to turn very emotional is one of those conversations. Airplane would very much like to have this conversations with Cucumber Bro, and winds up making the brilliant decision to visit without checking ahead of time.

... To whatever credit he deserves, he wasn't actually planning on visiting. He mostly found himself in the area and figured now was as good a time as any.

Which means he's knocking on the door to the Shen pair's living space, then sliding it partially open before there's any answer. ]

Shen-shixiong? ... Other Shen-shixiong?

[ He at least knows enough to be careful to make sure none of the animals slip out. What is with you two and hoarding pets, anyway?! ]

[They didn't choose to hoard pets, okay? The pets multiplied on their own!!

Also rather than any Shens, what greets Shang Qinghua upon entry are one dog, an excitedly ~~barking~~ meowing cat, a couple other curious felines poking their head outs from around various corners before disappearing again, and...can he even tell these cats apart, because there's an extra cat sauntering over like it owns the place and sitting down just far enough to be considered polite social distancing as it narrows its eyes like it's judging him for coming in without invitation.

Okay so most cats act like they own the place, but still.]

[ It is in fact completely normal cat behavior, so Shang Qinghua thinks nothing strange of it.

Instead he hesitantly steps inside, still looking around as if expecting one or both of the owners to appear. But they don't obviously, so he temporarily redirects his attention to the dog and dog-like cat, briefly giving each of them some attention in the hopes of getting them to calm down so he isn't being harassed too much.

Well, might as well wait until Cucumber Bro returns. That shouldn't take too long, right?

He settles himself at the table and spends a little while looking around, his gaze eventually landing on that extra cat again. Is he misremembering, or is this a new one? How many pets to these two plan to take in, seriously?! ]

[The dog(s) do, in fact, calm down! They know him, after all, so it's not like he's an actual enemy they need to (somehow) scare away.

Jiu kinda wishes they did think Shang Qinghua was an enemy to scare away, but he's not the one in charge of dog training in this house, so. More importantly! Does the man seriously think it's acceptable to waltz on into someone else's home and sit down like he lives here? Because it's not! It's absolutely not!!

Keeping in line with his current appearance though, the cat doesn't utter a word, instead flicking his ears back and emitting a low growl. His cat form has a surprisingly cute meow despite who he is, but surely a growl can still get his point across, right? His point being that he wants you Out, thanks. Bingbing actually lets out a nervous whine or two at his threat, but otherwise none of the animals pay any attention to it.]

[ Well, that definitely has his attention. Now he's rather certain this isn't a cat that they had already, especially if it's not used to him.

Luckily (?), he isn't afraid of a cat! There's plenty to be scared of in this world, but a house cat isn't that frightening, all things considered!

So Shang Qinghua slowly reaches out and holds out his hand to allow this newcomer to approach and sniff him. The first step to befriending a cat is to let it come to you at its own pace! He's dealt with enough of these cats to understand the basics! ]

[Ah, the proffered hand of peace. He knows this gesture.

He also doesn't care to accept it.

Shen Qingqiu "cautiously" leans forward, makes a show of contemplating the idea of sniffing, and...bites. Hard. Take that, rat.]

Ow!!

[ Bad kitty! Bad kitty!! Shang Qinghua yelps and jerks his hand back, staring at the cat with an expression that is equal parts affronted and terrified.

So much for not being scared of a house cat. ]

What was that for?! I didn't do anything!

Does unlawful intrusion count as nothing nowadays? I'm afraid I wasn't aware.

[So much for pretending he's just a normal cat.

Also if Shang Qinghua isn't careful one of the other cats might attempt to climb up his back right around now.]

WTF, it can talk?!

[ You'd think he would be more used to this sort of thing in a world where people can turn into animals on a monthly basis... but he is not.

He is, however, distracted from his train of thought by the sudden presence of claws on his back. Shang Qinghua yelps and ducks forward, but that just makes the cat dig in its claws harder, then settle comfortably on top of the curve of his back once he stops moving.

It takes him a few moments, and then suddenly he feels his whole body go cold. Wait, this is--this isn't--he and Cucumber Bro might not have the best relationship, but surely the man wouldn't be so cruel as to fake being a cat only to bite him! No, that's a level of terrible that suits a certain someone else much better! Which means... ]

Shen... shixiong?!

[ Oh no. Oh no. He just said "WTF" in front of the original Shen Qingqiu!

No, wait, it's alright! He's been living in this place for months! He's picked up on some of the local slang! Never mind that he pulled it out when he was suddenly freaked out; this is perfectly reasonable! ]

I wasn't going to do anything. I was going to sit here until one of you--ow, ow!! Ah, I get it! I'm sorry!

[ He cuts off as his attempts to straighten up are met with the cat on his back digging its claws in in a valiant effort to stay on the surface suddenly moving under it, forcing Shang Qinghua to remain hunched over, lest they dig even deeper. ]

[What kind of a phrase is WTF supposed to be, is that something people say these days? Leave it to Shang-shidi to pick up new swear words...Jiu carefully grooms his claws, eyes not straying from the current only human in the room.

The shoulder cat, meanwhile, is (for the moment) happy to focus on staying balanced on its new perch. Good job Shagua, keep him on his knees.]

Well, one of us is here. Consider remembering the existence of those wonderfully useful communicators which everyone here owns, next time. In case you didn't know, they can be used to tell someone if you intend to visit.

Ah, yes, well... I realized I was nearby, and at that point, it seemed a little excessive to ask, instead of just coming by and finding out in person...

I, ah, I can't say I was expecting one of you to be a cat.

[ Or at least, not a full cat. ]

... Do you know when Other Shen-shixiong intends to return?

You may have noticed that this world does not lend itself to predictability.

[In other words, he didn't expect to be in this situation himself, as used as he is to occasional felinity by now.]

As for my double...if luck is on his side, he'll be returning after you leave. Was there any particular reason you wished to see him, or was this to be just a simple visit between friends?

I, ah... I had some things I wished to discuss with him. It isn't the sort of conversation that felt suitable for anything other than meeting face to face.

[ Please don't ask for more details. Does the original Shen Qingqiu have enough of a heart that he'd understand getting upset about a partner leaving?

... Would he make judgments that said partner is a man? (At least he's not a demon too!) ]

.......

[Those dots extend for a good long while before, finally, the cat...looks away.]

Wait for him if you wish. But if you do, I don't want to see you stepping too far from this room in the interim.

[He might not know what the problem is, but it isn't as if he's totally heartless, or clueless, or whatever it is he would need to be lacking to reject the man his private discussion.

Also the shoulder cat is now attempting to lick Shang Qinghua's ear.]

[ The extended dots have him squirming... but not too squirming! He doesn't want more claws!

He quietly lets out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding at Shen Qingqiu's answer, then gives a nod. ]

Understood. I have no plans to wait for him anywhere other--ow!

[ One distinct property of cats' tongues is that they are approximately equivalent to sandpaper. One distinct property of human ears is that they are not particularly hardy. This is not a good mix.

Shang Qinghua ducks his head in surprise and pain, and then tries to gently encourage the cat to jump down from its perch, which does not seem to work. So instead he grudgingly covers his ear to let the cat lick that instead. It's still unpleasant, but at least it doesn't hurt. ]

Ah, is there... a trick to handling this one...?

[ Asking the original Shen Qingqiu for help seems very unlikely to be productive, but he won't know until he tries. Not like he has a better option at the moment... ]

[Now that negotiations(?) have concluded, Shen Qingqiu gets up and starts stalking away as if he couldn't care less what Shang Qinghua does after this--though he doesn't stray too far, either, simply heading over to climb the nearby cat tower.

He does throw out a reply though, over his metaphorical shoulder.] Shagua lives true to his name, I'm afraid. You could simply remove him if he makes you uncomfortable, though he's likely to climb back up again before long.

[The cat is now trying to bite that hand.]

Shagua...

[ What a mean name!

... But also why are you biting?! Shang Qinghua gives another yelp, and after a moment of debating, tentatively reaches out and tries to pluck the cat from his shoulder. Despite having to untangle his claws from his robes, the process goes relatively well, and Shang Qinghua places him down on the floor.

Stay. Please. ]

Has he not told you the animals' names? You certainly come here often enough to have learned them.

[It's a perfectly good name for a perfectly stupid cat, okay? Also it does in fact spare Shang Qinghua once it's set down, choosing this moment to roll over and meow.]

He's told me, ah... a few.

[ Just the ones that are named after people though. Or some of the ones? He doesn't know if there are others that Cucumber Bro just hasn't bothered to mention. It's not like he's an animal sort of person, and he's had other things on his mind most of the time when he's been here! ]

He might have told me all of them at one point or another, but if so, I've forgotten. They usually don't bother with me, so it's not as if I pay most of them much mind...

[ Why would they, when the two Shens are usually around when he is, giving them actual attention while Shang Qinghua is curled up wherever is most likely to avoid making the original Shen Qingqiu mad?!

After another glance towards Shagua, he takes out his device to message Cucumber Bro. Should he have done this earlier? Probably... ]

inbox

special new year delivery

Action; I decided I didn’t want to wait

skips all my other tags for this

Sticks leggy up. I’m special

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Message from the Auction Organizer

sneaks in here pretending it's still june cordis

june cordis is whenever we want it to be

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