originalshen

[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... ]

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