singlelogbridge | IC contact

[ he's a liar is what he is, but she truly didn't mean to upset him. returning his belongings is the quickest way to make amends and she does just that, offering the paper back not a crease or bend or tear to marks its last harrowing seconds. ]

Honestly… [ she sighs. ] You'd think I brought up something forbidden.

[ a pause. ]

You…can have relationships, right? [ he's a massive flirt, but he has never tried anything more. not that she encouraged him, considering.

maybe it's lan wangji who can't. he certainly seems a more sober sort. ]

[He takes the paper back with a sigh of relief, feeling immediately less exposed. Then he stares at Mal and is somehow even redder than before.]

I...[What does that even mean.]

No one is stopping me, if that's what you mean, but I have no intentions of courting anyone. Ever. [For as big of a flirt he is, it's perhaps becoming painfully obvious that he is 100% talk.]

It's. Um. Allowed, but...[And isn't that a Pandora's box of a subject? He sighs and sits back down on the cot, gesturing for her to join him.]

Back home I...[His brow furrows as he attempts to offer her an explanation that is truthful without getting into all of the messiness.]

I am not a good match. For anyone. I have made choices...ah, mistakes. I have made mistakes that have come with a cost. [He snorts and sets the paper down finally, carefully moving it out of the way so that he won't accidentally wrinkle it. His expression when he looks up again is one of wry amusement and he shrugs.]

You could consider me, the least eligible bachelor in my world. [Quite a drop from his number four spot.]

Hard to picture that, actually.

[ mal follows along with his wry tone as she sinks back onto the cot next to him. a moment later, she presses her lips into a moue. ]

I'm sorry. I know about life altering mistakes. [ she quirks a rueful, half-smile smile his way. ] You don't have to tell me what happened if you don't want.

For what it's worth, though, I think you'd make someone a wonderful partner one day. Even a… [ she pauses to remember his exact words, pouting a little in thought, ] three-thousand-rule-having, stick-in-the-mud.

[That first comment pulls a laugh from him and he shakes his head, listening but growing quiet again, lost in thought. There is a part of him, however small, that would like to tell her. Maybe not everything, but most of it. But it would only make the parts he could not tell hurt more.

And if he told her of those things, he isn't sure she'd ever look at him the same again.]

Haha, very funny. It's not happening for me. That's alright though, I've made my peace with it. [His voice is soft and only the slightest bit wistful.]

I suppose I'll just have to live vicariously through your engagement to your Ben, hmm?

My Ben isn't here, [ mal points out even as saying it makes her throat threaten to close.

she smiles through it. he's safe. worried out of his mind, but safe. and she will be with him soon. ]

Guess we're both living through my memories.

[Wei Wuxian leans over, bumping her shoulder lightly with his own.]

Guess you'll just have to live with me spoiling you in his stead until you get back. [He winks at her.]

[ she laughs. ]

Spoiling. Ah, yes, nothing like getting lunged at and chased around a cot to feel, [ she taps his nose lightly, ] terribly spoiled.

[Wei Wuxian freezes at that nose tap, whatever nonsense he was about to say lost in the blink of an eyes as he ducks his head and then turns away to laugh, his heart thudding painfully in his chest. For a moment he thinks he'll lose it entirely, just break open right in front of Mal, all the tension, anger, and grief spilling out at once.

"Shijie," he'd asked, "Why do people like other people? Isn't that like haltering your own neck?" She'd laughed at him of course before tapping him lightly on the nose, affection bleeding from her smile.

Somehow, he reins it in. Blinking back up at Mal and forcing a lopsided smile back onto his face.]

You're right of course. I'll make it up to you then. Would you like a song? [He pulls out his flute and taps it against his thigh.]

Or perhaps more liquor? Tell me how I can make up for such a grievance.

[ mal did something. said something. (when doesn’t she?) the question remains behind her teeth. she did something, but they’re not at the point where she feels comfortable questioning him, especially after his reaction to her earlier interrogation. she doesn’t want to risk her only friend in this place.

so when wei wuxian changes the subject again, she goes along with it. ]

I’ll take a song. [ she smiles. ] Play me something happy.

[Smiling now in earnest, he nods, putting Chenqing to his lips and beginning to play.]

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cw: nose boops. look away please

the sound I made