singlelogbridge | Inbox: Ximilia

Ah! I'm sorry, I should have warned you! [It hadn't been a problem before now of course, and he's immediately glad for the low Kang table that keeps Rosinante's head from falling under further attack.]

They're Gwen's, my roommate. Have you met her? She practices on them there. They take up less space that way and she's—[He pauses as he searches for the word.] Sticky? [She is not in fact sticky.]

She can climb. She likes climbing. And playing the drums, upside down. [He shrugs and grins.]

I'll invite you over sometime to see her play. Anyway! [He motions at Rosinante's makeup and smiles wider.] I like this look too. Do you do something different every day?

[Gwen is one of those people he's seen around but hasn't really talked to. So, she likes climbing to the ceiling to play drums. ... Right. Okay. Pardon him taking a second and deciding he doesn't believe that at all, but he's also not going to push for a different answer. Instead he just looks up at them, eyeing them warily as if they could attack at any moment, before shaking his head and letting it go.]

This - oh. Not every day, just depends on what I feel like doing. I like coming up with something that fits each mission, and then around here, for a while I was wearing the design I used to back home, but then Law came up with this one. I think it's pretty cool. Might be the new go-to. We were just messing around at one of those group parties, but this, [he says as he points to his right eye] is part of his crew's symbol back home.

[He nods amiably, completely oblivious to the fact that he definitely sounds like he's making things up, and leans in just slightly to take a better look at the symbol Rosinante points out.]

His crew but not yours? [From the sounds of it, Rosinante and Law are fairly friendly, so he's surprised to hear they might not be on the same crew back home, not that he knows exactly what it means to be on a crew at all. On the same ship, he suspects, given what he's learned of Rosinante's world.]

Yeah. It's... a long story, but we've been separated for years. Him turning up here reunited us. Besides, I'm a Marine, he's a pirate. We're supposed to be on opposite sides.

[The latter is not exactly why they were separated, but it sounds like it could be, probably. And anyway, it's true, and becomes quickly obvious to anyone who talks to either of them, since neither he nor Law bother to hide their affiliations at this point.]

...But since there's nobody here to say we can't, I guess I'm part of his crew now, too.

[It feels a little funny to be saying that to someone he's only recently gotten to know, but he's proud. Proud of Law, and proud to be his crewmate. So, why not tell everyone, really. Not everything in his life has to stay hidden from everyone around him.]

Supposed to be on opposite sides, huh? [Wei Wuxian's face softens inexplicably and he glances down at the table, a faraway look on his face. He closes his eyes and shakes his head, swallowing down the sudden mix of affection and grief that swells up in him at a parallel that Rosinante has unknowingly stumbled on.

When he opens his eyes again just a moment later, there's a bright smile on his face.]

It certainly sounds to me like you're a part of his crew. Some things are stronger than rules and boundaries, hmm?

That's for sure. This place, for one.

[Breaking rules and boundaries left and right. Things he didn't think were possible constantly rear up in front of them until they become everyday occurrences, whether it's the basics, like electrical appliances taken for granted, or more exotic things like space travel and androids. A year of it and he's still not really over all of that.]

So, Lan Xichen here is from your world, I know that. Anyone else?

[He nods, still smiling.] A man named Nie Huaisang. Have you met him?

He and I were good friends in childhood and hadn't seen each other in years. It's been good to catch up with him here. Zewu-jun—Lan Xichen—isn't of our generation. In fact, I met Huaisang at lectures we attended together at Zewu-jun's home. He didn't teach us himself, but he oversaw the lectures as our senior. [And as the sect leader, but he's noticed Xichen's penchant for leaving that part out here on the Ximilia. If he doesn't want the people to know that he's a leader in their world, Wei Wuxian won't ruin that for him.

After a short pause, he adds] Zewu-jun's younger brother is of the same generation as us. The three of us once traveled together for a short while. [That is, Huaisang, Xichen's brother, and Wei Wuxian.]

Oh? No, I haven't met him yet. But I'm glad you have him here. Must be nice to see him again after all that time.

[A little like him and Law being reunited here, sort of. Sort of. The similarity to the story he told is greater than the similarity it bears to reality, but he can certainly sympathize with the end result. It's good to have close companions to rely on when dealing with these missions.]

There's someone who was here for a while who I think was also from your world, based on what she told me. Do you know Jiang Yanli?

[In hindsight, he should have expected it eventually. He knows there are people here who have been here long enough to have met her during her time on board. In the beginning, he'd expected it to come up but then it never did and he'd gotten complacent. Now, his smile freezes on his face and he inhales softly, forcing himself to breathe.]

I know her. [He says after a pause that's just a little too long, his smile coming back to life as if his heart isn't in a vice in his chest.]

Were you friends?

[Ah. Damn, he hadn't meant to bring up a difficult subject. But then, it isn't a bad thing, really, is it? If he's reading that reaction right, they both miss her, and they can share that feeling, bittersweet as it is.

He nods slowly.]

Yeah. She was one of the people I was closest to, while she was here.

[They bonded over their confusion of these people's love for pizza. She taught him some of her cooking, and he helped her with her makeup. In Braccia when she was trying to find her place in that foreign city and was missing her family terribly, she cried on his shoulder and he helped her to her room.

In that strange dreamscape, he held her son and listened to Yanli's gentle rationalization of what had come to be, and tried to understand how she could accept it all with such grace.

He slumps a little, and then reaches into his pocket.]

Sorry, mind if I smoke in here?

Ah...[He hasn't really met any of her friends here and doesn't know if he's grateful or not that he has now. Just more people to let down, he supposes. Pushing that more morbid thought away, he allows himself for the first time to consider what it might have been like for her here. Was she afraid? Did she ever get injured? Was she angry?

He doesn't allow those thoughts to go any further and Rosinante's question provides a helpful distraction.]

Smoke? [His brow furrows and he wonders if the ear piece hasn't translated correctly.]

Uh. Cigarette?

[As he pulls his pack out to withdraw one, and then follows up by retrieving his lighter.]

[Upon Rosinante producing the cigarette and lighter, Wei Wuxian grows even more confused.]

What does it do? [There are braziers that can produce medicinal smokes in his world, but what Rosinante is holding up is completely foreign.]

I assume it produces smoke but why? Is it medicinal? [And how? It's so tiny and flimsy looking.]

[This is enough of a distraction from his memories of Yanli that his eyes actually widen briefly in surprise and he gives an almost-smile. Cool. He likes finding these differences between people and the worlds they come from.]

Sure, medicinal. Helps me focus. They're... addictive.

[Which he's not ashamed of, exactly, because it's so common where he comes from, but he figures he should add that just for context. It's less that he needs to focus and more that he just wants one.]

Smells strong, so some people aren't a fan, that's why I ask.

[The topic shift wasn't an intentional one, but it's one he grabs onto with full force, more than happy not to talk about Jiang Yanli for a moment longer. Instead, he listens to Rosinante's brief explanation with interest, raising an eyebrow at the mention of its addictive qualities, but not saying anything about it.

It's the last part that has him coming to a decision though.]

Ah, I'm sorry, if it's strong maybe we can go elsewhere? I'd hate to leave a lingering scent for my roommate.

It's all right. I can wait.

[He's strong enough to resist, he just has his cravings, plus it's always a helpful way to deal with heavy topics and stressful situations. But he can power through, and stuffs them back into his pocket.]

Anyway, I... take it you knew her well.

[He doesn't entirely hide his flinch when the conversation returns to Jiang Yanli but after a moment of silence, he resigns himself to seeing this through. It's not like he hasn't spoken of her at all, though it has generally been with those here he trusts most, or with complete strangers with whom he could only speak of her as having been from his world.

No one has been so direct in asking his relationship to her, and despite his willingness to lie by omission, lying directly to him—denying their history however tainted—feels like another betrayal to her. Eventually the smile slides off of his face and he sighs deeply, turning to stare at the wall though his gaze is much farther away.]

We grew up together in the same sect. She was my martial sister. [That their relationship was far closer to one of blood siblings—that Shijie herself had stood up in front of Jin Zixuan's useless cousin and declared in front of half of the leaders of the cultivation world that she viewed him as a blood sibling—is a detail he chooses to leave out.

In the end, he wasn't worthy of her loyalty or love so he won't lay any claim to it.]

I knew she was here, but you're the first person I've met who was her friend. [A pause and then] She was one of the best people you've ever met, wasn't she?

[His sister. Maybe not by blood, but the way he speaks of her clearly shows how little that matters. And how fortunate he is, to have someone like her in his family.]

Truly. Endlessly kind, and patient, and - well, you said it. One of the best people I've ever met. I'm glad to have gotten to know her.

[He knows exactly why this is so hard, too. Yanli had always been hesitant to state outright what happened, but like him, she didn't have much life left to go back home to, so he can't really wish that she's doing well now that she's home.]

I know she had others here who cared about her also, but some of them have gone, too. I suppose we're the ones best able to carry her memory forward here, now. I... it's dumb, but I still make some of the soup recipes she loved so much, sometimes. Still trying to get better at them, though. She always used to leave a bunch of food in the kitchen for whoever wanted it.

[I suppose we're the ones best able to carry her memory forward here, now.

It takes more effort than he's willing to admit, but he manages not to burst into hysterical laughter at Rosinante's words. Rosinante was her friend and is clearly someone who cared about her deeply, but Wei Wuxian? He doesn't deserve to even utter her name let alone do anything with her memory. Hasn't he done enough? It would have been better if he'd never met Jiang Yanli. Better for all of the Jiangs. Better for her certainly.

(It isn't true, if only because of the war. If it were true, it would have been a simple thing to make that his regret and fix everything. But he couldn't remove himself from the Jiang family because for as much of a disaster as his presence was, he doesn't know if the war could be won without him.)

It takes him a moment to regain himself and he looks away, a thousand different emotions flickering across his expression before he gets his face under control.]

You...she taught you her recipes? [This time his voice breaks on the last word and he swallows hard and closes his eyes, opening them again when he's wrestled back control.] She loved cooking for people. And she was the best cook. I'm not surprised to hear she cooked for people here. It must have...she must have enjoyed that.

Yeah. Never wanted anything in return for it. She liked making people happy.

[That, and she struggled sometimes with fitting in here - not because anyone disliked her, but because home was culturally a very different place from the worlds like Earth where so many of these people come from. That, and he never fully understood her home world and family life, but it was clearly complex, and being on her own and able to make her own decisions outside that context was new and perhaps a little overwhelming. Cooking, then, was something she could do. She could cook for people. Sort out the rest as it came.

He's quiet a moment, then offers a gentle smile.]

Anyway. I didn't mean to bring us down with that. I miss her, but I'm happy I got to meet her.

[With all of the willpower left in him, he summons a smile, waving Rosinante's apologies off and tucking away the vulnerable parts of himself back where they belong; out of sight.]

Anyone who met her was lucky. I'm glad you did, and I'm sure she was just as happy to have had your companionship.

But I'm sure you came here for something else, hmm? [He gestures to the kit Rosinante has brought with him in curiosity.

There's only so long he can talk about her and he's at his limit. If he's lucky, Rosinante will allow the rather obvious subject change.]

Yeah. [And actually, he's a little grateful himself for the subject change, and so he opens up the kit, revealing its many shades of lipstick, eyeshadow, and more, complete with brushes and other assorted tools to apply it all.]

You mentioned wanting to check out some makeup ideas, so I thought, why not now? And I still want to see more of your artwork, too. Your stuff is incredible.

[His eyes widen in fascination and he leans in to see all of the different types of pigmented powders and sticks. He's unfamiliar with most of the applicators, but that's to be expected.]

Aha, thank you. I can show you some things if you'd like, but this is much more exciting! What's this one for? [He points to a tube of mascara. It's a thinner longer tube than the ones he's come to realize are lipsticks.]

Edited (I can read) 2022-08-03 02:40 (UTC)

Mascara. Makes your eyelashes darker, which makes them look longer, too. I don't use that as much, but I bet it'd really work for you.

[Something about Wei Wuxian's more delicate facial features plus his long black hair, maybe, but he can definitely picture that looking good - well, depending on the look the guy wants to go for. He pulls it out of the kit and uncaps it so he can have a look at the brush.]

Want to try it? I don't know if it's easier if you put it on yourself or if I put it on for you. Up to you, if you're interested.

[There are cosmetics for eyelashes where he's from, and coal for the eyes, color for the lips and all sorts of ways for people to accentuate their features. But the tube of mascara is foreign and he glances at the uncapped wand with fascinated interest. He's never worn makeup before and he can't say he's never been curious.]

I'm not sure I wouldn't mess it up, but if you'd be willing to help me with it? [He smiles at Rosinante.]

I don't know much about any of this, so I'll put myself in your hands!

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