singlelogbridge | Inbox: Ximilia

[He makes a noise of agreement as he tries to go still again, keeping his eyes open this time and somehow resisting the need to blink.]

You're definitely not wrong about that. [His own relationship with teamwork is decidedly different, and while he wouldn't say he prefers to work alone exactly, he doesn't have much experience with the way people run things here.]

Where I'm from, cultivators largely belong to sects unless they've chosen to wander on their own, and while sects function in unison, there's a hierarchy to things that makes everyone's roles clear. The sect leader makes decisions with the advice of the clan elders.

I was first disciple of my sect, so I was in charge of the juniors in a lot of things. But that...I wouldn't call it teamwork. [It was leadership, more like.]

But I suppose...I've always liked working in a partnership, with the right partner. [he smiles vaguely before coming back to himself.]

The more people in a team without clear structure, the messier it gets though. And everyone here comes from different worlds with different views and rules, and different roles in their societies. I'm not sure if true teamwork is possible here.

I'm sure it's possible, but it would take more work and organization than people are willing to put in. That, or a strong leader. Probably both.

[So, he's not counting on it, in other words. Meaning he'll make do, as he has been. It's not the best, but they get the job done, and at the end of the day that's what matters. If the orbs are retrieved, and if they get their regrets fixed, then he really has no right to complain about it not going according to a perfect plan.

He finishes with the mascara, then grabs a cotton swab and a dab of solution to swipe the stray mascara off Wei Wuxian's face where it smudged.]

You work with a partner most of the time then, back home?

[And while asking, he pushes the mirror toward Wei Wuxian so he can see the results.]

[He gives a considering sound and shrugs—thankfully after Rosinante has finished so he avoids creating another smudge. Wei Wuxian is perhaps a little more doubtful, but he doesn't disagree.

He takes the mirror from Rosinante to glance at the final look, and his eyes open wide as he takes it in before breaking out into a smile. He hadn't expected it to do much for him, but despite the small change it's fairly noticeable. The feeling on his eyelashes is strange though, and he's not sure it's something he'd get used to.]

No, back home I don't really work with anyone at all either. I'm an unusual circumstance though. I lived away from the rest of the cultivation world in a small farming community. Though I suppose you could say I had many partners who helped me cultivate radishes and potatoes! [He grins at his own stupid joke, ignoring all of the details he's leaving out. It isn't that he's not willing to be truthful about his circumstances, it's just that it's a bit of a mood killer and this isn't exactly a lie at least.]

But when I was younger, I worked with a partner before. [His smile turns soft.] Lan Xichen's younger brother actually.

[And then, handing the mirror back and glancing back up at him.] It's a more pronounced change than I expected. I like it, thank you!

[Rosinante chuckles at the farming joke. Inside, he's a little bit jealous, too - it sounds like such a peaceful life, and that's something he has always lacked. Realistically, would he ever drop everything and grow cabbages and plums and surround himself with goat? No, probably not. But a part of him wishes he was willing to do that. To make himself happy, and let someone else monitor criminals and black market trade.

Rather than worry about all that, though, he smiles and takes the mirror back.]

Looks good on you. Kind of a pain to get the stuff off later, though, I should've warned you first. I'll leave some makeup removal things here for you. You want lipstick? Eyeliner?

[Since why stop at mascara? And it'll give him the chance to ask more questions. He's definitely curious about Wei Wuxian's former partner - the fondness is unmistakable.]

[At the compliment, Wei Wuxian can't help himself and he bats his eyes at Rosinante a few times before offering him a wink.]

A small price to pay for beauty. [And then after another laugh, he leans over to glance at the other items. He's knows what those two are and he's not sure how he'd look wearing a color on his lips, but he's having fun with the eye thing now and figures he might as well keep going with that.]

How about the eyeliner? We have something similar back home, though it's not worn very casually. At weddings bride and groom will sometimes line their eyes in reds or golds. I've always thought it was beautiful.

Tell me, if you could only choose one cosmetic to wear, which one would you go with? You must have a favorite, hmm?

[He smiles and shakes his head, amused by the reaction if anything. He's just glad to make someone happy, and to share his budding makeup addiction. Honestly, more people should try it! Think of all the colors and patterns the whole crew could be sporting!

Anyway, eyeliner's a good choice. Reds and golds, even better than black, so he starts sorting through colors while he answers.]

I'm torn between lipstick and eyeliner myself, but I think I'd go with lipstick. No real reason other than I like the way it looks, I guess. That and it's pretty easy to put on and get off, so I can change it any time I want.

[Ooh, meanwhile, he finds the liquid eyeliner in this kit, and boy does it shimmer. He holds it up.]

That looks amazing.

It certainly looks great on you! [And it's true, Rosinante wears it so confidently, Wei Wuxian can hardly picture him without it. He's sure it would look disastrous on him though unless he found the right color.]

Oh! Wow. That's beautiful. [He tries to picture what it'll look like on, and can't. Perhaps sometime later he can try drawing up a makeup look that would be fun to try. It would help, he thinks, to get an image in his head.]

I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you for your help again. [He laughs.] I've got a steady hand, but I've never had to apply anything to my own face.

[The compliment earns him a grin - and all the better to show off his lipstick. He's really taken to the deep purple color Law picked out for him, but the guy does know his tastes well.]

I'll be glad to help. What do you think about the gold?

[Since both red and gold had been mentioned, after all. The red is thick and brilliant, but it's the gold he's personally drawn to. This set Peter found really has everything.]

I almost want an excuse to look formal for something now, just so I can find a way to use this myself.

[Formalwear: not complete without shiny gold eyeliner, apparently.]

Usually it's too ostentatious for my tastes, but I have to admit that's too pretty to pass up. [He lets out a soft laugh and shakes his head back and forth. Gold could be beautiful as an accent after all, when everything wasn't gilded in it and set on bright and shining display.]

And who says you need an occasion for that? [He grins but then ponders his friend's words.] Though I'm sure the opportunity will present itself eventually. [For all that he's only been on a handful of missions so far, all of them had had their moments of finery. He's sure another opportunity for formal wear will come up. He settles in front of Rosinante again then, closing his eyes obediently though Rosinante should know by now that it probably won't last long.]

An occasion gives me an excuse. Stands out less.

[He likes the makeup but not the attention. So he's glad to have someone like Wei Wuxian here who he can decorate to see just how shimmery this gold is on an actual person and not in its little tube, and who can then show it off to others if he wants so Rosinante doesn't have to.

Well, all right, so he doesn't mind the attention as much when it's directed at his makeup and all from people he already knows, but. This is still better. Time to breathe out slowly and carefully guide the eyeliner around the top of his left eye without getting it everywhere.]

[Ah, right. He supposes not everyone enjoys being the center of attention. In truth, he doesn't crave it the way he used to—how could he now?—but it's easier in a place like this far from the burdens of his home, to fall back into old habits.

For once, Wei Wuxian is better about holding still as he feels the slide of the brush over his eyelids, knowing that if he moves too much he'll definitely make a mess for Rosinante.]

Well then, we'll have to find an occasion. It would be fun to really go all out.

People here love to bring in holidays and festivals from home, but I can't think of any from my world that require dressing up as part of celebrating. Maybe we'll find an opportunity on a mission again. There was one early on where it was basically required to fit in.

[And, look, he didn't care much for Braccia's society, but it was the first time he'd seen a high-technology world, and their clothing options were pretty fun to discover. He still wears some of the ones he brought back, from time to time, though none of those are the especially dressy sort. Still, he has some in his closet.]

Oh, they did have one here last year where you put on costumes of any sort you like, though. I suppose with that, anything goes.

Costumes? [He thinks of some of the traditional garb for various holidays as well as more formal wear like they'd been discussing, but he isn't sure that's what his friend means.]

What kind of costumes? What did you wear? [He can't picture exactly what this sort of festival is and he finds himself intrigued.]

[He pulls back a moment to judge his work, then moves on to the other eye. That gold, so cool. He really needs to find a chance to wear it himself. Or maybe the red. Maybe both, in spiraling flame patterns.

Okay, calm down.]

All kinds. I had to ask for suggestions and wound up a scarecrow. There were a lot of harvest themes, monster and animal ideas, but some people dressed up as, mm, archetypes, like "wizard" or "rock musician". I still don't quite get the theme, but it was fun making a scarecrow outfit. Ended up painting sunflower petals under my eye, too. And then they had candy and lots of alcohol.

[He has so many questions but most importantly.]

What's a scarecrow? Is that a type of bird? [Did you dress up as a bird???]

Do you have pictures? [Probably not printed out, but maybe the kind that can be shared through the earpiece? He thinks Gwen is the only one he knows who has stuff printed out.]

It's a figure people build out of things like rags and straw and sticks to look like a person to stand guard over fields so the crows don't eat the crops. People find them creepy sometimes. I guess that's part of the theme of the holiday. Somehow a harvest festival, somehow a horror celebration?

[Who knows. Anyway, the idea was suggested to him and he rolled with it. Being all tall and long-limbed, he has to admit it was a good fit.]

Wish I had pictures, to show you, but I didn't think to take them at the time. I bet someone did. Ask Newton, he might know.

[He might not have pictures but I do.]

A harvest festival and a celebration of horror? That sounds amazing. [He'd like to see what that looked like. The horror element intrigues him the most since it doesn't sound much like anything he's familiar with.

And he's just going to ignore that suggestion about Newt! Nothing to see here, just some deliberate avoiding of certain subjects.]

If it's a harvest celebration then it must be coming up fairly soon! Maybe I'll get to see it this time.

Yeah, one of these months, if someone wants to put it all on again. I'm hoping so. It's always easier to do these holidays when I already know they're coming and what they're about.

[And he doesn't mind at all that they're all so foreign. Initially he was a little put off by how much on the station revolved around Earth, but he's taken to finding entertainment in it. It's not every day you get to learn so much about such a completely different culture as one from a different world entirely.

Last finishing touches on the gold, and then he pulls back and offers the mirror again.]

[Wei Wuxian opens his eyes—the liner miraculously un-smudged—and his eyes widen with even more surprise than the first time. It's only a small amount of the product, but the combined effect of the mascara and eyeliner makes his eyes striking. It's difficult to reconcile the face in the mirror with what he knows himself to look like, but he doesn't dislike it at all. On the contrary, while he can't see himself doing something like this every day, it would be fun to do something like this for an event that called for more glam.]

Ah...wow. [He holds the mirror further away and then brings it in close again.]

What do you think? It's so shiny. [And yes, he has to admit a bit gaudy, but he still can't help but like it. It's not so much gold on his person that he wants to fling it away from himself.] It really does make my eyes stand out, doesn't it? I can see why you enjoy this so much.

I think it looks incredible.

[Gaudy is fine when it comes to makeup, and that's his final answer. No gilded statues, no expensive rare fabrics or two hundred-room mansions, thank you very much, but makeup? He can make an exception.]

You definitely have a cool new look now! That's the sort of thing that would stop people in their tracks.

[He smiles at Rosinante and hands the mirror back, laughing appreciatively at the compliment.]

Ah well, credit certainly goes to you for the work. [And then he winks, the smile turning into a cocky grin.] And I'm happy to catch people's attention even more than usual.

Who knows, maybe I'll start a makeup collection of my own. [Or more likely just steal some of Gwen's, same thing! Taking one more look at his eyes in the mirror now in Rosinante's hand, he smiles in satisfaction and then rises.]

Stay there just a minute, I'll only be a second. [He moves to the desk in the room piled high with papers and workbooks, trying to carefully sort through them without making any of the towers of paper fall. He's mostly successful and he returns with a sketchbook that he sets down on the table when he sits again.]

I promised to share!

[Well, he certainly won't say no to more makeup collecting around here. That just means they can mix and match if someone is missing something, and that's a good thing!

He watches curiously as Wei Wuxian sorts through the papers, though he pretty quickly works out what he's up to over there.]

Your art, right? I definitely want to see more of it. Here -

[Only takes a moment to get the makeup sorted back into the kit, and now there's plenty of space on the table.]

[Placing the book in the cleared off space, he pushes it over for Rosinante to peruse. It had taken a moment to find the right one—one that he's comfortable sharing, but he still feels a little awkward passing it over. As much as he'd been aware of his own artistic talent when he was younger and hadn't hesitated to flaunt it, it feels different now knowing the people who fill the pages of his sketches are all so close to his heart.]

This one is a mix. Some people from home. Some from here. Ah, there are a few of my Shijie in there too. Of Jiang Yanli. [It's uttered as a gentle warning so that his friend isn't taken by surprise. Once he begins looking, he'll find various sketches of landscapes and people. The landscapes favor lotus lakes and mountainsides, and some of them have been colored with pencils or inks. As for the people, alongside the recurring images of Jiang Yanli (sometimes sitting beneath flowering trees or standing on a dock overlooking a lake) there are a few other people who show up several times.

Familiar to Rosinante perhaps are Gwen and Itachi. Ziggy makes a few appearances as well. The child that Rosinante had seen in his drawing on E23-b is a frequent subject, and another woman appears even more frequently than Jiang Yanli, sometimes accompanied by a man who looks very much like her.

There is also a man who looks a great amount like Lan Xichen who appears many many times. Unlike Lan Xichen though, this man's expressions are mild and withdrawn.]

Right.

[It's his only verbal response to the advance warning given, but he nods. It's nice to see her again, even if it's through ink and pencil. He takes his time flipping through pages, admiring it all - for there's something really lovely about how much it must mean to Wei Wuxian despite so much of it being utterly foreign to his own eyes.

Eventually he has to stop on one of those pictures of the mysterious young man who fills up so many of the pages.]

Is this your partner from home?

[He'd made mention of someone, but he can't imagine the average work partner would spend so much time admiring and rendering someone's likeness.]

My—[What was it he'd said about Lan Wangji being his partner?] Ah, right.

He wasn't my actual cultivation partner, but we acted as partners on a handful of nighthunts—that's when cultivators go out to take care of a disturbance. [He adds helpfully, and smiles a little wryly as he stares at the image of Lan Zhan in the sketchbook.]

We were a strange pair. You've met Zewu-jun of course, you must see how refined and studious he is, and Lan Zhan is the same. More strict though. Rules were very important to him. [He laughs.] And he got partnered with me, can you imagine? Somehow, we were friends.

Inbox: Ximilia

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He looks so good!!!

;D b

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