Inbox: Ximilia

[singlelogbridge]

// Wei Wuxian

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XIMILIA

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[construing]

Let me be crystal.

〈 not for the first time do black threads weave through the air around her neck. it happens during times of intense emotion, especially when she feels threatened or angry. this is anger, and it is aimed only at wei wuxian. 〉

The man you saw at the school is not the man on the station. He shares a name, a face, a few other traits. But he is not Murderdock.

[singlelogbridge]

How? [He fires back almost immediately, his confusion and irritation growing in time with Gwen's.

Gwen has told him of the multiverse and of her many selves, and it doesn't even occur to him. He believes in her multiverse, but it's as foreign a concept now as it ever was. That this man who looks almost exactly the same as the one from Gwen's life could be a different man feels impossible.

And Gwen's anger at him is sinking into him like a brand.]

[construing]

Same way Cindy-616 is my friend and ally, while Cindy-65 both gave and took away my powers. Same way in Spider-Ham's universe, I'm a penguin. Same way that nine times out of ten, Peter becomes Spider-Man.

〈 she arches an eyebrow. 〉

Ringing a bell, maybe?

[singlelogbridge]

[His frown deepens and he puts the pieces together but nothing in him settles.]

And his hair is different so you just believe him? [Which isn't even to touch on the rest. Nine times out of ten, Peter becomes Spider-Man. Nine times out of ten.

How often does Matt Murdock hurt people? He wants to know those odds. Even if this isn't the one from her world, what if he's not any better?]

[construing]

Oh. Wow. 〈 her laugh is humorless. 〉

Here I thought that you considered me too emotional to consult. Turns out, you just think I'm stupid!

[singlelogbridge]

[The whole conversation has been digging under his skin, but something about her words and laugh makes him go hot and then cold all over, his heartbeat skyrocketing and thumping away fast and loud in his ears. There's something about her words—something about the way she's saying them that makes him want to argue back as much as it makes him want to hide.

Do you think I'm stupid? Is that it?

He goes silent then, not answering. He knows already there is no safe way to answer this.]

[construing]

〈 even wei wuxian's silences are loud.

robbed of further argument, gwen gets to her feet with a sharp huff of breath. her footsteps carry her out of his line of sight. only the lack of the distinctive sliding of the door opening suggests she is still in the room. a second later, the bed dips.

itachi mentioned the ropes would fall away on their own, but she doesn't feel right fighting with someone who literally cannot escape. she tosses the bindings to the floor where they vanish. 〉

Feeling in your fingers and toes?

[singlelogbridge]

[He twitches in answer, a jerk of his head that passes for a nod. Eventually, he readjusts himself into a more comfortable position, but he doesn't move from his spot.

His eyes slip to the bed and stay there.

He's waiting for something. He isn't sure what, only knows that he's waiting.]

[construing]

〈 gwen's eyes roll to the ceiling as if praying. for patience? enlightenment? this morning before everything went to hell? (answer d: all of the above.)

she lets out another breath. 〉

Okay. Okay, 〈 she repeats. 〉 What exactly were you trying to do?

[singlelogbridge]

[The laughter doesn't return and the thing beginning to suck the air from his lungs relinquishes its grip. Wei Wuxian unfolds and raises his eyes to Gwen's. They're tired, but the distance has retreated.]

He needed to know he isn't in charge here. [He needed to know he'd be watched. That if he stepped out of line, Wei Wuxian would be there. That if he hurt anyone, Wei Wuxian would be there.]

[construing]

〈 oh, yeah. there goes the migraine. 〉Lord, love a duck.

And that was absolutely necessary for you to do?

[singlelogbridge]

[He frowns and doesn't answer for a while.]

I thought he was the one from your memory. [So, yes in short.]

[construing]

He's not.

〈 just to make sure this particular point is absolutely fucking clear. 〉

Which you would have known if, instead of running off to nail his hide to the wall, you had come to me first.

Why didn't you, by the way?

[singlelogbridge]

[That's not in his nature is the thing and he shakes his head, unsure of how to answer.]

He was right in front of me. [It occurs to him that maybe she doesn't know that's how he found out.] I ran into Itachi after. [When he'd changed his mind about letting him off with a single punch and was on his way back.]

[construing]

He was—

〈 her face drops into her hands.

it is official: she will need a stronger, charmingly southern interjection for this conversation than "lord, love a duck".

knowing she will be disappointed, but also being an indefatigable optimist, gwen begs, 〉 Please tell me you didn't threaten him.

[singlelogbridge]

I punched him. [He admits immediately. No point in trying to pretend otherwise.]

And I told him not to hurt anyone. [His expression twists as he remembers it.]

Then he tried to give me legal advice.

[construing]

You punched a blind man?

[singlelogbridge]

[Hmm. Well.]

Yes. I thought he was the one from your memory. [Repeating it because he doesn't generally go around punching blind men? But some murdocks deserve to be punched, blind or not.]

[construing]

You punched a blind man?!

[singlelogbridge]

[Okay, look.]

He seemed more than capable in your memory!

[construing]

That is not the point! Oh, fuck me, now I have to go and apologize…

〈 literally what is her life. why is her life. 〉

Anyway, for those keeping score at home—the fact that you punched him and he didn't immediately stab you? 〈 she makes a face. 〉 Definitely not my Murdock.

[singlelogbridge]

[He frowns again, looking deeply uncomfortable and then shakes his head.]

Why should you apologize for something I did? [Loathe as he is to do it, he knows how to take responsibility for his own actions.]

...I'll do it. [Ugh.] I'll apologize to him.

[construing]

〈 suspicious. 〉

You can't threaten him. Not even a friendly warning.

[singlelogbridge]

I know. [Ugh. He still doesn't trust this Murdock but he does feel just the slightest bit bad for decking a blind man. Very slight.]

[construing]

I'm serious, 〈 she continues, eyes narrowing. 〉 We agreed to a truce. I want to use it to learn more about this Matt. But that will get more complicated if he already feels threatened.

〈 gwen holds up a hand to stave off any argument. 〉

If he turns out to be evil, I will deal with him. A lot happened since those moments you saw. For one, Venom and I are in sync. Added bonus, I know his weakness; he doesn't know mine.

But he is innocent until proven guilty, and if you try to go after him again, I will web you to the ceiling and leave you there until the ropes dissolve.

I will also tell Itachi to ignore all your texts. 〈 can she tell itachi what to do? no. is she banking on the prospect being threat enough? 💯 〉