unanswering | [pcs] babo kim

Thanks! Don't mind if I do.

[he sits down!]

Here, here--

[he passes over paper and a brush! which is when their hands coincidentally brush, so that I can give you this before I nyoom to work. it's the same chapter segment I linked you already.

there's an abrupt shift in scene, and babo kim will find himself in a memory that's taking place within a temple, one that's clearly already seen some trouble. there's damage to the large statue of what seems to be a goddess, blood all over the place, and huaisang's leg hurts. the man in golden robes nearby is in much worse shape, but... it's clear from huaisang's feelings that he has no sympathy to spare.

and it's also clear that he's planning something, though no one here seems to realize it. externally, he plays the part they expect. internally his mind is racing, evaluating; they've sealed his brother's corpse, so he can no longer rely on nie mingjue's grudge. he can't act on his own, he has to find a way to make sure jin guangyao does not survive this--

and there it is. no one is looking at him. everyone is distracted-- they're hardly looking at jin guangyao, which he thinks is a mistake on their part, but one he can use. he steadies himself.

'brother xichen, behind you-!!'

... and through the rest of it, he keeps up that same face, even as guangyao calls him on staying hidden this whole time. you've lied so much, they won't believe you, nie huaisang thinks, and while there's still fear there...

he feels a deep sense of satisfaction, looking at their sworn brother's blade piercing this murderer's chest. it's been years in coming.

you shouldn't have dared to kill nie mingjue. that might have been his biggest mistake.

once it's over, once the realization hits-- nie huaisang reflexively jerks away, eyes wide, though he manages to quickly school it into a look of genuine surprise.]

What was...

[...

it's not a wholly new experience. babo kim's seen many people's memories, even before this place. (it seems to come with the territory—as a god, you lose so much of yourself in others. seeing their past, present, and future; judging their sins; overseeing their lives...)

and when it's done, all he apparently has to say is—]

... Were you okay, Nie? That seemed like it hurt.

Was I-??

[he looks taken aback by that, honestly, blinking several times to take that question in.]

You're really concerned with me, after-- that?

[is he really concerned, or is he not? they're not linked anymore, so nhs will never know!]

Well, it's not really that surprising... I mean, considering I was connected with you last week, I know you can be good at hiding your feelings.

[honestly, yeah, he dislikes that one part of not having it. he's not sure if he trusts that, and he can't tell if he should.]

That really was more trouble than it was worth...

[he exhales, glancing back down to his paper.]

I don't know. Really. That's- what I remember before coming here, I have no idea how it all ends.

So you were fine when you got here?

I've managed, haven't I?

You also pretended to have not been shot.

[well, point.]

As I said. I've managed-- but no, I wasn't hurt when I came here.

[it really wasn't that bad, huaisang just... exaggerated...]

[smh nhs

... snh?]

Well, that's... good. I think?

[if he's about to say anything else, he doesn't get the chance. the scene shifts again, to a flower field, city buildings not far in the distance.

although babo kim (?) may start off in a soft mood, it quickly turns to surprise, and then frustration. it persists for most of the memory.

certainly not in how it ends, though. in the last moments, all that's present is overwhelming fury—the kind devoid of any reason, that completely blinds one to anything else. it's the (quite literally) white-hot urge to destroy.

and then, the scene fades.]

[that last part shakes him more than he'd like to admit to. anger and violence might be in the blood of his sect, but not like that-- nie huaisang shifts away from him as soon as he can move again, a hand raised to his chest until he's sure he can breathe easily, that it's properly faded.

-though, well, as much as he shoves his expression back into order, breathing easily after that is awfully hard. that part about abhorring sneaks echoes in his head, and especially after his own memory he has to wonder just how bad his luck could really be.]

That's- you're... you're what?

[the god thing is also a pretty big deal, what the fuck!]

[if it helps, nhs, gandharva is a sneaky bastard who has backstabbed agni so many fucking times and yet agni still gives him second chances even though gandharva! sucks!

"jan didn't you play gandharva" yea]

Um... sorry about that.

No, it's... I really just wasn't expecting something like that.

[in fairness, does anyone ever expect somebody to be a god??]

Well, I don't really like to get angry...

[clearly the issue here]

That really seemed like more than just getting angry.

[like, that's an understatement.]

Well, killing the people I care about is a touchy subject.

[something nhs apparently understands.]

...I really can't blame you for it, no.

[he gets it. there's a shake of his head, though.]

Still-- I really wouldn't have expected anyone to be... you seem quite different from any god I've known of.

Haha! I get that a lot.

[pcs] babo kim

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