[ she doesn't take it back, and almost argues - she thinks this is worth thanking - just a bit of kindness makes it easier for her to breathe. but he speaks again, and she shifts, just a little, so she can look up at him. ]
[ oh, he's going to make her cry again. she takes the fan almost delicately, looking it over, opening it and tracing her fingers over the crest. she doesn't cry, but it looks like she's close to it when she spots the name.
she brings one hand up to cover her mouth for a second, stroking the lettering with her thumb, and then: ]
It's beautiful. [ she definitely sounds choked up. ]
[the mask's still the same color and he has no idea so like, here's hoping she's too distracted!!
he grins back at the sight of that smile, though.]
Well, several of them don't really fit here, but-- the gestures can be reworked. For example, though-
[he lifts his own closed fan, letting it rest on his left cheek.] No. [switching to the right cheek:] Yes. [twirling it idly in his right hand:] We're being watched.
[ she is very distracted! she really is dedicated to learning how to shittalk with fans, mostly - it's why she's been spending most of her free time reading up on sign language. ]
No. Yes. We're being watched. [ beau repeats, copying the movements after a moment. ] Could be useful during trials.
[ she's soaking all of this up, though, she loves it. sneaky languages - well, languages in general, but especially espionage type stuff like this is honestly her bread and butter. ]
I'm gonna have to write this down so I can practice. [ she says, grinning now. she's working on trying to make the fanning look natural, which is difficult because she's never even opened one before. ] Any other ones that you can think of?
Start carrying and using it. I know I don't have to tell you so, but it'll look more natural both because you're used to it, and because it won't be the first time you're seen with it.
[is there also just a part of him that wants to see her use what he made? sure.]
Mm... what else do you think we might need to communicate quietly?
[ she rests her head against his shoulder, idly playing with the fan. ]
Do you mind if I get back to you on that one? It's - almost one in the morning and I'm really tired. [ she says, finally. ] But I will. I'll carry it around.
[ she wears it down! which means he can do whatever he wants with it. she does, in fact, shiver when she realizes how cold it is outside. wah. ]
Yeah, you're right. [ she sighs, not wanting to stand. but she will. she shoves the fan in her pocket, and stands up unsteadily. but before nie huaisang can stand, she stops him, resting her hands on either side of his cheeks and pressing a kiss to his forehead. brief, easy affection. ]
[-the thing is, he doesn't remember if anyone has ever done that to him before. his brother wasn't the type for that affection, and his mother passed when he was so young; no one he's known since would offer this kind of affection so easily.
he blinks up at her, a little caught off guard even if his expression doesn't show it-- but the faint little flush to the visible parts of his face? that's harder to suppress.]
...of course.
[this time he doesn't bother telling her not to thank him. it's a moment before he manages to get to his feet, with a slight wince; nie huaisang quickly pretends that's the only reason why he was slow to move.]
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I don't want to be one more thing he has to look after. He didn't ask for me to - fucking attach to him like a baby duckling.
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Yeah. It did. [ she sounds grateful. ] You didn't ask for me to come to your room at midnight and sob all over you, either.
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[-he has to pause a moment, after saying so, before he continues.]
And I'm sure you're more to him than just a burden, too.
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she sniffs. maybe she hides her face against his shirt and gets it damp a little. ]
... Thank you, A-Sang.
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[thank him, he means. he doesn't even complain about her getting his shirt damp.]
Ah- I had something for you, actually.
[he'd grabbed it on the way out the door, when he saw it was her-- and this seems like a good time.]
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-- You do?
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[he reaches into the outer layer of his outfit, pulling out a closed fan and passing it over to her.
when opened, the fan itself is a deep cobalt blue, with the nie sect's beast-head crest painted onto it in gold.
along one edge, he's painted in careful lettering, also in gold: nie beau.]
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she brings one hand up to cover her mouth for a second, stroking the lettering with her thumb, and then: ]
It's beautiful. [ she definitely sounds choked up. ]
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[there's a little fondness in his tone, there, that he doesn't manage to stifle-- it warms him to see how much she likes it.
the edges of that mask are a deeper shade of pink.]
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Shut up. [ she says, but it's that fond, playful tone - she's clearly touched. ] I'll keep it with me.
Mom always did say I should be a little more delicate.
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[a soft hum, and-]
They have their own language, you know. It's easy to use them as a form of code.
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Yeah? Like how? Teach me.
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he grins back at the sight of that smile, though.]
Well, several of them don't really fit here, but-- the gestures can be reworked. For example, though-
[he lifts his own closed fan, letting it rest on his left cheek.] No. [switching to the right cheek:] Yes. [twirling it idly in his right hand:] We're being watched.
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No. Yes. We're being watched. [ beau repeats, copying the movements after a moment. ] Could be useful during trials.
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[he hums thoughtfully, there, opening the fan most of the way and fanning himself in a slow, deliberate way.]
Follow me- usually means physically, but we'll take it as 'follow my lead'.
[he lets the fan drop and turns it to show the back, as he brings it back up in a casual gesture and continues fanning.]
Suspicion, if done while speaking to someone in particular.
[is he just repurposing gestures for new meanings specifically for the situation, he sure is, nobody @ me later.]
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I'm gonna have to write this down so I can practice. [ she says, grinning now. she's working on trying to make the fanning look natural, which is difficult because she's never even opened one before. ] Any other ones that you can think of?
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[is there also just a part of him that wants to see her use what he made? sure.]
Mm... what else do you think we might need to communicate quietly?
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Do you mind if I get back to you on that one? It's - almost one in the morning and I'm really tired. [ she says, finally. ] But I will. I'll carry it around.
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[and, reaching up to run a hand through her hair, or any of it that's loose enough bc i don't know how she wears it to bed:]
We should go back in, Beau. You'll get cold.
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Yeah, you're right. [ she sighs, not wanting to stand. but she will. she shoves the fan in her pocket, and stands up unsteadily. but before nie huaisang can stand, she stops him, resting her hands on either side of his cheeks and pressing a kiss to his forehead. brief, easy affection. ]
Thank you, again. [ she says, genuinely. ]
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he blinks up at her, a little caught off guard even if his expression doesn't show it-- but the faint little flush to the visible parts of his face? that's harder to suppress.]
...of course.
[this time he doesn't bother telling her not to thank him. it's a moment before he manages to get to his feet, with a slight wince; nie huaisang quickly pretends that's the only reason why he was slow to move.]