CLOSED | burning in the line of fire

[eepy]

WHO: blade, dan heng, jing yuan & kafka
WHAT: first chaotic group outing of many
WHERE: the onsen
WHEN: vague hand gestures
WARNINGS: nudity? kafka with a riding crop, idk? will update when necessary



[ listen, if jingliu can set up a reunion between the old members of the high-cloud quintet with all of them leaving said reunion still alive despite the trauma, then jing yuan can too. it's inevitable, after all, given their current circumstances, and it's better to get things, hangups and baggages resolved and set aside sooner than later on the battlefield.

of course, with his gifts as the divine foresight, the general can easily foresee this as either a disaster waiting to happen or a peaceful gathering of old enemies-to-friends (acquaintances?). nevertheless, he sends a message to both kafka and Dan Heng: ]

The moon makes for a wonderful sight tonight here at the inn while soaking in the baths. Shall we drink our worries away before we're called for duty?

[ he trusts kafka knows who to bring, or drag if that's more appropriate.

jing yuan, on the other hand, will make sure there's alcohol snuck in and the open-air bath and a room will be available for their use for the next few hours. surely, the innkeepers won't be able to resist him. ]

Comments

[sparse]

[ Guess who is finally in the water, either thriving or not. He's had a few cups of wine at this point so he isn't a big baby anymore, but he's not exactly the most social person to begin with.

At least he's here and not, y'know, trying to run away.

But there may be a few attempts or two when no one is looking... ]

[eepy]

[ or so he thinks no one's looking.

having a pupil as terribly chaotic and energetic as yanqing has taught jing yuan how to pay attention to certain expressions, certain looks. and he knows that look when someone is trying to run away or sneak off, which is why he plants himself next to ren in the bath, gesturing to pour more wine into his cup. ]

You have to do better than that to slip away without anyone noticing.

[sparse]

[ Jing Yuan can't compare Ren to Yanqing entirely because Yanqing won't glare at the General like Ren is doing so right now. Even more so now that the other man has firmly planted himself next to where Ren has situated, wine cup now thrust upon his hand without any chance for protest. ]

You won't let me go even when I've reached my limit?

[ They're not supposed to soak in the hot springs forever... They risk passing out. (Well, maybe the others are the only ones who have to worry about it.) ]

[eepy]

[ he can still protest; jing yuan simply won't accept it. ]

Who's to say I won't reach my limit before you do?

[ in any case, the cup of wine will continue being thrust into ren's hand until he accepts it. and it's only then will jing yuan take a sip from his own cup, sinking a little deeper in the water and leaning against the edge of the pool. ]

Enjoy the water and the company of friends a little longer.

[sparse]

[ Ren has no choice but to accept the cup of wine given to him, sighing loudly before settling back down in his spot. He sips at his cup quietly. It's difficult to come up with something to say that isn't just protests or refusals.

Then again, what he chooses to comment on isn't any better. ]

... Friends.

[ Is that what Jing Yuan sees them as? ]

I guess the water is nice.

[ He'll give him that. ]

[eepy]

Friends.

[ he's called them that once, he'll call them that again despite their complaints. and nothing will change until he and dan heng decide to firmly, resolutely reject him.

jing yuan smiles a little more smugly, content that his choices have not been and are not being questioned despite the initial hiccup in this gathering. he realizes that it might have been too sudden and forceful, but there's no other way to facilitate something like this between all of them. ]

Mm, is it not? I now have half a mind to have one built in my home when we return.

[sparse]

[ It's better that Jing Yuan isn't testing his luck. Ren's patience has already reached its limit, and if the other man pushes it any further, then he might just up and leave the baths right now. Never to return, nor talk with either Jing Yuan or Kafka since this was their idea.

(For a little while, anyway.) ]

Then get one.

[ Who is he to tell the Arbiter-General of the Luofu to not get a hot springs installed at home? He's sure that no one will refuse this request. ]

Maybe it'll help you relax better.

[eepy]

[ no one could truly tell him off as the arbiter-general of the luofu, not especially over things he's already made his mind up. at the same time, having a hot springs built in his own home would no doubt raise questions among everyone in the luofu. ]

You don't think I relax enough as it is?

[ fu xuan and qingzu would certainly have words to say about his ability to doze off anywhere at anytime. ]