Aaron/Huaisang

[creeksidealtarboy]

It's nightfall by the time Aaron finally sees this "Impure Realm" that they took him to. He's hungry. He's filthy. He's thirsty. And there's nothing around him that's familiar. He has cigarettes in the pocket of his jeans and nothing else of his own. No note. No information.

Only the vaguely unsettling feeling that he's been deposited somewhere...wrong.

These people look like Huaisang. The robes, the way they move...it's familiar enough that, before they could unsheath their swords, he's throwing his hands out, asking for Nie Huaisang to their complete bafflement. But they loaded him up and took him. Goddamn.

Hopefully they sent someone ahead.

Comments

[threedontknows]

Oh, but it would have been so fun to feed him. Maybe later, if he can find some melon at the market. Then he'll suck the juices off Aaron's lips and --

Huaisang clears his throat and goes back to eating and flipping through his book. "We should spend another day out here."

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Yeah? Your people gonna be alright without you?"

He isn't looking forward to the walk back anyway.

[threedontknows]

"My people are self-sufficient. They only need me for major decisions, not the day-to-day."

He has good people he trusts doing all the rest.

[creeksidealtarboy]

He hums a little at that. "Must be nice." He struggles with the turnips and then just plucks on out with his fingers.

"I was thinking that - what if they don't come for us?"

[threedontknows]

Huaisang says nothing about Aaron's decision to eat with his fingers. They're behind closed doors, in a room he paid for, so what does it matter how he eats?

"You mean if the Barge doesn't come? It's only been a few days, not long enough to speculate."

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Yeah, it's not speculating. It's planning." He picks up a drink next.

[threedontknows]

"I don't think the Admiral would let us get away that easily." He laughs and reaches across the table to pour Aaron's drink for him, as it customary.

"But if the Barge doesn't come," he starts, sitting back and scratching his head, "then we'll travel the world!"

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Yeah," he mutters. "Your world."

[threedontknows]

Oh. That's not a good sign.

Huaisang moves onto the other side of the table so he can sit beside Aaron. He doesn't touch him, but stays close enough to let him know he's concerned.

"It'd be very different, I know. I would take care of you though. You wouldn't want for anything."

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Yeah, except people who look like me and act like me," he reminds him. "I don't know shit about your culture. And I'm trying, but I can't even fucking feed myself without using my hands like a kid."

[threedontknows]

That was how the Barge felt for him. Every day was strange and unfamiliar.

Huaisang hangs his head a little, reaching into his wide sleeve for his fan. "I'm sorry, Aaron. It's no fun being in a strange place."

[creeksidealtarboy]

He glances to him. "Means that I only got you, Huaisang. So you can't be a dick."

[threedontknows]

“I would never,” Huaisang says seriously. “Not to you. Never to you.”

He promises, as good as his promise can be to someone as wary as Aaron.

[creeksidealtarboy]

He nods, wanting to trust him. He hasn't trusted anyone as much as Huaisang and he's never actually given him any indication that he's going to break that trust.

It will just take time.

"So what are you planning on buying me today?" he laughs to break the tension.

[threedontknows]

Ooh, shopping! But more importantly, spoiling Aaron. He flicks his hand open and leans his elbow onto the table with a smile.

“Some robes for my pretty baobei? Something you like, that suits you.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"I like the dark ones. The light ones...I always feel like I'm going to get them ficking dirty."

He chuckles, leaning over to cup his face and kiss him.

[threedontknows]

“There are plenty of dark colors that would look good on you,” Huaisang laughs, bopping him gently on the nose with his fan. “Pretty blues or blacks, even reds.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Nah. No reds. I saw this blue I liked. Looked like the river at night."

He reaches out to grab his wrist.

[threedontknows]

Huaisang raises his brow, but doesn’t pull from Aaron’s grasp.

“A different fit, that’s what you need,” he smiles. “Trousers and a tunic. A lovely sash.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Yeah, you gonna dress me up like a fucking Barbie doll?"

He laughs to himself, finally releasing him.

[threedontknows]

The ‘Barbie’ part of it loses Huaisang, but he smiles. Maybe he’s a little doll, but he prefers to think of him as a big, handsome piece of arm candy. He wants to show him off!

“Eat, bathe, and I’ll buy you some clothes.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"I'm done, I'm done," he insists, throwing up his hands and standing to face the bath.

[threedontknows]

Huaisang idly waves his fan as Aaron gets to his feet, smiling a little as he turns away to give him his privacy. "I'm going to settle our bill. Take your time with the bath -- the water's still hot."

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron feels a quick pang of worry at that - he doesn't like being paid for - but it passes quickly as he dips into the bath and actually uses it to get clean. He ducks his head below the water, staying there a while, watching the bubbles.

When he surfaces, drawing in a deep breath, he rubs at his face and just contents himself with a nice soak.

[threedontknows]

Huaisang returns after paying and getting roped into a few little problems the innkeeper and a few of the surrounding shopkeepers wanted to present to the leader of the Qinghe Nie. He does his best to solve what he can, then slips away to return back to Aaron.

“Are you dressed? The sun’s out today!”