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

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron does turn, eventually looping an arm through Huaisang's.

"I'm only letting you do this because you will be real fucking annoying about it."

Even if he's secretly pleased.

[threedontknows]

“I’m going to be annoying no matter what — ooh! Look at those silks!”

Huaisang pulls Aaron towards a few stalls just selling bolts of fabric, gushing over the patterns and the colors, and then towards the tailors and some of the pretty robes. He thinks Aaron would enjoy the trousers and tunics more, so that’s the direction he heads.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Huaisang's instincts are correct. He does like the trousers and tunic much more and he picks out some darker blues, reaching out to feel each of the fabrics. They're much finer than anything he's ever worn and he has to admit that he's intrigued by the thought of it. Of having something of his own here until the Barge comes for them.

[threedontknows]

He encourages him to try on a few different cuts and colors, wandering away to buy some accessories while Aaron makes some final decisions about his outfits. He comes back to pay, pausing to listen to all the young women around them ‘ooh’ and ‘aaah’ over the young, beautiful foreigner.

Huaisang clears his throat, which stops the chatter. “Thank you, auntie,” he smiles, bowing respectfully to the tailor. “He looks very handsome.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron copies the bow with a word of thanks.

"That shit is good," he murmurs in his ear.

[threedontknows]

“Which part?” Huaisang smiles innocently, taking Aaron’s arm again.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"When you make everyone pay attention with just your presence."

He hangs on him a moment, then pulls away.

[threedontknows]

He sighs quietly as Aaron pulls away. Later, later he’s going to absolutely ravish this man.

He buys them both some candied Hawthorne and guides him to sit at an outdoor table.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron follows him, settling on the bench to people watch.

"This is - really fucking nice."

[threedontknows]

He reaches under the table to take Aaron‘s free hand, smiling back at him in a way that could only be described as ‘smitten’.

“I’ve always loved wandering Qinghe, but it’s far better with good company.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

He has never, never had anyone look at him like that before. He shies away a bit, looking at a nearby couple.

"Yeah, it ain't a bad town. You bring all your - your whatever here?"

[threedontknows]

His whatever? Huaisang laughs softly, turning his head away to finished off the last of his candy.

“I don’t bring anyone anywhere. Sect leaders don’t do that sort of thing casually.” Aside from the brothels he’d visit or the ladies of the comfort house, he’d been very much alone.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Before you was a leader. When you were - " He stops himself from saying 'my age.'"Just free to do whatever you wanted."

[threedontknows]

“My friends,” he says quietly. “I’d come here with my friends.”

He doesn’t really have those anymore.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Yeah? What happened to them?"

He squeezes his hand.

[threedontknows]

It isn’t often that Huaisang allows himself to be honest about certain things, but this is Aaron. Aaron gets to know and experience things other people would never.

“I killed one, isolated the other, and forced two more to investigate my brother’s murder. My other friend — sect leader Jiang…well, he’s been through so much that he barely has any time for things like friends. Allies, maybe.

“We grew up. All of us.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

He had mentioned once that he was alone. That he was going through this by himself.

And Aaron sees it now.

He nods. "All the sacrifices that we gotta make. It ain't fair."

[threedontknows]

“I wouldn’t change anything about what I did,” he adds quietly. “I’d do it all over again if I was given the choice. But it did make things lonely.”

He looks back at him. “Wasn’t it the same for you?”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Didn't have your life. I had Linda and Alex for a while, but - Linda fucking betrayed me and Alex bolted after I killed the Bishop."

He lets go of his hand.

"Didn't have many friends. The Bishop didn't like it."

[threedontknows]

Huaisang inclines his head softly, exchanging the wooden stick for the candied hawthorn for his fan. He idly waves it, looking off towards the Qinghe town center where the lanterns and kites were being hung.

“I was born into wealth and privilege. I had everything I could have ever wanted. I realize how different our lives were, the way you had to struggle to survive and scrimp for every good thing that came your way. I’m not trying to be flippant, or to rub your nose in it.”

It just is what it is — two very, very different worlds.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Nah, I know," he says softly. "It ain't anything bad. Just different. I had friends in Kentucky. Before I ran away. We was always getting in trouble. Getting drunk, letting the cows out, spray painting the barns."

He laughs. "Ain't all terrible. Got me out of the house when dad was drunk."

[threedontknows]

He tries to smile through the more unfortunate aspects of Aaron's childhood. His own father never drank to access, but his temper was as bad as his da-ge's in the end. Mingjue always tried to spare Huaisang from their father's wrath --

He shakes his head and waves his fan a little more. "My friends and I were terrible. We studied at a sect that was notorious for its strict rules. No running allowed, no eating to excess, no loud laughter, no gossip, no drinking, and a strict curfew. So of course we broke every rule."

[creeksidealtarboy]

He laughs out loud as he imagines those antics. "Shit, that sounds like trouble. I think I would have done the same damn thing."

[threedontknows]

"You might still get the chance. The cultivation conference is at Gusu next week. If the Admiral takes his sweet time, we'll have to go."

He's Chief Cultivator, he has to make an appearance.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"We? What the fuck would I even do there?"

But of course he will go. He kind of hopes the Admiral leaves them a while longer.