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.

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[creeksidealtarboy]

He can sense that he's missing something, some piece to it all. But it's rich people problems. He can't really empathize. But he can recognize it.

He slides close to him again. "I ain't part of your stupid collection, you know."

[threedontknows]

It is rich people problems, and he knows Aaron can’t relate.

“You could be,” Huaisang says, slipping his arms around his waist. “You’re beautiful enough.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Fuck that. I'm not getting put on a shelf. And when we have to get dragged back to the Barge, it won't last."

But he is feeling a bit braver, a little bolder, and he puts a hand to Huaisang's cheek. "So try again."

[threedontknows]

Huaisang’s eyes flutter shut ever-so-slightly. Oh. Oh, that’s so nice. The touch his gentle and sweet, and so welcomed.

“You could help me fill these sad, empty rooms. At least as long as we’re here.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Sure," he says in easy agreement, though it's strange to feel just...wanted. Wanted with no ulterior motive.

"Be nice to actually, you know, take a fucking break."

[threedontknows]

Oh! A break! He can do that, and well! He smiles, still leaning against his hand. “I could spoil you,” Huaisang says eagerly. “Is that something you’d like?”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Spoil me with what? The fuck does that mean?"

He laughs as he says it, obviously intrigued.

[threedontknows]

“With robes and fancy sheets and long baths and good food—”

He could go on, and will. It’d be best to stop him.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Yeah, maybe. But give me that tour first and then we'll talk about the other shit."

He puts a firm hand on the small of his back.

[threedontknows]

Huaisang shuts up. Aaron isn’t used to this life, he needs to start slow.

“Let me show you the gardens.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"What kind of gardens? The sort that actually grow shit or gardens from a fancy book that really just means the yard?"

He does follow, eager to actually be led around a bit.

[threedontknows]

"Gardens with plants," he tells him, laughing as he leads him along. "There are different purposes to each garden, of course! Meditation for one, star-gazing for another. Most are just ornamental."

[creeksidealtarboy]

More pretty things for Huaisang's collection. More things for him to look at. Decorations and ornaments and baubles and everything that looks pretty.

Aaron can't really relate to it, but he's starting to appreciate the fact that Huaisang does.

"So you can't star gaze in the meditation garden?" he asks, though it's mostly light hearted.

[threedontknows]

“Mmhm, we’d throw you in the dungeons,” he replies easily, happy to play along. “It’s all about feng shui. Harmony and balance. The meditation garden is placed just-so because it’s the most harmonious. And the star-gazing pavilion…I mean, that should be obvious.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Not in the daytime."

He walks, feet light on the floor. "Couldn't really see the stars in the city, but out by Creekside, where I grew up, you could see em clear as fucking anything. Used to sit on my roof and get drunk watchin' em."

[threedontknows]

“Precisely,” he grins. “Clearest view in the Impure Realm.”

He folds his fan and twists it behind his back as he walks a little closer to him.

“We could sit on the roof tonight and have wine, if you wanted. Our stars might be the same.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Yeah," he laughs. "Yeah, that'd be alright."

Huaisang's roof is much taller, but Aaron feels like that might enhance the experience.

He presses a hand against him gently as they walk.

[threedontknows]

Huaisang doesn’t discourage Aaron’s touch. He smiles to himself and babbles about the trees and plants, the statues, some of his clan’s traditions. He grew up here; there are bits of himself scattered about the Impure Realm.

His tour leads them down into the kitchen, where he immediately turns into a petulant child trying to steal a sweet bun with the servants. He gets it way, a few bottles of wine deposited into his hands and a few warm buns, and gets affectionately swatted on the arm as he leaves with Aaron.

No one says a damned thing to him about his strange guest. Young Master Nie is mysterious at times, a little odd, but well-loved.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron takes one of the bottles and laughs a bit. "This is perfect," he says with a grin. "They - love you, huh?"

[threedontknows]

Huaisang doesn't wait before diving right into the wine, undoing the wax seal and having a fair-sized drink.

He nods softly. "I take care of them," he says. "I'm an unusual master for the Nie Clan. Each leader was a brutal swordsman, and I'm...I'm just not built that way."

[creeksidealtarboy]

He holds out his hand for the opened bottle. "Yeah," he says softly. "Yeah, because you weren't supposed to lead."

Thank fuck they only have a few days or so here.

[threedontknows]

He hands the bottle over. "The burden's too high for the people born into my clan. I don't want them to live only to die."

[creeksidealtarboy]

He takes the bottle and drinks from it, though he doesn't throw it back like the high school parties at home. He savors it, actually trying to enjoy the taste of it.

Aaron pauses, staring at him a moment.

"Yeah? Well, when you get back for real, then you can make it that way." He gives him a nudge. "You promised the roof, man."

[threedontknows]

He failed pretty miserably the first time around, hence the whole 'dying and coming to the Barge' thing, but when he gets back, gets himself redeemed, he's going to fix things for good. No more cursed swords eating away at their souls and qi.

"That's right, the roof! This'll be a little strange, but I'll need to hold onto me." Huaisang holds out his arm to him.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Oh Jesus..."

He steps closer to him, sliding his arm around his waist and holding him tightly.