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]

"Show me one before we go," he demands, crossing his arms.

[threedontknows]

"There's one behind you." He'd given it to his brother some years before his death. He hadn't realized Da-ge had kept it until he'd found it buried amongst this things.

He points to the scroll just behind Aaron's shoulder. There's a mountain -- Qinghe in fact, and a willow in the foreground. Not his finest work, but it's sentimental.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron turns to it, tilting his head as he considers it. Huaisang gave him a book on art once, so he has a better understanding of what he's looking at.

"It's good. I like the uh - the way the willow kinda looks by itself. Makes it feel a little wistful."

He pours himself a drink.

[threedontknows]

It was meant to symbolize serenity in loneliness.

“You have a good eye, young master Aaron,” he says with a grateful bow. “I painted it when I was locked in my room one day for refusing to go to saber practice. Missed a banquet and everything.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron snorts. So fucking dramatic.

"Was it worth it?"

[threedontknows]

Huaisang laughs. “Not spending the day in the hot sun, sweating in a not-fun way? Absolutely!”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"You got the chance to learn how to use a sword and you didn't want to get sweaty?" he laughs, throwing a date at him gently.

"You really are fucking weird."

[threedontknows]

Huaisang uses his fan to bat the date away. “The saber, it’s difficult! And I don’t mind sweating, but only when I want to.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"But you missed a banquet," he says, standing up and stretching.

[threedontknows]

“It was a great tragedy. Fortunately I was able to throw another the following month.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Oh sure, yeah. Just have random banquets," he teases. "Alright. Now we gonna get out of here or what?"

Now that they have a plan, Aaron is ready to move.

[threedontknows]

Huaisang sighs dramatically but finishes up his meal and rises. He’s missed the food from his home during his time on the Barge, but there’ll be time to indulge later.

“Let me dress and make arrangements first.”

He’s still running a sect, after all.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Sure, uh....do I get new clothes? Do you just walk around the city in these? What the fuck am I supposed to wear?"

[threedontknows]

Huaisang shakes his head. “You could walk around in those, but you slept in them. You need fresh robes.”

And he knows exactly what to give him. He picks out a light blue to match Aaron’s eyes — very Lan, but then again, that was why he’d like it. But his own complexion was never suited for the light blues.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Never wore light colors before," he says with a laugh, taking the robes. They're finer than anything he's ever worn in his life.

That's starting to become less and less of a surprise.

[threedontknows]

“Never? I don’t believe it.”

He does believe it. Aaron’s never been able to get nice things for himself, he was too busy just trying to survive.

“Now’s a good time to start. Go get changed.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"I'm goin' back to my room!" he laughs. "You need a taxi to get there."

[threedontknows]

“Just change in the bedroom!”

Pain in the ass.

“There’s a screen, I won’t peek.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Nah, man. That's where my good shoes are. I can't wear these!"

He wiggles his feet. "I broke those sneakers in!"

[threedontknows]

Huaisang looks aghast. “You can’t wear those shoes with your robes! You’d look ridiculous!”

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron turns on him, blinking big eyes. "But - but they're real uncomfortable," he mumbles.

[threedontknows]

Huaisang crosses his arms over his chest.

Those eyes are dangerous. It’s a game
Huaisang himself used to play in his heyday. “You haven’t tried the shoes yet.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

Thos e crossed arms mean nothing to him. He's seen worse.

"You ain't even gonna see 'em under the robes," he insists.

[threedontknows]

Does he want to win this battle? Absolutely. He’d like to show off his exotic friend while they strolled through the streets of Qinghe.

“I’m not going to argue with you about footwear. Wear the damned shoes.” He huffs and fans himself.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron's smile, bright and cheerful and boyish, only shows for half a moment before he closes the gap between them again and kisses him.

"Knew you could be reasonable."