[ he shifts, a little. uncomfortably. this is hard - admitting this is hard. swallowing his pride and admitting the disability he's managed to circumvent his entire life. gu yun seems to be struggling with it, at least for a moment, deciding. it's a vulnerability he never shows.
it's primrose.
... ]
... It's not just my sight. [ and, turning his head, he moves a lock of his dark hair out of the way of his ear - where there was once a cinnabar red mark on his earlobe, there's an incredibly faint, pink circle. ]
[ it should make some of his behaviors make more sense. occasionally his voice has been too loud, or too quiet. he's made a habit of standing closer to others than ever. even now, he's near to primrose - but it could be passed off so easily as him just being affectionate or wanting to be tactile in private. he's an expert at pretending. at hiding. at getting by. ]
I can predict what most people are going to say, and I can very, very faintly hear you, right now. Enough that I can get by.
You've hidden it for a long time. [ It's an observation, rather than a question. She's seen for herself how much he detests showing when something's troubling him. She's witnessed just how brilliantly he hid his own pain in order to pull off an upset.
Imagine how his enemies would try to seek to take advantage of this vulnerability and how well he's done covering it.
It makes her pause, then lift his hand to kiss his fingers, one by one. ]
[ one of the benefits to his vision and hearing both being so fucked is that the rest of his senses are extremely powerful; when he's unmedicated, his sense of touch is second to none. he can easily sense primrose moving, and the soft presence of kisses being placed on his fingertips feels louder than it should. it's a constant to be one step ahead.
gu yun cranes his head in a little, now less reticent about showing it. he's heard every other word primrose has said up until this point, but getting close to her makes at least the last sentence come out clear enough that he can respond.
he huffs, a quiet laugh. ] Frightening? How so?
[ if he heard the first part, or if he had no response to it - who knows. ]
[ Primrose shifts herself a little closer. She's a rather quiet speaker but for his sake, she'll talk a little louder. For a dancer, her enunciation and eloquence are perfectly coherent. ]
Despite setbacks, you continue to move forward. For most people, it would be next to impossible to tell that you had vulnerabilities at all. A truly terrifying man to encounter as an enemy.
... And to make me care about you to a troubling extent... would make you rather dangerous, I feel.
[ that helps! a lot. clear enunciation does a world of good for him right now. he listens carefully to the explanation, and then lifts their combined hands, almost absently. ]
...I received the injury that caused it when I was eight years old. Not long after I regained consciousness, my father told me something that even now, I likely will not forget. Either you will find a way to stand up, or you will hang yourself.
[ "likely" is an understatement. the phrase is buried in his heart like an iron nail. he doesn't sound particularly upset or wistful; just delivering the statement for what it is, though there's an iron grit of determination colored in his next sentence. ] Forward is the only way to move.
[ progress is the only thing to make.
it softens, and he brings her hand up to kiss her knuckles. ]
And - I believe that makes two of us, in feeling such a way. We're quite even, in that regard; I would have lied up and down if we weren't.
... Powerful words. [ Not necessarily ones she approves of, for all that her voice won't betray what she truly thinks of them. But she can't say she agrees with that sentiment. She does, however, know that a father's words can have a large impact on a small child.
But she's quiet, fingers brushing over the back of his hand once he's finished kissing her knuckles.]
I don't know that I necessarily deserve your trust and your care, but I will cherish it. I doubt you would allow me to change your mind, stubborn as you are... so I shall accept whatever comes next.
[ yea. it's cool sometimes you tell your eight year old disabled son you'd rather him be dead! good times
anyway gu yun doesn't have much to say about that, either. the last part gets him to huff. ]
We've fought well side by side, and seen and faced strange things together. I'm very picky in the places that I set my trust, so to say that I am stubborn in this manner is because I simply know it is a worthy place to have set it, after observation and the passage of time. You've already shown me your character in situations of danger.
[ he hasn't forgotten how guilty she was, after their little adventure together. ] I only ask that you keep this information close to your chest - and I trust that you will. Treat me no differently, particularly in public spaces.
I imagine it must have happened this week, because I wasn't concerned about it before. But there's a scar on my stomach and I don't remember at all how it got there. I was told I had an injury there when I arrived.
oh no. bad. gu yun looks - shocked, for a moment, and then shakes his head. this is making a conversation he had earlier this week make a lot more sense.]
...You're the second person I've talked to now, who's had something like that happen. Monday, perhaps?
[ But-- ] I can't recall doing anything too strange? I did explore that floor... there's an area there for pampering, and a mysterious place with statues, scattered with puddles...
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femmefinale) wrote2021-02-06 09:02 pm
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[ he shifts, a little. uncomfortably. this is hard - admitting this is hard. swallowing his pride and admitting the disability he's managed to circumvent his entire life. gu yun seems to be struggling with it, at least for a moment, deciding. it's a vulnerability he never shows.
it's primrose.
... ]
... It's not just my sight. [ and, turning his head, he moves a lock of his dark hair out of the way of his ear - where there was once a cinnabar red mark on his earlobe, there's an incredibly faint, pink circle. ]
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[ It's clear that he's hesitating, that this is something troubling him and that he probably doesn't wish to admit to any weakness.
That he does makes her breath catch in her throat, lightly. That's... trust, isn't it? And such a thing...
Her grip tightens on his hand, just a bit. ]
Your hearing, as well?
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I can predict what most people are going to say, and I can very, very faintly hear you, right now. Enough that I can get by.
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Imagine how his enemies would try to seek to take advantage of this vulnerability and how well he's done covering it.
It makes her pause, then lift his hand to kiss his fingers, one by one. ]
What a frightening man you are, Zixi.
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gu yun cranes his head in a little, now less reticent about showing it. he's heard every other word primrose has said up until this point, but getting close to her makes at least the last sentence come out clear enough that he can respond.
he huffs, a quiet laugh. ] Frightening? How so?
[ if he heard the first part, or if he had no response to it - who knows. ]
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Despite setbacks, you continue to move forward. For most people, it would be next to impossible to tell that you had vulnerabilities at all. A truly terrifying man to encounter as an enemy.
... And to make me care about you to a troubling extent... would make you rather dangerous, I feel.
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...I received the injury that caused it when I was eight years old. Not long after I regained consciousness, my father told me something that even now, I likely will not forget. Either you will find a way to stand up, or you will hang yourself.
[ "likely" is an understatement. the phrase is buried in his heart like an iron nail. he doesn't sound particularly upset or wistful; just delivering the statement for what it is, though there's an iron grit of determination colored in his next sentence. ] Forward is the only way to move.
[ progress is the only thing to make.
it softens, and he brings her hand up to kiss her knuckles. ]
And - I believe that makes two of us, in feeling such a way. We're quite even, in that regard; I would have lied up and down if we weren't.
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But she's quiet, fingers brushing over the back of his hand once he's finished kissing her knuckles.]
I don't know that I necessarily deserve your trust and your care, but I will cherish it. I doubt you would allow me to change your mind, stubborn as you are... so I shall accept whatever comes next.
... "Faith shall be your shield," after all.
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anyway gu yun doesn't have much to say about that, either. the last part gets him to huff. ]
We've fought well side by side, and seen and faced strange things together. I'm very picky in the places that I set my trust, so to say that I am stubborn in this manner is because I simply know it is a worthy place to have set it, after observation and the passage of time. You've already shown me your character in situations of danger.
[ he hasn't forgotten how guilty she was, after their little adventure together. ] I only ask that you keep this information close to your chest - and I trust that you will. Treat me no differently, particularly in public spaces.
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[ And she says this firmly. ]
And as such, I will treat you as I always have. If anyone is to learn anything additional about you, it certainly will not be from me.
[ He's complimented her far too much for her to feel comfortable responding to that part. ]
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[ too many voices... it's going to be difficult for him, but that's fine. he's been through worse. ]
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[ She squeezes his hand. ]
I think for once you can take a breath.
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[ he returns the squeeze, though! ] You seemed a bit distracted. Is that why...?
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[ She sighs after a minute. ]
I seem to be lacking a memory.
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What? [ he sits up ] What kind? When did this happen?
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I imagine it must have happened this week, because I wasn't concerned about it before. But there's a scar on my stomach and I don't remember at all how it got there. I was told I had an injury there when I arrived.
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oh no. bad. gu yun looks - shocked, for a moment, and then shakes his head. this is making a conversation he had earlier this week make a lot more sense.]
...You're the second person I've talked to now, who's had something like that happen. Monday, perhaps?
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[ She rests her free hand over the scar, her tone growing pensive. ]
I feel as though what I've lost was important.
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It was.
...I'll tell you, if you like. You told me - rather, I saw it.
Can I ask if you've done anything particularly strange this week, first? Perhaps with anything on the top floor? I've barely been up there.
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[ But-- ] I can't recall doing anything too strange? I did explore that floor... there's an area there for pampering, and a mysterious place with statues, scattered with puddles...
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[ he'll answer after the question! he squeezes her hand, though. ]
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[ that answers that, likely. ] You ought to talk to Sloth about it - they might have an answer for you.
[ .... ]
Does the name, ah. 'Simeon'? Does that mean anything to you?
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[ Hm. ]
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he's not going to sugarcoat it ]
He stabbed you.
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