jikan_rpg | ( open ) March catch-all

Of course, Mingye isn't really worried when Ouyang goes out. He knows very well whom the man comes back to. What bed he sleeps in. Why wouldn't he? It's been him, Ouyang, and Runyu for a bit now.

He's actually out and about himself when he notices him. When he hears those questions come out of Ouyang's mouth. That? It's not normal and he knows it. As much as he knows he should be cautious, he won't be. There has to be something, deep down, that will give this other man an inkling of who he, himself, is. Maybe. There's a lot that could happen if he's being honest.

"A-Yang?" He questions, moving over to Ouyang. "You don't remember this place?" He's not going to answer the question on Esen, since he doesn't care, not really, where the man is. He isn't particularly fond of the snake.

The familiar form of address draws a deep frown. What softness crept into his expressions over the last few months is gone. The sharp look he gives silently states what his mouth doesn't speak: how dare you address me so!

(Somewhere in the distant recesses of his mind, Ouyang finds himself fixating on the dark blue robes Mingye wears. There's something familiar, comforting in the sight of the blue and his hand drifts unconsciously to the flowers in his belt.)

"Am I a prisoner?"

Mingye is not, as it were, used to that sharp look from Ouyang and the look in his tri-colored eyes probably states as such. He is not even sure where in the world that question came from. He does not like the lack of recognition, though. Even if he does note the flowers that the other's hand drifts to.

"You know that you're not a prisoner, A-Yang. Where is that coming from?"

He looks around once more, spying nothing familiar. Then he turns back to Mingye, hostility in those dark eyes. "This is no part of the Great Yuan."

There was definitely something up, that much was obvious. Especially when this was a man that he was closed to. Someone that he cared a great deal for. Someone he would do anything for. "No, you're in Japan. Near our home, The Four Seasons Manor."

Our home? Ouyang's eyes narrow and his brows draw together leaving a crease between them. Something in the deep recesses of his mind senses something familiar in this man, but it never makes it to the surface of his thoughts.

"Who are you?"

Edited 2022-03-06 08:05 (UTC)

It takes a lot for Mingye not to recoil from that question. To not wrap himself in his dark energy. This? It wasn't of Ouyang's accord and he knows that. It doesn't, however, stop him from thinking back on Little Fairy or the things that happened while he'd been within the Darknight Court. Things that his own father would not have hesitated in doing. He's pretty sure that the Elders in the Darknight Court have pills for forgetting too. Just as they have drinks and other assorted things to keep one unconscious for a while or until the person is needed. Those can mess with one's memory, as well.

"I am Yu Mingye."

"I do not know you," he states, matter-of-factly. "Why would you claim such familiarity with me?"

Those words might as well be slamming his own crescent moon scimitar into his chest or Ouyang's sword through him. Or both at the same time. Normally? He has better control over his dark energy, except for today. Today? That dark energy pulses out and wraps around him like a well-worn cloak. Protection. He should never need protection from Ouyang.

"We have been familiar with each other for some time now," He states, tri-colored eyes watching the other. "Even welcome each other's touch."

The dark miasm has Ouyang taking a step back, reaching instinctively for the sword that isn't there... only flowers. Blue flower. Blue that reminded him of... something or someone. Why blue?

But why would this person lie? To what end? Confusion paints itself across Ouyang's features, coupled with the distrust of whatever magic Yu Mingye possesses.

It's a shot in the dark. Something that he isn't even entirely sure will work. After all, he remembers the first time that he'd allowed Ouyang to touch the dark energy. So, he takes a deep calming breath (even if he didn't honestly feel calm) and he allows that energy to swirl around the both of them. He knows this this was before they became a thing, before it became the three of them.

"You can touch it or prod it as you see fit, it won't harm you."

Words that had been spoken to Ouyang once before.

Ouyang's eyes widen in alarm as the dark energy moves around him. But there's curiosity, too. Magic like this, he has never seen. Surely there is some magic in his world, but it is so rare as to be nonexistent. The General takes a shuffling step closer, clearly wanting to touch the energy, yet hesitating.

"What is this sorcery?"

The dark energy, just like its master, will not touch unless given permission. Even in Mingye's state of upset, it will not touch or harm the other man. Nor would he ever intend it to. Ouyang is free to touch it as he saw fit.

"Dark energy. My yin energy," He states simply. "I can manipulate it as I see fit," he tells him. Something that the other already knew, so it was weird to be telling him all over again. "It will never harm you. I wouldn't let it, not when you mean as much as you do to me."

Ouyang's eyes remain fixed on the swirling energy Mingye commands. He's heard of such things in stories and anecdotes, even seen some small bit of magic in his life, but this was beyond his experience.

And yet... it felt so familiar.

His eyes narrow even as he dips his fingers into that dark miasma.

"How.... do I know you? I cannot remember..."

Mingye watches those eyes watch the dark energy, watches those eyes narrow, and even watches those fingers dip into the energy. That? It amused him, even if the day lacked a bit of amusement. Everything, at the moment, was a mess and he hated it. That question hurting more than he cared to admit.

"We're lovers. You have a piece of my soul, A-Yang."

He had no reason, after all, to lie to the other.

His fingers twitch at the confession, the crease between his brows deepening. Before he can stop himself, Ouyang is shaking his head to indicate the negative.

"That is impossible."

"It isn't impossible."

Saying that? It hurt, but he could survive this. Would survive this. Even if it felt like a hand was wrapped around his heart and crushing it. He wasn't sure what had caused this, but it had better not show his face or he might decide to put his dark energy boomerang through it.

"It's myself, you, and Runyu. A-Yu gave both of us a piece of himself. A scale that we both wear around our necks. The three of us live together and enjoy life together. You sit and listen to me play my xiao sometimes, while other times we sit with A-Yu and drink tea."

He's suddenly aware of scale resting against his skin beneath his robes. It's cool against his chest and, as he withdraws it from his clothing, he finds the white scale's shimmering familiar. The image of a silvery-white dragon springs to mind but he can't place it...

Ouyang's brows draw together, confusion plain on his face.

"Why do I not remember this?"

He reaches into his own hanfu and pulls out the dragon scale that adorned his own throat. He didn't hide it because he had to, more so he didn't actively blind anyone with it. Nothing more than that. However, he notes the confusion and watches Ouyang as he tries to figure things out.

"This place. What did you do before coming out here?"

"I was..." He pauses, clearly putting a great deal of thought into retracing his steps. "Flowers. I saw blue flowers and they reminded me... of someone." And he just happens to have a small collection of blue flowers in his sash. Though between being plucked and the dark energy swirling around they're beginning to wilt.

"They probably reminded you of me," Mingye states, eyes watching him. He did, after all, wear blue quite a bit. It was one of his favorite colors. Something that was even around their home. He does, however, note the flowers that were in his sash. "Anything before that?"

Ouyang's eyes remained fixed on Mingye, confusion mixing with a slow, very slow recollection.

"... They did..."

Those eyes watch as Ouyang watches him, watching that confusion in those eyes. Something close to recognition in them.

"Blue is one of my favorite colors, it's in the clothes I wear and along our walls too." Just as it was in their bedding and all around them, for the most part. The colors in their room were a mix of all three of them.

Blue always reminds him of Mingye. He had thought to bring the flowers home to show to him... and Runyu.

Ouyang swallows hard as the recognition returns to his dark eyes. The confusion fades, giving way to a sort of despair. How could he have forgotten them?

"Mingye..."

Mingye lets out a breath when he notes the recognition in those eyes. The moment that Ouyang realizes who he even is. It had been hard going through all of that again, but he'd do it as many times as he needed to. Even if he hated this place a bit more for causing the other to forget him. No place should be able to have that effect.

"I'm here, A-Yang," He tells him, giving the other a soft smile.

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theatrics - 2022-04-05 00:56 (UTC) - Expand