"Was he a phoenix before like you are a dragon or turning into one here?" These bonds are confusing. He hasn't realized it, but the ache within is due to this very thing. While he hadn't gotten so connected with Xie Wang that features of some sort had sprouted, it had been real and now it was pain.

This liquor really wasn't helping anything. He sighs and sets it aside. Pushing to his feet took a little more effort than he would've liked, but he goes over to the tea set in the room- not the fancy one Runyu was drinking from, of course.

"You have the feel of an older brother."