October Catch-all --a little early.

[jc_superstar]

⌛ Who: Jiang Cheng and Kinn Theerapanyakul
⌛ What: Neandering around town
⌛ When: Tail end of September but October (spoopy season)
⌛ Where: Wherever!
⌛ Warnings: TBD in threads



[Jiang Cheng, post qi deviation]

Once Cheng was strong enough to move around for more than ten minutes, he started trekking over to his friends houses to see how they were doing and to thank them for their help and apologize for causing so much trouble. With every friend he visited, he offered a fruit basket. If he thought cutting them would last, he would have.

He comes to the next home, takes a breath and then schools his face for a pleasant smile before knocking. All he had to do now was wait to be answered. Cheng fervently hoped that their relationship hadn't been ruined by the recent events.



[Jiang Cheng, Onsen]

Once he had recovered, he wanted to do ... something. Anything. He was tired of sitting in the house, tired of people hovering over him, worried about what he would do, if he would relapse. He just needed to get out of the house and relax a bit.

The best way he knew how was the Onsen. The incense was nice, the sound of water was soothing and Cheng was looking forward to relaxing, pampering himself with some expensive cleansers, and let the stress of the past three weeks drain out of him.



[Kinn, by the wharf]

Despite gathering evidence that overall, the place was relatively safe, Kinn still wanted to be prepared. So he made his way to the wharf where many had said one could find rare items, hoping he would find a seller who may have more than just information about firearms.

As he strolled through the allies, he walked with confidence as if he owned the place. His clothing was neat but not necessarily anything that would scream he was rich or in the wrong place. And as he walked, he considered the things he would change in the place. A floating market, some different variations in the market-maybe something foreign in terms of imports?

Evidently, he couldn't completely dismiss the mafia in him.








[Anyone who wants a specific starter with any character, please hit me up! Discord Aristastarfyr#8868 or pm the journals.]

Comments

Wharf

[hideawayparadise]

Should he really be wandering around like some kind of Disney princess with his nose in a book? Absolutely not. But the book he'd found was so interesting that he couldn't stop reading it. Well, until it turned out that reading it and not looking where he was going resulted in him running right into someone.

Yelping in surprise, he scrambled to catch his book then blinked to see who it was. Oh wait! His badass friend! "Sorry Kinn! I should've been looking where I was going!"

He offered the man a smile. "Shopping?"

[50000baht]

Kinn hadn't been paying too much attention either-or at least he wasn't paying attention in front of him. There was too much to look at and think about what he would change or improve, his mind always on business because that's what he was taught to do. Once a Theerapanyakul, always a Theerapanyakul, it seemed.

But then he collides and the first instinct is to push back. The sound of his friend's voice catches him and he stops, blinking at the other. "Riley. What are you doing here?" As far as he knew, the wharf wasn't a place for nice people. At the question about his own reasonings for being here, he sucks air through his teeth, pocketing his hands. "Yeah, something like that. You, obviously, aren't. Have you been wandering around reading like that?"

[hideawayparadise]

Riley suddenly really looked around at where he was. This was not where he expected to be actually. Blinking a few times, he looked around a bit more before looking back to Kinn. "Yeah. I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and got all the way here. Oops?"

He laughed a bit. He really should be paying more attention but, well, here he was anyway. Right where it wasn't really all that nice for people who...weren't...

Hey wait...

"Um...you know you keep selling the whole 'I'm secretly in the mafia' all the time right? Because you're...here."

[50000baht]

Kinn couldn't help but tilt his head. "I'm... selling?" It was amusing. He hadn't been in a place where people didn't automatically know he was a mafia heir.

"People told me if I wanted to find a firearm, this would be the place. So far, no firearms but there is definitely fish." Kinn smiled pleasantly with that. "The market is lacking though. Are they looking for a reputation here? They certainly don't have one."

[hideawayparadise]

"Yeah. It's pretty cool actually. I like pretending like I'm friends with some kind of crime boss in my head." Which probably sounded dumb but it came from someone who spent most of his life in imagination. What with how much he read and all the art that he did.

No firearms here though. That was too bad. It'd make Kinn feel safer to have one, that was for sure. "I've never actually been here before. Is it like a shady reputation but there's just fish?"

Post Deviation

[fullgrownturnip]

Like the dutiful son that he was, and since he was living with his two fathers to make the action more convenient, Sizhui rushed to the door to answer it. Of course the last person he was expecting, for whatever reason, was the leader of the Jiang clan. With a...fruit basket? Floppy rabbit ears shifted a little with interest before he politely bowed to the man.

"Sandu Shengshou. Please come inside." It was good to see that the man was feeling better. Though, given his personality, he had a feeling he wouldn't appreciate having him comment on that fact. Best to just be polite in general and not go there.

[jc_superstar]

Jiang Cheng was expecting his brother, or Jingyi, or... hell, even Wangji to answer the door. He hadn't been expecting Wuxian's adopted son to answer! Though, the ears were cute, he had to admit.

"Wanyin," he corrected in a soft, gruff tone. "I don't carry Sandu here." He didn't have the sword, anyway. Cheng walked in, following Sizhui as he did so, ensuring his shoes were left by the doorway.

[fullgrownturnip]

It still felt...so awkward. But he nodded. "Wanyin-qianbei."

Still, this was his superior as well as, well, his uncle. He could at least make sure that he was doing as the man had asked. Politely. Very politely. "Is that for Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun? I could bring it inside for you? Perhaps I could also make you some tea since you're here."

[jc_superstar]

Cheng nodded his head, offering the basket. "That would be fine, Lan Sizhui."

This was awkward for him too, honestly. Now he knew that the young man before him was A-Yuan, Wen Qing's martial brother, and he didn't know how he should react with that knowledge. It was probably as good as it was going to get right now, with the awkwardness.

"How have you been settling here? Any problems?"

[fullgrownturnip]

Taking the basket, he led the way to the kitchen so he could put it away. Then he nodded for him to have a seat at the table while he went about gathering everything he'd need to make a nice light tea. Really the only kind he knew how to make since he had been raised Lan.

The question was unexpected and he blinked a little before shaking his head and continuing with his task.

"No. Things have been nice here. It almost feels like this people could be another home. A place where I can get a chance to be with people I couldn't before." He meant Wen Qing but he didn't say as much. Just in case.

Post Qi Deviation

[outspokenlan]

The reason Jingyi wasn't at home with Sizhui when his uncle arrived is because he is sitting on Lady Jiang's front porch kicking his feet with a mug of cocoa in his hands. Beside him is an oblong gift wrapped in white silk and purple ribbon. The other gift he brought was the cocoa which had multiple servings, so clearly one was for himself.

To pass the time, he sings a few silly songs for children.

[jc_superstar]

He had waited as long as he could and finally told Sizhui he had to go and headed back home. Cheng had no idea if Jingyi caught wind he was looking for him or what. He was pleasantly surprised when he heard Jingyi's voice before he saw him on his sister's step. "Lan-er," he greeted, making his way over to the Lan and throng of kids.

[outspokenlan]

Jingyi's face lights up as he sees his uncle approaching and his brown eyes abruptly shift to green. He abandons his cocoa, the present, and the kids to rush over and give Jiang Cheng an enthusiastic hug.

"Shushu! How are you feeling? I have some more cocoa fixed if you'd like to have some. Have you tried it before?" The young man is literally bouncing on the balls of his feet he's so excited.

[jc_superstar]

A small 'oof' comes from Cheng as he's nearly barrelled over and he has to take a step back to stabilize himself, but he clings just as tightly.

"I'm alright, no I haven't," he answered, unable to hide his smile as the junior practically vibrates. "How long have you been waiting?"

[outspokenlan]

Jingyi snickers and gestures back at the kids who were now starting to wander off. "Long enough that some of the neighborhood kids found me! I swear they smelled the chocolate somehow! I'm really glad you're looking so well!"

As he turns to head back toward the items he'd left, he says, "I have something else for you, but I'd rather give it to you inside. Is that okay?" He isn't sure just how his present will be received so it's better to contain that potential embarrassment.

Onsen

[yeoldmonster]

This particular pool is almost empty when Jiang Cheng comes out of the changing room. There's one man with a muscular build, white streak in his hair, and lounging back comfortably against one wall with his eyes closed.

The only thing that seems out of place is a large sword set on a towel nearby the man and Cheng may have overheard Baiyi's voice talking to it before he got close to the pool.

[jc_superstar]

It couldn't be too weird. He knew that some of the other cultivators with class A weapons tended to deal with weapons that were almost sentient. Zidian was no different, actually. But that didn't mean Cheng was foolish, either. He made certain to make noise so that the other man knew he was there, his own hair wet and clinging to his skin. He makes a conscious effort to not worry about the leopard fur on his back. So many of the refugees had animal traits at this point that it was probably common place.

With one last glance at the stranger, he drops the robe and sets it on the low table near by before sinking into the hot water. A low groan comes from him as he sinks in, feeling the heat soak into his muscles as he settles in.

[yeoldmonster]

Baiyi doesn't open his eyes, but his senses follow the other man carefully. Rather quickly he's convinced his new companion isn't a threat. He could really care less if someone is leering at him while he's in the buff. He's hot, they should look.

His lips quirk upward as he hears that groan. "Sounds like you needed this as badly as I did."

[jc_superstar]

He hadn't expected to be spoken to. Focusing a baleful eye at the other who hadn't really moved. "It's been a rough month," Cheng agreed, choosing to sink into the water up to his chin.

As for leering, Cheng is more than happy to ignore another nude body. He wasn't interested in doing anything with anyone, anytime soon. Besides, he wouldn't go around sleeping with strangers, anyway. At least not willingly.

[yeoldmonster]

Was it rude to disturb someone else's peace here in the bath? Probably. Did Baiyi care about the rules? Not a bit.

"That's about as long as I've been here." Somehow that had still been long enough he'd needed to get away from others. He often sought out time alone even when he wasn't wandering, but this was different. "I've not been a fan of the hot weather. Do you know if this area follows the seasons?"

For Wen Kexing or/and Zhou Zhishu

[jc_superstar]

One of his errands was to come to the Four Seasons manor to see how his friends there were doing. Bringing another fruit basket with him, he comes to the front doors, waiting patiently to be allowed in after making his announcement of his presence.

[fated_dance]

Zishu smiles when he sees who it is and bows his head a little in greeting. "A-Cheng, come in." He steps out of the way with a sweeping gesture of welcome.

[jc_superstar]

Nodding his head in turn, Cheng offers a bright smile and walks in, feeling a sense of comfort wash over him. These were his first friends that hadn't come as a sort of hand-me-down through Wuxian and Cheng cherished it. While they weren't directly present when he fell ill, he felt an obligation to tell them about it. And why it happened.

"How are you and Kexing?" he asks, pausing long enough inside to prevent tracking dirt in further and giving his host a moment to escort him into the common areas of the house.

[fated_dance]

"You are always welcome here," he playfully scolds as he leads the way inside to the more comfortable sitting area. "You do not need to knock."

Zishu studies his friend out of habit, curious of any reason behind this visit despite his words. "We're well. How about you?"

[jc_superstar]

The scold had him freezing in place, then bristling in defense. He didn't want to explain why he knocked and it brought up sudden memories of a fight that should never have happened. Unaware that it might have been a leaked tell, Cheng closes his eyes for a moment to recenter himself. Breathing in and holding it, it's a silent reminder that he was among friends and they didn't mean anything by it. Zishu wasn't even focusing on the scold.

"I'm alright," he answers, not knowing if it was honest enough an answer. "I was sickened, recently. Alright, more than sickened. I was dying."