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

[jc_superstar]

He eyes the things, then looks back to Jingyi. "That's fine." More because what he wants to say, he doesn't need a bunch of kids to listen in.

Cheng holds the door open for Jingyi since the junior had his hands full. "I was waiting for you at your home and spent some time speaking to Sizhui." It was all casual conversation, at least from Cheng's standpoint. "I'm disappointed to hear that your education in things is so lacking. Lans should spend more time in Yunmeng to help circumvent that."

[outspokenlan]

Jingyi waves goodbye at the kids and gathers up his mug and the present. Setting the gift on the table, he goes over to the pot he'd made the hot chocolate in and turns the heat back on. It hasn't been that long ago since he'd made it so the ingredients are still fresh.

He's setting his mug down when Cheng starts in on his education and it clatters a bit ungracefully. "What's wrong with my education?!" He turns around with a scowl. "The Lan clan does an excellent job teaching us. What- oh!" Realization hits him and his cheeks flush red. "Sizhui was talking about that?"

Omg, just kill him now!

[jc_superstar]

He couldn't help it. He had to laugh. And it was good to laugh, too. Cheng had to take a moment to compose himself before continuing. "Yes, he was. I have every right to make certain you are well and happy."

He never had the chance to do this with Jin Ling so it was the least his junior could provide for him. "Well?"

[outspokenlan]

Despite the fact he felt embarrassed, Jingyi ends up grinning when he heard his uncle laugh. The memory of him crying in pain was too fresh in his mind not to fully appreciate seeing him so lively and well.

"Shushu! You did it to make sure.." That was so sweet! He's torn for a moment before coming over and giving his uncle a hug. As he does, he feels an enormous wave of guilt. His uncle did this for him even after what Jingyi did to him?

"Thank you for caring about me. I- I don't.. I don't really deserve it though."

[jc_superstar]

Cheng gladly accepts the hug. He's been getting a lot more of them as time passes and he's decided not to question it. What he does question is Jingyi's depreciation.

"What? You' don't deserve it after saving my life? Lan-er, if you weren't there to call for help when I qi deviated, where would I be now?"

[outspokenlan]

Jingyi frowns, knowing that's exactly the question others have asked him but for whatever reason it doesn't feel right.

"But.. I'm the one who upset you in the first place. I was the one who told you about.." He moves back so he can look at his uncle better. "About 'him'. You were already not feeling well and then I just dumped that on top of it."

[jc_superstar]

Alright. So. It was confession time.

"I wasn't feeling well mostly because I wasn't cultivating." So he wasn't cultivating because he was extremely upset. Cheng wasn't going to get into that. "And it was made worse because..." He doubts Jingyi knows.

"Because this isn't my original core." The words are barely louder than a murmur when he says them.

[outspokenlan]

"Why weren't you cultivating?" Jingyi asks innocently. That didn't sound very smart. They were always told to cultivate no matter what. It kept them healthy and their skills sharp. Why wouldn't someone want to do that?

His eyes widen and he stares completely lost at the final confession. "What?" That's not possible! What was Cheng even saying?

[jc_superstar]

A half smile graces his face at the first question. "Because I didn't want to. I didn't feel the drive to take care of myself. The person I loved did not love me back, so what kind of person was I to be so foolish?"

Cheng's half smile faded though as he worked to tell his chosen nephew the rest. "It was a long time ago. During the Sunshot campaign. When Lotus Pier was seiged....the Wen clan had a cultivator who's name was the Core Melting Hand. He was widely feared because he could destroy someone's core and turn them into a normal human. They were no longer a cultivator because of him.

"He destroyed my core. And he nearly destroyed my sect because of it."

[outspokenlan]

Jingyi stares at his shushu, devastated on his behalf. What would it feel like if Sizhui didn't love him back? Would he do something like this? Did it not matter how many others loved Jiang Cheng?

It's confusing and it only gets worse and more horrifying as the story continues. He's been taught about the Sunshot campaign both by his elders and on his own. It's how his father died, so of course he would. To learn what happened to his adopted uncle though, he shudders.

"But.. you have one? I know you do." He frowns, not understanding this.

[jc_superstar]

"Wuxian gave me his." He wasn't proud of that fact. Actually, he was ashamed. If he had been in a better mind, he would have refused it. If he hadn't been so spoiled, he would have insisted that Wuxian make a good life for himself instead of trying to save everyone else around him.

"He convinced Wen Qing to perform the transfer. The odds, as I heard, were not in our favor. But it worked."

[outspokenlan]

His mind is completely blown. He doesn't know how to even process this information. "I didn't know that was possible. How is it possible? Does that mean.." The color in his face drains and suddenly a lot more about his shishu, Wuxian, makes sense. "That's why he uses the demonic cultivation!"

Whoa. Just whoooa. All this time, he hasn't had a core?

And poor shushu! Does he need another hug? Probably not, but Jingyi gives him one anyway!

[jc_superstar]

Once again he was nearly bowled over by Lan. There was a small grunt from Cheng and a touch of embarrassment, too. He doesn’t want this to be a big deal. What was done was done. They had made their peace over it.

“Alright. So what is this present? I have a sword already.”

[outspokenlan]

Jingyi is definitely going to have to go hug Wuxian now that he knows this secret. How is it possible the man did so many incredible things without a core?! Did Sizhui know?

"Huh?" He draws back and blinks, before glancing over at the table. "Oh! Right. Uh.. well, you do but.." He carefully draws from the bundle a very familiar, purple sheathed sword. "You should have your sword too!"

There's clearly something still in the bundle but this is the first gift.

[jc_superstar]

Cheng stills, watching the weapon come out into the open. He honestly believed that he'd never see Sandu again. With trembly hands, he reaches out for it, unsheathing it partially just so he could see the blade glint in the light. He couldn't lift his head. Cheng didn't trust himself to keep his emotions in check. Sheathing it again, he rested his hand over the scabbard. "How... how did you get this?"

It was his sword. Even down to the little frog on the pommel.

[outspokenlan]

Jingyi bites his lip nervously as he tries to read his uncle's reaction. He thinks his shushu might be pleased, but he isn't positive.

"I prayed for it at a shrine and when I was leaving, I found it sitting on the silk right in my path. It's such a beautiful, distinct sword I knew immediately I'd gotten my wish."

[jc_superstar]

"You wished for my sword?" Why would Jingyi do that? He looks back down at the blade. "Lan-er...you did not have to do that. I'm sure there were more things you could have asked for."

Cheng didn't need his sword. He could have lived without it.

[outspokenlan]

Jingyi nods. "Yeah, you've been so sad lately and I thought.. well.. maybe you needed something to remind that, you know, people love you. Your sect loves you and the other people from our world here love you and um.. how important you are. And you mean a lot to, you know, me."

Did that just sound really dumb? Should he have thought up something else to say? He hadn't planned this out very well.

[jc_superstar]

And like an idiot, Cheng sat there, staring at his found nephew. So he knew his family loved him -- it was a given, they were family. And he knew Wen Qing did and insisted so many others did so as well. But to see Jingyi here, admitting it? It made the lump in his throat thicken. Even if he had no sect here, there were still people here he needed to continue to live for.

Cheng had to look at his hands for a few moments so he could somehow get his emotions under control. "You're important to me, too," he responds back, his voice thick and gruff.

[outspokenlan]

Jingyi breaks into a bright smile at hearing those words back. He steps forward and touches his shushu's shoulder. "Then.. do you like it? To have Sandu back?"

He looks back at the table. "The other thing you already knew I was doing, but I hope you like that too. Sizhui and I worked hard on it." Whenever Cheng opens the rest of the bundle, he'll find a set of robes with an ombre effect from white to dark purple.

[jc_superstar]

Cheng had to smile and nod. As much as he didn't push for getting Sandu here (he had Zidian. That was enough.) he wasn't displeased that the blade was here, either. But the robes took his breath away.

He brought the outer layer out to look at, run his fingers over the stitching, and examined the designs added in. "Jingyi..." He was truly humbled by the gift. "This is exquisite. You and Sizhui did this?"

[outspokenlan]

There are a couple very tiny mistakes in the stitching, but nothing that impacts the appearance or sturdiness of the garment. The young men had definitely tried their best to make it perfect, even if they weren't that familiar with making robes.

"Yeah, I had to get him to help me," Jingyi confesses. "I was hoping you'd like something new instead of exactly like the robe I ruined. I couldn't quite remember how the pattern went."

[jc_superstar]

Cheng grabbed either a hand or robe or waist or whatever and tugs Jingyi in again, holding him tightly. "Thank you. It's the finest thing I've ever had." He felt it to be true, too. This was a gift given without strings, in his mind. It was precious. "I now need an event to wear it to."

[outspokenlan]

Jingyi squeaks as he's pulled in, but then he grins. He hugs his uncle back.

As far as the young man is concerned the only strings to the gift are the ones holding it together. He loves his uncle and he loves that at times, he even feels needed. He wants to protect his uncle from anymore pain and just see that the rest of the older man's days are spent happy. Granted, he realizes he might not be able to do that, but that's his wish!

"We need someone else to get married! Or- or.. hey! When's your birthday?"

[jc_superstar]

"Five days after Wuxian's," Cheng responded, choosing to latch onto that than the talk of yet another wedding. He could only imagine that the next wedding on Jingyi's thoughts was the possibility of him and Wen Qing taking the bows and drinking the tea. And Jiang Cheng was not going to entertain anyone with those thoughts.