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// hotel.california
TEXT β’ AUDIO β’ VIDEOXIMILIA
TEXT β’ AUDIO β’ VIDEO[ late nights on the station have started to find marta occupying small spaces within the common areas, tucking herself into whatever little corner will have her, the novelty of her situation still so fresh that even now, days later, she cannot seem to find comfort in any area, not even her room, at least not in the sense that she yet feels like she can really call it hears. and so she drifts, trying to put her restlessness to some kind of use, alternating between helping out in the infirmary when she can, where she can, and pouring over the latest book she's managed to pull out from the pile of items leftover from previous supply drops.
when it comes to the latter, she's learned not to be picky. but some finds are definitely better than others...
this evening finds marta in the kitchen, working on her second mug of tea and completely engrossed in the book du jour — a completely innocuous-looking paperback... save for the slightly wrinkled front cover where a bare-chested man tenderly clutches a swooning woman to his chest.
needless to say, she doesn't immediately notice when she's no longer alone. ]
when it comes to the latter, she's learned not to be picky. but some finds are definitely better than others...
this evening finds marta in the kitchen, working on her second mug of tea and completely engrossed in the book du jour — a completely innocuous-looking paperback... save for the slightly wrinkled front cover where a bare-chested man tenderly clutches a swooning woman to his chest.
needless to say, she doesn't immediately notice when she's no longer alone. ]
[ Since their last mission (and his first), it's not surprising to say that sleep tends to find its way to Shang-chi with a little more trouble than it used to. Thankfully, getting by on the bare minimum is still a blessed ability that he has in his youth, but more than that, he's made a habit of keeping himself active and awake for as long as possible in hopes that the exhaustion blacks the dreams out.
This often means evening sessions in the training room, going through the old familiar routines of his childhood, both with and without weapons. He works up a sweat and generally needs a snack before bed, and it's like clockwork when he leaves the training space, heads past the sunlight room, and goes for the kitchens immediately post-workout.
So it is without preamble when the kitchen doors slide open and Shang-chi walks through only half-dressed, his shirt twisted like a roll and draped around his shoulders, an even layer of perspiration glistening over his skin in a way that can only be described as the 'Superhero Effect'. It becomes immediately clear that he keeps himself in very good shape, if those muscles are any indication.
It also becomes immediately clear that he isn't the only one occupying the room. ]
Oh, hey! [ He stops short. ] Sorry, I thought everyone else would be asleep by now.
[ He notes the tea and the novel in Marta's hands, the colourful illustration on its front. And eager to dispel any of the awkwardness from his interruption, he adds: ]
β good book?
This often means evening sessions in the training room, going through the old familiar routines of his childhood, both with and without weapons. He works up a sweat and generally needs a snack before bed, and it's like clockwork when he leaves the training space, heads past the sunlight room, and goes for the kitchens immediately post-workout.
So it is without preamble when the kitchen doors slide open and Shang-chi walks through only half-dressed, his shirt twisted like a roll and draped around his shoulders, an even layer of perspiration glistening over his skin in a way that can only be described as the 'Superhero Effect'. It becomes immediately clear that he keeps himself in very good shape, if those muscles are any indication.
It also becomes immediately clear that he isn't the only one occupying the room. ]
Oh, hey! [ He stops short. ] Sorry, I thought everyone else would be asleep by now.
[ He notes the tea and the novel in Marta's hands, the colourful illustration on its front. And eager to dispel any of the awkwardness from his interruption, he adds: ]
β good book?
[ there aren't many who are awake at this hour, a perfect time for him to enjoy the tranquility of the sunlight room in peace.
he likes being here, the closest facsimile to nature he can get aboard this craft. if the ground wasn't covered by a frosty layer of snow, he might have sprawled out in the meadow and watched the clouds slowly drift by. instead, he has chosen higher grounds β a tall pine tree near the forest edge. reclining back against its trunk, shikamaru has been spending the past couple of minutes observing a man down below rather than the clear horizon up above.
he seems to be engaged in a form of taijutsu β something he is sure lee would be enthralled by.
it's still too early to tell, but he could be someone worth knowing for the journey ahead. in any case, he'll just watch him for a bit longer. ]
he likes being here, the closest facsimile to nature he can get aboard this craft. if the ground wasn't covered by a frosty layer of snow, he might have sprawled out in the meadow and watched the clouds slowly drift by. instead, he has chosen higher grounds β a tall pine tree near the forest edge. reclining back against its trunk, shikamaru has been spending the past couple of minutes observing a man down below rather than the clear horizon up above.
he seems to be engaged in a form of taijutsu β something he is sure lee would be enthralled by.
it's still too early to tell, but he could be someone worth knowing for the journey ahead. in any case, he'll just watch him for a bit longer. ]
[ You ever get the feeling that you've got a set of eyes on you, watching your every move? Yeah.
Even if he hadn't been trained for nearly all of his childhood to hone those senses or those skills, there's something about the quiet in the sunlight room that would make anyone keep themselves just a little more alert. Not for any other reason than avoiding a surprise interruption. He's never been a big fan of surprises either; they have a habit of being really not fun.
But he keeps his eyes closed, finishing his routine. It can be noted that he's dressed in only a t-shirt and his trousers, feet in socks, and arms left bare. He takes a breath, and straightens, feet placed together.
To no one in particular: ] If you need the space, just let me know. I can move somewhere else.
Even if he hadn't been trained for nearly all of his childhood to hone those senses or those skills, there's something about the quiet in the sunlight room that would make anyone keep themselves just a little more alert. Not for any other reason than avoiding a surprise interruption. He's never been a big fan of surprises either; they have a habit of being really not fun.
But he keeps his eyes closed, finishing his routine. It can be noted that he's dressed in only a t-shirt and his trousers, feet in socks, and arms left bare. He takes a breath, and straightens, feet placed together.
To no one in particular: ] If you need the space, just let me know. I can move somewhere else.
[ at the foot of his bed, shang-chi will find an unopened shoe box that seems to be drowned in garish yellow wrapping paper, in some vain attempt to hide the shape of it as a surprise. look, she tried. once he pops off the lid, he'll find a set of new equally garish sneakers. with as little as alina knows of modern fashion ... a proud attempt was made, mixed with an inside joke she hopes he remembers. ]
You looked so sad about your soggy shoes that I had to find new ones for you. They're in your favorite color, too. Very lucky for you. Thank you for keeping me warm through an awful storm. I couldn't have asked for a better fireside companion to be trapped with.
The view wasn't so bad, either.
— Alina
You looked so sad about your soggy shoes that I had to find new ones for you. They're in your favorite color, too. Very lucky for you. Thank you for keeping me warm through an awful storm. I couldn't have asked for a better fireside companion to be trapped with.
The view wasn't so bad, either.
— Alina
do you have any favorite foods?
speak now or you'll be stuck rotting your teeth out with what i've foraged from the kitchen.
[ a moment later, she pings over a picture of her picnic arrangement, predictably littered with sweet fruits and even sweeter pastries. ]
speak now or you'll be stuck rotting your teeth out with what i've foraged from the kitchen.
[ a moment later, she pings over a picture of her picnic arrangement, predictably littered with sweet fruits and even sweeter pastries. ]
[Shang-Chi will find a box of black all weather boots in his room on Christmas Eve. The note doesnβt say who left them but it does say "They are waterproof. Merry Christmas, Soggy Sneakers."]
Shaun.
I lost track of you after the bandits but
[ but she'd seen him. out there. fighting. he looked to have had a handle on it, but — after everything, she hadn't gotten the chance to check in on him. and he'd been one of the ones without any weapons at his disposal.
or so it seemed, anyway. ]
Did you make out okay?
I lost track of you after the bandits but
[ but she'd seen him. out there. fighting. he looked to have had a handle on it, but — after everything, she hadn't gotten the chance to check in on him. and he'd been one of the ones without any weapons at his disposal.
or so it seemed, anyway. ]
Did you make out okay?
[ even the best soldiers can be overwhelmed with enough opponents, or strong enough a weapon — and the pulsefire is something not to be underestimated. yamato sees one of the winged creatures that some of the bouldersnakes are riding misstep and end up in the line of fire, only for ash to be there three seconds later.
unnatural, yamato thinks. father would pay billions for one of those weapons, yamato thinks. they must be destroyed, yamato thinks.
and proceeds to go after those with weapons that have any indication of blue on them, anything that looks like it might carry that strange fire within them. but it also means they can't simply stand there and take a hit like they would, normally; it means that when it's three aliens they're fighting, that when one of them takes aim at them while they're stuck blocking blade attacks from another — they will get hit.
... or would have, in any case, were it not for the sudden, powerful impact of what seem to be orange rings that whirl through the air and slam into the alien with the pulsefire weapon, throwing them high in the air.
wide-eyed, yamato looks around to see who's come to their aid, and sees — ]
unnatural, yamato thinks. father would pay billions for one of those weapons, yamato thinks. they must be destroyed, yamato thinks.
and proceeds to go after those with weapons that have any indication of blue on them, anything that looks like it might carry that strange fire within them. but it also means they can't simply stand there and take a hit like they would, normally; it means that when it's three aliens they're fighting, that when one of them takes aim at them while they're stuck blocking blade attacks from another — they will get hit.
... or would have, in any case, were it not for the sudden, powerful impact of what seem to be orange rings that whirl through the air and slam into the alien with the pulsefire weapon, throwing them high in the air.
wide-eyed, yamato looks around to see who's come to their aid, and sees — ]
[ The pulsefire is proving to be the most dangerous element about this fight, making it pretty difficult to gain an upperhand on the bandits without a great deal of finesse. But Shang-chi, aka Shaun, aka Chon Wang thankfully has the ten rings on him, which gains him a little bit of distance β and more than that, it gives him the opportunity to help a fellow teammate in need.
He knows Yamato is probably more than capable of taking care of themselves, but with pulsefire involved it's hard to take that chance. Like a whip made from the linked rings, he releases its strength forward so it launches them into the air, forcing the pulsefire weapon from their hands and sending them flying.
Shang-chi recalls two, three of the rings back to use as steps, gaining him enough height to snag the pulsefire gun in mid-air with a hand before he hops back down to the ground. The rings fly back to adorn both his wrists in a low glow of gold.
He looks in Yamato's direction. ]
You okay?
[ That was a close one. ]
He knows Yamato is probably more than capable of taking care of themselves, but with pulsefire involved it's hard to take that chance. Like a whip made from the linked rings, he releases its strength forward so it launches them into the air, forcing the pulsefire weapon from their hands and sending them flying.
Shang-chi recalls two, three of the rings back to use as steps, gaining him enough height to snag the pulsefire gun in mid-air with a hand before he hops back down to the ground. The rings fly back to adorn both his wrists in a low glow of gold.
He looks in Yamato's direction. ]
You okay?
[ That was a close one. ]
oh man i could probably list a hundred things but right now if you tell me you can get a couple bowls of sichuan beef noodle soup i'd be in your debt forever
[ But also: ]
glad to hear from you though
i didn't see you back at the station after the mission
[ He has so few friends, he can't help but worry. ]
-(CSW-2019)-768x512.jpg){kind=link}
[ But also: ]
glad to hear from you though
i didn't see you back at the station after the mission
[ He has so few friends, he can't help but worry. ]
[a short time after comms between the worlds reopen.]
Shuan, are you alright? Is it safe on the other side?
I had tried to reach you before with little success. [he has something to ask of him, yes, but if shang-chi is not safe or alright then this will not be a burden he adds.]
Shuan, are you alright? Is it safe on the other side?
I had tried to reach you before with little success. [he has something to ask of him, yes, but if shang-chi is not safe or alright then this will not be a burden he adds.]
Edited 2022-03-18 21:33 (UTC)
I require your assistance with my personal goal. I am meant to permit another to make decisions for me for twenty-four hours.
οΌ which. is a big ol' nope for him, thus why he's coming to shang-chi — the man owes him a couple favours by now, and he's also well aware of what itachi is capable of, which makes him taking advantage of the situation highly unlikely.
still not fuckin' happy about it, though. οΌ
οΌ which. is a big ol' nope for him, thus why he's coming to shang-chi — the man owes him a couple favours by now, and he's also well aware of what itachi is capable of, which makes him taking advantage of the situation highly unlikely.
still not fuckin' happy about it, though. οΌ
οΌ at some hour, on some day, there is a knock on shang-chi's door.
he doesn't say anything, or otherwise identify himself save by the signature of his chakra, but he is holding a plate of delicately coloured sanshoku dango in his hands.
is this friendship, some eight months after the fact?
maybe. οΌ
he doesn't say anything, or otherwise identify himself save by the signature of his chakra, but he is holding a plate of delicately coloured sanshoku dango in his hands.
is this friendship, some eight months after the fact?
maybe. οΌ
[ UM???? CUTE????
When Shang-chi opens the door, letting it slide open to reveal the young man and the plated offering, he's ... well. Kinda shocked, actually. He doesn't usually get company to his door, and the only other person who comes and goes through this room is Yelena, his roommate.
So he's rooted to the spot for a brief second, staring at Itachi before he remembers his manners. ]
Hey.
[ Yeah, well done, Shaun. ]
Uh, come in.
[ That's better.
He steps aside, eyes still caught on the sanshoku dango. He hasn't had one of those (or similar) in ages, and suddenly he desperately misses home. ]
When Shang-chi opens the door, letting it slide open to reveal the young man and the plated offering, he's ... well. Kinda shocked, actually. He doesn't usually get company to his door, and the only other person who comes and goes through this room is Yelena, his roommate.
So he's rooted to the spot for a brief second, staring at Itachi before he remembers his manners. ]
Hey.
[ Yeah, well done, Shaun. ]
Uh, come in.
[ That's better.
He steps aside, eyes still caught on the sanshoku dango. He hasn't had one of those (or similar) in ages, and suddenly he desperately misses home. ]
this poor man just caught in an eternal spiral of 'what the fuck' @ itachi
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blackfire
- 2022-06-10 17:06 (UTC) - Expand[A night or two before they depart on their next mission, there's a small cloth sack left outside his door. When he finds and opens it, he'll see the tiniest makeshift whip made of braided leather. There's also a note which reads
Told you I'd find a way to make it happen. Don't ask where I got the leather from. But now you've got the complete look.
She doesn't sign her name, figuring he'll know exactly who it's from.]
Told you I'd find a way to make it happen. Don't ask where I got the leather from. But now you've got the complete look.
She doesn't sign her name, figuring he'll know exactly who it's from.]
[ the class had been fine for a while, until she began to hear the students chattering, a small cluster of a group bellowing with laughter about volunteering to take up arms to shoot down "those rebel animals". rita had tried to calm it down, that she won't allow such political chaos in a room meant for embracing the arts, but they started to snap back at her, shouting that she was a fable sympathizer, threatening to bring it to the school board.
it wouldn't be the first time that she'd be threatened by students, reminding her that teaching is not a career path for her, but it doesn't make the whole experience any less overwhelming, and though she'd managed to dismiss herself from the classroom in time before she'd been seen, it hadn't stopped her from suddenly turning to slop right there in the hallway.
the ball of slime manages to drag herself to a different empty classroom, taking the next thirty to forty minutes doing breathing exercises to literally pull herself together back into a proper human form.
the only problem? she'd left all her clothes behind with her little transformation, currently leaving her completely naked, tucked behind a professor's podium, panicking again as she tries to consider how the hell she plans to get herself out of this one. ]
it wouldn't be the first time that she'd be threatened by students, reminding her that teaching is not a career path for her, but it doesn't make the whole experience any less overwhelming, and though she'd managed to dismiss herself from the classroom in time before she'd been seen, it hadn't stopped her from suddenly turning to slop right there in the hallway.
the ball of slime manages to drag herself to a different empty classroom, taking the next thirty to forty minutes doing breathing exercises to literally pull herself together back into a proper human form.
the only problem? she'd left all her clothes behind with her little transformation, currently leaving her completely naked, tucked behind a professor's podium, panicking again as she tries to consider how the hell she plans to get herself out of this one. ]
[ Getting used to attending classes, taking notes, and adapting to his cover story of choice (graduate student, something-something-journalism-maybe) has been something of a challenge. Having only graduated the small, one-building, local high school (and with subpar grades to get by, and keep him blended in with the rest of the crowd; never standing out, never remarkable), Shang-chi has been making just a few more mistakes than most who breeze through this post-secondary institution.
But, look. The campus is gigantic and it's easy to get lost in the halls looking for the right classroom number. Hell, even the right building.
... which is actually how Shang-chi winds up wandering through the Performative Arts sector of Archway U, looking for a visual arts class, actually, which is already a pretty bold choice for him. He's not exactly the next Vincent van Gogh, but it seemed like a decent place to maybe get to know some people, see if they might know some guys who know some guys with leads on orbs and the like. ]
Room 115, aaaand ... there's no one here. [ And he's talking to himself too, so that's cool. ] Great.
[ He steps into the empty lecture hall before shuffling into his bag for their class tablets (in lieu of paper notebooks), scrolling for his schedule. Maybe he got the classroom wrong? Maybe β ]
But, look. The campus is gigantic and it's easy to get lost in the halls looking for the right classroom number. Hell, even the right building.
... which is actually how Shang-chi winds up wandering through the Performative Arts sector of Archway U, looking for a visual arts class, actually, which is already a pretty bold choice for him. He's not exactly the next Vincent van Gogh, but it seemed like a decent place to maybe get to know some people, see if they might know some guys who know some guys with leads on orbs and the like. ]
Room 115, aaaand ... there's no one here. [ And he's talking to himself too, so that's cool. ] Great.
[ He steps into the empty lecture hall before shuffling into his bag for their class tablets (in lieu of paper notebooks), scrolling for his schedule. Maybe he got the classroom wrong? Maybe β ]
[ it's not like yamato has any particular cover story here, but they're hanging out in various places, trying to check them out — for what, they're not exactly sure, increasingly distracted by the situation in the city...
but that particular day, they make it to the archway when shang-chi is sitting there, eating lunch, and yamato joins him with a smile.
nodding towards the building in general, ]
Does your home have places like this? For studying?
but that particular day, they make it to the archway when shang-chi is sitting there, eating lunch, and yamato joins him with a smile.
nodding towards the building in general, ]
Does your home have places like this? For studying?
Oh β hey! [ Said as he finishes swallowing his mouthful of Man-Wa. It doesn't taste bad exactly, but there's definitely a quality of inauthenticity in it.
Or maybe that's because he knows it's fake.
He looks up and offers Yamato an amiable smile in return. He'll leave his fake-water alone for a moment, instead following their gaze up towards the tall university building. ]
Yeah. All over the world, we've got a ton of different schools for all different skills. Nothing quite like this place but then again, I wouldn't know.
What about you?
Or maybe that's because he knows it's fake.
He looks up and offers Yamato an amiable smile in return. He'll leave his fake-water alone for a moment, instead following their gaze up towards the tall university building. ]
Yeah. All over the world, we've got a ton of different schools for all different skills. Nothing quite like this place but then again, I wouldn't know.
What about you?
Edited 2022-06-28 04:33 (UTC)
[ the world is spinning around him, the bright lights of the club xichen has found himself in feel like stars shooting across the sky. it is warm, uncomfortably so, and the music playing in his ears is louder than anything he's heard before.
it is too much and yet--- and yet he finds it soothing, the thrum of the beat making his heart jump.
it is harsh and calming; and if he allows himself to close his eyes, xichen feels as if he is being carried away on a river of qi or otherworld energy he cannot describe. it had started minutes ago, after he'd taken a sip of a drink someone had offered to add something he did not recognize to. it had cost too much, but curious and planning to burn off the alcohol in it, xichen had not bothered to decline.
he's not sure it's a mistake, nor does he care in the moment.
he finds himself standing in the middle of the dance floor, lost in the crowd and wanting to float to the edges of it. his feet are moving, surely, or he is floating along, moving quickly until he finds himself colliding with another body and stumbling back, falling down so he is seated on the floor and looking up at --- oh. ] Shang-chi??? [ he calls out, loud over the music, looking bewildered and as if it's shang-chi that's out of place. ]
it is too much and yet--- and yet he finds it soothing, the thrum of the beat making his heart jump.
it is harsh and calming; and if he allows himself to close his eyes, xichen feels as if he is being carried away on a river of qi or otherworld energy he cannot describe. it had started minutes ago, after he'd taken a sip of a drink someone had offered to add something he did not recognize to. it had cost too much, but curious and planning to burn off the alcohol in it, xichen had not bothered to decline.
he's not sure it's a mistake, nor does he care in the moment.
he finds himself standing in the middle of the dance floor, lost in the crowd and wanting to float to the edges of it. his feet are moving, surely, or he is floating along, moving quickly until he finds himself colliding with another body and stumbling back, falling down so he is seated on the floor and looking up at --- oh. ] Shang-chi??? [ he calls out, loud over the music, looking bewildered and as if it's shang-chi that's out of place. ]
[ It's been kind of a wild time here on E-23b so far, and not all of it is bad. In fact, a lot of it isn't bad. It feels like a hyper-futuristic version of his world, if certain things like technology had been exaggerated and pushed to its limit, and he'd been allowed the chance to be more himself than he's ever been back home.
It's ... weird.
Good weird, but weird. Home should be a place one misses, but he finds that it's the last place he wants to go back to if he could just bring a couple of those things here with him. (Namely, Katy and his sister.)
Of course Shang-chi isn't thinking about any of that at the moment. He's got a few drinks in him too, that really nasty alcohol-for-alcohol's-sake stuff, and he has heard of other foreign substances being circulated around, some of them on the psychadelics side ... but he hasn't seen any of it for himself yet. He's here on his own β he'll be meeting up with Yelena in a bit once she meets him here, but until then he's just getting the lay of the land.
Bumping into the more reserved of his friends is definitely a shocker, though. Especially when said friend looks like he's probably right in the middle of a psychadelic trip. ]
Whoa β hey, man. [ It's nice to hear his birth-name from someone else's lips, and Shang-chi leans in to give Xichen a hand. ] I did not expect to find you in a place like ... well, this. Are you okay?
It's ... weird.
Good weird, but weird. Home should be a place one misses, but he finds that it's the last place he wants to go back to if he could just bring a couple of those things here with him. (Namely, Katy and his sister.)
Of course Shang-chi isn't thinking about any of that at the moment. He's got a few drinks in him too, that really nasty alcohol-for-alcohol's-sake stuff, and he has heard of other foreign substances being circulated around, some of them on the psychadelics side ... but he hasn't seen any of it for himself yet. He's here on his own β he'll be meeting up with Yelena in a bit once she meets him here, but until then he's just getting the lay of the land.
Bumping into the more reserved of his friends is definitely a shocker, though. Especially when said friend looks like he's probably right in the middle of a psychadelic trip. ]
Whoa β hey, man. [ It's nice to hear his birth-name from someone else's lips, and Shang-chi leans in to give Xichen a hand. ] I did not expect to find you in a place like ... well, this. Are you okay?
you didn't hear it from me, but the movie night's kind of a bummer
unless you're into movies where the moral of the story is "shit suck but life goes on"
unless you're into movies where the moral of the story is "shit suck but life goes on"
[The thing is, he's not a terrible cook. He can make things. He's made lots of things! Whether they're to the taste of anyone else speaks more to the weakness of everyone else's tastebuds than it does to his ability to cook. So this really doesn't happen very often—hasn't happened in years! "This" being the whole pan on fire situation he has going on here.
Anyway, it's really no big deal except for the part where the glass of water he'd dumped on the flames only served to make it explode for some reason. Hmm. Weird. There is at least, no one else around to witness his catastrophic failure and he's sure he can figure out how to put the fire out somehow before anything else catches.
Probably.]
Anyway, it's really no big deal except for the part where the glass of water he'd dumped on the flames only served to make it explode for some reason. Hmm. Weird. There is at least, no one else around to witness his catastrophic failure and he's sure he can figure out how to put the fire out somehow before anything else catches.
Probably.]
β holy crap, man!
[ Shang-chi had just been coming into the kitchen to grab a cup of water or tea, just a calm, chill, don't-even-have-to-think-about-it moment. The last thing he expects to find is a fire hazard at the stoves.
He finds the fire extinguisher pretty quickly at least, which ... okay, isn't exactly like the ones back home on Earth, but the bright red cannister looks the same and so does the silver nozzle, and that's good enough for him. He quickly takes hold of it and aims it at Wei Wuxian's pan, effectively suffocating the oxygen that feeds the flame to keep it going.
Things get a little smoky and the blast of foam makes the already inedible food downright toxic, but at least the fire's out.
Shang-chi coughs. ]
You okay?
[ Shang-chi had just been coming into the kitchen to grab a cup of water or tea, just a calm, chill, don't-even-have-to-think-about-it moment. The last thing he expects to find is a fire hazard at the stoves.
He finds the fire extinguisher pretty quickly at least, which ... okay, isn't exactly like the ones back home on Earth, but the bright red cannister looks the same and so does the silver nozzle, and that's good enough for him. He quickly takes hold of it and aims it at Wei Wuxian's pan, effectively suffocating the oxygen that feeds the flame to keep it going.
Things get a little smoky and the blast of foam makes the already inedible food downright toxic, but at least the fire's out.
Shang-chi coughs. ]
You okay?
[ one morning on the station, on each orber's door, the following hand-written note (in fancy calligraphy) will be taped:
the orber can choose to attend or simply listen in to the meeting when it occurs, or they may ignore it altogether. ]
the orber can choose to attend or simply listen in to the meeting when it occurs, or they may ignore it altogether. ]
[ she's not avoiding him.
well, not really. not any more than someone avoids looking at an injury for fear of facing how far the damage extends. the others caught in the middle of her footage hadn't been faces as familiar as his — friendships that could end long before they ever begun, long before there was ever a spark to create them. nothing to truly lose, if she'd never had it to begin with. with shaun, she might very well be selfishly prolonging the inevitable once he decides she's no longer worth the trouble.
growing close to her never fails to extract a toll, lately. she's sorry he's had to discover that for himself, after the way she'd inadvertently painted a target on all of them in viveca's world. lead them to be othered by the same people they'd sought to help.
her stomach had driven her to pocket rita's refreshments, but her insides feel scabbed and moth-eaten now by anxiety where she knocks softly at his door. ]
Shaun? [ it's almost greedy to wish for him to answer, and cowardly to hope he won't. but if he hadn't been among the others gathering at the meeting, then ... where else could he be? she frowns to herself, raps her knuckles against the door again. ] I brought gifts.
[ — it's possibly too much to hope that donuts will sweeten her apology, but it hardly hurts to try. ]
well, not really. not any more than someone avoids looking at an injury for fear of facing how far the damage extends. the others caught in the middle of her footage hadn't been faces as familiar as his — friendships that could end long before they ever begun, long before there was ever a spark to create them. nothing to truly lose, if she'd never had it to begin with. with shaun, she might very well be selfishly prolonging the inevitable once he decides she's no longer worth the trouble.
growing close to her never fails to extract a toll, lately. she's sorry he's had to discover that for himself, after the way she'd inadvertently painted a target on all of them in viveca's world. lead them to be othered by the same people they'd sought to help.
her stomach had driven her to pocket rita's refreshments, but her insides feel scabbed and moth-eaten now by anxiety where she knocks softly at his door. ]
Shaun? [ it's almost greedy to wish for him to answer, and cowardly to hope he won't. but if he hadn't been among the others gathering at the meeting, then ... where else could he be? she frowns to herself, raps her knuckles against the door again. ] I brought gifts.
[ — it's possibly too much to hope that donuts will sweeten her apology, but it hardly hurts to try. ]
[ The door slides open with the press of a button in the way science-fiction space station rooms do β this one certainly is no exception.
Shang-chi, aka Shaun, is in the midst of pulling a fresh shirt on, the momentary peek of skin probably nothing new for Alina, considering how they first met to begin with. He looks as though he's still a little sleep-ridden because he's not a morning person, it's their downtime, and like hell was he ever going to make it to Rita's town hall β even if he did have something to say.
(Which, you know, he didn't.)
He blinks down at Alina, looking for said gifts, but then he wonders if she just means herself because that's the kind of humour they share with each other (in between the emojis and the teasing) and he smiles widely. ]
Pretty bold of you, calling yourself a gift.
[ But he steps aside to allow her to pass through and the door slides shut behind them. ]
Shang-chi, aka Shaun, is in the midst of pulling a fresh shirt on, the momentary peek of skin probably nothing new for Alina, considering how they first met to begin with. He looks as though he's still a little sleep-ridden because he's not a morning person, it's their downtime, and like hell was he ever going to make it to Rita's town hall β even if he did have something to say.
(Which, you know, he didn't.)
He blinks down at Alina, looking for said gifts, but then he wonders if she just means herself because that's the kind of humour they share with each other (in between the emojis and the teasing) and he smiles widely. ]
Pretty bold of you, calling yourself a gift.
[ But he steps aside to allow her to pass through and the door slides shut behind them. ]
[ yet another flyer ends up on every orber's door, evidently by the same culprit as last time, except now it's a more colorful display:
the back of the flyer features more details about the play and its characters, and soon enough, an announcement from rita herself goes public, giving more context about the event, which all can sign up for. ]
the back of the flyer features more details about the play and its characters, and soon enough, an announcement from rita herself goes public, giving more context about the event, which all can sign up for. ]
To Shaun,
I have decided to go back home. I know this may come as a surprise, but I can't stay here when others are fighting my father, trying to liberate the country of Wano. I need to be there, helping Luffy and Momonosuke, instead of chasing after something I regret. I wasn't able to do anything to help Ace back then... I can't afford to not be there to help his brother, now.
You've been a good friend. I hope you achieve everything you want, and get to live the life you want. Remember to look forward, not back, and trust in yourself! I know you're a great person, and I'm so glad to have met you.
With this note, you'll find a piece of paper. That's a piece of my vivre card, something that is tied to my life. It will always point to whatever direction I'm in, and as long as it doesn't burn away, you'll know I'm alive.
Even if I forget you, my heart never will!
Your friend,
Yamato
I have decided to go back home. I know this may come as a surprise, but I can't stay here when others are fighting my father, trying to liberate the country of Wano. I need to be there, helping Luffy and Momonosuke, instead of chasing after something I regret. I wasn't able to do anything to help Ace back then... I can't afford to not be there to help his brother, now.
You've been a good friend. I hope you achieve everything you want, and get to live the life you want. Remember to look forward, not back, and trust in yourself! I know you're a great person, and I'm so glad to have met you.
With this note, you'll find a piece of paper. That's a piece of my vivre card, something that is tied to my life. It will always point to whatever direction I'm in, and as long as it doesn't burn away, you'll know I'm alive.
Even if I forget you, my heart never will!
Your friend,
Yamato
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