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( He runs the back of his wrist across his forehead, catching at the water beading below the line of his forehead ribbon, dripping down his face in an annoyance of sensation; too saturated to do anything but continue to drip, and he gives up, letting his hand fall back down again. )

You're enough. ( Blunt, because there's no one-two hit to anything being brought that he can say, yes, this solves the collective frustrations we both know have no clear resolution, and it's what he's said before. People. Isn't it about being around people? )

Just you.

( Inigo doesn't need to bring anything else, he means, there's not some invisible metric for what qualifies as worthwhile, as something, beyond himself, his friend. He could show up dragging several friends along and it is as enough as arriving alone, and no more or less expected, not to someone raised in a collective, who is used to a lack of space, a lack of quiet, a lack of many things about to catch up with him three days from now. )

[ Does Inigo have about a thousand and one issues with the idea of him by himself, without anything extra, ever being 'enough'?

Of course. But this is the one moment he won't argue that, because Jingyi has a whole lot more to deal with. So rather than starting about that, he just says: ]

I'll stop by later today then.

[ Once Jingyi is settled in there. And.. ]

You know, when we're.. dry. [ Even if Inigo was kept partially dry.. there's no true escape from the rain, not in full, when they were suddenly dumped out there and then had to run back in once the doors opened up again.

But he's not going to force Jingyi into wet cuddles. ]

( Let alone in flight, but then he'd been able to shield, which is still a strange mix of new and his own mind control, to keep his passengers dry. The comment about being dry, though, earns something of a snort and a half-smile: )

Yeah, wet human is the worst.

( Joking, since he's human enough that qualifies him too, but the whole joke: who wants to smell like wet animal? From the one who has more fur and scales and all the things that tend to not align to human form to count as more than human, or animal, or both.

Let him have his weak jest. )

[ Don't worry, Jingyi can have it for now.

If not just because Inigo smiles a little when the other says that, and then shuts down the feed with a slight 'see you later'.

Which he means. Because once Inigo is properly refreshed and has done most of the important stuff on this platform day - like making sure to take care of his flowers, for one - he finally makes his way over towards the rental cars, figuring that Jingyi ought to be there already by now.

So he knocks on the door, hoping the other is there to open it. ]

One worst wet human here, just as you ordered!

[ (He is entirely dry.) ]

( Jingyi, who is in fact there and just very lazily drying his tail with his own wind powers (look, they have to be useful as makeshift furdryers, okay), hears Inigo at the door, and snorts in spite of himself. Or precisely because he's himself. )

Send them back, I only accept dry ones.

( That said, he does shift forward... then stops, still sitting on the bed with his tail curled around him and forward, while he keeps drying it. There's a... thing he wants to try, and he narrows his eyes as he focusses on what he plans to do, lifting his other hand and thinking, feeling what it was like back on Diagad to manipulate telekinetic shields. He's been finding hints of them since that time, but only hearing others really talk about it has made him more aware it might not be him making things up.

He wants to try and send a shield at the door mechanism to activate it, and with a flick of his fingers... he tries. It seems to work, since the door does open, as if he'd been there to press his palm against it in the first place. His look of speculation and the half grin turning his lips up at a corner will be what Inigo sees if he looks inside, along with a decent, shirt and cargo short wearing Jingyi, whose hair is still more damp than his tail. Priorities: getting his fur worked out first. His hair just takes longer to dry, and doesn't bother him in the same ways.

Yes it's taken this long to shower and dry, he's pointedly not being fast about anything, and that's fine! )

If this is you wet, I have concerns about your water phobia, Inigo.

[ It's a little curious that there's no one directly at the door when it opens - but Inigo just chalks it up to the possibility of maybe these special rooms having fancy doors or something like that.

It's not like he understands technology even slightly enough to figure otherwise, after all.

So he gets over the surprise relatively quickly, instead stepping into the room to see his friend there - thankfully looking just about as dry as Inigo by now. And even more thankfully clothed, so we don't have to go through that entire circus again. ]

Well, maybe I was done a little quicker since we don't all have luscious locks to dry. [ Not that he's making fun of Jingyi's hair. It's pretty on him! But he does have a whole lot more to dry than Inigo does - especially when you include the tail on top of it all. ]

Just 'cause your culture doesn't think it's filial.

( He clucks his tongue and shakes his head, but gestures toward the bed, his fingers still passing through the fur at his back and forward, along his tail where it's curled in front of his legs. )

Though if you ever need it, I can heat air to dry things. Or keep air cool, but the warm air feels nicer I think.

( When you can be your own quiet blowdryer... you just do it. )

Alright. [ Inigo says that word like it's a Finality, like there's something he's got to finally address after months.

Either way, he's just making himself sound extra dramatic as he's moving further into the room, letting the door fall closed behind him, all the way until he can sit down on the edge of the bed and look over at Jingyi. ]

Is there anything you can't do? Seriously?

[ Inigo is obviously joking, judging by that dumb smile on his face, but it's not like there isn't some truth in it. ]

You're going to make a very average guy like me feel bad, mister wonder dragon.

Read minds or memories.

( There's a brittleness to that, but he dismisses it as soon as it's said, a blink and barreling onward, as one does. )

Anyway, I'm not average, and your concept of very average is not very average. Comparing to all these different worlds, aren't there enough people who can kick my tail? In this or that. Or who can actually cook.

( Bless having friends who know and being decent following directions. He flicks his fingers at Inigo, sending a gentle burst of warm air his way, teasing at his hair. Useful. )

Oh, wait, there's something else — and if you laugh I'm hitting you with these stupid pillows.

( They're the same pillows everywhere on train, but he shifts forward and heads toward where he's unpacked what he hauled over in his rucksack a few hours ago, pulling out the bound form of ribbons, looking for a blue one. )

You do like blue, right?

[ Look at Inigo's hair waving very, very briefly in the wind! Or, you know, the few stray locks he has. He's pretty good about keeping it short here on the train, if not just because he doesn't think longer hair looks good on him at all.

And he would definitely comment on their little discussion about what's average or not, but Jingyi seems to distract him very succesfully with his question. Inigo has no idea where this is going before he looks over at what Jingyi is doing, but even as he sees the ribbons, he's still a little.. confused...

A confusion that's reflected in his tone as he answers. ]

Uh, yes?

[ It's the royal colour of Ylisse, after all! ]

Edited 2021-11-08 15:57 (UTC)

Good, good.

( He finally finds the one he'd rolled up, one of a handful likewise bound in a thin string. It's blue, darker than the shades he favours (he's not an elder Lan, really, light blues are his due, barely enough to hint at baby blues), but once he has it out, he sets the rest of his gathered ribbons and the few bundled ones down on a nearby surface. )

I thought I remembered that.

( But who is to say, his memory is not a perfect thing, even only months old. He walks back over, handing Inigo the bundled ribbon tied with string. )

For you.

( If he unties that string, spanning the ribbon out between his fingers, he'll find it long, sewn at the edges as to not tatter, and at its centre, an embroidered dragon.

It's not the most elegant work. It's not the most crude, either, but it's awkward, Jingyi trying to imagine a dragon different from what he is, and ending up with a long bodied, still horned creature without the fur, none of his mane, and wings spanning off shoulders. The work is small, and it's hard to tell if those wings are batlike or birdlike, only that they exist, and worked into the stitching are characters that, translating, speak to cleanliness, protection, and strength. Cleanliness and strength for the ribbon, and protection for its wearer. )

I'm not about to be employed for my embroidery skills.

( But he's trying, still, making ribbons for friends because there are too many hours and not enough ways to give him a restive focus. )

[ Inigo seems just as baffled still when he's handed the ribbon. At least he's got enough of his mind together to untie it and see the embroidery on it, but even then said embroidery.. also confuses him for a moment.

It takes a second for the creature to register with him as an attempt at a dragon, but he can kind of see it once he realises that. Of course, if all dragons are like Jingyi where the other comes from, then it must be odd for him to try and imagine the sort of dragons from Inigo's world - since they are very different. Even the wyvern plush Inigo has in his room is very stylized... ]

No, it's-- [ He starts, quickly looking back up at the other. Trying to snap himself enough out of his stupor to actually talk and shake his head. ] I think it's.. kind of cute.

[ Maybe he shouldn't be calling an attempt at a dragon cute.

But it's too late now. He's already spoken his mind. ]

I'm not.. really used to ribbon wearing though. Can I just wear it anywhere I want? Or do I have to wear it the way you do? [ Usually Inigo would just go with the former, but the whole ribbon thing seems very important to Jingyi's culture, and Inigo sure doesn't want to insult it. Even if he's a little confused and surprised still. ]

( The 'kind of cute' gets a snort, Jingyi amused, because he has no illusions about the skills he doesn't have. For the most part, at least. He's sitting himself down when Inigo's asking about the how to's in ribbon wearing, and it takes him a moment to reflect that's kind of him, instead of the initial reaction, to think, why would I expect you to be anything like a Lan?

Because, he recalls to himself, no one knows what ribbon wearing is back home when they only meet on train. Which is why he can wave his hand and shake his head, letting his fingers come to rest briefly on the ribbon and embroidery on it, stretched across his forehead. )

Anywhere you want, this is more of a clan thing than anything most people do. Wearing it in your hair would be tough, ( he says, quirking a grin that shows just a hint of teeth, making a jest of it; ) but I don't know. Wear it as a bracer, or wherever and however makes sense for you. Just has to be on you for the protection charm to work.

( The other charms are for the ribbon, to let it last; he doesn't mention them offhand, not thinking they're as relevant. )

Oh. That's-- that's good.

[ There's visible relief on Inigo's face. Because sure, he would have worn it any way Jingyi would have wanted him to - out of respect for the other. But Inigo sure doesn't really like the idea of wearing the ribbon the way Jingyi always does - and if he can just wear it anywhere as long as it's somewhere on him, that makes matters a whole lot easier.

Especially since Inigo already has several ideas, just from that. He'll just have to pick one. ]

Not that your ribbon doesn't look great on you! [ Please, this is Inigo. Of course he's going to say that right away, like he's terrified he might accidentally offend a friend, just because he's a little awkward in the way he words things. ] It's just.. not a style I think I could pull off.

[ Which says more about him than about Jingyi, he likes to believe. ]

You know, with my short and unfilial hair.

[ At least that's very much a joking tone. Inigo doesn't mind his hair being made fun of when it's in such a way, really. Just a cultural difference. ]

... ( he just snorts, managing not to roll his eyes. ) Headribbons aren't fashion statements, don't worry.

( They're many other things, but he cannot think of anyone else he knows who isn't a Lan, as far as wearing headribbons goes. It's not common by any stretch of the imagination. )

You've got no idea how weird it's been getting used to short hair. I keep wanting to... fluff it. It looks so fluffy! So light! So less dramatic in a sudden windstorm!

( He pantomimes reaching out to ruffle Inigo's hair, though he doesn't. This is more jesting about cultural differences, but it's honest, too. )

Not to mention how many of you have shades other than blacks and browns and whites.

[ Bro, come on. Don't be a coward. Ruffle his hair. You can if you want to, you know..!!

Not that Inigo comments on that out loud. He's pretty sure that he's already asked for physical contact enough times to not want to seem totally desperate by adding that to it.. Even though "totally desperate" would be Inigo's middle name if he had a last one to begin with. ]

Oh, there's all sorts of hair colours in Ylisse. Or the neighbouring countries, for that matter. [ He instead opts to go with this as a thing to say.

He reaches a hand up, pulling at a short lock of his dark blue hair. ]

Though most people don't have blue hair-- or not this shade of blue, anyway. It's a colour that's passed down through the royal bloodline. They say even the great hero king Marth himself had hair this colour..! [ Is that excitement sneaking into Inigo's voice when he says that?

It sure is. ]

( Jingyi's hands behave, regardless, up until Inigo's holding one of his own locks, and then he scoots closer so he can simply card fingers through blue hair, because it's fun. He has a colour bias, but he's never seen hair like this, only fur in lighter shades for the most part, and the texture's fundamentally different. He should know, he works with fur every day, and short as Inigo's hair is, it still feels like hair. )

Soft...! So are you a direct line from this hero king Marth, or one of the side branches of the royal bloodline?

( Said nonchalantly, because that's the sort of logical conclusion he draws from it, as someone who does have phenotypical characteristics that run strong in bloodlines, direct or branch. (See: the shade of his blue fur.) Inigo being of a royal bloodline is news, but not contextually relevant: Jingyi's region of the world saw realms protected by cultivation sects who bargained and traded and cultivated relationships and finances as much as politics between other clans, great or small. Kings, emperors, anything of the kind? For history, and other realms. )

.. huh?

[ Give Inigo a moment to process that question, because he's initially not capable of doing so whatsoever. Instead he just finds himself staring at Jingyi while the other moves his hand through his hair like that, totally speechless in the moment.

It's just that it feels so nice. It's the kind of tender physical contact that Inigo lives for, and yet at the same time also dies at, because it's so much on his poor little heart. It's entirely because of this one thing that his heart currently feels like it's well on its way to beating itself right out of his chest. ]

I.. um..

[ By Naga, would it be weird to ask Jingyi to keep doing this.

Would it be weird!!! ]

F-Frederick always said that it was a direct line from father's side of the family.. I figure he would know best. [ He's the royal family's attendant, after all. ] And it's true that my older sister does have an enormous resemblance to the hero king.

( Sheer not saying stop earns Inigo a bit more time, Jingyi genuine in his fascination. No one, not even the children, had hair this short, not from five onward, and it moves so easily, doesn't require the extensive finger combing everyone's hair does back home. )

Can't tell if that means he was remarkably beautiful, or she is remarkably handsome.

( Something like a joke, since he doesn't think there's much of a difference either way. )

Do you know who you take after?

( He wonders how much of Inigo's short hair he can pull back... or if he could do tight, small enough braids to actually braid if back off his face. A curious thought of such obvious whim he doesn't bother asking it, instead letting his gaze drift from watching his fingers play with blue locks of hair to meeting Inigo's gaze, aware of it being on him the whole time. Kind of inevitable, sitting this way. )

As far as your looks.

( A number of the Lan orphans had known, through second cousins and such things. Others hadn't, which might be part of why Jingyi had picked out Sizhui as his especial friend when he'd joined them, Hanguang-jun and Wei-shizhang's son, adopted from the remnants of the Wens. Sizhui hadn't known what his birth parents had looked like either. )

[ Oh gosh, he's still getting more of this hairplay. Inigo will gladly keep sitting here, as still as he can be with this giddy excitement in his stomach over getting his hair played with like that, and instead consider Jingyi's question.

.. as well as he can while being distracted, anyway. ]

Mother always said I look a lot like father. [ Inigo pauses for a moment. He smiles, though perhaps with an edge of something faintly sad in it. Not too sad, though. It feels like Jingyi had it worse than him in that department, so he's determined to be strong here. ] But.. I'm not so sure about that. I was still very young when she said that, you know? A lot could have changed over the years.

[ It didn't. Inigo still looks like his father could have been his older brother instead - but with how little selfconfidence Inigo has and how strained his relationship with his father is, he'd never acknowledge that. ]

Mm, not sure if it does or doesn't, really.

( since no one's chiding over inappropriate amount of time spent playing with hair, Jingyi mentally shrugs and figures he's got a bit more leeway. part of it he figures is Inigo's enjoying physical contact, part of it is he's not sure Inigo always knows how to say no, for his own sake or anyone else's. )

Who we do or don't look like, we're still ourselves. I guess in that way, it never really matters. People like to cross lines though, from what I've seen. Or, you look just like so and so, no wonder you act like this, or why don't you act like that, when you do look like whoever it is. Guess it's a benefit to being orphaned too young to remember otherwise, and with no one around to remember either.

( There are no comparisons, and he sounds so... settled with that, as if it's factual and true and generally doesn't bother him. Because he is, because it doesn't, because the world is cruel and he's always known that, and accepting it doesn't mean he gives up on anything, either. )

... yeah.

[ It's a quiet answer.

And along with that answer, Inigo definitely is starting to actually lean into the hand that's playing with his hair now - giving a nonverbal answer as to what's going on here. He really does like it, and since it seems like Jingyi is fine with doing this much, Inigo figures - hopes, desperately - that the other doesn't mind him getting a little more comfortable with it in turn too. Just letting it show, rather than keeping it to himself. ]

I guess.. there's benefits and negatives to both. [ Inigo can't say he would have prefered to be orphaned-- though he could see quite a few benefits with it compared to his own situation.

But he wouldn't trade his memories of his mother for the world, no matter how much they hurt. ]

Being compared to your parents.. It can really suck. Especially when there's so much to live up to. [ He hums, and then frowns. ] Not that I'm saying you have it good, necessarily. Or easy.

[ There's negatives to it too, after all. Some that Inigo knows he himself might not even be able to imagine. ]

But it does seem kind of nice to not have that pressure on your shoulders.

( it's turning into a slow mental shift toward hah, he's had rabbits do this before, and also when you're working through someone's fur, since longer hair combing is more of a tradition, and more something only done for the ill or a spouse or a child. Short hair is whole new, undefined, and permanently unclassed territory, so more amused and indulgent than anything else, he'll keep playing with Inigo's until he finally gets tired of it.

As far as family expectations... )

Just different things. Sizhui has a different pressure than I do, until our sect leader either marries or formally adopts. His father's sect heir by technicality, and he's been raised as heir to an heir, stuff like that. Not anything I have to worry about. And if I want to disappoint anyone, I've got all sect elders, on top of my sect leader and my best friend's parents. Who are definitely the most skilled cultivators in all our realms.

( He snorts, and finally gives in to trying... to do tiny braids with Inigo's hair. )

I'm sure it'll surprise you to hear I'm probably the most punished junior of my generation, and I think the generation above and below me too.

[ Inigo lets out an amused little breath. It sounds sort of content at the same time too - the same way a pet might sound content when you give it pets in just the right spot. ]

Wow, I'm so surprised. The guy who never bothers to hide his opinion in absolutely any situation gets punished the most? [ No, that's certainly not a surprise. Though Inigo doesn't think it's a bad quality, really. It's what makes Jingyi Jingyi, when it comes down to it.

After all, it's the first thing Inigo would name about the other when being asked to describe him. It feels like an integral part of him. ]

Though you do seem pretty good at sticking to rules otherwise. [ LIKE THE WEIRD 'NO ROMANCE BEFORE MARRIAGE' THING.. ] Do they just hate people backtalking them that much..?

( these tiny braids are happening, almost like tiny French braids if jingyi even had the concept of that name. the styling, sure. less so a specific name, here as he's prettifying pet inigo.

he snorts, then frowns, mostly to himself. )

I follow the rules that make sense to me. Not the ones that don't. As far as backtalking... I can tell it's different for people here, but you don't talk back to your elders where I'm from. It's unfilial, it's disrespectful, and if you're doing it you better have a reason other than not simply liking them. Otherwise you know you'll get punished.

( this is the state of things, and the reality for him. technically even here. )

Writing hundreds of copies of rules, going without meals to reflect, physical endurance holding a position kneeling or in handstands for hours, beatings with discipline rods... depends on what you did for how severe, but it's all fairly normal.

( for him, personally, for the Lans in general, for the sects and the culture her comes from. )

Not whippings. That's... that takes a lot. Though it's not unheard of.

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