aulteration | sangcheng zone

Ah, all right, all right-

[Huaisang gives it a curious little sniff, brows lifting at the familiar scent. It's not entirely the same, but... yes, this is enough to decide to drink it, and he takes an experimental sip.]

Oh- I suppose I don't have any complaints after all.

[Not that he'll drink too much, because he rarely gets actually drunk-- but it's good.]

I'm surprised.

[The drink is, at the very least, not a volcano that will boil Huaisang's mouth raw. But there is a nice kick to it.

On the other hand, Jiang Cheng is so use to spending years being conned into drinking by Wei Wuxian, and then so use to spending years being straight-laced... he just throws the whole cup back in one go.]

[It suits Jiang Cheng, he thinks. Maybe that's why he likes it well enough himself-- it's not something that he just chose for a guest. Maybe it's not meant to be something he likes, which also only makes him want to like it more.]

It isn't what I expected you to choose.

[Another careful sip from his own, there.]

[He hangs the arm with the cup over one of his knees, taking the time to let the smart of the drink settle in his throat and chest.

He frowns slightly when he glances at Huaisang.]

Were you looking for something different? I can go back and get you something else.

[...he's so tempted to let him. Just to see if he will. Just to know he's doing something all for Huaisang's benefit.]

Ah, no, not yet, but maybe for the next-! When we run out, you'll have to get me something smoother, Jiang Cheng.

[That... seems terribly like what he would expect of Huaisang, wanting something smoother. It almost makes him believe Huaisang hasn't changed from when they were young.

But with everything else, he wonders if maybe this is a farce, too. Is this... really Huaisang?]

You'll have to drink all of this yourself then if I'm meant to walk back along the pier to get you something else.

All of it?! I knew it, you've been trying to make me ill all along-- I'm going to be hungover all through tomorrow, you realize! I'll simply have to stay until I recover.

[He takes another sip, with a slight cough at the burn of it.]

[Damb? Damb! This is a loaded statement, Nie Huaisang? Jiang Cheng doesn't know whether to agree, or disagree, thinking both would get him in trouble.

So instead, he just pours another cupful of alcohol and drinks it.]

I can have those arrangements made, Empress Nie. [He gives Hauisang a Look, but it softens slightly.] Do you want something else?

If you're going to call me Empress, you'll have to treat me as such.

[He looks amused, watching Jiang Cheng over the rim of his cup-- but not taking another drink.]

But no. I don't, for the moment. Don't tell me you're eager for an excuse to run off?

[The exasperated look just returns as quickly as it had left. He opens his mouth to be a little scathing, but then strangely thinks better of it.]

...I could call a disciple. [They really are kind of far away. The best he could do is at least go back to the start of the pier and hail someone.

Why is he putting so much thought into this when Huaisang is clearly yanking his chain?!] But you'll just have to drink this for now. It's specialty. You would insult me and Lotus Pier by wasting it.

Ah, well, we can't have that.

[Another little sip, a slight cough, though he's only feigning drinking. He's not aiming to be truly tipsy.]

Is it what you normally drink, yourself?

[The question makes him frown at the cup in his hand, and he puts it down beside him like he's suddenly decided to rethink the idea of drinking.]

I usually drink tea.

I haven't... [He doesn't look at Huaisang, or finish his sentence; instead, his eyes lift to the horizon distantly.] Not in a long time.

I see...

[He hasn't either, honestly, but he's appeared drunk enough in public that he can't just say so. Huaisang just hums, then, before he holds his cup up to Jiang Cheng with a smile that's only slightly lopsided.]

Then-- to a return to old habits. I think we can afford a bit of that, in these times.

[He glances at Huaisang, and then his eyes drop to the offered cup. His smile is extremely faint and very tight, but it's there.

Again, he takes up his own cup and bumps it gently with Huaisang's, a toast.]

To old habits.

[He nods, taking a real sip this time, then setting the cup aside with a little sigh.]

Really, it's almost a shame it's only the two of us...

[It's a good thing he is having a swig of the cup, or he would have maybe been more rude.

His melancholy expression turns very sour.]

He made his choices.

And have you as well, Jiang Cheng?

[He says it lightly, almost airy, but his words are measured.]

[He glances at Huaisang, a little defensive even if the words sound reasonable.

There's a thorn he can feel digging in, but doesn't completely recognize.]

Yes.

[He looks away stubbornly.]

Then what choices have you made, when it comes to him?

[Still in that light, conversational tone, head tilted like this is just any other normal question.]

[Both brows furrow. For a long moment, he doesn't answer. It looks like he wants to be bitter and angry, as always. But there's something else there now, after everything. After his little meltdown.]

What choices are there to make? He's with Hanguang-jun. I doubt he'll ever return to Lotus Pier.

Is he aware whether he'd be welcome to return here, if he chose to?

[He knows how these things go.]

[Huaisang isn't wrong...

The silhouette of Jiang Cheng's face pinches visibly, but he doesn't say anything. Since, like, his silence says a whole lot.]

[That's more or less what he expected, yeah.

Huaisang sighs, slowly, taking his cup in hand once more.]

You can do as you like, Jiang Cheng, your family matters aren't mine to speak on-- but at the very least, he's alive.

[Angry, he cuts a quick, sharp look at Huaisang, but then realizes what the man's point is about this specifically. His face falls some.

Right.]

He doesn't want anything to do with me, Nie Huaisang. In that way, it's better. I would probably kill him otherwise. And he'd deserve it.

Would you, now.

[It's only half a question, one he shortly follows up with:]

Has he said he wants nothing to do with you? I really could have sworn he went in this direction, after we all left the Burial Mounds that time, but-- ah, maybe I didn't look properly?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

I was so sure I fucking tagged this