aulteration | sangcheng zone

Barely, if I remember correctly.

[He still does not sound judgmental about this. There's no use in hounding Huaisang about it anyway, on top of the fact he's now aware there's a lot more to Huaisang than the man lets on.

He plunges the pole into the water on one side of the boat, and--he's not sure if there's a dip in the floor of the lake, or not--but it stumbles, and the boat rocks just slightly. He cuts a look at Huaisang's eyes over the edge of the fan, and then quickly looks away.]

You transitioned from hiding them in your sleeves, to hiding them in a room in the Unclean Realm?

Ah--

[He holds on to the side of the boat as it rocks, relaxing as it steadies. What convenient timing for a bump on the lakebed; he says nothing about it, but seems faintly amused.]

Something of the sort. You've really still never kept any yourself-? I'd have helped if I'd only known, you know.

[He snorts very faintly under his breath.]

I'll pass. I have no use for such things.

[Well, maybe he does now that he has been blacklisted by everyone woman in the cultivational world.

It's be, uh, a personal endeavor, of course. Can't use what you learn on people who hate you.]

I don't understand why it still fascinates you. We aren't boys.

It's art, Jiang Cheng, not simply something to-- satisfy certain needs. Not to mention that some of the rarer pieces contained things I'd never heard of...

[He's leaning a little closer, almost conspiratory, fan keeping half his face hidden.]

It's a collection just the same as my fans, not some sort of crude obsession. Just what do you take me for?

[Art. While not Mingjue levels of "god, art," Jiang Cheng still doesn't have any affinity for it exactly outside of the very basics, if that. He is very much his mother's son.

It was all tradition, and politics, and combat.]

Oh? [As if he didn't think porn was anything more than eye candy and a handjob. He poles the boat through the water at an easy pace, toward a copse of trees on a tiny island out in the middle of the lake. The trees aren't tall so much as bend and willowing, a nice shrouded shade hanging over the water.] Art was more to my father's liking.

[He peers at Huaisang.] A pervert perhaps. [Is he joking???]

Of course you wouldn't have learned to appreciate art...

[He just siiiighs dramatically, but no, that's exactly what he expected of Jiang Cheng. It's not much of a surprise.

Huaisang seems content to watch as they draw closer to the trees, appreciative of their graceful hanging branches-- he'd paint this, if he had his supplies-- but his attention is pulled back by that... is it a joke? A hand flies to his chest, with a light gasp.]

You'd say such things of me so easily-! Ah, I'm hurt, Jiang Cheng, I truly am-- but then wouldn't that make you one who chose to come all the way out here, alone, with a perverted Sect Leader? Just what would anyone think?

[Huaisang isn't wrong. About the art. But he could learn to appreciate it maybe.

Pulling the pole from the water a bit, he uses the opposite end to part the hanging leaves of the tree, and the movement of the boat carries them through. Very shady and extremely questionable, just like Huaisang brings up.

But Jiang Cheng realizes suddenly that he has tipsily slipped back into casualness. His expression goes pensive, but his voice isn't hard.]

You're right. I shouldn't have said that about you. [A Sect Leader shouldn't, even in jest, be saying anything so terrible about another. He glances away at the implication he is absolutely out here in secret with Huaisang.] I misspoke, Sect Leader Nie.

Just who do you think I would tell in the first place, hm?

[He's pointedly not accepting what should pass for an apology, just looking up at him with an expression that seems all too innocent despite the subject.]

After all, I'm out here alone with you too. Jiang Cheng.

[And again, he waits to see if he'll be corrected or if his companion is still fine with this, if he'll insist on draping themselves once more in stiff formality or perhaps relax a little.]

[The curious probing just seems to make him slightly embarrassed. He looks at Huaisang, but, in the end, doesn't offer any kind of correction before turning his eyes away.

It doesn't feel wrong... to let Huaisang, of all people, call him Jiang Cheng.]

I'm not worried about you telling anyone. [He would never give this to a woman who did not fit his standards. Terrible.] I shouldn't have said that about you regardless.

[He tips the pole, and lowers himself down to sit.]

You don't have to apologize if you weren't serious-- not that I expect you to ever admit to making a joke.

[There's a hint of a teasing little light in his eyes, as if his smile actually reaches them for once.]

If you were serious, you could just make it up to me instead.

[The teasing gets him to make a face, and it lacks all of the use intimidation and venom when his cheeks are smacked pink from alcohol. (This is maybe why he doesn't drink often. No one would take him seriously.)]

Make it up to you? [This just implies he had not meant it as a joke, STOP.] And how would you have me do that?

[Oh, the face is cute-- he's smiling a little behind the fan. Maybe he's had more to drink than he usually would, too.]

You did mean it, then? You wound me, really you do...

[Huaisang hums, fanning himself.]

But that depends. What would you decide to do if I said you had to come up with a way to make it up to me yourself?

[What the fck. He can't believe he's out here getting teased?! This is awful. Why did he agree to drink with Huaisang?!] I... didn't mean it, no. [Wow, he hates emphasizing he was trying to joke, but failed at it.

But he still said it, and that's as bad in his eyes. What kind of Sect Leader even jokingly slanders another who apparently just returned from two... strange forms of reality and death?]

I would... have to consider it. If my apology isn't enough. It would depend on what you... wanted, I suppose.

Noble of you, to want to know even though I told you it's fine if you were joking. I really don't know what to do with you sometimes.

[-but he likes it. Likes that he gave Jiang Cheng an out and he's still asking about this. In an impulsive little gesture, he reaches forward with his fan, placing it under Jiang Cheng's chin to tilt it up just slightly as he eyes him, considering.

Then he just as quickly snaps it shut and pulls it back.]

Let's just stay out here a while longer? That's all I want for the moment. We can be responsible later.

[He looks surprised when the fan comes out for his chin. It feels as if he's being surveyed like a market chicken, and it also startles a more vulnerable part of him.

He realizes, belatedly, this would have been a perfect time to have his throat slit.

His hand snaps up to cover Huaisang's. The grip is wary and painful for a moment, and then it relaxes. A defensive reaction from someone who has fears about being hunted again. He doesn't cling when Huaisang draws back, letting the slender hand and the fan go.]

Is it always so easy for you to run from your responsibilities?

[His hand snaps up to grab Huaisang's, and he winces at how tight it is at first-- he doesn't try to pull away then, waiting for the grip to relax first, and he idly rubs at his wrist.]

If it were, do you think I wouldn't have run farther before now?

[For what it's worth, Jiang Cheng feels a little bad about the grab. For one, it's so telling to someone who knows what they're looking for, and that worries him.

Secondly, he's done yet another awful thing to the same Sect Leader.]

You--

[He reaches up with the other hand to rub the hairline of his face near the temple, but forgets he now isn't holding any part of the pole he's using to keep them sort of docked. It slides along the edge of the boat diagonally, and then drops into the water with a little splash.

He rocks to the side of the boat, disturbing it some, and jerks his hand at the water. Sadly, the pole is already disappearing.] Fuck... [He sits back to try to think of whether or not he'll be able to get them back without it.]

Jiang Cheng-!!

[There's a slight yelp as the boat is disturbed, then he leans over to watch the spot where the pole disappeared.... hm. Bad.]

Are we going to be stuck here--? I suppose these trees don't lend themselves well to making a replacement...

The branches won't be long enough... Fuck.

[Okay. Well.

He could summon his sword, but that isn't going to help them when he's somewhat drunk. He's not Wei Wuxian; no matter how good he is, he isn't sure if he can cart the two of them across the water with his energy while tipsy.

God dammit.

Reaching up, he starts unhooking and removing the cap over the bun of his hair. He puts it down in the boat, and then starts on the belt and the sash. He hands the belt to Huaisang since the clarity bell is attached.] Here. Don't lose it. [The outer robed tunic goes. The inner black robe, the black pants.

And then the white undershirt beneath that, his boots. He's not left in anything but essentially his underpants.]

I'm going to retrieve it. Stay here.

Don't lose-- just where do you think I even would! The boat is only so large!

[He was NOT expecting his fellow Sect Leader to get practically naked in front of him? Hello?

... but it isn't as though he minds. He doesn't consider himself a cut-sleeve, exactly, but he knows he appreciates anyone with a good physique, and Jiang Cheng is certainly something to look at. So he looks, subtly, over the edge of his fan as those clothes are discarded piece by piece, the belt held on his lap.

It's not new. He knew he found Jiang Cheng attractive years ago, too, but-- damn it all, he still is. Maybe more so, now.]

-be quick about it.

[so he can get his clothes BACK ON.]

Don't drop it in the water, [he corrects, giving Huaisang a look. But he knows the other man wouldn't fumble the clarity bell. At least, he doesn't think so.] And don't capsize the boat.

[Huaisang isn't wrong. Jiang Cheng looks... very unnecessarily good for a man who has such a terrible attitude most of the time. And he's almost aquatic, being from Lotus Pier. The boat only rocks a little when he steps one foot on the edge and dives over into the water to disappear beneath.

Opening his eyes isn't going to be good, but he knows how to maneuver to the bottom to feel around for the pole.]

I don't know how much you think I can manage while simply sitting here...

[Let him live? God.

He watches Jiang Cheng dive gracefully off the boat, allowing himself a moment of appreciation for it before he starts pointedly not thinking about him returning to the boat nearly naked and soaked. Absolutely not. The clothes need to go right back on.

Fortunately, Huaisang is a good actor who will manage not to blatantly stare, whenever Jiang Cheng returns.]

[His long fingers feel against the sediment on the bottom of the lake in the general area the pole sank. Running out of breath isn't an issue; Jiang Cheng has a great lung capacity thanks to where he's grown up.

Little bubbles pool up to the surface here and there in certain spots, and then before long, his pale face and neck breaks the surface tension when he emerges. He doesn't gasp raggedly so much as exhale once, and then inhale deeply.

He blinks the water out of his eyes and lashes, glancing up. The two long pieces of fringe are glued to the side of his face almost like a very bad beard.]

I found it.

[Thank the gods for how terrible the fringe looks all glued to his face, or Huaisang would be in trouble. He exhales a relieved breath, eyes definitely not lingering on the tiny droplets of water clinging to his lashes.

Fuck.]

Good, good-!! Here, come up, I'll help with your clothes...

I need to dry off first.

[Well, Huaisang isn't going to like it when he reaches up to quickly swipe his hand through his bangs to flatten them back and make them less unruly.

He holds the edge of the boat while pulling the pole carefully up to align it longways inside. But he doesn't risk capsizing said boat with Huaisang in it.

Instead, he files his hand along as he swims around to the other side and to the bank of the tree island. Huaisang unfortunately gets a nice look of his back as he hauls himself out by the arms.

Does Jiang Cheng have a few cute moles? Hmmm.]

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https://youtu.be/yi1Ef5cTNks a song for this moment for huaisang

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