aulteration | sangcheng zone

[If Jiang Cheng had told himself he would be half-naked in some secluded copse of trees with a half-naked Nie Huaisang, he would have balked and then laughed.

And yet, here they are. Huaisang is taking off more clothes, and the ones beneath are soaked and just light enough to be nearly see through.

Quietly, he clears his throat, and he turns his head away to the side. He lifts up his outer black robe, holding it open and, like, high enough to be mostly eye level in his peripheral.]

Take what's wet off and put this on. If you became ill, I'd never hear the end of it.

[Also, Chifeng-zun would bust out of the tomb and hunt him down.]

Oh-! Of course, of course, you're right...

[Huaisang hums in what sounds like a pleased manner, reaching out to take the fabric from him.

And then he just steps away, going to try to duck behind a tree or something. His pants are soaked too, okay.]

Turn the other way, if you wouldn't mind?

[For the first few moments, he watches Huaisang take the robe and squirrel around one of the trees. And then, as asked, he turns around in place so his back is to Huaisang's direction.

Unfortunately, he can see a little of Huaisang's reflection on the water's surface. WOW. Luckily, despite that, he is a respectable man (most of the time...), and so he shifts his eyes the other way.]

You can use my belt if yours is still wet.

[The worst part about this for Huaisang is probably the fact the robe smells very much like Jiang Cheng. Sometimes you smell a lot like lotus blooms, spice, sandalwood. It's fine.]

[He may have picked this tree with the reflection in mind! Maybe it's a coincidence! A mystery.

Anyway, yes, the fact that the fabric smells a lot like him is definitely a problem. He can't quite help it, when Jiang Cheng isn't looking, to just. Hold it closer to his face for a moment. Sue him, it smells nice.

The problem is that it makes wrapping himself in the robe feel a lot like wrapping himself up in Jiang Cheng, and that's a thought that sends an unbidden little shiver down his spine despite the heat.

Huaisang ignores it. He wraps it around himself, holding it in place as he returns.]

If I borrow yours, then what about you?

[JIANG CHENG IS A RESPECTABLE MAN. In some things. (He may sneak a quick look at the reflection in the water, but it's only because he's trying to make sure Huaisang is almost finished!!)

He turns back as Huaisang comes out again. Very upsetting how normal and good Huaisang looks in that edgelord thing.]

I'm still clothed, at least. [Mostly.] I'll manage. Here.

[He offers Huaisang the slim, silver belt and the wide one which can go beneath it--if Huaisang wants.]

[Huaisang thinks he'd look good in anything, thanks very much. But he does accept the belts, taking a moment to tie each into place, because if Jiang Cheng is offering... he thinks he doesn't mind taking.

He's a little curious of the reaction they'll get, if anyone spots them. Maybe he gets the same sort of little thrill from it that he does from wearing Jiang Cheng's clothes. He is very, very good at pushing these thoughts aside.]

Only barely clothed, for now-- but I'm sure you'll be respectable enough with what you have left.

[important question is the bell still attached to the belt.]

[The belt still does, in fact, have the bell. (jiang cheng voice) Don't lose it. This is going to be wonderful walking back into Lotus Pier.

Hopefully, most people will be asleep, and he will know the routes to get them from the piers to--hm, he's out here taking Huaisang back to his room, isn't he? That is the only place Huaisang can go first when they are a mess of different clothes, and while he has to see to getting Huaisang a vacant place to stay.]

You say that with such a thick face, I don't know whether you're complimenting me, or reminding me of my indecency.

Can't it be both? It's true either way, you know!

[He's out here in his ye olde underwear, he is not clothed! Nie Huaisang, you little shit.

He takes a moment there to glance down at himself though, now that he's dressed-- adjusts the belt, fingers brushing the tie that holds the bell onto it. It's a careful movement, gentle.]

Does it look all right?

[Is he just asking if he's decent enough or asking for Jiang Cheng's opinion on how he looks in his clothes... again, a mystery.]

[Both of his eyes narrow, though there is a decided lack of the usual vitriol in them. He would blame it on the alcohol, since he's fairly certain he is still slightly tipsy even if the cool water of Lotus Pier sort of smack some sobriety back into it.

The question gets his expression to drop, and he pauses in opening his mouth. He realizes almost immediately what a terribly loaded question this is--Huaisang?

For once, it takes him a moment or two of debate.]

...It does. [WHAT DOES HE SAY. He's stupid.] Is it... comfortable?

[He smiles at that answer-- it doesn't look quite like usual. A little smaller, so one could be forgiven for thinking it's less genuine at first; despite being less blatant, though, it's warmer, reaches his eyes and softly creases the corners. There's nothing feigned or exaggerated about it. Something about being out here alone in a place like this just makes it easier.

He's taken with the sudden urge to test what feels almost like a sort of tension slowly forming between them. Huaisang does not say they still smell like Jiang Cheng-- he just steps close enough for him to be able to tell that's the case himself, mingled with a little bit of lake water smell because Huaisang's hair is still damp. It masks most of whatever Huaisang smelled like before. It's more or less just Yunmeng, now, both Jiang Cheng and the lake.]

Yes. More than comfortable enough-- or maybe that's just because it's dry?

[A quiet laugh, there.]

[They are just out here trading things they haven't done in a decade, aren't they? It's been so long since he's even seen a hint of a smile like that from Huaisang, he's almost worried he's misinterpreting it.

He's horrendously aware of how much of his skin is exposed when Huaisang steps closer, mostly because he's fairly certain it has to be pink in the center from the wash of uncertain heat he feels there.]

Do you want these, too? For your legs. [Obviously, where the hell would the pants he holds up go except the legs? Jesus.] For the return to Lotus Pier, I mean.

My legs will be fine! You're bigger than me, you know, your robes alone cover me well enough.

[Which. He kind of likes, in a way. They're a bit big on him and he doesn't mind it at all.]

Have you dried enough yet? I do enjoy it here, but I'll need to bathe at the very least.

[GOD. He is a FOOL. His face smacks with embarrassment, but he at least doesn't turn bright red or anything.]

I'm dry.

[He wonders if Huaisang is put off enough about the lake water to need to go back immediately. He reaches up between them, but pauses and curls his hand into a fist. There's a brief moment of him not knowing what he had planned to do with it. Maybe he should put the bell back on; damn, he's lacking clarity.

So he ends up putting it on Huaisang's shoulder and squeezing once, for lack of having hover hand.]

Here. Keep these with you. I'll carry yours. [Since everything is wet.] I'm sure they have sent several search parties for us already.

[God, the bro shoulder squeeze, Huaisang can't believe this is someone he's.... well, he isn't blind or stupid, he's attracted to Jiang Cheng and has been for some time. He's hot and stupid about many things. He likes that in a man.

Still. Absolutely unbelievable.]

Then I suppose we'd best not worry them, hm?

[He turns back to the boat, pausing with his back to Jiang Cheng.]

But perhaps we should come back here another time. I suspect it's the most time away we'll ever get out of you.

[The bro shoulder squeeze was so bad. He does feel a little stupid for it, but maybe even more stupid feeling lax enough to--what?

Touch Huaisang's face?

His expression softens at Huaisang's back before he turns away to collect the olive robes hanging from the tree. He's careful so they don't pull or tear.] You may have to try harder next time to get me to leave Lotus Pier so easily. [He brings himself up to try to reel the boat in again.

He will hold it for Huaisang. Unfortunately, Huaisang will have to touch wet robes a bit when holding onto his arm to get in.]

I think you'll find I can be quite persistent.

[He doesn't have to say it with a teasing smile, or with his eyes slightly lidded. He doesn't have to say it with his hand on Jiang Cheng's arm.

But that's exactly what he does, stepping casually into the boat as if he's done absolutely nothing at all, getting settled there comfortably so Jiang Cheng can take them back. It's perfectly fine, and he looks all too innocent.]

[???????? JiangCheng.exe stopped working mid climb into the boat. Huaisang really can't be out here being assertive in front of Jiang Cheng. He honestly should not find it as attractive as he does.

What happens when your standards are for a person who is demure in public, but who also knows how to stand for what they want? Yanli ruined him in preparation for this.

Trading Huaisang's clothes for the pole, he gives them a little push off the mini island and then uses the other end to part the hanging leaves for their pass through.] Watch your head. [It's a bit warmer outside of the shade of the trees, but the movement of the boat toward the distant piers feels a lot better.]

[He's really coming to like those moments Jiang Cheng seems to just stop for a second, which is probably a little dangerous (for Jiang Cheng, maybe for them both); he behaves after, though, ducking his head to avoid the low branches.

The breeze really is nice, especially with his hair still not dry. Maybe being dunked in the lake wasn't completely terrible.]

If there were anything like this in Qinghe, I'm sure I'd be out here every summer night. On the water, at least, not all the way out to the island.

[He is careful not to jostle the boat too roughly through the water, mostly accidentally; otherwise, he is quite a decent boat driver. Standing at the end of the boat, Jiang Cheng doesn't look as ill-placed as someone would think.

As insulting (and like Wei Wuxian) as he'd find it, he looks like a man who would do well being a farmer boating his harvests back and forth to the market. If that lifestyle had ever been afforded to him.]

I didn't think you'd be the type to want to sit out on a muggy pier. [He glances down.] You could have always visited Lotus Pier.

[After it was rebuilt, he means, but, like... before that, too. When they were young.]

Oh, not the pier, no. But the breeze here is the only thing that makes being outside tolerable.

[And the company, which he doesn't say. He doesn't acknowledge that he's just been watching Jiang Cheng steer their boat back, that he's comfortable here in a way.]

Perhaps I could have. But da-ge wanted me in Qinghe, training. I barely passed in Gusu, after all.

[For all the good that training ever did either of them.]

Had I visited afterwards, would you have had the time-- would you have wanted to see me?

[Or would his presence be an unwelcome reminder of ties to Wei Wuxian-- if Jiang Cheng even pulled himself from his work long enough?]

[The company is something Jiang Cheng agrees on, but would never dare say aloud.

It does not surprise him to hear about the training. His life was the same, and maybe it was equally as bad for both of them. Mingjue and Madame Yu had similar scruples.

He continues easing the boat along, but his lips thin as he keeps his eyes out over the water. He can't hold any of it against Huaisang. He didn't ever go to Qinghe either, and he didn't exactly do much when Mingjue was declared dead. He thought about Huaisang, but just thinking isn't enough.]

I would have accepted you as a guest.

[He doesn't know if he would have said he didn't have time. He might have been a little put-off in his stupid, young, ambitious ways. That would've been on him. Would he have wanted to see Huaisang?

Maybe a small part of him would have. Maybe a small part had needed it.]

[Maybe in a way, they had needed each other, but neither was able to reach out for it. They'd both suffered similar losses, they both knew similar hurts-- maybe it would have helped, to have that.

They had different reasons for not allowing others in, but it came to the same result: they could have visited and they never did.]

I would have accepted you as a guest, as well.

[It's a soft acknowledgment, gazing over the water rather than looking at Jiang Cheng.]

But it seems we've caught up a little late.

[They did catch up extremely late. This is all things they should have done and said way back when they were going through the worst of their lives.

And yet, even now, he is not saying all he can. Who just brings up very personal trauma to try to talk about it? Definitely not a Jiang, not Madame Yu's son.]

But we're catching up.

[It's about the only optimistic thing he can even think to say, as cynical and bitter as he usually is. He's glided them too quickly and skillfully over the water, and they're already back at the dock attached to the pier. Their collection of alcohol is waiting for them, untouched by anyone else.

He stops the boat with the pole, and then again offers his hand out to Huaisang--this time without thinking about it.]

Perhaps it's better done late than not at all?

[It really is optimistic for Jiang Cheng, wow. Maybe Huaisang should get him to drink more. He doesn't think he particularly wants that right now, though.

There's a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, on seeing the ease with which Jiang Cheng offers that hand. Huaisang takes it, stepping carefully onto the pier, leaning on his arm a little more than necessary along the way.]

Perhaps.

[Huaisang is valid, but such a little gremlin.

Jiang Cheng takes the time to tie the boat off, and then he gathers up Huaisang's damp clothes to climb out onto the pier. Seeing the jars makes him remember the fact he may have had a bit much to drink for once, and he's almost humiliated.

He really did just traipse off with Huaisang into some secluded island grove of trees? Wow.] Let me hold that. [He tries to finagle his black pants from Huaisang so he is at least not wandering back in his underwear.

Speaking of, he glances around quickly with an intense wariness... No one seems to be around, but he wouldn't put it past the morning to be full of rumors of him and Sect Leader Nie's current state.]

sangcheng zone

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