(open) April Catch All

[kiss_it_better]

🧙 WHO: Chang Geng/Li Min and YOU!
⚔️️ WHAT: Quests and April stuff
🕒 WHEN: Throughout April
🗺️ WHERE: Around?
⚠️ WARNINGS: Spiders and lack of self-care.



i: Vital Venoms

[Chang Geng was standing outside of the caves, looking thoughtful. There's a sword at his hip but he's now keeping his dagger closer at hand rather than tucked away.]

Rather than bringing the spider back, I think it would be better to let it bite me at the last minute and simply dispatch it.

[He has blood magic and healing magic, he could probably carry the venom back safely. Probably.

He is far too calm while making this suggestion.]


ii: The Labyrinth

[He had been a little more cautious about taking on combat quests before when his only magic had been healing. After all, many things were weak only to magic here. Still, things were a little different now, weren't they?

He flicks his wrist, sending the tendril of blood like a whip and takes out a slime. He senses something come up to him and turns, when he sees a person and not another monster he smiles a little.]

You are also here for the quest, I presume?

[He's not in a hurry to heal the cut on the back of his hand for the moment as he moves to where the slime had been to collect a sample of what was left.]


((OOC: Feel free to hit me up on plurk at orangeCrates if there's something in particular you wanted to do!]

Comments

[shiliu]

Um...

[ He certainly saw Walter's look, but he carefully ignores it; and is then immediately grateful for the change in subject. ]

I didn't specify, we'll have to find out.

[ Indeed, his ability to choose species is extremely limited; that he could intentionally create a vine is itself a bit of a breakthrough, for him. On cue, the vine begins sprouting flowers as well, even as it coils around itself, forming a loop for Water to tie his clothesline to.

The table's supports, meanwhile, start growing a distinctive vegetable. Eggplants. He glances at them for a moment, then tears his eyes away. Eggplants... are just an ordinary vegetable, right? No hidden meaning whatsoever. He exhales silently, then sets about raising up the rest of their furniture in a similar way.

He's so concentrated on this task, that he fails to note something flashing out of the corner of his eye: something small and transparent, as if it were made of water, with wings. ]

[kiss_it_better]

[While they waited for the vegetable to grow he pulled out the kettle and filled it with water from the sink (no need to use the water they've all been wading in).

Once he set that down on the stove he took a pair of scissors from the drawer, turning just in time to see the vegetable finish growing into an eggplant. A versatile vegetable.

He moves over to cut them before the plant can grow them too much and make them tough. He'd bent over to cut them, planning to put them on the table. That put him closer to the surface of the water and that's why he caught sight of the flash of something darting in the water...before he heard giggling and found himself sprayed in the face with water.

Now his hair is also wet. Still he only sighed while running a hand over his face to get the excess water off.]

It seems we have some guests.

[angel_of_death]

So it does.

[Little troublemakers, more like it. Yet one more headache to deal with. If only they had something to contain the little buggers in. But they don't exactly have any aquariums laying around, and a jar is probably a touch too small...

So, with a sigh, he takes his clothesline and starts to make his way back up to the loft, right until the little sprites opt for a sneak attack to his back.

He pivots on heel, fixing them with a glare and raising his voice in a snappy tone.]

Don't get the stairs wet! So help me, if either one of my friends crack their heads open due to your antics...

[He'll probably introduce them to thermite.]

[shiliu]

[ Given the state of the roof and the flood outside, he wouldn't be surprised if everything gets wet. Still, Walter's solicitude is heart-warming. ]

My, what a beauty!

[ He says this to the watersprite that has jumped into his palm. Entirely made of water, she is about three inches tall, with fin-like wings. A dress like a waterfall flows over her tiny body. ]

Hiding the moon and shaming the flowers, how peerlessly elegant you are!

[ Flattery, apparently, gets you everywhere. The little water sprite shimmers and makes a sweet tinkling noise, before leaping off his hand and zooming around in circles over the surface of the water. ]

[kiss_it_better]

[He wiped his face so he didn't have water in his eyes. Like Gu Yun, he didn't feel like there was much of a point in the threat. The most they can do is keep the bannister dry.

Still, he appreciates the thoughtfulness.

What he doesn't appreciate is Gu Yun's flirting. He knows, logically, it was only flattery to get what he wanted, which was probably to get the water sprite to stop her mischief and yet...

He frowned before turning resolutely to the eggplants to harvest them.]

Perhaps we can wrap something on the bannister to give it better grip.

[angel_of_death]

[Flirting. Gu Yun is flirting with a sprite.

Dear God, one day this man is going to get himself abducted by the fae. Walter can already imagine Titania and Oberon bickering over sharing him.

Hopefully Shakespeare's play is a little less grounded in reality than a certain novel about a certain vampire.

He's so disturbed by the thought that he takes a moment to respond.]

......Perhaps some of the towels?

[They have more texture to them than the sheets. But anything tied may still slip along the railing...]

[shiliu]

Tch! The two of you are like old people, worried about slipping on things. Don't we all have good martial arts?

[ Not to mention: he's quite wet himself, having been outside in the deluge without an umbrella, and now standing around in the several inches of water on the ground floor. If anyone is going to get the stairs wet, it's him. ]

[kiss_it_better]

There's no reason to not mitigate risks where possible.

[...says the person who will get stabbed in the future in a bandits' den after ditching his guard. Not that he knows that. But Gu Yun certainly does.]

If we can prevent the fall in the first place then there's less room for accidents.

[angel_of_death]

[Walter nods, letting Chang Geng's words stand on their own. He doesn't have anything to add that isn't just fussing, so instead, he resumes his trip up the stairs to tie off the other end of the line so that the clothes can be hung high above the water in the house.

At least, the water that isn't dripping from the leaking roof.]

[shiliu]

[ Gu Yun stops what he's doing and gives Chang Geng a look. Certainly he recalls that incident with the bandits in his own past and Chang Geng's future. But that's not the only thing he remembers. ]

Chang Geng, you are right. We mustn't injure ourselves.

[ He says this off-handedly, yet with a delicate emphasis on the last two words.

Yes, he is still mad about the blood magic. ]

[kiss_it_better]

[...he couldn't have failed to hear the emphasis on those words and it's not hard to guess what Gu Yun is referring to.

He felt like, he should be upset that the water sprite gets such sweet words and he only gets thinly veiled disapproving ones.

And yet, he feels his heart warmed by the concern...even if it really isn't necessary. He ducked his head with a slight smile as he cuts the last eggplant off and places it into the basket.]

I will listen to yifu, of course.

[Sorry Walter, for you being fed this dog food.]

[angel_of_death]

[Hearing this, Walter peeks out from atop the stairs with a most sceptical expression.

Just because a someone listens to someone doesn't mean they'll do what they say. He sees that wiggle-room, and he can damn well guess it's intentional.]

Pots and kettles everywhere in this household...

[shiliu]

[ He'd be annoyed at that non-answer answer, except...

Chang Geng has sharp, well-defined features, which can look cold or inhuman at times. But when he smiles, all of that softens. Gu Yun gazes at Chang Geng's face for a moment, lost in beauty—until Walter's quip jolts him out of his reverie.

He clears his throat. ]

Of course we do, or else how will we catch all the leaks?

[ Yes, he knows exactly what Walter means. No, he's not going to acknowledge it. ]

[kiss_it_better]

[There are no intentions he's just saying he'll be good, gosh.

Unlike Gu Yun, Chang Geng chooses not to acknowledge that statement at all beyond a hum of acknowledgement.]

I think I'll try to use some of these eggplants tonight. It would be a waste not to use such fresh produce as soon as possible.

cw: references to self-harm

[angel_of_death]

[Though his prime vantage point allows him to see Gu Yun's lingering gaze towards a certain someone, Walter tactfully opts to mention nothing of it at this juncture. Yet, it is something he files away in the back of his mind to mention to Chang Geng later, whenever he figures out exactly how to approach the man about his affections.

Furthermore, given that Walter's sass in this instance stems from his goodwill towards the pair, he lets the comments slide, too. For now. He'll definitely bring it up if he catches Chang Geng cutting himself again though.]

Is there anything I can help with?

[This isn't exactly the best weather to go trekking out to the Red Springs or the forests to train in. He's probably stuck on household tasks for the immediate future, which means he needs to find something to do until the rain lets up.]

[shiliu]

Tch! Just because I'm growing them by accident, doesn't mean you have to use them.

[ To Walter, he adds: ]

We could go out fishing, catch something worth eating.

[ The water sprite is still buzzing around, so he turns to her and asks: ]

My dearest treasure, can you lead us to some fish?

[kiss_it_better]

There's no point in wasting good food.

[Besides, eggplants are healthy. He looked back at Walter.]

I think I can manage on my own.

[Besides there's so much more to do. His good mood from earlier sours when he hears more of Gu Yun's flirting. Even if he knows it's nothing he still doesn't like it.]

Trying to catch fish in all this rain isn't that unwise? [Don't go sitting near rivers or body of waters during the rain!]

[angel_of_death]

[In the respect of not wasting food, Walter is entirely on Chang Geng's side. As much as he likes fish and would welcome the addition of a fish to an day's meal, he's hardly the sort to snub the addition of an aubergine or two. It is sustenance.

He's also on Chang Geng's side when it comes to Gu Yun's flirting — not only because he is all too aware of his friend's fancying his other friend, but also because he really, really doesn't want the man kidnapped to become a courtesan to the fae due to that silver tongue of his.]

If it's meat you're hungering for, we can pick some up from the store if we can find one that is open.

[Hunting and fishing are bound to be poor in this weather. Perhaps after the storm they can go try their hand at it, though he suspects he will have to give the man warning about avoiding fishing during spawning on fae lands for future reference's sake.]

[shiliu]

[ The sprite, for her part, can keep track of the push and pull of the conversation. She squeaks prettily at Gu Yun and then buzzes around the surface of the water, attempting to splash both Chang Geng and Walter. Then she poofs out of existence in a shower of raindrops.

Gu Yun shakes his head, chuckling. ]

The two of you are hopeless with ladies.

[kiss_it_better]

[He sighs and brushes any water on his face off.]

Isn't it better if I'm not good with ladies in this way?

[After all, he thinks his brother would prefer him to not marry.

He had been trying to keep his clothes dry but over time it had gotten wet anyway. His hair shared the same fate and strands of it was plastered to his face.]

[angel_of_death]

When I compliment a lady, I am sincere about it. I don't lie to her face and say she is something to me that she is not.

[Water drips from his chin and the tips of his fringe as Walter speaks, he having been splashed solidly in the face by the upset sprite. He hadn't even bothered to dodge that one.]

What will you do when she or her friends catch you calling someone else your dearest treasure, hmn?

[shiliu]

[ When Walter mentions someone else being his dearest treasure, his eyes unconsciously drift over to Chang Geng. A moment later, he realizes what he's doing. He blinks and looks away, clearing his throat unconsciously.

To Walter, he says with a smile: ]

Young man, how many ladies are you complimenting?

[kiss_it_better]

[Chang Geng catches the look and doesn't know what it means.

...perhaps Gu Yun was worried he would join Walter in scolding him. But in truth, though he's irritated, he would rather Gu Yun pay empty compliments to water sprites than to have someone to call his dearest treasure in earnest.

The selfishness of the thought makes his heart hurt so he turns back to the plants...forgetting that he'd already harvested the last eggplant earlier. Damn it.]

...

[Well. He turns away from the plant as if he'd meant to do it all along had headed for the fridge.

Walter can probably deal with this teasing on his own...and if not then Chang Geng can step in then.]

[angel_of_death]

[Walter sees the look as well and mentally files it in the same "interesting" category as the vine behaviour of moments prior. But damned if he's going to let Gu Yun get away with that insinuation. He'll be nipping that right in the bud right away, thank you.]

Why do you think I would keep track of the number of ladies I compliment? I treat them the same as I would a man, so I compliment them when the compliments are earned.

[He settles one hand on his hip, mildly haughty, whilst gesturing with an upwards-facing palm as he deigns to recall a few details.]

For example, Miss Claire has a sharp mind. She can adapt to different situations well. And Miss Sherry, the girl who stays with her, has a strong will even though she's insecure about some things. They both survived a terrible situation, and neither of them are broken from it.

[kiss_it_better]

[Fridges are such wonderful things.

He places the eggplants in the crisper drawer as he decides on a dish to make with them. He shuts the fridge afterwards and turns with a curious look.]

Who are Miss Claire and Miss Sherry?

[He's not teasing nor does he think Walter has been flirting. He's really just genuinely wants to know who these people are.]