sizhui | Inbox for prismatica

[ That may have been his “subtle” way of asking. Why does he feel disappointed?? Stupid.

He shows up about a half hour later, Fairy happily wagging her tail at his side. He comes to the door this time and hopes Hanguang-Jun isn’t the one to open up. He relaxes once he sees Sizhui. ]

How hard can it be to make noodles, anyway??

[ Sizhui actually laughs just a little bit, even as he leans down to give Fairy pets, because good girl. ]

Well, it's not hard to make noodles. But to make tasty noodles, you need to pay more attention. There has to be some spice, but not too much, and so on.

[ ... no, he doesn't subscribe to Senior Wei's idea that no amount of spice is too great. ]

But for this occasion, we'll make good noodles.

[ He raises his arms, cupping them before him, and gives Sizhui an ironic bow. ]

Then I put myself in your capable hands.

[ He sounds amused, and - for once - in good spirits. ]

Where do we start?

[ ... oh. Sizhui didn't realize how good it would feel to see Jin Ling in a good mood, and have that mood turned on him. His cheeks feel a little hot, and he ducks his head a little.

He likes the combination of these two things far more than he expected. ]

First we boil the noodles, and we can start preparing the rest to cook the noodles with at the same time, because it will take a little while for the water to heat up.

In this place, if you just want food or drinks to become warm again after they have cooled down, you can use the microwave oven, but to cook, the stove is still the best.

[ And they're both good with blades, though peeling and slicing vegetables might be somewhat different. ]

Microwave— I’ve heard about that! Zizhen mentioned it. I didn’t really see what waves had to do with anything.

How can water heat up something? Is it boiling?

[ But he starts for the kitchen anyway, chattering along. ]

All I know is we have to make them as perfect as possible.

... Well, we need boiling water for the noodles to not be hard and tasteless. And I have been trying to read the explanations about the microwave thing, but it requires to learn a lot of physics so I'm working my way to it.

And we'll make them perfect, come on.

[ Water heating up, check. And Sizhui starts taking out the veggies and meat (because the Jins would not limit themselves to vegetarian). ]

We need to clean and cut these, as good as we can get to how the pieces should look in a meal, yes?

[ Sorry Sizhui he is still picturing literally micro waves on water and trying to wrap his head around them, but he just follows Sizhui’s lead anyway. ]

I can do that. I’ll clean them within an inch of their life.

[ He rolls his sleeves up and gets to work - surprisingly good at it. For someone who has servants to tend on him most of the time, apparently he’s very very particular about cleanliness. So he cleans everything, removes any piece that looks like it’s not perfect or wilting, and soon has it all laid out ready to cut. ]

Should we make this a game? [ He sounded amused again. ] See who can cut them the best?

[ Sizhui is not too surprised, on the other hand. There are chores that probably none of them has touched, or at least not until this world, but blades? They can wield blades very well, with control and precision. ]

I think I'd like that.

Just make sure we don't get carried away and chop them too small, and we'll be great!

[ And so they chop, and cook, and stir, and eventually, they have the desired meal.

Sizhui grins proudly. ]

All right. Do we want to go take them there now, or find a bow first and deliver the gifts all together?

Edited 2020-03-02 13:36 (UTC)

Perfect. [ Jin Ling grins smugly back at him. Wei Wuxian has nothing on them. He carefully packs the soup separately for delivery, and then glances back at Sizhui.. ]

We can take the soup first, but, ah—

[ A hint of colour rises to his cheeks. ]

Before we go- I probably don’t have enough money to buy the bow, so— [ Oh. His face was getting warm again. Very warm. ]

If it’s okay, I- well- if we could— just a little so I can buy the bow—

Ah...?

[ A moment, switching between finishing up the cleaning of the kitchen and paying full attention to Jin Ling.

Who is blushing, which makes Sizhui blink and consider, then smile a tiny bit and come closer, reach up to lightly neaten the folds of Jin Ling's robe, unsettled by the unusual activity around the kitchen. His eyes crinkle every so slightly. ]

And am I supposed to ask how we should make sure that you do have enough chroma...?

[ Teasing, just a little, because he's pretty sure it will be worse if he just agrees. As though another option is unthinkable. ]

[ Cool, great, when the fuck did Sizhui get so smooth? Jin Ling casts a little bit of a petulant look at him, just for being suave, and then tilted his chin up as if he definitely didn't care and this was definitely only because he had to. ]

Well, I mean - I figured we could just - kissing is probably the fastest way to do it, but if you don't want to do that we can just hold hands or something the whole way there--

Or we can do both.

[ One hand cupping Jin Ling's cheek, he brushes his lips lightly against the other boy's. Is this too fast? I'm here.

His suave only goes so far. But he does want to kiss him. Even if they are in the kitchen and literally anyone might walk in. He doesn't care. He's not ashamed. ]

Well if you want to be gre-- [ He starts, but cuts off immediately when Sizhui steps up to him.

His heart thumps once, but then he leans in, pressing his lips to Sizhui's with far more intention that that simple brush had given, not even noticing when a hand went to rest on the boy's waist.

He'd kind of forgotten they were just

in Hanguang-jun's kitchen

really hadn't thought that far ahead. ]

Yes. [ Whispered against those sweet lips, in-between kisses. ] I think I'm going to be greedy. Even if you don't let me again, right now, I'll be very greedy.

Do you want me, [ whispered, ] to stop?

Edited 2020-03-11 22:06 (UTC)

[ He flushed darkly, his fingers curling into a firmer grip on Sizhui’s waist, stepping in closer as if drawn there. ]

No.

[ The answer was immediate and absolute - there wasn’t a trace of a question. He broke the kiss just for half a second to mutter: ] Don’t give me some nonsense about not letting you—

[ He presses another hard kiss to Sizhui’s sweet lips, his own parting a little of their own accord. Breathlessly, an answering whisper between kisses: ]

You can be greedy with me anytime.

Well. [ Kiss. ] I would rather remind you that you can stop it at any time. [ Kiss. ] Because it can get a little overwhelming. [ Kiss. ] And I'd much rather if we're both greedy, about this, than not.

[ ... and a much longer kiss.

He won't remind that they had a point for this, but he won't forget, either. Just... they'll go. In a little bit. ]

[ Overwhelming was definitely the word for it, though he would argue that intoxicating was another. Dizzying, maybe.

He make a soft involuntary sound against Sizhui’s mouth when the boy took a longer kiss, his free hand blindly moving until it catched around Sizhui’s. He took it, lacing their fingers together tightly and then squeezing firmly enough that Sizhui could probably feel how rapid his pulse was, right now. ]

You said both, [ He cut in breathlessly, having to break off for a few seconds before his lungs started to scream at him, his face so red and hot it could burst into flame at any moment.

He swallowed, a little self conscious suddenly, and let his nose brush against Sizhui’s in almost a nuzzle. ]

... I like it when you’re greedy with me, [ He admitted quietly. ] Makes me feel a little less like I’m going to ruin something—

I said both. [ Gentle nuzzle back. ]

You don't want to ruin me. And I don't to ruin you, either. And what may happen...

None of it is ruination, not when it's wanted. Not when it's understood. Even should there be parting...

You'll know that I want this now. I'll know that you want this, now.

[ The words “what may happen” made his heart skip a beat, his mouth getting a little dry, suddenly. At the word parting, his heart skipped for an entirely different reason. ]

I’m not going anywhere.

[ Except he couldn’t promise that, could he? A version of him had been here before, and left... ]

... I don’t want to go anywhere.

So stop worrying about that sort of thing! Who said I’d part from you for anything?

[ Sizhui's eyes widen a fraction, and then he just. Gathers Jin Ling closer to him. His heart tries to go two ways at once, shrinking with the thought of losses and expanding with the words that Jin Ling says. In the end, he also hides his face against Jin Ling's shoulder for a moment. ]

I won't, either. I would not, and I will not.

[ All the ways he can say he doesn't and he won't choose to.

But he only hides a moment, before he raises his face to kiss him once more. Soft, impossibly fond, but-

This one will last for a while. ]

[ It melts right through him.

It’s the sweetest, most wonderful feeling in the world. And it only half has to do with the kiss.

He’s not exactly sure why it feels like something shifted between them - it was hardly a sentiment that felt new to him - but maybe because it was being acknowledged out loud. Maybe because he’d never really thought Sizhui felt the same way - especially given how he’d already here before and there was already another version of him now. Why should he want to be with this Jin Ling in particular?

And yet, he clearly did.

It was enough to make Jin Ling’s heart twist painfully and yet so very happily...

When he had to break for air, he was smiling despite himself - not the smug haughty smiles he so often displayed - but something soft and genuine. He must not have realised he was smiling at all.

He pressed another quiet kiss to the corner of Sizhui’s mouth. ]

Come on. The noodles are going to get too cold to be any good.

[ Yes. Sizhui definitely does. He does want to be here. With him.

He nuzzles just for a moment, before nodding, and only then starting to let go. ]

All right. Let's go find the best bow and make it a wonderful birthday for all of them. Yes?

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/gasps maybe a WRAP?