βIt's fine? It sounds like screams of the damned were coming from this direction!β The poor gal was out of breath, crouched over with their hands on their knees.
They looked up and immediately, immediately, redirected their eyes to the ground. βAnyone dying? Are you hurt?β
β... Tends tβ happen when you get hurt.β Said like its the most normal thing in the world and not like itβs something that any normal person would immediately be on the phone with the EMTs over. Oh well, maybe when his brain checked back over heβd actually remember that. At least he stopped bleeding all over so he had that going for him.Β
βYou the one that just blew into town?--thereβs like 600 people in town, trust me everyone knows about you already.β Wasnβt the point, he just remembered he had something. A quick dip back and he grabbed something by the door. βThe--landlord wanted me to find you, said she was gonna get you your deposit... sβpose this saves me some time.βΒ
Jingyan made a face, golden eyes narrowing slightly at the man before her with a bit of suspicion, she still wanted to be polite. "Your pants are covered in blood." Their nose scrunched subtly at the scent. Curse their good sense of smell. "Most people would have called for help by now, you know....?"
The sight and smell made her want to hurl but she persisted. Everyone already knowing about them wasn't news, leaving one small town to another they knew what to expect (mostly). "I'll give you the deposit later, yeah? How about we stay on topic? Hm? Sir I'm afraid you're in shock."
It probably couldnβt be helped, all things considered, and was the expected reaction almost. But it had been... days? Honestly, he had lost track by this point. A soft sigh managed to escape as he poked at the fire to try and keep the embers burning.Β
No, felt like even the fire was disappointed.Β
β--I told you, itβs going to be okay in here. Look at me, Iβm doing just fine.β Nah, who was he kidding? They were lost as hell. β--Look, we just find the shore, we can call Esquie from there. Smooth sailing. When have I ever been wrong about that?βΒ
... Actually he probably wasnβt going to like the answer to that.Β
Ah so that's what happened. Their eyes fluttered back into focus, well, that explains the sudden skip in time and why their head hurts. This is the second time this has happened today.
"The Flying Waters incident, with the Bourgeon? That thing almost swallowed me twice, you know." Jingyan huffs, hunching their shoulders, they trudge over to Verso. Coming up behind him and rest her weight on his shoulders.
The fire was dying out but they didn't want to resort to using any spells, too risky, too tired. "I'd like a full night's rest"
β§ sender adorns receiver's chest and arms with elaborate ropework. AND β§ sender brings receiver to the edge multiple times before finally letting them finish. + REVERSE (for both teehee) @ Verso
(Eplefroet)
He had to admit, maybe those books about ropework being an art had a good point to them.Β
They twitched in his arms, whining, it seemed like they had a very positive reaction to the rope he had been working carefully between their legs. βLooks like you figured out why they call this the happy knot.β If the blindfold wasnβt present, Verso had to imagine that the look he was getting was quite pleading to match the breathless begging to finish.Β
Shame that wasnβt the plan here.Β
βNot having fun?β Verso pulled the slack up behind them, grinning over the gasp and sharp wiggle. Like Jingyan wasnβt sure if they wanted to escape or try and get the rope sliding between folds and rutting against the bud. βYou will, donβt worry.βΒ
Instead of around the back of the rope that was wrapped around their waist like the book said, he hooked a finger through the bundle that currently had their arms tied behind their back in a boxtie. A tug down, ignoring the short and shaky inquiry, he looped the remaining length in between the wrist binds and tied it off. Β
Tight, but not restrictive. And it seemed like he didnβt need to say anything, one attempt at trying to sit back up already had them whimpering. βDo you want to try kneeling up proper?βΒ
The speed at which they shook their head almost had him laughing. βWell then... youβre going to have to try and stay perfectly still, hm? Remember...β One hand twerked the string before pulling around to trace at the front rope framed nicely around their chest, the other snaked its way down. Slowly, carefully, his fingers dipped along the knot and thigh to chase the way they were dripping.Β
"... What." Disheveled, still hot, it wasn't like he had intended on being as loud as he had been but then again it wasn't like peeling out buckshot was a quiet job. The dog's fault for wanting to hunt closer to where the deer were, he supposed. "If it's the noise, it's fine."
βIt's fine? It sounds like screams of the damned were coming from this direction!β The poor gal was out of breath, crouched over with their hands on their knees.
They looked up and immediately, immediately, redirected their eyes to the ground. βAnyone dying? Are you hurt?β
That hand tacky with blood grabbed at Fate's with lightning speed, squeezing hard at his hand and fighting the urge to jerk away. A very brave thing to do for sure.
Bracing for more pain.
βwhat are yβ oh!β pleasantly surprised that the pain dwindled to a tolerable ache. They had a lot to learn about the use of magic it seems, lots of questions to ask, who knew folks could do THAT. How inconvenient too, right as they opened their mouth, the words came out slower. βwoah! I'm feeling much better. How did...β they trailed off, pupils dilating and gaze going blank, like their brain went offline.
For a minute Jingyan sat there helplessly with their eyelids fluttering and smacking their lips. The hand that held his was spasming as their brain shot out a pattern of misfires.
β...β
β...β
β...β
Their eyes fluttered back into focus, blank expression shifting to being puzzled. Their wonder was forgotten and replaced with a feeling of being lost.
Suddenly that draining exhausted feeling didnβt matter anymore. Now was doing his best to provide as much support as one could with one arm and hand not currently being strangled. Shit, no way the arcane couldβve done thatβmaybe? It wasnβt strong by any means, just enough of a spell to knit basic woundsβΒ
β... Kid?β A bit gentler this time when he notices the signs of life once again, the breath he hadnβt been aware he was holding finally escaping. Was TF about to let go though? Maybe in a moment when he was sure that wasnβt about to happen again. βBy the tides, kid, yβ damn near made me piss mβself...βΒ
He did his best to laugh it off, probably not any more convincing than usual. βCβmon, letβs go home.β Thereβs a short beat while he finally looks around to try and get their location. Familiar brothel sign, familiar popup shops, familiar barrel that had been leaking fish bits this morning... ah, crap.Β
β... Well, bit farther from the stairs than I thought.βΒ
It was lucky, but rare, that Jingyan regained their senses quickly. Eyes fluttered back into focus.βaha sorryβ
Oh right, they were still sitting. They tried to stand on Shaky legs, there is absolutely no way they will be carried or allow themselves to fall behind. Both were terrible options.
βAuhm... I'll explain later.β They hoped he wouldn't push the subject, they were still out in the open, they needed to get home, and by the sounds of it TF was on the same page as her.
It's been so long since they've had one, god their guts churned, please god no, let that be the only one.
They looked around, only mildly frantic considering the circumstances. They seem to be clear of the angry mob, that's good at least.
Jingyan smile found its place, despite their frayed nerves. βyes, I'd like to be back before thisββ she gestured to her injury. βstarts to hurt like before.β
Jingyan definitely didn't let out an ear shattering yelp and clutch imaginary pearls. Nope. Definitely not. Startled partially from being shoved and the bright beam of light and the loud bang that followed.
They gulped, and laughed from the delirious relief. Did they almost die? It felt like they almost died. They definitely almost died. βhello to you tooβ
But also the coolest thing they've ever seen.
Unfortunately they had the mental fortitude of a rabbit at the best of times so
βI think it's strong enough. Output is good. Holy shit, I think I died.β
βOnly emotionally. Maybe.β One more brush for good measure before he let out the most defeated sigh ever. βAnd no, before you ask, itβs not supposed to be that strong. For rock? Yeah. Exploding if you twist the dial? No.βΒ
Jayce was... going to have to go back to the drawing board on that one before Viktor could present it to the prospective investor. Though speaking of...Β
βIf youβre looking for him, he should be back in an hour or so. The professor had a supply requisition he needed assistance checking.β Jayce went on rambling just a bit while trying to pluck out the remaining pieces of claw that seemed salvageable. And not still red enough to take his hand off. Thatβd be embarrassing.Β
βHe's good at disappearing. Especially whenever I need something from him.β
They make a beeline for the desk, ignoring two perfectly good chairs, to sit with the afternoon sun warming their back. It was nice to be able to swing their legs... and Jingyan figured it was best they stay out of the way of this project considering that it nearly just killed them.
It was also nice to spend time in this lab as well, having one on one time with someone without worrying about a crowd interrupting was a small blessing that the Zaunite singer will take. Not to say that it happens all the time, but the chance is always there.
βHow long have you been working at that?β Jingyan gestured to the claw.
Heβs already shoving them away in time, the small device that had been sitting on the tabletop giving a surprisingly laser-ready explosion. A bit too close for comfort, but that was on Jayce for forgetting that he had been working on refining the laser.Β
βSorry--you okay?β He pulled back to inspect closely, a clear sign of worry. No singe, no smoke, all eyebrows where they should be... Alright, Jayce was content. βMy bad, I was trying to refine the output on the claw.βΒ
Jingyan definitely didn't let out an ear shattering yelp and clutch imaginary pearls. Nope. Definitely not. Startled partially from being shoved and the bright beam of light and the loud bang that followed.
They gulped, and laughed from the delirious relief. Did they almost die? It felt like they almost died. They definitely almost died. βhello to you tooβ
But also the coolest thing they've ever seen.
Unfortunately they had the mental fortitude of a rabbit at the best of times so
βI think it's strong enough. Output is good. Holy shit, I think I died.β
So funny story, I had created Jingyan's Arcane verse before even knowing about Seraphine, but I refuse to change it. They're still a singer from the undercity whose goal is to primarily uplift the voices of those that are suffering, and call out the injustices of the corruption of the chem barons and of the government of Piltover. All in all they're an activist who lives for the people.
They're human in this universe, who lost both parents in the uprising led by Vander (I think he led it??) and were taken in by Viktor's (the one I write) parents. Their age gap is about 8-9 years.
Well they certainly avoided landing on their arm, that's for sure. They grumbled something under their breath about not being faster than a literal bullet. Kind of easy to forget to be annoyed about that when the strange sensation was slowly morphing into a searing pain. They'll just force themselves to ignore it for a few more minutes.
βI'd rather this than the alternative we were facingβ
she looks to TF and Graves, they seemed to be not dying at least. Malcom especially. That's good, at least Jingyan will have someone to drag them back when they inevitably wind up unconscious from the sight of their own blood. For now it was time for them to catch their breath.
Right. Blood. Bleeding. They were currently doing that. Blindly apply pressure to the wound? Blindly apply pressure to the wound. The pain was immediately worse, startling them enough to yelp and make their face scrunch up.
βFor the love of Janna, fuck me.β
Malcom made a passing comment about it being their first bullet wound, which they nodded with a wheezy "yeah" and a shaky thumbs up.
βReckon... we got enough of a drop... shouldnβt be able tβ find us βless they really wanna go through every inch of town...β Easy part done and dusted. Now if only the sky would stay put for longer than a few seconds....Β
Definitely not easy and definitely not about to be dusted any time soon. Sometimes he really hated having to rely on magic for anything. Tides willing he had just enough left n the tank to make sure the kid wasnβt about to go and bleed out on the hike up the stairs.Β
βGonna need you to be real brave for a sec.β Bending down, TF took the hand currently occupied on the arm to remove it, the other already producing another card to press into it. It wasnβt exactly... ideal by any means, but it was always easier to channel through them rather than by handβeven if TF could feel the cards practically complaining about the spell.Β
Wasnβt his fault for not being more traditionally trained. He was lucky enough to at least grasp how to hold a mend long enough to see a proper healer.Β
A concentration of the arcane, soothing like the coolness of the rivers. Not enough for proper healing but enough to at least dull the pain and hopefully keep the bleeding to the minimum. God, he was gonna have to scrape up double for that offering for this...Β
That hand tacky with blood grabbed at Fate's with lightning speed, squeezing hard at his hand and fighting the urge to jerk away. A very brave thing to do for sure.
Bracing for more pain.
βwhat are yβ oh!β pleasantly surprised that the pain dwindled to a tolerable ache. They had a lot to learn about the use of magic it seems, lots of questions to ask, who knew folks could do THAT. How inconvenient too, right as they opened their mouth, the words came out slower. βwoah! I'm feeling much better. How did...β they trailed off, pupils dilating and gaze going blank, like their brain went offline.
For a minute Jingyan sat there helplessly with their eyelids fluttering and smacking their lips. The hand that held his was spasming as their brain shot out a pattern of misfires.
β...β
β...β
β...β
Their eyes fluttered back into focus, blank expression shifting to being puzzled. Their wonder was forgotten and replaced with a feeling of being lost.
βEh, I was raised in the undercity. Bilgewater is similar enough.β skipping away to sit on a nearby crate. βBut worried? Why worried? I think it's a good thing.β
Consider Jingyan to be just the slightest bit perplexed.
Violence was nothing new to Jingyan. Being directly involved in it, however, was new. Fighting didn't come easy to them, they made up for that, however, by keeping the goods safe. This new life was fun and risky, always fun to take from the filthy rich. This was a time to bask in the glory of a job well done.
Sprawled out on the ground to catch their breath, they were pretty sure @monenblogi and Graves were talking, they weren't listening though. The buzzing in their ears from the gunfire combined with the sound of their thumping heart drowned them out some. They were mostly uninjured with a few scraped and bruises, and the strange hot and wet sensation in what they could only assume was their deltoid muscle.
Wait.
hot and wet.
β ah...β slowly they sat up to take a gander. β oh I'm bleeding. Oh I'm bleeding a lot. When did that happen?β
Well, that at least had answered his question about how the kid was doing. Β
βProbably somewhere between when we told yβ to get down and when you actually got hit.β He chose to stay standing, letting a blue card rotate between his hands. The hum of power was palpable, the pressure behind his eyes familiar. He almost wanted to spout something about patience being a virtue when Graves huffed something about hurrying up, but the quickly multiplying footsteps were enough for TF to agree with the sentiment.Β
Well, hopefully this wasnβt about to land them in water or worse...Β
βJust try not to land on your armββ It was more than enough of a warning as soon as TF could feel the distance necessary fixate on all three of them. A crack shifted them elsewhere, at least a bit closer to where they were currently calling home. TF?Β
Was going to now prop himself against a barrel and very much try to keep his insides where they were. βAaaaagh--tides, I hate doinβ that oneββΒ
Well they certainly avoided landing on their arm, that's for sure. They grumbled something under their breath about not being faster than a literal bullet. Kind of easy to forget to be annoyed about that when the strange sensation was slowly morphing into a searing pain. They'll just force themselves to ignore it for a few more minutes.
βI'd rather this than the alternative we were facingβ
she looks to TF and Graves, they seemed to be not dying at least. Malcom especially. That's good, at least Jingyan will have someone to drag them back when they inevitably wind up unconscious from the sight of their own blood. For now it was time for them to catch their breath.
Right. Blood. Bleeding. They were currently doing that. Blindly apply pressure to the wound? Blindly apply pressure to the wound. The pain was immediately worse, startling them enough to yelp and make their face scrunch up.
βFor the love of Janna, fuck me.β
Malcom made a passing comment about it being their first bullet wound, which they nodded with a wheezy "yeah" and a shaky thumbs up.
Violence was nothing new to Jingyan. Being directly involved in it, however, was new. Fighting didn't come easy to them, they made up for that, however, by keeping the goods safe. This new life was fun and risky, always fun to take from the filthy rich. This was a time to bask in the glory of a job well done.
Sprawled out on the ground to catch their breath, they were pretty sure @monenblogi and Graves were talking, they weren't listening though. The buzzing in their ears from the gunfire combined with the sound of their thumping heart drowned them out some. They were mostly uninjured with a few scraped and bruises, and the strange hot and wet sensation in what they could only assume was their deltoid muscle.
Wait.
hot and wet.
β ah...β slowly they sat up to take a gander. β oh I'm bleeding. Oh I'm bleeding a lot. When did that happen?β
Gasp. β liar! β points at him, whisper-yelling. β you like him! I saw how you look at each other! β they're jumping in place. β I knew it. I knew it! β
βyou two are terrible terrible, hiding such a thing from me.β jingyan crosses their arms with a huff. β terrible liars too. Your excuse doesn't make any sense.β
βShhhhhhhhhh--!β A bit sharp in his shushing, as he could already hear footsteps just down the way. Immediately, Jayce opted to grab Jingyan by the shoulders to lead them off.Β
If they were going to have this conversation, it wasnβt about to be in open space.Β
βIn you goββ Unceremoniously shoving them into what was supposed to be his office space, despite how little actual council work he even did in here, Jayce shut the door behind them both before sighing. That was... close. βYou canβt just say things like that where everyone can hear it around here. Thereβs a lot of very important funding parties thatβd be happy to cut us off if rumors got out about me dating a trencher.βΒ
Trencher...they really hate that word. Especially when it comes from someone of the topside.
The excitement dwindled as quickly as it appeared, replaced by nausea. β don't use that word... β hands clutched close to their chest, close to their heart. Hurt reflecting in their eyes.
You're a coward, Jayce. He's your equal. How dare you call him that. He trusts you so much only for you to try and hide him because you're worried about what some entitled rich people would think about you loving him.... That's what they wanted to say, but maybe he didn't know. Maybe he didn't understand the weight behind that word. Just one chance. Just one.
They bit their tongue and chose something else to say instead. βdon't...don't call Viktor that...Don't call anyone from the undercity that... you have no right to call any of us that vile word, Jayce. How dare you... You're lucky I haven't slapped you..β
β you were holding hands with him! i saw it!! β - @eplefroet
βWell--yeah, I was. The ferrule broke off his cane, so I helped balance him back to the lab. Itβs not a big deal.β Yes, it very much was a big deal because why the hell was that the first thing that came to his head? Broken ferrule? After finding Viktorβs hands to be so nice to hold?Β
Come on, Jayce, youβre better than this.Β
βBesides, Jingyan, I donβt see why you have to shout about it.β Itβs probably a miracle he was able to remain straight about it, probably something to thank all of those horrendous public appearances for. βI wasβjust doing the right thing.βΒ
Gasp. β liar! β points at him, whisper-yelling. β you like him! I saw how you look at each other! β they're jumping in place. β I knew it. I knew it! β
βyou two are terrible terrible, hiding such a thing from me.β jingyan crosses their arms with a huff. β terrible liars too. Your excuse doesn't make any sense.β
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