#feilien

[ignisfate]

The crying was insistent, enough so that Emmalyn was close to setting Aubrey down and walking out the door for a minute to gather some semblance of sanity. Being alone with a baby was hard, harder still when that baby had colic and it was witching hour to boot. Walking the length of her hallway for perhaps the hundredth time that night, Emma cursed herself before figuring fresh air might do Aubrey some good.

What was it they always said? Water and fresh air knocked a kid right out? And Emma had already tried the water route in the form of a bath. A very angry bath judging by her daughter's mood, but a bath nonetheless.

Making her way through the apartment complex and out into the open air, she began to restlessly pace the grass, bouncing and swaying as she walked. She even tried to bend over and set her daughter down on the grass...

Which only served to piss Aubrey off worse. Making Emma swear, the strength of the crying making her miss the sound of another approaching her..

@feilien

[huyaoxiaozi]

@feilien ┊ SMALL PLOTTED CANON VERSE STARTER.

       Their non-invitations were becoming common place. It was something of a secret language between them, one they had to speak fluently if they wanted to see each other. Zane didn't necessarily have to pretend he wasn't going out of his way to see Matt when he could. In fact, he'd made a predictable habit of it — every other week or so. He did, however, have to understand the nuances of when Matt's words contradicted his actions. Or, when certain off-handed details were an invitation.

       Matt had mentioned he had a dog ( Bao. Of course Matt would name his dog after one of his favorite foods ) and that he took him on long walks through Golden Gate Park. That was a place Zane hadn't been to since he'd escaped the city ... and, as the familiar sights came into view, that aching homesickness twinged in his chest yet again. Nonetheless, he'd traded his usual visit to the college for an evening at the park ... he'd let Matt know of course, albeit vaguely. After all, Matt wasn't supposed to anticipate, let alone look forward to Zane's visits, was he?

       He had to wander around to find him, but ... eventually, Zane spotted him and his heart gave a little leap in his chest at the sight of him. Embarrassing. He was stopped, letting Bao sniff through the grass with intention ( the dog was fluffy and white, so the name did suit him, Zane thought fondly ) ... and, was he imagining the way Matt cast his eyes around, as if looking for something? Or someone? He approached Matt with a casual ease, coming up beside him. ❝Fancy seeing you here,❞ Zane said, his tone light and a little surprised, as if their crossing paths here truly was a coincidence. It wasn't, and they both knew it. His gaze drifted to Bao, then back to Matt. ❝This is Bao, I take it? ❞

[nightslair]

{ @feilien ; new chapter } ─ There was nothing more beautiful than heavy rain in the midst of Summer. The reflection of raindrops that danced with a comfortable warmth and gave it a pleasant balance. A grand city tugged and carved into the mountains, a grand river floating underneath it as stars lit up the endless streets and bridges together with a million lanterns. Even with this weather, it was busier than ever, the city coming alive at this late hour.

After all, it was a crossroad of several realms, neutral without heading to any banner, one could find heavenly officials and hell court representatives alike, just like thousands of other people who came here simply for business, to take the paths to other realms, or maybe hide. From the aesthetic, one may take it as stuck in time yet, to the human eye, it might feel more like the scene of a fantasy series, where, upon closer glance, there was no obvious dynasty and something haunting about quite some of those rushing left and right.

A black oil-paper umbrella with a delicate painting of flowers opened over the head of the new arrival. A tall man stepped to his side, a faint smile on his lips as almost black eyes glanced over the scenery of the city that held no name, one may refer to it as desired. A perfect place to hide, to start over, or forget who you once were.

"There is a saying that sometimes, during a full moon, if a human calls desperately to get away, even if it is only from a heart wish, the veils may open for them. Where it leads, it's hard to tell. Some might be lost and others may find shelter as they asked. It looks like you belong to the latter. You found your way to a city of the night, where indeed no one can find you."

[drownedhymns]

STOP PUTTING YOURSELF IN DANGER | CURRENTLY ACCEPTING

She could only imagine the expression that had been on her face, really. From the subtle taste of iron on her tongue now and the sting of her lips, she figured it was probably close to a grimace with a hint of distrust that always seemed to linger just beneath the surface. Anyone doing something that could be considered kind put her on edge because most people wanted their favors repaid. She doesn't think that Long Zhi is the type, not really, but he's apart of the gang and is often sent to retrieve her when she disappears.

"I was already hurt...." she starts as she quickly snatches some supplies from the little convenience store that she frequents. She knows what works and what doesn't and only chooses the things that are often used to patch her own self up. She doesn't really want to linger around this place, in case those men show back up, but she also didn't want him walking around hurt because of her.

She knows how the gang works, knows how they view things like this, and she knows it's as much an issue for her as it might be for them.

A quick sigh leaves her lips as she stands up straight and jerks her head to the self check out. "You didn't have to step in........" He shouldn't have, is what she wants to say, but it's a poor way to repay someone. Not that a sorry or a thanks for the help would do much in the way. It didn't unbruise skin. It didn't patch the split in flesh. It didn't put the blood back in someone's body. All it did was soothe your own conscience...which was enough for some people.

It wasn't enough for her.

"But.....you know...thanks, I guess. I know it doesn't mean much." Her head is down as she carefully scans the items and throws them haphazardly into the bag which she snatches the moment money is exchanged. "They've got a little bench out front.....c'mon."

don't give me that look. @ Aphrodite @feilien

[unrcfined]

closed starter for @feilien

it was a general rule that no one should go on scavenging runs alone, but haru hadn't seen a way around it. everyone in the small settlement they had been welcomed into was stretched thin as it was. yeeun needed medicine, no one else could leave their post, so that was that. haru was probably the most expendable person in the settlement, besides. they had been doing everything they could to prove their worth to the group but tech-savvy people were probably abundant. someone else might be able to take over their work on the comms system if they died. probably.

the trek to the nearest pharmacy that still had goods on the shelf had been long and hot. somewhere along the way, haru had shed two layers and tied them around their waist. the shadows in the darker corners of the pharmacy brought sweet relief. they diligently scanned each shelf, looking for high-demand supplies or for anything that might help yeeun specifically. periodically they stuffed something in their backpack. they felt more at home in the quiet, something close to ease loosening the tension in their shoulders. until the bell above the door rang.

haru ripped the hatchet from the side of their bag, sweat starting to bead on their skin again, and took a deep breath before swinging around the shelf that had obscured them from view. not a zombie. haru blinked hard. they did not lower the hatchet. "don't come any closer. i'm not afraid to use this."

[yiyiren]

{ @feilien ; historical starter } — 劉龙之 / 谢智伟 温碧玉

It had always been easier to let anyone believe that a lack of money was the sole reason why he was more often than not doing shopping and inquiries in the part of the city that the Ministry of Justice would like to purge, if only on paper. What use would they have if there were no criminals to chase? As long as the crime was just low enough to be praised by an emperor but not high enough to actually require work, they were all too satisfied.

For him, it was more a matter of remaining unnoticed. Wén Bìyù, based on words, was a former soldier who left the army after the war a few years ago to take care of his sick mother, only to find she had passed away by the time he made it back. It was a name he had taken from a grave, without possessing any papers to prove his identity. Making illegal purchases was worth the risk, since no one would notice his story had holes here, if only if one bothered to look properly. The irony of heroes of war was that nobody really knew their faces, including that of Xiè Zhìwěi. War long since calmed down, but this nation remained an enemy of Jùnlǐng, and with that, the chances for anyone outside of very specific merchants to recognize him shouldn’t be given.

“How is it that any time I return to the capital from a job, you invite me to ale and meat buns, and a few days later, one of your people comes and asks me for all kinds of favors?” His voice was casual as he tore a few pieces from the bun in his hand, eyes watching the many people walking past the food stalls and their many tables in hopes of luring in more customers to sit down and order more than a single portion.

“I wonder what it will be this time?” he raised an eyebrow, and for once, there was a hint of amusement on his usually more calm features.

[artificialnocturnc]

@feilien gets a starter ( Feng Wu )

To recognize a soul is a rare thing, Feng Wu could recall life times where everyone she had met had been new...and then there was this one. Where the old seemed to come through the doors of this building like it was a temple. It was, in a way, she supposes. It was a place where people came for help, that was what the role they had once played…and it was the one she still played. 

She gave aid to anyone who needed it, whether they asked for it or not. 

“You should stay…” She suspects the injuries are from a fight? Or something similar, but she also isn’t sure how to press on it. 

Usually she wouldn’t. 

Seeing someone she used to know felt like something in her chest being clawed at. Like Fate had just stuck its hand inside her chest and twisted the fibers of her heart. The impulse to figure out what had happened, both physically…and the rest of it was screaming in the back of her mind. 

She provided help without judgement and without pushing people on things they weren’t ready to talk about but even Feng Wu had her biases, or her impulses, whichever it was she wasn’t going to bother to dissect, instead, she simply leans on the railing of the bed and offers a small smile. 

Soft, warm, as comforting as she can manage. 

“You really should get a CT scan, without knowing how your injury happened we can’t really be sure what damage has been done…” She finds, sometimes, explaining reasoning helps get people to cooperate more. “And my concern is, if you can’t remember getting knocked out, that is a red flag for some serious damage to your head.” Feng Wu isn’t lying, but it's also a side request - tell me what happened and I’ll reconsider my advice. 

“Often, if there’s any leaking of fluid inside the skull, or a small bleed, it’s going to take several hours for it to get bad enough you feel it…and by then it’s very serious and harder to fix.” 

[lighthearteds]

closed starter // @feilien

" real nice place you got here, " visi claims, suddenly appearing in the campus art studio behind the other. she's not looking at him, instead appraising the artwork decorating the walls. " wouldn't guess it's really your scene, long zhi— " she cuts herself off, fighting back a grin. " or is it matt 'round these parts? " brow raises, as she sits in an open chair nearby.

muse: visi. she/her. mid 20s. criminal. can go invisible when she holds her breath.