【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-star resort and casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.
Due to a high volume of check-ins, temporary accommodations have been made in our parking garage for all new arrivals. We aim to have all guests moved into their reserved rooms as soon as possible. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience!
All are invited to There Is No Tomorrow, a Phoenix Casino soiree to celebrate our beloved guests. The festivities will begin at 1800 hours on January 20th and end at 1800 hours on January 27th. Please look forward to 168 hours of delight.
In an effort to raise happiness and encourage better guest relationships, attendance is required. The house will assist guests that are too shy to appear of their own accord. Please note that black tie attire is mandatory. As always, we hope you enjoy your stay! 】
PARKING GARAGE
ANY CAR IN A STORM
PHOENIX CASINO HALL
WELCOME TO THE NEXT 168 HOURS
Phoenix Casino is a-flutter with activity and packed to the beak with guests. As a famously ever-changing space, the staff would be remiss if they didn't deck the crown jewel of the Golden Peacock out. The casino glitters from top to bottom, shining brighter than diamonds, rubies, sapphires, opals! Party-goers are shiny and glamorous with picture perfect makeup, fluttering gowns, and sharp suits. Card tables are packed and the slot machines are a-ringing as guests play, play, play! Prizes, luxury, booze, attractive people, it's the place that everyone wants to be at.
Those people being dragged inside by some invisible force...? Silly, they were so excited to come that their bodies moved before they realized what was happening. Those are struggles of joy and definitely not the casino's infamous ghost hands dragging unwilling guests to the party at the behest of the house. Look, they're literally hurling their bodies at the card tables with unrestrained glee!
All clocks indicating day hours and night hours have been removed from the casino. Once a guest has entered, their Watch will jam, making it impossible to keep track of the time. You don't need to worry about that tonight.
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[ Wei Wuxian will absolutely want to know more about Sizhui's special person when he realizes there is one. He hasn't yet put together the pieces of "this is a degenerate sex hotel" and "Sizhui is in the degenerate sex hotel" which must mean "Sizhui has had sex in the degenerate sex hotel" — solely because the thought of Sizhui having sex is still a foreign one. He would not judge, no! It's just, well, Sizhui is still something of a baby in his eyes. His A-Yuan...!
For now, there is the mystery of what Sizhui turns into though, that's something to listen to and take in. The answer about pucas helps because that, he didn't know, but a tiny shape shifting rodent ... well, it might be cute. The dragon is still better though. ]
I'd love to see it.
[ He's excited about the opportunity! But, ah, right. The explanation comes and that really does send Wei Wuxian down the path of "his A-Yuan is having sex, oh" and there is a complicated set of emotions on his face for a moment before he lands on acceptance. Sizhui is old enough, more than old enough now. He accepts it. ]
Right. A form of worship for the gods, that's right out the old stories. I hope it wasn't too... difficult for you.
[ The Lan clan precepts, after all. They have rules around that sort of thing. ]
[at least sizhui's well-aware that wei wuxian won't be judging him, but he can understand how it may sound to him that he's had sex, especially given the clan he comes from. thankfully, the hotel has been easy enough on him and he hasn't had to search for many partners whereas most of them have come naturally. (no pun intended there—) and it's also completely understandable that sizhui's still just wei wuxian's little a-yuan in particular because they haven't had a lot of time to spend together lately; this is clearly why they must make up for lost time while they have the chance.
the dragon may always be superior, but the puca is adorable because bunny rabbits are too dang cute.]
I'd like it if you could. I think you would find them interesting... and maybe even a little cute.
[so long as they're around each other long enough, there will come a time at the end of the month where wei wuxian can see whatever sizhui becomes that week and hopefully it won't be something more worrying like his nixie or merrow transformations.
he nods for affirmation,] Just like that, yes. [as for the difficulty, well . . . ] It was, at first. It took many months for me to finally accept what we had to do, but I was lucky enough to find someone who was just as new to it as I was, and we were able to learn together.
Fortunately, simple things like hugging and holding hands produced Manna as well, so we could start with very easy things and progress from there. [a beat then,] And it also worked with platonic relationships, too.
[ Wei Wuxian would love to make up for lost time with Sizhui. It's definitely one of the things he's had as his priority, even before coming here. He just... wants to know more about who he is now, as a person. How he feels, what he dreams about, his life in general. Everything. This really is a good chance for that.
And look, don't get him started on how cute rabbits are. It's a Whole Thing, obviously. ]
I'm sure I'd find it cute, my A-Yuan is the cutest no matter what he looks like.
[ If they weren't under the table, he would pinch his cheek just then. As it is, he just smiles at him.
But then he listens to Sizhui's reply, understanding his experiences a bit better. Alright, that's... good. He's really glad Sizhui had someone to learn from and with. That's what people need. ]
I'm really happy for you. It sounds like you approached a difficult situation with a level head and sensibility. Being able to find someone who you could be comfortable with is really important when it comes to matters like these. Just because it's the will of the gods, doesn't mean you should force yourself into an uncomfortable situation.
[ A pause and — ]
You said three worlds. This world, the first world, what was the second?
[well, for however long wei wuxian will listen, sizhui will keep right on telling him about his adventures and where they've led him so far; he's enjoying retelling his tales, especially to someone who can appreciate them— which isn't to say that some people don't, it's just different with wei wuxian, with someone who enjoys hearing such things, even if they may seem unbelievable at first.
no worries there, he knows all about the rabbits hidden away in the back mountain, so he's well-aware of just how cute they are.]
Aiyahhh, [he sighs, raising a hand to wave back and forth, looking a little flustered by the remark despite the fact there's no cheek-pinching, though his smile doesn't waver in the slightest.
another quick head-bob of agreement then he lowers his hand again, interlocking both of them across his lap for now.]
Thank you, Xian-gege. [yes, he is just dropping that like it's totally normal.] I'm glad I didn't have to force myself into something uncomfortable either, but I'm also happy it happened before anything terrible happened on Noctium. If we didn't participate, we would eventually start turning to stone and that wouldn't have been good, either.
[ah, the second world... he wonders how he should even start with that one.] Amani. It wasn't too different from the first world, intimacy-wise, but the aesthetic was different. It was still full of technology that I didn't understand at first, but slowly became accustomed to. It also had different worlds we could travel to like Hiromitsu, which was a world full of yokai, creatures not unlike some of our world's ghosts, demons, and monsters.
[ Seeing Sizhui's fluster is very cute and makes him want to tease him more but he doesn't want to derail the conversation entirely either. So, he just smiles and resists the urge to ruffle his hair instead.
And then Sizhui goes again and calls him Xian-gege and now Wei Wuxian is the one who is flustered and touched. Ahh!! He's Xian-gege again!! That makes him, honestly, want to cry. But no, he'll power through it and focus. Focus!! ]
Oh, that — hm. [ Turning into stone, huh? ] Sounds bad.
[ But right, the second world. Amani. A world full of technology he he didn't understand? Sounds kind of like Wei Wuxian's current predicament here in the Peacock. Maybe Sizhui will be able to help him learn a bit more about the ways things work here, especially this gadget on his wrist. ]
Amani on the other hand sounds... a bit fun? Learning new technology, traveling to different worlds, it's all interesting. I guess that's the bright side of being taken to these different worlds, you get to see and learn a lot.
[please, more teasing is always welcomed, even if it'll fluster him more, but he doesn't mind because it's only himself and wei wuxian under the table. at least if he'd ruffled sizhui's hair, it wouldn't mess anything up since he's decided to wear it all down.
it helps that he gets to fluster wei wuxian a little; the nickname has always been special to them, of course, and any chance sizhui gets to use it, he'll take it.]
Mmhmm. [he nods in agreement, expression briefly looking grim, though it softens again once he remembers that it isn't something he generally has to worry about anymore.
fortunately, he'd be more than happy to help the other man learn about technology, especially since it's something else they could bond over. imagine: him teaching someone like the great yiling laozu . . . if it weren't possible, it'd almost be laughable.]
It was quite fun, especially the world traveling! There were many different places that we could visit, some a little stranger than others, but there wasn't anything wrong with that. I wish you had been there to experience it with me, you would've loved it.
[ Then that hair is definitely going to get ruffled... soon. Just give it some time. Next opportunity he gets, for sure.
And the back and forth is nice too. It's strange, being able to be so comfortable with someone he loves so much in a world so brand new and unusual. Like finding a bit of home, in a foreign land. He's grateful for Sizhui's presence.
Being taught technology by Sizhui would be something that Wei Wuxian would gladly brag about as well. Just boast so much — his A-Yuan, teaching him about how phones work! Look at how smart his A-Yuan is! Look at how bright! He loves him sooooo much! So, they'd both have a good time bonding over it. ]
Ha... ha, yeah! I wish I had been there too. [ For so many reasons. First and foremost, to just be there for Sizhui during all this. He needn't have to go through it alone. ] So, in a way, you've been to more than three worlds, but one of them had a bunch of different worlds within it. That's impressive. I wonder if I'm going to end up seeing a bunch of different worlds now that I've ended up here. Ah... but I'd miss everyone so much!
[it'd be stranger to sizhui too if he weren't already so used to the world-hopping. regardless of this, he finds comfort in wei wuxian's presence as well, feeling like maybe together they can face this obstacle head-on and perhaps figure out a way back home.
what a way to embarrass him even more! he would be the ever-humble lan boy and say that he's nothing too special, he's just lucky to already know how a lot of this stuff works, et cetera and so on. he would, however, maybe preen a little about being called bright and smart because he does know he has a good head on his shoulders and has been taught well by those closest to him.]
It's okay, we can start by learning more about this world together. [even if sizhui's already learned some things about the golden peacock that he almost wishes he hadn't. now, though it makes him feel a little bad that wei wuxian has to suffer through it too, they can go through it with each other rather than alone.] In a way, yes, you're right. Who knows? We'll just have to see what it has in store for us and prepare for the worst but hope for the best. [a beat then,] I miss everyone too, but it's nice to see a familiar face here.
[ Wei Wuxian leads more with curiosity than anything else, so he's not too panicked about the whole "being kidnapped to a different reality" thing just yet. Not yet at least. But he's also expecting this to be a few months at most and then he'll make his way right back home.
... Though thinking about it now, about Lan Sizhui's adventures... what if that happens to him too? Hm. ]
Yeah, we can!
[ He beams so brightly, so pleased, so happy. Lan Sizhui is definitely one of the few people he'd want to be stuck with in a separate world than their own. Probably his number 2 pick! (Lan Wangji would be his number 1, unsurprisingly.) ]
I'm glad I can be that familiar face. [ Ah, fuck it. He's going in for the hair ruffle! Ruffle, ruffle. ] Oh, help me out with one thing, why don'tcha? What's a "card suit"?
[oh, wei wuxian, ever the optimist. sizhui thought the same thing and then months turned into more months, then eventually a year and a year became two, so on and so forth. as it stands, being away from home for four whole years has been quite a journey, but he can't say that he regrets any of it because it has been a fun adventure and he's met a lot of great people during it.
here's hoping wei wuxian gets his wish though and is only stuck at the golden peacock for a few months rather than longer.
unsurprisingly, sizhui would probably choose lan jingyi as his first and wei wuxian and lan wangji as his second (because he can't and wouldn't choose between them, so they'd somehow have to all be together, clearly).
following the hair ruffling, he laughs softly, raising a hand to muffle the sound and cover his smile out of instinct.] Me too. [as for the card suit, well... he pauses for contemplation, lowers the hand to tap his chin then he explains as best as he can:] I still think it has something to do with groups we've been split up into, but different things happen to people within the suits. If that makes any sense?
[ Wei Wuxian is not sure he'd be as good natured about being away from home for so long as Sizhui is. He's almost certain he'd become a little more bitter and melancholic about not being able to see his loved ones if he was away for four years. So, he might be an optimist but not exactly in that direction.
Still, fingers crossed!!
Wei Wuxian wouldn't be surprised at all about Sizhui's picks either. They really are family, huh?
But for now, Wei Wuxian watches him laugh, smiles a bit about it and then listens earnestly to Sizhui's explanation. Alright, huh. ]
And I'm a "wildcard" which means I haven't received one of the card suits yet. I guess I'm stuck on what they mean. I know what a diamond is, though I don't know what it has to do with cards. Hearts, like the heart inside you. The clubs and spades loses me entirely, I've never even seen those symbols before.
[ . . . ]
Bah! If I question every single new thing I see since I've arrived here, I'll never get anything done! I suppose what they are doesn't really matter as much as what they do. If it's just a way to sort us into groups, then so be it.
[in the beginning, sizhui wasn't too excited about being torn away from his family, but as time went on, he found that he started enjoying visiting these new worlds and making new friends. sure, he misses his family a whole lot, but he knows that eventually he'll make it back to them and it will be like no time has passed at all. (or so he assumes because he imagines that once he does get home, it will be like he never left in the first place, although he hopes that he remembers his adventures.)
and yes, they really are, no one can tell him otherwise.
sizhui moves the hand from his chin to the side of his neck, rubbing it idly while he considers, but he ultimately says,]
I am, too. From what I've gathered, it depends on how we are affected when our suits are “active,” which is different for everyone. I've never seen symbols like the clubs or spades, either. When I think of a spade, I think of a shovel, though. Maybe it's where the symbol came from? [if that's the case, however, what in the world would a shovel have to do with card suits?]
Yes, you will be spending a lot of time questioning things and you won't get far. However, it's good to ask questions, too. We need to figure out what they plan on doing with us, after all, so I see no reason why we shouldn't learn as much as possible about this place.
[ Wei Wuxian will eventually piece together the likelihood of returning exactly when he left and feel much, much better about this whole thing when he gets there. But still, there's much to learn and so much he doesn't know — just like this conversation is showcasing. ]
A shovel, huh? [ What WOULD a shovel have to do with card suits? Wei Wuxian frowns but he can't seem to figure that out either.
At Sizhui's consoling though, he feels a bit better. Yes, that's the right approach to take and he agrees with it wholeheartedly, no matter how frustrating it might become. ]
You're right, of course. The more knowledge we have, the better equipped we are to deal with such a strange place. Ahh I really hope I'm not here for too long. Though it'd be nice to take my memories back of this place, I'd love to go home and see if I can make something like this "watch".
[maybe that was a silly thing to mention? sizhui's head inclines with embarrassment, both hands lowering to lace together across his lap as the tips of his ears pinken. what would a shovel have to do with card suits? it's the only thought in his mind too, at least for now.]
Yes... but perhaps that doesn't make sense. Surely it has nothing to do with the card suits, it's just the shape.
[he perks back up pretty quickly though whenever wei wuxian agrees with him, lifting his head again and smiling faintly. it's true, they really shouldn't just go blindly into things, and if sizhui has anything to say about it, they won't be ill-equipped for long.]
I hope you aren't here long, either. I also hope to return home with my memories as well, especially because I'd like to see how you would recreate such an item. It's an interesting piece of equipment that could be quite useful for a lot of things. Did you know you can communicate with people through it?
[ If Wei Wuxian knew his idle comment made Sizhui feel a bit insecure, he would immediately be working to fix it. As it is, he's still trying to puzzle this out and honestly, spades being related to shovels makes as much sense as them not being related to shovels. ]
Still, a good thing to keep in mind as we try and understand it.
[ But right, down to the business of this very interesting thing called a watch. Wei Wuxian listens to Sizhui's reply and lights up a little at that last part. ]
You can? [ He was just thinking of telling the time and the other features on it. But this...! ] I suppose I haven't had anyone to talk to yet, so I didn't notice. Is it just one person to another person? Sort of like a messenger spell.
[ Though that's a little less robust than this watch, isn't it? It's not as instantaneous and to send a message back you have to cast another spell. He's seen Lan Xichen send messages to Lan Wangji but hasn't really used it much himself. ]
i am so sorry for the wait..... it's been a long week 😔
[it's okay, sizhui would prefer that wei wuxian not notice because he doesn't want to make him feel bad in return. at least wei wuxian's next comment has him relaxing again a bit, his head nodding in agreement.
as for the watch... sizhui's still learning new things about it every day, but one of the first things he figured out was how to message another person directly. so, with determination in his expression, he draws his arm around and holds out the watch, poking at it for a couple of seconds before an empty message opens up for him to type into.]
You can do it that way but there is also a way to address everyone on the network, which is . . . a bit difficult to explain? Though it's where people go to talk to each other, whether they're asking for advice or something else.
Here, [and he motions toward his watch first then he starts typing:]Hello, Xian-gege! This is me typing something random for a demonstration. :)
[ Wei Wuxian watches as Sizhui fiddles around with his watch, pulling up the screen to type and typing out a message for him. Ah! That's really interesting and probably good for someone like him who has horrendous handwriting. It's all already pre-written for you and you just have to... put it together! Interesting, interesting. ]
That's incredibly useful! Being able to connect one on one at any given time and send messages... I like that a lot.
[ And then this network. Hm, he has to figure out what that means. ]
How common is this? Was there something like this in your previous worlds too?
[of all the devices that sizhui has used throughout the years, the watch has to be the easiest to learn; smartphones were interesting but the dtfs back in amani could sometimes be handfuls, given they were sort of like living creatures— which he'll explain here in just a moment out loud too, given wei wuxian's question.]
Me too! It's very handy, especially when you want to contact someone without having to go searching for them.
[he nods with affirmation.] There was a network in every world I visited, all used for the same thing: connecting with people and gathering information. It was also very simple in, like, if you were bored? There was always something to entertain you.
However, the devices have all varied. Back on Amani, I had something called a DTF, which was a sort of living technical thing that took the form of an animal.
[ That, of course, gives him pause. It took the form of an animal but it could... send messages and do all the same things that the watch can do? But that seems so ... excessive. That poor animal!
So, there's a furrow to his brow and clear confusion on his face as he asks his next question. ]
[it really was confusing, especially because they weren't considered actual animals, but they still looked that way! what was even more confusing than that? the fact they could change into something smartphone-shaped while still maintaining some animal features.
sizhui grins, unable to help himself.] You'd think I would get something like a rabbit, right? No, I had a white snake that had little horns on its head. She was really cute for a snake.
[ He looks surprised at the reveal of what animal Sizhui got. A snake? It makes him think of zidian immediately, which makes him think of Jiang Cheng, which makes him sad. But he doesn't say anything about that, just puts on a laugh and smiles instead. ]
A snake, huh? That's definitely unexpected. I'm trying to imagine it a little though and it seems... like it would hurt the snake?
[ That sounds. Bad. But maybe not, maybe it's like zidian even more and being a whip doesn't hurt it because it's a weapon first, rather than a real snake. ]
[oh no, it's a good thing wei wuxian plays it off or else sizhui would've felt so bad about making him sad. as it stands, wei wuxian laughs and sizhui full-on grins, looking mighty proud of himself for eliciting a response like that.]
Right? And you would think, but the creature could shapeshift without any pain.
[comparing it to zidian isn't a bad idea, really; the dtf was a device or a trinket one could wear before it was an animal and it's not a real creature. it's hard for sizhui to explain because he doesn't have the exact words for it, but he hopes he's explaining it well enough that wei wuxian can understand what he means.]
[ He is! Wei Wuxian is still a little clueless about some modern day things but he can understand magic, at least, and that helps him in putting together a mental image of the DTF. So, he nods at Sizhui's response and considers it a bit. ]
I wonder what mine would be. I still can't imagine it as anything but a rabbit for myself — but maybe a bird too. A crow? Ahhh, do you think they'd give me a crow, A-Yuan?
[ He laughs at the thought and then looks back at the watch on his wrist, fiddling with it for a moment as he considers. ]
... There is a lot to learn now that I'm here, huh? It's been a long time since I've been this challenged.
[perfect! now he won't have to fumble over other words like ‘digital friend’ and such, given wei wuxian seems to understand what he's talking about. he smiles faintly at the thought, wondering exactly what amani would have given his father, but a crow is a pretty good one.]
It could be a rabbit, but a crow would make things interesting. A fox might be a little fitting too. Either way, they seemed to vary between individuals, as I never saw two people with the same thing.
[sizhui glances at his own watch, humming thoughtfully, like he really has to consider what he's going to say, even though he's completely steady when he says,] There is a lot and there will probably be more than just this, but I believe you can learn it all. [because if he can, wei wuxian obviously can, too.]
[ No two people with the same animal... wow, that's got to make for a lot of variety, he thinks! A fox might be fun. He likes foxes, though sometimes they make him a little wary since they're so dog like. But they're still better than actual dogs.
But at Sizhui's words, he looks up at him with actual sincere feeling in his expression, a softness he can't get rid of and a smile full of warmth. He needs to hug this boy, he needs to.
So, he will finally shuffle forward a little, awkwardly, so he can wrap his arms around Sizhui's shoulders and drag him into a hug. Carefully, so they don't bang their head underneath the table. ]
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peacockstop2025-01-15 09:00 pm
no subject
For now, there is the mystery of what Sizhui turns into though, that's something to listen to and take in. The answer about pucas helps because that, he didn't know, but a tiny shape shifting rodent ... well, it might be cute. The dragon is still better though. ]
I'd love to see it.
[ He's excited about the opportunity! But, ah, right. The explanation comes and that really does send Wei Wuxian down the path of "his A-Yuan is having sex, oh" and there is a complicated set of emotions on his face for a moment before he lands on acceptance. Sizhui is old enough, more than old enough now. He accepts it. ]
Right. A form of worship for the gods, that's right out the old stories. I hope it wasn't too... difficult for you.
[ The Lan clan precepts, after all. They have rules around that sort of thing. ]
no subject
the dragon may always be superior, but the puca is adorable because bunny rabbits are too dang cute.]
I'd like it if you could. I think you would find them interesting... and maybe even a little cute.
[so long as they're around each other long enough, there will come a time at the end of the month where wei wuxian can see whatever sizhui becomes that week and hopefully it won't be something more worrying like his nixie or merrow transformations.
he nods for affirmation,] Just like that, yes. [as for the difficulty, well . . . ] It was, at first. It took many months for me to finally accept what we had to do, but I was lucky enough to find someone who was just as new to it as I was, and we were able to learn together.
Fortunately, simple things like hugging and holding hands produced Manna as well, so we could start with very easy things and progress from there. [a beat then,] And it also worked with platonic relationships, too.
no subject
And look, don't get him started on how cute rabbits are. It's a Whole Thing, obviously. ]
I'm sure I'd find it cute, my A-Yuan is the cutest no matter what he looks like.
[ If they weren't under the table, he would pinch his cheek just then. As it is, he just smiles at him.
But then he listens to Sizhui's reply, understanding his experiences a bit better. Alright, that's... good. He's really glad Sizhui had someone to learn from and with. That's what people need. ]
I'm really happy for you. It sounds like you approached a difficult situation with a level head and sensibility. Being able to find someone who you could be comfortable with is really important when it comes to matters like these. Just because it's the will of the gods, doesn't mean you should force yourself into an uncomfortable situation.
[ A pause and — ]
You said three worlds. This world, the first world, what was the second?
no subject
no worries there, he knows all about the rabbits hidden away in the back mountain, so he's well-aware of just how cute they are.]
Aiyahhh, [he sighs, raising a hand to wave back and forth, looking a little flustered by the remark despite the fact there's no cheek-pinching, though his smile doesn't waver in the slightest.
another quick head-bob of agreement then he lowers his hand again, interlocking both of them across his lap for now.]
Thank you, Xian-gege. [yes, he is just dropping that like it's totally normal.] I'm glad I didn't have to force myself into something uncomfortable either, but I'm also happy it happened before anything terrible happened on Noctium. If we didn't participate, we would eventually start turning to stone and that wouldn't have been good, either.
[ah, the second world... he wonders how he should even start with that one.] Amani. It wasn't too different from the first world, intimacy-wise, but the aesthetic was different. It was still full of technology that I didn't understand at first, but slowly became accustomed to. It also had different worlds we could travel to like Hiromitsu, which was a world full of yokai, creatures not unlike some of our world's ghosts, demons, and monsters.
no subject
And then Sizhui goes again and calls him Xian-gege and now Wei Wuxian is the one who is flustered and touched. Ahh!! He's Xian-gege again!! That makes him, honestly, want to cry. But no, he'll power through it and focus. Focus!! ]
Oh, that — hm. [ Turning into stone, huh? ] Sounds bad.
[ But right, the second world. Amani. A world full of technology he he didn't understand? Sounds kind of like Wei Wuxian's current predicament here in the Peacock. Maybe Sizhui will be able to help him learn a bit more about the ways things work here, especially this gadget on his wrist. ]
Amani on the other hand sounds... a bit fun? Learning new technology, traveling to different worlds, it's all interesting. I guess that's the bright side of being taken to these different worlds, you get to see and learn a lot.
no subject
it helps that he gets to fluster wei wuxian a little; the nickname has always been special to them, of course, and any chance sizhui gets to use it, he'll take it.]
Mmhmm. [he nods in agreement, expression briefly looking grim, though it softens again once he remembers that it isn't something he generally has to worry about anymore.
fortunately, he'd be more than happy to help the other man learn about technology, especially since it's something else they could bond over. imagine: him teaching someone like the great yiling laozu . . . if it weren't possible, it'd almost be laughable.]
It was quite fun, especially the world traveling! There were many different places that we could visit, some a little stranger than others, but there wasn't anything wrong with that. I wish you had been there to experience it with me, you would've loved it.
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And the back and forth is nice too. It's strange, being able to be so comfortable with someone he loves so much in a world so brand new and unusual. Like finding a bit of home, in a foreign land. He's grateful for Sizhui's presence.
Being taught technology by Sizhui would be something that Wei Wuxian would gladly brag about as well. Just boast so much — his A-Yuan, teaching him about how phones work! Look at how smart his A-Yuan is! Look at how bright! He loves him sooooo much! So, they'd both have a good time bonding over it. ]
Ha... ha, yeah! I wish I had been there too. [ For so many reasons. First and foremost, to just be there for Sizhui during all this. He needn't have to go through it alone. ] So, in a way, you've been to more than three worlds, but one of them had a bunch of different worlds within it. That's impressive. I wonder if I'm going to end up seeing a bunch of different worlds now that I've ended up here. Ah... but I'd miss everyone so much!
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what a way to embarrass him even more! he would be the ever-humble lan boy and say that he's nothing too special, he's just lucky to already know how a lot of this stuff works, et cetera and so on. he would, however, maybe preen a little about being called bright and smart because he does know he has a good head on his shoulders and has been taught well by those closest to him.]
It's okay, we can start by learning more about this world together. [even if sizhui's already learned some things about the golden peacock that he almost wishes he hadn't. now, though it makes him feel a little bad that wei wuxian has to suffer through it too, they can go through it with each other rather than alone.] In a way, yes, you're right. Who knows? We'll just have to see what it has in store for us and prepare for the worst but hope for the best. [a beat then,] I miss everyone too, but it's nice to see a familiar face here.
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... Though thinking about it now, about Lan Sizhui's adventures... what if that happens to him too? Hm. ]
Yeah, we can!
[ He beams so brightly, so pleased, so happy. Lan Sizhui is definitely one of the few people he'd want to be stuck with in a separate world than their own. Probably his number 2 pick! (Lan Wangji would be his number 1, unsurprisingly.) ]
I'm glad I can be that familiar face. [ Ah, fuck it. He's going in for the hair ruffle! Ruffle, ruffle. ] Oh, help me out with one thing, why don'tcha? What's a "card suit"?
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here's hoping wei wuxian gets his wish though and is only stuck at the golden peacock for a few months rather than longer.
unsurprisingly, sizhui would probably choose lan jingyi as his first and wei wuxian and lan wangji as his second (because he can't and wouldn't choose between them, so they'd somehow have to all be together, clearly).
following the hair ruffling, he laughs softly, raising a hand to muffle the sound and cover his smile out of instinct.] Me too. [as for the card suit, well... he pauses for contemplation, lowers the hand to tap his chin then he explains as best as he can:] I still think it has something to do with groups we've been split up into, but different things happen to people within the suits. If that makes any sense?
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Still, fingers crossed!!
Wei Wuxian wouldn't be surprised at all about Sizhui's picks either. They really are family, huh?
But for now, Wei Wuxian watches him laugh, smiles a bit about it and then listens earnestly to Sizhui's explanation. Alright, huh. ]
And I'm a "wildcard" which means I haven't received one of the card suits yet. I guess I'm stuck on what they mean. I know what a diamond is, though I don't know what it has to do with cards. Hearts, like the heart inside you. The clubs and spades loses me entirely, I've never even seen those symbols before.
[ . . . ]
Bah! If I question every single new thing I see since I've arrived here, I'll never get anything done! I suppose what they are doesn't really matter as much as what they do. If it's just a way to sort us into groups, then so be it.
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and yes, they really are, no one can tell him otherwise.
sizhui moves the hand from his chin to the side of his neck, rubbing it idly while he considers, but he ultimately says,]
I am, too. From what I've gathered, it depends on how we are affected when our suits are “active,” which is different for everyone. I've never seen symbols like the clubs or spades, either. When I think of a spade, I think of a shovel, though. Maybe it's where the symbol came from? [if that's the case, however, what in the world would a shovel have to do with card suits?]
Yes, you will be spending a lot of time questioning things and you won't get far. However, it's good to ask questions, too. We need to figure out what they plan on doing with us, after all, so I see no reason why we shouldn't learn as much as possible about this place.
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A shovel, huh? [ What WOULD a shovel have to do with card suits? Wei Wuxian frowns but he can't seem to figure that out either.
At Sizhui's consoling though, he feels a bit better. Yes, that's the right approach to take and he agrees with it wholeheartedly, no matter how frustrating it might become. ]
You're right, of course. The more knowledge we have, the better equipped we are to deal with such a strange place. Ahh I really hope I'm not here for too long. Though it'd be nice to take my memories back of this place, I'd love to go home and see if I can make something like this "watch".
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Yes... but perhaps that doesn't make sense. Surely it has nothing to do with the card suits, it's just the shape.
[he perks back up pretty quickly though whenever wei wuxian agrees with him, lifting his head again and smiling faintly. it's true, they really shouldn't just go blindly into things, and if sizhui has anything to say about it, they won't be ill-equipped for long.]
I hope you aren't here long, either. I also hope to return home with my memories as well, especially because I'd like to see how you would recreate such an item. It's an interesting piece of equipment that could be quite useful for a lot of things. Did you know you can communicate with people through it?
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Still, a good thing to keep in mind as we try and understand it.
[ But right, down to the business of this very interesting thing called a watch. Wei Wuxian listens to Sizhui's reply and lights up a little at that last part. ]
You can? [ He was just thinking of telling the time and the other features on it. But this...! ] I suppose I haven't had anyone to talk to yet, so I didn't notice. Is it just one person to another person? Sort of like a messenger spell.
[ Though that's a little less robust than this watch, isn't it? It's not as instantaneous and to send a message back you have to cast another spell. He's seen Lan Xichen send messages to Lan Wangji but hasn't really used it much himself. ]
i am so sorry for the wait..... it's been a long week 😔
as for the watch... sizhui's still learning new things about it every day, but one of the first things he figured out was how to message another person directly. so, with determination in his expression, he draws his arm around and holds out the watch, poking at it for a couple of seconds before an empty message opens up for him to type into.]
You can do it that way but there is also a way to address everyone on the network, which is . . . a bit difficult to explain? Though it's where people go to talk to each other, whether they're asking for advice or something else.
Here, [and he motions toward his watch first then he starts typing:] Hello, Xian-gege! This is me typing something random for a demonstration. :)
no apologies necessary!!! take ur time always
That's incredibly useful! Being able to connect one on one at any given time and send messages... I like that a lot.
[ And then this network. Hm, he has to figure out what that means. ]
How common is this? Was there something like this in your previous worlds too?
tysm 😭
Me too! It's very handy, especially when you want to contact someone without having to go searching for them.
[he nods with affirmation.] There was a network in every world I visited, all used for the same thing: connecting with people and gathering information. It was also very simple in, like, if you were bored? There was always something to entertain you.
However, the devices have all varied. Back on Amani, I had something called a DTF, which was a sort of living technical thing that took the form of an animal.
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So, there's a furrow to his brow and clear confusion on his face as he asks his next question. ]
What animal was yours?
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sizhui grins, unable to help himself.] You'd think I would get something like a rabbit, right? No, I had a white snake that had little horns on its head. She was really cute for a snake.
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A snake, huh? That's definitely unexpected. I'm trying to imagine it a little though and it seems... like it would hurt the snake?
[ That sounds. Bad. But maybe not, maybe it's like zidian even more and being a whip doesn't hurt it because it's a weapon first, rather than a real snake. ]
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Right? And you would think, but the creature could shapeshift without any pain.
[comparing it to zidian isn't a bad idea, really; the dtf was a device or a trinket one could wear before it was an animal and it's not a real creature. it's hard for sizhui to explain because he doesn't have the exact words for it, but he hopes he's explaining it well enough that wei wuxian can understand what he means.]
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I wonder what mine would be. I still can't imagine it as anything but a rabbit for myself — but maybe a bird too. A crow? Ahhh, do you think they'd give me a crow, A-Yuan?
[ He laughs at the thought and then looks back at the watch on his wrist, fiddling with it for a moment as he considers. ]
... There is a lot to learn now that I'm here, huh? It's been a long time since I've been this challenged.
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It could be a rabbit, but a crow would make things interesting. A fox might be a little fitting too. Either way, they seemed to vary between individuals, as I never saw two people with the same thing.
[sizhui glances at his own watch, humming thoughtfully, like he really has to consider what he's going to say, even though he's completely steady when he says,] There is a lot and there will probably be more than just this, but I believe you can learn it all. [because if he can, wei wuxian obviously can, too.]
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But at Sizhui's words, he looks up at him with actual sincere feeling in his expression, a softness he can't get rid of and a smile full of warmth. He needs to hug this boy, he needs to.
So, he will finally shuffle forward a little, awkwardly, so he can wrap his arms around Sizhui's shoulders and drag him into a hug. Carefully, so they don't bang their head underneath the table. ]
Thank you, A-Yuan!
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