[ elmott is partially at opening night mostly for the fact that he is ninety-nine percent sure something is going to go wrong somehow and he heard yan qing mentioning it earlier, so he figures he might as well check it out. maybe they'll get hit with angel wings again, or tentacles — self-preservation is at an all time low as it usually is, he may as well go all in. no one really needs to know the actual reason, which is that he likes going to things that yan qing likes and spending time with him. he'd die before he'd say that out loud, though.
anyway, when he gets near the front of the line for a ticket to enter, one of the attendants asks if he's going by himself or with a date. elmott glances around for yan qing, stepping close enough for their shoulders to brush once he spots him. ]
[He doesn't expect it, really. He thought that maybe Elmott was shy, or maybe he could wait inside, or maybe he didn't want to be with him where everyone could see them. And he gets it. Despite how he talks himself up, Yan Qing knows he isn't the best option out there. He also knows that he doesn't have to push for anything Elmott doesn't want to happen. Not now, and not when one wrong move can put Elmott in danger. So Yan Qing doesn't pick him up or wait for him. Maybe museums bore him anyway.
Then their shoulders touch, and it takes Yan Qing a full second to realize what just happened.]
Hahahahaha! [The laughter is way too loud to be natural.] So you came. Yeah, what he said! Uh, I'll pay...
[He fumbles for his device. It takes him a while longer than it usually does. Where'd he put it again? (It's in the back pocket he doesn't check.)]
You think I would've stood you up? [ he laughs quietly, shaking his head. ] I ain't that much of a dick.
[ he probably would have been like that before he started teaching, back when he was still not down with the idea of being associated with anyone this closely, and the thought of being around anyone was the worst sort of obligation. things are different now, and things with yan qing are different now — he thinks, at least. they haven't talked about what they are or where they stand and all the other complicated things that come with it, but at the same time, none of that stuff has really mattered to him anyway. if anything, it's almost a relief that he doesn't have to hide or downplay how he feels anymore.
not that he was ever good at that to begin with. ]
It's fine, [ he says, when yan qing goes to look through his pockets. elmott already has his device out and scans it with the reader, getting both their tickets and a map of the exhibits. the attendant thanks them and ushers them in, moving onto the next couple while he unfolds the map in front of them. ]
[Everything happens faster than Yan Qing can process. Elmott laughs, Elmott pays, Elmott even takes the map for him, and he can't tell if he's excited about the exhibits or their proximity, walking side by side like everyone else who decided to come with their special someone. Not that thinks this is set in stone, but he likes to pretend. He catches himself spacing out for a second before laughing out of nervousness again, and it's weird, he thinks. He's not usually this off guard.]
Mmmm, I can't decide... The archives are huge, and we only got so much time. And I thought you were too cool for museums. Guess you're stuck with a nerd like me!
[And he's glad Elmott is. Yan Qing has to remind himself he's just used to acting alone, but he can't help beaming the entire time. No playful smirks, just genuine smiles as he looks over the map and the exhibits.]
Since we're here, we should see that statue first, right? [He leans in to point to an exhibit not too far from the entrance.] The Legend of the Fisherman's Wife. That's the whole reason Coiled Hearts is a thing in the first place. It's a story about star-crossed lovers, that sorta thing.
I could say the same about you. I thought you were too cool for this stuff.
[ yan qing's seen him nut out over fire and magic before, he's the true nerd in this relationship. but it's not often that he actually talks about the things he likes or is interested in, and while elmott has never expected him to, there's something nice about seeing yan qing's face light up like that. ]
That's the one about the husband who still loved his wife even though she became half-octopus, right? [ it's romantic for sure, the kind of thing ladiva would eat right up. he heads in that direction, following the small crowd of people who also want to get their first look at it. ] Guess that's why it's the main event.
Yeah. The wife was a strong warrior, and she was really beautiful too! And she'd get really flustered when she's get compliments but she secretly liked 'em a lot. [...Nevermind, the smirk is back again, and his attention is completely on Elmott.] Just like someone I know!
[Yan Qing will let Elmott hit him, it's fine. He can barely feel his punches anyway, but it's fine. He laughs and shrugs it off.]
What can I say? I'm a man of mystery! Learning your history's important, El. Literature, too. Especially literature!
Shut up. [ he doesn't, in fact, hit him — they're in public and elmott is actually trying to be civilized for once. but he does get flustered as yan qing says, the familiar flush of red on his cheeks as he digs his hands in his pockets, slouching a little more as if he could unconsciously hide in his jacket. ] Maybe she just wasn't used to it. Nothing wrong with that.
[ hate that it's been only five minutes and he's already getting called out. ]
I didn't take you for the wordy type. [ literature isn't his strong suit; he was always too invested in the technical application of magic and science. as with all things, precision is necessary: one misstep in formation or incantation could be a fatal mistake. history can be rewritten, forgotten and lost over time, but there is safety in practicality, a reliability in his spells that he can always find where words have failed him. ] But, I can see that.
[ yan qing can spin tales as easily and quickly as he can start a fire, like second nature. there's a part of him that always admired that, as much as he knows the trouble he could find himself in. the trouble that he has already found himself in. ]
[ She wasn't used to it? That's something they can both relate to. Yan Qing looks forward, but his gaze seems to reach beyond their destination as he walks up the stairs and works up the courage to speak. ]
My master would read me stories when I was a kid. I lost my parents before I could remember 'em, so when my master took me in... [ he showed him a kindness he didn't deserve. And then he wasted it.
Away from Elmott's line of sight, Yan Qing furrows his brows. The next time Elmott sees his face, he is wearing the same bright smile. It's the first time he's ever told that to anyone, but it seems he's not ready for some things just yet. ]
Anyway, stories are important. Just as important as knowing how to cast a spell! Sure, they can't protect ya — Well, I guess in some cases, they can. But something about 'em makes you feel like you're not alone, and... I dunno, they give you hope, I guess? Haha, I hope they do!
[ why is he unsure...
A more erudite Heroic Spirit would say they were a testament of humanity's persistence. He doesn't know how to explain that, but it doesn't seem too important now. They're not the same as the ones he can say from the heart. ]
What genres do you like? Me, I like action! And romance.
Edited (adds a small thing) 2020-02-26 02:09 (UTC)
[ it's a rare moment when yan qing talks about his past, unprompted as it is. elmott wasn't expecting it, and while he doesn't think it's a particularly happy memory, he's grateful to hear it anyway. he's never pushed yan qing to share anything about himself or his life before lunatia, but it feels nice, in a way. like the first time tsubasa and the others opened up to him, when he finally felt like they were getting somewhere in understanding each other. like he's been given something special, a tentative step in bridging the gap between them. ]
Yeah. [ something in his expression softens beneath the warm lighting of the museum. ] I get you.
[ he may not have had a master who read him stories as a child, nor did he have parents who would have done the same. but he's seen the way their faces would light up whenever suframare or ladiva tells the kids in the crew stories, whether they were real or simply something they made up on the spot. in those moments, they forget what it's like to feel lonely. ]
Action and romance, huh. [ he should've expected that. as for him— ] Been a while since I picked up a book just for fun. Guess if I had to choose... probably science fiction, or somethin'.
Heheh, I shoulda guessed! You always had a good head on your shoulders.
[Elmott's aptitude for magic required both talent and a open mind. He wasn't the sort of callous, by-the-book mage others from Yan Qing's world tended to be; he was a man who understood the potential of things. He used his flames in ways thought impossible. He moved others with words that could spark a fire and cause a chain reaction, from the movement of feet to the beating of hearts. Yan Qing knows nothing about chemistry and states of matter, but he knows how heat can change soften what was once solid.
... Don't get carried away, don't get carried away. He's not about to jump from ice to condensation on aquarium walls while thinking about a fleeting fondness. Elmott's here now, he beams back at him.]
I'll lend you some books next time! You don't gotta read 'em right away... but you gotta read my favorite to the end.
I'm not a kid, oi. [ he grumbles, but keeps his voice down, because they're still in a museum and he's trying to be respectful. he even showered and wore something halfway decent before coming out today. progress. ] I can read the whole damn thing without you needing to give me a reward.
[ he's wondering what kind of book is yq's favorite though. a small part of him expects yan qing to give him some kind of trashy romance novel to read just to make fun of him, but maybe not. yan qing can be as unpredictable as his own flames can be at times, burning too hot and too bright for him to regulate. perhaps it's not so much that he has an open mind, but that he just has poor self-preservation and lacks a healthy fear of dying. but that's par for the course when you consign yourself to a life of playing with fire. ]
I'd say I'd trust your taste, but... [ he snorts a little; yan qing did stay the night with him, didn't he? that's a pretty sure sign of shit taste, if you ask him. ] Well, I'll look forward to it.
[ but before that, they're at the main event, already packed with everyone else crowding around the statute and taking pictures. it's hard to get closer until the crowd clears, but elmott is fine with hanging back for now, looking to yan qing to see what he wants to do first. he's not really in a hurry anyway. ]
[Elmott is absolutely right to trust his taste. When has he ever said anything doubtful? Many times, yes, but they don't matter as long as he's keeping him safe, right? He doesn't mean to be sappy. It's just that the things that matter to him are far and few.
...It might be something he needs to work on. There's a reason he didn't think he was good enough for Elmott to begin with.
For now, they view the statue. Reminiscent of classic Greek icons of ancient times, he thinks the excitable Ritsuka and the bookish Mash would come to appreciate the legend carved in marble, too. That is marble, right? He's a bit disappointed, but not because of the statue's material. He squints.]
Damn, it's cool, but I wanna get a closer look at it... Let's kill time and wait until the crowds are gone. C'mon!
[Without waiting for an answer, he takes Elmott by the hand and starts dragging him to the next exhibit.]
[ yan qing already has him by the hand before elmott can even respond, managing to avoid stumbling as he gets his footing. the next exhibit is filled with large tapestries of beasts and legendary battles, and elmott finds himself staring at one of them that almost reminds him of bahamut if he squints enough. that can't be it, though. one primordial dragon is enough of a handful already.
this room is at least relatively empty, but that may be due to its proximity to the hall of lovers that he keeps hearing people whispering about. he also hasn't let go of yan qing's hand as he takes a closer look at another tapestry, being careful not to touch anything. ]
Just as Elmott moves on to the next artifact, Yan Qing meets him halfway. It seems he wants to linger around the dragon tapestry a while longer, because he keeps Elmott there as he examines it.]
You said you were from Phantagrande, yeah? Did that place have dragons like this one, too?
[ it takes effort to push down the involuntary urge to stiffen up when yan qing gets closer without him realizing it. but he doesn't pull away, eyes still trained on the tapestry in front of them. ]
I wouldn't say I like it. It just reminded me of somethin'. [ he stuffs his hands in his jacket pockets, bringing yan qing's hand with his. ] Yeah, kind of. They come in all kinds of sizes.
[ there's bahamut and then there's vyrn. jury's still out whether or not he's actually a lizard. ]
[ He's a little giddy that Elmott's been taking the lead more, and it makes him bubble with laughter. Elmott's holding his hand! Which should only be natural at this point, but he remembers when the guy couldn't even look him in the eye. This much is something to celebrate. ]
Any of 'em Yan Qing-sized? I can be a dragon too. Roar!
[ He tiptoes, leans in, and pretends to bite Elmott's neck. But Elmott holding his hand puts Yan Qing in an awkward position, so he ends up stumbling into him. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feb. event
anyway, when he gets near the front of the line for a ticket to enter, one of the attendants asks if he's going by himself or with a date. elmott glances around for yan qing, stepping close enough for their shoulders to brush once he spots him. ]
I'm with him.
no subject
Then their shoulders touch, and it takes Yan Qing a full second to realize what just happened.]
Hahahahaha! [The laughter is way too loud to be natural.] So you came. Yeah, what he said! Uh, I'll pay...
[He fumbles for his device. It takes him a while longer than it usually does. Where'd he put it again? (It's in the back pocket he doesn't check.)]
no subject
[ he probably would have been like that before he started teaching, back when he was still not down with the idea of being associated with anyone this closely, and the thought of being around anyone was the worst sort of obligation. things are different now, and things with yan qing are different now — he thinks, at least. they haven't talked about what they are or where they stand and all the other complicated things that come with it, but at the same time, none of that stuff has really mattered to him anyway. if anything, it's almost a relief that he doesn't have to hide or downplay how he feels anymore.
not that he was ever good at that to begin with. ]
It's fine, [ he says, when yan qing goes to look through his pockets. elmott already has his device out and scans it with the reader, getting both their tickets and a map of the exhibits. the attendant thanks them and ushers them in, moving onto the next couple while he unfolds the map in front of them. ]
There anything you wanna see first?
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Mmmm, I can't decide... The archives are huge, and we only got so much time. And I thought you were too cool for museums. Guess you're stuck with a nerd like me!
[And he's glad Elmott is. Yan Qing has to remind himself he's just used to acting alone, but he can't help beaming the entire time. No playful smirks, just genuine smiles as he looks over the map and the exhibits.]
Since we're here, we should see that statue first, right? [He leans in to point to an exhibit not too far from the entrance.] The Legend of the Fisherman's Wife. That's the whole reason Coiled Hearts is a thing in the first place. It's a story about star-crossed lovers, that sorta thing.
no subject
[ yan qing's seen him nut out over fire and magic before, he's the true nerd in this relationship. but it's not often that he actually talks about the things he likes or is interested in, and while elmott has never expected him to, there's something nice about seeing yan qing's face light up like that. ]
That's the one about the husband who still loved his wife even though she became half-octopus, right? [ it's romantic for sure, the kind of thing ladiva would eat right up. he heads in that direction, following the small crowd of people who also want to get their first look at it. ] Guess that's why it's the main event.
no subject
[Yan Qing will let Elmott hit him, it's fine. He can barely feel his punches anyway, but it's fine. He laughs and shrugs it off.]
What can I say? I'm a man of mystery! Learning your history's important, El. Literature, too. Especially literature!
no subject
[ hate that it's been only five minutes and he's already getting called out. ]
I didn't take you for the wordy type. [ literature isn't his strong suit; he was always too invested in the technical application of magic and science. as with all things, precision is necessary: one misstep in formation or incantation could be a fatal mistake. history can be rewritten, forgotten and lost over time, but there is safety in practicality, a reliability in his spells that he can always find where words have failed him. ] But, I can see that.
[ yan qing can spin tales as easily and quickly as he can start a fire, like second nature. there's a part of him that always admired that, as much as he knows the trouble he could find himself in. the trouble that he has already found himself in. ]
no subject
My master would read me stories when I was a kid. I lost my parents before I could remember 'em, so when my master took me in... [ he showed him a kindness he didn't deserve. And then he wasted it.
Away from Elmott's line of sight, Yan Qing furrows his brows. The next time Elmott sees his face, he is wearing the same bright smile. It's the first time he's ever told that to anyone, but it seems he's not ready for some things just yet. ]
Anyway, stories are important. Just as important as knowing how to cast a spell! Sure, they can't protect ya — Well, I guess in some cases, they can. But something about 'em makes you feel like you're not alone, and... I dunno, they give you hope, I guess? Haha, I hope they do!
[ why is he unsure...
A more erudite Heroic Spirit would say they were a testament of humanity's persistence. He doesn't know how to explain that, but it doesn't seem too important now. They're not the same as the ones he can say from the heart. ]
What genres do you like? Me, I like action! And romance.
no subject
Yeah. [ something in his expression softens beneath the warm lighting of the museum. ] I get you.
[ he may not have had a master who read him stories as a child, nor did he have parents who would have done the same. but he's seen the way their faces would light up whenever suframare or ladiva tells the kids in the crew stories, whether they were real or simply something they made up on the spot. in those moments, they forget what it's like to feel lonely. ]
Action and romance, huh. [ he should've expected that. as for him— ] Been a while since I picked up a book just for fun. Guess if I had to choose... probably science fiction, or somethin'.
no subject
[Elmott's aptitude for magic required both talent and a open mind. He wasn't the sort of callous, by-the-book mage others from Yan Qing's world tended to be; he was a man who understood the potential of things. He used his flames in ways thought impossible. He moved others with words that could spark a fire and cause a chain reaction, from the movement of feet to the beating of hearts. Yan Qing knows nothing about chemistry and states of matter, but he knows how heat can change soften what was once solid.
... Don't get carried away, don't get carried away. He's not about to jump from ice to condensation on aquarium walls while thinking about a fleeting fondness. Elmott's here now, he beams back at him.]
I'll lend you some books next time! You don't gotta read 'em right away... but you gotta read my favorite to the end.
If you do that, I'll give you something nice!
no subject
[ he's wondering what kind of book is yq's favorite though. a small part of him expects yan qing to give him some kind of trashy romance novel to read just to make fun of him, but maybe not. yan qing can be as unpredictable as his own flames can be at times, burning too hot and too bright for him to regulate. perhaps it's not so much that he has an open mind, but that he just has poor self-preservation and lacks a healthy fear of dying. but that's par for the course when you consign yourself to a life of playing with fire. ]
I'd say I'd trust your taste, but... [ he snorts a little; yan qing did stay the night with him, didn't he? that's a pretty sure sign of shit taste, if you ask him. ] Well, I'll look forward to it.
[ but before that, they're at the main event, already packed with everyone else crowding around the statute and taking pictures. it's hard to get closer until the crowd clears, but elmott is fine with hanging back for now, looking to yan qing to see what he wants to do first. he's not really in a hurry anyway. ]
no subject
...It might be something he needs to work on. There's a reason he didn't think he was good enough for Elmott to begin with.
For now, they view the statue. Reminiscent of classic Greek icons of ancient times, he thinks the excitable Ritsuka and the bookish Mash would come to appreciate the legend carved in marble, too. That is marble, right? He's a bit disappointed, but not because of the statue's material. He squints.]
Damn, it's cool, but I wanna get a closer look at it... Let's kill time and wait until the crowds are gone. C'mon!
[Without waiting for an answer, he takes Elmott by the hand and starts dragging him to the next exhibit.]
no subject
this room is at least relatively empty, but that may be due to its proximity to the hall of lovers that he keeps hearing people whispering about. he also hasn't let go of yan qing's hand as he takes a closer look at another tapestry, being careful not to touch anything. ]
no subject
[His voice is a little too close for comfort.
Just as Elmott moves on to the next artifact, Yan Qing meets him halfway. It seems he wants to linger around the dragon tapestry a while longer, because he keeps Elmott there as he examines it.]
You said you were from Phantagrande, yeah? Did that place have dragons like this one, too?
no subject
I wouldn't say I like it. It just reminded me of somethin'. [ he stuffs his hands in his jacket pockets, bringing yan qing's hand with his. ] Yeah, kind of. They come in all kinds of sizes.
[ there's bahamut and then there's vyrn. jury's still out whether or not he's actually a lizard. ]
no subject
Any of 'em Yan Qing-sized? I can be a dragon too. Roar!
[ He tiptoes, leans in, and pretends to bite Elmott's neck. But Elmott holding his hand puts Yan Qing in an awkward position, so he ends up stumbling into him. ]