stellafortunalogs | august mingle

august mingle

August Mingle
Welcome to Teyvat - a vast magical world of adventure.
Happy new year....! In Teyvat, that is. It is now January ingame, and Liyue's people go about their disaster recovery efforts with more vigour than before. After all, Liyue's biggest festival is slated to occur in the latter half of the month - the Lantern Rite!

The Rite of Parting - Rex Lapis' funeral - passes without much incident, and Liyue collectively breathes a sigh of relief. With the Fatui being chased out of the yard, it seems that peace will finally return to the harbour city as they rebuild from the storm. You'll also get to watch three million Mora's worth of incense go up in smoke, so there's that.

Eager to focus on the future, Liyue folk have begun discussing the upcoming festival. The Lantern Rite commemorates hope for a new beginning and continued prosperity, and the construction of the festival centerpiece is currently underway. This year's Mingxiao Lantern will soar into the sky amidst thousands of smaller lanterns, and it will take the shape of a fallen Adeptus to commemorate the Adepti's contribution to Liyue's lasting peace.

Unfortunately, you're not quite out of the frying pan yet. With the Fatui gone from Liyue, the Ministry of Civil Affairs turn their attention to solving another issue that has cropped up after Osial's revival and subsequent defeat. Quite a few miners have gone missing from the Chasm, and the likelihood of finding them will only grow slimmer as the days go by. Both the Millelith and the Adventurers' Guild have pitched in to search for the kidnapped people. All clues lead to Nantianmen - and it's just your luck that Geovishaps and their hatchlings have come out of hibernation at around the same time. These lizard-like beings have shells of solid rock, and they seem especially agitated at having their territory invaded. Solving the mystery of the missing miners will take more than just a day's work.

State of the World

With the Lantern Rite set to open on January 21st, all of Liyue have come to visit the harbour to set up their stalls and pitch in to craft the Mingxiao Lantern. Hopefully the miners are found before the festival begins - the Lantern Rite is a festival of reunions, after all. Not to mention the Geovishaps' increased activity will inadvertently lead to them burrowing around in the rocky mountains. There's a small, but non-zero chance of them hitting an ancient seal somewhere and unleashing a buried threat.

Unless... that was their intention all along?

Please direct all questions to August's OOC post!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Crow had just started chatting someone up when he hears that voice— Rean's voice, but decidedly more sane and less buried in a thousand or more layers of ancient curse than the last time he'd heard it. He looks up and over, but all he sees is the flash of a white coat and sharp black hair. (Black, he notices, and not shock white. Another difference.)

It's enough.

He hastily apologizes to whoever he was talking to before considering how to catch up. There's too many people around, so he knows what he has to do. He veers off sharply towards one of the buildings, climbing up the stairs and then onto the rooftop so he can get a better view.

There.

It's clear Rean's trying to make some kind of swift exit and isn't that just the rudest thing? He's not used to being the one chasing Rean but Crow will make an exception just this once, jumping from one building to the other before he finds the perfect time to land right in front of Rean. ]

Y'know Rean, if you wanted to say "hi" you should've gone the opposite direction. But if you're very nice about it, I'll accept your apology just this once..

[Listen, Crow. If you thought you were seeing ghosts, would you head toward it?

But Rean can't very well ignore it when the "ghost" drops down in front of him. He gasps and stumbles back, his eyes going wide as dinner plates. His normal, purplish eyes with white sclera, and not demonic black and red-gold.

He still can't believe what he's seeing. That this is real, that he hasn't lost what few marbles he had left. And yet, he can't stop himself, with Crow this close. His expression immediately shifts, combining with his voice to be practically pleading as he reaches out.]

Crow... [And his voice all but breaks, just saying his name,] is it really you...? But how? I... I know what I saw. You're...

[...He's still not strong enough to say it aloud.]

[ He's not going to reach out to meet Rean halfway but he won't pull away either if he actually tries to touch him. ]

Dead? Yeah, that happened.

[ It's not that Crow isn't curious why it is Rean's back to normal, but on the other hand he's not going to complain if he doesn't remember that really embarrassing Siegfried period. No one needs to remember that. ]

Heh. What can I say? I missed you so much I couldn't stay away.

[ It's not even remotely an answer, but it's much easier to make some outrageously flirtatious comment that Rean will misconstrue entirely than it is to talk about what happened. ]

[Rean's hand doesn't make it, it kind of drops uselessly before going too far. And that's before Crow just... does this.]

How can you just say that so... so casually?!

[Oh, Crow. He has missed so, so many things about you... but this aspect was not one of them. Honestly, Rean was so busy grieving all of those parts that he kind of forgot how much and how easily Crow can drive him up a freaking wall.]

How are you even here, then?! We both know dead people don't just spring up walking and talking like nothing even happened! I...

[He's frustrated and confused and a mess of a million other feelings he can't possibly name right now. It's just like Crow to be making jokes over something so serious.

And yet.

Rean's body moves before his brain can catch up, but by the time it does, he wouldn't have wanted to stop himself anyway. He moves forward, throwing his arms around Crow and pulling him close — tightly, desperately. He needs that touch, both to confirm that this is really happening, and... well.

He needs Crow. Maybe Crow doesn't understand that, but Rean can't deny the reality he's had to live every day up until now.]

Do you have any idea how badly I've missed you...?

[Any rush of anger he had in his questions before has faded, leaving his voice with only the shaking that usually indicates oncoming tears.]

[ Crow's arms hang uselessly at his sides for a moment, even as Rean wraps him up into that hug. It's a warm gesture, tender and altogether unfamiliar in the last few years of his life. It's a lot easier to be flippant when Rean isn't clinging to him for dear life, the threat of tears looming. Crow isn't much of a crier himself but his face softens into something a lot gentler than he would have permitted himself if Rean could still see it. ]

Tch.... honestly, Rean... you're so soft.

[ He will eventually, at long last return the hug. It's a good deal stiffer and more awkward than what Rean is probably used to from his friends, but it's as real as Crow is. ]

I know. But I'm here now.

[Rean's quiet for a long moment, just trying to steady his breathing. He can't break down crying, not here.

Rean's always worn his heart on his sleeve, but that doesn't mean that he likes having other people see his pain so clearly laid out. And even if this is Crow, even if this is his best-friend-turned-enemy-slash-rival, there are still some things he'd like to keep to himself, even if he can't necessarily hide them. Tears are very much one of those things.

After that moment though, he laughs. It's soft, a bit weak, but it's still a laugh.]

Yeah. I know.

What else are you gonna call me? Spoiled? Because I've heard that one before, too—

[But then Crow is hugging him back, and even if it's a bit stiff compared to, say, Elliot, the master of hugging, it's still enough to drown any further comeback down to a mere little "mm" as he practically melts.

...Yeah, he's needed this.

He lets himself soak in that for a second longer, before pulling away. His eyes are still a little glassy, but it's nothing he can't bite back.]

...I'm still not sure I'm not hallucinating, honestly. But... if you're here...

There's a lot you and I should probably talk about. [He manages a small smile.] I have a million questions and you're not slipping away from me before I manage to get you to answer at least some.

[ By the time Rean pulls back, Crow's schooled his face back into something more neutral. It's too bad, Rean gets to miss Crow's own soft moment. ]

You're not hallucinating. I promise.

[ He nods once, briefly. He's got his own smile, amused and self-assured in equal measures. ]

And yeah, I figured you'd have a few of those. I'll even answer a few of 'em for you, no effort required.

[It's fine. If Rean has anything to say about it, he'll be pulling more of those soft boy faces out of Crow, even if he doesn't quite realize that's what he's setting out to do.]

Says the potential hallucination. But... I trust you.

[Because of course he does. He always has.]

...Come on. There's a quiet area just outside the city. I think it'll probably be better if we have a bit of privacy.

[ Of course he does. Rean has terrible taste.... but Crow isn't complaining. Yet. ]

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Let's go.

[ It also gives him more of an idea of the lay of the land, an unintentional extra bonus! ]

[It's worked out for him so far.

Rean nods, then turns to lead the way. He's still keeping his gaze on Crow until he starts following, though, and even then, Rean can't help but keep looking back to check every so often just to make sure.

How is it that he's leading the two of them and yet still feels like a little lost puppy?

Regardless, eventually the two of them make it through the crowds, out over a bridge out of Liyue, and up to a small outcropping of rocks that provide a nice view of the city. Rean climbs up, then sits on the edge and lets his feet dangle, looking up to Crow and waiting for him to follow suit.]

[ Crow is keeping a close eye on both Rean and the path out of town as they move along. When they finally arrive at their destination he stands for a moment, just taking in the view. ]

...It's a beautiful view.

[ After another moment of basking, he moves to sit down next to Rean. He glances over at Rean— he'll leave it to him to start with the questions. ]

Yeah. I've been out here a few times after taking commissions. It's a great spot to stop and think.

[Which can sometimes be a bit dangerous for someone like Rean, who can so easily get too into his own head, but he sounds mostly fond.

Once Crow's sitting, he takes a moment, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before starting.]

I guess I should probably start by asking... what month is it, where you are? Or, I guess, where you were, since time's a little different here.

[ He can't help but tease Rean about that, at least a little. ]

You sure you need to get stuck inside your own head?

[ But as for the first question.... that's an interesting place to start, but he's talked to Elliot by now so he knows there's some kind of weird timeline shenanigans going on here so he's at least not as thrown off as he might have been otherwise. ]

....August. Early August 1206, just so we're on the same page.

[Fair enough. Rean even gives a half-laugh at that.]

No. But I've been more or less okay here. [He hesitates, briefly, unsure of how much he should say.] ...Elliot is here, too. It helps to have that kind of support.

[Yeah, just gonna... save the boyfriend reveal until later, he thinks. Not because he thinks it's something to hide, but because if he knows Crow, that will completely derail this conversation and he will never get any answers.]

So you're from the future, where I'm concerned. [He sighs.] Lovely.

I guess that... kind of explains why I. You know. Was pretty sure I was never going to be able to talk to you like this again.

[His voice shakes a little on those last few words, and he swallows to steady himself.]

I would hope that after everything, you wouldn't be avoiding us if you had the option, anyway.

All right, then. I think we both know my main question is: how on earth am I even talking to you right now?

[ Crow Already Knows™, but if Rean had brought it up he'd be absolutely correct— it would have derailed everything entirely and he'd get nothing answered. ]

Believe me, if I'd had the option any sooner I would've said something.

[ They'd beaten him fair and square in the Infernal Castle, he owed them at least that much. ]

As for how... first of all, let me say upfront that I had no idea this was an option. But... it turns out that for Awakeners, dying isn't necessarily permanent. Sort of. I was able to be brought back because of my connection with Ordine as a sort of... Immortal. As long as Ordine has the mana for it, I can keep existing— even if that's technically an impossible existence.

[Rean is not aware that Crow is aware, but he can feel the countdown to bullying ticking. The clock is running in his soul.

He gives a sigh and a soft smile at the confirmation that Crow isn't — wasn't? This time thing is so complicated — avoiding him anymore. He didn't really have any doubts that would be the answer, but he's spent so long chasing Crow's shadow up until this point that he's pretty glad to hear he hopefully won't have to do that anymore.]

...Listen. I know you can be... let's just go with difficult at times, [read: you're an asshole, Crow, and Rean knows it,] but I wouldn't have thought for a second that if you knew you'd be back, you would have let all of us cry like that.

You can tease me for being soft all you want, but I know you. And you're soft enough to not want that for us if you didn't absolutely think it was over.

[But there's the rest of that to contend with, and Rean's hint of a smile is quick to fade. He's looking out at the city, not able to look at Crow as he continues.]

...So this little reunion of ours is just temporary, then, is what you're trying to tell me.

[Rean is ever Rean, and there's a part of him that wants to argue for hope's sake, but...

Well, a lot of that's been beaten out of even him at this point. Even he sounds resigned to it.]

I guess we should just... make the most of what we have, then. [His hands are tense against the rock, betraying his feelings, but he tries to keep his voice level.] I can't say I want to accept that I have to let you go again. But... if I have no choice... I at least want to be able to make up for a little lost time. Have some of the closure we didn't get before.

Mmm. It's a waste of a perfectly good dramatic death speech is what it is! I would've gone for more of the "I'll see you around" angle. Way more interesting and leads to more intrigue and excitement.

[ So it's totally not about being soft! ]

But... yeah, it's temporary.

[ He knows what Elliot said before about him still being alive, but he just can't make it make sense in his head. And he doesn't want to give Rean any unrealistic hopes, not when he can't really accept it himself. Crow has always been a cynic at heart, and he's known since he was a teenager that one way or another, he wouldn't make it even as far as into his mid-twenties.

It's just how it goes. ]

I wouldn't mind a little extra time to hang out with you guys before I go. Seems like I still owe you after everything that went down at the Infernal Castle. And I believe I still owe someone some interest.

Edited 2021-08-18 03:58 (UTC)

Tch. Of course you'd look at it that way...

[Oh, Crow. Never change.

Okay, no, maybe change the part of you that's convinced that you have no hope for anything ever. That change would be good. But the dramatics, those can stay.]

Don't talk about it as "owing," though. I know there's always been some weird power stuff between us, between you being older and then more experienced and everything, but...

I don't know about you, but I don't want any of that stuff anymore. I just want to be your friend. Talk to you about stupid things, play cards, fight alongside each other like we used to. [A slight pause, before offering a mischievous little smile, like he's saying something he shouldn't.] Maybe go get some drinks, now that we're of age.

[Is Crow of age? ...Eh, to hell with it, this time stuff is bad enough without questioning zombie ages.]

...The interest, though, that's still in effect.

[ Crow refuses to think about the logistics: He's older in EXPERIENCE and that's what counts. ]

Still can't get out of that interest, huh?

[ He grins and winks. ]

Alright, alright. You'll get your interest. Someday. And as for the rest of it.... you've got yourself a deal.

[ No promises on ditching the fatalism, though. ]

[Crow is senpai forever and Rean really doesn't want to think past that. It makes the vast expanse of nothing between his ears hurt.]

Haha, nope. [Rean gives his own grin in return.] If I'm calculating correctly, I think you'll be paying that off well into our next lifetimes. So I'll be waiting for "someday~"

[Which is to say: Even when this bonus time is over, Crow isn't safe. Rean will reincarnate someday and hunt this dumb bird down.]

I swear I had more questions, but everything's honestly so scrambled right now I honestly can't think of anything. So I guess you get off with that, for now.

[He laughs despite himself, but then raises a fist to offer towards Crow, for bumping.]

Welcome home, partner. I'm glad to have you back, at least for now.

[ Crow's fist easily meets up with Rean's for that bump. ]

It's good to be back. Even if I can't get you all that interest yet, there's still plenty of things I wanna get into with you before overtime's up. Not the least of which is getting those drinks.

[ As for their next lifetimes.... well, that's a problem for future Crow isn't it?

He doesn't think he minds that. ]

I'll give you another shot at those questions if you ever remember 'em.

Haha, well. You caught me off-guard in the middle of some grocery shopping, and I still need to actually eat dinner so I'm not down in one drink.

[If you're a lightweight and you know it clap your hands—]

But after that, I think tonight's wide open, if you're in.

[It's so easy to slip back into things with Crow, and Rean loves it.

It's nice not feeling like there's a gaping hole where the other half of his metaphorical coin should be.]

[ It's a good thing Rean didn't make that coin comment out loud because even if it's true, Crow would never let him live it down. ]

Is that the sound of a lightweight I hear~?

[ He laughs lightly, shaking his head. ]

Alright, alright. After you've had something to eat, then.

[Absolutely not. And that's why Rean keeps his corniest thoughts about Crow bottled up to be released never, except maybe in the heat of a particularly gay robot fight.]

It's the sound of someone who just turned 20! Give me a break!

[Rean laughs.]

You, too. Elliot and I are no Sharon, but it's been too long since we ate as a group, don't you think?

To be fair, no one's on Sharon's level.

[ She's the best cook he's ever met, no questions about it. ]

But dinner sounds good to me. Your treat, of course~

[ Look Rean, he has no money right now. ]

august mingle

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