[MINGLE, ESPECIALLY TO NEWCOMERS] ROOFTOP FESTIVITIES!!!

[icanfixer]

WHO: All!
WHAT: Rooftop festivities!
WHERE: On a rooftop of an office building in the second open district!
WHEN: 8/14, evening!
WARNINGS: alcohol, tba as it goes


Banner displayed inside the train station, outside city hall, and on the most used residence buildings.

Follow the arrows.
So you're unaware. Maybe new. Or maybe you just didn't care the first time you saw it. That's fine. Between the banners hanging around key areas, and the flyers quickly drawn up in a similar fashion scattered across the city, it's hard not to know something is going on -- and there's helpful arrows, chalked on building walls and the streets the day of the party, to let people know where to go.

The Rooftop

A splendid scene awaits those who travel heavensward. Fairy lights connect the corners of the roof access building to metal poles at the corners of the building itself, lifted by cylindrical supports where needed, each one held straight by pots filled with well-packed dirty and stone. There's multicolored stars hanging from some of the lights, while various painted flowers hang on others, and what greets the ears first is some royalty free party music played from a CD player off the the side.

There's a long folded out table in the center for those who'd like to share cuisine, just set and serve yourself! Nearby is a space for Daan to do some bartending as well, a man who can make a multitude of cocktails and mocktails for those who want something less alcoholic. Also, pints of various ice cream flavors in a cooler!

Don't worry -- they won't have any odd effects on them, Don verified the lack of them herself. Not all of them are normal. Think loaded baked potato weird.

For those who'd like a quieter space, there's beanbags and a swirly, fuzzy carpet to sit on more away from the center of the party area. This'll be a great time to play some games, such as truth or dare, spin the bottle, and... whatever else you play at parties. Get to know your fellow man and such. Play the violin.

Naturally, no party... hosted... by Don Quixote would be without a space to fight, if one wishes to show off a little! It's also taking place on a swirly fuzzy carpet, just so no one smashes their head in, and there's a neat little banner hanging down from a string of lights that says thus:

WIN THREE MATCHES AND A PRIZE AWAITS THEE!!!!!!!
- NO KILLING
- HANDS ONLY

What the prize is, no one knows. But come find Don Quixote with your battle scars and she'll grant it -- and stick around a while, 'cause this party's gonna end with a bang... that is, with homemade fireworks donated by "a friend" through Junpei.

Anyway, have fun!!! Share words about your worlds!!! The society your characters are from, the cuisine they've brought, how they're working out in the city -- help the new kids along, too. There's more vets here now than there were a few months ago, after all.

Navi: Truth or Dare - Two Truths and a Lie - Hydra Storytelling w/Junpei - Drink Up With Daan - Qixi Festivites

Comments

[alloriginalheavenlypillar]

"No," he says, and sounds surprised, even to himself.

He should be. He should be shocked that he doesn't miss one of the closest things to a friend he's ever known.

But he doesn't.

He ruined Ning Yingying's life. He has no business missing her or any of his wives. They are all, to the one, better off with him gone.

Not that he's going to pretend his absence is in any way altruistic. It's better for him too, to be here, with Shen Yuan and away from the power plays and Xin Mo and all those things he never actually wanted.

"I think, this way, we're both free now."

[xiaoxiuya]

Shen Yuan frowns sadly, but doesn't try to deny Binghe's feelings or talk him out of it. Binghe may have come from a world that was written down in a book, but his emotions are real, and deserve to be respected. Instead he just pats Binghe's hand and says, "Binghe has had a very hard time of it in life."

There are lots of ways he could finish that thought. Encouragement, platitudes, even leaving it unfinished and changing the subject. But instead he purses his lips slightly, and says sympathetically, "Even without Xin Mo clouding his thoughts...it seems like Binghe struggles a little bit to connect with other people, doesn't he?"

[alloriginalheavenlypillar]

Binghe nods. It's a simple statement of fact, not pity. Life is hard, make of it what you can and will.

Though it occurs to him that he has not thought spared much thought to the struggles of any who aren't himself. He did not put himself in the shoes of the women he basically cajoled into marriage when he stole their clothing and only thought of things from his own perspective.

Shen Yuan is right; he struggles to connect with other people. Even when he wants to, he doesn't know how. Make them delicious food, fix their problems, give them his body and power and wealth, take their loyalty and obedience -- it's never enough. There's always a wall between him and the world.

He takes Shen Yuan's hand in his, thumbing lazily over the knuckles.

"Shen-laoshi sees much. Is it that obvious?"

[xiaoxiuya]

Binghe doesn't sound hurt or offended, but Shen Yuan wants to reassure him anyway: "Not so obvious," he says warmly. "I just happen to study Binghe very closely, since I like him so much."

Such sticky words, his tone of voice, even the realization that he and Binghe are basically holding hands -- none of that manages to embarrass him, this time. But the sudden intrusive urge to live Binghe's hand to his mouth, and kiss his knuckles -- a rolling wave of heat spreads over Shen Yuan's entire body, from his scalp to the soles of his feet. Brain! WTF, where did that even come from? He's not even drugged this time!!

Shen Yuan squirms in his seat, suddenly unsure where to put his gaze. It's not like he can just take his hand back, either, not after speaking so personally. What if poor Binghe feels rejected? That's absolutely not allowed!

[alloriginalheavenlypillar]

He watches Shen Yuan blush with keen interest, following the way the flush runs from the other man's cheeks down his neck. He looks like a ripe peach and Binghe is very tempted to take a little bite.

Instead, he rests his chin in his palm, giving Shen Yuan's hand a pleased little squeeze as he flashes his most charming smile.

"I like Shen-laoshi very much as well," he says, wondering if the other man will get the hint. He doubts it, but he's finding it rather fun to see how oblivious Shen Yuan is.

"Laoshi makes friends easily though. Does he, perhaps, find it easy to relate to others...?"

[xiaoxiuya]

Ah, Binghe! Don't say it like that, you're just making him blush harder! Aiya, so embarrassing...

"Ah, well..." Shen Yuan clears his throat. "I wouldn't say it's easy for me...in fact, a lot of time the motivations of other people are a complete mystery to me...but I try to make up for it with courtesy and friendliness. I find that a warm smile and believing the best in people is often enough to win them over..." That's how it worked with Liu Qingge, anyway.

[alloriginalheavenlypillar]

Ah, it's so cute when he's got his laoshi blushing. Binghe looks pleased with himself for all of five seconds.

Believing the best in people hits him like a truck, however. What did Shen Yuan believe that was good about him, enough to willingly, happily, occupy a space with him? He'd read the story of his life and though Binghe has the growing suspicion that some things were omitted for reasons beyond his comprehension, the gist is still there. He's not a good person, even now. He's petty, cruel, vindictive, coercive, a liar, a fake. If there's anything left of the optimistic boy he once was, that sweet little white lotus Shen Yuan knew so well, then that's long gone.

He wants to change, wants to be better, but that doesn't change what he's done, what he is.

"Laoshi is dangerously optimistic. What if he's wrong about the people he believes in so easily?"

[xiaoxiuya]

"Then I'll be wrong," he says with an easy shrug. "But won't it be worth it, for all the interesting people I got to meet and the things I got to do along the way?"

Interesting people like Binghe, he means. Even if their time together has sometimes been scary, embarrassing, or just plain weird, Shen Yuan doesn't regret a single moment of it.

He doesn't think he ever will.

[alloriginalheavenlypillar]

"What is so interesting about others that makes them worth such a risk...?"

Spoken almost sullenly with just a hint of envy. Envy, perhaps, not just because Shen Yuan has others in his life besides Luo Binghe, but because he has had such luck with meeting such kind people.

But of course they would be kind to him; Shen Yuan is very likable. Even wearing Shen Jiu's hateful face, he has made it something warm and kind and comforting. People must surely see him for the marvel that he is.

Binghe is sure that, even with his own handsome features, it is easy for others to see the horrible thing lurking underneath. That is why they were always so quick to beat and humiliate him, even before he himself understood what a monster he is.

[xiaoxiuya]

Shen Yuan just has to...sit with that, for a moment. Binghe's words hang thick in the air between them, like a poison cloud that the protagonist suddenly exhaled without warning. Well...without immediate warning. It wasn't as though there'd been so sign of his general misanthropy in the book, though in Airplane's style it lended itself more to anguished declarations of pain and loneliness that could be quickly assuaged with some time spent between the twin peaks of the latest love interest's personal marshmallow hell. Somehow Shen Yuan doubts that tenderly cradling Luo Binghe to his own washboard-flat chest would have the same effect.

All he can do is sigh. "I'm not sure how to answer that," he says honestly. "I can't make Binghe believe that other people are worth knowing; it's something he has to figure out for himself. But Binghe has always been worth the risk," he adds, in a low undertone, tracing a fingertip around the tea cup that lies near at hand.

[alloriginalheavenlypillar]

Oh, Shen Yuan, you have no idea how much that would fix the many things wrong with Luo Binghe.

Not that that's where Luo Binghe's mind is at in the moment (though it never strays too far from such thoughts). Binghe, instead, looks pensive, gaze distant, thoughtful.

Would reaching out have made a better man of him? It was such a terrible risk though. The last time he'd hoped that things could go differently, he'd had hot tea tipped on his head. After that, he'd closed his heart.

When he was kicked into the Abyss, he locked and bolted the wretched beating thing for good measure. He'd contented himself to play-act at connection; facsimiles of the real thing that couldn't fill that gaping hollow place in him, but could, for a time, cover it, before it grew ever wider and swallowed those relationships.

Is that what would happen with Shen Yuan eventually? Would he go the same way as everyone else?

Would Luo Binghe destroy him the way he destroyed everything else?

His gaze falls on the other man, lingering for the long, thoughtful silence.

"Laoshi is taking a big risk," he says slowly, dark eyes unblinking. "This lord is not his maiden-hearted disciple. He's read my story. He knows what I am. He knows what I do."

He stands, taking Shen Yuan's hand in his, holding it to his chest as he leans into Shen Yuan's space.

"This lord wishes Shen-laoshi would take better care with where he places his trust."