maskormenacelogs | February Catch-All

[It starts with a simple, no-nonsense text shortly following the end of her exchange with Jin Ling on the network. “I’m coming over.”

It doesn’t leave much room for argument or refusal, especially since she ignores it if there’s any response back. She simply shows up at his door with an insistent knocking until he answers. The look she gives him is quietly miserable for a second before she straightens up like this is just your average every day visit, nothing to see here, shes FINE everything is FINE.]

I want you to play for me. [A pause and then, belatedly:] ...Please.

[ He doesn’t reply. Instead, he makes tea. When she arrives, he’s at the door seconds later, and watches her struggle before turning and leading her into the living room.

He gestures for her to sit, a cup of steaming tea waiting for her, and then takes a seat himself. He waves his arm over the table, causing the Guqin to appear, and then without a word starts to play.

It is not a request he would ever refuse her. ]

[She grateful, honestly, especially since she doesn’t know what to say if she were asked about this right now. She doesn’t have to explain herself right away with him like she might have with others.

Though initially a little startled (WHEN WAS ANYONE GOING TO INFORM HER THAT HE COULD SUMMON THE DAMN THING VIA MAGIC), she settles quickly, pulling her knees up to her chest as she sips the tea.

...He was good. Really good. Not that Miu has particularly doubted this, but it’s another thing entirely to have the validation there to back it up. She listens quietly for a few seconds before she sets the tea aside and gets up, moving to his side. Though it takes her a moment to decide how to arrange herself, eventually she settles for curling up on the floor, her head not quite in his lap, but the top of it pressed against the side of thigh, her back to the instrument itself.

Silence stretches from her for a few seconds more before:] I’m not a low-class prostitute.

[It wasn’t actually the part she wanted to address, but she didn’t know how to talk about the other thing so she would settle on the easier one to clear up.] I’m a little offended. If anything I was at least high-class. [They hadn’t quite talked about what her profession back home has been, and she doubts it’d ever matter much here, but she doesn’t quite want them getting the wrong idea either.]

And it’s not... really like that anyhow...

[ Normally, he would instruct her to wait for the end of the song, but as she requested this out of a desire for comfort rather than a need to keep her qi in check, he’ll allow the interruption.

He keeps playing for a moment after she speaks, before he comes to a natural pause and gently placed his hand on the strings to quiet them. ]

Hinasaki Miu. [ Murmured lowly. ] Birth status, previous life: currently irrelevant.

Child’s tongue spoke out of turn. Set aside concern.

It’s never irrelevant. [Shes glad he thinks otherwise, it she knows better than to expect that from everyone. She’s not ashamed of what she used to do or anything like that—tons of girls did gravure work and used it to launch careers in more respectable entertainment fields, after all. But she knew how others could and would look at it. She knew they were from an entirely different time and world.

She huffs a sigh and shakes her head.] I never slept with anyone. [Dad doesn’t need to know about her nonexistent sex life, but again it’s important to her that he understands.] But that’s all anyone ever told me I was good for. That I was pretty and should focus on that, let them take their pictures and put my face everywhere. That I was good at acting and should do that too.

I don’t care. I don’t care what people say or think or what they want me to do or be. I just always did whatever anyone told me, because it didn’t matter what I wanted, since I didn’t want anything to begin with. Except things I couldn’t have anyhow.

[She’s babbling, she’s aware, and her fingers reach out to grasp at his robes, curling around them partly possessive and partly seeking comfort.]

I just... dont want it reflecting badly on you, for taking me in as a student or whatever...

[ He doesn't pull away from her reach. If anything, his arm moves a half inch closer, to allow her a better grip on his robes. ]

They were wrong. [ Firmly, and without question, though there's a spark of something almost like anger deep within the statement. Injustice, once more. Miu's world had failed her in every way imaginable, as far as he was concerned. ]

It will not. Your past bears no reflection on the present. Your diligence, your commitment, your fortitude: these are what will bear honour.

[She smiles a bit despite herself. She doesn’t believe for a second it’ll be that easy, but it’s nice to know people exist who do think like that.

She rubs the material of his sleeves between her fingers, just feeling it and listening to him.]

They often are. [Wrong, she means. She’s quiet for another few moments.]

I won’t... well, I mean... I don’t want to let you down. So... I guess I have to do my best anyhow.

[ It doesn’t apply to everyone. It doesn’t apply to Meng Yao. But to a girl barely an adult, horribly misused and mistreated from her home world and alone beyond him?

The rest of the world can come and fight him before using her past against her. ]

I am not concerned. You will do well.

Such faith in me.

[She huffs a little, amused, but clearly pleased. The quiet that falls is most comfortable now, Miu feeling like something's shifted and eased inside of her]

Play something again? Wait-- No. [She moves to sit up then, scooting in close next to him.]

Show me how.

February Catch-All

Closed to LWJ & WWX eventually MAYBE I GUESS

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