Meanwhile, in Garlemald...

[awreck]

Who: Nice/Jiāng Wěi & Wreck/Láng Yìchén
What: Meeting up to discuss things
When: Evening before the masquerade for the Moonlit Rivals Story
Where: The inn in neutral territory
Content warnings: It's them, so... you know. Currently none, will update as needed.

It was significantly easier to meet up with Jiāng Wěi before Láng Yìchén became a werewolf. When he was human, hardly a soul batted an eye at a human spending time with a vampire. People generally thought he would eventually become Jiāng Wěi's snack, and if not, they thought Jiāng Wěi would turn Láng Yìchén into a vampire.

And to be fair, that had been the plan. But Jiāng Wěi's clan, while less strict than the Umbra clan, had hoops to jump through when it came to turning humans. Even so, plans had existed... until Jiāng Wěi had business to attend outside of Montica. When he returned, it was too late; Láng Yìchén was a werewolf.

There were cures, of course, but it's hard to get your hands on a cure for lycanthropy when the person who bit you basically held you hostage until the next full moon came. Ultimately, Láng Yìchén figured it was his 'punishment' for hanging around a vampire too much. Thought maybe a werewolf had noticed and wanted to make an irreversible dig against a vampire. It was easy enough to believe since the whole situation had essentially been a bite and run.

Tonight, although he has a home of his own, he's booked a room at the inn. He's been waiting in it for a few hours, mostly because it would have been more obvious than it already is what he was doing if Jiāng Wěi arrived at the same time. He expects Jiāng Wěi to be here soon, though, and despite everything, he's excited to finally have an opportunity to talk privately with him. It feels like they've only spent a handful of hours together over the past few months.

...He does hope Jiāng Wěi shows up. Láng Yìchén hadn't really considered until this moment that Jiāng Wěi very well might not show up at all.

Comments

[dovedive]

[There was a small part, a very small part of Jiāng Wěi's mind that wanted to be petty toward his companion. He had been making so many plans, following so many orders, doing so many things he really didn't want to do just for permission to finally make Láng Yìchén a vampire himself, but he leaves town for one month and he comes back to find him no longer a human, but in fact the enemy of his kind.

Okay granted, he's never really cared much bout the fight between Vampires and werewolves, but he wasn't blind to how this would be seen to others. They couldn't really even be seen together in public anymore.

it was all such a big headache and even though he was a little pissy about the whole ordeal... his heart wanted what it wanted and he wasn't going to deny it. So of course he went to their meetup spot. Quietly and hopefully not suspiciously, he decided to head out "fashionably late" He books his own room at the inn and silently makes his way up the stairs, glancing at all the doors. ]

[awreck]

[ Láng Yìchén is flopped pathetically on the bed by the time Jiāng Wěi arrives at the inn. While the loss of his humanity was traumatizing to him, it did come with a few benefits: mainly, the enhanced senses. He bolts upright the moment Jiāng Wěi reaches the top of the stairs and races to the door. He wants so badly to throw it open, but instead, he opens it open enough to thread his arm through the crack and wave him over before returning to sit patiently on the bed. ]

[dovedive]

{ Ah... there he is. As soon as Jiāng Wěi made it to the top steps he saw an arm belonging to the one and only Láng Yìchén, beckoning him closer. Again, a small part of him wanted to be petty and just walk on by, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. The month he was away was already torture enough for him, he didn't want to suffer any longer.

So he slowly pushed open the doors and shut them behind him before turning to look at Láng Yìchén. ]

You look well...

[awreck]

[ Láng Yìchén manages to keep up his patient act until Jiāng Wěi shuts the door. Then, and only then, does Láng Yìchén launch himself at Jiāng Wěi in a full bodied hug, arms draped over his shoulders and legs wrapped around him like a sloth. Sometimes, he really is a cross between a literal dog and an overgrown toddler. ]

I thought you'd changed your mind.

[ He doesn't have wolf ears or a wolf tail right now, but if he did they would be perked and wagging respectively. ]

I've missed you so much.

[ He's still clinging to Jiāng Wěi, as if to prove it. ]

[dovedive]

I hate.... how fitting this actually seems to be for you.

[ The droopy ears. The wagging tail... he was like his own little brand of puppy dog and he hated to admit it, but it was cute. His arms moved to wrap around him tightly, as he holds onto him. It wouldn't do either of them very well if he were to drop him. ]

You weren't the only one who missed the other.... I thought... about you so often while I was away...

[ He hated how much he was already starting to smell like a werewolf, but... he buried his face in Láng Yìchén's neck anyway. ]

[awreck]

I guess it is a big change, isn't it?

[ Láng Yìchén squeezes Jiāng Wěi with both his arms and legs for a long moment before he finally drops himself, standing up like a normal human being and hugging him like a normal person. ]

I thought about you, too. But that's probably obvious. Thoughts of you take up the majority of space in my head. How are you doing, Jiāng Wěi?

[dovedive]

Well I thought about not showing up, because I'm still mad. [ A small pause. ] mostly at myself. I can't believe I wasn't here to protect you...

[ Láng Yìchén might have dropped down, but Jiāng Wěi was not done touching him yet. His fingers go into Láng Yìchén's hair almost possessively as he pulls him in closer. ]

I've been so busy sulking this whole time like a child when the truth is I could have lost you.... forever.

[awreck]

[ Láng Yìchén nods silently, listening attentively despite his high energy levels. ]

I don't blame you, and I don't think you should blame yourself either.

[ He sighs softly, his arms squeezing Jiāng Wěi again. ]

I've had more time to process it than you, but... I'm not exactly over it. You're right, though. I could have died and I was lucky to be bitten. Otherwise, our eternal happily ever after would have been cut tragically short. Although... I suppose now it's more of a... fragmented happily ever after since we can hardly see each other.

[dovedive]

Idiot.... Stupid Stupid Stupid idiot....

[ His voice almost sounded a little shaken as he gently squeezes Láng Yìchén's face. he leaned in to press their foreheads together as if he just wanted to soak up everything he possibly could. ]

I don't know what I would have done had you been murdered... I would have lost my mind. No man nor woman would have been safe....

[awreck]

Well, at least you'd spare the children....

[ He tries to keep his tone light. He understands how serious it had been, but it's just not something he prefers to dwell on. ]

I'm okay. Truly. I know my blood tastes foul to you now, and I probably have the permanent smell of dog clinging to me, but... I'm okay.

[dovedive]

[ A part of him did appreciate Láng Yìchén wanting to keep things light, but he was just far too dramatic for that. At least right now he was. He was just so frustrated with the situation, with himself. He wanted to destroy whoever did this to Láng Yìchén in the first place. he hates that stupid wolf, he hates his own obligations. He... hates himself. ]

I should never have left your side.

[awreck]

It's not like you had a choice. We both know that.

[ Or rather, Láng Yìchén knows that. He doesn't feel as though Jiāng Wěi will ever forgive himself. ]

Even though we're in neutral territory, and even though I knew you from before I was bitten... you're still putting yourself at risk even coming to talk to me. So don't think that's lost on me.

[dovedive]

As if that even matters right now...

[ He was hesitant as he reached out his hand to stroke Láng Yìchén's hair back. Slowly taking charge of there position and moving him until he hit the bed. ]

[awreck]

It does matter, Jiāng Wěi.

[ After the first full moon he'd experienced since the bite, he'd been thinking about the future, though. And he has an idea, but not a plan. ]

You always seem to forget you're important, too.

[dovedive]

I'm not the one in danger. I'm not the one specifically being targeted to get to me.

[ With enough force he shoves Láng Yìchén onto the bed in the inn room, but he ends up falling to his knees and burying his face into Láng Yìchén's knee. ]

[awreck]

I doubt I'm a target anymore. They got what they wanted....

[ With a soft sigh, Láng Yìchén reaches a hand out to comb his fingers through Jiāng Wěi's hair. ]

I was... thinking... which I know, I should stop doing that... but I was thinking nonetheless... that after the masquerade we might just... leave Montica. What do you think?

[dovedive]

[ . . . ]

Leave?

[ He frowned thoughtfully, as if the thought just.... never occurred to him. His father figure had kept him here this whole life and he just... never thought about leaving. Not when everything he knew was here. Láng Yìchén was here. ]

[awreck]

Leave. Somewhere else far away from here that doesn't have daily clashes between vampires and werewolves. Maybe even somewhere that has no idea what vampires and werewolves are, although we might have to travel quite a ways for that.

[ Láng Yìchén sighs again. ]

I know you have your whole immortal life here, and you feel indebted to your clan, but... I'm... tired of the way of life here. I never wanted to take sides, let alone get dragged to the side opposite of yours.

[dovedive]

Is this.... something you've been thinking about for a long while now?

[ is that... why he wanted to see him today? ]

[awreck]

On and off... but... more seriously recently. But I'd never leave without you, of course. I'm... not so sure you know that, so I wanted to be sure I said it out loud.

And I don't suggest it thinking it would be easy. I know it would be difficult for you.

I... um... well, what are your thoughts...?

[dovedive]

I knew I should have locked you up in a cage and kept you safely in my room...

[ Jiāng Wěi let out a soft little sigh as he turns his head in Láng Yìchén's lap. Only tilting upward a little to peak at him and his expressions. ]

I... don't care what happens to me.... but I don't want you to be in danger.... I love you too much..... You're my sun, my stars, my muse.....if.... getting away would keep you safe...

[awreck]

The frightening part is I can't tell whether you're making a joke....

[ Honestly, Jiāng Wěi probably would have been willing to do that. ]

Jiāng Wěi.... I'm grateful that you love me, and I love you, but I want you to love yourself, too. Don't you know how devastated I'd be if something were to happen to you?

[ But it sounds like Jiāng Wěi isn't entirely against leaving Montica. He thought it'd be... more of a struggle? Not necessarily an argument, but a "let me make my case" kind of situation. ]

I'd feel the same way you would. I'd never be able to smile again.

[ Láng Yìchén doesn't think he'd go on a rampage, necessarily, the way Jiāng Wěi claimed he would, but... the truth is, even if Láng Yìchén doesn't think he has it in himself, he probably would. ]

So then... are we really in agreement? After the masquerade, we'll tie up loose ends here and... part ways with Montica?

[dovedive]

[ He didn't want to answer that question out loud, probably because there was a small part of him (maybe not so small after all.) that was really serious about it. He's always had the tendency to want to keep Láng Yìchén all to himself and not want to share him with the world. But... he also knew Láng Yìchén wouldn't thrive like that. He was a beautiful spirit who needed to be able to be social and experience the world.

He frowns deeper and hides his face in Láng Yìchén's lap once more. ]

I-I.... don't know. Maybe?

[awreck]

We don't have to leave the night after. So... if you need some time to prepare, that's okay. Although... with your clan... leaving would be pretty difficult, wouldn't it...?

[dovedive]

If... we're both serious about this... My clan is not going to make this easy for either of us... We'll have to... leave as soon as the ball is over...