the avatar state / implies emotional pain / or perfect control

[roc_on]

Jun did a show last night, so maybe he's holding it together well enough to do a lesson today. It'd sure help take Beila's mind off things; maybe it'd do the same for him. She can always fly away again if he's not feeling it.

Knock knock?

Comments

[fiery_delights]

"Could be," he murmurs back, and that's as much as he can say before he's following Meng up to Li's door.

[in_silk]

It takes him a minute to answer the door - pretty normal for Li.

"Oh, hello, Meng," he says, smiling. "Home early?"

[roc_on]

"I am! You won't need to water my garden," she nods. "Also I saw a man on the street who looks just like you as far as my old eyes can tell! He wanted to know who you were, says he's looking for family."

(Beila, standing just out of sight, shuts her eyes. She breathes... Meixing said -)

[in_silk]

He glances past Meng at Jun, coming up the path behind her.

He freezes.



"Thank you, Meng," he says quietly. "Could you please leave us alone to catch up? I'm sure Sapphire misses you terribly."

[roc_on]

"I'm sure she does!" nods Meng. "Poor thing. Lots of nectar and no company." Off she goes to console her lonesome butterflymouse.





(Beila's eyes glow - and then stop.)

[in_silk]

'Li' stands in his doorway, waiting, until Meng is all the way back in her house.

Then he says: "So. You are real."

[fiery_delights]

"I admit I wasn't expecting this cold a welcome, but maybe I should've been."

[in_silk]

"How did you find me," he whispers.

[fiery_delights]

"Pure coincidence. Ran into the old lady on the street, just like she said."

[thinklikethis]

Dao is a little concerned - Spider seemed very nervous when he went to answer the door, and it's been a while.

He comes up to the front of the house to see what's taking so long.



He sees Jun.

"...What."

[in_silk]

Spider glances back fearfully. "Dao! Go back inside—he's dangerous—"

[roc_on]

- At that Beila steps around the corner of Meng's bean trellis.

[in_silk]

Spider catches sight of her and freezes again.

[thinklikethis]

"He's—is he? Are you? What is going on?" says Dao. He doesn't have clear line-of-sight to Beila, so he doesn't notice her stepping into view of the door.

[roc_on]

"Dao?"

[thinklikethis]

"Beila?"

[in_silk]

"You know the Avatar?"

[thinklikethis]

"I - I'm - what - okay," says Dao. "One thing at a time. Can we please not have this conversation shouting through a doorway."

[in_silk]

Spider looks warily at Jun and Beila.

"It's not - not safe to let them in," he says softly.

[thinklikethis]

"Is it really that much safer at this point for us all to stand around confusing each other in public?" he asks. "Come on. I know these people. Beila's my girlfriend," he emphasizes, hoping Spider will remember that Dao's girlfriend knows things about him, hoping this will be at least a tiny bit reassuring. "Please?"

[fiery_delights]

Jun tries to look nonthreatening.

[in_silk]

He hesitates over this decision, glancing back and forth between Dao and Beila.

"...okay," he says at last. "Okay. You can come in. I'll. I'll make tea."

[roc_on]

Dubious as all get out, Beila edges doorward.

She is looking very concerned at Dao.

[fiery_delights]

Jun steps inside. More curious than dubious, really.

[thinklikethis]

"Spirits, what a clusterfuck," Dao mutters, as Spider retreats to the kitchen to put the kettle on. "Look. Can I. Can I just. Everyone here is an okay person that I know and like, please stop looking like you're expecting each other to start shit at any moment, I think that is the kind of thing that ends up being self-fulfilling?"