CHAPTER 5

[faentasy]

CHAPTER 5

monday

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thursday

Almost half of the non-fairy population of Aira Niluc is gone.

Some may be feeling the absence of their fellow participants in this story. Others will stay focused on the wish they want to get. What never changes is that the story goes on, bringing you closer to the end -- and to another chapter. What will it bring this time?

Snow!

Snow as far as the eye can see, a cold blanket covering the new area. Some winter amenities are now available, ready for perusal! But that's not all there's to find: everyone also will find reminders of their homes, of people they know, of happier times.

Of their wishes.

Who will try to reach their wish this time?

[[Welcome to Week 5! Feel free to make top levels at your discretion, and remember to note it in your header if you plan on investigating any locations. However, please try to keep investigations to Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday! You can also privately contact Hamelin at your leisure.

In addition, a reminder that any Murder Proposals for this week are due by Tuesday 3:00 PM EST/12:00 PM PST! However, please note that you have the option of submitting murder proposals for a later week as well.]]

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2/2

[biyishuangfei]

[ Annnnnd then his practical self kicks in after those precious very scant moments - barely a second even - passes. Because he realizes it's cold as fuck outside.

He runs into a cabin so fast it may as well be a sprint (because it is) and he returns with a blanket. ]

Sorry, they didn't have towels in there...so hopefully this might help?

[ ...of course this is looking like first McGillis will need to take off his shirt...not that he minds. ]

[vogelfrei]

[ Luckily McGillis is too busy arguing with Pericles to really notice just how much he is being looked at here. So when Huaisang arrives with a blanket instead, he's a sight for sore eyes indeed.

McGillis does not make any particularly sexy expression up close. Mostly he looks like a wet and very angry cat. ]

Come back to the cabin with me. I'm not giving him the satisfaction.

[ Of stripping here, he means. But also he's shaking a little, it really is time to go. ]

[biyishuangfei]

[ ...the wet and angry cat thing would be funny if McGillis wasn't upset and actively freezing, which is like a valid concern to him right now. ]

Oh, right, of course. Let's get going right away, it's much too cold out here as it is...

[ Huaisang will make good strides towards the cabin, though he's going to look back at least once to make sure no one's following them because privacy is needed ok!! ]

[vogelfrei]

[ McGillis much appreciates this effort, he himself is pretty busy single-mindedly speedwalking towards warmth. He's forgets to grab his coat, too, but maybe that's a good thing to avoid getting wine stains in it.

As soon as their inside with the door closed behind them, the shirt does come off and is dropped on the floor in an uncharacteristically messy move. What remains is shirtless disgruntled McGillis and the ever present black box on his back. ]

This joke has gone on way too far.

[biyishuangfei]

[ He's pointedly quiet, not sure at what to say as they come into the cabin properly and the door closes behind them. In all honesty, he just becomes more certain that wasn't the way to go about things despite him witnessing that and everything. And he's glad it didn't last very long. Y'all know there would've been a murder if it had. ]

...It has. I hadn't expected Professor to do that.

[ Man, though, his eyes go straight to the blond hair, which has some wine in there...which, hmm. ]

Wait here one second, we can't just leave your hair like that.

[ He's...going to do a lot of running around tonight, but you know what. He doesn't mind.

Huaisang goes to find one of the wells. And after some struggling he comes back with some water in a bucket or something. Attempts are being made. ]

I think there's also more blankets so if we have to make do with that instead of more towels, it should be fine?

[vogelfrei]

[ It's strange to not be left alone to lick his own wounds, but he appreciates it. For all that Huaisang is obviously attracted to him, he has a sense of respect that outweighs it all and McGillis is silently grateful.

By the time Huaisang returns with the water, McGillis has dried the worst of the wine with help of one of the blankets, at least. ]

This is plenty. It's luxury we even have a warm place to do this in at all.

[ Still, the water from this bucket is cold and he shivers a little as he puts a hand in to clean himself off with. ]

... living rich for so long does leave one spoiled.

[biyishuangfei]

[ He certainly does his best.

At the very least, when he concludes that's all he can do for the moment, he plops himself down, paying attention to the other as he speaks. ]

...I think not having enough money or warmth was not something I ever had to worry much about.

But, I know that's not the case with everyone.

[ Also he does recall McGillis stating that his own original circumstances weren't all that great. ]

[vogelfrei]

I was once used to this kind of thing.

[ All of it, really. Freezing outdoors, being mistreated and humiliated... It's all familiar. Having a parrot pour wine over him to raise public morale (??) is conceptually hilarious and McGillis resents that it hits him on a level that is any deeper than annoyance, but he can't quite escape it.

He washes himself off carefully and slowly, stalling for time before he has to go back outside. Though maybe he should wait until his hair dries from being washed out anyway, lest he risk it freezing. ]

This is a good wake-up call for how sensitive I have become.

[biyishuangfei]

McGillis, I don't think you being upset over that is a mark of you being sensitive.

[ He'll get up and brush off his hands, still stinging a bit from the rope. Maybe he should go out to the other cabins for more blankets; the blond can't wear any shirt back and it'll help dry him off if he had more. ]

It's upsetting and it's humiliating. And even if you got used to it...someone who has been through a thousand experiences like that would still be upset over it. If anyone says that you shouldn't be bothered by it, they're the ones who should be ashamed.

[ He remembers when Jin Guangyao had been Meng Yao and hid those things well. But it still bothered him. He'll put a finger up like to say 'one second', head off to another cabin, and come back with some more spare blankets. ]

[vogelfrei]

[ It's easier though, when you feel nothing at all. But Huaisang has a point, the shame is with everyone else to begin with. Not that the people they are with are necessarily ill-intentioned in any of this, they're just looking to blow off steam in a high intensity situation. It is very human, just like looking is very human, just like killing is very human.

Humans are exhausting.

And, as it turns out, so are birds.

When Huaisang returns this time, McGillis is done cleaning up and has put the water to the side. He accepts the new dry blankets gladly and wrapped in several of them he looks like a small disgruntled mountain now. ]

... thank you. You're a very kind person, Huaisang.

[ And that isn't enough on its own, that isn't enough to McGillis, not by a long shot - but right now he means it with as much gratitude as a man like himself can muster up. ]

[biyishuangfei]

[ I guess you can say he's now...Mount McGillis in honor of now being a small disgruntled mountain.

...Anyway, for a second he's trying to figure out how to process that because that's probably the first time someone has ever said that to him. He'll decide to just take it. It's been a long week, he's tired, and the other man is clearly distressed.

Sometimes words are meant to be taken at face value and there's nothing wrong with that. ]

It's no problem...and well, I'm doing my best. Even if it's hard to, considering everything, to be like that.

[ Kindness doesn't come naturally to him. It also won't defeat everything, but maybe it can make things more bearable, so he has to think trying's worth it. And...admittedly, he thinks sometimes he's a bit selfish in wanting to be kind towards the blond, but whatever. ]

[vogelfrei]

Funnily, I'd never thought of it as difficult before. Kindness was, to me, a matter of privilege. Of obliviousness.

[ The only reason you can be kind - not just, not considerate - but kind is because the world hasn't beaten it out of you yet. ]

I'm starting to understand.

[ And it is easier to do that with Huaisang than it would be with people like Suga, who is self-sacrificial, or like Adora, who was filled with an optimism for people as a whole that McGillis thinks is near delusional. ]

I'm grateful.

[biyishuangfei]

[ He's...a little surprised. There's a tiny smile that made its way onto his face.

The world is a cruel place. He knows this. Sometimes it will just take and take and take, until there isn't anything left of you to give to anyone. But it doesn't mean it's over; if someone like him can start to do these things, anyway. ]

Well good, I'll count that as a victory. It still doesn't come naturally to me, to be honest...and I used to barely understand why people bothered. But, here I am, wanting to do these things.

[ ...He's not as optimistic or truly altruistic as some people, and he acknowledges he can be rather selfish, but the fact that he can say something like this honestly is nice. There is also a spitefully good feeling to it all, as if he's saying a big 'fuck you' to the despair trying to wrap around them in all of this, but that's...not elegant to say... ]

Anyway, do you think you can brave the cold in your blanket state? Or do you still need some more time?

[vogelfrei]

[ Though McGillis can't say it out loud, it's exactly Huaisang's selfishness that makes these little acts of genuine care take their fragile little bit of hold on him. ]

I'll have to, won't I?

[ Mount McGillis rises from his seat! Just a big shapeless pile of fabric with McGillis' head. ]

I'm going to head back to the lodgings. If Jack thinks I haven't done my dues in chopping wood, he can take it up with me later.

[biyishuangfei]

I think you've done more than enough. He will just have to deal.

[ Huaisang goes to the door, opening it a bit. ]

I'm going to stick around a bit more to try and to make sure not too many people hang around for too long. I doubt I'll be able to get everyone, but...after that, maybe I'll do some reading.

[ That said, he's not going to really force people back, just...gently nudge them and then do some reading at the archives. Maybe try to find some history books. ]

Anyway, you have a good night, and well, be safe.

[vogelfrei]

You as well.

[ Goodbyes on Thursday always have an odd ring to it, but there is nothing that can really be done about that. They can only give each other a lignering look of intent, conveying 'be safe' a bit harder than would be normal.

McGillis doesn't allow himself to dwell on it, he has an annoying walk through the snow to deal with next. So he's off, and thankfully Friday will be kind to them. ]