The whirling of Lan Wangji's simmered thoughts stills, eerily, on this lone conclusion, and he hesitates, mouth dried and gaze soft, before he nods on instinct — to quiet down words that swirl and roil and do not naturally settle.
He thinks, each step a barter between slip and balance and the looming warmth of the man's nearby presence, if he were a child learning his walk, he would not be so diligently fathered. Perhaps there should be shame in it, and not the curious, gutting reassurance that, if he surrenders to fall down the narrow, corseted stairway that leads below deck — he will be salvaged.
Slow going, trickling. He does not shame himself with injury, but not doubt his newfound friend regrets the misfortune of their acquaintance. Stench of swill saturates their skin, astringent. Whatever the hour, the men of the ship drink. )
My people do not lie. ( Earlier, let's just pretend — ) You salvaged my dignity. I recognise so.
no subject
The whirling of Lan Wangji's simmered thoughts stills, eerily, on this lone conclusion, and he hesitates, mouth dried and gaze soft, before he nods on instinct — to quiet down words that swirl and roil and do not naturally settle.
He thinks, each step a barter between slip and balance and the looming warmth of the man's nearby presence, if he were a child learning his walk, he would not be so diligently fathered. Perhaps there should be shame in it, and not the curious, gutting reassurance that, if he surrenders to fall down the narrow, corseted stairway that leads below deck — he will be salvaged.
Slow going, trickling. He does not shame himself with injury, but not doubt his newfound friend regrets the misfortune of their acquaintance. Stench of swill saturates their skin, astringent. Whatever the hour, the men of the ship drink. )
My people do not lie. ( Earlier, let's just pretend — ) You salvaged my dignity. I recognise so.