do you have enough love in your heart

[somebadnews]

WHO: Five and OPEN
WHEN: After this mess and bounties are issued for Messalina's little helpers
WHERE: Various points around Ephes
WHAT: A boy plays fetch with a dog, gets targeted for murder, and has too much to drink, not in that order
WARNINGS: language, violence, dead hellhounds, and other typical Five-things

Prompts below, all taking place in the same day. (I'm sorry this idea started out so wholesome...) Open to action or prose, whatever your preference!

Comments

[somebadnews]

It might be easier to trust him if he had an ulterior motive. People who claim they don’t are harder to figure out. Less predictable.

He’s right, if they were trying to keep it hidden they could catch more of her supporters off guard. Then there are the bodies. It’d be smarter for them if it discouraged them, but generally, they send someone more skilled after him once they see what happened to the others.

“The Hand?” He assumes. He doesn’t know how many people actually heeded his warning to get away from them. “What are they doing now?”

[fiercechains]

Unfortunately, Wen Ning was not one to have an ulterior motive. He did not want to become like his uncle or cousins. Those that would harm did have ulterior motives and would harm others just because they could. That was not someone that he would ever become. He was, however, unlike most of his family a rather open book.

If anyone did try to come after them again then he had his chains. Something that he was good with in a fight. It wasn't like he actively felt. Which meant that, in the long run, he was someone that could fight along someone and give them a bit of reprieve if needed.

"That is where I was stationed before I got away from them, yes," He tells Five. There was no reason to lie to the other. If not for Sizhui then he probably wouldn't have gotten away as quickly as he had. "Before I left? The Hand continued to train its soldiers. They trained them hard." Though there was always something off about the soldiers. Just as when he first became part of the Hand he'd noticed the disappearances. Noticed those that did not return.

"If there is anything to know after getting out then I do not know it."

[somebadnews]

"You listened?" He sounds surprised, because nobody ever listens to his warnings. More likely he came to his own conclusion, but he'll allow him this moment to believe he could motivate common sense.

Common sense that would tell him not to get drunk and wander the streets with a hellhound and expect nothing bad to happen.

"Well, something happened," he sighs and rubs at his face, wiping off some of the blood. If there needed to be any more proof of how sloppy he was. He's fully responsible for getting the hound killed. It's ridiculous to get attached to a monster like that, but... it was regrettable. "...How are you at fires?"

[fiercechains]

"I did. Though, it is also due to my nephew. I would not wish to worry him or my jiejie in being in a place where harm could be done," He admits. Lan Sizhui meant a lot to him and he would do anything for his nephew, for his sister too. Just as he'd do anything for Wei Wuxian as well. They were people that were important to him. He also had not wanted to stay within the confines of the Hand either.

Sometimes common sense was hard to come by.

Though, the other was not wrong in that something happened. Five was covered in blood and it was possible that more would come after him. No one deserved to have people come after him, not like that. No matter what choices they made in the end.

"In starting them? If we have the right materials then I have no problem doing so." Fire did not bother him.

[somebadnews]

Five spares him a look to marvel at a rare time he'd gotten through to someone. He may not yet understand how the man always seems so calm, but he's known enough field agents who discuss dinner plans just as easily as their next assassination that it doesn't seem too out of the ordinary. Although if he connected him to his family, he could come up with a few theories.

Whatever his deal is, it doesn't matter right now. It'd barely been a request, or an offer to burn a body, but he nods in response. Does he want help? He looks around to see if there are any convenient torches nearby and he ends up lingering on a trail of blood with a stick poking out of it.

His expression darkens and he steps over to examine the piece of wood he'd been throwing not long ago, apparently lost in thought or considering what to burn. He barely glances back when he speaks again.

"Maybe you should go warn the others."