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[fairyherder]

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voice | un:wwxwashere - comes in and wrecks this

[weiward]

Jin Ling, uncle has a favor to ask.

wow rude

[fairyherder]

What?

which makes it ic

[weiward]

There's going to be a girl around your age at the wedding. Her name is Sae. Be nice to her, she's practically your cousin.

[fairyherder]

My cousin?

[ yes he remembers the fourth wall at this point. ]

I met a Sae before. The last time I was here.

[weiward]

That was likely her. She was here before too.

Anyway, she's staying with me and Lan Zhan and she wants to meet you. She already knows your parents, and Zewu-jun as well. She's a nice girl, she won't give you any problems.

[fairyherder]

... why me? I mean, fine.

But why do you assume I wouldn't be nice. I can be nice.

[weiward]

Because sometimes people like talking to people more their own age.

[and not just for her, but jin ling too. none of the other juniors are around, after all.]

Good, then everything will be fine.

I wonder if we should set up a children's table....

[fairyherder]

A what kind of table? Don't patronize me.

[weiward]

Excuse me, I thought you might enjoy it more.

[fairyherder]

I'm not a child, I'm a teenager.

[weiward]

So you're saying that if we called it the "teenager table", you'd be fine with it.

[fairyherder]

Why do you have to separate the tables anyway?

[weiward]

It might be hard to find one big table for everyone. Besides, a bunch of smaller tables helps people get to know each other.

[fairyherder]

Like the small tables we usually do back home? That's nothing new.

[ you know, the rows upon rows of one-man tables he's absolutely used to. ]

action; sometime in October

[disasterstraight]

[ One quiet day at home, there comes a knock at Jin Ling's door. Someone has gotten sick and tired of dealing with his feral, bondless son every full moon. ]

A-Ling? Are you in?

that's "Die" as in father, not as in please die okay

[fairyherder]

[ hey dad, you're sick and tired, imagine how Jin Ling feels?

at least it's not a full moon now, so he comes to the door after a few seconds to open it. ]

Ah. Die...?

[disasterstraight]

[ He tries to tamp down his impatience, waiting for Jin Ling to open the door. ]

Son. May I... come in?

[ He's still figuring out the protocol here of how to deal with a teenage son who barely knows him. ]

[fairyherder]

[ it's open now! and he also steps to the side when asked, nodding quietly.

because he sure still feels awkward about having been reduced to a dog in front of his parents earlier ]

...yes, of course.

[disasterstraight]

[ Him being reduced to a dog is exactly why Jin Zixuan is here. It was bad on the first full moon, and is only going to get progressively worse as the months continue... unless Jin Ling can find a bond.

He steps inside, striding across the room to stand by the window, looking out and trying to decide how to broach the subject. ]

I think it's time we were frank with each other. [ He takes a deep breath, steeling his nerve, and turns to look Jin Ling in the eye. ] ...About you finding a witch to bond with.

[fairyherder]

[ yeah dad, just walk in and avoid eye contact and stand by the window all ominously—

his eyes widen and he has the decency to look embarrassed. ]

But... that's—! I mean, who?

[disasterstraight]

[ That's the trouble, isn't it? He needs to have this talk with Jin Ling, but he doesn't actually have any solutions to propose. A-Li had mentioned offering, but he doesn't want her to spread herself too thin. ]

I don't know, but you must find someone. You've gone long enough without a bond already.

[ He knows he's not being helpful, but... He can't just go on saying nothing. ]

Maybe... Try using your watch to ask around. Get to know people. See if there are any witches your age who are available for bonding.

[fairyherder]

But that's embarrassing. I can't just—

[ it's like being asked to find someone for marriage and he knows it's not quite like that but at the same time— also Jin Ling's limited spoons for friends is not helping. ]

I can't just walk up to someone out of the blue.

[disasterstraight]

[ Jin Zixuan has no room to talk. His first post on the watch network turned out to be incredibly embarrassing. But he understands that such things are harder for someone Jin Ling's age. ]

Well, you have to find someone somehow. Even if you just make a temporary bond for now, until you can find someone better suited to your... tastes.

[fairyherder]

[ oh my god don't refer to it that way that's... weird. as if he's being judged for his choice in friends, though obviously that's not the case here. ]

What do you mean my "tastes"? There's nothing wrong with them. [ he crosses his arms, tries his best not to make a face. ] Just... having a bond sounds like... like someone asking for marriage.

[ everyone he knows who has a bond is in a relationship somehow. ]

[disasterstraight]

I didn't mean--! [ Ah, there he goes putting his foot in his mouth again.

Best not to belabor the point. ]

Not all bonds have to be romantic in nature. Your mother is bonded with Jiang-zhongzhu.

[fairyherder]

I know that, just... still...!

[ he shuffles his feet before he sits down on the floor, tries to breathe. being jittery on top of being an arrogant young master doesn't help him at all. ]

I hate this. I'll... I'll try. I just don't know what to say. Or how to go about it. Or...

[ he's never really talked to this extent with his parents yet, haven't opened up, and he doesn't like that it had to be frustration that kicked him into it. ]

[disasterstraight]

[ A-ah. This conversation is obviously making Jin Ling uncomfortable. Maybe he should take a step back.

Physically, he steps forward instead, coming to kneel by his son, a tentative hand reaching out to land in his shoulder. ]

If there's any way I can help...

[ Though, now that he says it out loud... Wouldn't having your father help you find a bond partner be just as embarrassing, if not more so, than asking yourself? ]

[fairyherder]

[ he looks up, opens and closes his mouth wordlessly for a couple of moments. the longer he does spend time with his parents, the more tangled up his emotions get, but it's not... bad. and again, asking for help is literally the thing he's the worst at.

but getting help from his father isn't so bad, is it? even if they clash more times than not. and even if his father is kind of embarrassing too. so his cheeks burn a little, and he looks down to his hands in his lap. ]

I... I don't know. It's embarrassing.

[disasterstraight]

[ His hand lingers on Jin Ling's shoulder for a moment longer, before he withdraws it with a flourish of his sleeve, settling it instead into the much more comfortable position behind his back. He frowns, the corners of his mouth tugging downward in contemplation. Taking a decisive breath through his nose and then releasing it, he looks Jin Ling in the eye once more. ]

Surely some embarrassment is preferable over losing control of your faculties?

[ He doesn't like the phrase, "going feral." This world may be content to label them as monsters and strip any negative connotations to the word, but Jin Zixuan would prefer to keep hold of his humanity in whatever small ways he can. His humanity, and that of his son. Even though he can still sharply remember holding A-Ling's shaking, terrified canine form to his chest. ]

I understand that it is difficult for you to reach out to others, but I need you to try, A-Ling. For my sake, if not for your own.

[fairyherder]

[ he won't admit that the hand on his shoulder is comforting, so he doesn't protest when his father pulls away. somehow, he's still not used to all the physical touch from people, even if it started with his dajiu, who seems to have no reservations when it comes to people he treasures. ]

...I know that. [ it's mumbled, but he knows it's true. he doesn't want to go feral, doesn't want to lose his free will. it's just difficult to face the fact that it's a possibility. he doesn't want to ask his mother, when she already has two bonds, so he'll just have to suck it up and ask publicly, right? ]

I'll try.

Modranicht delivery

[turmoiling]

[A courier drops off a small package for Jin Zixuan and the rest of his family. There's a small basket of with various small sweets to be shared, but for Jin Ling in particular, there's a set of lightly enchanted arrows that emit a soft glow, making it easier to find them when gone astray -- or to chase after anything that's been hit once.

One note for all is attached:]

In the spirit of local festivities, please enjoy these gifts this Modranicht. I'm glad we are all able to have this chance to start again, even if it must be in another world. Have a pleasant holiday season.

Jin Guangyao

Modranicht gift

[thejoyrider]

[On the day of the holiday, a plate of homemade cookies and a sample of herbal tea mysteriously appears on his doorstep. The wrapping is decorated with a fresh lily flower (actually a Fae magic product, designed to fade away from existence in a few hours) and a ribbon. The attached handwritten note reads as follows:]

Happy Modranicht! Let’s have another great year here in Aefenglom!

M⚜️