anyway. he stares, for a long moment - eye to eye, unflinching, the switchblade still in hand. but the thing is, it's still folded. it's been folded the whole time. it's more of a security blanket than it is anything actually threatening.
for a moment, there's just tense silence - and then he scoffs, rolls his eyes, and - ]
I'll leave when I'm ready.
[ so. yeah. he's not going to stab him! he was never going to stab him because he's a big baby. but he does get up from the recliner, and strips out of his bloodied, awful sweatshirt to go shove it in the nearest trashcan. no shirt underneath - just scars and tight muscle and the stark white of fresh bandages, now, the same as the front.
he is tired, is the thing. he's exhausted. he hasn't rested, really rested, in... years? probably in years. definitely not since he crawled out from where he was thrown - never once has he had the chance not to look over his shoulder. the moment he gets complacent is the moment he's dead.
eventually, from over his shoulder: ] You got a death wish, medicine man?
[ help therion please fair though like, jiaoqiu too
there's a huff from him, when therion rolls his eyes. it's a little amused, but it's also just sort of tired. his shoulders ease up just a little bit when therion pulls himself to stand. good. not an agreement, but not rushing to leave, either, so... jiaoqiu turns to go back to the kitchen to give him a little bit of privacy. if he's a little disappointed he didn't get stabbed, it doesn't last very long. exciting, though, to test the limits.
the question gives him pause. ]
I don't have any wishes at all.
[ he answers finally, easy and soft. he glances out to where therion is standing - his eyes sweep over therion's form once, taking in the scars, the wiry muscle. ]
There's plenty of food in the refrigerator, if you find yourself hungry at any point. Take as much as you'd like. I make far too much for one person, as it is.
[ as he shoves the sweatshirt down into the trash, i don't have any wishes gives therion pause.
there's something about the way jiaoqiu says that that feels... familiar? or at least, it resonates, in ways that are almost discordant. for starters, it's a kindhearted thing to say, that you have no wishes, that you don't want anything. it's the opposite of therion in some ways, the opposite of a thief and a parasite, a selfish creature that takes and takes, but in others it's a match. because there's an emptiness behind that phrase that he can only just sniff out, one that he knows too, how you can take and take and take and it does nothing for you. emptiness is normal. the hunger never quite fades.
he can sense he's being looked at; therion looks over his shoulder and meets his eye when it sweeps back up, raising an eyebrow, though the intensity of his stare doesn't quite match the nonchalant motion, as if he's just being checked out like a piece of meat.
huh.
as for the food bit. therion doesn't give that a verbal response - honestly, he probably would have raided the fridge anyway, but he's not doing it while jiaoqiu is right here. he just waves his hand, and leans against the trash can, folding his arms across his chest. it pulls a little on his stitches, but it doesn't really hurt, so. ]
Something's really wrong with you. [ wow. it doesn't sound like he thinks it's a bad thing or - it's at least just an observation. something is wrong with this dude. ]
[ that gets him to laugh! it's just a little huffy sort of sound, and he covers his mouth with his hand when he does, like therion surprised it out of him. ]
What a decidedly rude thing to say to someone who just saved your life.
[ but he doesn't sound offended like, at all. his tail swishes a bit behind him, and then he scoots past therion to go to the chair. he'll collect the towels that he laid down so that he can wash them, which. will be fun, he thinks as he looks over the bloodstains. he doesn't have a washing machine, so he's really going to have to take these to the public laundry and wash them... oh well.
he glances over at therion, with that same smile he always has. ]
I'm curious to know what makes you say that.
[ he ain't arguing, there's so much wrong with him, but y'know. ]
[ he just kind of raises an eyebrow to the first bit like yeah? and? doesn't seem like it bothers you, pinky! much like everything else!! he remains where he is, arms folded, watching him putter around.
and why would he say that? well. jiaoqiu telling him to stab him sure is a start, but there's stuff beyond that, too. there's the nihilistic lack of wishes, there's that smile that's just this side of unnerving. it's therion's turn to look him up and down, from tip to toe, assessing, ears to tail. he's done his fair business with foxians and thirens and all of the above, but none of them quite like... this guy.
with all that silence, you'd think he might be offering an actual answer, thinking over jiaoqiu's curiosity, and he tilts his chin up, but what comes out of therion's mouth is instead: ] You planning on sleeping tonight?
and then he goes to grab a trash bag and shoves the towels in there. he should wash them straight away so the stains don't have time to set in but he just cannot find it in him to care! so. it'll be a later thing. ]
I do. I'll be sleeping in my room, but I'll leave the door open.
[ therion can have the chair... he's not going to offer therion his bed, that seems like a step too far. the how much question keeps sticking in his mind. ]
[ point blank. going to sleep with a stranger in his house - a stranger who basically threatened him less than five minutes ago, now that's something wrong with him. he doesn't really extrapolate beyond that, though he doesn't sound particularly scathing when he says it, either. ]
Or, at least it's a start. [ his fingers tap the inside of his own bicep where they're resting, drumming, not quite able to stay perfectly still. he's feeling slightly less trapped now that he's got his route out - jiaoqiu will inevitably fall asleep and he can just book it - and this guy's so fucking weird that he's caught his attention. ]
I don't see why you'd wait to kill me in my sleep. You could have done it so many times in the past few minutes. I clearly will not fight back. I live alone. Nobody saw you come home with me. If you wanted to, I would already be dead.
[ a pause, and then: ]
I'd ask that you don't take anything when you leave. I can't stop you, but the few possessions I have are mostly sentimental and not worth much.
[ and then he's going to start heading to his bedroom - or rather, the shower, because he is going to take one before he goes to sleep. ]
HEY!!!! DON'T JUST READ HIM FOR FILTH LIKE THAT!!! therion does not say anything, though his expression briefly changes into realization as jiaoqiu continues, and then annoyance, though it's blatantly obvious that if this was a 1v1, jiaoqiu just scored a point. he scowls and rolls his eyes, finally shutting the lid to the trashcan with a loud clang, and turning away like he's going to go sit down. whatever.
as jiaoqiu's back disappears around the hallway, therion watches him, poised like a cat. this has been a strange, strange day, but he is alive, and one hand slowly slips down to touch the spot where he was stitched up over the bandages, staring after the space where jiaoqiu was long after he's gone.
he doesn't move again until he hears the shower. from there, therion goes to the fridge and silently opens it - looks for something simple, like a piece of fruit or something, something unnoticeable, and then makes his way to the window. one last look backwards into the strange, quiet apartment, with the strange, forceful doctor.
and then silently, he slides out of the window, shuts it behind him, and descends the fire escape like he was never there at all. (and he absolutely does not pull his stitches open. fuck you, doctor, he's a professional.)
but the interaction doesn't leave his mind long after he arrives back home to his tiny, shitty corner of the city. days pass and therion's life carries on without incident - no more jealous thieves trying to get the jump on him, no brushes with the law, just casual theft and his usual city wandering, a healing injury he treats with stolen medical supplies slumped against the wall in his squatter's apartment. you are welcome back whenever you'd like, the strange doctor said.
well. that's the other thing that lingers - the feeling of weight. it feels like he's trying to outrun a debt, because no one ever does things like that for free. whether jiaoqiu is that kind of person or not, therion can't stand it, like a shackle around his wrist, and after that week and a half or so has passed, his injury's looking far better and he's out to repay his debt.
so, therion finds his way back to the pharmacy with relative ease. late at night again - same time, same shift - but this time, therion walks in as a customer, casual, black sweatshirt and jeans with his hood pulled down. he even nods at the excitable security guard on his way in as he struts past a little display of fruit and plucks up an apple right under her nose, unnoticed, palms it under his coat like it's nothing, then leans on the counter.
and after a protracted moment where he looks back at the pharmacist's office (so that's where he saw him from, huh?) he reaches over, and rings the bell on the counter. ding! ]
[ okay look he is a little smug about winning that point.
but when he comes back out to check, and therion is gone, there's something in him that is almost disappointed. it's not a surprise, he figured that therion would have snuck out the second jiaoqiu's back was turned, but. he stands in the middle of his empty apartment and stares out the window for a very long time, lost in thought. for just a while, it wasn't just jiaoqiu. for just a while, someone else was in his home with him.
he scoffs to himself, when that thought crosses his mind, and he goes to bed. how pathetic of a loser is he that he brings home a half-dead stranger in order to feel less alone? to feel something at all? ugh. how embarrassing.
the next few days pass like all days pass. he barely remembers any of them. sushang brings him sushi absolutely drenched in wasabi one night, and the taste is the only thing that stands out. he thinks about making sushi himself, but that seems like a lot of effort just to feed one person. he wouldn't be able to eat it all by himself. hanya points out that he should probably eat more, and he makes a noncommittal noise. he eats enough to live. he promised that he would, after all, and that is the only important thing left, that promise.
tonight, he's working, but not hard. he keeps getting distracted by absolutely nothing at all, staring at the wall. everything around him feels like... soup. not even good soup. thick soup, improperly seasoned, like gruel. his thoughts are having a hard time moving. they get stuck, the world blurring, obscured by the steam. absently, he ponders whether or not he'd even feel the heat of the pot. he knows already that the contents would be tasteless, dull.
and then the bell on his counter rings, and he looks over to see his patient standing there waiting. a beat, as he stares at therion from his desk, and then he stands up. as he makes his way over, he notes the sound of the clock on the wall ticking, in a way that he couldn't before. clarity. ]
You'll need to wait until my shift is over if you're looking for painkillers.
[ implies that he can't write a prescription but he'll just steal some for therion off the clock lol ]
[ help. a smirk crosses therion's mouth, because it appeals to his sense of humor, and he stays leaning on the counter for now, unmoving from where the doctor comes closer. it's a stark picture compared to the defensive, feral animal bleeding in an alleyway a week and some change ago - here he's confident and relaxed, or at least, he certainly appears to be. ]
Hah. Be careful, doctor. Hate to refer you to the authorities.
[ the tongue in cheek nature of the statement makes it slide out of his mouth, matching the little smirk, the word 'authorities' dripping with irony. his gaze flicks to see if he's wearing a nametag - something he didn't take down the night before - and then back up to his face. ]
If my time's right, your shift's about to end. Is it?
[ the sass in this sentence, wow. he looks amused. also, yeah he probably has a nametag, so therion can see that his name is jiaoqiu and not that weirdo pink fuck.
he glances back at the clock, and raises his eyebrows. a beat. ]
... So it is. [ he didn't even realize. ] Why do you ask?
[ oh good. he really bullshitted this because he was half conscious when he stumbled in here last time. could he have convinced him to leave? maybe, but this works better. ]
Let me walk you home. [ confidence and swagger. ] Happened to be in the area, and I hear this neighborhood's pretty dangerous at night, lately.
jiaoqiu is not... entirely sure what's happening here. he's actually very surprised to see therion at all, because after their last encounter he figured therion would go out of his way to avoid jiaoqiu. like being healed was embarrassing or something. maybe something is wrong, maybe he's hungry... but that little urge for someone to follow him home flickers on in his chest. like the snap of a match, the light under a hot pot.
so, against his better judgement: ]
I suppose I'd prefer not to be stabbed in an alleyway.
[ ... ]
You'll need to give me your name this time, however. Indulge me.
[ some part of him marvels at the fact that he accepts so easily - it's just solidifying the conversation from the other night, that this guy has a death wish, that there is clearly something wrong with him. really, this could easily read as threatening? he's charming, or at least he's really good at pretending he's charming, but he's notthat charming.
and yet! here they are. he tilts his head for a moment - and doesn't hesitate. easy. ]
Therion. [ because he's not ever been afraid of giving anyone his name. people know who he is, at least in the circles he runs, but he's more of a legend than he is a person, and he likes it that way. therion, thief who's never quite been caught. therion, who walked back into a place where he easily could have been arrested. therion, unafraid of anything.
with that, he leans back, reaches under his cloak and rolls the apple he stole up and into his hand, light and easy. ] Lemme know when you're ready, doc. I'll be around.
[ it's a win-win either way for him. either he gets to do something that breaks the monotony, or he dies from something he didn't cause. that's well within the boundaries of the promise he made. even past that, though, he just really doesn't see the point of being murdered. he doesn't have anything worth stealing. if he doesn't come back, both hanya and sushang have seen therion's face. seems too high risk, unfortunately.
jiaoqiu isn't familiar with most of the underground of the city, but this name he does know. nothing wild, just word of mouth, just some unfortunate comments from someone he no longer associates with, but... his eyebrows shoot up at the name. maybe this guy is pretending, but even jiaoqiu knows it's not wise to do that. might be the real thing.
a beat. and then he laughs, watching that apple come up. ]
You'll give Miss Sushang a complex, you know.
[ but okay. he'll go get his things! and after a moment, he slides out of the office. he'll meet therion wherever, but he is in fact going to go through the front door, so hanya and sushang see him leave. ]
[ his only response to that is a sly smile, and to take a bite of the apple, then turn on his heel to wait, radiating smug. yeah no he will not be stopping that from happening. instead, he just leans back from the counter, content with his plan and his 'purchase', and content with that little eyebrow raise, too.
it tells him something that doesn't surprise him, really. if jiaoqiu's recognizing of it on sound, it means he keeps one fluffy little ear to the ground, and that works for him, too. his reputation proceeds him. unfortunately, their meeting might damper that, but therion isn't thinking about it, for now pleased to have the ball back properly in his court.
he waits by the exit. if sushang talks to him, he's polite, still taking bites out of his apple as if he just went to the counter to purchase it, that's all. if tongues wag on his way out, that's fine, too. it's not like he plans on coming back.
so! out they go, into the brisk evening chill. he doesn't say anything at first - he's got plenty of self control - and the smug little smile falls off of his face, back into his usual resting bitch face as they make their way back down the familiar walk to the apartment. ]
[ sushang and hanya absolutely exchange looks when he leaves with a dude, but that's fine. they won't ask, they're too polite.
in any case, jiaoqiu comes outside, and barely reacts to the cold. he sort of like, half frowns, and then pulls on a jacket almost out of obligation. he doesn't seem like he has much to say as he leads the way - it probably won't take as long to get there this time, considering therion isn't dragging himself half dead. he does note the smile that drops off therion's face. his own doesn't go anywhere. resting sus face.
but after a couple of moments, jiaoqiu tilts his head back to look up at the sky, and asks: ]
[ ok that's an exaggeration but it's fine. therion glances to the side briefly, observing the obligated jacket, but observing his reactions in general, or... at least the lack of them.
the deadpan comes right back to his voice too, just as easy. ]
[ rude? he would not complain. yes he would he would complain so much. he does give him a bit of a look with that, and then scoffs. ]
Yeah, well. I'm full of surprises. [ dry as always - now that he's not bleeding everywhere, therion's personality is starting to come out, and it's only a couple shades different than it was before. sharpened edges, barely softened.
after a beat: ]
You're the one who offered. [ you're welcome back anytime, after all. what a perfect in? ]
there's a little part of him that likes to see that personality. he likes seeing the life in other people, he really does. even if it's dry, even if it's sarcastic, it's something. ]
I didn't expect you to take the offer. [ ... ] But it isn't unwelcome. Do you need something?
[ as he's opening the door to the building, on the way to the elevator. he will pause before the elevator, however, and glance at the stairs. he remembers the way therion crammed himself against the wall before, and while he doesn't say anything, he also will just let therion pick how he wants to get to the fourth floor. ]
[ therion follows him over to the elevator, and though he watches jiaoqiu look, he reaches over and presses the button to bring the lift down. it might be because he wants to prove that he's not afraid to be in a fucking elevator and jiaoqiu (who was just being considerate) cannot prove otherwise, or... maybe not.
once the doors open, he steps inside. waits for jiaoqiu to follow - and once the doors shut and the elevator moves, therion steps into his space. close, very close. whether it's a threat or something otherwise remains to be seen. ]
Told you before. I don't like owing people things.
he follows therion into the elevator easily enough, because he figured that even just waiting to be polite was going to set off some sort of sense of having to prove himself, for therion. they haven't known each other that long or even at all, but he knows that much.
but when therion gets very close, his first instinct is to think that he is going to be stabbed. he tenses, waiting for some sort of pain, but. it doesn't come, and his ear flicks. huh. he opens his eyes a little to survey therion like ???]
... Alright? [ he sounds confused! ] You really could have picked a better place to put a knife in me. You'll have to ride the elevator back down...
to be fair, after their last interaction, a stabbing would probably seem more correct in this situation. he stares for a brief second, flatly.
and then, well, his slight of hand is incredible, so despite that flat look, there's a loud clink noise, as he's slipped his hands down -- and undone jiaoqiu's belt. right there in the elevator.
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anyway. he stares, for a long moment - eye to eye, unflinching, the switchblade still in hand. but the thing is, it's still folded. it's been folded the whole time. it's more of a security blanket than it is anything actually threatening.
for a moment, there's just tense silence - and then he scoffs, rolls his eyes, and - ]
I'll leave when I'm ready.
[ so. yeah. he's not going to stab him! he was never going to stab him because he's a big baby. but he does get up from the recliner, and strips out of his bloodied, awful sweatshirt to go shove it in the nearest trashcan. no shirt underneath - just scars and tight muscle and the stark white of fresh bandages, now, the same as the front.
he is tired, is the thing. he's exhausted. he hasn't rested, really rested, in... years? probably in years. definitely not since he crawled out from where he was thrown - never once has he had the chance not to look over his shoulder. the moment he gets complacent is the moment he's dead.
eventually, from over his shoulder: ] You got a death wish, medicine man?
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there's a huff from him, when therion rolls his eyes. it's a little amused, but it's also just sort of tired. his shoulders ease up just a little bit when therion pulls himself to stand. good. not an agreement, but not rushing to leave, either, so... jiaoqiu turns to go back to the kitchen to give him a little bit of privacy. if he's a little disappointed he didn't get stabbed, it doesn't last very long. exciting, though, to test the limits.
the question gives him pause. ]
I don't have any wishes at all.
[ he answers finally, easy and soft. he glances out to where therion is standing - his eyes sweep over therion's form once, taking in the scars, the wiry muscle. ]
There's plenty of food in the refrigerator, if you find yourself hungry at any point. Take as much as you'd like. I make far too much for one person, as it is.
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there's something about the way jiaoqiu says that that feels... familiar? or at least, it resonates, in ways that are almost discordant. for starters, it's a kindhearted thing to say, that you have no wishes, that you don't want anything. it's the opposite of therion in some ways, the opposite of a thief and a parasite, a selfish creature that takes and takes, but in others it's a match. because there's an emptiness behind that phrase that he can only just sniff out, one that he knows too, how you can take and take and take and it does nothing for you. emptiness is normal. the hunger never quite fades.
he can sense he's being looked at; therion looks over his shoulder and meets his eye when it sweeps back up, raising an eyebrow, though the intensity of his stare doesn't quite match the nonchalant motion, as if he's just being checked out like a piece of meat.
huh.
as for the food bit. therion doesn't give that a verbal response - honestly, he probably would have raided the fridge anyway, but he's not doing it while jiaoqiu is right here. he just waves his hand, and leans against the trash can, folding his arms across his chest. it pulls a little on his stitches, but it doesn't really hurt, so. ]
Something's really wrong with you. [ wow. it doesn't sound like he thinks it's a bad thing or - it's at least just an observation. something is wrong with this dude. ]
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What a decidedly rude thing to say to someone who just saved your life.
[ but he doesn't sound offended like, at all. his tail swishes a bit behind him, and then he scoots past therion to go to the chair. he'll collect the towels that he laid down so that he can wash them, which. will be fun, he thinks as he looks over the bloodstains. he doesn't have a washing machine, so he's really going to have to take these to the public laundry and wash them... oh well.
he glances over at therion, with that same smile he always has. ]
I'm curious to know what makes you say that.
[ he ain't arguing, there's so much wrong with him, but y'know. ]
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and why would he say that? well. jiaoqiu telling him to stab him sure is a start, but there's stuff beyond that, too. there's the nihilistic lack of wishes, there's that smile that's just this side of unnerving. it's therion's turn to look him up and down, from tip to toe, assessing, ears to tail. he's done his fair business with foxians and thirens and all of the above, but none of them quite like... this guy.
with all that silence, you'd think he might be offering an actual answer, thinking over jiaoqiu's curiosity, and he tilts his chin up, but what comes out of therion's mouth is instead: ] You planning on sleeping tonight?
[ non sequitir much ]
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and then he goes to grab a trash bag and shoves the towels in there. he should wash them straight away so the stains don't have time to set in but he just cannot find it in him to care! so. it'll be a later thing. ]
I do. I'll be sleeping in my room, but I'll leave the door open.
[ therion can have the chair... he's not going to offer therion his bed, that seems like a step too far. the how much question keeps sticking in his mind. ]
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[ point blank. going to sleep with a stranger in his house - a stranger who basically threatened him less than five minutes ago, now that's something wrong with him. he doesn't really extrapolate beyond that, though he doesn't sound particularly scathing when he says it, either. ]
Or, at least it's a start. [ his fingers tap the inside of his own bicep where they're resting, drumming, not quite able to stay perfectly still. he's feeling slightly less trapped now that he's got his route out - jiaoqiu will inevitably fall asleep and he can just book it - and this guy's so fucking weird that he's caught his attention. ]
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I don't see why you'd wait to kill me in my sleep. You could have done it so many times in the past few minutes. I clearly will not fight back. I live alone. Nobody saw you come home with me. If you wanted to, I would already be dead.
[ a pause, and then: ]
I'd ask that you don't take anything when you leave. I can't stop you, but the few possessions I have are mostly sentimental and not worth much.
[ and then he's going to start heading to his bedroom - or rather, the shower, because he is going to take one before he goes to sleep. ]
You are welcome back whenever you'd like.
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HEY!!!! DON'T JUST READ HIM FOR FILTH LIKE THAT!!! therion does not say anything, though his expression briefly changes into realization as jiaoqiu continues, and then annoyance, though it's blatantly obvious that if this was a 1v1, jiaoqiu just scored a point. he scowls and rolls his eyes, finally shutting the lid to the trashcan with a loud clang, and turning away like he's going to go sit down. whatever.
as jiaoqiu's back disappears around the hallway, therion watches him, poised like a cat. this has been a strange, strange day, but he is alive, and one hand slowly slips down to touch the spot where he was stitched up over the bandages, staring after the space where jiaoqiu was long after he's gone.
he doesn't move again until he hears the shower. from there, therion goes to the fridge and silently opens it - looks for something simple, like a piece of fruit or something, something unnoticeable, and then makes his way to the window. one last look backwards into the strange, quiet apartment, with the strange, forceful doctor.
and then silently, he slides out of the window, shuts it behind him, and descends the fire escape like he was never there at all. (and he absolutely does not pull his stitches open. fuck you, doctor, he's a professional.)
but the interaction doesn't leave his mind long after he arrives back home to his tiny, shitty corner of the city. days pass and therion's life carries on without incident - no more jealous thieves trying to get the jump on him, no brushes with the law, just casual theft and his usual city wandering, a healing injury he treats with stolen medical supplies slumped against the wall in his squatter's apartment. you are welcome back whenever you'd like, the strange doctor said.
well. that's the other thing that lingers - the feeling of weight. it feels like he's trying to outrun a debt, because no one ever does things like that for free. whether jiaoqiu is that kind of person or not, therion can't stand it, like a shackle around his wrist, and after that week and a half or so has passed, his injury's looking far better and he's out to repay his debt.
so, therion finds his way back to the pharmacy with relative ease. late at night again - same time, same shift - but this time, therion walks in as a customer, casual, black sweatshirt and jeans with his hood pulled down. he even nods at the excitable security guard on his way in as he struts past a little display of fruit and plucks up an apple right under her nose, unnoticed, palms it under his coat like it's nothing, then leans on the counter.
and after a protracted moment where he looks back at the pharmacist's office (so that's where he saw him from, huh?) he reaches over, and rings the bell on the counter. ding! ]
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but when he comes back out to check, and therion is gone, there's something in him that is almost disappointed. it's not a surprise, he figured that therion would have snuck out the second jiaoqiu's back was turned, but. he stands in the middle of his empty apartment and stares out the window for a very long time, lost in thought. for just a while, it wasn't just jiaoqiu. for just a while, someone else was in his home with him.
he scoffs to himself, when that thought crosses his mind, and he goes to bed. how pathetic of a loser is he that he brings home a half-dead stranger in order to feel less alone? to feel something at all? ugh. how embarrassing.
the next few days pass like all days pass. he barely remembers any of them. sushang brings him sushi absolutely drenched in wasabi one night, and the taste is the only thing that stands out. he thinks about making sushi himself, but that seems like a lot of effort just to feed one person. he wouldn't be able to eat it all by himself. hanya points out that he should probably eat more, and he makes a noncommittal noise. he eats enough to live. he promised that he would, after all, and that is the only important thing left, that promise.
tonight, he's working, but not hard. he keeps getting distracted by absolutely nothing at all, staring at the wall. everything around him feels like... soup. not even good soup. thick soup, improperly seasoned, like gruel. his thoughts are having a hard time moving. they get stuck, the world blurring, obscured by the steam. absently, he ponders whether or not he'd even feel the heat of the pot. he knows already that the contents would be tasteless, dull.
and then the bell on his counter rings, and he looks over to see his patient standing there waiting. a beat, as he stares at therion from his desk, and then he stands up. as he makes his way over, he notes the sound of the clock on the wall ticking, in a way that he couldn't before. clarity. ]
You'll need to wait until my shift is over if you're looking for painkillers.
[ implies that he can't write a prescription but he'll just steal some for therion off the clock lol ]
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Hah. Be careful, doctor. Hate to refer you to the authorities.
[ the tongue in cheek nature of the statement makes it slide out of his mouth, matching the little smirk, the word 'authorities' dripping with irony. his gaze flicks to see if he's wearing a nametag - something he didn't take down the night before - and then back up to his face. ]
If my time's right, your shift's about to end. Is it?
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he glances back at the clock, and raises his eyebrows. a beat. ]
... So it is. [ he didn't even realize. ] Why do you ask?
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Let me walk you home. [ confidence and swagger. ] Happened to be in the area, and I hear this neighborhood's pretty dangerous at night, lately.
[ haha. get it. therion's dangerous. ]
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jiaoqiu is not... entirely sure what's happening here. he's actually very surprised to see therion at all, because after their last encounter he figured therion would go out of his way to avoid jiaoqiu. like being healed was embarrassing or something. maybe something is wrong, maybe he's hungry... but that little urge for someone to follow him home flickers on in his chest. like the snap of a match, the light under a hot pot.
so, against his better judgement: ]
I suppose I'd prefer not to be stabbed in an alleyway.
[ ... ]
You'll need to give me your name this time, however. Indulge me.
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and yet! here they are. he tilts his head for a moment - and doesn't hesitate. easy. ]
Therion. [ because he's not ever been afraid of giving anyone his name. people know who he is, at least in the circles he runs, but he's more of a legend than he is a person, and he likes it that way. therion, thief who's never quite been caught. therion, who walked back into a place where he easily could have been arrested. therion, unafraid of anything.
with that, he leans back, reaches under his cloak and rolls the apple he stole up and into his hand, light and easy. ] Lemme know when you're ready, doc. I'll be around.
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jiaoqiu isn't familiar with most of the underground of the city, but this name he does know. nothing wild, just word of mouth, just some unfortunate comments from someone he no longer associates with, but... his eyebrows shoot up at the name. maybe this guy is pretending, but even jiaoqiu knows it's not wise to do that. might be the real thing.
a beat. and then he laughs, watching that apple come up. ]
You'll give Miss Sushang a complex, you know.
[ but okay. he'll go get his things! and after a moment, he slides out of the office. he'll meet therion wherever, but he is in fact going to go through the front door, so hanya and sushang see him leave. ]
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it tells him something that doesn't surprise him, really. if jiaoqiu's recognizing of it on sound, it means he keeps one fluffy little ear to the ground, and that works for him, too. his reputation proceeds him. unfortunately, their meeting might damper that, but therion isn't thinking about it, for now pleased to have the ball back properly in his court.
he waits by the exit. if sushang talks to him, he's polite, still taking bites out of his apple as if he just went to the counter to purchase it, that's all. if tongues wag on his way out, that's fine, too. it's not like he plans on coming back.
so! out they go, into the brisk evening chill. he doesn't say anything at first - he's got plenty of self control - and the smug little smile falls off of his face, back into his usual resting bitch face as they make their way back down the familiar walk to the apartment. ]
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in any case, jiaoqiu comes outside, and barely reacts to the cold. he sort of like, half frowns, and then pulls on a jacket almost out of obligation. he doesn't seem like he has much to say as he leads the way - it probably won't take as long to get there this time, considering therion isn't dragging himself half dead. he does note the smile that drops off therion's face. his own doesn't go anywhere. resting sus face.
but after a couple of moments, jiaoqiu tilts his head back to look up at the sky, and asks: ]
Your wound is healing nicely?
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[ ok that's an exaggeration but it's fine. therion glances to the side briefly, observing the obligated jacket, but observing his reactions in general, or... at least the lack of them.
the deadpan comes right back to his voice too, just as easy. ]
Gonna offer a checkup?
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Perhaps if I feel like listening to you complain, I will.
[ ok, don't be rude ]
I'm surprised to see you again, in fact.
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Yeah, well. I'm full of surprises. [ dry as always - now that he's not bleeding everywhere, therion's personality is starting to come out, and it's only a couple shades different than it was before. sharpened edges, barely softened.
after a beat: ]
You're the one who offered. [ you're welcome back anytime, after all. what a perfect in? ]
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there's a little part of him that likes to see that personality. he likes seeing the life in other people, he really does. even if it's dry, even if it's sarcastic, it's something. ]
I didn't expect you to take the offer. [ ... ] But it isn't unwelcome. Do you need something?
[ as he's opening the door to the building, on the way to the elevator. he will pause before the elevator, however, and glance at the stairs. he remembers the way therion crammed himself against the wall before, and while he doesn't say anything, he also will just let therion pick how he wants to get to the fourth floor. ]
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[ therion follows him over to the elevator, and though he watches jiaoqiu look, he reaches over and presses the button to bring the lift down. it might be because he wants to prove that he's not afraid to be in a fucking elevator and jiaoqiu (who was just being considerate) cannot prove otherwise, or... maybe not.
once the doors open, he steps inside. waits for jiaoqiu to follow - and once the doors shut and the elevator moves, therion steps into his space. close, very close. whether it's a threat or something otherwise remains to be seen. ]
Told you before. I don't like owing people things.
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he follows therion into the elevator easily enough, because he figured that even just waiting to be polite was going to set off some sort of sense of having to prove himself, for therion. they haven't known each other that long or even at all, but he knows that much.
but when therion gets very close, his first instinct is to think that he is going to be stabbed. he tenses, waiting for some sort of pain, but. it doesn't come, and his ear flicks. huh. he opens his eyes a little to survey therion like ???]
... Alright? [ he sounds confused! ] You really could have picked a better place to put a knife in me. You'll have to ride the elevator back down...
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to be fair, after their last interaction, a stabbing would probably seem more correct in this situation. he stares for a brief second, flatly.
and then, well, his slight of hand is incredible, so despite that flat look, there's a loud clink noise, as he's slipped his hands down -- and undone jiaoqiu's belt. right there in the elevator.
he looks up at him. pointedly. ]
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