We likely may not perceive anything until tomorrow. Like the blood. It may be hiding. So I wanted to offer you a moment to at least step away from our work.
[ he is still helping regardless so that just gets a soft shake of the head and a small laugh. ]
Wonderful. Come with me, then. You can't laugh at the state of the board, though. I did my best.
[ and he will lead the way to the solar if yjh will follow to the grand reveal of! a chess board! it's clearly very old and decrepit, but is hanging on by whatever pieces it does have. a set of black and white chess pieces sits on a table, across from two plush chairs that have been dragged into place closest to where vines and other bioluminescence clings to the walls. easier to see that way.
the pieces that are missing are replaced by small little pieces of paper torn into semi-even pieces. the drawings are not perfect, but effective, a missing black bishop, two white pawns gone, a rook has been decapitated and there are a dozen other flaws so go wild.
i refuse to rp chess also so we're just going to move pieces and have a cute chess date. there's tea here too in a pot with two mismatched cups. said pot is steaming which took a lot of work on kaeya's shitty fire powers part.
[ the tea is old, but it's the better of the stale leaves that have been found throughout the city. it's minty. soothing. probably one of the few scents that would still maybe cling to life for so long in a dried state. ]
We can't play without all of the pieces. So I did my best.
[ shrugs. he'll have a seat and pour out some tea for yjh carefully from where it's been steeping. ]
[ He accepts the cup, though he doesn’t drink it. Unfortunately, habits die hard. Niah at least gives it a couple of whiffs. ]
I can at least laugh at the effort you put into having a fair game. [ But he doesn’t laugh. ] I would have left it as it is and claimed the advantageous color.
[ He decides he make the first move!! And some handwave playing. ]
[ Joonghyuk will cheat in life if he has to, but it’s true he would have complained if pieces were gone and Kaeya was like yeah I’ll take the advantageous color. ]
That means you need more practice or you have to watch your brother’s moves better.
[ It’s been a while since he played chess. ]
Getting too attached to others could be a mistake here.
[ think think think, he'll take a sip from his cup and mull it over briefly. it takes a blink, really. ]
Especially when we never know who their next victim will be... it's a game of chance with the killer in our midst, forging bonds with others could lead to a devastating blow to our morale. But at the same time,
[ polaris peers upwards quietly before settling back on his paws, curling nose to tail. ]
… You are not that good at “freezing people out,” are you. Or maybe you’re taking this new setting to do something different.
[ Joonghyuk isn’t sure… His accusations aren’t even harsh. They’re contemplative. Niah, however, does observe Kaeya while still sticking near Joonghyuk’s cup. ]
[ He's thinking... The silence is long, but he's still here. ]
I've lived long enough in a ruined world where I've pushed people away because it made progressing easier. Using them as stepping stones got you far... And it was easier to deal with loss and betrayal.
[ For when you unintentionally get attached, but yes. He also knows what it means to be alone, though for different reasons. ]
No one wants to be hated or alone. Not even the coldest of people. [ ... ] Are you willing to take a gamble?
[ kaeya takes this in for a long moment and closes his eye. ]
Yoo Joonghyuk. [ this is information kaeya has played close to his chest, silent against his heart. and here is the gamble now dead center of the board. the king he gave him stands, a lone, chipped pillar. the knight nearby that kaeya had moved earlier is missing an ear, a chunk taken out of its neck, but it stands proud in heavy white stone.
[ Hm. He doesn't look disappointed. The king stays where it is and Joonghyuk doesn't bring it back. His fingers drum against the surface. ]
I believe that you are a man that cares to see others prosper and that is why I told you.
[ Like the king, defenseless and vulnerable is the spot Joonghyuk intentionally puts himself in, but what's a more intense way of forming bonds than placing your life in someone's hands? ]
[ kaeya brings a heel up onto the cushion, leaning back. he watches the king and knight on the board, little broken bits and pieces ]
While I do not believe a friendship is favor for favor... I do believe we must be on equal footing. Knowledge for knowledge. [ i don't give it so freely, not the things that matter, but i like you, yoo joonghyuk. ]
[ It's still a pleasant surprise? Kaeya is nobler than he assumed, but he's also aware of his own skewed outlook on people. While Joonghyuk doesn't drink the tea, Niah starts lapping it up. ]
[ kaeya notes that niah has made her way to nose into the cup, beginning to lap at the tea inside. it's just mint. a little stale, but still somehow a touch refreshing none the less. polaris from his little cushion looks rather pleased, tail tapping softly on the ground. ]
For this game, yes. So the king lives another day.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ folding his arms now. ]
We likely may not perceive anything until tomorrow. Like the blood. It may be hiding. So I wanted to offer you a moment to at least step away from our work.
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[ Which means that he has just been moping at random places waiting for cyoa… 2! to return.
He gently fiddles with the piece… ]
I’ll play.
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Wonderful. Come with me, then. You can't laugh at the state of the board, though. I did my best.
[ and he will lead the way to the solar if yjh will follow to the grand reveal of! a chess board! it's clearly very old and decrepit, but is hanging on by whatever pieces it does have. a set of black and white chess pieces sits on a table, across from two plush chairs that have been dragged into place closest to where vines and other bioluminescence clings to the walls. easier to see that way.
the pieces that are missing are replaced by small little pieces of paper torn into semi-even pieces. the drawings are not perfect, but effective, a missing black bishop, two white pawns gone, a rook has been decapitated and there are a dozen other flaws so go wild.
i refuse to rp chess also so we're just going to move pieces and have a cute chess date. there's tea here too in a pot with two mismatched cups. said pot is steaming which took a lot of work on kaeya's shitty fire powers part.
ta-da. ]
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You went out of your way to replace some of the missing pieces?
[ Hello?? He takes a seat on one of the cushions. Wow, a chess date. ]
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We can't play without all of the pieces. So I did my best.
[ shrugs. he'll have a seat and pour out some tea for yjh carefully from where it's been steeping. ]
As I said before, you can't laugh at my attempts.
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I can at least laugh at the effort you put into having a fair game. [ But he doesn’t laugh. ] I would have left it as it is and claimed the advantageous color.
[ He decides he make the first move!! And some handwave playing. ]
Why?
[ Why a date?? ]
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[ smile smile. he'll watch the first move and ponder before taking his. they pass a few moments like this.
at the question, he'll glance up. ]
I'm sick of my brother beating me.
[ don't tell him u like spending time with him don't tell him u like spending time with him don't tell him u like spending time with him ew. ]
So I figured I'd try my luck with you. Granted, games are part of your very specific skillset. We'll just have to see.
[ tapping finger to his lip as he thinks. polaris just happily is dozing on a cushion that kaeya has tossed down to him, tail thumping softly away. ]
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That means you need more practice or you have to watch your brother’s moves better.
[ It’s been a while since he played chess. ]
Getting too attached to others could be a mistake here.
[ You Clown. ]
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[ think think think, he'll take a sip from his cup and mull it over briefly. it takes a blink, really. ]
Especially when we never know who their next victim will be... it's a game of chance with the killer in our midst, forging bonds with others could lead to a devastating blow to our morale. But at the same time,
[ polaris peers upwards quietly before settling back on his paws, curling nose to tail. ]
I think it could be what saves us, too.
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[ Joonghyuk isn’t sure… His accusations aren’t even harsh. They’re contemplative. Niah, however, does observe Kaeya while still sticking near Joonghyuk’s cup. ]
But this suits you. Annoying and persistent.
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Perhaps I'm not the one freezing people out, rather it was I who was frozen out instead.
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Are you lonely then, Kaeya Alberich?
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[ nudging another piece with care into place. ]
Sometimes, I suppose I find myself starved for company, yes.
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I've lived long enough in a ruined world where I've pushed people away because it made progressing easier. Using them as stepping stones got you far... And it was easier to deal with loss and betrayal.
[ For when you unintentionally get attached, but yes. He also knows what it means to be alone, though for different reasons. ]
No one wants to be hated or alone. Not even the coldest of people. [ ... ] Are you willing to take a gamble?
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Mm, what sort of gamble?
[ he leans over the board, moves a knight forward. ]
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[ He places his king on the middle of the board, defenseless and open. This is the gamble. ]
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Yoo Joonghyuk. [ this is information kaeya has played close to his chest, silent against his heart. and here is the gamble now dead center of the board. the king he gave him stands, a lone, chipped pillar. the knight nearby that kaeya had moved earlier is missing an ear, a chunk taken out of its neck, but it stands proud in heavy white stone.
he moves nothing. ]
The Celestials.
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I believe that you are a man that cares to see others prosper and that is why I told you.
[ Like the king, defenseless and vulnerable is the spot Joonghyuk intentionally puts himself in, but what's a more intense way of forming bonds than placing your life in someone's hands? ]
I didn't expect you to share your secret.
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[ kaeya brings a heel up onto the cushion, leaning back. he watches the king and knight on the board, little broken bits and pieces ]
While I do not believe a friendship is favor for favor... I do believe we must be on equal footing. Knowledge for knowledge. [ i don't give it so freely, not the things that matter, but i like you, yoo joonghyuk. ]
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[ It's still a pleasant surprise? Kaeya is nobler than he assumed, but he's also aware of his own skewed outlook on people. While Joonghyuk doesn't drink the tea, Niah starts lapping it up. ]
Would you call this game a stalemate?
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For this game, yes. So the king lives another day.
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We can play a couple of more rounds of actual chess.
[ that can be their thursday before split. ]