[7rings] catchall for douman

[shiftingwinds]

i'll make this pretty later

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[shiftingwinds]

[oof, that sounds bad.

she reaches for their un-bitten hand.]

...you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I'm just glad you all came back to us.

[commedia]

[Her hand is so soft...]

...They tried to kill us. [A beat.] Ah, but it was all just a curse, anyways. I suppose it was.

[Glad that they're all back, huh...]

I suppose...I'm glad I'm back, too.

[shiftingwinds]

[oof.

her expression definitely drops at that. good thing they can't see it! the hand that isn't holding theirs comes up to brush her fingertips over her throat.]

A curse, or an illusion. The people you saw there... they wouldn't do that to you. Not for real.

[she cannot even wrap her mind around the concept of omi even thinking about killing this clown.]

[commedia]

Oh, I know. But it was convincing. Even for a time, I thought they were merely being possessed...

[Douman gestures to one of their eyeholes.]

One of these is that Omi's work.

[shiftingwinds]

[oof. yikes.]

...only one of them...?

[did they dig out the other themselves to match.]

[commedia]

Yes. The other is...another story! Haha.

[Are you going to. Say the other story...]

[shiftingwinds]

[clown, please]

...I take it you don't want to talk about it...?

[since... they volunteered that omi took the one eye, but they're being cagey about this one]

[commedia]

...

What happened with my other eye is between me and myself.

[shiftingwinds]

[she nods, and then remembers a moment later that they can't see that]

Of course.

[commedia]

Thank you for understanding.

[A long pause...and then they reach out their unwounded hand.]

Can you...hold it? Qingxuan?

[shiftingwinds]

Certainly.

[she doesn't hesitate - she takes their hand in both of hers and holds onto it.]

...for as long as you'd like.

[commedia]

Mineo said he does this to held someone through a nightmare.

[They hang their head, hair cascading down their front, like a curtain.]

It feels nice.

[shiftingwinds]

[she nods - again, not that they can see it.]

Sometimes, even when you're not awake, you can still feel it - you know someone's there, subconsciously. It helps.

[commedia]

...

[They murmur so quietly that its barely even heard.]

There was no one there for me.

[shiftingwinds]

[oh, that's heartbreaking. she squeezes their hand.]

...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[commedia]

[A low exhale.]

Ha. You have nothing to be sorry for. Do not concern yourself with this humble priest and their problems.

[shiftingwinds]

But... we're friends, aren't we?

[a beat.]

It's impossible not to be concerned.

[commedia]

Is that what friends do?

[Douman shakes their head.]

I have found that concern can tip over into pity, and...I hate being pitied. But nevertheless...I appreciate it, Qingxuan.

[shiftingwinds]

...it's not meant to be pity...

[she'll. try to keep it at concern? she gives their hand another squeeze.]

Friends support each other. So - I know it, you'll definitely come out of this. [they'll get healed, and... they can work on their Omi Trauma... it'll be fine.] You will.

[commedia]

[Sorry, SQX, Douman just has Issues.]

...Will I.

[They sound doubtful.]

Nothing can return to the way it was, hm.

[shiftingwinds]

[honestly, that's fair.]

You will. Things may not be able to be exactly as they were, but you're still here. [...] How you proceed from here is up to you, but...

You're here. That's something.

[commedia]

Ahahaha.

[Isn't that a nice sentiment.]

Qingxuan...did I ever tell you why I came to this place?

[shiftingwinds]

[she shakes her head



and then remembers they can't see it. please. please let their eyes be healed soon.]

No... you didn't.

[commedia]

[They adjust their grip on Qingxuan's hand.]

...

I came here because I wanted to learn how to love.

[shiftingwinds]

[well that's unfortunate. all this murder is probably not very conducive to learning to love.]

...these circumstances aren't the best for that, are they...

[she doesn't let go of their hand, though.]

But you haven't given up on that, have you?