crescentview | fall catch-all!

... Your image of what a ghost would look like must differ from mine.
[He thinks of ghosts as pale glowy specters after all. And he also thinks they aren't real. Anyway, back to their vibrant lynchpin;]

I think with the florals it's quite striking but still suits you very well. It better represents the power you hold that your usual behavior undermines.
[WHAT SORT OF SIDEWAYS COMPLIMENT IS THIS?]

[VAN ZIEKS THERE'S A GHOST RIGHT HERE--]

Ghosts? Oh, honey, if I was going to be a ghost, I'd want to be the more angelic kind! And I certainly wouldn't dole out curses.

[Which is why he's trying very hard to not make this date feel like a curse.

Meanwhile van Zieks over here is...well, Sylvando doesn't know what to do with that for a moment. It's not often that he feels weirdly seen through and van Zieks is really good at doing it.]

Oooh, so you like when I make my hidden depths more obvious, eh? Honestly, I'm not surprised. You do know better than many here that I am certainly more than meets the eye.

[That's not to say his "usual behavior" is a facade by any means, but he appreciates how much van Zieks has challenged him to bring out the facets of himself that he had become so accustomed to suppressing over the years. He no longer has to only be the silly jester.]

[ ... He Xuan is not going to be the most pleasant date here, but he is not going to be necessarily rude either.

As for both of their answers to his grim comment, he thinks they're about what he expected them to be, given what he knows of their personalities thus far. ]

...An unsurprising response from the both of you.

[ Though, he goes quiet, listening to Van Zieks and Sylvando's words towards each other. Personally, he doesn't think that the compliment was too bad, and given the way the other receives it, he was right to suspect as much.

As it is, however, he has nothing much else to say on the matter, looking entirely unaffected. He's perfectly fine with listening to them flirt. ]

[Van Zieks still has yet to really get a clear read on He Xuan and this isn't helping.]

Is your knighthood not common knowledge?
[NOW HE FEELS BAD FOR REFERENCING IT IN PUBLIC AT THE AUCTION.]

I think you've told more people about my knighthood than I have.

[He sees that aghast look on van Zieks' face though, and he's quick to laugh about it.]

That's okay, though! It's not something I'm trying to keep hush-hush about anymore. You've been good at reminding me.

[He tips his head toward He Xuan, since he's pretty sure he's yet to mention the literal knight thing...]

Does this revelation surprise you, darling?

[ He Xuan is here to be most certainly helpful in that regard, Van Zieks. Hope you appreciate it!

But as they talk a little further on about this supposed 'knighthood' and such, it does make him wonder. Though, he certainly doesn't have an image of what that would look like. Not because his imagination is certainly lacking. Sylvando's commentary about Van Zieks explaining to others about this subject must be true, since he hasn't ever heard of it before. ]

It could.

[ ...Why is he answering like that? Well, the reason for that will become obvious soon enough. ]

But, you'd need to explain what exactly does it mean for you to be a knight in your world first.

[ Is it a role that adds a layer onto why he jumped at the call to help save the world? Besides the determination not to let it all fall to ruin. Whatever the case, traditional 'knights' are not running around where he's from (there's always vague equivalents, but terms like that don't align neatly with knightly things.) ]

Edited 2023-02-10 17:19 (UTC)

[Well. At this point he can't even really be surprised by what people do and don't have a metric for. Especially in this case, given that He Xuan seems to be from somewhere equivalent to the far east in his world. He doesn't think they have knights over there.]

I think we all need reminding of what does and doesn't need to be held to our chests here, sometimes.

[gaypeople.png

In any case he'll leave the knight explaining to Sylvando.]

Oh, we certainly do.

[Pointed look at van Zieks. Guess who's getting lectured about that later!

Also wow, why does he have to do the explaining? But no, he'll happily explain.]

Knights are keepers of the peace who serve their kingdom! They swing their blades for the sake of protecting their people.

[He dramatically outstretches his hand to recite a passionate pledge.]

"A knight's word is his bond, his kingdom his master. He serves the weak untiringly, challenges the strong unflinchingly, and never retreats in the face of adversity!"

[...and then he's back to his cheery self.]

Knights serve in the military, and that's what I spent my entire childhood training to do. But as you can see, my knighthood became a biiiit...unconventional.

[ RIP Van Zieks...even he can sense a lecture in the making. But, hey, as far as he's concerned, it doesn't apply to him (lmao), so his attention is more rapt when Sylvando explains the basics of what a knight is.

Now that he knows better, does he necessarily find it to be a strange revelation where Sylvando is concerned? He doesn't quite think so. ]

If there is an expectation for knights to be strict, yes.

[ Which, there probably is, given that they serve a master. Though, that's just like the other male to be unconventional. ]

But, it does sound like the type of occupation you would commit yourself to. Protecting the people, challenging the strong, if that is what's currently oppressing the weak around you. Can't say I'm surprised in that regard.

[Van Zieks nods at He Xuan's assessment.]

His methods are... unconventional, but as someone with similar aspirations I respect it nonetheless.

[Anyway, I'm deciding they are properly on the boat now.]

In any case... what exactly are we expected to do here?

[It's cute that He Xuan thinks he's free from A Talk.

That said, Sylvando does his best to not visibly preen in front of the two of them, but it's obvious that their comments have made him very happy.]

Aw, you two are so sweet. I do my best!

[Van Zieks has never mentioned the respect part either...it means a lot to hear that straight from his mouth.

But, yes! It's time to kick this off proper!]

They've prepared plenty of activities for us to partake in! [He pulls out the little pamphlet he was given that details everything.] I thought we could all start with a trip to the lounge and enjoy each other's company along with a drink!

[He doesn't say it, obviously, but he figures everyone here needs one to loosen up first.]

[ Similar aspirations? He chances a brief look at Van Zieks for once. But that aside, yeah, He Xuan thinks he's not gonna get a Talk.

That being said, the idea of being called sweet is always so ironic. Though, it's not like he meant anything bad by it for certain.

In the meanwhile, he has nothing else to say to that, content to be quiet for a little bit until they're now properly somewhere on the boat. Probably near the entrance or something... ]

...Then, let's get going and grab something to drink.

[ He Xuan, not the type of person to see much need in dithering, makes a movement towards the lounge already instead of standing around. Keep up, folks. ]

[He was dreading this whole ordeal a little, in all honesty, simply because it felt like just so many opportunities for awkward situations. But this.... this sounds fine, and also will make any future activities probably more bearable.]

I think that is something we can all agree on. Though... I don't believe I've ever drank with either of you before. I'll be interested to learn your tastes.

[And silently judge them, maybe, wine snob that he is.]

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