You took all of me (December Catchall)

[esurientabyss]

🌊Who: He Xuan, and anyone else.
🌊What: A brief catchall.
🌊When: December.
🌊Where: Varies.
🌊Warnings: None, unless someone ends up convincing him somehow to do a NSFW bingo square or something.


i. silent nights (closed to Gaku Yaotome)

[ Well following the culmination of the activities of this, it is doubtless that the two had their own business to take care of. Maybe it would take a day, but probably not because when nightfall is upon them, it doesn't change the fact that sleep will be needed. Well, technically He Xuan could go without it, though it hasn't exactly...come up. ]

...It's late. I assume you're coming to bed.

[ He Xuan doesn't know how to phrase that less awkwardly, help. ]

ii. these abandoned fields

[ ...Well. These fields are not going to cultivate their damned selves, as much as He Xuan would like for them to. So here he is, out in the early morning, hair pulled back into a familiar ponytail, despite how long it is, and sleeves rolled up.

He's doing farm work, with the hoe and whatnot. Though, apparently not without a few curses. His family had a farm when he was young, yet it has been ages since he has been on a farm. Not to mention, they didn't go into misfortune until a certain point, so his experience personally attending to one is extremely limited.

Maybe a certain shovel would prove to be useful here, in retrospect. Or maybe not, because he doesn't know how to use it. Anyway, more effort is being exerted here, without trying to ruin the soil. ]

iii. responsibility is a heavy (annoying) cross to bear [various prompts]

[ He Xuan can be seen in town at various early points of the day. Though he looks annoyed to be there, and if for whatever reason someone comes closer to him, he frowns, but he does like...the minimum effort to look like he's not about to kill someone, expression more neutral. ]

What?

[ Later on, he can also be witnessed hanging around at the actual beach, seeming caught up in the way the setting looks in the late afternoon. He seems more at peace at this time, on account of the fact he is more at ease with this sort of surrounding. ]

iv. wildcard

[ Feel free to throw in a random scenario that doesn't fit the above if you'd like. I haven't actually gotten around to making a plotting post since I just commented around, but here is his bingo so far! ]

Comments

[esurientabyss]

[ So scary he can freeze the hearts of many...! But when Ellis raises his bingo card after the admittedly flat response he has given, He Xuan nods, pulling out his own. ]

I need to fill out more. We can go ahead and use a 'paddle boat' together.

[ If it is on this bingo square, there must be some lying around to use. ]

[framestory]

[ He Xuan is no longer that scary, which makes Ellis smile. He thinks so too regarding paddle boats, so he puts away his own bingo card and nods. Ellis hasn't gone on a paddle boat before either, so he's not sure what it's supposed to look like... those swan or duck boats where you pedal and steer? He doubts there's one near the goddess's pond since it's her home and she probably wouldn't want anyone to ride a boat on her home.

So Ellis brings out his pamphlet and points to the beach. Maybe there's something there? It has a big body of water, after all. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ He made someone smile?? He doesn't understand how that's possible, but he does pay attention when Ellis points to the beach.

He Xuan is also noting that this person is relatively quiet, huh. ]

Then we'll go there. There'd better be one so we don't have to bother with the goddess.

[ He says that in such a final manner, but then make his way down to the beach...anyway, not sure if there are boats hanging around at the beach?? ]

[framestory]

[ Unfortunately, there are no boats at the beach because in between tag time, I was told that they're actually in the mountains. Ellis goes up to a local on the beach to ask by showing them what he wrote in his notepad and they nod, saying "ah yes, there may be up in the mountains where the lakes are". To which Ellis thinks, "there are lakes in the mountains???" but I digress.

Ellis looks back at He Xuan, looking apologetic that he got the location wrong. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ ...Sometimes, that just happens. He Xuan looks at Ellis, predictably appearing grumpy about it.

Or maybe it is just because his face is usually stuck that way. Then he gives the local a seething glare. ]

If there aren't, you'll regret it.

[ Then, his expression looks back to just usually annoyed and he begins to silently lead them both to the mountains, lmao... ]

[framestory]

[ Never mind, He Xuan went back to being scary again, but it's not directed towards Ellis, so he feels okay about it. I'm assuming neither of them will talk much on their way up the mountains until they come across a lake and then it's as if Ellis got all his energy back at once as he runs towards the paddle boats! They're here!! He Xuan!!! He's waving wildly, you know, just in case He Xuan can't see. /s ]

[esurientabyss]

[ He Xuan isn't a good conversationalist, so that assumption is correct! Though he does find it interesting he hasn't heard a single word leave the other...hmm.

Anyway, there goes Ellis.

In sharp contrast to the younger man running around and then waving like the holidays have come early. The sight is a little amusing. But, He Xuan follows at a measured pace, like a wraith. ]

Can see you just fine.

[ But he gets in the what is probably a most ridiculous looking paddle-boat, and honestly? The sheer absurdity of it all is peak comedy. ]

Come in and start to paddle with me.

[framestory]

[ Ellis hops in and immediately starts pedaling, which... steers the boat continuously to a single direction like they're slowly spinning. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ He also starts to pedal...

He's also suddenly very aware he has no idea how this works...but at least they're probably (?) going in a direction that is not spinning...! ]

[framestory]

[ They can go far into the lake... it's fine... When the paddle boat rocks due to some mischievous marine life, Ellis holds onto the boat and it steadies instantly. Don't ask him how he did it. ]

[esurientabyss]

How did you do that?

[ Failed step one in not asking. He Xuan didn't even have to do much on his end as he might have considered at least ensuring the water was steady, so it's easily noticeable that Ellis managed it quickly. ]

[framestory]

[ UHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Ellis takes his hand off the boat to get out a notepad and writes in it. ]

I can stabilize things. It's my power.

[ He is still pedaling. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ Put the pedal to the metal! ...which is what He Xuan is also doing. ]

Convenient. If there is a large, fearsome lake monster causing trouble, you can stabilize it.

[framestory]

[ Stabilize what? Its emotions? That would have to mean Ellis would need to get close to it and... ah... he no longer wants to think about this.

His legs feel heavier all of a sudden. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ Peers at Ellis who seems to be more like a rock now than anything. Looks back across the lake they are (or he?) happening to be pedaling across... ]

Or I can just kill it. That would be quicker.

[framestory]

[ His calm is back immediately as he nods. Yeah! Leave it to scary killer man to do what he does best. Probably. He barely knows anything about He Xuan apart from what was in the pamphlet.

Ellis resumes pedaling and writing at the same time. ]

Do you use a sword?

[esurientabyss]

[ Yeah, he's gotten very good at killing! \o/ ]

I can use one, but I am versatile.

[ Any blunt or bladed object in his hands is a weapon if he can imagine it being as one, and and he can very much be skilled at improvising, oh boy. ]

[framestory]

[ He nods--he feels like he should be very frightened of He Xuan, but he rests easy. As long as he doesn't genuinely piss him off, Ellis should be fine... at least that's what he thinks. He seems to be like a no-nonsense, curt and stoic man. There's appeal in that too.

But he eventually realizes that it's kind of... cold where he's sitting. He feels a difference in temperature--most likely because he's sitting next to He Xuan, so he waves his hand a little inside He Xuan's space (sorry). ]

[esurientabyss]

[ ...Well, Ellis isn't an annoying person (he actually finds him interesting), so there is also a plus to them interacting, though this is just their 'first' 'conversation'...

Speaking of which, he does certainly notice that there's some waving around. ]

...What are you doing?

[ He Xuan looks genuinely baffled, and slightly annoyed. Is this some kind of strange custom? He reaches out to try to poke at the hand. With, you know, a cold finger. Helpful. ]

[framestory]

[ Despite slightly expecting it, he's startled anyway and jumps in his seat, rocking his boat. He immediately steadies it. ]

You're cold! Super cold!

[ No shit?? Yeah?? ]

[esurientabyss]

[ What a reaction...it's a little amusing, after he's initially surprised himself, making sure he doesn't fall out of the boat. Ellis is fortunate he isn't so childish (well, someone might argue that he is, depending on how petty he is feeling, actually.)

And also he still needs to peddle... ]

I am. Have been like this for a long while.

[framestory]

[ Ellis stares at He Xuan in wonder before resuming the pedaling. He gets it. He thinks. But then he turns curious, tilting his head at him. ]

Can I try making you warmer?

[ ... ]

[esurientabyss]

What would be the point?

[ ...Well, there's a small pause as he gives it a second thought. ]

You can try.

[ He Xuan hasn't bothered thinking about what it'd be like to be warmer, since temperatures don't bother him. No to mention, no one dared to touch him when he had been in a certain disguise. Well, except a certain ex-god....either way, concealing such things seemed unnecessary as well.

Though, he does wonder how it will work. ]

[framestory]

[ Curiosity, He Xuan! Curiosity. It'll probably bite Ellis one day.

Ellis doesn't need to particularly focus too hard for his powers to work, so he's still pedaling as he gently puts his hand on He Xuan's arm. He attempts to stabilize the temperature so that instead of his arm being outrageously cold, it'll be more lukewarm instead. It isn't much in the grand scheme of things, but in comparison to the rest of He Xuan's body, it'll probably be a big difference.

Though when Ellis stops, He Xuan just goes back to being completely cold everywhere. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ It's easy for him to do...precisely because he allows him to do it. It's interesting, allowing someone else to do this sort of thing, and for a moment things are at least less pleasant on Ellis' end.

Until the other draws away. ]

Were you born with this power?

[ He asks, though he touches his own arm, as if curious himself. ]