ximilia | Video; UN: Wei Wuxian || Text; UN: jtd

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Video; UN: Wei Wuxian || Text; UN: jtd

[Even before the feed flickers into life, anyone literally anywhere in the sunlight room is probably aware that there is something going on thanks to one very shrill scream immediately followed by several minutes of panicked shouting. When the feed does flicker on, the view is oddly…tall? It's at height with the tops of the trees in the sunlight room which is because Wei Wuxian is making this post from the top of one of those trees.

The reason why becomes immediately obvious when he pans down to the familiar form of Jake barking up at him from the base of the tree. Jake's expression is partially obscured through the foliage, though a close study will find more fear in Jake's face than threat. Whatever he thinks he's looking at, it isn't Wei Wuxian.

Finally, the view shifts to Wei Wuxian who is wide eyed and panicked, his face completely bloodless as he holds onto the tree with one arm and gestures at Jake below with the other.]

Why? [He squeaks out in a desperate whisper, eyes darting back to Jake again before he lets out a soft whimper and returns his attention to the feed.]

Why is there a dog?

----

[ Jake's post comes through almost simultaneously, text somehow communicating volume as much as his urgency. ]

I FOUND THE GHOST. I REPEAT, I FOUND THE GHOST. GOT IT UP A TREE IN THE SUNLIGHT ROOM. PLEASE ADVISE ON NEXT STEPS AND/OR EXORCISM.

[ooc: please indicate in the comments which you're responding to!]

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[ Jake is first stunned by the smack, then stunned again by being lifted by--Finn? Where did all these teens even come from?! ]

[Meanwhile in a nearby tree, Finn has just blown Wei Wuxian's mind, and he's still recovering from the news when he hears the voices below. He takes a deep breath and scoots to the edge of the branch he's on, hesitating before he peers down to the chaos below.]

Ziggy? Finn? [To his credit, he tries to make his voice sound less pathetic and he at least half succeeds.

And then, even more tentatively]...Jake?

[Ziggy wields her Teen Bop magazine like a samurai sword, standing protectively in front of the tree in a stance that means business; this entire situation is ridiculous, but at she's at least stopped smacking the dog on the head. So the space ASPCA can rest easy.

... This time.]

It is crazy! Crazy that Jake's chasing people up trees and calling for exorcisms!

Why would a ghost that needs exorcising climb up a tree to get away? Come on! [She glances up at Wei Wuxian with a worried little frown before huffing and looking at Jake and Finn. And points the magazine at them.] No more chasing anyone! Can't you see he's freaked out?

[And then, calling up the tree again:]

Everything's fine, laoshi...! It's just Jake. He's just a bunch of hot air. He won't hurt you.

Hey, Jake was scared too! He’s…really afraid of ghosts. [ Which maybe felt a little further fetched in this scenario considering no one involved, was a ghost, whereas Jake was, in fact. A dog.

A dog he was hefting uncomfortably in front of him, giving Ziggy, and Wei Wuxian’s tree plenty of space. ]

It’s just a misunderstanding- [ That Finn has really been shoveling fuel into ] no one needs to be mad at anyone.

Hey. [Wei Wuxian calls from the tree, and it's the first time he's managed to put any firmness behind his voice since this whole thing started. Trust his adorable and ridiculous students to be the ones to bring it out. As soon as he has their attention though, he shudders and softens again, too drained to keep it up.]

It's okay, Ziggy. J...J-Jake, didn't realize. I'm very lucky to have as wonderful a student as you who cares about this foolish laoshi, but it's okay. [He's not okay but that's not Jake's fault, and all of this is deeply confusing. He's never been friends with a dog that he didn't know was a dog before. He takes another deep inhale and then begins speaking again.]

Finn, please don't be upset with Ziggy. She was only trying to help me. [Saying that much has already exhausted him and he pauses at what he's about to do, even the thought of it tightening his grip around the tree. He is trying to master his fear and be brave, but all he can remember is the yapping barks of those dogs that were bigger than him, chasing him around Yiling and snapping at his heals. He remembers the nights he went hungry because it was easier to surrender his food to them than to fight for it. And he remembers the dogs in Forsythe Heights, taking chunks out of his calf and sides, waiting for him to come down so they could take more.

He whimpers quietly and closes his eyes.]

J-Jake...I...[He can't. He can't do it. He turns his face back into the tree. Sorry Jake, he's trying!]

Edited 2023-04-01 05:23 (UTC)

[ The cascading series of events had a dizzying effect on Jake. Though maybe that was just being hoisted around, getting a taste of his own medicine for a change. Jake and Ziggy's arguments came through as if through gauze as the dog tried to put the disassembled pieces of this encounter together into something cogent.

It takes Wei Wuxian's quiet, trembling efforts to smooth things over for Jake to finally find some clarity. Too little, too late, unfortunately. ]

Oh man. [ He mutters, to no one, as Wei Wuxian loses his battle of wills. And then, a little louder, to the two teens. ] Yo, Finn, lemme down. And you--[ He points at Ziggy, more impressed than accusing: ] Nice shot.

[ Once on the ground, Jake shakes from tail to shoulders, trying to rid himself of the excess adreneline. Whew. He's got this. ]

Dude? Er, Wei Wuxian? [ He tries, a little louder. ] It really is me. Uh, Jake. I'm sorry, man, I dunno what happened, I really thought you were...

[ A ghost. If Jake wasn't sure it would freak Wei Wuxian out more, he would be cringing into his own body right now. That said, he does seem to be a little smaller than before, subconsciously shrinking in apology. The dog casts quick glance back at the two teenagers, still standing off against each other, pleading them to do something and fix him. ]

[Ziggy frowns, concern radiating off her expression before she turns to look at Finn and Jake — and is finally seemingly deflated and without any fight in her. Honestly, it's a shitty situation; she's still kind of peeved it even happened, but... Jake at least looks bewildered and wigged out, too. The important thing isn't feeding her short temper. The important thing is helping bring Wei Wuxian down. Like, bodily, but also his obvious distress.

Distress that is making her distressed about his distress. She's never seen him this upset before, not over something like this. So relenting for now, she tosses the Teen Bop mag to the side, looking to Finn and Jake with a frown as she steps closer, arms folded over her chest. Her voice goes a touch lower:]

Listen, just — I'm not mad anymore, or whatever. Head out for now, and I'll talk to you later, okay?

I've got to help him first.

He's seriously scared, and he won't come down from it without some distance to start.

[ Finn glances up toward Wei Wuxian anxiously. The fear gripping the man was plain even from here, despite his effort to remain calm, and to reassure them. Finn wished he had noticed faster; gotten a better handle on the situation from the start or reacted differently.

His gaze slides back down to Ziggy, letting out a breath he’d been holding unconsciously. Relieved she wasn’t angry with him, in some small, self-centered way. ]

Okay. Yeah. You can handle this. [ Said sincerely, confident that she could handle it. And if not alone, Itachi would surely be able to help soon.

He pushes the passing thought that not long ago, Gwen would also have been here, would have known exactly what to do or say, out of his mind. ]

We’ll talk later. I just wanna know he’s okay…

[ The last part said a little quieter because he knows Wei Wuxian would hate them worrying about him like that. Or rather, would hate that he worried them. He gives a last, apologetic smile to them before gently pulling Jake with him to leave, heading toward the common area and giving Wei Wuxian his distance. ]

[He watches Finn and Jake leave the room with shameful relief and then slumps against the tree he's still holding onto, though not nearly as tight as he had been minutes before. His sigh of relief is audible, and he raises an arm to the tree and then presses his face into it and he lets out some sort of high pitched deflated whining sound. Ziggy is still waiting for him down below, but even with Jake gone from the room, he's having trouble convincing his brain that the threat has passed. (Or rather, that there really wasn't ever a threat at all.) Letting his arm fall to the side, he peers down at Ziggy below and tries to pass off a grimace as a smile.]

Ah, you don't have to wait for me Ziggy, I might be a while.

[Ziggy's not quite smiling, but the expression she offers is hardly one of anger. If anything, she's just quietly defeated by the whole situation — at least until Wei Wuxian speaks up again. She glances up only sparingly, before moving to sit down beneath the tree, folding her legs under her in a particularly familiar, meditative pose. Then, closing her eyes and putting her hands on her knees, she says:]

... Not a chance.

Do you think I've get anywhere else more important to be?

[Unless he feels like really shooing her away, making her leave.

Until he does, she's staying put.]

[He snorts, amused and exasperated all at once. It isn't like her stubbornness is new, it's something he usually finds endearing. (And, alright, it's a little endearing even now.)]

Shouldn't you be meditating? [He says, his voice sulky.] Or copying characters? I'm sure there are many more important things for you to be doing than babysitting your foolish laoshi.

... It's what you would do for me.

[She glances up, a smile aimed to disarm the sulking.]

Isn't that what it's all about? Being friends, or family, or student and teacher.

You wouldn't want me left behind in a tree and you know it.

[This is cheating. He's almost positive this is cheating, and he glares down at her from the tree to make sure she knows what he's thinking. (It's a weak glare, too affectionate to really count.)]

Aiyah, look at all this backtalk! The sass! Who'd you learn that from? [Not him, she was sassy when he met her, but he likes to think he had a little influence.

After a long pause he peeks down again and gives the ground a cursory once over.]

...they're gone, right? They're not anywhere in the sunlight room?

Have you seen the crew we're in? Who haven't I learned from?

[It's okay, she's really good at absorbing glares, be they weak or powerful. It fuels the sass, you see. But her expression does settle into something a little kinder as she nods.]

... They're gone, yeah. No worries down here, unless you don't want to get itchy from sunroom grass.

[That warrants a weak laugh and then a soft sigh. If it were just him, he'd stay up here for another few minutes, just to make sure, but Ziggy is waiting for him. He can be brave for Ziggy.

After another minute there's the sound of the branches rustling, and then he's down, feet planted on the ground looking no worse for wear if a little exhausted and pale. He offers Ziggy a tired smile and brushes a few stray leaves from his shoulder.]

...guess it seems pretty ridiculous now, doesn't it? [It's a joke, but it doesn't quite land right. He's never really been able to make jokes about this.]

[Looking over, she gives a harmless little shrug. Not necessarily dismissive, but light. After all, it's just teacher and student sitting here, appreciating their little space.]

Doesn't seem that ridiculous to me. I think it just seems ridiculous to you.

[She'd move to find him something to drink, pale and tired as he looks, but she imagines this is probably enough; she knows if it were her in his shoes, she'd be a little embarrassed at the idea, so she trusts him to recover by himself for the moment. Instead, she plucks one last leaf off him.]

If you had bad experiences with dogs, it makes sense to be nervous. I mean, I think even people who haven't had bad experiences with things can still have a fear of them, or something. I don't think that means there's anything wrong with you.

Edited 2023-04-17 22:39 (UTC)

[That earns a huff and a soft pat to Ziggy's shoulder.]

I'll admit there's a story there, a-Xing, but it's one I'd rather not tell, at least not today. [It's a total downer for one, and he'd already made enough of a problem of himself.]

But thank you for your assurances and your very brave rescue. [He aims another smile at her, and although still tired, this one is much brighter.]

Are you up for being my very brave guard for just a little while longer and walking me back to my, ah, Itachi's room? [Partially because he's being silly and partially because actually he really doesn't want to walk by himself.]

[Smiling at that, she picks up the bent magazine — ignore the fact that it's a magazine catered to 2000's teenaged girls, a-thank-you — and rolls it back up into a weapon of immeasurable power.]

Sure thing, Wei-gege.

And if anything else happens between here and there, I'll take out the threat.

[She swats the air with the magazine. Her brow quirks.]

... Itachi's room? That old sour apple?

[he's like 20-something ziggy]

[Oh no. He groans, simultaneously delighted and terrorized. He shouldn't have taught her that! Thankfully he's saved by the rest of her words and he lets out a soft laugh, shaking his head.]

He's very— ["Kind." Itachi would hate it if he said that, wouldn't he? Wei Wuxian frowns and rephrases.] He's a dear friend of mine. [His amusement softens a little, the edges of sorrow just barely touching his expression.]

I've been staying with him since Gwen left. [Because he needed time to be able to return to that horribly empty room.]

[That seems to get Ziggy to understand well enough.]

You sure like to make friends with dear people who have lots of pointy edges.

[She's pretty sure she's including herself in that — maybe Gwen, too. It's impossible to miss the little space she's left empty on the crew, even if Ziggy had never gotten to truly know her the same way someone like Wei Wuxian had been able to. Truth be told, Ziggy's only just learning how to be vulnerable and open and accept new people in. It's... more rewarding than she'd ever thought it'd be.

But also very painful, when those people you let in are gone.

She reaches out, squeezing his hand.]

He's cool, then. For being an old sour apple.

If he's making things easier for you, I mean.

[She has a hard time saying the softer things. Maybe that's plenty soft as it is.]

[He lets out a loud laugh at that and squeezes her hand back before instinctively reaching out to ruffle her hair with his free hand. Sorry Ziggy, this is just a thing now.]

He is, I'm glad he gets your approval. [He offers her a wink.]

I'll be sure to pass it along. [And now that Ziggy has gathered her magazine/weapon of choice, he gestures for them to begin the walk back to the rooms.]

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Video; UN: Wei Wuxian || Text; UN: jtd

FOR THE EASE OF THIS THREAD, FINN HAS JAKE'S PROXY

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