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

[singlelogbridge]

[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!]

Comments

[drawsblood]

Mm.

[ He's agreeing with everything being said, but he does elaborate a moment later. ]

I was a soldier. I saw firsthand the reactions people would get to things. It would be little things - like a noise or smell - and suddenly they'd think they were on the battlefield again.

[ A pause. ]

It's never been like that for me, but I have nightmares sometimes. I think all soldiers must. And sometimes on awakening, I need to remind myself that the battle is over.

[singlelogbridge]

[Oh. He knows exactly what the man is referring to. He hadn't experienced it as vividly as some, and he knew the resentful energy that he'd made his body a vessel for had a lot to do with the nightmares and memories, but he'd experienced it too.

It's just...]

I fought in a war. [He admits softly, the memory of it somehow still preferable to thinking about dogs.] I know what you're talking about.

But...this isn't war. [he looks away, his eyes drifting to the ground for just a second before he closes them, feeling childish.] It's just...dogs.

[They aren't the same. Battle was horrific and nightmarish and it made sense that men and women came away from it with scars of the mind. But dogs are just dogs. It doesn't make sense that they could be the same.]

[drawsblood]

It's just dogs, yes, but fear isn't rational. If it was, there would be very few things people ever feared, and those might be getting mauled by a bear or falling off a cliff. But people fear the dark, and the unknown. They fear possibilities and not definites. Perhaps one day you can conquer this fear, but having it in the first place is not a failing.

[singlelogbridge]

[He snorts softly under his breath, unsure what to do with this sort of understanding but warmed by it all the same.]

You're very good at this you know. Talking to near strangers who've hidden up in trees. [A little of his usual spark returns and a hint of mirth lines his words.] Do you do this often?

[drawsblood]

[ His response is to look a little surprised, but he too makes a soft sound like a laugh a moment later. ]

Not at all. I rarely speak when situations are important because I think I'll make things worse. But I saw the state of you and figured I couldn't possibly make this worse, so here I am.

[singlelogbridge]

You certainly didn't here. [And he's grateful, even if it is a little embarrassing.] Maybe you're better at speaking then you give yourself credit for.

[He glances away for a moment, his gaze distracted as he receives a text message, and then glances back.] Ah, someone is coming to leave with the—uh, with...Jake.

You don't have to stay, I'll be coming down in a minute after he's gone, and there's something I need to take care of first. [He gestures to the angry redhead below, his gaze growing immediately fond.]

But first, aiya, forgive me, I've got a terrible memory. I know we've met but I can't remember your name. I'm Wei Wuxian.

[drawsblood]

Joric.

[ He gives a brief nod of his head and looks down between the branches at the new development below. The angry redhead appears to be a friend, so Joric will leave them to it. ]

All right. I'll head down. And don't worry; someone will do something attention-getting soon enough and this will be forgotten. My money is on Newt. Farewell.

[ And with that, he starts climbing down. ]

[singlelogbridge]

[And he'll be climbing down that tree to the sound of Wei Wuxian's laughter.

Joric isn't wrong, alright.]