[ it is in fact a little baby. it... waddles? i feel like they waddle. it waddles over to the flower garden as fast as its little legs can carry it, over to a patch of white convallaria flowers, and... a body!
[ NOT THE BODY the way it's not even friday but he about loses his mind anyway
he follows until he sees this body in the dirt, and then nearly trips over himself in an attempt to hurry to it faster. he doesn't say anything just yet, trying to see who it is, cursing himself under his breath, already going for his bag. ]
[ well the good news is when he gets close, jiaoqiu can see that the body is not actually a corpse body.
it's taair! he's dressed a bit differently than usual - the bird theme remains, but the clothes are a bit different. if anyone reads this and recognizes it no you don't of most importance in the clothing, however, is what's on his head - a golden crown, ornate and inlaid with red jewels.
anyway. he's laying in the patch of white flowers, hands folded on his chest, eyes closed, breathing in and out, slow and easy. his chao makes a distressed noise. ]
well, mostly. he pauses in pulling out supplies, looking at this sleepy boy. the chao making a noise is what gets him to start moving again. carefully, jiaoqiu crouches down next to taair, taking in the crown and the flowers, and then: ]
no, jiaoqiu gently pats the side of his face. and then feels for his pulse? hello?? if he doesn't wake up he's going to look for signs of a coma next, tbh. ]
[ you know that was actually almost an option. but no- when he pats, firstly jiaoqiu might notice the texture of some kind of makeup where he patted his cheek. and then, more importantly, there's finally some kind of response with the physical touch. taair's brow furrows, and slowly, slowly, his eyes flutter open.
right away, there's something off - his gaze is unfocused, as he looks up, and even as it slowly sharpens into clarity, there's something missing. for jiaoqiu, it might feel kind of familiar. ]
... Jiaoqiu? [ soft - softer than ever. ] What...?
[ he glances at his little chao, who squeaks, and then smiles and dips his head. it's polite, like ever, but it's... lacking. ]
... I'm not sure. I must have just dozed off. [ sotto voiced, he holds a hand out to his chao, who sticks his head under taair's hand, and then very lightly pets it. ] I'm sorry if I worried you.
[ this is wigging him out, but more in a like... very concerned way, rather than a what the fuck way.
he will carefully help taair up, looking him over, and then: ]
Are you alright? What's on your mind? [ like, clearly he looks like he's going through one of these fun little switch things, jiaoqiu's seen enough of them, but... ]
I'm not sure the last time someone asked me that. [ there's a very soft huff, and he lifts a hand, adjusting the crown with a delicate hand. ] I'm alright, of course... I just must not have slept well.
[ he folds his hands in front of himself, nodding to his chao as it peeps at him, and will obediently follow jiaoqiu wherever he'd like to go! no protest, and... no pleasant chatting, either. just silence. ]
[ well at least he immediately looks chastised. like, immediately so - he straightens a little like he's trying to make sure he looks okay, lifts his chin as if he is being inspected. ]
[ he says with that same soft smile. duty. duty stole it away.
it's right around this time that he wobbles, starting to step forward - and then, with no other warning really, he swoons. i'm so sorry for your noodle boy ]
[ bad! double bad! jiaoqiu is not really built to catch people, but he does his best - he scoots forward to try and steady taair with a soft curse under his breath, ears pinned back. ]
[ and it's right as this happen that the change seems to revert - the hair shrinks back to short, the heavy crown vanishes, and he clutches onto jiaoqiu's arms, sucking in a sharp, surprised breath.
and then blinking, he looks up? and it's all gone. ] --Jiaoqiu?
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uh oh.... ]
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he follows until he sees this body in the dirt, and then nearly trips over himself in an attempt to hurry to it faster. he doesn't say anything just yet, trying to see who it is, cursing himself under his breath, already going for his bag. ]
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it's taair! he's dressed a bit differently than usual - the bird theme remains, but the clothes are a bit different. if anyone reads this and recognizes it no you don't of most importance in the clothing, however, is what's on his head - a golden crown, ornate and inlaid with red jewels.
anyway. he's laying in the patch of white flowers, hands folded on his chest, eyes closed, breathing in and out, slow and easy. his chao makes a distressed noise. ]
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well, mostly. he pauses in pulling out supplies, looking at this sleepy boy. the chao making a noise is what gets him to start moving again. carefully, jiaoqiu crouches down next to taair, taking in the crown and the flowers, and then: ]
Taair. [ he's pretty sure. ] Wake up.
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no, jiaoqiu gently pats the side of his face. and then feels for his pulse? hello?? if he doesn't wake up he's going to look for signs of a coma next, tbh. ]
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right away, there's something off - his gaze is unfocused, as he looks up, and even as it slowly sharpens into clarity, there's something missing. for jiaoqiu, it might feel kind of familiar. ]
... Jiaoqiu? [ soft - softer than ever. ] What...?
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his ear flicks violently when he sees that gaze of his. a beat. ]
Yes, it's me. Why are you asleep out here? Your chao nearly fainted out of worry.
[ there's a lot different about this taair, but he's patient as always. a little fussy, too. ]
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[ he glances at his little chao, who squeaks, and then smiles and dips his head. it's polite, like ever, but it's... lacking. ]
... I'm not sure. I must have just dozed off. [ sotto voiced, he holds a hand out to his chao, who sticks his head under taair's hand, and then very lightly pets it. ] I'm sorry if I worried you.
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Finding what appeared to be a body was an experience. [ dryly. but. ] ... Do you need help standing?
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[ easy to do that, nowadays.
he looks up to jiaoqiu as he offers - and then eventually nods, obediently, still that sort of dead-eyed even with his little smile. ]
Yes. Thank you very much.
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he will carefully help taair up, looking him over, and then: ]
Are you alright? What's on your mind? [ like, clearly he looks like he's going through one of these fun little switch things, jiaoqiu's seen enough of them, but... ]
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I'm not sure the last time someone asked me that. [ there's a very soft huff, and he lifts a hand, adjusting the crown with a delicate hand. ] I'm alright, of course... I just must not have slept well.
Did you need something from me, Jiaoqiu...?
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[ he doesn't need anything, but. ]
But your behavior is a little strange. [ a beat. ] Come with me, hm? Indulge me.
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[ he folds his hands in front of himself, nodding to his chao as it peeps at him, and will obediently follow jiaoqiu wherever he'd like to go! no protest, and... no pleasant chatting, either. just silence. ]
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What is wrong with you? What sort of curse is this? [ annoyed ear flick. ]
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[ well at least he immediately looks chastised. like, immediately so - he straightens a little like he's trying to make sure he looks okay, lifts his chin as if he is being inspected. ]
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Where is your spirit, hm? Did that crown of yours eat it?
[ don't be like him. he doesn't want you to be like him. ]
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he tilts his head just slightly to the side - flinching a little, and then reaching up to touch that spot, even if it was gentle. ]
...I'm...not sure what you mean.
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I mean that you -- [ a pause. his ears pin back. ] Do you study history, Taair? Do you collect stories?
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a beat. and a tiny spark of something familiar, there and gone as he looks away, curling his hands in the front of his clothes. ]
I used to.
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[ there's an icy undercurrent to that. ]
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[ he says with that same soft smile. duty. duty stole it away.
it's right around this time that he wobbles, starting to step forward - and then, with no other warning really, he swoons. i'm so sorry for your noodle boy ]
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and then blinking, he looks up? and it's all gone. ] --Jiaoqiu?
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