worthallthis | The Last Voyages: IC Inbox

Hang on... hang on, it might be something else.

[He's getting his notebook out and flipping through it to the back, where the little map of the Barge is. He very rarely uses it, since he basically knows where to find Xiao Xingchen at all times these days without it and prefers to hunt physically anyway if it's not an emergency, but-- it's blank. There's no little dot with the familiar label.]

Xiao Xingchen. Uh. I think you graduated.

[Either that or he's no longer B's inmate, which frankly makes less sense.]

[Just silence for a beat.

Admitting to the possibility of a future is something he's had a little time to get used to. But that's very different from the actuality. It hasn't gotten any easier to talk about being something, someday, that isn't moldering here and resentful as a wronged ghost. Only familiar. And. Nothing's changed lately, has it? He's lived the same life he's been living. Which is not the one he lived a year ago. Or six months. Or one.

He wishes he could be stubborn about it, but he's a priest of the Dao. It's not actually a difficult concept to grasp.]

Oh.

Yeah.

[There's a pause after B's answer, too, before he rallies a little.]

Everyone's gonna say congratulations and good job and that's-- all well an' good. It's true. But if you need to freak out a little, I understand that, too. I sure did.

[Who's everybody? He will live henceforth as a hermit.]

I... might.

D'you want me to come be there while you freak out, or just be alone?

[Or find Crozier. Crozier needs to know, above anyone else, and also would probably be best for a freakout. But B has to at least offer.

A pause.]

There's gonna be cookies in front of your cabin door. I can go get 'em for you, so you don't have to go out.

[He has no intention of involving Francis until he's calmed down at least a bit.]

I think alone is best.

[His nose wrinkles a little in wry amusement.]

And I suppose I should be used to strange things here. That... would be kind.

[Cookies?]

I'll do that, then. I'll bring 'em by Crozier's cabin.

[Hopefully they're still there, if Xiao Xingchen hadn't waited a few days to ask about this. Then there's a pause.]

Uh, he might know what that means, Admiral does the cookie thing for everybody, so if you wanna tell him yourself, you should probably either make sure he ain't there in the next fifteen minutes, or keep him inside when I get there.

He'll be in the greenhouse for a bit or I wouldn't have contacted you.

[Has he hidden in the bathroom to avoid Crozier's attention while he hashes things out with his warden? Nobody needs to know that. He's not doing it now.]

All right. All right, man, I'll be over in a few minutes. You don't gotta come out to see me, but I'll knock in case you want to.

[He's not holding out hope that he's going to, but he has to at least offer. And even if the Admiral's cookies are gone by now (they're Admiral cookies, they're probably magic or something and so are fine) he'll bring some of Steve's, just in case.]

[A few minutes is enough for him to resolve that meeting B at the door is a better idea. Getting it over with, so to speak. He comes to the door, opens it resolutely, and says, because he can:]

Coming out to see you might pose some difficulty.

Har har.

[But the tone is fond rather than annoyed at the joke. He holds out the plate of cookies.]

Here, right in front of you. I hope you like 'em. You deserve something nice, and I don't got anything prepared.

[Despite having rallied somewhat, his hands are a little uncertain as he reaches for the plate. He can't imagine eating more than one cookie. He had a honeycake on a port and that was a lot of sweetness at once.

And while he could call it a nice gesture, he doesn't feel like giving the admiral any credit.]

Being out of this is... something nice.

[Share 'em with Crozier, he'll probably appreciate them a little, too. Or leave them out in a common room.]

Yeah, it definitely is.

[There's a smile in his voice. Despite B feeling like this place is home, he knows not everyone feels the same way.]

You did good, man.

I don't think I did anything.

[It's not startled from him, this time, just a spark of unusual honesty.]

[B shakes his head a little.]

I didn't think I did anything, either. It's not always a-- a thing we did. It's a change in attitude or a willingness to think in new ways. Which is hard, itself, so I still think you did good.

[He shakes his head a little, but there's no recrimination in it. He's glad B believes, he supposes. And however he feels about the fact of it, being out of this mess is something.]

Thank you.

You're always welcome.

[He shuffles his feet, hesitant, then asks,]

May I give you a hug?

[He's right to hesitate. Xiao Xingchen is not terribly... huggy. He supposes it's. Fair.]

If you like?

[It's not rigid discomfort or an outright no. It's just bafflement. B will take it. He steps in, puts a hand on Xiao Xingchen's shoulder to telegraph what he's doing for someone who can't see it, and pulls him gently into a hug, both arms, putting his chin briefly on the other man's shoulder.

He won't hold him long unless the guy unexpectedly melts into him or something, giving him a light pat on the back before he lets go, but it's definitely a full hug. Maybe it won't do anything for Xiao Xingchen, but it'll make B feel a little better.]

[Xiao Xingchen remains confused and a little stiff, but he certainly doesn't protest. It's the sort of situation where it's the thought that counts.]

Do you know what you'll do next?

God, I don't know. Can't go anywhere yet, Steve's still got an inmate. I'll have to think about whether I want to go for another deal.

[There's a a wry sort of smile in his voice.]

Took me two years on this boat to get paired to begin with, almost, might take me that long for another person who comes along who needs me. And by then Steve might be ready to go. So I don't know.

The Last Voyages: IC Inbox

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toooootally lost this notif...

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