( She softens, looking at him. The weight of his shoulders and the ages he's spent alive clearer now that he is closer to her than he has ever been. But he wears it well; there is no one better suited for the generalship than him, in his moment. In the future it will be her -- everyone is aware of her ambitions -- but for now she is... grateful for the chance to share in a part of him that he does not allow most, if any, to see.
Fu Xuan stretches herself up to press a kiss to the tip of his nose, brushing aside his hair to see both of his eyes. )
For something I haven't considered before this evening, I am more than willing to entertain your courtship. As- as well as everything else you have mentioned. ( Why is it surprising? Well-- ) As you no doubt are aware by now, I am not anyone's first choice for romance. My experience is limited. It is not something I have ever considered for myself, given all that I need to attend to during the day. To be courted by the Divine Foresight himself--
( It feels like an impossible, improbable thing. )
[ It comes out a gentle tease, but with both of his eyes exposed it’s hard to hide the small hint of not quite hurt in them as he says it. He turns his head again to kiss her palm, an excuse to compose himself from that hurt; it wasn’t her intention, and he isn’t here to make her feel guilty for being honest with him. Quite the contrary. There are few people on the Luofu who aren’t afraid to be honest with him, and she’s one of them, something he’d grown to appreciate over the centuries he’s known her.
But he needs to make it clear to her that this isn’t just a passing interest. That her lack of experience isn’t anything to be ashamed of, especially not with him. That she doesn’t need to explain herself to him, not about this. That he likes her as she is, whatever that entails. ]
I come to you just as I am, Fu Xuan. An old man hoping for the companionship of someone he’s grown fond of over the years. I have nothing to offer but myself, and all I ask is for you to come as you are. [ He laces their fingers together, presses her knuckles to his lips as he looks back to her. ] No more, and no less, whatever that may entail. With you, I am simply Jing Yuan. And you, Fu Xuan, are my first choice for romance. If, up to now, others have failed you in that regard, that is their loss, but I would prefer if it wasn’t mine.
( She does not mean to cause Jing Yuan hurt, and her fingers run against his skin as a means to assure him that her interest is not to be underestimated. It doesn't stop her blush when he takes her hands, kisses them with such an aching tenderness that it could move weaker partners to tears. Her breath catches in her throat before she exhales, bringing his own hands to her chest, flattening them over her heart so he can feel how it beats faster at his words.
Fu Xuan is not unmoved, she is simply... without practice. )
How can you simply say such things like that, I-- ( No, that's not how she wants to answer this. Fu Xuan clears he throat, and leans forward enough to rest her forehead against his. ) You misunderstand me, Jing Yuan. Simply because I did not perceive it to be a possibility does not mean I have never desired your attention or affection. I do not spend my life concerned with things I have already dismissed as improbable or unlikely. You have ever been out of my reach in all things, much to my own displeasure, and to find out that in the most intimate of ways you are not--
( She's speaking around herself again, and Fu Xuan sighs. )
[ He wants to protest that he's never been out of her reach, but it isn't the point. Perhaps later he can convince her — right now, though, she's made herself clear, and he's no intention of lingering on things better left alone in this moment. The smile she gets is a real one, not the slow lazy thing most common from him, and not the amused but empty thing he typically gives to people trying to get him to work. She's likely only seen it a handful of times before, on rare occasions that maybe no one else is looking.
But here it is for her, his hands splayed over her heart, and he leans down to press their foreheads together (careful of her third eye), heaving a sigh so content it could have come from Snowlion himself. ]
( He is the Divine Foresight, the Arbiter-General of the Luofu. Jing Yuan is the very definition of untouchable for those below him -- and therein lies the problem. Jing Yuan may wish to be a common man, but his status and history get in his way. Fu Xuan knows better than to mention it now, basking in the smile he gifts her. It is a rare, fragile thing, and she will cherish it until age and mara steal it away from her. )
Shall we engage in a contest of who considers themselves the most lucky? For I believe that honor is mine. ( Fu Xuan is content to just remain here, in his orbit, as close to him as she can get. ) Do not think this changes my desire for your office, however.
( Just it case he had any thoughts that he could distract her enough from it. )
[ His laugh is warm, like a blanket dried in the sun, and he moves to envelope her in his arms, pressing his face to her neck, the laugh turning into a hum. ] I would never presume that you would desire me more than my seat—
[ He’ll take the compliment, pressing a kiss to her neck to soothe her annoyance. ]
I’m truly honored, [ he says as he pulls back to look at her, unable to help the overly fond expression on his face, eyes half lidded in contentment. After a moment, he leans forward to press a soft kiss to her mouth. ]
I would like to see you again, just the two of us. Will you let me know when I can?
( For an expression she has only truly witnessed tonight -- for if he had ever leveled that gaze on her before it was nowhere she could see, or didn't see for lack of knowing to look -- Fu Xuan is becoming overly fond of it. Almost as fond as she is of him.
Her lips curl into a smile as he kisses her, hands coming up to cup his face. )
Hmm. Three nights from now should give me enough time to account for an evening free.
[ Relief floods him despite himself; there will always be a part of him, even in his old age, that assumes he will be on his own for the rest of his time, that everything he’s ever cared for and touched will leave him in their time. If she had said this was a one time thing, he would have understood. It’s a lonely place, the seat of the General, but he’s grown accustomed to it.
He smiles at her, leaning into her touch for a moment before reaching to grab her hair pins, leaning back in his seat to offer them to her. ]
Then I look forward to seeing you again, Master Diviner, in a more intimate setting. Shall we meet at my residence?
( Humming her thanks, Fu Xuan busies herself with pinning her hair up -- it will not quite look untouched as it did upon her arrival, but it is close enough that it will not garner any questioning looks from those who might see her. They have not discussed the... public nature of whatever this courtship might flourish into, but Fu Xuan finds herself disinclined to make it a well known fact.
Not out of shame, far from it. They are both public figures, with public duties and public lives. It is out of a selfish, greedy desire to have something just for themselves for some time -- there is no need to involve anyone else until they both decide otherwise.
It's only a shame her composure only lasts until he speaks again. )
Your-- ( Well, where are they going to meet? Still-- ) Very well, Jing Yuan.
( Slipping off the table, Fu Xuan hums slightly, before once more reaching to pull him down to meet her in a kiss. )
I shall be there. But I will insist upon you completing and submitting your work ahead of time.
( With a small bow and one last look, Fu Xuan excuses herself, finding a lightness in her step and her heart she hadn't previously considered herself capable of. Or, if she had, capable of allowing herself in decades. )
Challenge accepted. He watches her go with a smile on his face and, for the first time in a while, one in his heart as well.
He works studiously for the next two days, and on the end of the second, he informs Qingzu that he will be taking the next day off. He can tell she wants to ask why — but she keeps from it, instead responding that she would reschedule any important meetings for another day and time. There's no paperwork left on his desk that night, and he's confident anything urgent needing his attention will be brought to him anyway, but he also knows Qingzu will not bother him on a much needed day of rest unless the Luofu or one of its sister ships is quite literally on fire.
He tells his cook that he will be having a private guest over for dinner the next evening and to prepare accordingly; he only has two people working as staff at the manse, and both are people who can be trusted to keep the general's private affairs just that. He still tells them both that they can leave early tomorrow anyway. He doesn't want to cause Fu Xuan any concern. This is a delicate thing in his hands, and he wants to treat it, and her, with all the care she deserves. He retires early, as is his wont, and rises with the sun to begin his preparations.
The sun is beginning to set when she arrives, and his cook is the one who leads her to his personal quarters, where a feast has been laid out for the two of them: soy braised mushrooms with chestnuts, glazed porkbelly, stir fried bok choy and gai lan, dates in osmanthus syrup, crispy roasted duck. There's a bottle of huangjiu warming over a soft flame, and the air is sweet with the smell of incense, the room dimmed in candlelight. The cook bows to Fu Xuan and makes her exit, closing the door behind her. Jing Yuan himself is seated at the table, dressed down in casual robes, loosely tied around his waist. He smiles at Fu Xuan, and then gestures to the pillow seat across from him. ]
( Fu Xuan does not call into work that day, though she hears gossiping about how the general himself has taken a day off. Not unheard of, but certainly rare enough to cause a buzz amongst those privileged to know the information at all. Fu Xuan, who knows that he has finished all of his work, does not pay it any significant mind. She leaves the Divination Commission on time, returning home to...
Prepare, she supposes. As if she was being prepared to march into war, though she supposes romance holds only a few cursory similarities to warfare. It takes her longer than she would like to admit before settling on a zhiju pao set for the evening -- light enough and plain enough not to make those who might see her on her way to his manse raise eyebrows. Her hair, too, is taken down out of its usual sticks and combs into a lower, looser style. Once she is satisfied that she looks presentable, it's time for her to leave.
She is aware of where Jing Yuan lives, though she has never personally been -- even he should be allowed to have his privacy -- and finds it with ease. It seems... much like every other house on the Luofu, just bigger and filled with the weight of playing host to an old man and his retainer with youthful energy. An old man she is extremely fond of, Fu Xuan reminds herself, though even the warmth in her chest and the memory of the other night that cannot prepare her for the feast he's laid out for the both of them once she is led into his quarters. And the general himself -- Fu Xuan can only recall seeing him so dressed down a few scant times before, when he has been injured beyond his limits and forced to take rest before he made his injuries worse.
Fu Xuan swallows something as she manages to tear her eyes away from the sliver of chest, refocusing on the food as she settles down on the offered seat. The intimate atmosphere might have been stifling if he were anyone else, but she knows that Jing Yuan has done this for her, because he wants her to experience it. And it is that which charms her more than the setting itself. The care he has for her, his honest desire. )
General. ( A small, but heartfelt smile. ) I did not think this would be what awaited me when I accepted your invitation.
[ The temptation to tease her is there, and it even plays on the edge of his mouth as he responds, leaning forward to pour her a small cup of the rice wine, glancing her over under his bangs as he settles back into his seat with his own cup perched in her hand, forearm resting on his knee. ]
And what were you expecting, if I may be so bold to inquire?
[ And, it seems, he's going to give into it. For now. He didn't bring her here just to seduce her, though if she ends up in his bed later he won't protest it. He's keen to spend time with her, but only at her own pace. He has no idea if this is something new for her, but he's certain she knows this isn't new for him, and he's had a fair share of partners tell him flat out that it intimidates them. It had bothered him then, and it would bother him even more so now, should she choose to walk away from their mutual attraction for that reason alone.
Teasing her will, in all likelihood, exacerbate the issue. So he'll keep it light, for now, and if he starts to fluster her too much, he'll back off. After that? Well. In all his experience he has learned something important: you can only plan so much when it comes to matters of the heart. ]
( If there is one thing that Fu Xuan knows about herself, it is that as intimidating as Jing Yuan can be, she has never let that stop her. Not when they first met, and never since. She speaks her mind when she must, challenging him when she feels it is needed, and together they create a path forward in their own ways for the good of the Luofu. His extensive sexual and romantic history can only be to her benefit -- together they will find their way, as they do in all things. Who would not want to have their first experience with an individual who's breadth of knowledge can help her navigate her own needs and wants?
But it does not mean that she isn't flustered by his teasing, pink appearing high in her cheeks. Buying herself time with a drink of the offered wine is enough, but she won't descend into drunkenness just to avoid answering him. So after another sip, she answers. )
Something less elaborate. I had considered an... intimate meal, but nothing this extensive. Which is not to say that I am not grateful, of course, just unprepared for what awaited me.
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Fu Xuan stretches herself up to press a kiss to the tip of his nose, brushing aside his hair to see both of his eyes. )
For something I haven't considered before this evening, I am more than willing to entertain your courtship. As- as well as everything else you have mentioned. ( Why is it surprising? Well-- ) As you no doubt are aware by now, I am not anyone's first choice for romance. My experience is limited. It is not something I have ever considered for myself, given all that I need to attend to during the day. To be courted by the Divine Foresight himself--
( It feels like an impossible, improbable thing. )
I am interested.
[ It comes out a gentle tease, but with both of his eyes exposed it’s hard to hide the small hint of not quite hurt in them as he says it. He turns his head again to kiss her palm, an excuse to compose himself from that hurt; it wasn’t her intention, and he isn’t here to make her feel guilty for being honest with him. Quite the contrary. There are few people on the Luofu who aren’t afraid to be honest with him, and she’s one of them, something he’d grown to appreciate over the centuries he’s known her.
But he needs to make it clear to her that this isn’t just a passing interest. That her lack of experience isn’t anything to be ashamed of, especially not with him. That she doesn’t need to explain herself to him, not about this. That he likes her as she is, whatever that entails. ]
I come to you just as I am, Fu Xuan. An old man hoping for the companionship of someone he’s grown fond of over the years. I have nothing to offer but myself, and all I ask is for you to come as you are. [ He laces their fingers together, presses her knuckles to his lips as he looks back to her. ] No more, and no less, whatever that may entail. With you, I am simply Jing Yuan. And you, Fu Xuan, are my first choice for romance. If, up to now, others have failed you in that regard, that is their loss, but I would prefer if it wasn’t mine.
Do I still interest you?
Edited (autocorrect strikes again) 2024-05-15 04:45 pm (UTC)
Fu Xuan is not unmoved, she is simply... without practice. )
How can you simply say such things like that, I-- ( No, that's not how she wants to answer this. Fu Xuan clears he throat, and leans forward enough to rest her forehead against his. ) You misunderstand me, Jing Yuan. Simply because I did not perceive it to be a possibility does not mean I have never desired your attention or affection. I do not spend my life concerned with things I have already dismissed as improbable or unlikely. You have ever been out of my reach in all things, much to my own displeasure, and to find out that in the most intimate of ways you are not--
( She's speaking around herself again, and Fu Xuan sighs. )
You do. You always have.
But here it is for her, his hands splayed over her heart, and he leans down to press their foreheads together (careful of her third eye), heaving a sigh so content it could have come from Snowlion himself. ]
Then I am a very lucky man indeed.
Shall we engage in a contest of who considers themselves the most lucky? For I believe that honor is mine. ( Fu Xuan is content to just remain here, in his orbit, as close to him as she can get. ) Do not think this changes my desire for your office, however.
( Just it case he had any thoughts that he could distract her enough from it. )
Equal to, perhaps.
I’m truly honored, [ he says as he pulls back to look at her, unable to help the overly fond expression on his face, eyes half lidded in contentment. After a moment, he leans forward to press a soft kiss to her mouth. ]
I would like to see you again, just the two of us. Will you let me know when I can?
Her lips curl into a smile as he kisses her, hands coming up to cup his face. )
Hmm. Three nights from now should give me enough time to account for an evening free.
He smiles at her, leaning into her touch for a moment before reaching to grab her hair pins, leaning back in his seat to offer them to her. ]
Then I look forward to seeing you again, Master Diviner, in a more intimate setting. Shall we meet at my residence?
Not out of shame, far from it. They are both public figures, with public duties and public lives. It is out of a selfish, greedy desire to have something just for themselves for some time -- there is no need to involve anyone else until they both decide otherwise.
It's only a shame her composure only lasts until he speaks again. )
Your-- ( Well, where are they going to meet? Still-- ) Very well, Jing Yuan.
( Slipping off the table, Fu Xuan hums slightly, before once more reaching to pull him down to meet her in a kiss. )
I shall be there. But I will insist upon you completing and submitting your work ahead of time.
( With a small bow and one last look, Fu Xuan excuses herself, finding a lightness in her step and her heart she hadn't previously considered herself capable of. Or, if she had, capable of allowing herself in decades. )
Well.
Challenge accepted. He watches her go with a smile on his face and, for the first time in a while, one in his heart as well.
He works studiously for the next two days, and on the end of the second, he informs Qingzu that he will be taking the next day off. He can tell she wants to ask why — but she keeps from it, instead responding that she would reschedule any important meetings for another day and time. There's no paperwork left on his desk that night, and he's confident anything urgent needing his attention will be brought to him anyway, but he also knows Qingzu will not bother him on a much needed day of rest unless the Luofu or one of its sister ships is quite literally on fire.
He tells his cook that he will be having a private guest over for dinner the next evening and to prepare accordingly; he only has two people working as staff at the manse, and both are people who can be trusted to keep the general's private affairs just that. He still tells them both that they can leave early tomorrow anyway. He doesn't want to cause Fu Xuan any concern. This is a delicate thing in his hands, and he wants to treat it, and her, with all the care she deserves. He retires early, as is his wont, and rises with the sun to begin his preparations.
The sun is beginning to set when she arrives, and his cook is the one who leads her to his personal quarters, where a feast has been laid out for the two of them: soy braised mushrooms with chestnuts, glazed porkbelly, stir fried bok choy and gai lan, dates in osmanthus syrup, crispy roasted duck. There's a bottle of huangjiu warming over a soft flame, and the air is sweet with the smell of incense, the room dimmed in candlelight. The cook bows to Fu Xuan and makes her exit, closing the door behind her. Jing Yuan himself is seated at the table, dressed down in casual robes, loosely tied around his waist. He smiles at Fu Xuan, and then gestures to the pillow seat across from him. ]
Welcome, Master Diviner. I'm glad you're here.
Prepare, she supposes. As if she was being prepared to march into war, though she supposes romance holds only a few cursory similarities to warfare. It takes her longer than she would like to admit before settling on a zhiju pao set for the evening -- light enough and plain enough not to make those who might see her on her way to his manse raise eyebrows. Her hair, too, is taken down out of its usual sticks and combs into a lower, looser style. Once she is satisfied that she looks presentable, it's time for her to leave.
She is aware of where Jing Yuan lives, though she has never personally been -- even he should be allowed to have his privacy -- and finds it with ease. It seems... much like every other house on the Luofu, just bigger and filled with the weight of playing host to an old man and his retainer with youthful energy. An old man she is extremely fond of, Fu Xuan reminds herself, though even the warmth in her chest and the memory of the other night that cannot prepare her for the feast he's laid out for the both of them once she is led into his quarters. And the general himself -- Fu Xuan can only recall seeing him so dressed down a few scant times before, when he has been injured beyond his limits and forced to take rest before he made his injuries worse.
Fu Xuan swallows something as she manages to tear her eyes away from the sliver of chest, refocusing on the food as she settles down on the offered seat. The intimate atmosphere might have been stifling if he were anyone else, but she knows that Jing Yuan has done this for her, because he wants her to experience it. And it is that which charms her more than the setting itself. The care he has for her, his honest desire. )
General. ( A small, but heartfelt smile. ) I did not think this would be what awaited me when I accepted your invitation.
[ The temptation to tease her is there, and it even plays on the edge of his mouth as he responds, leaning forward to pour her a small cup of the rice wine, glancing her over under his bangs as he settles back into his seat with his own cup perched in her hand, forearm resting on his knee. ]
And what were you expecting, if I may be so bold to inquire?
[ And, it seems, he's going to give into it. For now. He didn't bring her here just to seduce her, though if she ends up in his bed later he won't protest it. He's keen to spend time with her, but only at her own pace. He has no idea if this is something new for her, but he's certain she knows this isn't new for him, and he's had a fair share of partners tell him flat out that it intimidates them. It had bothered him then, and it would bother him even more so now, should she choose to walk away from their mutual attraction for that reason alone.
Teasing her will, in all likelihood, exacerbate the issue. So he'll keep it light, for now, and if he starts to fluster her too much, he'll back off. After that? Well. In all his experience he has learned something important: you can only plan so much when it comes to matters of the heart. ]
But it does not mean that she isn't flustered by his teasing, pink appearing high in her cheeks. Buying herself time with a drink of the offered wine is enough, but she won't descend into drunkenness just to avoid answering him. So after another sip, she answers. )
Something less elaborate. I had considered an... intimate meal, but nothing this extensive. Which is not to say that I am not grateful, of course, just unprepared for what awaited me.
( Including his own choice of apparel. )