More than likely, Nie Mingjue knows quite a bit about Phillip but none of
that has been passed on to Huaisang. There had to be at least enough known
that it would mean that Phillip might be able to provide the Nie clan with
some strength where Huaisang is most definitely lacking. Huaisang doesn't
even know his name, knows nothing about the person he is to marry. He is
full of nerves by the time that the other arrives and is led into the room
where dinner is ready to be served to them both. Huaisang raises and he
cups his hands in front of himself to bow politely to him.
He was introduced as Young master Nie Huaisang and his stomach turns a
little as he raises to meet the other's eyes as Phillip is also introduced
to him then. Huaisang is dressed properly in fancy robes and his hair
braided carefully and precisely. There had been clear effort put into his
appearance and it's just as much a shield as his fan is as he spreads it
out as he settles back down after motioning for Phillip to take the other
side of the low table.
Once they're seated and the food and put down as well as plenty of wine,
the servants back out of the room, they're within calling range if either
of them raises their voice, just as the guards are close as well, though.
"Ah...welcome.. please eat," Huaisang says, a smile on his lips because a
smile is what's expected and he's good at putting his best face forward.
At bare minimum, then, Nie Mingjue would know that Phillip is an accomplished mage. If for some reason that wasn't enough, they might have let slip that he was beyond human in his capabilities. The fact that he is literally Death incarnate tends to be kept under wraps, whenever possible. Especially since that's not the sort of thing anyone would guess by talking to him.
This entire thing feels impossibly awkward to Phillip, a situation he undoubtedly doesn't help by glancing away to the side, breaking eye contact after a few seconds. (Staring down Death tends to unsettle people, after all.) Still, he's trying to be polite to start so he gives Huaisang a little smile in return as he sits at the low table. He's not sure if the atmosphere is better or worse without all the obvious watching eyes; he's sure they're still paying attention, after all.
"Thanks," he says, picking up the chopsticks because... seriously, what the hell else is he meant to do. He knows absolutely nothing about Huaisang in turn, so he doesn't know what to talk about. "So, uh... I guess... tell me about yourself?" Look, sometimes being straightforward works.
Huaisang holds his sleeve with one hand as the other reaches to pour them
both some wine. When he's done he takes a sip of his own, taking his time
when it comes to sipping at it. His eyes appraising the other and he should
try to make this less awkward for the other but honestly, he's not even
sure how he could do that. It's a difficult situation for them both he can
only assume and he feels vague annoyance at his brother for putting them in
this position There's no helping it though.
The question is as good as any place to start and he takes a small bite of
food as he contemplates where to start. He sighs, it's so much more
difficult when something like this is forced instead of getting to know
someone organically.
"Honestly, I don't know where to start," Huaisang admitted and gave up the
show that he had any interest in eating right then and took another drink
before his hands rested in his lap. Maybe he's thinking of it too hard but
there's the urge to say don't ask me, I really don't know. He has a
reputation for it.
Phillip is also inclined to try and make it less awkward, but... they're two people who have been thrown together without any prior interaction and are expected to spend the rest of their lives (or at least one of their lives) together. He's pretty sure there is no way to make it not even a little awkward.
He lets out a laugh when Huaisang puts words to it, surprised enough that he doesn't bother to hide it. "Yeah, can't blame you," he says, and even when he's not trying his grin is charming, "It's, uh. Hard to start from nothing." Since there is not a single thing they can build on.
Random facts are better than nothing. Phillip leans back a little, trying to think about what he can-- or should-- share about himself.
"Not much for blade training myself, honestly. I like theater... and dogs. If you hate dogs this might not work." He grins like it's a joke, as though they'd have any real choice in the matter.
"Lucky for you I like dogs as long as they leave birds alone." He would always choose birds over dogs. Huaisang is rather fond of most non-dangerous animals in any case. "Do you have one?"
Phillip nods. At least they've found some kind of topic, for the moment. "Yeah, I do. She's old and mostly pretty lazy, so birds aren't really a problem." Though he will keep in mind- no hunting dogs. "Do you keep birds, or just watch wild ones?"
"I've caught some and now they live in my garden," Huaisang says. He'd
bonded with them and all but domesticated them and other wild ones come
too. "I always venture to see what other ones are out there and if I want
to catch them or not. I once spent three days following a golden canary
before I caught him."
"Three days?" Phillip does not have that kind of patience. He's kind of impressed, honestly. "I can't imagine doing that. Do you like that process, or are the birds just... worth it to you?" He has a bit of a hard time picturing either being true for him.
"Yes," Huaisang's eyes are bright. He's very patient and determined when it's something he enjoys or cares about. That's probably the best traits he has.
"Both, I think! I wanted it and so I decided I was going to get it."
"Wow." Phillip can understand being dedicated to things you enjoy, even though those things are very different. And, with what little he knows about Huaisang, he can't help but feel like the man probably hasn't been given enough credit. It does seem like people are just eager to get him out of the way.
He pauses for a moment to sip his drink, thinking. "What do you... want out of this?" he asks, and he knows it's an awkward question but it is probably something they should talk about. They didn't have choices going into it, but they still might be able to make it more comfortable between them.
Huaisang simply isn't good at the things that are generally valued most in
the Nie Sect. Blades and martial arts are beyond him and he avoids even
trying to train at all costs when he can and only caved when his brother
lost his temper badly. He idly eats a bite of food, chewing slowly as he
thought over the other's question. He smiles but it's a bit sad in the eyes
as much as he tries to mask it.
"I don't know... I never imagined marrying this way."
Phillip isn't sure why he bothers trying to hide it; it's not like it isn't obvious. "Yeah, me neither," he says, picking at his food and not feeling much in the way of an appetite himself. Huaisang seems fine, sure, but it's not really what he wanted. And it's pretty clear it's the same the other way.
"Still," he says, not looking up from the food, "maybe we should start thinking about it now."
"It's not impossible, I'm pretty sure." He sure as hell hopes it's not impossible. "It might just be figuring out what's important to each of us and... figuring out how to make that work without pissing off our families."
Or letting them know, but he's not sure how closely the servants are listening.
Huaisang smiles a little. He has to believe it's not impossible even if it seems...a bit impossible right now.
"What's important to you?"
Huaisang isn't worried about the servants in the least. With Mingjue's rages, he knows that his own servants are loyal enough not to tell his brother anything.
Phillip thinks for a moment- he's actually not thought about it much either. It's not like he has anyone else he was hoping to marry, either.
"Some level of independence, I guess?" he says, clearly mulling it over a bit as he thinks- though that part isn't necessarily going to be hard for him to get, "I would like us to at least get along, since we'll be sharing the same space for the most part." More than get along would obviously be ideal, but he's not foolish enough to assume that will happen.
"Well I don't see why you wouldn't have that," Huaisang says to the first
item, settling to get more comfortable as he studies Phillip as if trying
to read between the lines of anything he says or does, though his face
seems innocent enough, most people easily believe he really is just a
headshaker, a know nothing.
Huaisang smiles. "I can assure you I'm not all that difficult to get along
with as long as you don't make me practice sword forms."
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secureserver2020-08-19 02:14 pm
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More than likely, Nie Mingjue knows quite a bit about Phillip but none of that has been passed on to Huaisang. There had to be at least enough known that it would mean that Phillip might be able to provide the Nie clan with some strength where Huaisang is most definitely lacking. Huaisang doesn't even know his name, knows nothing about the person he is to marry. He is full of nerves by the time that the other arrives and is led into the room where dinner is ready to be served to them both. Huaisang raises and he cups his hands in front of himself to bow politely to him.
He was introduced as Young master Nie Huaisang and his stomach turns a little as he raises to meet the other's eyes as Phillip is also introduced to him then. Huaisang is dressed properly in fancy robes and his hair braided carefully and precisely. There had been clear effort put into his appearance and it's just as much a shield as his fan is as he spreads it out as he settles back down after motioning for Phillip to take the other side of the low table.
Once they're seated and the food and put down as well as plenty of wine, the servants back out of the room, they're within calling range if either of them raises their voice, just as the guards are close as well, though.
"Ah...welcome.. please eat," Huaisang says, a smile on his lips because a smile is what's expected and he's good at putting his best face forward.
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This entire thing feels impossibly awkward to Phillip, a situation he undoubtedly doesn't help by glancing away to the side, breaking eye contact after a few seconds. (Staring down Death tends to unsettle people, after all.) Still, he's trying to be polite to start so he gives Huaisang a little smile in return as he sits at the low table. He's not sure if the atmosphere is better or worse without all the obvious watching eyes; he's sure they're still paying attention, after all.
"Thanks," he says, picking up the chopsticks because... seriously, what the hell else is he meant to do. He knows absolutely nothing about Huaisang in turn, so he doesn't know what to talk about. "So, uh... I guess... tell me about yourself?" Look, sometimes being straightforward works.
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Huaisang holds his sleeve with one hand as the other reaches to pour them both some wine. When he's done he takes a sip of his own, taking his time when it comes to sipping at it. His eyes appraising the other and he should try to make this less awkward for the other but honestly, he's not even sure how he could do that. It's a difficult situation for them both he can only assume and he feels vague annoyance at his brother for putting them in this position There's no helping it though.
The question is as good as any place to start and he takes a small bite of food as he contemplates where to start. He sighs, it's so much more difficult when something like this is forced instead of getting to know someone organically.
"Honestly, I don't know where to start," Huaisang admitted and gave up the show that he had any interest in eating right then and took another drink before his hands rested in his lap. Maybe he's thinking of it too hard but there's the urge to say don't ask me, I really don't know. He has a reputation for it.
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He lets out a laugh when Huaisang puts words to it, surprised enough that he doesn't bother to hide it. "Yeah, can't blame you," he says, and even when he's not trying his grin is charming, "It's, uh. Hard to start from nothing." Since there is not a single thing they can build on.
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That's what you get from the no nothing headshaker of Qinghe. Huaisang smiles more at the other's expression and he nods his agreement.
"I like art and fans...and birds. I can't stand blade training and it drives my brother crazy."
Some random facts but it's somewhere to start right?
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"Not much for blade training myself, honestly. I like theater... and dogs. If you hate dogs this might not work." He grins like it's a joke, as though they'd have any real choice in the matter.
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"Lucky for you I like dogs as long as they leave birds alone." He would always choose birds over dogs. Huaisang is rather fond of most non-dangerous animals in any case. "Do you have one?"
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"I've caught some and now they live in my garden," Huaisang says. He'd bonded with them and all but domesticated them and other wild ones come too. "I always venture to see what other ones are out there and if I want to catch them or not. I once spent three days following a golden canary before I caught him."
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"Both, I think! I wanted it and so I decided I was going to get it."
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He pauses for a moment to sip his drink, thinking. "What do you... want out of this?" he asks, and he knows it's an awkward question but it is probably something they should talk about. They didn't have choices going into it, but they still might be able to make it more comfortable between them.
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Huaisang simply isn't good at the things that are generally valued most in the Nie Sect. Blades and martial arts are beyond him and he avoids even trying to train at all costs when he can and only caved when his brother lost his temper badly. He idly eats a bite of food, chewing slowly as he thought over the other's question. He smiles but it's a bit sad in the eyes as much as he tries to mask it.
"I don't know... I never imagined marrying this way."
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"Still," he says, not looking up from the food, "maybe we should start thinking about it now."
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"Mm," Huaisang agrees quietly, finally giving up the ghost of trying to eat, his hands dropping to his lap as he looks at Phillip.
"I want to find a way to be happy."
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Or letting them know, but he's not sure how closely the servants are listening.
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"What's important to you?"
Huaisang isn't worried about the servants in the least. With Mingjue's rages, he knows that his own servants are loyal enough not to tell his brother anything.
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"Some level of independence, I guess?" he says, clearly mulling it over a bit as he thinks- though that part isn't necessarily going to be hard for him to get, "I would like us to at least get along, since we'll be sharing the same space for the most part." More than get along would obviously be ideal, but he's not foolish enough to assume that will happen.
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"Well I don't see why you wouldn't have that," Huaisang says to the first item, settling to get more comfortable as he studies Phillip as if trying to read between the lines of anything he says or does, though his face seems innocent enough, most people easily believe he really is just a headshaker, a know nothing.
Huaisang smiles. "I can assure you I'm not all that difficult to get along with as long as you don't make me practice sword forms."