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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"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.
no subject
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."