onerous | (no subject)

[ He frowned a little, unsure why he was so uneasy, and then nodded, reaching out to take it. ]

Okay, turn around.

[ As he started to attach it, his mind kept tumbling his thoughts over and over until he finally hit on what was bothering him.

Grumbling lowly: ]

It’s not.. it’s not that I just care about you, Yuri, I—

I’m trying to say—

It’s a lot more than that, okay? I—

[ The window slides open, behind Yuri and facing Jin Ling, a dark shape bounding in. ]

Hey, Little Lady, is it okay if I—

[ Recognizing Jin Ling as he straightens, Xue Yang lets out a disbelieving breath of a laugh, walking up to them with his eyebrows raised. ]

Oh, this is new. How long have you been fucking my buddy's nephew? Man, he's gonna hate hearing about this—

[ Jin Ling didn’t even really register the words spoken, acting immediately and instinctively at he suddenly shoved himself in front of Yuri.

It was like meeting a ghost, or a demon - something from a nightmare. He had heard Xue Yang was here but had never seen him—

His sword was out of the sheathe before he even thought about it, and he lunged outward with the blade flashing bright. ]

Get away from her!!

[ When the blade swung back, it was stained red, streaking droplets of blood across the floor. ]

[ Usually, when someone goes to attack him, Xue Yang has a number of options. To parry, to dodge, to retaliate. To take it, just for funsies. This time, however, in this place, between Yuri and his only friend's nephew, he has no options at all, because he sees the sword come out and immediately knows what's sure to follow.

His gaze jerks up, from the sword to fucking Yuri, already trying to get between them, to get in front of the blade. Heart leaping in his chest, Xue Yang lets out a strangled, angry sound, then seizes Yuri by the collar to jerk her back, all but throwing her to the ground away from them and the brandished blade. He grunts as he feels Jin Ling's fancy Jin sect sword sink into his side, grabbing it one handed by its blade to keep Jin Ling from withdrawing. ]

Are you out of your mind?! [ ...says the mass murderer gripping Jin Ling's sword barehanded. ] Are you trying to kill her? What, did you meet her on the street two minutes ago? Lianfang-zun keeps saying he didn't drop you on your head as a baby but I've always had my doubts⁠—

[ He lets out a frustrated breath, blood dripping from his hand onto Yuri's previously clean floors. ]

You can't go around trying to stab people in front of her! You not see what your other uncle did to her? She has zero self preservation! Zero! You pull your sword out when she's nearby again and I will slap you out of this building myself⁠—

[It all happens a little too fast for her to fully register what’s happening. Her body reacts instinctively not to get away from the sword, but on a single thought that she can’t let Xue Yang get stabbed. Especially not in her own home. That just seems kind of like, rude?

But then she’s hitting the floor with a gasp of pain and its because of the floor, not any new stab wounds (she knows because she begins to pat at her sides before realizing the sword is somehow still in Xue Yang despite her best efforts).

She sits up with a wince, not sure who to call out first here, but some of the wind is sort of taken out of her sails at Xue Yang admonishment.]

H-hey... [She can’t...really defend herself against that, come on man. At least give her a fighting chance. But he must be okay if he’s still able to argue like this and she hurries to her feet again]

Xue Yang, let go of his sword, you’re going to make the wounds worse! And Jin Ling, put it away!

[ It's the sound of Yuri hitting the floor rather than Xue Yang yelling at him that startles Jin Ling out of his immediate reaction and into full-on confusion. He wrenches his sword back as hard as he can, stumbling backward a couple of feet before immediately going to Yuri, putting an arm out to help her up.

He does not understand what is going on. JinLing.exe has encountered and error and needs to restart.

Once his brain catches up though: ]

Why the hell are you here! [ Snapped at Xue Yang. He has not been able to process the mass of words yelled at him yet. They may need to be repeated. But at least he seems to have taken in the 'don't try to stab people in front of Yuri' message, even if he looks fucking confused about it. ]