cigsandbeer | IC INBOX

Gojyo?

What's-- do you know what's happening with Jun Wu?

[There's a tone of real, sharp-edged concern in his voice. It's a very small step from do you need backup.]

[Hakkai is more diligent about checking the Network than Gojyo: there's a brief delay as he figures out what Hakkai is even talking about...]

No fucking idea.

Guess I'm heading over there. [As for the concerned tone:] I'll be fine.

[Does Gojyo actually know that? Not at all. But no need to worry until shit actually goes downhill.]

Of course you will.

But call me if you need backup... or help cleaning up a mess.

Sure.

You know anything of substance beyond that post Xie Lian made, or what the star of the show's made public himself? [Gojyo... admittedly doesn't quite grasp why Hakkai is so worried.]

Well, he did torment Xie Lian for eight hundred years before he was exposed and defeated. I don't have all the details because Xie Lian still doesn't like to talk about most of it....

But when someone like that feels as if he's lost control, I think he can become very dangerous indeed.

[Plus, major martial deity. Hakkai has had his ass handed to him by enough gods to have respect for the size of the problem they can cause if they feel like it.]

[A groan.]

Oh, man.

At least the Admiral recognises how cool I am and didn't start me off with a training wheels case.

Ha ha, right into the deep end. Have you two been getting along well?

Yeah, actually. I mean, I don't think he wants to pick out curtains or anything, but it's been chill?

Pretty sure I introduced him to drinking alcohol, so we're already nailing the "becoming a better person" process.

[Hakkai laughs.]

Loosening up and enjoying himself in harmless ways probably is good for him, come to think of it...

[Heh,]

Obviously I'm so good for him the Admiral decided to pair us off for another month.

Look, I'll keep my communicator on me and if shit goes absolutely sideways, I'll give you a call? Otherwise I'll let you know how it went once it's over.

At this rate you might end up a permanent pair. But yes. I'll be ready if things go sideways.

Good luck!

[An hour or so later:]

Hey. It's fine.

Apparently it's some old thing he's dealing with. Not a drop of blood spilled.

Ah.

[He huffs a breath, relieved.]

You're both all right?

Yeah, we are.

...Moderately sure he's gonna wake up hungover tomorrow, though. Do gods even get hangovers?

Good question. Er, was he drunk originally, or was that part of talking him down...?

He already had a head start when I got there. [Gojyo's had some alcohol too because Jun Wu wanted them to drink together, enough that it's probably noticeable in his voice, but he's not drunk drunk.]

Wasn't so much a matter of talking him down as just going "sucks that you have to deal with this", you know? He wasn't acting out or anything.

I see.

[He doesn't see, and he's wildly curious. That much is obvious in his tone, but he does at least have decent enough manners not to push. It's certainly a personal detail, and he doesn't actually need to know.

But those strange secondary voices....]

[Gojyo hears the curiosity. He's pretty sure Jun Wu wouldn't mind him telling Hakkai, but... it'd still be kinda shitty to do so without having JUn Wu actually okay it.]

Pretty sure he'd explain if you asked. He showed me what was going on right away.

[Gojyo, as usual, is a better person than Hakkai. Hakkai shoots him a little smile.]

I'll check with him.

Thanks. For telling me everything was all right.

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