creeksidealtarboy | TLV Inbox

[He laughs to himself, writing the next number.

Don't be sorry.

I wouldn't have done it if I didn't know what the consequences might be.

Paint the crane a friend. The fox can be its friend.]

[The next book Nie Huaisang finally thinks to use a pencil he found in one of the common rooms.

I should have tried to deny it. It would have been funny. Of course I was behind the attack, who else!

And on the same page is a doodle of a little fox lying on its tail.]

[He wants to keep that book. The fox is cute in its own way and Aaron stares at it for far too long before he erases it.

Another number, another note.

Who else?

Wrote a poem for him.

There was a man whose hat was quite dumb,
It made him look like a thumb.
He'd tip it with glee,
For all to see,
It only was fit for a pig!]

[Nie Huaisang is so charmed by the poem that he copies it down and hangs it up by the head of his bed.

You have too much time on your hands.

And drawn on another corner is a picture of a pig in Jin Guangyao's signature hat.]

[Aaron tries not to giggle at that and resists the urge to tear out the page. He'll just get Huaisang to draw him another one.

No shit.

He's always dragging me places I don't want to go. I got lots of time to think of shit.

Wish I could just sit and read with you, though.]

[I'd like it if you could.

If we could read together, what book would you recommend?]

[He gives him another number. The book is The Canterbury Tales. He's written in it already.

This one is my favorite.

It's real funny.]

Edited 2023-11-07 00:48 (UTC)

[The next day the book is secretly returned, a note over The Wife of Bath's Tale.

I love her.

Which is your favorite?]

[He keeps the same book.

The Merchant's Tale.

Wife of Bath's real good, too. She's fucking great.]

[I didn't understand a lot of that one.

The Miller's Tale was very funny though!]

[He moves on to another book, but goes back for Canterbury Tales later so he can have Huaisang's words with him.

Your turn.

What do you want us to read together?]

[Huaisang, having finally figured out the library system, gives him numbers to the next book.

Aaron will find a book of old Chinese poetry, and pressed in the middle a flower from the ornamental gardens.]

[He immediately hides it in his jacket and takes the book with him. When he's finished, he's placed small pencil marks on the pages of the ones he likes the best.

Many of them are romantic in nature. He's clearly feeling some kind of way.]

[The book is gone from the library for a while so that Nie Huaisang can copy the poems for his own keeping. He reads them again and again, and makes a mark for another book of poems.

When you're finally able to be alone let's meet in the garden.]

[He leaves another book in that spot, this one a book about video games, trying to get his attention.

It will be a long time.

He's being an asshole about it.

I can't wait.

You gonna find yourself a better friend?]

[Better? Maybe. Not as pretty though. Definitely not as smart!]

[Fuck you.

Maybe we'll get lucky and there will be a flood or something soon.

We all turn into animals.]

[That'd be nice. I hope I'd turn into a turtle. I could sit in the sun and someone could feed me lettuce all day.]

[You'd be a cute turtle. I'd be a bird.

Something with wings and I'd fly over everyone. Maybe I'd carry you.]

[You'd have to, I'd be very tired being a turtle. You'd need to put me on a nice, warm rock.

And there's a drawing of a turtle and a bird sitting on a stone together.]

Edited 2023-11-11 18:08 (UTC)

[He puts in numbers for another book, this one about turtles.

Which one?]

[Huaisang chooses a very nice turtle in the book, and makes a few marks above it.

How long until we can see each other again?]

[I don't know.

I want to see you real bad though. Maybe we could stay up all night again.

He can only hope he understands.]

[He understands fully.

I feel like I'm being treated like a child.

I deserve it, but it doesn't make it any less humilating.]

[Tell me about it when we meet, alright?]

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threedontknows - 2023-11-12 03:24 (UTC) - Expand

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creeksidealtarboy - 2023-11-12 03:27 (UTC) - Expand