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[creeksidealtarboy]

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[a few days after the party!]

[threedontknows]

[Nie Huaisang saw the Aaron-Roy explosion at the party, but knew better than to approach in the immediate aftermath. He's not entirely certain what to make of it, though he feels even more drawn to the young man.

He comes across him in the library again and strolls confidently towards him.]

I enjoyed the book you gave me.

[creeksidealtarboy]

[Aaron looks up from his book with a bright grin.]

Huaisang! That - that was real fast. What did - did you think?

[threedontknows]

['Huaisang' would normally be a little too informal, but he's come to understand it's a common form of address in this place. He smiles when he's addressed and gives a little bow in proper greeting.]

It was a little strange, I didn't understand some of it. But I liked the heroine, even if the chapters with her cousin were dull, and I was glad she went back to Rochester after he was humbled.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Yeah. She - she's a smart lady.

[Aaron doesn't typically enjoy the Brontë sister, or any of those dull, feminine stories, but Jane Eyre is a strange exception. He likes the pacing of it. He likes the way it moves and the symbols. It's a story that stretches his perceptions, and he appreciates that.

Fortunately, it seems his new friend feels the same.]

It's got a lot - lot of stuff that's not familiar, I know. But the story is - is a classic.

[threedontknows]

There are similar stories from my own home. [Not too similar -- he doesn't know what a Christian is but he can guess it's a religion with a set of morals, and most sects take in orphans so a person wouldn't really be without some kind of family, but similar enough.]

A woman falls in love with an already married man, but they can't be together, that sort of thing. I did enjoy that they were both flawed.

[creeksidealtarboy]

I like that - that, too. There's no bad - bad guy and good guy. Just two regular people.

[He moves over and pulls out a chair for him.]

[threedontknows]

[He sits down next to him and takes out the book from his inner robe.]

Sometimes the villainy is difficult to spot. [He taps the book on the table.] Here it was poverty and high expectations.

[creeksidealtarboy]

[He nods.]

Yeah. It - it's not always a person but - but society.

[threedontknows]

Very astute of us for noticing, wouldn't you say?

[He grins a little and nods towards Aaron's books.]

Did you finish the ghost stories?

[creeksidealtarboy]

[He smiles, a little edge to it, as he ducks his head. And then Huaisang brings up the ghost stories and he nods once.]

I did. I - I liked them. They're real spooky. Wanted to - to read more.

[threedontknows]

I like the stories, but I don't really like the actual ghosts or monsters.

[Is he serious? His smile says he's joking, but there's a little glint in his eyes that would say otherwise.]

[creeksidealtarboy]

Is there ghosts and - and monsters in your world?

[He heard about gargoyles land - this is not a leap.]

[threedontknows]

[He nods.]

Ghosts and monsters and beasts and walking corpses -- [Huaisang reaches for his fan, needing something to fidget with.]

All sorts of terrible things.

[creeksidealtarboy]

[Aaron shivers. Or rather, makes a show of it.]

That - that sounds real awful, Huaisang. This place must - must not be so terrible for you.

[threedontknows]

Oh, no, it is. [Huaisang shakes his head and leans back against the chair, sighing dramatically.]

They want me to work custodial here! It's awful.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Oh, it's not that - that bad. I came in working on that but - but then I moved to the chapel. It's - it's better there.

[He leans forward.]

Mister - Mister Belmont set it on fire. I helped to - to clean it.

[threedontknows]

He's a warden, isn't he? I remember when that happened. Everyone had lost their minds that week.

[He shakes his head.]

Speaking of losing their minds...I saw what happened at the party.

[creeksidealtarboy]

[Aaron turns a little sober at that.]

Oh.

I - I don't remember much about that.

[threedontknows]

[Huaisang nods.]

I saw that too. I heard you lost time, and there was another person who showed up in your place. I didn't get to speak with him, he wasn't there for too long.

[creeksidealtarboy]

[He lowers his eyes to the table.]

I don't - don't remember any of it. They said at - at my trial that he was there, but - but I don't - don't know.

[threedontknows]

[Huaisang frowns softly and leans forward. 'I don't know' is his line, after all.]

Who is he?

[creeksidealtarboy]

[All Aaron can offer him is a shrug.]

Don't - don't know. I'm sorry. I don't - don't talk to him or anything.

[threedontknows]

No one's ever told you anything about him?

[creeksidealtarboy]

My lawyer did. But he - he didn't know what happened.

[He hesitates, then continues.]

He didn't know how - how it started or nothing.

[threedontknows]

When you became two people, you mean? [He closes his fan and taps his chin a little in thought.]

The other one is violent, and protective of you.