[Video; UN: DemonsandSugar] [CW: Skeleton/Decomposition/Death Magic.]

[cultivatingsin]

[Someone is working on his skills! Just off-screen there is a skeleton - no, don't question where the skeleton came from, you don't wanna know - and Xue Yang is exuding a sickly green aura. Grinning like he just heard a fantastic joke, he suddenly goes limp, falling gracelessly to the ground. Good thing he had been seated! Though his head made quite a thunk, didn't it?

The bones rattle - only he would think this is a great idea - and then a hand, barely containing enough tissue to be called a hand raises and...

Well. A certain finger is shown to the camera because he is mature.

Then the spell breaks and he returns to his body with a gasp.]

Gross!

[No, really, Xue Yang, that was disgusting.]

Comments

[fujimaru]

Pillows, even if you're lying down... maybe like, a buddy system? Someone who can come check on you if you haven't moved for like an hour or something like that?

[ She has no real experience in performing any sort of magic herself, beyond things that have already been laid out and set up for her; she has her own share of scars because of it. ]

[cultivatingsin]

All of that sounds good to me~! Except... The person I would ask might not agree with what I'm doing. [He could convince him, but there's a chance even if Xiao Xingchen says yes, he would still be upset about all of it.] I'm a little late for both of those precautions, don't you think?

[fujimaru]

Maybe for this time! But you're still alive, so there's always next time!

[ She actually puffs up a little as she says this, like a cat on the verge of being offended. ]

And if there's someone you have in mind... even if they disagree with you, they should care about your well-being, right?

[cultivatingsin]

Are you suuuure? [He pretends to faint, collapsing - with some care - back onto the grass.] I think I'm done for!

[Awww...] Mm he does. Too much for me to worry him about my stupid experiments.

[fujimaru]

That sort of thing goes both ways, doesn't it?

[ Even as she's asking that, she's leaning more into the camera's view, trying to peer at him as best as she can from the angles they're both at. ]

You don't want to worry him, but if something goes wrong, won't that be worse...?

[cultivatingsin]

[She got him there. Xue Yang grows solemn as he remembers being the cause of Xingchen's dread and pain. No, never again. Never.]

I have to protect him. Do you have someone like that?

[fujimaru]

I do.

[ She says it gently, though more thoughtful than anything. ]

...But more often than not, I think I'm the one being protected. I've been on both sides.

[cultivatingsin]

He's the only one that would even think about protecting me.

[It's hard to tell if he thinks that's funny or sweet.]

He doesn't have to bother. I would kill anyone who threatened him anyway.

[fujimaru]

But what if you're the person who's causing him worry?

...I dunno. I just think it'd be better to tell someone who cares, even if they won't approve.

[cultivatingsin]

I don't want that.

[His poor A-Chen. He puts up with so much and keeps trusting and believing in him.]

I'll tell him. And then find some way to cheer him up again.

[fujimaru]

That's the spirit! Be honest, but also don't be cruel about it! Or if cruelty is unavoidable, compensate.

[ Is that really how it works? Maybe. Probably. ]

[cultivatingsin]

The truth is cruel. [Most of the time for him anyway.] How do I soften it?