doublesmall | [INBOX] fractura.

VITAMINS!!!!!!!

[that's the first text chuuya gets today

followed by]

WHEN'S YOUR EVENT i'll try to make it if i'm not with a patient!!!

[and then

even later]

LMAO I'M BUYING TWENTY!!!!!!!

[it was kind of funny how the timing worked out -

but it's time to meet and baren wanders over to the bridge, one hand in his pocket, the other covering up his mouth from where he's so obviously yawning. he would love to be in bed right now, but unfortunately he had to close up the bar on this fine night which meant no rest for the wicked. he saunters over to their meeting spot, unhurried and casual as anything, but the new peacock feather has been neatly tucked into his hair.

when he's close enough, he presses a peck to chuuya's cheek]

Guess we thought of the same thing.

[SO LIKE, NOW, BASICALLY. He'll track Chuuya down as soon as he returns to the manor, indicating with no more than a look that they need to speak in private. It doesn't matter how long it takes; Chuuya's free to finish up whatever else he's doing, but whenever he does, Lan Wangji will be waiting for him in whatever secure room they usually use to do business. As soon as the door's shut, he'll speak without preamble.]

Wei Ying and I found something. I think you should see it.

[He's got a book in his hand--The Five Rings, in red and gold.]

[ Coming back from a walk one day, Kano has Marshmallow lead the way back to the manor, him trailing behind the dog. The plan was to have Marshmallow sniff Chuuya out and lead Kano right to him, but the dog keeps getting distracted by all the other people around the place. ]

Marshmallow... c'mon, I got something to talk to the boss about, and I got work after too.

[ ... ]

You're gonna be late for dinner.

[ That gets the dog perking up and back on track to sniffing Chuuya out. Where are you-- ]

[ One fine day, 9S heads over to the family manor to look for Chuuya. Do mafia heads have offices because if so, 9S is walking into it!! Seeing as how he's out and about and not at risk of being slathered in gun oil, he's dressed to match the fashion of the time -- which is to say, in a dark suit with bow tie. Somehow, he still manages to carry a faint whiff of oil. ]

Chuuya, sir, do you have a moment?

[A LOT HAS HAPPENED JESUS time for another private meeting... Lan Wangji definitely doesn't want Haku overhearing this, or anyone else for that matter!!!

As soon as Chuuya's in--]

Do you know how many of our people are missing?

[Chuuya please tell him you know the kidnapping deets because he does not want to be the one to break that news]

[ Kano was unconscious for all of Thursday, so it'll have to be Friday after all the auction stuff. It'd be nice if he weren't meeting Chuuya every week to be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes it can't be helped. Like a broken arm can't be helped, the right arm in a cast and a sling, the side of his face bandaged up but Itaru managed to save all his teeth, so we're good on that aspect.

Assuming security doesn't throw him right out since he's without dog escort, he goes straight to the usual meeting room. If he does get turned away, he's going to throw an egg at Chuuya's window (and completely miss the window, because it's his good arm that's broken) so he can come down to him. ]

[ Word's passed on to 9S that Chuuya is looking to talk to him, so he comes up to the manor straightaway. He comes in through the front door with no eggs involved or even considered, because blessedly, he isn't Kano.

He looks the same as always, dressed in a full suit as per the lads of the age, no bandages or bruises or slings or what-have-you in sight. He has an idea of what this summons is about, but he's unapologetic; he's as content to dish out sensitive information as he is to snoop around and steal it.

After he's escorted into Chuuya's office for the second time, he finds the same center spot and stands there, ready to report. ]

Good morning, sir. You wanted to see me?

[baren leaves a napkin underneath chuuya's wine glass, writing underneath 'off at 5'

which is about the time that he heads upstairs to his attic room, and when he hears the door open, because that's how baren normally steals chuuya away without actually having to book a hotel - ]

Hot cocoa's probably not cool enough for the mafia to drink, right? But I really think they can't keep serving coffee over there. It's gonna kill us all at this rate.

New rule: no one drinks anything that can feasibly contain motor oil or body parts.

[ Chuuya's office is becoming a familiar enough place that Kano might as well set up a mattress underneath the desk here like he does at Wei Wuxian's place. He's been following curfew and staying indoors at night. ...mostly. And he's been sticking to the buddy system and taking somebody else on walks with him and Marshmallow. ...also mostly.

He and Marshmallow sort of accidentally on purpose lost their buddy today, coming through the mansion in a sprint that has Kano wanting to throw up, but if he doesn't keep up, Marshmallow's going to dislocate his other shoulder and so he's forced to keep running until they get to Chuuya's office.

Hi... ]

[ DING DONG... If the town has teen cops then I guess Chuuya has teen reporters because here's 9S coming into his office yet again with some breaking news. And a man. Limp and bound and bloody in the leg, the man is tossed over 9S's shoulder with no apparent difficulty. 9S himself looks a little dusty and distracted as he walks on in. ]

Chuuya, sir. Do you have a moment?

[ Another week, another disaster. Kano's back again, wandering through the grounds up to Chuuya's office with no real rush to get up there. There's really just nothing much to say, and a whole bunch of questions instead, and he really hates not having all the answers. Not knowing what's going on, not being in charge, not the one pulling the strings but instead the one at the whims of whoever is out there playing puppet master.

He hates it.

He gets to the office and puts on a smile before stepping inside. ]

Heya~ You called?

[PROBABLY LIKE A DAY AFTER FIREPALOOZA here nyooms Wei Wuxian, in accordance to the note he'd sent out earlier. With all the chaos afoot, his paranoid concern about his residents is back in full force despite sending Okuni off with the party bus...

Anyway he probably gets to wait in some mafioso lobby or something until Chuuya's ready to deal with him. HE'S HERE. He looks undead, like he hasn't slept in a couple of days. It's fine.]

—Sorry for the bother. [An uncharacteristic start, but:] I know things can't be much less hectic on your end.

[ peace negotiations were supposed to be put together around a wedding, a joyful occasion of unity. they were not supposed to be like this, with half of montevallo burned, and the whole world falling apart to the best of it's ability around xie lian's hands.

nonetheless, with details arranged and a meeting place set up, xie lian makes his way to meet chuuya nakahara alone. unarmed, and even without either of his constant presence bodyguards, he awaits chuuya in a truly neutral business in middleton, quietly sweeping into a back room without much fuss, ten minutes before their initial meeting time.

there's a teacup on the table, and a small notepad, but beyond that, the meeting place is sparse. xie lian's hands are on the table; he wants no pretense, as he waits for the head of the mori family to arrive. ]

[something fun sexy and fun

is baren knocking rather urgently on chuuya's office window in mori territory, sticking close against the side of the building to make sure he's not spotted or about to be shot right out of the sky

apparently a bitch couldn't even be bothered to wait for courier or send advance notice? though today it seems like his hair accessories are missing, instead opting for dressing down in black.]

[In Chuuya's office at dawn, there will be a new bottle of his favorite wine, along with a single peacock feather. It seems as though the label of it is peeling a bit - and if he chooses to remove it, he'll find a message scribbled on the back of the label.]

See what you did?

I told you we'd only end up with something inevitably tragic.

It wasn't me. I just thought that you, at least, should know. [It's the only one of Baren's letters where he doesn't take the blame for the Traitor's actions. Where he doesn't entertain the idea that maybe it was him - because if it was him, that'd mean not telling Chuuya when he knew something was happening to his people. Chuuya is the only one he defends himself, too.

The whole world could hate him - but it'd be nice, maybe, if Chuuya didn't.]

Okuni will be safer this way though - if I'm the bigger problem.

So if there's one more thing I can bribe you into: take care of her. Make it a promise.

In exchange, I'll tell you a secret.

[Should Chuuya go to check the locks on the bridge, he'll realize the lock he intertwined with Baren's on his birthday has been cut and is missing.

In its place, a note tucked in its place, just barely hanging on:]

I wish it had been easier for us.

[He probably gets this through Lan Wangji or Baren honestly BUT HERE, A LETTER SOMEHOW. It's quick and sweet since he's RUNNING OUT OF TIME but it contains a few more sketches from the Yiling Ridge kids.]

Chuuya,

Thank you for all of your support over the years. You've helped us through a lot of really tough times. I know you do it for your family more than anything, but I won't forget that kind of dedication or help, you know? Neither will they.

I hope you can take some time to stop in and check on them every now and then. I know you're busy and things will probably be even busier for some time, but I'll do my best to help clear up what's left of the problems I've been handling. Good luck moving forward - do what you can to make Montevallo a place where any child can grow up safe and loved.

Take care,
Wei Ying

[baren reviewed his au and immediately hated it - but if there's anything that's familiar to him, it's showing up where he's definitely least wanted

which is how he's going to be in chuuya's office by the time that he's already walking in, lounging in the spinny chair with an iced coffee in one hand, his phone on the other

and when the door opens, he's not going to look up

but he is going to send a very annoying, very insistent mental poke via home base to see if anyone's home!!! so hope chuuya enjoys that nagging feeling even though baren isn't technically saying anything]

[it takes baren maybe one actual day to get back to umite after the sky literally started falling - but here he is! he's got a very short list of people he's harassing first and foremost, and who gets the pleasure of being the first subjected to him but chuuya.

pleasure, punishment, same thing.

given that baren is whistling first to get his attention - he's not actually a pet, baren - before waltzing up in the middle of town]

Hey, pet! [is that better than 'hey you'] I'm borrowing you.

[that's nice and affectionate -

except there is something relieved in baren's expression when he sees chuuya, something a little softer and more honest than what the rest of the world gets]

text

action

immediately after his outing with wwx

no subject

no subject

after shigure leaves, probably nighttime tbh

Friday evening

saturday morning maybe

post-deda