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He finds his nephew and loops his arms around his shoulders, tucking his back up against Wei Wuxian's chest. He'd seen Jin Zixuan at the door, performing the walk of the tether disrupted, and careened off to find the nephew that he knew soon would be properly swept up into Jiang Cheng's bustling vivacity.

"One of the most annoying things about your father," he says, conversational and a touch upbeat, "Was he knew exactly how handsome he was. You take after him in looks, but you've got your mother's wisdom. I bet he was happy learning that."

This is a different attempt at a hug, one where if Jin Ling cared to, he could turn around and find a person to bury into... or to fight. Always worked for Jiang Cheng, at least, and that's still the best correlation he has.

Even when he calls on his a-jie's kindness, and her way to hold out hands and show she cared, or Jiang Cheng's open arms to embrace what he loved even when he was angry and relieved at once, in younger times.

Jin Ling, while keeping his composure to the best of his abilities while Fairy runs after the retreating figure for one more glance. He doesn't have the courage or the strength to. He just plants himself where he stands as he watches his father's figure once more, disappear into the void.

He doesn't know exactly to process it all, but the brief moments were enough for him. He got to see his father once and twice more. Something he'll never get a chance to if he hadn't been in Hakagemachi and here on the train. He clenches his fists and suddenly there's a weight he isn't expecting plant on his shoulders. Long arms around him as he takes a moment to process who it is.

At this point, his demonic senses has allowed him to know the unique scent of every person he's got in contact with. It doesn't take very long for him to know it's Wei Wuxian's arms and his voice that he hears. Jin Ling doesn't have the energy to even push the man away at this point. Perhaps, with all the things happening, he's feeling sentimental and overflowing with all kinds of emotions.

He's quiet, as he takes in Wei Wuxian's words.

"You--would know that wouldn't you?"

He spoke between his frown, keeping his eyes on the ground. Jin Ling doesn't doubt that his father is happy with the kind of person he's become. Jin Ling knows this first hand as his father has not once ostracized him and treated him kindly. The little things that they did together, Jin Ling treasured them. Perhaps, Jin Ling needed something like this, where he has the option to loosen himself from it, but if he chooses not to, he lets it go. Of course, Wei Wuxian isn't wrong on any of this. He spent so much time with Jiang Cheng that it's hard to not pick up the little nuances of his uncle onto himself.

He made the right decision, probably.

He chuckles, the sort of low laugh that's more a rumble at Jin Ling's back than it is anything loud or carrying. He knew, yes, and they all knew they were attractive, back when they were young, back when war was the improbable threat. It took that much to shake certainties and resentments held against what parents wished for children, he suspects, and he'd been so proud of Jiang Yanli for who she'd shone as, in refusing to marry, then in the time where she accepted, after Jin Zixuan proved he could be motivated beyond his parental expectations.

For his own wants, and out of genuine respect and desire.

"Oh, if you want any of the embarrassing stories of your father when he was young, I remember some of those. Or the sweet ones of your mother. Jiang Cheng was on the top five list for looks too, you know." A pause, and a snort, fondness in his voice. "Not for his mouth, but his heart still would, most days."

Jin Ling gives him a brow raise for that as his mood hasn't gotten much better. However, the idea of hearing stories from the man might help distract him from the retreating back. He really wished he could have gone on that train with his father, but alas. It's not his time, and he knows there's many things to accomplish still here.

One day, hopefully, he'll meet that version of his father. He's partially very curious about stories on his parents. Anything that will help him feel closer to the parents he never met.

Jin Ling had to hold a laugh from his throat. Wei Wuxian can't be more truthful. He knows that his uncle is quite handsome. In fact, many of the adults he knows are quite attractive, according to the rumors and stories.

"You'll tell me those stories just like that?"

He seems taken back but he does sound a bit curious. Again, maybe some story time will keep his mind off the painful tug on his chest right now.

He's tempted to rest his chin on his nephew's head for a moment, but he doesn't; he's only casual in contact with his brother, and that with pain buying back each bit of ground that stretched between them. Instead he exhales, strongly enough to ruffle bangs and nothing else, to be felt.

"You're still young, A-Ling," he says, voice a touch more somber. "Take advantage of that to shamelessly ask after the things you really wish to know. Sooner than you know, you'll be called an adult, and people's forgiveness grows thinner by the day."

Perhaps known himself. Perhaps strongly known what misconstruing and choices to act underhanded meant, among 'adults.'

"Mind you, I don't remember the terrible things, I never do." No word on Jin Ling's father's death, then, or his mother's. He simply can't.

Jin Ling makes a face when Wei Wuxian exhales enough to ruffle his bangs. He even scrunches his eyebrows at the man's actions. He doesn't seem to hate it too much, but the sensation is weird at best. Either way, he never tries to understand Wei Wuxian or the way he thinks. That's just how he is and Jin Ling's more or less accepted such things.

"I don't-- need you to tell me that. I already know!"

Wei Wuxian said something similar in the past too. Jin Ling completely understands what he means, given his current situation as a young sect leader. Being stuck on a train and Hakagemachi, shirked his responsibilities for now. Eventually, he'll have to face reality and fight for what he thinks is right.

"I'm not asking you about--- the terrible things!"

As he's already seen his mother's death clear as day. As for his father's, he doesn't want to even know at this point. He doesn't know if he can handle it.

"Good, then we're fine! I can't remember any of the terrible things anyway, other than some of your father's moments with his foot lodged firmly in his mouth—"

There is a kindness in his musing of this, and a laugh that's softer, lower, to follow.

"Suppose we all know how hard it is to say what we mean, this or that time. He learned." Followed by a hum, simply there with his nephew from another world, and no less concerned about him than his sons from their worlds, from those he's met here, and counted as close to his heart.

"Did you know we brawled right before the graduation ceremony from Gusu Lan? Nearly got myself kicked out before I was properly graduated."

He hadn't cared at the time, and doesn't care now. Standing up for Yanli, for an unkindness said out of ignorance and youthful bravado, is nothing he regrets. Not when he'd seen the pain in Yanli's eyes, and Zixuan hadn't the decency in him to retract his pride enough to apologise.

Besides, he'd already been well versed in kneeling in Gusu Lan. Or getting punitively beaten. Kicked out would have simply been a feather in his already impressive cap of casual Lan-misconduct.

"And that years later, when he proposed to your mother, he planted her lotuses in one of the interior ponds? By hand. She caught him placing the last few, I heard."

Jin Ling fights the urge to roll his eyes at Wei Wuxian's words. Thankfully, for the both of them, he keeps his eyes fixed and not rolled to the back of his head. He isn't even surprised anymore by his words. He's kind of gotten used to its weirdness.

He wants to argue but he knows there's no point in that when it comes to Wei Wuxian.

"You both got into a fight?!"

Jin Ling can't even hide his surprise as his eyes widened at those words. How can they possibly be fighting in Gusu Lan of all places?! How gutsy his father and uncle are! Jin Ling is even more baffled that his father of all people was fighting Wei Wuxian! Then again, he's seen his father and uncle go at it when they were in Hakagemachi. The ridiculousness of it had him laughing, though this was a bit different.

"--You--he-- did father really do that?"

The fact that his father got caught doing it too, must have been a sight. He couldn't imagine how his mother felt at that situation. He seemed a bit perplexed, astonished. At the same time, it truthfully made him a little content that his parents seemed to get along.

He hums before he speaks, an affirmation that follows in spoken form. First to the fight, and no other details offered: he's told him, hasn't he, about getting away with the fights one can while one's young enough that youth can be its own excuse, not when that sloughs off and adulthood is all that one can claim. Forgiveness comes at bartered costs at that point.

For the lotus pond, he has the barest stories, but those can be enough when he's had them be the scant waters of a parched desert in his heart; so little news he ever had from Jiang Yanli, and the pure, sweeping joyous surprise of hearing news of Jin Ling's healthy birth, of his upcoming name day celebration, his one month anniversary.

No lingering on what in that was bait and trap, in who moved whom in the shadows, and to feed which lusty greed. No, not that, not here, not now.

"He did. I imagine it might still be there. Do you still have lotuses at Jinlin Tai?"

Jin Ling is all ears when he hears the hum from Wei Wuxian, before the other speaks. Curiosity seems to have distracted him from his unhappiness. It's something he knows he won't be able to hear from, otherwise.

The idea that his father has done something like that surprises him, but not in a bad way. Jin Zixuan seems to be very attentive to his eyes. His father had not once stopped looking after him in Hakagemachi. He sometimes even fusses over the smallest things and Jin Ling can't help but not throw a huge fit over it. Since, when would he ever get a chance like this?

His thoughts are interrupted by the question. There's a perplexed look on his face. He does vaguely remember that there were always lotuses somewhere. He can't pinpoint where, but the meaning behind them will be kept in his mind.

"I think so. I've seen-- them before."

He muses trying to think harder.

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sept platform, action

yes ya'll just keep the feels rolling. as jin ling cries XD skhgsdghksd gdi feels

crying is allowed, kiddo, let it all out

loloolloll he hasn't hit that point yet but eventually prob XD

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sorry for the late! I would love to continue this thread ;A;

let us slowly march on!

slow and steady wins the race :D

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I hope this is okay. super late as heck @__@