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Post by KUN SHUI WEI on Apr 12, 2013 20:14:13 GMT -8
Dinners were quiet for the longest time, and for the past week, everything had basically gone silent in the house. Food was eaten separately the majority of the time; for the first couple days, he had to actually bring food to Lucien’s room because he seemed so afraid to actually wander out. He put up with that about two days, bringing food to his little room and letting him eat on his own, before finally becoming fed up with being a maid and deciding to slowly coax him out of the room. He was prepared for it not to be easy; in fact, he was prepared more or less for a struggle of some sort. When Kun Shui stopped delivering his dinners to his room, there was no whining or complaining. He didn’t say a thing, and he quietly curled up in his room until Kun Shui had to peek in and tell him to come out for dinner. But of course, he didn’t overload him with it all at once. He didn’t try to get him to sit in on a gala dinner with his first interaction with people, or try to get him to sit in at a fancy dinner with important clients. He just put a plate of food down after he’d already eaten, called Lucien out, and then left the room to let him eat at the dinner table. He’d peek in on him occasionally, of course, but he never just randomly walked in on him when he was eating. After a couple days of that, Kun Shui began to eat with him. He’d put two plates down, called him out and sat down with him. Those days were filled with silences and awkward clinking of utensils, and when they were done eating, a servant would collect the plates and Lucien would scuttle off and everything would die back down into dead quiet once the washing was done. It had gone a week like that, back and forth, and nothing but their eating arrangement changed. A week had passed since they first landed, and basically, Kun Shui was back in full swing. His phone was going off constantly, paperwork was piling up, and he was heading off to meetings and fancy dinner parties at all hours of the night. Still, now that he was on his own and away from the family, he found himself making more time to just sit down and read the newspaper, or take a look at the news that didn’t involve the politics or his business. The seventh came, and he took one of those moments of pause to pick up that white box on his bedside table and peek inside again. The fan was still there, as it always was and had been for over two years now. It came out during special occasions, but with that aside, it was kept clean and pristine inside its little box. It had good intentions, but he had no use for it. Kun Shui put the box on his nightstand and began digging into the cupboard attached; he knew he had some of those red envelopes spared somewhere. Every respectable Asian had a couple of them stashed away somewhere just in case. He finally found one sitting in the back, bright red and emblazoned with a golden fish. It’d have to do for now. He took some money out of his wallet and slipped it in, before gingerly placing it on top of the fan and placing the top back on the box. For what felt like ages, he stood there in his room, staring down at the little box in his hands and waiting for the beating of his heart to die down in his ears. It was important; the fan was from Jun Shi as a congratulations for being announced heir. The slats were made of ivory and bamboo, and it unfolded to reveal a burned-in pattern of the Wei family crest on the white silken fabric that held it all together. And now, with all the importance attached to it on the forefront of his mind, he was about to give it away.
May 7th, 7PM. |
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Apr 13, 2013 9:52:19 GMT -8
tagged: kun shui. time: may 7th, 7pm. notes: notes. Dinners had been painful. Lucien had spent the past two years eating every single meal in solitude. The only meals he'd eaten with anyone else were the rare bi-monthly dinners with the twins, and those had been eaten in absolute silence. Now it had seemed that Kun Shui wanted to eat with him. First it had just been delivery of food, not by any maid but by Kun Shui himself. That had been awkward enough, but it had left Lucien with his solitude. Then he had wanted him to eat out in the little dining area, and he had done so... but then he'd wanted him to eat out of the bedroom with him.
That had been intimidating beyond belief. There was no way to forget the fact that Kun Shui controlled every aspect of his life. He couldn't push that out of his mind. If Kun Shui wanted him to die, he'd die. If Kun Shui wanted to confine him to a small room for the rest of his life, he could. If he wanted to take away his books... well, he could do that too. Eating dinners were like playing catch with a grenade. He had to be so careful with everything. He'd kept almost completely quiet, save the occasional quiet 'please pass something'. There was no way to bring anything up without veering into territory. Asking about work might be prying. Asking about family would bring up Jun Shi. He didn't think Kun Shui read, and he had no idea what he did when he wasn't working. He suspected Kun Shui didn't have times when he wasn't working.
Even so, it had become routine. Lunches and breakfasts were delivered by a servant, eaten, and the plates were deposited at the base of the store. When it was dinner, Lucien emerged from his room like a terrified butterfly, sitting down and having dinner.
Lucien was vaguely aware of the date. He simply didn't think it mattered. He'd been captive two years, and had celebrated not a single holiday during that time. The closest thing to a celebration was getting high quality leftovers to eat during festival seasons, and it went without saying that his birthday did not qualify. Why assume anything would be different? He gave it only the briefest thought as he straightened out the robe he wore when out in the loft proper, finally letting himself out as he made a beeline for the table.
It was still strange to him that his door was unlocked. He'd only realized it recently, and even if it was unlocked, he'd yet to leae for anything but dinner. He wasn't entirely sure that Kun Shui even realized that it was open. Reaching the table, he took his seat immediately, vaguely surprised that Kun Shui wasn't there yet. Normally he was there exactly on time--but perhaps he was on a business call. |
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Post by KUN SHUI WEI on Apr 13, 2013 16:53:06 GMT -8
It felt like ages; it really did. What the hell would Jun Shi think about it if he just gave his fan to Lucien? He was supposed to be the enemy; he was supposed to be the one that they all hated together for a common reason. But Kun Shui harboured no common hatred of him, or any hatred at all, really. He hated him for a while, despised him even, when he first found out the Margaux were making their way into Hong Kong in some bullshit attempt at justified ‘revenge’ that was really gunning for a mafia war. So he’d hated him for a time, but with the threat so neutralized that it would never become a threat again, there was no point to keep hating him. To Jun Shi, that was stupid and would get them all destroyed. To Kun Shui, it all made logical and sound sense. There was a reason he was heir, and his twin brother was not. He slid his hand off the lid of the box, deciding that it was now or never. He wasn’t entirely sure why he wanted to give it to him, but what else could he really use it for? It was ceremonial, and only to be brought out for specific purposes, anyway. He kept the box tucked between the crook of his elbow and his forearm, walking down the hall to his living room and the small dining area, where he was aware that Lucien was waiting. And that he was, sitting quietly where he always was, waiting for his food like a frightened dog. ”Good evening, Lucien.” He sat down on the chair across from him, but didn’t call for the food to be brought out quite yet. Instead, he put the box on the table between them, almost expecting Lucien to reach across and take it. Of course, he absolutely knew he wouldn’t because doing so would actually mean taking some degree of initiative, which Lucien had none of, apparently.
May 7th, 7PM. |
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Apr 14, 2013 18:07:03 GMT -8
tagged: kun shui. time: may 7th, 7pm. notes: notes. Lucien did have initiative. He'd been raised to take the initiative, to always be in charge, to lead the pack. Only that instinct had been firmly suppressed, buried as far as it could go. Anything he did could be construed as an insult. So he simply only ever reacted--reactions being significantly less insulting overall.
His eyes fixed on the box when Kun Shui entered the room, and he felt a little ball of fear form in his stomach. What was that? He couldn't even begin to guess, but it was still terrifying him. He'd delivered too many similar packages filled with body parts years ago, and now he was genuinely worried it was a body part. Whose? A family member? No, not them. He wouldn't particularly care. They'd betrayed him after all--sold him out. Who then? Jun Shi?
He let himself consider that for a moment before deciding that no, he wouldn't. For that to happen, Lucien would have had to have some sort of status, and he certainly didn't have any of that. He was right back to square one on the subject of what was actually in the box, and he settled back a bit more in his chair, resisting the urge to just bolt.
"Good evening." He responded, eyes only briefly flicking up before going right back to the box, eager to avoid eye contact. |
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Post by KUN SHUI WEI on Apr 14, 2013 18:41:13 GMT -8
He was entirely quiet, putting the box down and letting him reach for it as he pleased. Of course, he never thought he would; Lucien just didn’t seem the type to actually go for something in curiousity anymore. Perhaps he used to; he’d have to ask Jun Shi about it, though he doubted he would any time soon. Of course, fuming at each other was not a good way to go about asking questions, so he’d let it sit for a while more until he actually bothered. He glanced down at the box again, then back at Lucien, who refused any eye contact with him. It was a little disheartening at times; he was originally meant to be some sort of companion. That was proving to be perhaps too much for him, so maybe he’d have to leave him alone for a while after this. He reached forward and gently pushed the box towards him. ”Here you are. It’s your birthday, yes?” Of course it was. He was surprised he even remembered, but he had it stuck on his calendar somewhere. In past years, he’d been extremely busy and hadn’t bothered with it, however. This year, alone and in his own house, a sea away from all those people that demanded his attention, he made himself a little time. If it was only to be Lucien and him living in his house, he might as well try to be civil with him. Again, it would’ve been something Jun Shi nagged him for, but he was above him and had to turn the other cheek when he told him he was being too soft.
May 7th, 7PM. |
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Apr 14, 2013 18:56:16 GMT -8
tagged: kun shui. time: may 7th, 7pm. notes: notes. He had remembered his birthday? No, that was wrong--he knew his birthday at all? Lucien had assumed he didn't know anything about him, beyond what was common knowledge. He doubted he knew something as basic as the color of his eyes without having to check, and yet there he was, indicating that it was his birthday. He knew? Wait, hold on, he knew and he'd gotten him a gift? To describe that as shocking was to massively understate it. After all, he'd have believed that LA suddenly being nuked was more likely than Kun Shui remembering such a minor detail, and he bristled, confused and a fair bit alarmed.
He was forced to admit that yes, yes it was his birthday, and he swallowed, giving a little nod as his eyes fixed on the package. So it was a birthday gift? After a few long seconds, he finally hesitantly reached out, touching the present the way most people would a bomb. Hesitantly he slid it over so it was in front of him, eyes flicking up and down. All things considered, he'd rather not open it. He was almost entirely sure that it was something bad inside, and if he could just ignore it, everyone would be better off.
Somehow he doubted that was an option. "Should... should I open it?" |
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Post by KUN SHUI WEI on Apr 14, 2013 19:06:12 GMT -8
He smiled a little bit at him, but it looked faint and somewhat strained. The way he looked so surprised, however, was adorable. He just sort of stared down at the box as if it were a bomb, and he doubted that he even was aware that it was a birthday present until after the fact that he told him. At that rate, it was more like he was wondering if he was aware he had a birthday at all, let alone knowing when it was and to go and get him something. Technically, he just had to unpack a box… but it would do, as far as practicality was concerned. The fan was better suited to Lucien in some ways, anyway. The colours surely matched, and he thought the redhead would look quite elegant wielding a fan. He reached out for it slowly, taking it closer to him but not opening it. Kun Shui nodded. ”Of course. It is a gift for you, after all.” He thought briefly that Lucien may have gotten the idea that it was something horrible; a gun or some body part of a past enemy. Kun Shui was a lot cleaner than that; he wouldn’t go shoving body parts in a box and mailing it to loved ones. Hostages, sure, but no body parts and no videos. It would leave too much evidence, really. Only the lowly did that, and he was anything but low. ”You need to take good care of it.” Because if it was broken or chipped or dented in any way, Lucien would likely have hell to pay. If not from him, then from Jun Shi, who had no clue that he was receiving the fan. It was supposed to be something important between the twins, and supposedly, Jun Shi was putting a lot more emphasis on it’s importance than Kun Shui was.
May 7th, 7PM. |
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Apr 14, 2013 19:55:31 GMT -8
tagged: kun shui. time: may 7th, 7pm. notes: notes. Lucien only very, very hesitantly reached up, drawing the lid off the box. His apprehension was almost certainly obvious, treating the package like a bomb. When the lid finally slid off, he visibly relaxed.
Not a body part. Not a weapon. It wasn't anything negative at all, although he wasn't initially sure what it was. Maybe it was a knife? He reached out carefully, thin fingers wrapping around it. It was cold--cold like marble, and it took him only a moment to realize what the material was. Ivory and... bamboo? But it was too light to be solid ivory, and after another moment of hesitation, Lucien finally picked it up.
It took only a few seconds for him to realize what it was now that it was in his hand. A fan. An ornate hand fan. Ivory and bamboo, and he would have bet his life on the fact that the fabric was probably silk. He slid it open, cementing that thought. Yes, silk--and the Wei family crest burnt into the side. That was a relief. For a moment, he'd worried it would just be the Wei symbol on it, which would be more than a bit uncomfortable for him. The Wei crest wasn't exactly pleasant to him, but there was no direct stigma to it any more than he was against his current position. There wasn't anything terrible about it.
He gave it an experimental wave, looking it over before sliding it shut and placing it back in the box. It was probably worth more than his life was. Why had he gotten it? Why give him a gift at all, let alone this gift, worth so much? He just didn't understand it at all. It was so out of the blue, so unexpected, and he kept trying to find some sneaky ulterior motive. Was the fan poisoned? Was there a reason Kun Shui couldn't keep it?
Even so, a gift was a gift. Even if he'd spent the past two years effectively locked in a room, he still knew his manners, and still knew what was expected of him. He gave a sort of half bow, inexperienced with that but convinced the thought would be enough for that.
"Thank you for the gift. I wasn't expecting you to remember an occasion as insignificant as my birthday." It was basically using every bit of self control he had to get out a whole two sentences without pausing or shuttering. He carefully reboxed the fan, afraid of damaging it in any way, and then slid it aside, careful to be as gentle as all possible. His mind was still reeling, trying to work out just why he had it. Where was he going to put it? His desk, he supposed. |
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Post by KUN SHUI WEI on Apr 15, 2013 5:16:22 GMT -8
tagged: Lucien. time: May 7th, 7PM. speech: kun shui. notes: - - - Kun Shui watched as the expression on Lucien’s face seemed to rise into one of slight panic as he hesitantly opened the box, and then go lax again as he found that it wasn’t an ear or a finger or something. Just a fan; not a weapon or a knife or something you could injure someone with unless you decided to shove it down a person’s throat. It would serve as an extremely expensive and very telling fan, at the very least; the Wei family crest was burnt into one of the last slats, and he doubted it’d take the police long to find out where it came from.
Lucien tinkered with it a little, opening it up to reveal the silken fabric that stretched between the slats. Kun Shui hadn’t actually opened it in a little over a year now; the box had remained closed up until their moving day, and then it had hidden in the dark until the seventh. It was expensive and generally symbolic, and he kept it hidden away until some sort of ceremony was underway. He was fully expecting Lucien to do the same, but he didn’t put too much hope in it. As long as it wasn’t dirtied or damaged, it would be fine.
”It’s not a problem.” Remembering his birthday might’ve been a hassle before, but now that he was on his own, it would be a lot easier when his schedule wasn’t being cluttered by things he didn’t even want. ”Just be careful with it. It’s rather valuable. I’d prefer if you only bring it out for ceremonial purposes, or during special occasions.” Carrying it around the house wouldn’t offend him too much, either.
With that, he leaned back to glance into the kitchen, where the chef was. He was hired for just a few hours a day and paid rather handsomely to prepare dinner for them; the rest of the meals they handled on their own. He nodded at the person in the kitchen, who began plating their food. |
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Apr 15, 2013 10:59:34 GMT -8
tagged: kun shui. time: may 7th, 7pm. notes: notes. Lucien had never once considered going to the police. It would never work. Even if, by some miracle, he managed to locate a police department with no organized crime links at all, who wouldn't be bought off by the triad immediately... well, even then he would never be able to make anything stick. Not really. Kun Shui would need only a few words to doom him, because the inner workings of a European mafia were going to be far more relevant than the inner workings of a triad that had barely touched the United States. He'd be doomed, and if he was lucky he'd spend the rest of his life in jail. It was far more likely he'd be extradited to face trial in France, and then...
Well, he preferred not to think about that.
Staying with the Wei's was a better alternative in every way. He was well taken care of. He was given good clothes to wear, allowed to shower, and fed good food. Boredom and Jun Shi had been the major drawbacks, and both of those seemed to have been mostly alleviated. At least he was getting out a bit, even if 'out' just meant being out of his room. He didn't expect he'd ever really leave the top floor.
The fact that it was for ceremonial purposes wasn't lost on him--he just wasn't sure when he'd ever have a ceremonial event to use it at. Probably never. Maybe Kun Shui's birthday? Only he didn't even know when that was. He'd probably find out beforehand, since it would likely be extremely busy for him. He'd be cooped up in his room, people would be around, and that would be that.
He gave another little nod, feeling even less confident than before. "I'll be careful with it." He forced out, confident that he could at least do that. He'd taken care of plenty of things before, and this would be no different. It wasn't as if he could accidentally damage it. He'd just tuck it away and only bring it out if requested... or if the situation seemed appropriate for it. |
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Post by KUN SHUI WEI on Apr 15, 2013 19:10:24 GMT -8
tagged: Lucien. time: May 7th, 7PM. speech: kun shui. notes: - - - Lucien was rather ginger with the fan, which was a good thing. He knew he would be careful with it, and so he let it be and watched absently as Lucien put the fan away into the little white box. It would hopefully be tucked away somewhere safe and not forgotten, because if it was, it wouldn’t end up very well for either of them… but worse for Lucien. Definitely worse for Lucien.
As for ceremonial purposes, he supposed it meant birthdays, or when family came over. Otherwise, perhaps important guests, like business partners, and when he needed somebody pretty on his arm. Los Angeles was okay with that sort of thing, right? He might need to take a look into it; he might’ve been a businessman, but he didn’t know absolutely everything about large cities.
”Good.” And sure enough, as if just on time, the chef brought out two plates from the kitchen. He nodded faintly at him, a little bit of a smile, and then the chef walked away back to the kitchen, waiting for any further orders. ”Don’t worry about it too much. As long as you don’t damage it, you’ll be fine.” And here was hoping that he never did.
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Apr 16, 2013 15:50:18 GMT -8
tagged: kun shui. time: may 7th, 7pm. notes: notes. Lucien reached up, fingers trailing across the box one more time. He still wasn't sure what to make of it. Was it a good thing? He supposed that it was, and he tried to settle back down, rather than stressing over a box that he might very well never see again after he put it away. When, exactly, would he see an occasion fancy enough?
Unfortunately, with the food not yet out, even if it was on the way, that meant lapsing into an uncomfortable silence, and his stomach twisted again. Any silence seemed bad to him. In a way, he preferred when Kun Shui was talking. It meant he had something on his mind that Lucien could actually tell, without having to guess at everything. In silence, he was forced to wonder every second what Kun Shui was thinking. Was he thinking about him? Judging him? Trying to determine what to do with him? There were too many options, and he hated every one of them.
After a moment, he cleared his throat and tried to bring up a topic of conversation that wouldn't be offensive with any luck.
"Will anyone else be moving in?" Back in Hong Kong the house had been filled with people, and now it was just him, Kun Shui, a maid and... a chef? A part time chef at that. Even the two staff didn't share quarters, although Lucien suspected they lived somewhere farther down the tower. |
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Post by KUN SHUI WEI on Apr 16, 2013 18:49:27 GMT -8
tagged: Lucien. time: May 7th, 7PM. speech: kun shui. notes: - - - The food was to arrive soon, and he was perfectly content to letting them lapse into silence in the meantime. He really didn’t mind it too much; he was used to that formal sort of quiet, though this one was technically more tense than the rest. He didn’t quite feel how tense it was until Lucien spoke up, and then he definitely noticed when he tried to start the small talk.
”No, nobody else is moving in. The main house is just you and I.” For the rest of what he knew of, they were going to be the only ones occupying the loft that was really meant for a whole family. They were just two, though. It was better that way, anyways. He planned on letting Lucien have a bit more freedom now that they were out on their own. If anything, he was going to actually let him wander around Los Angeles while he had time to spare a guard.
The plates came out and were put in front of them; two immaculate white dishes with various foods. It was traditional Hong Kong fare, though; something they were both used to.
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Apr 17, 2013 15:02:31 GMT -8
tagged: kun shui. time: may 7th, 7pm. notes: notes. Once upon a time, Lucien had been more than willing to settle down and just sit in silence. He didn't really like silence--never had--but he hadn't minded it. Now it was just a constant reminder of everything that was wrong with his life. It was a reminder that Kun Shui could do anything he wanted at that moment, and there was absolutely nothing that Lucien could do about it. The silence was oppressive.
Just the two of them? Lucien wasn't sure if he liked that. He supposed that it was a positive thing to find out for sure that Jun Shi wouldn't be moving in, but then he'd never expected that he would. Not after the fight they'd had. Not after the yelling. Hell, Kun Shui likely wouldn't have made such a deal of it at their last dinner in Hong Kong if Jun Shi had been coming along.
But no one else? That was a bit unsettling. Having other people meant there were other things to steal Kun Shui's focus. With just the two of them, at least some of the focus would be on him, and that left him with the sole focus. No, perhaps that was egotistical--Kun Shui's primary focus was always going to be work. He was a secondary focus, and while he was a bit concerned with how much attention he was getting, it wasn't entirely negative. No, it was more like... well, a room mate rather than a useless hostage. He was more social. He was making an effort to get him out of his room. Things weren't that bad--he was just used to being ignored or mistreated, and had learned to expect those things.
The food was a welcome break from the twisting downward spiral of his thoughts, and he dug in without a pause. He'd learned to use chopsticks with considerable skill, to the point where he had little doubt he'd struggle to remember how to hold a fork properly, let alone use a knife. He'd always enjoyed finer foods, and Kun Shui had never let him down in that respect. Even as a prisoner, he was eating excellent cooking and the finest of dishes.
So just the two of them then. His mind was running circles, trying to find the best way to ask things. He had too many questions about what was going to happen, and inevitably he summed them all up into one overarching one.
"What else will be changing then?" Would he suddenly be cooking? It seemed like they'd eat every meal together at least. Maybe Kun Shui would bring him more books. It was impossible for him to predict. There was no logical sense to it from his point of view, no way to connect the dots when so much of his situation was hidden from him. |
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Post by KUN SHUI WEI on Apr 18, 2013 4:44:16 GMT -8
tagged: Lucien. time: May 7th, 7PM. speech: kun shui. notes: - - - Silence was never quite a problem. In fact, silent from the ringing phones and the blaring voices was considered a break for him, even if he was just doing a bit of paperwork. It was better than constantly dealing with people, constantly smiling even at your worst of enemies, and constantly being nice to those who you knew were just trying to undermine you. Thankfully, here in Los Angeles, he had parted with a bit of that. In America, the Wei family was more or less unknown, and their triad was entirely foreign to most that weren’t connected with international crime in the first place. He didn’t have too much to deal with yet from that aspect, and their legal business was just starting to come off the ground. The work was negligible for the time being, but not for long.
The food was put down in front of them, and he was halfway expecting silence once again. Lucien had always been silent before, back in Hong Kong. Dinners with him had always been dead quiet, minus Jun Shi commenting on something now and again. Lucien never really spoke, other than to ask for salt or something of the like, so hearing him try to make small talk now was a little odd. Still, he didn’t quite mind; he wasn’t working, and Lucien wasn’t interrupting anything.
At least the move wasn’t traumatizing enough for him to lose his appetite. If anything, he was still eating pretty well. But as for change, he had to give a bit of pause there, going quiet as he mulled it over. What else would change? He wasn’t even sure what was normal for Lucien, so he didn’t know how to comment on how it would change. Now, what did Lucien consider normal in the first place?
”You… may explore a little, if you wish.” There was a bit of risk in that, of course, but he’d make sure he knew the rules before he let him run around Los Angeles alone… well, never completely alone. He’d have a hired guard with him at all times, basically. ”Outside the house, I mean. I’d prefer it if you stayed close by, but being cooped up all the time isn’t very good for you.” Old Chinese medicine only went so far, after all, and Kun Shui had never exactly been a big fan.
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Apr 22, 2013 19:32:18 GMT -8
tagged: kun shui. time: may 7th, 7pm. notes: notes. Explore. That word meant a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but to Lucien it meant... well, it meant nothing. He had absolutely no idea what Kun Shui meant, and he might as well have said a word in a language entirely foreign to him.
He could really only guess until Kun Shui clarified. Did he mean he might get some amenities? A computer or a TV? The thought that Kun Shui literally meant exploring as in going outside didn't cross his mind until Kun Shui actually said it.
He couldn't help it. His jaw dropped slightly, staring in confusion. He meant outside? In the city proper? Lucien's first reaction was to assume that it was some kind of joke. After a brief second, he realized that Kun Shui probably hadn't joked once in the past ten years, and moved on mentally.
Wasn't it a risk? At first thought, it seemed like a huge one. There were a million things that he could do. He could go back to France, he could draw in old allies... but after a moment of thought, even those faded. No. It wouldn't work. he'd never get anywhere or manage anything. Even if he somehow managed to sneak out of the country and make it back to France, he would't really get anywhere. It wouldn't fix anything. If he was lucky, he'd be taken out back by his father and shot in the head. If he wasn't lucky, well, things would probably end badly.
So all of a sudden it just meant opportunities. His first thought, sadly enough, was that he'd be able to visit a bookstore. If Kun Shui was willing to let him out, there was zero reason he wouldn't be willing to give him some money to buy books. That was really his only priority to begin with. He had no other thoughts, no other sudden 'I should go there' moments.
"You mean let me out into LA?" It was bizarre just to say it. He hadn't thought he'd ever be out--not ever. He'd thought he'd spend the rest of his life either in the apartment, or occasionally out with Kun Shui. Suddenly being allowed out was a tad overwhelming. |
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Post by KUN SHUI WEI on Apr 22, 2013 20:16:36 GMT -8
tagged: Lucien. time: May 7th, 7PM. speech: kun shui. notes: - - - Precautions. Always precautions. Lucien was allowed to wander, but he was never allowed to wander without Kun Shui knowing where he was and having some sort of direct contact with somebody that could provide information on his ward’s whereabouts. A guard or two usually did the trick, watching from a distance to keep him from feeling too crowded. But then again, perhaps Lucien would feel more comfortable for a while if a guard was present and visible. As far as Tristam was concerned, it would lend a feeling of security, after being cooped up for the better part of almost two years.
The look of utter shock on Lucien’s face, however, told him that he wasn’t expecting it at all. It was a cross between surprise and confusion, and he supposed he’d have to quickly clarify that he didn’t mean he could run to anywhere he wanted and expect him not to know. In fact, Kun Shui expected to be aware at all times, if not more. He was actually contemplating giving him some sort of tracking device that he couldn’t take off, or maybe one of those microchip things that one gave dogs and cats. It was a bit of a stretch, but he had the money.
”Yes, I mean let you out into LA. I’ll likely give you some sort of tracker to know where you are, but I’ll let you poke around nearby.” He nodded towards the window, and with that, the skyline just beyond. It was a nice view, to say the least; one that cost a fortune but one his family could afford comfortably. ”I expect you to behave, Lucien.” At all times, not speak to any authority such as the police, et cetera.
Of course, laying out the ground rules was a must. He was assuming that Lucien wouldn’t muster up the bravery to actually peek outside the apartment into the hall, let alone actually wander out, for the next week. ”I can accompany you for the first couple of times, if that’s what makes you comfortable.” And yes, he was offering to interact with him more. Surprise.
”There are a lot of places to see in LA. I think you’d like quite a few.” He didn’t even think of bookstores, really. He was expecting Lucien to want to see the landmarks first, or at least the ocean. The extent to which he’d been dependent on books before was lost to him.
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on Apr 27, 2013 21:00:31 GMT -8
tagged: kun shui. time: may 7th, 7pm. notes: notes. Lucien didn't really think he'd be allowed out unescorted--not for a single minute. He wasn't stupid. there would always be precautions. Even if it wasn't Kun Shui himself, it would be a guard or an escort. Someone to keep an eye on him. That was just fine with him--he hadn't had true privacy for two years now. Anyone could walk in at any moment, and he hadn't gotten any say in any part of his life. Why would this be different?
Even still, he was already feeling anxious. He wanted to go and look at the books, to pick the ones he wanted to read rather then just reading whatever came up. Only there was a level of apprehension with it. He didn't want to just go out. It was suddenly a terrifying prospect to just leave, to go out almost entirely on his own (barring a guard or two). He'd be on his own, able to choose what he wanted to do, and that was terrifying.
"Yes, Sir." He responded instinctively. He'd behave. He'd accept tracking. he didn't mind--it would still be more freedom then he'd had. "You don't need to come if you're busy." Somehow, Lucien was just convinced that would make it worse. He'd be too conscious of mistakes with Kun Shui there, looking over his shoulder. It would be too easy to get things wrong, to second guess his book choices, looking for second meanings that hadn't existed.
Lots of places. He knew where he wanted to go, and decided to simply say it. "A bookstore would be... would be lovely. I could get some new books." Books that weren't old antiques, bought for their decorative nature rather then their classical contents.
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Post by KUN SHUI WEI on Apr 29, 2013 5:40:02 GMT -8
tagged: Lucien. time: May 7th, 7PM. speech: kun shui. notes: - - - He wasn’t sure what method of tracking he’d use yet. A collar seemed too primitive and much too obvious; Lucien almost stuck out enough as it was with his hair and eyes, and sticking a collar on him would draw more attention. An anklet was too easy to remove, so maybe a bracelet of sorts was in order… sort of like a tracking band on a pet, or maybe even a microchip under the skin. Maybe he’d discuss it later, but for now, just putting the thought out there would do. He doubted Lucien would leave within the next week, anyways, which gave him plenty of time.
As for a book store, he’d seen a couple driving in and a couple as he was going about his business in Los Angeles. He could point some out, or he could let Lucien explore and see what he liked. The latter was a fair idea; he had to learn to do things on his own all over again, apparently. His previous bite had long been lost apparently, after he’d been under Jun Shi’s care for a little over two years.
”I’ll gave you some money for books.” Perhaps it’d make him feel better about the whole ordeal, moving away from Hong Kong and all that. The skyline, the single familiar thing, wasn’t too familiar at all. A backlash was expected, but none came, and he was glad for that. On top of all the current turmoil, now there was quite a bit of tension between the twins after the screaming match they’d gotten into, and Jun Shi wasn’t about to just let it go. He was the sort that seethed in grudges for years.
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Post by LUCIEN MARGAUX on May 4, 2013 18:16:55 GMT -8
tagged: kun shui. time: may 7th, 7pm. notes: notes. As it turned out, Kun Shui would be wrong about at least one thing--Lucien would be leaving within the next week. The desire for books and to be out in the fresh air was stronger then his desire to crawl up and hide. He'd hid enough in the past two years, tucked away in a room more then twenty stories above the ground in a country he knew nothing about. Now he was in a place that was foreign to him, but at least familiar. LA was closer to Paris then Hong Kong was, and he actually could speak with the people around him.
Not that he would. He wasn't that brave, even if he was so desperate for books that he'd force himself to go out.
"Thank you." He responded quietly, happy for the money. He'd expected it, but then he realized he probably shouldn't have. Kun Shui didn't owe him anything. If he wanted to shove him in a closet and let him starve to death, he absolutely could. That wasn't an exaggeration--if Kun Shui wanted him dead, he could put him down without a single consequence. He was already in the country illegally, and as a known criminal, it was extremely unlikely anyone would care too much if his body washed up on a beach.
The thought made him nervous, and he glanced down at the empty plate in front of him. It wasn't an old habit to clear his plate. It wasn't anything cultural. He was just hungry and not terribly well fed. Sure, they fed him, but not all the time. People got distracted and forgot, and even if a servant skipped feeding him, he had no one to tell.
"May I go?" He wanted to go back to his room, to curl up with the only book he had that he hadn't finished reading. More importantly, he wanted to be away from Kun Shui for the moment, to curl up and let himself think it all out. |
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