010

[contract_star]

[Hei appears, looking rather irritated, and promptly heads off along the Astral Plane, walking with a purpose and looking like he's searching for something.]

By M11, I think...

[Keeps walking, mostly in silence, though he mutters to himself occasionally. After a bit he comes upon his telescope and his expression darkens. The telescope has been knocked over and is lying on its side. Hei crouches down, sighing heavily.]

This on top of the rest of it...

[Disappears for a moment, coming back with a toolkit and a bag of sandwiches. He settles down and starts going to work on his poor, beat-up telescope.]

Comments

[contract_star]

[Finally looks up at him, face still emotionless.] Because this, how you are now? It's not fake. It's genuine.

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[And then there's a knife in Firo's hand and it's darting up to rest at Li's throat. Flat and cold, he says,] So's this.

[contract_star]

[Expression doesn't change a fraction and his hand is around Firo's wrist at the exact moment that the blade touches flesh.]

Yes. But this isn't what matters.

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[Tiny, flat smile.] Nah. What matters is you were the first to say hello, and the first thing you did was ask if I was all right.

[Relaxes the knife, making it clear that if Li's willing to let go his wrist, he's willing to put the shiny away.]

[contract_star]

[Lets go of Firo's wrist; he knows real danger when he sees it, after all.]

[Quietly,] Because that's what Li Shengshun would do.

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[Just looks at him for a long moment, mild calculation in his eyes. Then,] If you say so.

[Flops back again, staring at the sky.] And is it just what Li Shengshun would do, fixing up the telescope, thinking 'bout the stars? Or is there someone under there who really cares about that stuff?

[contract_star]

[Hei's life would be a lot simpler if people would just accept the fact that he's a bastard.]

Everyone needs a hobby.

[immortalmistake.livejournal.com]

[Cheerfully,] Even bastards.

[contract_star]

[Just chuckles.]