05-01-2023, 12:15 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-01-2023, 12:17 AM by Sofia Vasilieva.)
Sofia laughed a little, though it was only really a dismissive hum under her breath. He was going to be the flashy sort, clearly. Yun had been a creature of shadows. It seemed that was no longer going to be the case.
Pavel said nothing. Probably he didn’t like how close a stranger came to quoting their father’s words back to them, but he nodded anyway. It was more acknowledgement than agreement. But there was an edge of impatience, too. Zixin laid the facts without answers. He spoke of familial empire while simultaneously making clear the motivations for his arrival.
He was pissing all over their turf while making out he was watering the fucking lawn.
“We can agree on that common ground. An act against a member of my family cannot go unanswered. But we’ll judge our own fortunes,” Pavel finally said. “My family treated Yun Kao with respect, and received the same. We would look to continue the arrangement.”
“Good for the soul, though,” Sofia added, of the kinds of war she knew perfectly well was sensible to avoid. She smiled when she said it, but she did not care for the details thrown out like breadcrumbs, and she did not like the impression Zixin gave that he knew them and how they would act. Or the growing sense that the foundations of a debt were being laid. Though when she caught her brother’s hard look she rolled her eyes. “Ё-моё, I’m joking,” she assured.
Nonetheless she was alert when Zixin turned to gesture to his companion. The so-named Ryker hung back like a subordinate, but gave nothing of the impression of one.
Pavel stiffened and his expression darkened when Zixin presently indicated an arrival behind them. He looked ready to wait for an explanation only if it came quickly. Pinching them between uncertain allies ahead and a fucking surprise behind seemed like the most arrogant kind of gamble. Temper stirred in her chest for the affront. She trusted her brother to watch her back. After ascertaining enough to realise the newcomer was Japanese, her own attention returned to Zixin. Nothing in her posture suggested alarm, but the tilt of her chin was certainly demanding of answer.
“Is this proof a gift? I usually prefer diamonds. But blood will do.”
Pavel said nothing. Probably he didn’t like how close a stranger came to quoting their father’s words back to them, but he nodded anyway. It was more acknowledgement than agreement. But there was an edge of impatience, too. Zixin laid the facts without answers. He spoke of familial empire while simultaneously making clear the motivations for his arrival.
He was pissing all over their turf while making out he was watering the fucking lawn.
“We can agree on that common ground. An act against a member of my family cannot go unanswered. But we’ll judge our own fortunes,” Pavel finally said. “My family treated Yun Kao with respect, and received the same. We would look to continue the arrangement.”
“Good for the soul, though,” Sofia added, of the kinds of war she knew perfectly well was sensible to avoid. She smiled when she said it, but she did not care for the details thrown out like breadcrumbs, and she did not like the impression Zixin gave that he knew them and how they would act. Or the growing sense that the foundations of a debt were being laid. Though when she caught her brother’s hard look she rolled her eyes. “Ё-моё, I’m joking,” she assured.
Nonetheless she was alert when Zixin turned to gesture to his companion. The so-named Ryker hung back like a subordinate, but gave nothing of the impression of one.
Pavel stiffened and his expression darkened when Zixin presently indicated an arrival behind them. He looked ready to wait for an explanation only if it came quickly. Pinching them between uncertain allies ahead and a fucking surprise behind seemed like the most arrogant kind of gamble. Temper stirred in her chest for the affront. She trusted her brother to watch her back. After ascertaining enough to realise the newcomer was Japanese, her own attention returned to Zixin. Nothing in her posture suggested alarm, but the tilt of her chin was certainly demanding of answer.
“Is this proof a gift? I usually prefer diamonds. But blood will do.”
![[Image: vasiliev--scaled.jpg]](http://thefirstage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/vasiliev--scaled.jpg)