♦ ♦ 18th Contract

[mortemscintilla]

[ The device snaps on to the foreshortened view of a spartan livingroom. In the corner, a wire-mesh cage with a brightly-patterned iguana is visible. The occupant stirs sluggishly across the interior, tail flicking. Closer to the screen, on the coffee-table, rests a crystal center-piece. ]

[ Someone's frigid little heart is on display for the whole City. ]

[ In the periphery, footsteps rustle. A voice, too flat and monotonous to be 'Li's, mutters, ]

So now the City's getting metaphorical on me.

Pretentious. As always.

[ Belatedly, the speaker notices the blinking device. With an irritable tch, a hand reaches to click off the feed. It won't be near midnight until the device switches itself back on. At a different spot, but with the ice-heart still in view. By that time, it'll have metamorphosed into a new shape. The blue glow it radiates is actually a spark of concentrated heat. Melting the ice from inside-out. ]

[ Hopefully it won't set the coffee-table on fire. ]

Options for Run Ins:

♠ At Home (Li/Hei): With impatient jerky movements -- almost pulling off the cabinet doors as he yanks them -- he'll be assembling lunch in the kitchen, though (for once) he isn't hungry. But he's no mood to look at that over-dramatic frozen heart. Teammates or friends are welcome to drop by and bug him!


☀ Shopping (Li): He leaves the stupid heart -- and inevitable questions via the Network device -- at home. At a supermarket, pushing a grocery cart, he feels better. After that tiresome 'revolt', he's glad to wander around and take care of mindless, not unpleasant tasks. You'll find him contemplating shelves of little fruity yogurt pots. Almond midnight mocha, juicy peach tart or blue lychee dream? Hmmmm.


∅ Recon (Reaper): Under the black sky of late night, he'll be near the City limits and the Underground, surveying the revolt's residual destruction. By now, in the groove of his routine, he's almost forgotten about the curse. The stars above are clear, and there's a pale slice of moon. He drifts from checkpoint to checkpoint, feeding an unexpected new habit of wandering around, not exactly patrolling, but getting lost. Staying lost.


[ OOC: Too cold to pierce, too hot to handle? Thawing and mellowing? Eating itself alive? Interpretations are up to you xD (Massively backtag friendly!!!!)  ]

Comments

[mortemscintilla]

[ She ponders over the significance of signs and discrepancies, and Hei thinks, She was curious. Mao ordered her to send out her specter. But she persisted the other times because she was curious. He isn't sure what to make of that. It's mindbending. He's never considered Yin as just a superficial shell -- a Doll is no different from a pair of binoculars or a hidden wire, in their world -- but not to him. Yet sometimes she exhibits signs that fill even him with disquiet. Flares of willfulness. ]

[ (Sometimes he suspects she's no ordinary Doll at all. Not in any sense of the word). ]

[ By habit, he keeps the thoughts off his face. Rising from the bench, he tucks his grocery bag under one arm and slips the other hand into his pocket. But not before reaching -- almost imperceptibly -- to ghost his fingertips across her shoulder. Glancing down at her head, where the silver hair grows in a whorl, he says, ] Next time Mao orders you to watch anyone I interact with [ although he shouldn't, if Hei has anything to say about it ] I expect you to tell me.

[moonlitrequiem]

[(Hei is, in fact, right.)]

[She does nothing other than breathe for the remaining of the exchange. It's only at the end she looks up at him, expression mirroring his. Her tone is the same as ever, soft and barely above a whisper.]

But if the request is in your best interest and you will argue? [She knows him. Far beyond what any Doll should comprehend, she's aware he doesn't always do what's best for himself.]

[mortemscintilla]

[ Hei's expression hardens, but there's no emotion there. No irritation or shock. He just stares at Yin, dark-eyed and perfectly still, as if mapping new changes on the planes of her face. Or as if he's never seen her before. His frown doesn't even qualify as a frown -- it's too vague, too distant. ]

[ First she sent her specter out. Out of curiosity. Now she's arguing with him. Out of -- what, exactly? ]

That's for me to decide. [ It's not cold, but it's chiding. Whether back home, or in the City, one thing remains unchanged -- he dislikes being questioned. ] I may not have all the answers. But I know Korra isn't a threat to you or Mao. There's no reason to observe her. [ What sort of threat she might be to Hei ... Well. He's not yet sure. ]

[moonlitrequiem]

[If that's Hei's view on the matter, then Yin will agree to it.]

[She nods her head, flowing with his requests once more, downstream and with ease. But she already knew Korra wasn't a threat to them. What she can't figure out is what Mao knows that she doesn't. But that's not supposed to be important, is it?]

[mortemscintilla]

[ She slips so easily into obedient passivity, that Hei almost might've imagined that unexpected fit of pique. ]

[ Almost. ]

[ Except he didn't, and its existence feeds a hum of something in the line of his shoulders. A premonition, almost. He's supposed to be a creature of cold logic; supposed to disdain bad vibes and sixth senses. Perhaps the fact that he doesn't is a sign of his irrational human half, reasserting itself? ]

[ He doesn't know. ]

[ He regards Yin a moment more, impassive, but filled with silent disquiet. Then turns on his heel to start the route back home. ]

[moonlitrequiem]

[Yin remains a while longer after Hei departs, just staring at the grass, dappled shadows and light showing the outline of leaves playing against it with soft breezes overhead.]

[She removes the pendant and watches the colors brighten and shine in the sun, the curve of the wings, then, necklace in hand, she finally rises. She thinks it might be safer there, where Yin can feel it. Hei said keep it safe, so she will.]

[With that as her last thought on it, Yin heads towards the shops.]